Heaven forbid, but let’s say for arguments sake that Washington, D.C. was destroyed on December 22 of this year. Then after all the dust settled and events stabilized Congress reconvened to vote on the city’s reconstruction. What particular reconstruction efforts would be considered rebuilding Washington, D.C.? Could you choose just one reconstruction effort? Would rebuilding the streets, bridges, and other infrastructure be considered “building” D.C.? How about Congress, the White House, and the Supreme Court? Would reconstruction of these iconic symbols of America’s government also be considered, “rebuilding” the city of Washington, D.C.?
Daniel 9 and Rebuilding Jerusalem
Today, I want to consider the 2nd temple era reconstruction efforts of Jerusalem in a similar light. 70 years after Nebuchadnezzar razed the city and destroyed Solomon’s temple, Cyrus of Persia gave a decree which allowed the Jewish people to return and build Jerusalem. This rebuilding effort included the reconstruction of the temple.
But there is a rub…
Today most leading teachers on the prophecy of Daniel 9 claim that rebuilding the 2nd Temple was not part of rebuilding the city of Jerusalem as described in Daniel 9:25. Is this an accurate understanding of the Biblical record? Today we will explore this most important subject.
First take a look at Daniel 9:25 then compare it to the following quotes by Thomas Ice, David Reagan, and Joel Richardson:
Daniel 9:25
25 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,…
Now here are the explanations of Thomas Ice, David Reagan, and Joel Richardson on “decree” of Daniel 9:25a:
Thomas Ice
Artaxerxes’ Decree
It is clear to me that of all the options available, the only decree that specifically fits the statements of Daniel 9:25 is the one by Artaxerxes given in 444 B.C. as recorded in Nehemiah 2:1-8. Why? Because decree one and two relate to rebuilding the Temple. Only decree three speaks specifically of Jerusalem (Thomas Ice – The Seventy Weeks of Daniel – – For the full context of this quote please see the following Link)
David Reagan
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- 445 B.C. — Artaxerxes issued a decree to Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2:1-8).
On the surface, the third decree, the one issued to Nehemiah, seems to be the most obvious candidate for the starting date of the prophecy, for it is the only one that specifically relates to the rebuilding of the city. For that reason, most commentators have selected it as the beginning of the 70 weeks of years. (David Reagan, Daniel’s 70 Weeks of Years – – For the full context of this quote please see the following Link)
Joel Richardson
A. The only position that literally fulfills the requirements of the passage seems to be thedecree from Artaxerxes as recorded in Nehemiah 2:1-8,17-18 given on March 5, 444 B.C….
D. Only one decree matches or fulfills the Scriptural criterion of a decree issued specifically to rebuild the city. (Joel Richardson, Daniel’s 70 Weeks: An Introduction – – For the full context of this quote please see the following Link)
A Distinction without a Difference
In the quotes above, notice how the authors claim a very narrow definition of building “Jerusalem”. If you read the fuller context of their quotes, you’ll find that they make the arbitrary distinction between building Jerusalem (the city) and building the temple of Jerusalem. Just think about the logic of that for a second. Is not the temple part of the city of Jerusalem? Why do the authors above claim that building the walls and streets of the city is building Jerusalem, yet the reconstruction of Yahweh’s house, the very beating heart of Jerusalem is not part of building the city?
Clearly, Daniel 9:25 makes no such distinction, so why have these respected authors made such a distinction? What is the basis for their claims? Frankly, I don’t know because as I will show you, the Biblical record does not support such a claim.
First let’s start with the context of Daniel 9 and Daniel’s petition to YHWH as found in verses 9-20:
Daniel 9:16-20
16 O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain:
because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us.
17 Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord’s sake.
18 O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name:
for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.
19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.
20 And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before YHWH my God for the holy mountain of my God;
Notice from the perspective of Daniel, Jerusalem, (the city) was Yahweh’s “holy mountain”. This statement demands we ask, why? Why was Jerusalem the city considered Yahweh’s “holy mountain”. From an Old Testament perspective Jerusalem was Yahweh’s “holy mountain” because this was the place Yahweh choose to meet with mankind. It was the place “called by” His holy name. We get that sense from reading Daniel’s prayer, don’t we? Verse 17 & 18 clearly associates the “desolation” of Yahweh’s sanctuary with the “desolation” of the city and its people. So, if the desolation of the city was part and parcel with the desolation of the temple, would the reconstruction of the temple also be part and parcel with the city’s reconstruction?
Building the Temple was Building Jerusalem
To get a firmer idea of the Biblical association between the house of Yahweh and the city of Jerusalem let’s look at the words of Yahweh concerning Cyrus of Persia and his divine impetus to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple. Notice how the two are clearly associated in this passage:
Isaiah 44:28
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.
