The Mysterious Seventy Weeks of Daniel, Part 3

The Mysterious Seventy “Weeks” of Daniel

Part 3, The Coming Prince

Chapter 32, Part 3 Preview: Among the most important prophecies in the Bible, the one usually referred to as the “Seventy Weeks Prophecy” stands out. It is the “chief cornerstone”, so to speak, of Messianic prophecies because it establishes the timeline of both the (so called) First and Second Comings of the Messiah. In fact, it is the only pre “Messianic” scripture that calls the Messiah the “Messiah”; so technically, it is the only “Messianic” prophecy of old. The Daniel 9 prophecy is very specific. It pinpoints four exact “milestone” events, three of which were prophetic. For several centuries individuals have been able to approximate within a few years, the Messianic timetable. Some few have even been able to pinpoint the very years, but there is absolutely no consensus on how the details have been—and yes will be fulfilled.

Another early proponent of dating this prophecy was Sir Robert Anderson. His book, The Coming Prince, written in 1894, stirred great interest in Biblical chronology. With the understanding that the book of Revelation equates years as being only 360 days in length (1260 divided by 42), Anderson applied 360 day years to the past—beginning with 445 BC.

Revelation 11: 2-3 Leave out the court which is outside of the temple, and don’t measure it, for it has been given to the ‘nations’ [usually misnamed “Gentiles”]. They will tread the holy city under foot for forty-two months. 3 I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. WEB

Despite the new and popular interest, new errors entered the picture. The first problem is that years are presently 365 days in length. As an aside, I believe that one of the miracles of the Two Witnesses will be to change years back to 360 days—in the future!

Prophetic Years?

Beginning with the decree given to Nehemiah of 445 BC as his starting point, and using a 360 day “prophetic year”, Anderson calculated 483 “lunar years” X 360 days, to be 173,880 days between the day that the 445 BC edict was issued and the day when Jesus made His celebrated appearance into Jerusalem (closer, but still the wrong event). His calculations have the crucifixion in 32 AD.

However there is no indication that Daniel was referring to anything other than solar years. Apparently years were actually 360 days in length until about 700 BC, as revealed in THE YEAR OF 360 DAYS (off site). Until then “solar years” (the only kind of year there was) contained exactly 12 lunar months of 30 days. Months are now only 29.5 days long, so lunar calendars are adjusted for the shortage of days with an additional 13th month during some years so as to remain in sync with the revolutions of the earth.

Biblical years are always in harmony with the agricultural cycles because they are based on plant phenology. In 1750 the Swedish scientist Linnaeus is credited with turning plant watching into a systematic science now known as Phenology—in essence “discovering” the Biblical planting system! The “harvest” feasts of Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles stay on the correct seasonal marks based upon observing barley maturity. Were years to lose five or more days annually as on a strictly lunar calendar, the harvest feasts would soon be in the dead of winter, and then moving thru every other month of the year as do the Muslim holidays.

Daniel had no trouble understanding that the angel Gabriel was telling him that 70 literal years of captivity were soon to come to an end.

Another problem with Anderson’s calculation is what Latin lovers call the “terminus” (end) date. He proposed that the 69th week, plus a 3½ year ministry, resulted in the Messiah’s crucifixion in 32 AD. However, this year is not acceptable to Wednesday Passover proponents such as myself, nor even to the Thursday or Good Friday proponents. He actually had to consciously move both “goal posts” a bit to end up with a Friday crucifixion.

In his much cited book, Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ, Harold Hoehner calculated that there were 173,880 days between Nehemiah’s decree and a supposed crucifixion in 33 AD. By choosing the wrong decree, and then changing its date from 445 to 444 BC, and then assuming that 360 day long years were somehow still in effect, he at least got into the ballpark. Jesus was “about thirty years of age” when he began His ministry. Hoehner’s chronology would have His crucifixion when He was 35 years old.

The First Sixty Nine “Weeks”

Further evidence that the 69th week ended in 27 AD is the fact that on this time line, Jesus’ 3½ year ministry would end in early 31 AD. As referenced before, most others maintain that the crucifixion was in either 30 or 33 AD because these two years contain a Friday that is reasonably close to the actual year of Jesus’ Passover crucifixion.

