Posted on 06/17/2010 4:24:08 PM PDT by Ken4TA
In the first invasion of Judah by Babylon, long before the captivity of the whole nation, the leaders and most promising young men were carted off to Babylon where they were trained and used in various capacities. Since the defeat and captivity of the nation was according to Divine purpose as punishment for the nation’s disobedience, the faithful citizens cooperated and were elevated to places of leadership in Babylon, where they continued to serve God and thus prove helpful to their own people. Such was the case of Daniel.
Daniel had already learned from the book of Jeremiah that the captivity was to last 70 years (Dan. 9:2). But it was left to Daniel to reveal the timetable for the coming of the Christ, which is recorded in chapter 9, verses 24–27.
“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy” (Vs. 24).
The seventy weeks are generally understood to mean seventy weeks of years for a total of 490 years. It was to begin when Cyrus gave the command to rebuild Jerusalem. “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” (Vs. 25).
This is a total of 69 weeks, or 483 years. While there is some disagreement as to the exact time the decree of Cyrus was issued, there is common belief that this 69 weeks measured up to the time of Christ. But what of the 70th week, did it follow the 69th, as one would certainly expect it to, since Daniel was giving a prophecy to be fulfilled in 70 weeks, or is the 70th week yet in the future? The text gives the answer.
“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. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” (Vs. 26–27).
A predominant doctrine of prophetic preaching today holds that these two verses in the prophecy are yet to be fulfilled, and that the 70th week refers to an Antichrist who will make a covenant with the Jews, offer sacrifices in a rebuilt temple at Jerusalem and then break the covenant after three and a half years, causing the sacrifices to cease. Besides focusing attention on worthless speculations, such a futurist concept denies the fulfillment which has already occurred, and thus diminishes the “faith once and for all delivered”.
The principle revelation of the prophecy is the cross of Christ and the end of Israel as a nation, signaled by the destruction of the city. The time was “determined” as 490 years after the decree of Cyrus. But if one is to separate the last seven years from the first 483, then nothing is determined and the prophecy loses its significance.
For the timing to have any meaning, it must all be taken together; the 7 weeks, plus the 62 weeks, plus the final 1 week. Note then it says that “after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off” (Vs. 26). This can only mean the death of Christ. This is exactly what “cut off” means, as Isaiah said: “He was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people to whom the stroke was due” (Isa. 53:8).
Daniel said this would be “AFTER” the first 69 weeks, and not during them, which means that the 70th week was to see the death of Christ. It was in the “midst of the week,” the 70th week, that sacrifices were to cease. The week is made up of seven years. Christ was sacrificed in its “midst” after 3 ½ years of ministry, and never again is there to be a blood-sacrifice for sins. Not only is this something that has already happened, it can NEVER happen again.
Now notice how the different parts of the prophecy are fulfilled:
1. During the first prophetic seven weeks (or 49 years) Jerusalem was restored and the streets and wall were rebuilt in the time of Nehemiah and Ezra. These were “troublous times” because of strong opposition from enemies.
2. At the end of the 69th week, the “most Holy” was anointed. Gabriel, Peter and John all spoke of Jesus as the Holy One. Jesus spoke of His own anointing in the first public message He gave: “The spirit of the Lord is upon me because He has anointed me…” (Luke 4:18–22). Peter affirmed this fact (Acts 10:38).
3. The Messiah was “cut off.” This is an obvious reference to our Lord’s crucifixion and death, already mentioned.
4. In killing Christ the Jews also fulfilled the prophecy “to finish transgression.” This was the final transgression that filled the cup of sin for the nation. Jesus told the Jews, “Fill you up then the measure of your fathers. You serpents, you generation of vipers, how can you escape the damnation of Gehenna? Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes; and some of them you shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall you scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city, that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zecharias son of Barachias, whom you slew between the temple and the altar…” (Matt. 23:32–36). The corruption of Israel, which cause their 70 year captivity, became even worse as they returned to Jerusalem with the Babylonian traditions (known as the Talmud), which Jesus said they had used to replace the commandments of God. But His judgment was delayed, delayed until they should “fill up” the measure of sin and “finish transgression” in finally killing the Son of God.
5. In dying Jesus made an end of sins. “But now once in the end of the world has he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Heb. 9:26). This doesn’t mean that all sinning stops at the point of His death. It does mean that because of His death all who are forgiven of sin, are forgiven because of the just penalty paid in Christ’s death.
