In the Bible Jesus often condemned the religious hypocrisy of His day. One of the more vivid examples comes from Matthew 23 where He lectures the scribes and Pharisees, telling them they were “blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel”.
Lately, I admit that I’m bothered by the way some of Jonathan Cahn’s more strident critics have attacked his work and in some cases his character. Mind you, I’m all for constructive criticism given in the spirit of humility and grace. In fact, there are some parts of Mr. Cahn’s book that I’ve disagreed with myself, but that’s not what I’m talking about here.
What I’m talking about are those who condemn his work with a sense of self-righteous superiority. While Mr. Cahn’s critics are straining to show the illegitimacy of his Shemitah theory, they fail to hold themselves to the same Biblical standard. In fact, I dare say they are straining at a proverbial gnat while swallowing a camel.
This is really about one of the best kept secrets of Bible prophecy. You see, many of Mr. Cahn’s critics hold a prophetic position far more influential for which they cannot provide a solid Biblical foundation. While they accuse Mr. Cahn of insufficient evidence, misinterpretation, and wishful thinking they are guilty of errors far more egregious. I’ll explain: Continue reading →
The role and identity of the Antichrist in future eschatological events has long concerned the Christian church. Today one of the growing schools of thought is that this future evil world ruler will be Islamic. Walid Shoebat and Joel Richardson are two of the leading proponents of this belief. In keeping with our investigation into the influence Daniel 9 has had on the eschatological beliefs of popular Christian prophecy teachers, today we will look at how the 70 Weeks prophecy is incorporated into Mr. Shoebat and Mr. Richardson’s eschatological world view. Continue reading →
In our ongoing efforts to understand how Daniel 9 and the prophecy of 70 weeks has influenced the world view of popular prophecy teachers, this week we will be looking at the 70 weeks of Dr. David Reagan. Dr. Reagan is the director and founder of Lamb and Lion Ministries. He is a respected author and teacher on prophecy and is well known for his straight forward no-nonsense approach to the subject.
Let me say up front Dr. Reagan has a special place in my heart. I don’t know him personally but I’ve read many of his books and I have great respect for his teachings on Bible prophecy. Many years ago when I was trying to contact many of the leading prophecy teachers of the day about Daniel 9, I emailed Dr. Reagan about the prophecy of 70 weeks and after a rather brief exchange Dr. Reagan’s final email to my question was just a few very important words: Continue reading →
As part of our ongoing effort to understand the influence of Daniel 9 on popular Christian eschatological thought, this week we will be looking at the influence of the 70 Weeks on the pre-wrath position of Alan Kurschner. Mr. Kurschner is the director of Eschatos Ministires and a leading apologists for the pre-wrath position. Like my previous article this is meant to be a critical but respectful look at the subject.
Daniel 9 and the Pre-wrath view of the Rapture For those who don’t know, briefly, the pre-wrath position places the rapture of the church after the revelation of the Antichrist but before the wrath of YHWH is poured out upon the earth. Continue reading →
As promised in my last blog article, over the next several weeks, we are going to look at the influence Daniel 9 and the 70 Weeks prophecy has had on the teachings of some of today’s respected prophecy teachers. I want to make it clear up front that these articles, though critical, are not meant to be disrespectful. None of us have all the answers and when discussing Bible prophecy a great deal of humility is required.
I decided to start this series by looking at Chuck Missler’s interpretation of Daniel 9. The reason, I start with Mr. Missler’s interpretation of the 70 Weeks, is because this is the predominately held view today and it will be most familiar to a majority of my readers. Mr. Missler is a respected prophecy teacher and I have enjoyed and learned from reading his material over the years. Continue reading →
In all the hoopla surrounding the Blood Moons my hope is that the real significance of this day is not forgotten. You see, over 6000 years ago our Creator set in motion His heavenly Rolex so that you and I could see this incredible display. I know, many claim the world we live in is just the evolution of randomness, but just a glance into your child’s eyes will put the lie to that claim.
As someone who loves to dig into the history and chronology of the Bible, to me the blood moon is a spectacular reminder of a world changing Biblical event that happened long ago. For those of you who have read my book The 13th Enumeration: Key to the Bible’s Messianic Symbolismor one of my blog articles on the subject you know that there is reasonable, if not conclusive, evidence that today, nearly 2018 years ago, a Jewish child was born who changed the history of the world.