The 457 BC to 27 AD scenario also happens to connect some other vital dots. Recall that the 70 weeks is divided into three parts; 49 sevens, 434 sevens and the final 7. Many commentators totally overlook the fact that the 49 sevens refer to the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem. Two commentators who saw the importance were Uriah Smith whom I mentioned before [Daniel and the Revelation, page 201], and Prideaux. Prideaux said:

“In the fifteenth year of Darius Nothus ended the first seven weeks of Daniels Prophecy. For then the restoration of the “Church” (off site) and state of the Jews in Jerusalem and Judea was fully finished, in that last act of reformation which is recorded in the thirteenth chapter, from the twenty-third verse to the end of the chapter, just forty-nine years after it had been commenced by Ezra in the seventh year of Artaxerxes Longimanus.” (Connexion, Vol. 1, page 322)

His 15th year was the 49th year from the 457 BC. decree.

I have been familiar with Herman Hoeh since I was a teenager. I met him once years ago. This is the only quote of his that I have used thus far but it was so on the mark that I could not pass it up:

Herman Hoeh’s Explanation of the Decree of Artaxerxes

“In recent years an abundance of documents from the era of Ezra and Nehemiah—business records giving exact dates according to the Persian, Egyptian and Jewish calendars, and astronomical tablets recording eclipse cycles in the years of kings—have been translated. These records continue fundamentally to corroborate the chronological table of Persian kings recorded in Ptolemy’s canon.

“Records, preserved in world-famous American and foreign libraries, have been found that were written in the very month that Artaxerxes—under whose reign the decree was issued came to power. The death of Xerxes occurred in late December 465 B.C. and his son, Artaxerxes, came to throne in that month.

“According to the Persian spring-to-spring reckoning of regnal years—as these business documents clearly show—Artaxerxes’ first year extended from April 464 to April 463 B.C. These same business documents show that the Jewish autumn-to-autumn mode of reckoning, placed the first year of Artaxerxes from September 464 to September 463 B.C. The period of time from the day the new king ascended the throne to the first year of his reign was called his ACCESSION YEAR and was regarded as completing the last regnal year of the previous king.

“The astronomical tablets containing over a dozen precise records of eclipses prove that the first year of Artaxerxes, according to the Jewish reckoning, was from 464 to 463 B.C. You may verify these facts in any of the latest thorough books on archaeology.

The seventh year of Artaxerxes-the year in which he issued his decree (Ezra 7:8)—would extend from about September 458 BC to September 457 BC.

“From the first month to the fifth month of God’s calendar-from the latter part of March to the latter part of July, 457 BC—Ezra journeyed to Judaea in the seventh year of Artaxerxes at which time the decree went forth to build Jerusalem as the capital of the revised Jewish nation.

“And just 483 years later would bring us to the autumn of AD 27—the year when the Messiah would appear.

“Although the date of the issuance of this decree is well established from astronomy, dozens of business documents, and the Canon of Ptolemy, historians sometimes misinterpret the facts to suit their pet theories. Then theologians quote from whatever historical sources suit them in order to change the true date for the beginning of Christ’s ministry.

“But the true date [of the critical decree]—457 B.C.—is absolutely fixed by the most accurate records of history written at that very time.” BIBARCH™ — The Premier Biblical Archaeology Website

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Summary of The Many Ways To Miscalculate The First 69 “Weeks”

Wrong Beginning Years

520 BC: Darius’ decree confirming Cyrus’ decree.

538 BC: Cyrus, King of Persia’s decree to Zerubbabel to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 36:22-23; Ezra 1:1-3; and Ezra 6:1-5).

445 BC: Artaxerxes’s decree to Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2:1-8).

Wrong Ending Years

The Final “Week”

Daniel’s prophecy ends with a distinctive seventieth “week” of years or as we have seen a seventieth seven year period. The prophecy states that after the death of the Messiah and at a point after the destruction of Jerusalem that “the prince who is to come” will sign a “covenant” with the “many people”. The Hebrew wording is that the Abominator will literally “cut a deal” with the temple builders.

