Hi John, Chance, and Doves,
Re. JESUS’ TIME OF VISITATION —> FOR JUDGEMENT
Chance (23 Apr 2023) “EAR”
Also, what adds to my belief that the 70th Week has not been completed is what Jesus said and did when he went to enter Jerusalem/the Triumphal Entry.
because YOU DID NOT KNOW THE TIME OF YOUR VISITATION."Luke 19:42
But Jesus isn’t finished with His people or His holy city. All through The Revelation we read of judgments upon the Jewish people and Jerusalem.
Hi Chance,
Regarding the phrase: you did not know the time of your visitation – (above), you seem to imply that Jesus used this phrase to indicate that the Jews really DID NOT KNOW who He was; (i.e., that there was some ‘innocence’ or ‘lack of knowledge’ on the part of the Jewish people, and the city of Jerusalem), because they unknowingly missed their time of visitation by their Messiah; this on the very DAY that He finally revealed to them WHO He was!
In scripture, the ‘day of visitation’ means a time when God comes to His people—either ‘to save’ or ‘to judge’. On this occasion, Jesus is addressing the City, as a symbol of its occupants! As its King (riding on a colt as prophesied), He was coming to a rebellious city! Jesus wept over the city, because the things that would have made for [its] peace were hidden from [its] eyes. Luke 19:44 - Bible Verse Meaning and Commentary (biblestudytools.com)
Because the City’s leadership had wilfully rejected Jesus’ ‘time of visitation’ [for salvation], the City and the people would afterward suffer God’s ‘time of visitation’ for judgement and destruction!
The City’s first ‘visitation for judgement’ after Jesus, occurred in AD 66–74. This disaster was endorsed by Jesus when He talked about the coming ‘days of vengeance’ that would (according to various prophecies), be ongoing! Notably, as far as the ‘sacrifice and offerings in the Temple’ were concerned they would be taken away, and desolations would continue until the consummation, when any future resolutions/punishments had already been decided. (Cf. Isaiah 61:2; Matt. 24:2I; Luke 19:44; 21:6, 12–19, 22; 23:27– 31; and cf. Daniel 9:26b, 27b.)
Thus, the historic seven year period (AD 67–74), instituted the delayed ‘days of vengeance’ that Jesus had warned His disciples about in Luke 21:22; these fraught days still lay ahead for Judah and Jerusalem, BUT they occurred after Daniel’s 70th week had been completed, and outside the 490 year period allocated for Daniel’s prophecy of 70 Weeks! Compare Luke 4:14–21 with Isaiah 61:2b, showing Jesus’ previously ‘unspoken’ phrase about the days of vengeance, right at the beginning of His ministry, compared to what He said at the end.
The phrase the ‘time of visitation’ is nearly always used in the Old Testament (in KJV translation) to indicate God’s judgment (i.e., ‘days of punishment/days of recompense/the year of their visitation/day of their calamity) which will be poured out on various nations including Israel; see Isaiah 10:3; Jere. 10:15, 23:11–12, 46:21, 50:27, 51:18; Hosea 9:7; Micah 7:4; Matt 7:4; and 1 Peter 2:12. This would be the fate of Jerusalem, and its occupants during the Days of vengeance.
As far as the disciples were concerned, they would not suffer this judgement because they took notice of Jesus’ warning to them. He spoke to His disciples personally—about the ‘tribulation’/persecution looming ahead of them—and what would likely happen to them. (cf. Matt. 24:9-14; Luke 21:12–19, as above)
Jesus also warned them about the abomination of desolation that they would see; when foreign armies appeared, to surround Jerusalem in the near future (cf. Matt. 24:15–22 with Luke 21:20–22). He described this event as ‘the days of vengeance.’ This happened in AD 66/67 at the beginning of the First Jewish/Roman war that lasted for 7 years. (See pages 133–137 in my book, The Curse and the Covenant – https://www.fivedoves.com/letters/apr2023/ear42-4.htm
When they saw these things they were to flee to the mountains; they were to get right out of Judea and not go back! (Tradition says the disciples fled to Perea/Pella: an area ‘beyond Jordon’ to the east, i.e. in Transjordan.) [i]
There are definite references to this future period of destruction within the verses in Dan. 9:26b and 27b, which connect them with the words of Jesus in your quote above. Here they are:
And the people [Jews] of the prince who is to come, [i.e., Jesus, refer previous verse] shall destroy the city and the sanctuary.
The end of it [the siege of Jerusalem] shall be with a flood, and till the end of the war [1st Jewish Roman war] desolations are determined.
And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate,
Even until the consummation which is determined, is poured out on the desolate/desolator.
I cannot find any references in scripture to indicate that Jesus will VISIT again ‘to suffer salvation for the Jews). Instead the Bible speaks of His second Coming in judgement to refine them (Mal. 3:2–5, 16–18; 4:1–3), during a time of intense world-wide, trouble (Dan. 12:1–3).