Jesus gave a teaching on a Jubilee in 28 AD.

Jesus gave a teaching on a Jubilee in 28 AD. I know that’s a bold claim but …..

I have, for quite a number of years now, really enjoyed studying the many timelines, patterns and prophecies put forward in the public domain by the body of Christ. Some, for sure, have involved a little “shoehorning” but most have been offered in a spirit of grace and truth and biblical discernment. I even think that many of these studies have been patterns within patterns and signs pointing to further signs which can make our biblical mandate “to watch” a tad exasperating. This theory excites me because it’s a timeline that hugs the biblical narrative all the way through.

Before I put forward my theory regarding 40 Jubilees from Jesus’ first sermon, as detailed in Luke chapter 4 it is important to undergird it with proof of the time in which this occurred to provide a solid base for the theory. Although I believe that this is necessary, I know that it will cause many to tune out even before I get started on the theory because they will not agree on Passion week being in April 32AD. Sir Robert Anderson was the first to really nail down the proof of the 173880 days (or 69 weeks) prophecy of Daniel 9 which he detailed extensively in his 1894 book “The Coming Prince”. There were obviously no computers in those days but Sir Robert Anderson was a brilliant and tenacious man who, upon his retirement as a detective for Scotland Yard, teamed up with scientists from the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England who helped him with some of the science including leap years and when leap years are skipped. I spend I long time studying this about 14 years ago and found a lot of surprises including the fact that every 128 years we skip a leap year. This is because there are not quite 365.25 days in a leap year; there are 365.2422 which means that adding an extra day every 4 years is a little too much so we skip a leap year every 128 years. Apparently, others came within 3 days of proving the prophecy of 173880 days, which is breath taking in itself, but when God, who knows the end from the beginning gives a prophecy, it has to come true exactly. Sir Robert Anderson determined that the decree to rebuild the temple and the walls and moat was given by Nehemiah (Neh 2) happened on the 14th March 445BC and the 173880 days (69 weeks) ended on 6th April 32AD when Jesus rode down the Kidron valley into Jerusalem and presented Himself as the Messiah to all.

The depth that Sir Robert Anderson went into to proof this is very detailed and extensive and certainly what you would expect of a highly respected detective. There are also many other calculations and proofs that can be grafted into this Passion week date of April 32AD. Many modern day and well-respected biblical scholars believe that Jesus was born in September 3BC. There were many interesting signs in the heavens around this time including the Bethlehem star and Venus/Jupiter conjunctions etc which is a fascinating study in its own right but my point is that it is 33 and a half years from September 3BC to April 32AD; Jesus starting His Ministry at around the age of 30 according to the scriptures and His ministry lasting 3 and a half years. Also, with the timeline of Passion week itself starting on a Sunday and ending on a Sunday (resurrection Sunday) the whole thing seems to fit like a glove whereas other dates such as 28, 29,30,31 or 32AD simply do not hold up to the same scrutiny.

The Theory

So having laid a foundation, on which I believe, was the Passion week in which our Lord rode down into Jerusalem, was inspected for 4 days, was crucified, buried and rose again 3 days later I would like to go back 3.5 years to the start of His ministry to the point of His first sermon as detailed in Luke 4 and His rejection by the religious powers at that time. Three and a half years back from April 32AD brings us to September 28AD and more specifically to the fall feasts of 28AD.

Luke 4:16-21 (KJV)

16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

Jesus was of course preaching from Isaiah 61 and very likely on the feast of Yom Kippur and also very likely in a Jubilee year since many scholars believe that the terminology of this passage of scripture is indicative of a Jubilee. Notice how Jesus read this passage at the start of his ministry with the claim that, “today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” For this statement to be true, the year that he read it in also had to be a special year of God's favour, or Sabbath or Jubilee year. Otherwise the “year of favour” would not have been fulfilled. Notice also how he stopped reading from Isaiah 61 right before the part about “the day of vengeance of our God”. He could not announce that it was a “day of vengeance” as he had announced regarding the “year of favour”. This day of vengeance would only be fulfilled when he returned on the Day of the Lord to fight the Battle in another “year of favour” or Sabbath year. If he had read that section of the verse, he would have invalidated his claim that what he had just read had been fulfilled in their hearing that day. Jesus' quotation of Isaiah 61 is incredibly significant and helpful. It tells us that both the last year of the 69th Week which he claimed to have partially fulfilled and the last year of 70th Week, which he clearly will come again to fulfil “fully”, are both a “year of favour”.