This will be yet another “Middle east peace treaty”. There are certain to be many TV cameras focused on this live broadcast to the nations. You may ask why God’s people would sign a “covenant” with the Devil. My first thought was that this must mean something else, and indeed we must not ally ourselves with the wicked. However, a peace treaty is between two enemies, not between allies. The Witnesses pledge not to fight with the Beast so long as he leaves Israel alone. They know that treaties have a very short shelf life and that this one will only buy them 3.5 years before the Beast’s promises become worth less than the paper they are written on, yet 3.5 years is all they need.

You may wonder why the radical Muslim leaders of the next generation will agree to sign any kind of a treaty involving the Jewish people (and Two peculiar Witnesses) that forfeits Jerusalem at the Beast’s request. Strangely, all of the players in this end time performance will most certainly be aware this prophesied event. That any participant would be ignorant of this amazing prophecy is inconceivable. The fascinating part of this prophecy is that the Abominator and his cronies will know that the temple builders will sign onto the deal (knowing for certain that they have read the book) but Satan must think that he will come out on top in the end and so will his pawns. The radical factions of the Muslims will believe that they are setting a trap for all of those crazy Zionists. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Arab sector will intend to evacuate as part of the deal with the “secret” plan being to set off a neutron bomb in Jerusalem, destroying all of the Zionists in one fell swoop, while leaving all of the buildings intact. Those of us who know the last minute escape plan will not be afraid to occupy Jerusalem; however how many non believers would stick around after hearing the rumors about the bomb and knowing that the radicals surely had a plan to drive Israel into—if not the sea then perhaps into the ground?

Zechariah 14:3-8 Then [Yehovah’] will go out and fight against those nations, as when He fought in the day of battle. 4 His feet will stand in that day on the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in two, from east to west, making a very great valley. Half of the mountain will move toward the north, and half of it toward the south. 5 You shall flee by the valley of My mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azel; yes, you shall flee, just like you fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. [Yehovah] my God will come, and all the holy ones with you. 6 It will happen in that day, that there will not be light, cold, or frost. 7 It will be a unique day which is known to [Yehovah]; not day, and not night; but it will come to pass, that at evening time there will be light. 8 It will happen in that day, that living waters will go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the eastern sea, and half of them toward the western sea; in summer and in winter will it be. WEB

This covenant, in fact, provides the opportunity for the Two Witnesses to begin their work just after John was told to “measure the [third] temple” as described in Revelation. I recently counted 29 references to “measuring” in Ezekiel 40-42. This is where you must look to understand the otherwise enigmatic measuring promised in Revelation. The measuring is quite relevant to the dimensions of the temple’s construction (the blueprint stage?)

Revelation 11:1-3 A reed like a rod was given to me. Someone said, “Rise, and measure God’s temple, and the altar, and those who worship in it. 2 Leave out the court which is outside of the temple, and don’t measure it, for it has been given to the nations. They will tread the holy city under foot for forty-two months. 3 I will give power to My Two Witnesses .... WEB

Also note in the Revelation quote above that the Witnesses commission follows the measuring of the “altar”, which is built separately from and literally “faces”, that is, is in front of the temple.

Ezekiel 40:47 He measured the court, one hundred cubits long, and a hundred cubits broad, foursquare; and the altar ‘was’ [will be-past tense was inserted] before the ‘house’ [temple]. WEB

The altar may be the first article placed on the temple grounds. This would allow sacrifices to begin immediately. The resumption of sacrifices will begin after almost 2000 years of absence. The altar could simply be offloaded from a truck to begin the 1260 days of sacrifices.

Ezekiel 43:18 He said to me, son of [Adam], thus says the Lord [Yehovah]: These are the ordinances of the altar in the day when they SHALL make it, to offer burnt offerings thereon, and to sprinkle blood thereon. WEB

This time future tense was used.

The Old Covenant, which Paul thought would vanish away in his lifetime—with Jesus’ “Second Coming” and a New Covenant with Israel—will finally be completed in our lifetime. The implication of Hebrews 8 is that the Old Covenant did not vanish when Jesus was killed as so many believe.

