Part 6 of 2020 A.D. Edited 4/15/20:
I realize these articles are long, but everything must be made clear and verified by scripture. If not, it would be just another opinion.
This post will concern Daniel 9:25. Let’s begin by establishing the year Daniel wrote the following,
Daniel 9:1-2, “In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus,–.”
Darius, king of the Medes and Persians began his reign in 539 B.C., ten years after Babylon was defeated and king Belshazzar killed. So, 529 B.C. is the year Daniel understood Jeremiah’s book concerning the 70 years of captivity.
Verse 2, “Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he (God) would accomplish seventy years (either 606 B.C. when Daniel was taken captive, or in 605 B.C. when Nebuchadnezzar became king) in the desolations of Jerusalem.”
In Daniel 9:21; the angel Gabriel spoke to Daniel concerning the vision he had seen in Daniel 8:1. Question, what did the vision concern?
In Daniel 8:1, we read that it was in the 3ed year of king Belshazzar, 550 B.C. The whole of the vision concerned a ram having two horns (Medes and Persians) one higher (Medes) than the other. Medio Persian empire lasted from 539 B.C. to 333 B.C. when they were defeated by Alexander the Great. In verse 5, Daniel sees a He-goat having a notable horn between his eyes. The he-goat symbolizes Alexander.
Next, in verse 8 he sees the he-goat’s horn is broken off, this representing Alexander’s untimely death in 323 B.C.
Then up from the broken horn came four notable ones (horns), these representing the 4 generals that had marched with Alexander during his many campaigns. Then out of one of the four horns comes a little horn, this was the beginning of the family of Antiochus, beginning in the latter part of the year 281 B.C., when king Seleucid died, and his son Antiochus the 1st became king.
The Seleucid Empire was a Hellenistic state ruled by the Seleucid dynasty which existed from 312 B.C. to 63 B.C. Seleucus 1st Nicator founded it following the division of the Macedonian Empire. Hellenistic relates to Greek history, language, and culture from the death of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C. to the defeat of Cleopatra and Mark Antony by Octavian in 31 B.C.
During this period, Greek culture flourished, spreading through the Mediterranean and into the Near East and Asia and centering on Alexandria in Egypt and Pergamum in Turkey.
The little horn that would wax (grow in power and authority) exceeding great. The generations of Antiochus ruled the Seleucid empire for some 200 years. The empire finally fell about 68 B.C. when Rome pushed the Greeks back to their Island nation.
Following are the verses under discussion: Daniel 9:24-25,
In verse 24, we are told, “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy (Daniel’s) people (the Jews) and upon thy holy city (Jerusalem) to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness,”
But Daniel is told to, “seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy (meaning the Holy Spirit anointing of our Lord Jesus in October of 27 A.D. at the river Jordan.)”
The verse reveals to us the 70 weeks of years would represent 490 years from its beginning, until the transgression is finished and when there is an “end of sin.”
Obviously, to this day, we have not reached the time when sin is at its end. Now, as we read on, we will understand the 490 years are broken down into 3 periods of time.
Verse 25, It began when there was a “going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto (until) the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks (49 Years) and threescore and two weeks (434 Years): the street shall be built again, and the wall even in troublous times.”
OK, let’s first break down four words in the above. They are, “to restore, build, street and wall.”
The 1st word, restore: In most commentaries I have read, the word “Restore” has been miss-represented. It’s true meaning in Hebrew speaks of the Jews returning to their land, to the place of their original habitation. So, to restore means to return from captivity.
The 2ed word, “build,” means to construct, repair, restore, raise up and reestablish. So, the Jews were given permission from the king to return to Israel and to “build” or repair and reestablish their city, the wall, moat and street.
3ed word is “Street. This is the open square in Jerusalem that was also in need of repair.
The 4th word: “wall,” speaks of the ditch or moat, and the wall surrounding Jerusalem. Obviously, after 70 years in captivity, both the moat and the walls would be in need of repair.
In verse 25, only two of the three periods of time are noted; they are the first week, or 49 years that would precede the 434 years, both totaling 483 years. But there remains 7 years of the 490 years. Obviously, it remains for God’s future purpose.
The return of Ezra to Jerusalem was regarded by the Jews as the second Moses. His return from Persia to Jerusalem, marked the restoration of the city, the Jews nationality and the law.
Let’s summarize Daniel 9:25. The prophesy declares, when the command goes forth, the Jews who had been in captivity for 70 years would be given permission to return to Israel in order to repair, raise up and reestablish Jerusalem. To repair the open square, the wall and the moat around Jerusalem. This would be finished by the time Messiah the Prince is revealed to the religious leaders and the people of Israel.
The prophesied Messiah, Jesus Christ was introduced in October of 27 A.D. when Jesus had turned 30, see Luke 3:23. He was baptized with water according to law in the river Jordan by John the Baptist, then anointed by the Holy Spirit as Messiah, the “most Holy.” He was anointed King and High Priest of Israel, after the order of Melchizedek, legally doing away with the Levitical priesthood as prophesied.
Soon after His baptism at Jordan, Andrew would be the first to understand that he had found the Jews Messiah. This is important because the prophesy reads, “Unto the Messiah the Prince.”
John 1:41, “He (Andrew) first finds his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, we have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.” This happened in October of 27 A.D. at Jesus baptism, and witnessed by Andrew and Simon soon after. Matthew 18:16, “In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.” I suppose we can also count John the Baptist in the mix.
Concerning the decree for the Jews to return to the land, there is much confusion and many opinions concerning which decree, and by whom it was made. Why? because there were four decrees ordered over a period of 86 years that had been declared by Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes, all having been rulers over the Persia empire.