We know Him as Jesus or by his Hebrew name Yeshua and today just happens to be his birthday. You see today is the Biblical Feast of Sukkot also known as the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths and it was around this time of year that Yeshua was born in Bethlehem of Judea. Interestingly, the traditional association of Christ’s birth with Christmas likely comes from the fact that it was nine months earlier during the Feast of Hanukah (in late December) when the conception of the Messiah took place. Over the years the lines between Hanukah (also known as the Festival of Lights / Feast of Dedication) and Christmas blurred due to the increasingly gentile make-up of the early church and slowly the messianic significance of the Jewish Festival of Lights was forgotten.
Did you know that Yeshua, during the Festival of Lights in Jerusalem, told his listeners that He was “the light of the world”? Indeed, when YHWH’s spirit brought about the conception of the Messiah in a Jewish maiden named Mary, a new hope was brought into a world blinded by the darkness of sin.
And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him…
As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing…..
And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. John 9:1-7; 10:22
Although Yeshua told us that He was the light of the world it was the apostle John who so eloquently alluded to the birth of Christ in words which remind us of the Feast of Tabernacles.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God…..
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt [tabernacled] among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John 1:1-2, 14
So over the coming days when you look back on the “super blood moon” during the Feast of Tabernacles in 2015, no matter what your opinion on the subject, don’t forget about a lowly little Jewish child born in a manger who brought light and hope into this world.
Daniel’s 70 Weeks: The Keystone of Bible Prophecy For those of you who would like real Biblical proof for the promised Messiah I’m happy to tell you that I’ve finished Book II in the Prophecy and Patterns series. Daniel’s 70 Weeks: The Keystone of Bible Prophecy is finally finished!
As promised, subscribers to my blog may download it for free. If you are not yet a subscriber and would like to read the book please feel free to subscribe below. The book will also be up on Amazon in the coming days.
Let me tell you right up front the book will be controversial. This is not your ordinary book on the prophecy of Daniel 9. Those of you who have read my blog over the years know I often have an unconventional take on Biblical history and Bible prophecy. Here are just a few of the many topics we will look at in the book which I hope will give you a new appreciation for the subject:
Can we date the birth of the Messiah from Daniel 9:25?
Why does Daniel 9 point symbolically to the flood of Noah and the consequences of mankind’s sins?
What is the significance of the Messiah being “cut off” after the 69th week?
Who gave the “commandment” to restore and build Jerusalem?
What is the significance of the covenant of Daniel 9:4 as it relates to the covenant of Daniel 9:27?
Why have we ignored the Biblical evidence concerning the 2nd temple era?
Who was the “Artaxerxes” of Ezra and Nehemiah?
Why do many acknowledge that Yeshua fulfilled the Biblical feast days of Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits using a biblical lunar/solar calendar, but when it comes to Daniel 9 and the prophecy of 70 Weeks, they insist on a so called “prophetic” calendar which would wander through the seasons much like the Islamic calendar of today?
Why both Historicists and the Futurists have used Daniel 9 and an erroneous chronology of the 2nd temple era to bolster their theological positions. (And the effect this has had on modern eschatological thought.)
Why many scholars believe the Messianic message of Daniel 9 ends with the Messiah’s death.
I know some may be wondering why any of this even matters. Whether you know it or not, the truth is, Daniel 9 has in some way influenced nearly every aspect of how we see the Messiah Yeshua. This is especially true for our yet future eschatological expectations. Daniel 9 is the basis for our understanding of a 7 year tribulation, the anti-Christ, and many other end time events. Yet, surprisingly very few of us can provide a solid Biblical basis for our interpretation of this wonderful prophecy.
Today, I asked you to join me in a Biblical adventure with the goal of remedying that oversight. Together let’s look at the prophecy of 70 Weeks with an eye to its 2nd temple era context and a Biblical reckoning of time. I can’t promise you that you’ll agree with me on every point, but I will guarantee that by the time you have finished the book you will be in awe of YHWH’s love for His fallen Creation and how Daniel 9 is one of the greatest testimonies of that love found in the Bible.
