Dispensationalism question

[Guest]

Although I'm not dispensational, friends of mine are. One of them has a book by Grant Jeffrey that has what is considered to be a prophecy fulfilled in Israel's 1948 return to a nation that goes like this:

In context of Ezekiel 4:3-6 a prophecy is given were each day represents a year. Israel is punished for 390 years and 40 years. As Jeremiah says, at the end of 70 years of Babylon captivity in 536 BC a small remnant returned to the house of Judah in Jerusalem.

From the decreed punishment of 430 years (390 + 40 years), deducting 70 years of Babylonian captivity which ended in 536 BC, there remains a total of 360 years of further punishment beyond 536 BC. But no significant period in Isael's history reveals or coressponds to this 360 years.

Historically it should be noted that Israel did not repent of it's sin at the end of the 70 years in Babylon. In fact, even the minority of 50,000 that did return with Ezra did so with little faith. The larger part failed to repent of sin and disobedience that caused God to send them into captivity. The majority of Jews settled down as colonists in the Persian Empire.

The solution is in Leviticus 26. God told Israel (four times) that after being punished for thier sins, if she still refused to repent, the punishments previously specified would be multiplied by 7. Making it 360 years x 7 = 2,520 biblical years. Making the final restoration to the land would be accomplished in 2,520 biblical years of 360 days each.

The end of captivity in Babylon was 536 BC. Adding to this 2,520 biblical years x 360 = 907,200 days. Convert this figure into our calender year of 365.25 days and divide 365.25 into 907,200 we get 2,483.8 calender years. So add this to 536 BC and we get 1948 AD.

Steve and others, I'm just wondering if you have heard of this before and what your thoughts are on it.

It seems to me that God would not have allowed any to return if they did not repent.

[_Steve]

Sean,

I have never read this book, but I have twice heard preachers use this information since the book was published, meaning they probably took the information from the book. I am unimpressed with the argument, though on the surface, it seems quite remarkable. Here are some of my thoughts about this:

I have lived too long to credit such arguments.

For centuries, the historicist commentators on Daniel and Revelation have used very similar reasoning to prove that the fall of the Catholic papacy, or the second coming of Christ, or some other eschatological event, would come on a certain date. All of their calculations fell short by at least a century and were mostly abandoned in the 1800s.

In more recent times, Hal Lindsey used reasoning every bit as valid to prove that the rapture would occur no later than 1981, and that the Millennium would begin by 1988.

In 1987, Edgar Whisenaut published “88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Occur in 1988.” No serious Bible student could have taken him seriously, though thousands of naïve pastors did! Every one of his 88 arguments were of exactly the same kind as those used by Jeffreys’ the only difference is that they were all proven false with time, whereas Jeffreys can claim that his have worked out.

But his were not “worked out” before the fact! No Bible scholar prior to 1948 ever looked at this biblical data and predicted that such a return of the Jews in that specific year was anticipated.

Sir Robert Anderson did a similar set of calculations (after the fact) to prove that the very day of the Triumphal Entry was predicted in the prophecy of the 70 weeks (Daniel 9:24-27).

The problem with “after the fact” calculations such as these, is that they rely on entirely arbitrary selections and calculations of the various numerical statements in scripture. There is an arbitrariness about which numerical data to include (and which mathematical operation to apply) that renders the whole process more a matter of smoke and mirrors than sound biblical exegesis.

If these specific calculations had not yielded the target date (1948), there would be other numeric data in scripture that could be brought in (multiplied, summed, subtracted, divided, squared, etc.) until the right combination would produce the desired number. It is just the kind of “apologetics” used in the hokey “Bible Code” calculations (which Jeffreys also supports). My impression is that Grant Jeffreys is much more interested proving a point—by however tenuous methods—than in conducting responsible exegesis of the relevant texts.

[Guest]

Thanks for the info. I'll pass it along. It certainly does seem that most prophecies are made after the fact.

[Guest]

The Hebrew year is not 360 days. Lunar months alternate between 29 and 30 days, depending on the new moon (I think the actual lunar cycle is 29.54 days, but I'm not sure - it is between 29 and 30). In order for the seasons to fall in the right place, some years have 13 months. Theoretically, and according to the Hillel calendar, I think this occurs 7 times every 19 years. If I remember correctly, a 12-month year has about 354 days, and a 13-month year has about 384 days. That could be a day or so off, but is really not important.

Anyway, my point is that all of this 360-day counting is not valid because the premise that a year has 360 days is flawed.

[Guest]

The Hebrew year is not 360 days. Lunar months alternate between 29 and 30 days, depending on the new moon (I think the actual lunar cycle is 29.54 days, but I'm not sure - it is between 29 and 30). In order for the seasons to fall in the right place, some years have 13 months. Theoretically, and according to the Hillel calendar, I think this occurs 7 times every 19 years. If I remember correctly, a 12-month year has about 354 days, and a 13-month year has about 384 days. That could be a day or so off, but is really not important.

Anyway, my point is that all of this 360-day counting is not valid because the premis that a year has 360 days is flawed.

Thanks for the info, I'll pass that along too.

[Guest]

Larry,

360 day idea comes likely resulted in the 360 degree circle. The origin of to the 360 degree circle extend into antiquity. The point is, that we do not know if God originally created the earth to go around the sun every 360 days with the moon going around the earth every 30 days. But we know that global devistations such as last years tsunami can affect the earth's rotation either slowign it or speeding it up. Consider what the impact of the Global Flood may have been.

The point is, no one can REALLY know any specific dates nor how much it was altered by the Flood. But there is nor reason to think that it is much different. Setting dates are pointless. However, some of the early church clearly bought into the idea of 6 days, 6 thousand years like Barnabas (100AD), 7th day millennium, 8th day eternal state. So who should we really be pointing fingers at?