The 1st came from Cyrus’ decree in 538 B.C., see 2 Chronicles 36:22-23; Ezra 1:1-4; Ezra 5:13.
The 2ed was from Darius in 512 B.C., see Ezra 6:1 and verse 12. Darius had only confirmed Cyrus’s decree.
The third came from Artaxerxes who ruled from 465 to 423 B.C. His decree came in 457 B.C., see Ezra 7:11-26.
The 4th decree also came from Artaxerxes on March 5th 444 B.C., see Nehemiah 2:1-8.
What I have done is this; because of the wording of Daniel 9:25 concerning this decree that raise certain difficult questions, I took the last part of the prophesy where it reads, “until Messiah the Prince.” This is the one thing that is sure! Jesus was baptized and introduced to the Jews as Messiah the Prince in October of 27 A.D., at the age of 30. And because Jesus was born in 4 B.C., if we add a full 30 years, Luke 3:23, we would arrive in October of 27 A.D.
Now, if we take the second period of time found in Daniel, that being, 434 years and go backward from 27 A.D. we would come to the year 407 or 408 B.C. This may be the year Malachi finished his book which is the last book of the Bible, or it may be the year Malachi died, or both. What we do know is, Malachi was written between 436 and as late as 400 B.C. Also, there was a 400 Year gap between God’s final message to Malachi and John the Baptist. John’s birth was followed by the Lord’s birth 6 months later in October of 4 B.C.
Now if we take this date of October 27 A.D., when Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit, the first full year beginning in 26 B.C., then go back in time a full 483 years, 434 + 49 as prophesied, we would arrive at one of the dates mentioned above; that date being Artaxerxes decree of 457 B.C., the same year the king gave Ezra a copy of the letter concerning the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel.
Ezra 7:13, “I make a decree (457 B.C), 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 (meaning Ezra).”
Now the question, when Ezra arrived, “was the Temple, the street, wall and moat already under repair, but not finished, or were both finished”? Even if the Temple and brazen altar were rebuilt, there still was no Ark of the Covenant or Mercy Seat for the Jews to have any legal sacrifices as prescribed by the law in Leviticus.
Remember, the Jews were still under law when they began to return in 457 B.C. Was the Temple finished? You can make up your own mind, but before you do, consider the following verses,
Verses 16-17, before the Jews returned to Israel according to the decree of 457 B.C., they were to take with them silver and gold and offerings, “willingly FOR the house (meaning the Temple) of their God WHICH IS in Jerusalem: That they may buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their food offerings and their drink offerings and offer them upon the (brazen) altar of the house (Temple) of your God which is in Jerusalem.”
It reads as if Temple and the brazen altar had already been rebuilt. And the silver and gold Ezra took with him to Jerusalem would be used to purchase animals for sacrifice and possibly for breeding stock for all future offerings to God, and to reestablish their religion and nationality.
Concerning the brazen altar, when a person entered through the court gate of the tabernacle, the first thing they would see was the brazen altar. So, it appears the Temple and the brazen altar were both standing, as well as certain repairs having been made in the city, on the walls, moat and street.
So, I’m going with Artaxerxes decree in 457 B.C. This appears to fulfill the prophesy found in Daniel 9:25.
But, there still remains 7 years concerning God’s curse on the Jews of 490 Years. This last period of one week, has to be the 7 years of tribulation spoken of in Revelation.
What we do know is, when the 7 years of tribulation is finished, the last part of Daniel 9:24 would be fulfilled, “to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sin, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness.” Since Christ’s anointing, we are almost at 2000 years, or in God’s mind, 2 days, which brings us to,
Hosea 5:15; 6:1-2, “I (the Lord Jesus) will go and return to my place (in heaven), until they (the Jews) acknowledge their offence, and see my face: in their affliction (time of tribulation) they will see me early. Come, and let us (the Jews) return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten (stricken) and he will bind us up. After 2 days will he revive us (make the Jews alive literally and spiritually): in the third day he (Jesus) will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight (in 1000 reign of Christ.)”
If we can use 2 Peter 3:8, and Psalms 90:4, as a guide to how God perceives time, we can then draw a correct understanding of what Hosea was prophesying.
2 Peter 3:8, “Beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”
Psalms 90:4, “For a thousand years in thy (God’s) sight are but as yesterday (one day) when it is past, —”
We are not to be ignorant of these facts, that God is not slow in keeping his promises, and for God, a day is as a thousand years. Jehovah knows no distinction between a day and a thousand years. All time, past, present and future are forever before Him; and both Psalms and Peter speak of time as the LORD sees time. Hosea has marked time the way God perceives it, 2 days to God are as 2000 years for us. And the last 1000 years would be God’s third day.
Bottom line! From that day in October of 27 A.D., Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit as King and Hight Priest; but the Jews fought against him, and rejected his Messiahship.
We know, at the age of 30 He was made known to two of his disciples, soon after, the chief priests, the Pharisees, and the people as the Messiah. It was at this time, in October of 27 A.D. that Jesus began to confirm the first 3 ½ years of his new covenant to his people, Jeremiah 31:31, but he was rejected. Then in April of 31 A.D., 3 ½ years later, He was cut off at the cross as prophesied in Daniel 9:26. This left 3 ½ years to finish confirming His new covenant to Israel.
This final chapter has been left to God’s two witnesses of,
Revelation 11:3, “And I (Jesus) will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days (3 ½ years), clothed in sackcloth.”
Phil Lapino www.seekfirstwisdom.com