When Jesus Finally Came

Scripture Text:

Jer 31:31-34 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a

new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

(32) Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the

day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt;

which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them,

saith the LORD: (33) But this shall be the covenant that I will make with

the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in

their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and

they shall be my people. (34) And they shall teach no more every man

his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for

they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them,

saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their

sin no more.

 

Message:

 

These very words from Jeremiah were repeated in Hebrews 8.

We read the old covenant from the time of Egypt’s Exodus was broken.

• It could not be kept by Israel.

• So a new covenant would be made without this FAULT.

• And as we now go to the book of Hebrews, notice how the writer

comments about Jeremiah’s prophecy and explains how the old

covenant had a fault.

• And this fault was the reason for the need of the New Testament!

Heb 8:7-12 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no

place have been sought for the second. (8) For finding fault with them,

he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new

covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: (9) Not

according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I

took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because

they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the

Lord. (10) For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of

Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind,

and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall

be to me a people: (11) And they shall not teach every man his

neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall

know me, from the least to the greatest. (12) For I will be merciful to

their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember

no more.

There was a fault with the old covenant.

When you read his book, you find Jeremiah had preached to Judah and

told them again and again that God was punishing them for disobedience

to the law of God.

• Israel broke God’s laws, and especially broke the law of keeping a

sabbath YEAR (not sabbath day) when the land was supposed to be

allowed to rest for a whole year.

• Israel was not allowed to plow the fields and work the fields.

Read the following SABBATH YEAR law, and we will then show you how

this was the primary reason Israel was bound in Babylon:

Leviticus 25:3-5 Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt

prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof; (4) But in the

seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the

LORD: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard. (5) That

which groweth of its own accord of thy harvest thou shalt not reap,

neither gather the grapes of thy vine undressed: for it is a year of rest

unto the land.

Leviticus 25:20-21 And if ye shall say, What shall we eat the seventh

year? behold, we shall not sow, nor gather in our increase: (21) Then I

will command my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring

forth fruit for three years.

2 Chronicles 36:20-21 And them that had escaped from the sword

carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his

sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia: (21) To fulfil the word of

the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her

sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil

threescore and ten years.

 

Notice above that Jeremiah was consulted.

 

• The next verse shows where Jeremiah did indeed prophesy of this.

Jeremiah 25:11 And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an

astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy

years.

 

Israel wound up breaking 70 sabbath years.

 

• 2 Chronicles explained that the reason Jeremiah foretold 70 years

of bondage was due to the negligence of Israel in keeping 70

sabbath years through a 490 year period.

• And since these sabbath years came every seven years, and they

broke 70 of them, then we simply see the equation 70 X 7.

• Over a stretch of 490 years, there were 70 sabbath years.

• And Israel did not keep one single sabbath year during this stretch.

Recall that Jesus said we are to forgive someone UNTIL 70 x 7.

Mat 18:21-22 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my

brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? (22) Jesus

saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy

times seven.

Jesus practiced what he preached!

• He forgave Israel of failure to keep sabbath years UNTIL 70 x 7.

• In other words, He could not forgive the 490th time.

And in the same chapter we then read:

Mat 18:34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors,

 

till he should pay all that was due unto him.

 

So Israel paid the sabbath years back to God and spent 70 years in

Babylon.

Getting back to the covenant issue,

Daniel 9 also mentions 70×7.

• And it is speaking while Daniel and all Israel were prisoners in

Babylon after they came according to Jeremiah.

• Israel is near the very end of the 70 year captivity in Babylon when

God promised they would be set free.

• And suddenly we read Daniel is praying about this very thing.

Dan 9:2-3 In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the

number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah

the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations

of Jerusalem. (3) And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer

 

and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:

Then God speaks about another 70X7 years!

• Israel went through 70×7 years and never kept a single sabbath

year every 7 years.

• And when Daniel wrote his words, they were in Babylon and had

almost paid back the full 70 sabbaths they never gave to God.

• And then God informed Daniel there will be another identical

period of 70×7 years, giving them 70 more sabbath years to pay to

God.

Dan 9:24 Seventy weeks (70 x 7) are determined upon thy people and

upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins,

and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting

righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the

most Holy.