Hebrews 8:13 In that he says, “A New Covenant,” He has made the first old. But that which is becoming old and grows aged is near to vanishing away. WEB

Finally, did you notice that the people themselves are to be measured at or before the arrival of the Two Witnesses? It is time to “measure” the stature of people’s character! But there is one element of the temple that must await measurement. The “nations” will apparently still have possession of the “court which is outside of the temple”. That would particularly include the Dome of the Rock, which will be right next to the new temple site.

2 Thessalonians 2 explains that Daniel’s “prince who is to come” is synonymous with “the lawless one” and “the son of destruction”, popularly known as the “Antichrist”. This passage expands upon the statements in Daniel about the Third Temple.

2 Thessalonians 2:3-12 Let no one deceive you in any way. For it will not be, unless the [apostasy: Greek “apostasia” (off site) meaning a defection from the truth] comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of ‘destruction’ [or perdition], 4 he who opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped; so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself up as God…8 Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of His mouth, and destroy by the manifestation of His coming; 9 even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they didn’t receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 Because of this, God sends them a working of error, that they should believe a lie; 12 that they all might be judged who didn’t believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. WEB

The Beast will go from being a “prince” to a “king”. (They do that.) He will eventually enter the new Third Temple and declare that he is God himself. He will halt the temple sacrifices and erect “an abomination of desolation”, likely an idol in his own image.

Daniel 11:36-39 The king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods; and he shall prosper until the indignation be accomplished; for that which is determined shall be done. 37 Neither shall he regard the gods of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall magnify himself above all. 38 But in his place shall he honor the god of fortresses; and a god whom his fathers didn’t know shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. 39 He shall deal with the strongest fortresses by the help of a foreign god: whoever acknowledges him he will increase with glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for a price. WEB

The book of Revelation states that the Messiah will return to earth 3½ years after the Abominator desolates the third temple:

Revelation 13:4-5 They worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” 5 A mouth speaking great things and blasphemy was given to him. Authority to make war for forty-two months was given to him. WEB

It is my hope that if you have a better understanding of God’s timeline that you will strive all the more to endure to the end! If you wonder what you may do when the end times come, you may want to consider reading New Jerusalem, a Place of Safety!—Where Will You Be During the Great Tribulation?

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The following graph illustrates the first 483 years (69 “sevens”) of the countdown. Ten row spacing allows for easy verification of the dates. Since this is the modern Gregorian calendar, rather than a scriptural calendar, each actual Biblical year begins several months into one Gregorian year and it ends in the next Gregorian year; so each Biblical year “straddles” two Gregorian years. The first number in each cell is the Gregorian year and the second number is the year into the 490 year countdown. Some months excluded from the count in the year 457 BC are included in early part of 27 AD, to round out the count.

 Purple years are Jubilee years 

 

   Green years are 70th years   

 

 Blue: Historic Sabbatical years

 

     Tan years are AD years      

 

   Yellow years are BC years   

 

 

 

Jesus’ ministry begins in the “fall” of 27 AD with His Baptism

Ministry includes 3 Gregorian years & and parts of 2 other years

31 AD: Crucifixion, 3.5 yrs after the beginning of Jesus’ Ministry

33 AD 490 Plan “A” 70th Year

Other Events of Chronological Importance

During the time of Jesus, and before, the recording of historical dates was cumbersome. Significant years were remembered by counting years from the beginning of a king’s reign. Every time a new king came into office the count started over again. The creation of a continuous calendar, dating from the supposed year of the birth of Jesus—the BC and AD calendar—greatly simplified chronology from its implementation onward. The BCE and CE references of recent years are an attempt to delete Jesus from the calendar, yet it was to Him that logical chronology was dedicated.

This link The Construction of the Temple does an excellent job of reconciling the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in 27 AD and His first Passover as the Anointed One, in 28 AD, with the much commented upon scripture concerning the “forty-six years”. However he then concludes that the crucifixion was in 30 AD after a 2+ year ministry. The days of the year cited also use 4th century Hebrew reckoning (off site) rather than utilize the same calendar rules in use during the time of Jesus—so we would disagree on the days of the week.