CHAPTER 20
TIME'S APEX: MESSIAH & SALVATION
All of time was centered on a single point in history, and on a single person, the promised Messiah Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was always a member of the Trinity of God. Because of man's willful sin against God, man needed salvation. Mankind could not provide for their own salvation, therefore God made a plan. He offered His Son as a sacrifice for the sins of man, so that anyone who would accept the free gift offered through Jesus Christ would receive eternal life. This is where time, the universes, the variations of the earth, and God's eternal plan all came together at the central confluence of history. It was the apex of time.
The cross was the single most important event in the entire history of both mankind and angels. Nothing else comes close. This event provided salvation for mankind, and also sealed the doom of the fallen angels, including Satan. It was also the hardest thing God ever did. And given the creation of the universe and all that means, and the restorations of the universe, and the future new universe, that is profound and humbling for us to contemplate. The cross divides everything which came before from that which comes after. It was an earthshaking event which changed everything, for the human race and for the angelic race. That is why it is the central point in all of time. The cross occurred on April 3, 33 AD. The details regarding how we know the exact date are provided in my other book for those interested.
But why did God wait until this time in history to provide the Messiah? Why not immediately after Adam and Eve sinned? One thing which is very clear from our study of time to this point is that God is very patient. He chooses the right time, not the first available time. God waited until the world had expanded its population to a level which made sense for the Messiah to come into it. God also needed to allow for the Age of Israel to run its course and set the stage for the Messiah with teachings and prophecies about who the Messiah would be, and how to know it was truly Him. There also needed to be a stable infrastructure which could support the momentous event which would be the cross. Rome during that period of time was very stable, and most of the world was connected to it. This stability allowed for the gospel message to be spread throughout the world after the cross.
Ever since God announced that a Messiah would be provided, starting with the first reference in Genesis chapter 3, Satan had been watching for Him. Once the Messiah Jesus Christ was born, Satan focused on keeping Him from fulfilling His mission to provide salvation. This included Satan inducing Herod to order all male Jewish children under the age of two to be killed when Jesus was under two years old, but Jesus had been taken to Egypt for protection until Herod died. God did not allow satanic interference with Jesus until His ministry began. When Jesus appeared at the Jordan River and "the Holy Spirit descended on Him like a dove" that started the ministry and Satan was allowed to begin his attempts to influence Jesus. And the first thing Satan did was to tempt Him in the desert as described in Matthew 4:4-11.
When the temptations failed, Satan could not afford to give up. A looming eternity in the Lake of Fire refocused him to continue his efforts. He threw everything at Jesus he could muster. Satan influenced Herod Antipas to have Jesus' Herald and cousin John the Baptist beheaded. He cajoled the Jews to oppose Him at every turn and to reject Him as Messiah. He focused on having every group and person reject Him that Satan could influence. Even a close disciple Judas betrayed Him, and Peter denied Him. Why would Jesus want to suffer for these ungrateful humans? Satan pushed the rejection and ingratitude issues to the maximum. But Jesus remained focused on His mission. It was not about humanity deserving anything, but rather about the Father having sent Him on a selfless mission of accomplishing salvation for the undeserving and ungrateful masses. Therefore Jesus went to the cross and removed the sin issue, reconciling man to God. This put a stake in the heart of Satan. At that point Satan’s options greatly diminished. But Satan has not given up. He has just shifted his focus, even though his doom is essentially assured after the cross.
