The Revelation of Daniel's 70 weeks prophecy!

Daniel’s 70 Weeks

Daniel 9:25
Let's review this very crucial verse:

"Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times." Daniel 9:25

Where is this commandment to be found? Surely, it is to be found in either Ezra or Nehemiah. Lets look at the four places and the dates that people consider.

Note: that from 1 B.C. to 1 A.D. was only 1 year, not 2 years. There was no year 0.

Note: The phrase "seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks" is equal to 69 weeks, and that the 69 weeks represent 69 weeks of years, or 483 years (69 x 7 = 483).

First Decree: The Decree of Cyrus

This decree is dated 536 B.C. If this is the decree in view in Daniel 9:25, you can expect Messiah the Prince 483 years later in 53 B.C. In 53 B.C. But, Jesus had not yet been born in Bethlehem. This could not be the right decree.

Here's a copy of the decree:

"Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? His God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem. And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem." (Ezra 1:2-4)

536 B.C. (decree of Ezra 1:2-4) - 483 years = 53 B.C. (no Messiah)

The Second Decree: The Decree of Darius

This decree is dated 520 B.C. If this is the decree in view in Daniel 9:25, you can expect Messiah the Price 483 years later in 37 B.C. In 37 B.C., Jesus had not yet been born in Bethlehem. Alternatively, you could measure from the completion in 516 B.C. The Messiah would be expected in 33 B.C. But that date is wrong too.

Here's a copy of the decree:

"In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits; With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house: And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and place them in the house of God. Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shetharboznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river, be ye far from thence: Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place. Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered. And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail: That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons. Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this. And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy this house of God, which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed." (Ezra 6:3-12)

520 B.C. (decree of Ezra 6:3-12) - 483 years = 37 B.C. (no Messiah)

The third Decree: The Decree of Artaxerxes (7th year of reign)

This decree is dated 458 B.C. If this is the decree in view in Daniel 9:25, you can expect Messiah the Prince 483 years later in 26 A.D. In 26 A.D. is when John the Baptist baptized Jesus of Nazareth.

Here is a copy of the Decree:

Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time. I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee. Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand; And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem, And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem: That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God. The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem. And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure house. And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily, Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much. Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them. And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not. And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment." (Ezra 7:12-26)

458 B.C. (decree of Ezra 6:3-12) - 1 B.C. or 458 years to 26 A.D. – 1 year for the year between 1 B.C. to 1 A.D. 483 years (69 x 7 = 483 years) = 26 A.D. ("We have found the Messiah..." John 1:41)

The fourth Decree: The Letters of Artaxerxes (20th year)

According to Nehemiah 2, sometime in the month of Nisan, Nehemiah asked for letters from Artaxerxes so he could travel safely to Jerusalem. This was in the 20th year of Artaxerxes. This is dated 445 B.C.

If this is what is in view in Daniel 9:25, you can expect Messiah the Price 483 years later in 39 A.D. In 39 A.D. Jesus, had already died for our sins, already been buried, already raised from the dead, and already ascended into Heaven. For at least five or six years, the Church has been anticipating His second coming, not His first.

Note: Artaxerxes did not issue a decree to rebuild. No such decree is recorded in Scripture. In fact, the letters that Nehemiah asked for are not recorded either. Here is all that is said about them:

Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over till I come into Judah; And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me. (Nehemiah 2:7-8 )

445 B.C. (letters mentioned in Neh. 2:7-8 )
- 1 B.C.
-----
444 years

1 B.C.
- 1 A.D.
-----
1 year

33 A.D. (latest accepted date for the Cross)
- 1 A.D.
-----
32 years

444 years
1 year
+ 32 years
-----
477 years (at least 6 years too short)

So, why do people believe that the decree of Nehemiah 2 can actually give them 483 years, instead of the 477 (or 476) actual years that elapsed?

Unto Messiah the Prince...

At face value, only the decree of Ezra 7:12-26 matches up, and it matches up perfectly. The word "Messiah" is used infrequently in the Bible. In the New Testament, the Greek word "Christ" is used and is transliterated into our English Bibles.

Let's look at where the word "Messiah" is found.

Daniel 9:25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

Daniel 9:26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

John 1:41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.

John 4:25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.

Conclusion

Interestingly, the word Messiah is only found in Daniel 9:25-26, and again only in John 1 and John 4, which was at the beginning of His ministry, not at the end. From the date of the decree of Ezra, 7:12-26 (458 B.C.) to the events of John 1 and John 4 (26 A.D.) you find that exactly 483 years have elapsed. That's 69 weeks of years.

The 70th week of Daniel therefore started at the time of the baptism of Jesus. For Daniel 9:25 to be literally fulfilled ("unto the Prince") only John 1:41 and John 4:25 can be considered.

The expectation of the Messiah was fulfilled in these words: "we have found the Messiah." To say that they were not fulfilled unto the Sunday before the Cross is not a literal fulfillment.

The descriptions of that event (found in Matthew 21:1-9, Mark 11:1-10, and Luke 19:29-38, and John 12:12-19) never refer to Him as the Messiah, or as Christ. In fact, Matthew 21:5 says He came unto them in meekness. Had this been the public presentation of Jesus to the Jews, it is interesting to note that the Scriptures were very silent.

You would expect a proclamation such as, "This is the Messiah." True, they called Him the son of David. But the Messiah who rode into Jerusalem on that day was not being presented as a King who would reign. He was coming as the King who dies for the sins of the whole world. Indeed, He was the King foretold in Zechariah 9:9:

Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

Was this the conquering Messiah, or was this just what the Scripture foretold? Jesus was coming to Jerusalem with salvation, and it would be the lowly Cross, where that salvation would be bought. Jesus was not being presented as a King the way some would say, and as the was expected.

He was not being presented at all. This was plan part A that was about to be fulfilled. He was about to be cut off, but not for himself in the midst of His, (the 70th) week. See Daniel 9 and Isaiah 53 for more details. In Ezra 6:14, we find the summary for this whole matter:

Ezra 6:14 "And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia."

The commandment of God and the three decrees - Cyrus in 536 B.C., Darius in 520 B.C., and Artaxerxes in 458 B.C. - fulfilled the requirement of Daniel 9:25.

So, the 483-year countdown to the Messiah started in 458 B.C. And in 26 A.D. (exactly on time - 483 years later), Andrew told Peter, "We have found the Messiah!" (John 1:41) The 70th week of Daniel had started.

So, there are three and a half years yet to be fulfilled, they being the second half of the final (70th) week of the Daniel prophesy and it’s time of commencement are right at the very door!

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