Last Week of Jesus - the events & Trials, Crucifixion, Death, Burial, Resurrection.

Shiny Gospel Shoes · Nov 28, 2013

ANTI-TYPE OF MANNA; SPIRIT OF PROPHECY:

“... God was not unmindful of the wants of Israel. He said to their leader, “I will rain bread from heaven for you.” And directions were given that the people gather a daily supply, with a double amount on the sixth day, that the sacred observance of the Sabbath might be maintained.

Moses assured the congregation that their wants were to be supplied: “The Lord shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full.” And he added, “What are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the [Page 294-295] Lord.” He further bade Aaron say to them, “Come near before the Lord: for He hath heard your murmurings.” While Aaron was speaking, “they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.” A splendor such as they had never witnessed symbolized the divine Presence. Through manifestations addressed to their senses, they were to obtain a knowledge of God. They must be taught that the Most High, and not merely the man Moses, was their leader, that they might fear His name and obey His voice.

At nightfall the camp was surrounded by vast flocks of quails, enough to supply the entire company. In the morning there lay upon the surface of the ground “a small round thing, as small as the hoarfrost.” “It was like coriander seed, white.” The people called it “manna.” Moses said, “This is the bread which the Lord hath given you to eat.” The people gathered the manna, and found that there was an abundant supply for all. They “ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it.” Numbers 11:8. “And the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.” They were directed to gather daily an omer for every person; and they were not to leave of it until the morning. Some attempted to keep a supply until the next day, but it was then found to be unfit for food. The provision for the day must be gathered in the morning; for all that remained upon the ground was melted by the sun.

In the gathering of the manna it was found that some obtained more and some less than the stipulated amount; but “when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack.” An explanation of this scripture, as well as a practical lesson from it, is given by the apostle Paul in his second epistle to the Corinthians. He says, “I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality: as it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.” 2 Corinthians 8:13-15.

On the sixth day the people gathered two omers for every person. The rulers hastened to acquaint Moses with what had been done. His answer was, “This is that which the Lord hath [Page 295-296] said, Tomorrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord: bake that which ye will bake today, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.” They did so, and found that it remained unchanged. “And Moses said, Eat that today; for today is a Sabbath unto the Lord: today ye shall not find it in the field. Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in it there shall be none.”

God requires that His holy day be as sacredly observed now as in the time of Israel. The command given to the Hebrews should be regarded by all Christians as an injunction from Jehovah to them. The day before the Sabbath should be made a day of preparation, that everything may be in readiness for its sacred hours. In no case should our own business be allowed to encroach upon holy time. God has directed that the sick and suffering be cared for; the labor required to make them comfortable is a work of mercy, and no violation of the Sabbath; but all unnecessary work should be avoided. Many carelessly put off till the beginning of the Sabbath little things that might have been done on the day of preparation. This should not be. Work that is neglected until the beginning of the Sabbath should remain undone until it is past. This course might help the memory of these thoughtless ones, and make them careful to do their own work on the six working days.

Every week during their long sojourn in the wilderness the Israelites witnessed a threefold miracle, designed to impress their minds with the sacredness of the Sabbath: a double quantity of manna fell on the sixth day, none on the seventh, and the portion needed for the Sabbath was preserved sweet and pure, when if any were kept over at any other time it became unfit for use.

In the circumstances connected with the giving of the manna, we have conclusive evidence that the Sabbath was not instituted, as many claim, when the law was given at Sinai. Before the Israelites came to Sinai they understood the Sabbath to be obligatory upon them. In being obliged to gather every Friday a double portion of manna in preparation for the Sabbath, when none would fall, the sacred nature of the day of rest was continually impressed upon them. And when some of the people [Page 296-297] went out on the Sabbath to gather manna, the Lord asked, “How long refuse ye to keep My commandments and My laws?”

“The children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited: they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan.” For forty years they were daily reminded by this miraculous provision, of God’s unfailing care and tender love. In the words of the psalmist, God gave them “of the corn of heaven. Man did eat angels’ food” (Psalm 78:24, 25)—that is, food provided for them by the angels. Sustained by “the corn of heaven,” they were daily taught that, having God’s promise, they were as secure from want as if surrounded by fields of waving grain on the fertile plains of Canaan.

The manna, falling from heaven for the sustenance of Israel, was a type of Him who came from God to give life to the world. Said Jesus, “I am that Bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven.... If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” John 6:48-51. And among the promises of blessing to God’s people in the future life it is written, “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna.” Revelation 2:17. ...” [Patriarchs And Prophets; Pages 294-297] - text . egwwritings . org/publication.php?pubtype=Book&bookCode=PP&lang=en&collection=2&section=all&pagenumber=294

Shiny Gospel Shoes · Nov 28, 2013

More Anti-type of Manna:

“... Now, half mockingly, a rabbi questioned, “What sign showest Thou then, that we may see, and believe Thee? what dost Thou work? Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”

The Jews honored Moses as the giver of the manna, ascribing praise to the instrument, and losing sight of Him by whom the work had been accomplished. Their fathers had murmured against Moses, and had doubted and denied his divine mission. Now in the same spirit the [Page 385-386] children rejected the One who bore the message of God to themselves. “Then said Jesus unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven.” The giver of the manna was standing among them. It was Christ Himself who had led the Hebrews through the wilderness, and had daily fed them with the bread from heaven. That food was a type of the real bread from heaven. The life-giving Spirit, flowing from the infinite fullness of God, is the true manna. Jesus said, “The bread of God is that which cometh down out of heaven, and giveth life unto the world.” John 6:33, R. V.

