The Strand Study Bible

DANIEL

DANIEL

1349

(483 years) take us from the decree of Artaxerxes in 445 BC (Neh. 2:5-6) until the “cutting off” of the Messiah (Dan. 9:26). This is, by almost universal consent, a reference to Christ’s crucifixion. The Romans under Titus fulfilled the rest of verse 26 by destroying Jerusalem and the temple in AD 70. 1

According to verse 25, the prophecy would stop one week (seven years) “short” of the predicted 490-year prophecy at 483 years, just prior to CHRIST’S crucifixion. The spotlight would then be taken off the nation of Israel and placed on the Jewish/Gentile Church (Rom 11:25 and Eph 3:1-6). Once the Church is raptured (out of the way - I Thess 4:13-18, I Cor 15:51-52 and Rev 4:1) the spotlight will then be placed back upon the Jewish nation and the remaining seven years of Daniel’s 490-year prophecy will be fulfilled (Dan 9:27). 9:24b Daniel predicted that the 70-week period would “seal up sin” ( make an end of sins ), that is, it would limit the world’s influence by removing its god (Satan – Rev 20:2 ). Thus, the citizens of the Kingdom will be held in check by those ruling and reigning with CHRIST , so that sin will be rare by today’s standards (Rom 11:26-27). 9:24c CHRIST came “to accomplish” ( to seal up ) all that was promised through visions and prophecies. 9:25a According to the Bible, three “commandments” (or, decrees) were given by Medo-Persian kings allowing the captive Jews to return, restore and rebuild Jerusalem, after her destruction in 586 BC: 1. The decree of King Cyrus to Zerubabbal in 536 BC to rebuild the Temple (Ezra 1:1-3) 2. The decree of King Artaxerxes to Ezra in 458 BC to rebuild the people (Ezra 7:1-6) 3. The decree of King Artaxerxes to Nehemiah in 444 BC to rebuild the walls (Neh 2:1-6). It was the third decree (Neh 2:1-6 - 444 BC) that Daniel was probably referring to here. The King James Study Bible notes:

The time span from Artaxerxes’ decree to rebuild the city in March 444 B.C. until Christ’s crucifixion in A.D. 33 covered 483 prophetical years (173,880 days). This calculation agrees perfectly with our own solar calendar. Thus, Daniel predicted that 483 prophetic years would lapse from Artaxerxes’ decree until the death of the Messiah. The final week of years (Daniel’s seventieth week) is left unexplained and is best taken to be the equivalent to the seven years of tribulation that are yet determined for Israel. 2

NOTE – Daniel used a calculation of time based upon prophetical years (360 days), rather than solar years (365 days). 9:25b The author(s) of the Dead Sea Scrolls attribute this verse to MELCHIZEDEK ( Gen 14:18a ) thereby identifying him as the ANOINTED ONE of the SPIRIT . 9:25c Seven weeks (49 years) plus sixty-two weeks (434 years) comes to sixty-nine weeks (483 years). CHRIST was crucified ( cut off ) exactly 483 years after Nehemiah was allowed to return to Jerusalem in 444 BC. 9:26a Jesus was cut off (crucified) at the age of thirty-three (three years after He began his ministry at the age of thirty). 9:26b The prince here is the Antichrist (little horn - Dan 7:8) who will emerge in the future from the fourth BEAST (the Roman Empire ). However, the people of the prince (the Roman Empire) are in view here, not the prince himself (the future leader of the European theater – Dan 7:7). The people of the prince (the Roman Empire under General Titus of Rome) are the ones that destroyed Jerusalem in AD 70, not the prince.

1 De Haan II, M.R. What Can We Know About The Antichrist? , Grand Rapids, MI, Discovery House Pub. Print. 2 The King James Study Bible . Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Pub. 1988. Print.