Dan 9:25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of

the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah

the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the

 

street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

Understand that A WEEK in this chapter means simply a SEVEN.

• Not seven days like we understand a week.

• The Hebrew actually only means SEVEN, sort of like saying a dozen.

• SO there would be 70 SEVENS.

• THE FIRST SEVEN would see the city rebuilt again.

• And then after 62 more SEVENS THE MESSIAH WOULD COME!

Remember that Jeremiah said God was going to give Israel a NEW

COVENANT.

• This new one would ENABLE THEM to keep God’s laws, since the

old one was faulty.

• AND JESUS, THE MESSIAH, CAME TO BRING THIS NEW COVENANT!

 

But notice 69 SEVENS pass by before He comes!

• Daniel 9:25…”unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks,

and threescore and two weeks“

 

• 7 + 62.

• That means for the next 483 years, the new covenant did not come

yet.

• And THAT means for the next 483 years, Israel still could not OBEY

God’s laws since their covenant had fault.

 

Heb 8 (8) For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come,

saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel

and with the house of Judah:

The NEW COVENANT would allow them to BE ABLE TO KEEP GOD’S LAWS.

And THAT IS WHY WE READ that by the time 70 SEVENS passed AGAIN,

these following things would occur:

Dan 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy

holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to

make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting

righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the

most Holy.

MAKE AN END OF SINS!

 

Hebrews 10 repeats this prophecy of Jeremiah 31 where we read about a

new covenant, and says Jesus’ Sacrifice would MAKE AN END OF SINS!

Heb 10:14-18 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that

are sanctified. (15) Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for

after that he had said before, (16) This is the covenant that I will make

with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their

hearts, and in their minds will I write them; (17) And their sins and

iniquities will I remember no more. (18) Now where remission of these

is, there is no more offering for sin.

Reconciliation for iniquity would occur.

• An end of sins.

• So no more sacrifice for sins!

• Everlasting righteousness.

• Anoint the most holy!

• Finish the transgression!

Why, again?

• Because MESSIAH WOULD COME after 7 sevens pass, and then

another 62 sevens.

• Hebrews 10 takes the very prophecy of Jeremiah 31 and applies it

to the NEW COVENANT where Jesus died ONE DEATH to forever

require NO MORE sacrifices, since SINS and INIQUITIES were

thereby REMITTED!

• God would remember them no more!

• That means they are remitted!

Since Daniel was praying about those years of captivity due to the

breaking of covenants, and reading Jeremiah’s words about those seventy

years, it is no wonder Daniel was told there would be an END OF SINS,

and then said MESSIAH WOULD COME after the first 69 sevens!

• (THAT makes 9:27’s reference to the midst of the last week after

Messiah comes… 3.5 years after Jesus introduces the new

covenant… he makes sacrifices and oblations to CEASE.)

Heb 10:1-2 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not

the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they

offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. (2)

For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the

worshipers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.

Jesus sacrifice makes u s perfect so sacrifices CEASE TO BE OFFERED!

So all of this tells us that MESSIAH COMES at the last minute!

• There would be 70 more sabbaths given.

• Israel broke 70 of them before and that made them captive to pay

back those year to God.

• To give the land rest for that many years.

• The reason they broke them was because they could not keep the

law since the covenant was faulty.

• And now they are to be released, and Daniel is told Israel would get

70 more.

• But they still don’t get this new covenant that would allow them to

keep the law until 69 sabbath years go by AGAIN!

• Now one more will do them in!

• But JESUS COMES at the LAST seven years before the last sabbath

year, WITH THE NEW COVENANT THAT WOULD ALLOW THEM TO

KEEP GOD’S LAWS!

He comes at the last moment!

He comes in the nick of time!

Similarly, If you are not trusting in Jesus very well, God will let you make

mistakes after mistakes, and at the last minute SHOW YOU THAT IF YOU

JUST TRUST IN JESUS, you will make no mistakes!

He lets you try everything else first, when you should have tried Jesus.

• And at the very last moment, you can reach out to Jesus AND HE

WILL HELP YOU!

 

But what do they do when Jesus comes?

 

• He ministers for 3.5 years— halfway towards the last and final

sabbath year.

• AND THEY CRUCIFY HIM!

