Biblical significance of 70X 7 = 490
“‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven’” (Matthew 18:21–22, NKJV).
Every word in Hebrew has a numerical value, and these values frequently communicate deeper spiritual insights. That is certainly the case in the following biblical stories.
While Moses was on Mount Sinai, the LORD said to him, “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. When you have entered the land I am giving you, the land itself must observe a Sabbath rest before the LORD every seventh year.
(Leviticus 25:1-7)
In the Old Testament Solomon's Temple was destroyed after 490 years as the children of Israel sinned, as well as broke God’s law by not resting the land every 7th year.
The Hebrews were sent into captivity for 70 years (See Jeremiah 25:9-13). During this captivity God reclaimed the 70 years and the land rested from agricultural activities.
When King Josiah died, the people went back to their old ways, worshiping idols and disobeying the Lord. The time of judgment had come. God used Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon to deport the people from Judah to Babylon where they would live in exile for 70 years.
However after 70 years God's mercy and forgiveness return the remnant captives to the land.
The number 490 is the numerical value of the biblical Hebrew word tamim, which means “complete,” “perfect,” or “finished.” A person who can’t forgive will always live an imperfect and incomplete life that lacks a true understanding of the “finished,” gracious work of the cross. The number 490 is also the value of the Hebrew phrase “Let your heart be perfect” (1 Kings 8:61 KJV). Forgiving helps make us complete, and it is key to perfecting our hearts before the Lord.
Remember the Old Testament is a type and shadow of the New Testament.
There are some even deeper connections. In Hebrew, the word for “my nativity” (moladati) and Bethlehem (Beit Lechem)—the city where Messiah was born, which means “House of Bread”—each Individually adds up to 490. This makes perfect sense, since Jesus was born so that we might be forgiven. And forgiveness is associated with bread in the Lord’s Prayer, which says: “Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:11–12 NIV). Just like a person can’t live without their daily bread, an individual can’t survive without forgiveness.
How do we celebrate the forgiveness Messiah has brought us? By partaking of the broken bread of the Lord’s Supper. Jesus, who is the Bread of Life, was born in Bethlehem, the House of Bread, so that we might both experience forgiveness and extend the bread of forgiveness to others.
Marcel and Jackie Bruff 🙏🏽
@Walkgoodinchrist
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