The life of Jesus Christ is best viewed in a summary timeline as follows:
Timeline of the Life of Jesus Christ
6 BC
Gabriel announcement to Zechariah the priest (husband of Elizabeth, cousin of Mary) that John (“the Baptist”) will be born to them (Lk 1:5-25) (six months prior to Gabriel's announcement to Mary)
5 BC
Gabriel announcement: Mary will give birth to the Messiah (Lk 1:26-38)
Angel visits Joseph to assure him, then Joseph marries Mary (Matt 1:18-25)
Pregnant Mary visits cousin Elizabeth, remains 3 months until John is about to be born (Lk 1:39-55)
Mary returns to Nazareth and Joseph (Lk 1:56)
Census decree of Augustus Caesar; Joseph and Mary go to ancestral hometown for those of the Tribe of Judah, which is Bethlehem (Lk 2:1-7)
The Birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem (Matt. 1:25, Lk 2:7, Gal. 4:4)
Angelic procession; Shepherds visit baby Jesus (Lk 2:8-20)
Joseph, Mary & Jesus remain in Bethlehem and do not return to Nazareth at this time
4 BC
Jesus circumcised (Lk 2:21-22)
Mary and Joseph go to Jerusalem to offer a firstborn sacrifice 40 days after birth; recognized as the Messiah by Simeon and Anna at the Temple; (Luke 2:22-38, Lev. 12:2-8)
They return to Bethlehem (not to home in Nazareth) (Lk 2:39)
Magi visit Jesus in Bethlehem several months after His birth (Matt 2:1-12)
Angel warns Joseph and Mary, they flee to Egypt with Jesus (Matt. 2:13-15)
Herod's decree results in death of children under age two in Bethlehem (Matt. 2:16)
Herod the Great dies; rule over region divided: Herod Antipas in Galilee and Perea; Archelaus in Judea, Samaria, and Idumea; Herod Philip north and east of the Sea of Galilee (Matt. 14:1, Lk 23:7)
3 BC
Joseph, Mary and Jesus return from Egypt and now go home to Nazareth (Matt.2:19-23, Acts 24:5) They travel to Jerusalem annually at Passover as required by the Mosaic Law (Ex 23:14; Isa 33:20)
4BC – 8AD
Joseph and Mary have several natural children, 4 boys and 3 or more girls (Matt 13:55-56)
9 AD
Jesus at age 12; Joseph and Mary take Jesus to Jerusalem for the annual Passover; Jesus in Temple discusses Scriptures with Rabbis and amazes with knowledge (Lk 2:41-52)
“Jesus grew in stature and favor with God and man...”
Family returns to Nazareth until the appointed time for Jesus to begin His ministry
10 AD – 27 AD
Jesus grows up learning the trade of a carpenter, He studies scripture and prepares for His mission in obscurity, Jesus does not perform miracles or do anything which would show Him to be the Messiah except that He is humanly perfect; John the Baptist is Jesus' cousin and he knew Jesus but did not know Jesus was the Messiah at that time; Joseph dies sometime during this period (note that Jesus did not revive him); Jesus would have become the main family provider
28 AD
John the Baptist begins ministry as Messiah's herald; he develops a following of disciples, and calls the Jewish religious leadership“vipers” (Matt. 3:1-12, Mk 1:1-8, Lk 3:1-17, Jn 1:7-13)
29 AD
Jesus (age 32) goes to John at the Jordan River, John sees the Holy Spirit descend on Jesus and declares He is the Messiah; Jesus baptized in the Jordan by John; God the Father's voice commends Jesus as “His Son with whom He is well pleased.” (Matt 3:13-17; Mk 1:9-11; Lk 3:21-23)
Four future disciples meet Jesus near Jordan River (Andrew, Peter, Philip and Nathaniel) (Jn 1:35-51)
The three temptations of Jesus by Satan (Matt 4:1-11; Mk 1:12, 13; Lk 4:1-13)
Jesus' public ministry begins in latter part of 29 AD, and will last about 3 ½ years
He returns to Galilee; goes first to Capernaum to set up a home base for His ministry (Lk 4:14)
Jesus goes to hometown of Nazareth but is rejected (Matt 4:13-31)
Jesus' first miracle: turns water to wine at Cana wedding (Jn 2:1-12)
He returns to home base Capernaum, teaches, drives out demons, heals many, and expands ministry for the remainder of the year (disciples not yet “called” but most have interacted with Jesus) (Lk 4:31-44)
30 AD