Look now at the fuller context of Isaiah 45 to get a better sense of how Yahweh, through the prophet Isaiah, describes Cyrus’ decree to rebuild the temple and city of Jerusalem.
Isaiah 45:1
Thus saith YHWH to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;….
11 Thus saith YHWH, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me. 12 I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded. 13 I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith YHWH of hosts.
From the above passage it is rather difficult to argue (as claimed by Mr. Ice, Mr. Reagan, and Richardson) that the decree of Artaxerxes is the only decree which “specifically” dealt with rebuilding the city of Jerusalem. For reasons I’ll explain more fully later, I don’t believe that Cyrus’ decree was the “decree” of Daniel 9:25. Nevertheless, those who claim the decree of Artaxerxes was the only decree that “specifically” decreed the rebuilding of the “city” of Jerusalem are certainly incorrect in this claim.
Further as Isaiah 45:1-13 describes, Yahweh rose up Cyrus to build his city and let his captives go free. This building of the city was centered around the restoration of Yahweh’s desolate sanctuary. This is confirmed in the book of Ezra to which we will now turn.
Ezra 4 and the Building of Jerusalem
The passage below is focused on the efforts of the Jewish people to reconstruct Yahweh’s desolate sanctuary. For context sake, keep in mind these events take place after the decree of Cyrus in 536 BC. As you read the passage below also keep in mind the passage acknowledges that the enemies of the Jewish people harassed their efforts to build the temple from the reign of Cyrus until the reign of Darius. Further context shows that this was roughly the years 536 to 520 BC.
More particularly notice that in the eyes of those trying to stop the construction of the temple, they considered building the temple – building Jerusalem.
Ezra 4:1-5 JV Ezra 4:1 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto YHWH God of Israel; 2 Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither. 3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto YHWH God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us. 4 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building, 5 And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Ezra 4:12-13 12 Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls thereof, and joined the foundations. 13 Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings.
Ezra 4:17-24 17 Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and unto the rest beyond…
21 Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until another commandment shall be given from me….
23 Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power. 24 Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
As you see Ezra 4 opens with the Jewish people’s efforts to restore the temple and the harassment of those trying to stop this effort which they considered building the city. Finally, in the reign of a Persian “Artaxerxes” the enemies of the Jewish people found a willing ear and this Artaxerxes gave a commandment that “this city be not builded”. Ezra 4 then closes with the devastating words: “then ceased the work on the house of God which is at Jerusalem.” So, it ceased unto the 2nd year of the reign of Darius, king of Persia.”
Building the Temple was Building Jerusalem
Contrary to the well-intentioned but unsupported claims by Mr. Ice, Mr. Reagan, and Mr. Richardson, that building the temple was not building Jerusalem, we see from the context of the quoted verses above that in the eyes of Yahweh, Daniel, Cyrus, and the enemies of the Jewish people, building the temple was indeed building Jerusalem. Further Ezra 4 makes plain that “Artaxerxes” decreed that the “city be not builded” concerned primarily the reconstruction efforts of the Jewish people towards the temple. This decree stayed in effect until the 2nd year of Darius.
So, what happened in the 2nd year of Darius that changed the fortunes of the Jewish people? What event could have caused the Jewish people to disregard the decree of the Artaxerxes and restart construction on Jerusalem and the temple?
What happened was a “word” (Hebrew dabar) was given that profoundly changed the vector of events. As we explore this subject further, you’ll see that this pivotal event of the 2nd temple era is completely overlooked by the vast majority of prophecy teachers and scholars because they arbitrarily choose to redefine what constituted rebuilding Jerusalem. As we will see, this foundational error has led to an array of interpretational errors which have skewed the redemptive nature of this important prophecy.
A Word To Restore and Build
So you have a crystal clear understanding of the context here. Remember Cyrus’ decree which allowed the Jewish people to return to Jerusalem and build the city (including the reconstruction of the temple) was given roughly in the year 536 BC. For the next 16 years until the 2nd year of Darius (son of Hystaspes) the Jewish efforts to rebuild the city – i.e. Yahweh’s holy sanctuary, were unsuccessful. As just noted above, in fact, a Persian king Artaxerxes at some point previous to the 2nd year of Darius (520 BC), stopped construction of the city and its temple.
Then something happened which unaccountably is ignored by Mr. Ice, Mr. Reagan, and Mr. Richardson, as well as the vast majority of Biblical scholars today. A Word of Yahweh was given that commanded the Jewish people to return and build.
Yahweh willing my next article will explore this “word” to restore and build Jerusalem and explain why this “word”, given by Yahweh the living God of the Bible is the clearest and most consequential choice for consideration of the so called “decree” to restore and build Jerusalem of Daniel 9:25.
Maranatha!