6. By His death He “made reconciliation for the sins of the people” (Heb. 2:17 and II Cor. 5:19).
7. By Christ’s death and resurrection He brought in “everlasting righteousness.” “For He who knew no sin He made to be sin for us; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (II Cor. 5:21). None of these things can be done in the future which were accomplished “by the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Heb. 10:10).
8. By fulfilling what was prophesied in the Old Testament, Christ “sealed up prophecy and vision” (Read Acts 3:18).
9. Christ, who was called the messenger of the covenant (Mal. 3:1), confirmed the covenant in His own blood. At the last supper He said, “This is my blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matt. 26:28). Christ is called the “Mediator of the new covenant” (Heb. 8:6, 9:14–15). Any forecast of a restored covenant with the Old Testament system of sacrifices contradicts a multitude of Biblical affirmations that the law of Moses was abrogated permanently for the establishment of the New Covenant (Col. 2:14 and Gal. 3:24–25).
10. Christ caused the sacrifice and oblation to cease by being Himself the final sacrifice. “He, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God” (Heb. 10:12). The fact that this was to occur in the middle of the 70th week has special significance, as it gives a specific time for the death of Christ. This gives understanding to the statements of Jesus with regard to the time of his death. “Mine hour is not yet come,” He said (John 2:4, 7:6). Just before his betrayal He said, “my time is at hand” (Matt. 26:18), and finally, “the hour is come” (John 17:1, Matt. 26:45). So ended the first half of the 70th week. But for another three and a half years Christ continued to minister to His people through the apostles, “the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following” (Mark 16:20). Then came the conversion of Cornelius, the Roman, and after that the gospel began to be preached to all the nations (Gentiles) as had been promised.
11. The destruction of Jerusalem and the temple did not come within the 70 weeks, but was part of the overall prophecy concerning the end of the nation. As God had given Nineveh 40 days to repent, He gave Israel 40 years to repent, but when they failed to do so He brought destruction to them through the Roman general, Titus. The siege, begun in 67 AD let to the worst abominations a people ever inflicted upon each other, fulfilling Christ’s prophecy of a time of tribulation never known before or afterwards in all history. The final destruction of the temple and the city came in 70 AD. The promise to ancient Israel was the promise of Christ. But Israel had proven faithless and rebellious, so Daniel foresaw His coming not only as bringing in the blessing of reconciliation for iniquity and the sealing of the New Covenant by His death, but also as judgment upon the rebels.
The fulfillment of God’s prophecies constitute an irrefutable body of evidence that God’s word is true. The Most Holy has been anointed. Jesus is the Christ, with the name above every name. He is the fulfillment of prophecy. From the cross He said, “It is finished.” There is no more to be done for the redemption of man than the proclamation of this good news until He comes again.
And what are we to look forward to? Certainly not the fantastic and sensational improvisations that have men examining every national figure for signs of “the antichrist,” nor to the counterfeit nation of Israel and a rebuilt “temple.” (The church is the temple of God.) Rather we are to look to the next promised act of Christ: His coming in judgment to separate the wheat from the tares, to give immortality to all His faithful ones and destroy all the rebels.
The reward of Christ is not a temporal government, not even if it should last a thousand years. The reward is eternal; eternal life in a new creation that will stand forever. The church will not fail nor be replaced like ancient Jerusalem and the temple. The reward is for those who hold to the faith established by the covenant sealed by the death of Christ. There are no other covenants to follow.
The message of the church today is the message of salvation and reconciliation by Christ’s death. It is salvation from sin to righteousness and from death to immortal life.
1. The Promise to Abraham
2. The Millennial Syndrome
3. Daniel’s Prophecy
>>>Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem...<<< (from v. 25)
As long as verse 23 remains "cut off" from these types of commentaries/interpretations, there will be no understanding.
I’ve always found Daniel interesting and that’s a good summary of the prophecy. It shows why Jesus was born at the time he was and not fifty or something years earlier or later. It also gave those looking for the messiah a general time frame to expect him.
Cheers.
Just what are you trying to say? Verse 23 is not a part of 24-27, it's the introduction, of which verse 22 is also to be included.
Exactly! The ministry of Jesus started the 70th week of the prophecy. Israel's people were looking for the Messiah's appearance with great expectation; thinking that he would be their King and overthrow the Roman occupation of Israel. That was not to be. They were looking for a wrong sort of King and Savior.