I have always found it strange that Leviticus says that every 50th year, the trumpet to usher in the year of Jubilee is to be sounded on Yom Kippur. It’s strange because God is saying to start the celebrations for the Jubilee, when everyone gets to go back to their rightful home and is set free in many respects, should start on a day of judgement. It’s a bit like delaying the celebrations for a birthday or wedding anniversary to the worst day of doom and gloom as possible !. I think that Jesus resolved this anomaly by preaching this sermon on Yom Kippur 17th September 28AD. If He was accepted there would not be a day of Judgement. Unfortunately, He was immediately rejected by Israel after this sermon, and this was the national “offence” per Hosea 5 which did not repent during Jesus’ ministry and won’t until the time of Jacobs trouble.

Luke 4:28-30 (KJV)

28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,

29 And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.

30 But he passing through the midst of them went his way.

So, on Yom Kippur 2028 it will be exactly 2000 years since Israel rejected her Messiah and committed the national sin and offence. Some will argue that the “offence” began on Palm Sunday when Jesus was again rejected by the Jewish authorities and the religious establishment but I contend that He was first rejected on Yom Kippur 28AD at the very start of His ministry. This “offence” and rejection continued in an unrepentant way right through Jesus’ 3.5 year ministry unto today and then until they admit their “offence” at the end of the tribulation, prompting the swift return of the Lord (Rev 19:11) with the bride trailing in behind Him. This brings me to:-

Hosea 5:15-6:3 (KJV)

15 I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.

1 Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.

3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.

Psalm 90 states that from the Lord’s perspective a thousand years are but a day. So, if the offence occurred on 17th September 28AD then the 2 days (2000 years) will expire on Yom Kippur 2028. Will this be the second coming of Jesus to rid this world of evil and set up His Millennial reign ? If 28AD was a Jubilee, and based on the belief that the next Jubilee cycle starts after the Jubilee year, then it will be precisely 40 Jubilees to Yom Kippur on 29th September 2028AD.(40 being a time a testing for God’s people) and I can’t think of a more appropriate time for the Lord to usher in His kingdom than on a Jubilee.

Exactly 75 days after 29th September 2028AD is the first day of Hanukkah. This is known as the festival of lights and although it is not one of the 7 main Levitical feasts, I believe it is very important since Jesus attended this festival as recorded in the Gospel of John. Jesus is the “light of the world” and I think that when He was walking in the portico of the temple of Solomon it was a dress rehearsal for when He will begin to reign in His Millennial temple (Ezekiel 43:7). The 75 extra days from the end of Daniels 70th Week is of course from Daniel 12 and seems to fit quite snuggly into this timeframe.

I am a pre-trib rapture believer or more specifically pre- Daniels 70th week but there is nothing in the scriptures regarding timelines and dates for this event. However, there are lots of clues and timelines regarding the Jews and the Day of the Lord, so if we can see that event on the horizon then we lift off very soon. 2021 may very well be the start of the tribulation and it also coincides with the last possible year for the tribulation to start before, according to many biblical scholars, violence is done to the text of Jesus’s fig tree prophecy. (1948 to 2028 is 80 years being the maximum generation)

In closing I would say that the Jubilee connection is important. However, the point here is that it is exactly 2000 years (2 Days) from Yom Kippur 28 AD (and a Jubilee year) to Yom Kippur 2028 AD. That theory stands on its own and is rooted in Luke 4, Isaiah 61 and Hosea 5-6 and the timeline has been proved by scholars with impeccable credentials who have devoted a lot of time in proving Daniels 69 week prophecy to the very day. All this leads me to believe in a highly likely 2021 start for the 70th week of Daniel but the rapture could of course take place anytime between then and now. My money would be on the Feast of Trumpets 2021.

Many blessings

David