Jesus' Galilee ministry continues; heals Peter's mother-in law (Peter not yet a disciple) and many others, demons cast out, teaches in various Galilee Synagogues (Matt 8:14-17; Mk 1:29-34; Lk 4:38-41)
Jesus calls the first disciples to follow Him at the Sea of Galilee: Peter, Andrew, James, and John; they follow Him (Matt 4:18-22; Mk 1:16-20; Lk 5:1-11)
Jesus heals a leper and a paralytic (Lk 5:12-26) (Matt 9:1-8)
Levi (Matthew) called as a disciple (Lk 5:27-31) now 5 disciples
First parable: new cloth patch and new wineskins (Matt 9:16-17; Mk 2:15-22; Lk 5:29-39)
Healing on Sabbath: man with withered hand; Pharisees plot with Herodians to kill Him, Jesus teaches multitudes who throng Him (Matt 12:9-21, Mk 3:1-12; Lk 6:1-11)
Jesus selects remainder of the12 disciples (Mk 3:13-19; Lk 6:12-16)
In the Galilee hills, Jesus teaches the “Sermon on the Mount” to only His 12 disciples, provides His platform for the Kingdom, emphasizing humility, love, not judging, and uses parables (Lk 6:1-49)
Then Jesus and the disciples go down the hill and Jesus teaches many of the same issues in His “Sermon on the Plain” to the large crowds gathered to hear Him teach (Matt 5 - 7)
Jesus goes to Jerusalem for the Passover (Jn 2:13) First of 4 Passovers during His ministry
In Jerusalem Jesus clears the Temple (Jn 2:14-25); later talks with Nicodemus (Jn 3:1-21)
Jesus leaves Jerusalem and goes into Judea (Jn 3:22)
Jesus' disciples baptize, John's disciples confused (Jn 3:22-36)
Jesus leaves Judea and goes to Galilee through Samaria, meets the Samaritan woman at the well and many Samaritans believe in Him (Jn 4:4-42)
Jesus goes to Cana: Remote healing of the nobleman's son (Jn 4:46-54), then goes to Capernaum
John the Baptist imprisoned in Jerusalem (Matt 4:12; Lk 3:19)
Back in Capernaum, remote healing of a Centurion's servant (Matt 8:5; Lk 7:1-10)
Goes to Nain, raises a dead son (Lk 7:11-17)
Jesus continues ministry in/around Galilee as Jesus and His disciples go throughout Galilee to evangelize and teach, and their home base remains Capernaum
31 AD
Jesus expands ministry; disciples now ready to assume more responsibility, Jesus sends out the 12 disciples on their own to witness (Mk 6:6-12)
Jesus goes to the second Passover during ministry, Jesus in Jerusalem performs miracles including healing at the pool of Bethesda on Sabbath (Jn 5:1-47), Pharisees angered and plot to kill Him
Jesus departs Jerusalem and returns to Galilee; disciples return from their witnessing mission
John sends his disciples to ask Jesus if He is truly the Messiah (Matt 11:2-19; Lk 7:18-35)
Outside of Capernaum: Pharisees invite Jesus to dinner to test Him (Lk 7:36-50)
Mary Magdalene and other women join Jesus' core ministry (Lk 8:1-3)
Jesus teaches from a boat; parables of the sower, weeds, mustard seed, & pearl (Matt 13:1-53; Mk 4:1-34; Lk 8:4-25)
Jesus instructs on human family vs family of believers (Luke 8:19-21, Mk 3:31-35, Matt. 12:46-50)
Jesus calms the raging storm, rebukes disciples' lack of faith (Matt 8:18-27; Mk 4:35-41; Lk 8:22-25)
Legion of demons cast out of Gerasene demoniac into swine herd, Jesus rejected by locals and asked to leave area, returns to Capernaum (Lk 8:26-40, Mk 5:1-21, Matt. 8:28-34)
Jesus goes again to Nazareth, Jairus' dying daughter healed; those who touch His robe are also healed
(Matt 9:18-26; Mk 5:22-43; Lk 8:41-56)
Back in Capernaum, disciples sent out again as witnesses, this time with power and authority, they heal and cast out demons (Matt 10; Mk 6:6-13, Lk 9:1-6)
32 AD
Continued ministry, teaching and healing in Galilee area (Matt. 9:35-38, 13:54-58; Mk 6:1-6)
John the Baptist beheaded (Matt 14:1, 2, 6-12, Mk 6:14-16, 21-29; Lk 9:7-9)
Disciples return from their second witnessing mission (Lk 9:10)
Bethsaida: Feeding of the 5000, 5 loaves/2 fish (Matt 14:13-21; Mk 6:30-44; Lk 9:10-17, Jn 6:1-14)
Sea of Galilee: Jesus walks on the water (Matt 14:22-36; Mk 6:45-56; Jn 6:15-21)
At Tyre and Sidon: heals non-Jewish Canaanite woman's daughter (Mk 7:24-30, Matt. 15:21-28)
In Decapolis (SE of Sea of Galilee), heals a deaf man (Mk 7:31-37)