Bless you!
For the most part this analysis of the prophecy is correct. The best way to analyze this prophecy is to start off with the passover date 14 Nisan 3790 which is the exact date of “cut off” of the Messiah. That date is the exact date of the middle of the 70th week. If you go back 486.5 years from that date you get 3303.5 which is 1 Nisan 3303. That year is the 7th year of Artexerxes. Ezra 7:7
My question remains from post #37 from your thread “The promise to Abraham”. I repeat for the 3rd or 4th time. Where in the Bible and what date have the house of Judah and house of Israel been reunited in the land of the Abrahamic land covenant since 721 BC ?
Blessings in your search for TRUTH
understood by whom????
Cyrus gave the command for the Temple to be rebuilt not Jerusalem. And given that Cyrus died circa 530 BC, how does 490 get you anywhere close to the time of Jesus' ministry???
As far as the rest, it is mostly a jumbled mess of replacement theology word salad.
All tribes of Israel were reunited in the building of the temple in Jerusalem when Cyrus gave the command to do so. That happened at the end of the 70 years Israel and Judah were captive in Babylon.
understood by whom????
By most students of the Bible!
Cyrus gave the command for the Temple to be rebuilt not Jerusalem. And given that Cyrus died circa 530 BC, how does 490 get you anywhere close to the time of Jesus' ministry???
Read your Bible. Check out Daniel 9:25 for starters.
As far as the rest, it is mostly a jumbled mess of replacement theology word salad.
Rhetoric! I guess the same could be said of Dispensationalism; and most other groups on their end-time theology.
The Bible does not say that. If you think it does show me where???
Read your Bible. Check out Daniel 9:25 for starters.
Get real and learn some math -- your numbers don't add up -- much less your jumbled bible salad. According to your theology and math, the Messiah would have had to come numbers in 53BC -- LOL.
Laugh all you want! I find it intersting to notice that C. I. Scofield originally favored using the decree of Artaxerxes, until he read Martin Anstey's book, "Romance of Bible Chronology" which contained a system of chronology far superior to any of the former systems, for it dates were based only on the Scriptures. Scofield pointed out that the decree of Cyrus is the correct starting point of the 70 weeks prophecy. He then accepted this conclusion and rejected the erroneous chronology based on Ptolemy. He pointed this out in his book "What Do The Prophets Say?" (page 142) published in 1918: ""Whatever confusion has existed at this point has been due to following the Ptolemaic instead of the Biblical chronology, as Anstey in his 'Romance of Bible Chronology'." But he never corrected the dates in his Scofield Bible notes!
You should read a little more instead of blindly following erroneous statements made by those who follow the notes in various books and propagated by influencial preachers, teachers, and church pastors.
Regardless of this, Christ came on God's schedule just as is recorded in the Bible - which is from Cyrus' command to rebuild Jerusalem; which also included the temple.
So then the Messiah came in 53 BC??? Wow -- you replacement theology propagators are something else.
Scofield pointed out that the decree of Cyrus is the correct starting point of the 70 weeks prophecy.
A replacement theology teaching assistant citing C. I. Scofield as an authority!!!
Will wonders never cease!!!
So then the Messiah came in 53 BC??? Wow -- you replacement theology propagators are something else.
Hmmm...it seems you don't read or believe what the Bible has to say. You're replacement theology replaces what God has revealed - sad, very sad; that's all I can say.
"Scofield pointed out that the decree of Cyrus is the correct starting point of the 70 weeks prophecy."
A replacement theology teaching assistant citing C. I. Scofield as an authority!!!
Will wonders never cease!!!
Nope, not as long as you continue to disbelieve the Bible and are insistent on using you're replacement theology for God's word!
Maybe you should be arguing with those propagating erroneous teachings....???? - like Dispensationalists, JW's, and all who teach speculative and sensational end-time teachings?
I'm waiting for you to show me how 536 BC [Cyrus' Decree] less 483 years [69 weeks of years] gets you to any other Messianic Coming other than 53 BC.
Don't you have some replacement math to go along with your replacement theology???
