Lesson #13

Course in Biblical Doctrine
Lesson #13

God’s Cycles and Numbers

• God is a God of order, and He has placed order in His Word. He works in a systematic way. In order to understand God, we need to understand how He works.
• In the Bible we see God use cycles of time.
• For example: We have seen God’s dispensations of time alternate between periods of law and periods of grace for 7 dispensations of time. (Lessons 7, 8, 9, 10)
• For example: In the book of Judges, human nature follows a downward cycle of 5 points repeated 7 times:
• =1= Sin
• =2= Servitude
• =3= Supplication
• =4= Salvation
• =5= Silence
• While there are several cycles in the Bible, the most important cycles concern themselves with the Jewish system of the Sabbath.
• The Sabbath day, the Sabbath week, the Sabbath month, the Sabbath year, and the Seventh Sabbatic year
• The 7 day creation period established the Sabbath system around the Jewish agriculture calendar.
• The Jewish Sabbath was on the 7th day (Saturday)
• The Jews were to do no work on the Sabbath.
• When God gave them the manna in the wilderness, they were not to collect it on the Sabbath.
• At the end of the 7th week (49 days) was the Feast of Pentecost.
• God gave the Law of Moses to Israel on the Feast of Pentecost.
• God established the Church on the Day of Pentecost.
• The 7th month of the Jewish calendar contained 3 important Jewish feasts. (Lev 23)
• The Feast of Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Feast of Firstfruits.
• Jesus Christ was crucified on the feast of Passover; He was in the tomb on the Feast of Unleavened Bread; and He rose from the dead on the Feast of Firstfruits.
• Every 7th year was a Sabbatic year.
• Every seventh year the land was not to be planted.
• The tribulation period will last for 7 years and Christ will come at the end of the 7th year.
• At the end of the 7th Sabbatic year (49 years) was the year of Jubilee (50th year).
• Christ will fulfill the year of Jubilee in the Millennium.
• All debts will be forgiven, the land will be given to the 12 tribes of Israel.
• 70 year cycles
• The servitude of Israel under Babylon 606-536 BC
• The captivity of Israel under Babylon 597-527 BC
• The desolations on Jerusalem 586-516 BC
• 40 year cycles (training for service through testing )
• Moses en Egypt (Act 7:23)
• Moses in Madian (Act 7:30)
• Israel in the Wilderness (Deu 8:2)
• Israel under Othniel (Jdg 3:11)
• Israel under Barak (Jdg 5:31)
• Israel under Gideon (Jdg 8:28)
• Israel enslaved by the Philistines (Jdg 13:1)
• Israel under Eli (1Sam 4:18)
• Israel under Saul (Act 13:21)
• Israel under David (2Sam 5:4)
• Israel under Solomon (1Kin 11:42)
• Israel under Joash(2Chr 24:1)
• 40 day cycles (training for service through testing)
• Length of the rainfall in Noah’s flood.
• Israel mourns Jacob (Gen 50:3)
• Moses on Mt. Sinai (Exo 24:18)
• Moses intercedes for Israel (Deu 9:25)
• Moses on Mt. Sinai again (Exo 34:28)
• 12 spies search Canaan (Num 13:25)
• Goliath challenges Israel (1Sam 17:16)
• Jonah’s 40 days and Nineveh (Jon 3:4)
• Elijah’s fasting journey (1Kin 19:8)
• Ezekiel lies on his side (Eze 4:6)
• Jesus fasts and is tempted (Mat 4:2)
• From Jesus resurrection to Ascension (Act 1:3)
• 430 year cycles
• From the Abrahamic Covenant to the Exodus (Gen 15:18)
• Closing of the Old Testament to the public ministry of Jesus (396 BC -28AD)
• 490 year cycle
• Birth of Abraham to the Exodus (Exo 12)
• Coronation of King Saul to the Babylonian Captivity (1096 BC to 606 BC)
• Dedication of the first temple to decree to rebuild Jerusalem (1005BC – 445 BC)
• (560 years – 70 years in captivity = 490 years)
• Dedication of the first temple to dedication of the second temple (1005 BC -515 BC)
• Daniel’s 70 prophetic weeks of years = 490 years)
• 2520 year cycle
• Babylonian captivity to Israel’s rebirth in 1948. (536 BC – 1948 AD)
• Times of the Gentiles
• From the Babylonian Captivity to the times of Israel in the Land
• Presence of Israel in the land 1451 BC – 70 AD

Plus 1000 years of the Millennium = 2520 years

• The Jerusalem temple period
• Second temple 520 BC – Cleansing of the rebuilt temple.