To help you understand the extent to which Daniel 9 has influenced our view of the End Times, YHWH willing over the coming weeks I will be sharing with you how Daniel 9 has been incorporated into the teachings of some of today’s most popular prophecy teachers. We will take a respectful but critical look at how Daniel 9 is used to strengthen:
As we will see, though diverse in their opinions regarding Daniel 9, all have failed to address the most basic aspect of the prophecy of 70 Weeks – that is they have failed to establish the prophecy of Daniel 9 on a solid chronological basis in the Biblical and secular record. In other words, they have failed to provide a definitive starting point upon which to calculate the countdown to the Messiah. This oversight in turn has caused each of them to make assumptions about Daniel 9 which has altered their eschatological world view. Can their end-times world view survive this oversight? Stay tuned, the answer will surprise you.
Getting a Head Start
If you would like to get a head start on these upcoming discussions I encourage you to download a free copy of Daniel’s Seventy Weeks: The Keystone of Bible Prophecy. Verified blog subscribers may download a free copy of the book here: Subscribers Book Download
If you would like to become a subscriber you may use the form below. It’s free to subscribe and I won’t share your email nor will I spam you with junk mail. Long ago I made a commitment to make the information on this blog and my websites available free of charge in one form or another. So you won’t find advertisements on this blog or a donation button, just my unconventional take on Biblical history and Bible prophecy.
My Gift to You
So today, on Yeshua biblical birthday, my gift to you is reasonable Biblical proof that Yeshua was the Messiah promised in the Scriptures. My hope is that you will enjoy the adventure as much as I have!
Book 1
Book I - Description
The 13th Enumeration
"A book that will change how you look at the Bible's Messianic Symbolism."
The Jubilee Code -
"A book that will show you real Biblical evidence for Yahweh's guiding in hand history bringing about His redemptive plan for mankind."
You know, the Bible has a lot to say about words. The book of Proverbs tells us that a well turned word is like “apples of gold in pictures of silver” or that a “word spoken in due season” is a very good thing. In other places in the Bible it tells us how words can be used for evil means. For instance the book of James reminds us how dangerous our tongue can be and by implication the words it issues. James opines the paradox of how we use our tongue (words) to both bless God and then curse our fellow man who is made in the likeness of God.
Of all the words in the Bible there are some which are in a class by themselves. The words I’m talking about are those words which are spoken directly by YHWH the living God of the Bible. The apostle Peter tells us that “by the word of God the heavens were of old”. The book of Hebrews confirms this by saying that the “worlds were framed by the word of God.” Our understanding of the Word is brought full circle by the gospel of John in one of the most profound and far reaching explanations of the Word of God.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men….
He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John 1:1-14
Two thousand years ago in the most selfless act ever recorded the Word became flesh in the person of Yeshua (Jesus), so that He, the living God of the Bible, might pay the righteous penalty for our sins. How unfathomable is that?
But I have a question for you. Okay, a couple of questions…
Did you know the Bible predicted when the Word would become flesh? It’s true, in Daniel chapter 9 we find the most important Messianic prophecy in the Bible, a prophecy which gives us a detailed blueprint for the countdown to the Messiah. Now here’s my second question. Did you know this countdown to the Messiah begins with a Word? Yes, that countdown begins with a very special word. Let’s take look:
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, Daniel 9:25
The above verse begins the most famous countdown in the Bible. Here it tells us that from a “commandment to restore and build Jerusalem” there will be 7 “weeks” until the Messiah or as he is called by the apostle John, the Word.
I know many of you have read this verse over the years but let’s look at this so called “commandment” a little closer. Scholars have long proposed four commandments or decrees issued by kings of Persia as the starting point for this prophecy. Briefly they are as follows:
The decree of Cyrus in 536 BC.
The decree of Darius “the Great” Artaxerxes in 520 BC
The decree of “Artaxerxes” Longimanus in 458 BC
The decree of “Artaxerxes” Longimanus in 444 BC
Each of the above decrees have arguments for and against them being the “commandment” of Daniel 9:25, but all of them have one thing in common. They are issued by secular rulers of Persia. But there is more to this story.
The English word “commandment” in this text of Daniel 9 is the Hebrew word dabar. This Hebrew word is used 1439 times in the Bible and it means speech, word, or speaking. Did you know it is only used 20 times in the Bible as a “commandment”? The vast majority of the time the word dabar is used to reference the “Word” of YHWH, the living God of the Bible. Let me give you a few examples.