Now, the book of Hebrews has helped us understand these things so

much so far tonight.

• Chapter 8, chapter 10.

Heb 12:18-21 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be

touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness,

 

and tempest, (19) And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words;

which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be

spoken to them any more: (20) (For they could not endure that which

was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall

be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: (21) And so terrible was the

sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)

This old covenant that Jeremiah said was faulty and unable to help the

people continue in it and keep it, first was given on Mount Sinai as we

have just read.

• When Moses received the Ten Commandments, It was on an

earthly mountain named SINAI.

• And God commanded Moses to keep the people back as Hebrews

12 says.

Exo 19:12 And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about,

saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or

touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put

to death:

And God’s words were so profound and terrifying that the people prayed

He not speak to them any more, since they were too frightened.

Exo 20:18-19 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings,

and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the

people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. (19) And they said unto

Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with

us, lest we die.

That was when the old covenant was given.

• But we have the NEW COVENANT now.

• And we did not come to a mountain on earth to get it.

• But look where we have come!

Heb 12:22-24 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the

living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of

angels, (23) To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which

are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of

just men made perfect, (24) And to Jesus the mediator of the new

covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than

that of Abel.

We are dealing with a MOUNTAIN called SION and the CITY of God,

heavenly Jerusalem!

• This is a MOUNTAIN IN HEAVEN!

Recall that the very first day God gave them the covenant THEY BROKE IT!

Exo 32:1-4 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down

out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron,

and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for

this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot

not what is become of him. (2) And Aaron said unto them, Break off the

golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of

your daughters, and bring them unto me. (3) And all the people brake

off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto

Aaron. (4) And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a

graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be

thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

They worshiped AN IMAGE OF A BEAST.

• 40 days had gone since Moses went to get the covenant.

• And the last day they worship the image of the beast.

Exo 32:19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp,

that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses’ anger waxed hot, and

he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.

Exo 32:26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on

the LORD’S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered

themselves together unto him.

And when we back up in Hebrews 12, we see something similar to what

Israel did when Jesus came.

Heb 12:15-17 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest

any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be

defiled; (16) Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau,

who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. (17) For ye know how

that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was

rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it

carefully with tears.

 

When this NEW COVENANT with Jesus was rejected and Jesus was

crucified, ISRAEL SOLD THEIR BIRTHRIGHT.

• That is why Hebrews 12 mentions this in the book about the new

covenant.

• LIKE ESAU, when they sold their birthright, there is no place for

repentance.

• I am not talking about every Israelite or Jew today.,

• I am only talking about the people in THAT DAY who rejected Jesus,

their birthright.

When you cannot keep the laws of God because the covenant has fault,

and God gives you a new covenant that allows you to be able to keep it,

AND YOU REJECT IT, you sell your birthright and you are in trouble.

Some people think they commit a sin and they feel they are like Esau who

cannot repent again.

• No.

• People like Esau spit in God’s face and there’s no mistaken

intention about it.

• Only people who would take Jesus and crucify Him are like Esau.

God stressed the thought that without Him we can do nothing.

• He did not manifest in flesh as Son of God until after 483 years…

with only one week left for Israel to strive to keep the sabbath year

law, as they failed to do the previous series of 490 years.

• They could not keep the law of Moses, including sabbath years,

well, though, since the entire Old Covenant had fault.

• God said a new covenant would come that would EMPOWER

people to serve God successfully, though.

• But it does not come with Christ UNTIL ONE WEEK is left of the

second period of 490 years.

The message:

• God allows us to go on our own steam and power, trying all our

fleshly efforts to do His will, and watches us fail.

• He does this and then comes at the last moment in order to teach

us that we cannot do anything without HIS POWER!

• It stresses in our hearts we need Him.

• This is for the purpose of causing us to stop relying on our own

power!

• To realize we really do need Him!

• To embed this into our hearts!

If we would learn to rely upon Him anyway, without first trying our fleshly

power out, then God would not have to teach us these hard lessons.

• When He finally came, THEY were supposed to have learned their

lesson in Israel.

• But they didn’t.

• Then He got Himself His Church!

• Let us not fail where Israel failed!

 

Look for a message that continues with this thought soon!