The number seventy is used in several occasions in the Bible, and in particularly in relationship to Israel. One of them is the passage found in Daniel 9:24, 26a, which predicts Israel’s future then and in the latter days): Seventy weeks [of years, or 490 years] are decree upon your people and upon your holy city, to finish and put an end to transgression, to seal up and make full the measure of sin, to purge away and make expiation and reconciliation for sin, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and prophet, and to anoint a Holy of Holies…and after the sixty-two weeks [of years] shall the Anointed One be cut off or killed and shall have nothing belonging to Him. With that, the 483 weeks of years closed its period until the seventh week of years left will be fulfilled at the time of the tribulation assigned to the nation of Israel. The Bible says that two- thirds shall be cut off and perish, but one-third shall be left alive. And He said, I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined and will test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will hear and answer them. I will say, It is My people; and they will say, the Lord is my God (Zech. 13:8-9). The tribulation will be a time of the nation’s refining. Through it repentance and acceptance of their Messiah will happen. When Peter asked YAHSHUA how many times should I forgive my brother, seven? YAHSHUA answered, not as many as seven, but seventy times seven, which were the weeks of years given to the nation to repent.
Seventy weeks of years is 70×7= 490 years. The seventy weeks of years started from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem until the Anointed One, (YAHSHUA) a Prince, shall be seven weeks of years (7×7=49) and sixty-two weeks of years (62×7=434 +49= 483) (Dan. 9: 25). One more week is left given to the Jewish nation, which is the seven years’ tribulation. YAHSHUA clearly uses the number seventy as a reflection of the past, present and future in relationship to the nation of Israel, as in the seventy years of Israel’s captivity in Babylon; the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and the remaining seven weeks of years of seventy weeks of years. By sending out the seventy disciples, YAHSHUA was symbolically offering forgiveness to the nation before it had to go through another judgment, which was that of Jerusalem’s destruction by the Romans in A.D. 70. Many days before His trials and death, YAHSHUA uttered these words to the city of Jerusalem: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who continue to kill the prophets and to stone those who are sent to you! How often I have desired and yarned to gather your children together, as a hen her young under her wings, but you would not! Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see Me again until the time comes when you shall say, Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord Luke 13:34-35).
The message He gave to the seventy disciples was simple and to the point: “The kingdom of God has come close to you.” That is, YAHSHUA the Messiah is coming to visit you; the kingdom of God is in the spiritual sense God’s authority ruling over those who submit to Him. YAHSHUA instructed the disciples to wipe the dust of their feet against the town that would not accept them. He then pronounced judgement on that town saying, I tell you, it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that town; he who hears and heeds you [disciples] hears and heeds Me; and he who slights and rejects you slights and rejects Me; and he who slights and rejects Me slights and rejects Him Who sent Me (vs.10-12, 16). Israel is found without excuse before God. Privileged by the fact that God created that nation for the purpose of bringing His Son to the world and to be a witness for Him of all they heard and saw; by the fact that He lived among them for third-three years teaching, healing the sick, bringing the dead to life, till the day He gave His own life away to save the world, and in particular, Israel. That was the greatest miracle ever performed in favor of humankind right before their eyes. Upon the return of the seventy disciples, YAHSHUA uttered a prayer to His heavenly Father rejoicing and glorying in the Holy Spirit, saying, I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have concealed these things from the wise and understanding and learned, and revealed them to babes. Yes, Father, for such was Your gracious will and choice and good pleasure (Luke 10:21). YAHSHUA rejoiced with the good report heard from the disciples. I am sure He rejoices with the result of our good service for Him today, as we labor to expand His kingdom. Would you join us to make our Savior smile and let out a prayer on our behalf of thanksgiving to the Father? Faithful and true we must be to the message given us to spread to the world: For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3: 16).
Light from the Word 