To start with, let’s look at Daniel 9. Dabar is used four times in Daniel 9 and the first three times it is clearly used to reference the Words of YHWH. The final usage of dabar is the famous passage of Daniel 9:25:
Daniel 9:2 the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word [dabar] of YHWH came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
Daniel 9:12 And he [YHWH] hath confirmed his words [dabar], which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem.
Daniel 9:23 At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment [word / dabar] came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.
Daniel 9:25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment [word / dabar] to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks,
In view of the fact that the word dabar is used three other times in Daniel 9 to refer to the spoken words of YHWH as well as hundreds of other times in the same manner throughout the Bible , don’t you think it is at least worth considering that the dabar of Daniel 9:25 also refers to the Words of YHWH? I’m mean aren’t we talking about the very prophecy in the Bible which tells us the precise time when Yeshua, the living Word, came to reconcile mankind to YHWH? How could a prophecy so important begin with anything less than the dabar or word of our Creator?
For those of you who are Bereans, I challenge you to search the Scriptures to see if you can find a “word to restore and build Jerusalem”. To me anyway, one of my greatest pleasures is searching the Scriptures for the treasures YHWH has left for us to find, so I won’t spoil your own treasure hunt by giving it away in this article. What I will do is give a couple of clues to start you on your way.
First, this “word to restore and build Jerusalem” was given by YHWH directly to, not one, but two Old Testament prophets.
Second, Ezra the Priest and Scribe mentions this “word” in a very specific context.
Finally, this “word” can be accurately dated by Scriptural and secular means.
Happy treasure hunting!
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter. Proverbs 25:2
Book 1
Book I - Description
The 13th Enumeration
"A book that will change how you look at the Bible's Messianic Symbolism."
The Jubilee Code -
"A book that will show you real Biblical evidence for Yahweh's guiding in hand history bringing about His redemptive plan for mankind."
You know lately I’ve been especially awed at how congruent the Biblical message is about the promised Messiah. As many of you know I’ve been working on Book II in my Prophecies and Patterns series: Daniel’s 70 Weeks: Keystone of Bible Prophecy. Those with an interest in Bible prophecy are likely familiar with the infamous “covenant” mentioned in the prophecy of 70 Weeks. By far the majority of scholars today believe this covenant found in Daniel 9:27 is made by some yet future evil world leader and it is this covenant that sets in motion the final seven years of this age before the Messiah Yeshua returns to reign on this earth.
But what about the other covenant mentioned in Daniel 9? How many of you are familiar with the covenant of Daniel 9:4? Arguably, it is this covenant which establishes the underlying context for the prophecy which was revealed to Daniel by the angel Gabriel. In fact a careful reading of Daniel 9:1-23 shows that the prophecy of 70 weeks was, in part, an answer to Daniel’s impassioned prayer in those first twenty three verses.
And I prayed unto YHWH my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments; Daniel 9:4
To me, one of the most wonderful aspects of the Bible is the consistency of its messianic message. Each part builds color and texture to show our Creator YHWH’s, love for mankind and His plan to reconcile us to Him. To be sure sometimes the threads of this plan are not obvious and other times they are on bold display but you can count on the fact that each thread builds part of the tapestry which shows YHWH’s love.
Here in Daniel 9:4 we have a major thread of YHWH’s plan to reconcile mankind to Himself. Together let’s trace that thread back in time and see if we can find the original context of this forgotten covenant.
Crossing the Jordan
Our first destination takes us back to very end of Israel’s 40 years in the wilderness. Israel is just this side of the Jordan river and ready to enter the Promised Land. Moses is admonishing, instructing, and encouraging the people before he passes leadership to Joshua (Yeshua) the son of Nun and Israel crosses over the Jordan.
37 And because he loved thy fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt; (Deuteronomy 4:37)
6 For thou art an holy people unto YHWH thy God: YHWH thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. 7 YHWH did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:
8 But because YHWH loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath YHWH brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 9 Know therefore that YHWH thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;…. 12 Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that YHWH thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers: (Deuteronomy 4:34; 7:6-12)
Covenant and Mercy
Just to be clear that the Daniel is referring to the same “covenant and mercy” as mentioned by Moses in Deuteronomy, all we need to do is read the next several verses of Daniel 9. Daniel goes on to acknowledge that indeed they had not kept the words of Moses and he pleads with YHWH despite that, to remember the Exodus and His deliverance of them from Egypt.