• Recurring Events on Specific Calendar Dates:
• 1st of the month of Nisan (A Time of Ritual Cleansing)
• The dedication of the wilderness tabernacle (Exo 40:17)
• Cleansing of the temple by Hezekiah (2Chr 29:2-3, 17)
• Ezra began a journey to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple (Ezra 7:9)
• The decree to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem (Neh 2:1-8)
• Cleansing of the future Millennial Temple (Eze 45:18)
• 10th of the month of Nisan (Sanctification…Setting apart the Passover lamb)
• Sanctification of the Passover Lamb (Exo 12:3-6)
• Israelites cross the Jordan to enter the Promised Land (Jos 3:16 Jos 4:19)
• Christ our Passover Lamb “cut off” on Palm Sunday (Dan 9:26)
• Ezekiel given the vision of the Millennial Temple (Eze 40:1-2)
• 14th of the month of Nisan (Passover….Covenant Relationship)
• God made a covenant with Abraham (Gen 15:18 Exo 12:41)
• Passover lamb eaten in Egypt before the exodus. (Exo 12:41)
• First Passover in the Promised Land (Jos 5:11-12)
• Josiah discovers the book of the Law at Passover (2Chr 34:2-3, 15, 31)
• Dedication of the second temple (Ezr 6:16-19)
• The Last Supper of Jesus (Luk 22:19-20)
• 15th of the month of Nisan (Feast of Unleavened Bread) (Purging of leaven or sin)
• Exodus from Egypt (Exo 12:41)
• Crucifixion of Jesus.
• The fall of Masada 72 AD
• 17th of the month of Nisan (Feast of Firstfruits) (Resurrection)
• Noah’s Ark rests on Mt. Ararat (Gen 8:4)
• Israel crossed the Red Sea (Exo 14:13-14)
• Israel eats firstfuits in Gilgal (Jos 5:10-12)
• Jesus’ Resurrection (1Cor 15:20 Mat 27:52-53)
• 6th of the month of Sivan (Feast of Pentecost) (New revelations of God’s will)
• God gave the Ten Commandments (Exo 19:11)
• God gave the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Act 2:11)
• Enoch raptured on this day. (according to Jewish oral tradition)
• 17th of Tammuz (Fasting and Mourning) Zec 8:18) (The breaking of a Spiritual symbol of God’s favor)
• Moses breaks the Ten Commandments (Exo 32:19
• Babylonian army breaks through the walls of Jerusalem to stop the daily sacrifice.
• Roman army breaks through to attack the temple to stop the daily sacrifice in 70 AD.
• 9th of the month of Av (Fasting or Mourning) Zec 7:5-8 (National Disasters)
• 12 spies return with a bad report causes a loss of faith. (Num 14:1-10)
• Destruction of Solomon’s Temple by Babylon in 587 BC
• Destruction of the Temple by the Romans in 70 AD
• Roman army plowed Jerusalem with salt 71AD
• Destruction of Simeon Bar Cochba’s army in 135 AD (a false Messiah)
• England expelled all Jews in 1290 AD. This ban not lifted until 1657 AD.
• Spain expelled all Jews in 1492 AD.
• W.W. I declared and Russia begins persecution of the Jews in E. Russia 1914 AD.
• 1st of the month of Tishri (Feast of Trumpets) New Beginning
• Joshua brought the first offering to the burnt altar.
• Ezra read the law to the returning exiles to affirm the covenant. (Neh 8:2-3 Ezr 3:1-6)
• Rapture of the church.
• The battle of Armageddon (Joe 1:14 Joe 2:1-2)
• Creation of Adam and Eve (according to oral tradition)
• Adam and Eve expelled from the garden of Eden (according to oral tradition)
• Noah removes the cover of the ark after the flood. (Gen 8:13)
• Joseph released from prison after 16 years.
• 10th of the month of Tishri (Day of Atonement) Every 50 years, the day of Jubilee.
• Aaron made atonement for Israel for the first time (Lev 16:1-28)
• Israel saved from annihilation by Egypt and Syria in 1973 AD.
• The Second Coming of Christ (Zec 12:10-11)
• 15th of the month of Tishri (Feast of Tabernacles) (coming of the presence of God)
• Birth of Jesus Christ (Joh 1:14 (conceived on the 25 of December).
• Dedication of Solomon’s temple 1005 BC (2Chr 5:2-3)
• The beginning of the Millennial Kingdom on earth (Zec 14:1-21)
• 24th of Chislev (Feast of Hanukkah) (Cleansing and rededication)
• Foundation of the second temple is established 520 BC (Hag 1:15; 2:18-19)
• Termination of the temple sacrifice 168 BC (1Maccabees 4:54)
• The recapture and cleansing of the temple 165 BC (1Maccabees 4:52-54)
• Jerusalem freed from Turkish rule in 1917 AD by General Allenby.
• Possible future defeat of Russian war (Eze 38-39).

• God’s Prophetic Numbers