Still thinking that it was temporal food to which Jesus referred, some of His hearers exclaimed, “Lord, evermore give us this bread.” Jesus then spoke plainly: “I am the bread of life.”

The figure which Christ used was a familiar one to the Jews. Moses, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, had said, “Man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord.” And the prophet Jeremiah had written, “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart.” Deuteronomy 8:3; Jeremiah 15:16. The rabbis themselves had a saying, that the eating of bread, in its spiritual significance, was the study of the law and the practice of good works; and it was often said that at the Messiah’s coming all Israel would be fed. The teaching of the prophets made plain the deep spiritual lesson in the miracle of the loaves. This lesson Christ was seeking to open to His hearers in the synagogue. Had they understood the Scriptures, they would have understood His words when He said, “I am the bread of life.” Only the day before, the great multitude, when faint and weary, had been fed by the bread which He had given. As from that bread they had received physical strength and refreshment, so from Christ they might receive spiritual strength unto eternal life. “He that cometh to Me,” He said, “shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst.” But He added, “Ye also have seen Me, and believe not.”

They had seen Christ by the witness of the Holy Spirit, by the revelation of God to their souls. The living evidences of His power had been before them day after day, yet they asked for still another sign. Had this been given, they would have remained as unbelieving as before. If they were not convinced by what they had seen and heard, it was useless to show them more marvelous works. Unbelief will ever find excuse for doubt, and will reason away the most positive proof.

Again Christ appealed to those stubborn hearts. “Him that cometh [Page 386-387] to Me I will in nowise cast out.” All who received Him in faith, He said, should have eternal life. Not one could be lost. No need for Pharisees and Sadducees to dispute concerning the future life. No longer need men mourn in hopeless grief over their dead. “This is the will of Him that sent Me, that everyone which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

But the leaders of the people were offended, “and they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that He saith, I came down from heaven?” They tried to arouse prejudice by referring scornfully to the lowly origin of Jesus. They contemptuously alluded to His life as a Galilean laborer, and to His family as being poor and lowly. The claims of this uneducated carpenter, they said, were unworthy of their attention. And on account of His mysterious birth they insinuated that He was of doubtful parentage, thus representing the human circumstances of His birth as a blot upon His history.

Jesus did not attempt to explain the mystery of His birth. He made no answer to the questionings in regard to His having come down from heaven, as He had made none to the questions concerning His crossing the sea. He did not call attention to the miracles that marked His life. Voluntarily He had made Himself of no reputation, and taken upon Him the form of a servant. But His words and works revealed His character. All whose hearts were open to divine illumination would recognize in Him “the Only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14.

The prejudice of the Pharisees lay deeper than their questions would indicate; it had its root in the perversity of their hearts. Every word and act of Jesus aroused antagonism in them; for the spirit which they cherished could find in Him no answering chord.

“No man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent Me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto Me.” None will ever come to Christ, save those who respond to the drawing of the Father’s love. But God is drawing all hearts unto Him, and only those who resist His drawing will refuse to come to Christ.

In the words, “They shall be all taught of God,” Jesus referred to the prophecy of Isaiah: “All thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.” Isaiah 54:13. This scripture [Page 387-388] the Jews appropriated to themselves. It was their boast that God was their teacher. But Jesus showed how vain is this claim; for He said, “Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto Me.” Only through Christ could they receive a knowledge of the Father. Humanity could not endure the vision of His glory. Those who had learned of God had been listening to the voice of His Son, and in Jesus of Nazareth they would recognize Him who through nature and revelation has declared the Father.

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life.” Through the beloved John, who listened to these words, the Holy Spirit declared to the churches, “This is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life.” 1 John 5:11, 12. And Jesus said, “I will raise him up at the last day.” Christ became one flesh with us, in order that we might become one spirit with Him. It is by virtue of this union that we are to come forth from the grave,—not merely as a manifestation of the power of Christ, but because, through faith, His life has become ours. Those who see Christ in His true character, and receive Him into the heart, have everlasting life. It is through the Spirit that Christ dwells in us; and the Spirit of God, received into the heart by faith, is the beginning of the life eternal.

