No 10

(The commencement of Daniel’ s 69-week prophecy)

In our last study in the book of Daniel, we saw the answer to Daniel’s intercessory prayer for his people. The angel Gabriel told Daniel that “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city” (Dan 9: 24) and that this period was for his people, the nation of Israel. The precision of this prophecy is so mind boggling you wonder why so many Christians have differences of opinions. The important thing to realise is that this period began at certain point in time and will end in another point in time.

If we can find out when it begins, then we can know when it ends. Daniel, still in Babylon, wanted to know when his people were to return to the land of Israel; Gabriel gave him that answer. In verse 25 of Daniel 9 the Bible says“Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem unto 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”. Here goes; and I hope you have a calculator, because it gets very complicated. We have established that these are 69 weeks of years and, as we know, the years in the Old Testament are lunar years (360 days) not solar years (365 ¼ days).

Therefore: 69 x 7 = 469 x 360 = 173, 880 days. This is how long the 69-week period is.

Now for verification purposes, let’s do the same calculation but in solar years because this period goes beyond year 1:

173,880 / 365 = 477 years + 24 days the year 1 BC and 1 AD is the same year.

Thus: 477 - 1 = 476 x 365 = 173740 + 24 = 173764 days. We have to add 119 days for the leap years (476/4 = 119).

Thus: 173764 + 119 = 173883. Now the lunar year and the solar year are not exactly compatible there is a difference of 1/128.

Thus 476 / 1/128 = minus 3 days

Therefore: 173, 883 – 3 = 173, 880 days. (Exactly as above)

These figures come from two sources: 1) The Coming Prince – Sir Robert Anderson in the 1800’s; 2) Dr Harold Honer, Dallas Theological seminary using sophisticated computers and both come out to exactly the same number.

Gabriel said that the period would begin when “the commandment to rebuild Jerusalem” was given. There were four commandments given – 2 in the year 536 BC, 1 in the year 458 BC, 1 in the year 445BC; there was only one that was given “in troublous times”. It was the one given in 445 BC (Nehemiah 2:17) by Artaxerxes.

What event happened 173, 880 days after this commandment of Artaxerxes? Jesus Christ presented Himself as Messiah to the nation Israel on the back of a donkey (Zach 9 : 9).

Israel, as a nation refused Jesus Christ at this time and had Him crucified on a Roman cross but, one day, “they shall look upon Him whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for Him” (Zech 12 : 10). This day will please God so much that “He will joy over thee with singing” Zeph 3:17. His beloved people will finally turn to His Son and God will be so happy that He will start singing. Isn’t that wonderful?