Consider the context of Daniel’s words in chapter 9 for a moment. Here we find Daniel a very old man who has been a captive in the land of Babylon for nearly 70 years. He has just read and understood the prophecy of Jeremiah in which he learns that his captivity is nearly over. For further clarity remember that it was Daniel’s captivity along with king Jehoiakim which began the 70 years prophesied by Jeremiah. (Daniel 1:1-6)
Promised to the Fathers
With this realization Daniel gives one of the most beautiful and impassioned prayers in the Bible. This prayer is the catalyst for the prophecy of 70 Weeks which followed. In this context the very first words out of Daniel’s mouth concerning the “covenant and mercy” take on added significance.
So what is the “covenant and mercy” promised to the fathers and when did this covenant take effect? According to Moses in Deuteronomy 9:5 the “fathers” are none other than Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Keep in mind the passage below is still within the context of Moses’ speech to Israel before they were to cross over the Jordan river and take possession of the Promised Land.
5 Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations YHWH thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which YHWH sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.(Deuteronomy 9:5)
So there you have it. The covenant and mercy promised to the fathers which Moses mentioned in Deut. 7, begins with the father Abraham. So let’s explore this covenant made with Abraham and see why Daniel might bring this to mind when he petitioned YHWH in Daniel 9:4.
Abraham offering Isaac
The Faith of Abraham
To me one of the most poignant stories in the Bible is when YHWH tests Abraham’s faith by asking him to sacrifice his only son. Abraham’s response and actions are a testimony to his amazing faith. It is here in the 22nd chapter of Genesis where we find this story and the origins of the “covenant” which both Moses and Daniel mention. Take a moment to read a few excerpts of this wonderful story.
And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. 2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. (Genesis 22:1-2)
So Abraham arrives in the land of Moriah where he knew he was to sacrifice his son on one of the mountains, but listen to his faith speaking in this passage:
5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. (Genesis 22:5)
The next passage is one of my favorites. Listen to words of a father and his young son. These words are both a testimony to Abraham’s faith but also a prophecy which speaks to the coming Messiah:
7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? 8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. (Genesis 22:7-8)
As a father of five precious children this passage nearly brings me to tears when I read it. How innocent Isaac’s question and what faith by Abraham. I can’t help but ask myself if I would have that kind of faith. Thankfully Abraham had that faith because as you will see it was this act of faith which YHWH used to bring forth the “seed” of the Messiah.
15 And the angel of YHWH called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, 16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the YHWH, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. (Genesis 22:15-18)
You see the covenant made with Abraham was not just about Israel and their possession of the Promised Land but it was covenant which promised that through Abraham all nations of the earth would be blessed. The apostle Paul explains this passage more fully in Galatians 3.
16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. 17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.(Galatians 3:16-17)
In beautiful Biblical congruency this passage by the apostle Paul brings us full circle. The forgotten covenant mentioned by the prophet Daniel in Daniel 9:4 is none other than the promise of the coming Messiah by which all nations of the earth were to be blessed. How awesome and appropriate is that! Daniel’s first words in chapter 9 are a petition to the living God of the Bible to remember the covenant of the coming Messiah. In answer to Daniel’s prayer, just twenty verses later, YHWH sends the angel Gabriel with the prophecy of 70 weeks, the defining Messianic prophecy in the Scripture.
23 At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision. 24 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 make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. (Daniel 9:23-24)
A Wonderful Plan of Redemption
As I stated at the beginning of this article, the Bible is congruent. YHWH has had a plan to reconcile mankind through Yeshua, the promised “seed” of Abraham and this plan of redemption is woven into every aspect of the Biblical record. This promised reconciliation is the very essence of the prophecy of Daniel’s 70 Weeks from the start of Daniel’s prayer to the very last verse.
So next time you are thinking about the “covenant” of Daniel 9:27 won’t you considered the forgotten covenant of Daniel 9:4? While you are at it consider it in light of the words of Zechariah, the father of John, and Mary, the mother of Yeshua.
68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, 69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; 70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:… 72To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,… To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, 78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, 79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. (Luke 1:68-79 – see also Isaiah 42)
46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, 47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. 48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed…. 54 He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; 55As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever. (Luke 1:46-55)
Never forget the Covenant!
