August 26: THE STARTING POINT
Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times. Daniel 9:25
History and the Biblical record provide a date that passes every test. There were actually three separate decrees concerning the repatriation of the Jews after the fall of Babylon and the end of the seventy years of exile. The first decree, c.537/536BC, was given by Cyrus, king of Persia. This decree was for the building of the house of the LORD God of Israel (Ezra 1:3; see also 2 Chronicles 36:23). Some seventeen years later, another decree supporting the first one was issued by King Darius (Ezra 6:1-12). A third decree was issued by King Artaxerxes (Ezra 7:1-26) and it provided for restoration of the civil state in addition to the religious affairs of Israel. This third decree allowed for autonomy and specified the rebuilding of the city. Well documented, the seventh year of the reign of Artaxerxes, c. 458/457BC.*, was the time of this third decree. Ezra himself came to Jerusalem from Babylon at that time (Ezra 7:7).
It is from this starting point that we again see the accuracy of Scripture, as one event after another unfolds on God’s prophetic timetable. The seventy weeks (v.24), which comprise the first 490 years of the 2300 are significantly subdivided. The initial seven weeks, or 49 years, mark the fulfillment of the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem. This included the walls of the city, the streets, and the temple. The temple project was begun first, but was the last to be finished. The people were dragging their feet (see Haggai & Zechariah). Next came sixty-two weeks, or 434 years.
These seven weeks [plus] sixty-two weeks—69 weeks in total (an actual 483 years)—bring us to the year 27AD. Just as prophesied, Messiah the Prince came onto the scene! A Man named Jesus stood up from His carpentry shop in Nazareth of Galilee. He walked down to the Jordan River and was baptized (Matthew 3:13; Mark 1:9; Luke 3:21; John 1:31-32). Before many witnesses, Jesus was anointed** for ministry by the Holy Spirit as the promised Messiah (Anointed One). Later, He was in the synagogue on the Sabbath. He read from Isaiah 61, beginning with: “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me…” (v.1). Then He sat down and all eyes were fixed on Him. And He [added], “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:20-21) Jesus’s early preaching began with the announcement of the fulfillment of prophecy, saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the gospel.” (Mark 1:15)
The end of today’s verse above, regarding the restoration of Jerusalem, states: The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times. This part of the verse takes us back to the first 49 years, or seven weeks, of the prophecy. Indeed, the times were troublesome. ***
The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.” John 4:25
* The six decades between the second and third decrees contain the story of Esther, Queen of Persia.
** See Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 1:32
*** The book of Nehemiah, who led the third and last return to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile, contains troublesome details. The rebuilding of the city wall was accomplished in a miraculous 52 days—a showcase of God’s presence in the midst of trouble—but the effort to rebuild God’s people spiritually occupied many years of Nehemiah’s life.