Back in Galilee, many secondary followers leave Jesus' ministry, teaching is “too hard” (Jn 6:22-71)
Third Passover during Jesus's ministry -- no details provided (John 6:4)
Pharisees find fault with disciples over unwashed hands (Matt 15:1-20; Mk 7:1-23)
Great multitudes came to Him (Matt 15:29-31, Mk 7:31-37)
Second mass feeding: 4000 fed with 7 loaves/several fish (Matt 15:29-38; Mk 8:1-9)
Pharisees seek a sign – will only receive the sign of Jonah (Matt 16:1-4; Mk 8:10-12)
The leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees (Matt 16:4-12; Mk 8:13-21)
Bethsaida: heals a blind man (Mk 8:22-26)
Caesarea Philippi: Jesus says He must go to Jerusalem and be killed; Peter declares Jesus is the Messiah the Son of God (Matt 16:13-28; Mk 8:31-38; 9:1; Lk 9:18-27)
Transfiguration of Jesus (Matt 17:1-13; Mk 9:2-13; Lk 9:28-36)
Jesus rebukes a demon (Matt 17:14-21; Mk 9:14-29; Lk 9:37-43)
Again speaks about His death (Matt 17:22, 23; Mk 9:30-32; Lk 9:43-45)
Passes through Galilee to Capernaum, pays taxes from fish mouth, disciples argue about who is the greatest, how many times to forgive (Luke 9:43-48, Mk 9:30-37, Matt. 17:22-18:35)
Disciples stop man from casting out demons in Jesus' name (Lk 9:49-50, Mk 9:38-50)
Jesus appoints 72 “secondary” disciples, sends them out to witness in advance of Him (Lk 10:1)
Goes to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles (September) (Lk 9:51-62; Jn 7:2-11)
Teaches in the Temple at the Feast of Tabernacles (Jn 7:14-52)
The good report of the 72 who were sent out to witness (Lk 10:17-24)
Parable of the good Samaritan (Lk 10:25-37)
Jesus stops in Bethany: the house of Mary and Martha (Lk 10:38-42)
Woman taken in adultery – a non-canonical story (from the deleted verses of Jn 8:1-11)
Jesus teaches His disciples to pray (Lk 11:1-13)
The blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Matt 12:22-37; Mk 3:19-30; Lk 11:14-20)
Jesus accused of blasphemy (Mark 3:22-30, Matt 12:38-45; Lk 11:16-36)
Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees (Lk 11:37-54)
Jesus teaches His disciples many things (Lk 12:1-59)
Parables of the fig tree, narrow door (Lk 13:1-35)
Healing deformed woman (Matt 19:1, 2; Mk 10:1; Lk 13:10-17)
I was blind, now I see (Jn 9:1-41)
My sheep hear my voice (Jn 9:39-41; 10:1-21)
Jesus goes to Jerusalem for feast of dedication (Lk 13:22-35) (winter)
Pharisees want to stone Him (Jn 10:22-39)
Jesus goes beyond the Jordan River and teaches (Matt. 19:1-20:16, Jn 10:40-42, Mk 10:1-16)
Bethany: Jesus Raises Lazarus from the dead (Jn 11:1-46)
Ephraim: declaration of Caiaphas (Jn 11:47-54)
33 AD
Jesus dines with a prominent Pharisee (Lk 14:1-24)
Cost of serving the Lord (Lk 14:25-35)
More parables, including Prodigal Son (Lk 15:1-32; 16:1-13)
Hypocrisy of the Pharisees (Lk 16:14-18)
The rich man and Lazarus (Lk 16:19-31)
Ten lepers healed (Lk 17:11-19)
Teaches the Pharisees about the coming of the Kingdom (Lk 17:20-37)
The Pharisee and the tax collector (Lk 18:1-14)
Marriage and divorce (Matt 19:3-12; Mk 10:2-12)
Let the little children come to me (Matt 19:13-15; Mk 10:13-16; Lk 18:15-17)
Rich young ruler (Matt 19:16-22; Mk 10:17-22; Lk 18:18-24)
Parable of the vineyard (Matt 20:1-16)
Again discusses His death (Matt 20:17-19; Mk 10:32-34; Lk 18:31-34)
Who will sit at His right hand? (Matt 20:20-28; Mk 10:35-45)
Jericho: Blind Bartimaeus (Matt 20:29-34; Mk 10:46-50; Lk 18:35-43)
Zacchaeus the Chief Tax Collector (Lk 19:1-10)
Parable of the minas (talents) (Lk 19:11-28)
Bethany: Mary anoints the feet of Jesus (Jn 12:1-9)
Jerusalem: Triumphal entry into Jerusalem; enters Jerusalem on a colt, predicts Jerusalem's destruction
THIS IS THE FULFILLMENT OF THE PROPHECY OF DANIEL 9 – END OF THE 69 SEVENS (“MESSIAH PRINCE WILL BE CUT OFF”) One “seven” remains – The Tribulation
(Matt 21:1-11; Mk 11:1-11; Lk 19:37-44)
Cleanses the temple second time (Lk 19:45-47)
Healing the blind and lame (Matt 21:14)
Teaching daily in the Temple (Lk 19:47-48)
Withered fig tree & other parables (Mk 11:12-13