* * *
Digging Deeper
For those who would like to dig deeper into this subject I encourage you to contrast and compare the covenant of Daniel 9:4 with the covenant of Daniel 9:27. Consider each in the light of the other. Context does indeed matter.
27 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. (Daniel 9:27)
16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. 17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.(Galatians 3:16-17)
28 For this is my blood of the new testament [covenant], which is shed for many for the remission of sins. (Matthew 26:28)
Book 1
Book I - Description
The 13th Enumeration
"A book that will change how you look at the Bible's Messianic Symbolism."
The Jubilee Code -
"A book that will show you real Biblical evidence for Yahweh's guiding in hand history bringing about His redemptive plan for mankind."
Thoughts on Daniel 9:24 Daniel :24 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 make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
Daniel 9:24 above summarizes the purpose of the 70 “weeks” prophecy by giving six goals which are to be accomplished during that period. These six goals are tied to Daniel’s “people”, the “holy city” Jerusalem, and the coming of the Messiah. They are as follows:
Finish the transgression
Make an end of sins
Make reconciliation for iniquity
Bring in everlasting righteousness
Seal up the vision and prophecy
Anoint the most Holy
Most Christian scholars today believe the Messiah of Daniel 9 refers to Yeshua/Jesus. Yet there is a curious disconnect in how they interpret the 6 goals of Daniel 9:24. Would you believe many claim not a single one of the above six goals are to be understood within the context of Jesus’ death and resurrection? Think about that for a minute… Nothing Jesus accomplished at Calvary is related to the prophecy of 70 weeks. They believe all those events took place in an undefined and ongoing period of time between the 69th & 70th week of Daniel 9. It seems incredible to me that the most important Messianic prophecy in the Scripture is silent on the single most important act of the Messiah’s efforts on our behalf.
The reason for this incredible interpretation is simple. If any of the above 6 goals of Daniel 9:24 were accomplished by Jesus at Calvary then they, by the context of Daniel 9:24, had to have happened during the 70th week.
Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city to….”
I realize that many prophecy teachers will argue that the prophecy was given to Daniel’s “people” so it cannot be a prophecy related to the reconciliation of all mankind. Take a good look at those 6 goals once again and ask yourself if it is a reasonable interpretation to believe none of 6 goals of Daniel 9:24 refer to 1st coming of Jesus and his sacrifice on our behalf. I leave you with a few related Scriptures to consider:
Hebrews 9:24-26 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Romans 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
John 5:36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.
Hebrews 2:16-17 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
Colossians 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
Romans 5:8-12 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Hebrews 1:6-8 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. ut unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
Philippians 1:11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
Galatians 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Romans 10:3-6 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)
Book 1
Book I - Description
The 13th Enumeration
"A book that will change how you look at the Bible's Messianic Symbolism."
The Jubilee Code -
"A book that will show you real Biblical evidence for Yahweh's guiding in hand history bringing about His redemptive plan for mankind."
In my previous article Ezra: Priest & Scribe – Part Iwe learned that the most reasonable explanation of Ezra’s lineage places him as a contemporary of Darius “the Great” son of Hystaspes also known as “Artaxerxes.” Now we will look once again at the chronology of Ezra with this perspective in mind. If Ezra was in fact a contemporary of Darius “the Great” then we should expect additional confirmation from the Old Testament record.
For those who are not familiar with the chronology of the 2nd temple era, it is worth briefly going over it once more to establish the context. In 536 BC, Cyrus gave a decree which allowed the Judean captives to return and build the Temple in Jerusalem. Ezra 1:1-3 tells of these events. Incidentally, for those willing to dig a little deeper, the Cyrus Cylinder found in the ruins of Babylon also offers some intriguing confirmation of Ezra’s record below.
Ezra 1:1-3 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of YHWH by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, YHWH stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia….. Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, YHWH God of heaven ….. he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem…. Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of YHWH God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem.
As I explained in my article The Fifth Command for the next 16 years the enemies of the Jewish people harassed them in their efforts to build the temple. In fact they did not get much further than laying some of the foundation stones.
The chart below is a summary of the Persian rulers from Cyrus to Artaxerxes I. It will provide a handy reference for those trying to figure out how the Persian kings related to the 2nd temple era chronology.
