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Thursday: The Seventy Years — 3 Comments

  1. For anyone that might be unsure about the 70 year prophecy, I offer delimiters (beginning and ending "markers") for the prophecy.

    The end-point is given in Ezra 1:1-2. (This scripture is referring to the fulfilment of Jeremiah's 70 year prophecy.)

    Now it is probably un-necessary to refer to additional "witnesses"; but Josephus, the well known Jewish historian, states that, "the 1st year of the reign of Cyrus which was the 70th [year] from the day that our people were removed out of their own land into Babylon..." (Antiquities Bk.11,chp.1,sec.1.) And Ellen White teaches exactly the same thing in Prophets and Kings p.557.

    So the 70 years ENDED in about 536B.C. when Cyrus issued the decree given in Ezra 1 etc. allowing the Hebrew captives to return.

    The 70 years BEGAN when "the first company of Hebrews had been taken by Nebuchadnezzar from their Judean home to Babylon." (PK 557) This event took place in about 606B.C., and it was in this deportation that Daniel was taken.

    (Unfortunately the dates are contested, especially the dating of the first year of Cyrus, but the events that mark the beginning and the end of the 70 years are well established.)

    (26)
  2. The Jews' seventy (70) years under Babylonian authority was the result of curses (Deuteronomy 27:14-26). However even when subjected to a curse Jehovah finds a way to bring a blessing to those who will humble themselves and be submissive while setting their heart to honor God (Jeremiah 29:7).

    All of creation was cursed, including humans and beasts when the world was plunged into sin in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:14-24). Nevertheless the Creator would bring blessing and joy (Deuteronomy 28:1-14) to all who would accept the conditions, cooperate with Him, and live to please Him for the three score and ten (70) years appointed to mankind in this life (Psalm 90:10).

    Then there will be a glorious restoration beyond imagination (Jeremiah 29:10; 1 Corinthians 2:9), a return to Eden restored (Revelation 22:1-5). While under the curse the faithful may submit (Romans 13:1-6) and pray for the authorities on this earth (1 Timothy 2:1-4), understanding that at the end the song of the saints may be, “Take me back dear Lord to the place where you have prepared.” (John 14:1-4).

    (17)
  3. Could the 70 years have some relation to the judgment promised in the 2nd commandment against those who made and bowed to images; " for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me," while at the same time promising to show "lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments"?

    (1)

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