On last time! Let me quote someone else, as you won't just believe me :-)
We believe the evidence is clear that it was CYRUS who gave the commandment which restored the people to Jerusalem so that it could be built - both the city and the temple. However, there is a teaching that is commonly held - especially by dispensationalists - the the 70 weeks are NOT to be counted from the decree of Cyrus, but from a much later decree. According to the dates given by Ussher, the twentieth year of Artaxerxes (when letters were given to Nehemiah to go to Jerusalem) would come closer to the time required by the prophecy - so as to measure unto the time that Christ was revealed to Israel. For this reason, some have chosen this as the starting point of the 70 weeks prophecy. (Anderson, The Coming Prince, page 124.)
But instead of seeking a later decree from that of Cyrus, we feel what should be questioned is they system of dates that some have used in this connection. The fact is that the chronological systems of Ussher, Lloyd, and others that seek to date this period, have all been based on the "cannon" of Ptolemy, a list of Persian kings and the supposed length of time that they reigned. Mauro says: "Ptolemy does not even pretend to have had any facts as to the length of thePersian period (that is to say, from Darius and Cyrus down to Alexander the Great)"; his dates are based on "calculations or guesses made by Eratosthenes, and on certain vague floating traditions." (Mauro, The Seventy weeks and the Great Tribulation, pages 22, 24). Nevertheless, dates based on Ptolemy are often quotred as though they had some special authority.
"He (Cyrus) is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to JERUSALEM thou shalt be BUILT; and to the TEMPLE, thy foundation shall be laid" (Isa. 44:28).
"I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: HE SHALL BUILD MY CITY, and shall, let go my captives, not for price nor reward" (Isa. 45:14).
According to Josephus, Cyrus wrote: "God almighty has appointed me to be king of the habitable earth..he indeed foretold my name by the prophets, and that I should build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in the country of Judea." After Cyrus had read the prophey in Isaiah, "He called for the most eminent Jews that were in Babylon, and said to them, that he gave them leave to go back to their own country, and to REBULD THEIR CITY JERUSALEM, and THE TEMPLE of God." (Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, XI, 1, 2, 3.)
Read Ezra, chapter one, which records the proclamation that was made by Cyrus; chapter two, which gives a list of those that returned; chapter 3, which tells us that the "people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem" (v. 1), Built an altar, and made offerings. "But the foundation of the temple of the Lord was not yet laid" (v. 6). However they began making arrangements for its building "according to the grant that they had of Cyrus" (v. 7). Two years and two months after their return, "All the people shoulted with a great shout...because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid" (vs. 8-11).
Think: 2 years and 2 months passed away before they even laid the foundations! Do you assume that the people were just sitting around during that time? Or were they building homes during that time? Read Chapter 4, verses 11-16, then verse 24; then continue reading until your eyes are sore!
Naw, the time that Cyrus gave the command was the end of the 70 years captivity and the start of the 70 weeks prophecy!
Does your replacement theology really want to go by what the Bible and history tells us? If so, have at it, it doesn't really bother me.
You say:
All tribes of Israel were reunited in the building of the temple in Jerusalem when Cyrus gave the command to do so. That happened at the end of the 70 years Israel and Judah were captive in Babylon.
If that is so, then where is or who was the the king spoken of in
Eze 37:22 And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:
Why does Isaiah say they will be gathered from the four corners of the earth, if the people of the Babylonian captivity returned only from Babylon?
Isa 11:12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
If the whole house of Israel and house of Judah returned to Jerusalem after 70 years of captivity, then why does Yeshua say
Mat 15:24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
It’s obvious that the entire house of Israel was not in Jerusalem at that time.
If the whole house of Israel returned to the physical promised land of the Abrahamic pact, then why does Paul, who was sent to preach to the Gentile nations, use the term “our fathers” when speaking to the Corinthians of a far away land.
1Co 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
If all the 2 houses returned after the 70 years in “Babylon”, why does Zechariah say they will be taken out of “Egypt and Assyria”? When did that occur. Any history book, date, anything you can show.
Zec 10:10 I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them.
Blessings in your search for TRUTH
"24 Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer , and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself; 25 That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish ; 26 That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof: 27 That saith to the deep, Be dry , and I will dry up thy rivers: 28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid."
The Lord didn't say that Cyrus would "say it". He said that He would "say it".
And Isaiah 45:14 refers not to Cyrus but to the "son" of Cyrus.
You are still avoiding the mathematical insufficiency of your proposition which calls for the Messiah to have arrived in 53 BC.
Doesn't that bother you at all????
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.