In 520 BC (2nd yr. of Darius), YHWH gave the Judean captives a divine command “to restore and build Jerusalem.”Joshua, the high priest, and Zerubbabel, the governor, listened to the words of YHWH as witnessed by the prophets Haggai and Zechariah and construction on the temple resumed. (Ezra 6:14) Four years later, the temple was finished in the 6th year of Darius.
Now here is where modern Biblical scholarship takes a detour. Ezra 6 ends with the completion of the 2nd temple in the 6th year of Darius.(516 BC) Ezra 7 starts with Ezra, the priest & scribe, setting off on his journey to Jerusalem in the 7th year of “Artaxerxes.”
Today, most Biblical scholars have assumed that this “Artaxerxes” is a reference to Artaxerxes I (Longimanus). This requires them to insert a gap of about 58 years between Ezra 6 & 7. They do this despite the fact that Darius (son of Hystaspes) is in fact called “Artaxerxes” in Ezra 6:14. Let’s take a look.
Ezra 6:14-1514 And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, {and} Artaxerxes king of Persia. 15 And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.
It is imperative to note in the verses above, that it clearly states the Jewish people “builded and finished” the temple according to the “commandments” of God of Israel, Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes king of Persia. Notice it states unequivocally that the temple was finished by the 6th year of Darius. That means all the secular rulers mentioned in Ezra 6:14 must have ruled at some point previous to the 6th year of Darius.
Who then is the “and Artaxerxes” mentioned in Ezra 6:14? It couldn’t be the “Artaxerxes” of Ezra 4:7 because this “Artaxerxes” stopped construction of the temple. Who then could it be? Many Biblical scholars have assumed, contrary to the clear context of the verse, that this “Artaxerxes” is a reference to Artaxerxes I – Longimanus. This despite the fact that he reigned almost 60 years after the temple was completed.
Most likely the translators use a single Hebrew letter to further the “Artaxerxes Assumption.” In Hebrew, the letter waw, is often used as a conjunction but as most Hebrew lexicons explain it also has a much wider, though less common, use as well. Below is the TWOT Hebrew lexicon explaining the use of waw. For those who read the entire excerpt you saw the wawcan also be used as a “hendiadys,” i.e. two words with one meaning. Take a look at the little chart below. It shows waw as it appears in the Hebrew text of Ezra 6:14.
Ezra 6:14-1514 And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and even Artaxerxes king of Persia.
Since there is no reasonable basis to assume the “Artaxerxes” of Ezra 6:14 was another Persian king the translators should have used wawas a hendiadys not a conjunction. Their decision to use the waw as a conjunction was premised upon the necessity to show that Ezra was a contemporary of Artaxerxes Longimanus. There is simply no other reason to add another Persian king to the chronology of Ezra 6:14-15. I encourage you to work it out yourself.
Now take a look at the Ezra 6 and 7 in this context. In the 6th year of Darius “even” Artaxerxes the 2nd temple is completed. Just a few verses later it shows that the temple had been completed and Ezra decided to go up to Jerusalem and teach the people the Torah. Ezra 7 states he received permission to go up to Jerusalem in the 7th year of “Artaxerxes.” With what we now know, this is perfectly reasonable. No need for another Persian king and a gap of 58 years. Ezra simply went up to Jerusalem in the 7th year of Darius also known as Artaxerxes. This confirms the Biblical evidence concerning Ezra’s lineage as we saw in Ezra: Priest & Scribe – Part I. This also has far reaching implications for Bible prophecy teachers who hold to the “Artaxerxes Assumption”.
Those of you who have the heart of a Berean, I encourage you to search this out for yourselves. For those of you too proud or stubborn to look, I humbly ask you to reconsider. The uncomfortable implications of this can no longer be ignored as too much is at stake.
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During the 2nd temple period, few Old Testament characters hold a more prominent position than Ezra. The Bible identifies him as a Priest and Scribe. It is believed that he was the author of both the book of Ezra as well as Chronicles. Both of these accounts provide a vivid record of the triumphs and tragedies of the Judean captives’ efforts in rebuilding the 2nd temple and Jerusalem. After the completion of the temple in the 6th year of Darius, Ezra, who still resided in Persia, saw the need to return to Jerusalem and teach the people the law of YHWH.
Today, the chronology of Ezra is an important cornerstone for most of today’s teachings on Daniel 9, the greatest Messianic prophecy in the Bible. Daniel 9, also known as the prophecy of “seventy weeks,” is the only prophecy in the Bible that specifically links a dateable secular event with the coming of the Messiah. Daniel 9:25 states the following:
Daniel 9:2525 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,
Without the chronology of Ezra, there would be no way to determine the starting point for “the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem.” (For more on the subject see my articlesThe Fifth Command and The “Artaxerxes Assumption”.) Considering the importance of Ezra’s writings to our understanding of the Seventy Weeks prophecy you might assume this Old Testament chronology would be well established upon a reasonable Biblical basis. For those who have taken the time to look, you will find instead it is one of the best kept secrets of Old Testament chronology.
Do you find that hard to believe? I encourage you to see for yourself. Choose any of today’s most respected teachers on the prophecy of Seventy Weeks and see what reasonable Biblical evidence they provide to show Ezra was a contemporary of “Artaxerxes” Longimanus. To be sure you will find their “Artaxerxes Assumption” but what you will not find is any reasonable Biblical evidence to support it.
So what does the Bible say about Ezra?
It may surprise you to learn there is substantial Biblical evidence to determine Ezra’s place in 2nd temple era chronology. Probably the best place to start is in the beginning.
Ezra 7:1 Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,
In the verse above, it says that Ezra was the son of Seraiah. What’s fascinating about this statement is Seraiah, son of Azariah, was the last high priest of Solomon’s temple. 2 Kings 25:8-21 tells us that Seraiah was taken by Nebuzaradan to Riblah in the 19th year of Nebuchadnezzar and there he was killed.
2 Kings 25:1-218 And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which is the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem: 9 And he burnt the house of YHWH, and the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great man’s house burnt he with fire. 10 And all the army of the Chaldees, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down the walls of Jerusalem round about. 11 Now the rest of the people that were left in the city, and the fugitives that fell away to the king of Babylon, with the remnant of the multitude, did Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carry away………..18And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door…………. 20 And Nebuzaradan captain of the guard took these, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah: 21And the king of Babylon smote them, and slew them at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away out of their land.
I think most everyone would agree, it is reasonable to assume that Ezra could not have been conceived after the death of his father, Seraiah. Let’s further assume, for the sake of argument, that Ezra was born the year his father was killed. (Not really a reasonable assumption considering the events that took place in Jerusalem but it’s the earliest he could have been born so let’s go with it) The 19th year of Nebuchadnezzar by many accounts was 584 BC.
Ezra 7:1-8 Now after these things……… This Ezra went up from Babylon;……. unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king. 8 And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.
In order to establish Ezra’s place in the chronology of the 2nd Temple era all we now need to do is determine the date for the 7th year of “Artaxerxes”. If you’ve read my articles The Fifth Command and The “Artaxerxes Assumption you know that the term “Artaxerxes” is simply a title which was applied to several Persian kings. For the sake of brevity, I will not list all the possible Persian Artaxerxes, only those whose reign lasted at least 32 years as required by Nehemiah 5:14. Those Persian kings are Darius “the Great” Artaxerxes, Artaxerxes Longimanus, and Artaxerxes Memnon. With the above information, it is a simple matter to calculate Ezra’s minimum age during the reign of “Artaxerxes”. In the table below you will see the youngest Ezra could have been in the 7th year of each “Artaxerxes”. Please keep in mind that Ezra was also alive 14 year later at the dedication of the wall in Jerusalem and took an active part in those ceremonies.
The question is simple: Which of the above Persian Kings most reasonably qualifies as a contemporary of Ezra? Keep in mind the words of king David:
Psalm 90:9-10 9 For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told. 10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
In my next article, Ezra the Priest and Scribe – Part II we will look at the chronology of Ezra 6 &7. What does the Bible say about the 7th year of “Artaxerxes” and who does it identify as this “Artaxerxes”? Why is this relevant to the prophecy of Seventy Weeks?
Book 1
Book I - Description
The 13th Enumeration
"A book that will change how you look at the Bible's Messianic Symbolism."
The Jubilee Code -
"A book that will show you real Biblical evidence for Yahweh's guiding in hand history bringing about His redemptive plan for mankind."
In the Bible Jesus often condemned the religious hypocrisy of His day. One of the more vivid examples comes from Matthew 23 where He lectures the scribes and Pharisees, telling them they were “blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel”.
For those who read the entire excerpt you saw the 