The people had referred Christ to the manna which their fathers ate in the wilderness, as if the furnishing of that food was a greater miracle than Jesus had performed; but He shows how meager was that gift when compared with the blessings He had come to bestow. The manna could sustain only this earthly existence; it did not prevent the approach of death, nor insure immortality; but the bread of heaven would nourish the soul unto everlasting life. The Saviour said, “I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever.” To this figure Christ now adds another. Only through dying could He impart life to men, and in the words that follow He points to His death as the means of salvation. He says, “The bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

The Jews were about to celebrate the Passover at Jerusalem, in commemoration of the night of Israel’s deliverance, when the destroying angel smote the homes of Egypt. In the paschal lamb God desired them [Page 388-389] to behold the Lamb of God, and through the symbol receive Him who gave Himself for the life of the world. But the Jews had come to make the symbol all-important, while its significance was unnoticed. They discerned not the Lord’s body. The same truth that was symbolized in the paschal service was taught in the words of Christ. But it was still undiscerned.

Now the rabbis exclaimed angrily, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?” They affected to understand His words in the same literal sense as did Nicodemus when he asked, “How can a man be born when he is old?” John 3:4. To some extent they comprehended the meaning of Jesus, but they were not willing to acknowledge it. By misconstruing His words, they hoped to prejudice the people against Him.

Christ did not soften down His symbolical representation. He reiterated the truth in yet stronger language: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, dwelleth in Me, and I in him.”

To eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ is to receive Him as a personal Saviour, believing that He forgives our sins, and that we are complete in Him. It is by beholding His love, by dwelling upon it, by drinking it in, that we are to become partakers of His nature. What food is to the body, Christ must be to the soul. Food cannot benefit us unless we eat it, unless it becomes a part of our being. So Christ is of no value to us if we do not know Him as a personal Saviour. A theoretical knowledge will do us no good. We must feed upon Him, receive Him into the heart, so that His life becomes our life. His love, His grace, must be assimilated.

But even these figures fail to present the privilege of the believer’s relation to Christ. Jesus said, “As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me.” As the Son of God lived by faith in the Father, so are we to live by faith in Christ. So fully was Jesus surrendered to the will of God that the Father alone appeared in His life. Although tempted in all points like as we are, He stood before the world untainted by the evil that surrounded Him. Thus we also are to overcome as Christ overcame. ...” [The Desire of Ages, Pages 385-389] text . egwwritings . org/publication.php?pubtype=Book&bookCode=DA&lang=en&collection=2&section=all&pagenumber=385

“ … In the giving of the manna, we have conclusive evidence that the Sabbath was not instituted when the law was given at Sinai. Before the Israelites came to Sinai they understood the Sabbath to be obligatory upon them. In being obliged to gather every Friday a double portion of manna in preparation for the Sabbath, the sacred nature of the day of rest was continually impressed upon them. And when some of the people went out on the Sabbath to gather manna, the Lord asked, “How long refuse ye to keep My commandments and My laws?”

“The children of Israel did eat manna forty years, ... until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan.” For forty years they were daily reminded of God’s unfailing care and tender love. God gave them “of the corn of heaven. Man did eat angels’ food” (Psalm 78:24, 25)—that is, food provided for them by the angels. They were daily taught that they were as secure from want as if surrounded by fields of waving grain on the fertile plains of Canaan.

The manna was a type of Him who came from God to give life to the world. Said Jesus, “I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and [Page 204-205] are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven... . If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” John 6:48-51.

After leaving the wilderness of Sin, the Israelites encamped in Rephidim. Here there was no water, and again they distrusted the providence of God. The people came to Moses with the demand, “Give us water that we may drink.” They cried in anger, “Wherefore is this, that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?” When they had been so abundantly supplied with food, they remembered with shame their unbelief and promised to trust the Lord in the future; but they failed at the first trial of their faith. The pillar of cloud that was leading them seemed to veil a fearful mystery. And Moses—who was he? What could be his object in bringing them from Egypt? Suspicion and distrust filled their hearts, and in the tumult of rage they were about to stone him. ...” [From Eternity Past, Pages 204-205] - text . egwwritings.org/publication.php?pubtype=Book&bookCode=EP&lang=en&collection=2&section=all&pagenumber=204

Shiny Gospel Shoes · Nov 28, 2013

A pause, Food for Thought, on this subject:

“... The Comforter is called “the Spirit of truth.” His work is to define and maintain the truth. He first dwells in the heart as the Spirit of truth, and thus He becomes the Comforter. There is comfort and peace in the truth, but no real peace or comfort can be found in falsehood. It is through false theories and traditions that Satan gains his power over the mind. By directing men to false standards, he misshapes the character. Through the Scriptures the Holy Spirit speaks to the mind, and impresses truth upon the heart. Thus He exposes error, and expels it from the soul. It is by the Spirit of truth, working through the word of God, that Christ subdues His chosen people to Himself. ...”[The Desire of Ages, Page 671] - text . egwwritings . org/publication.php?pubtype=Book&bookCode=DA&lang=en&collection=2&section=all&pagenumber=671

So, when we start looking at the Scriptures, we ought to pray to God, that we come with no apriori ideas obtained from elsewhere, that we may instead listen intently and hearken to what God is saying and telling us, that we may not err, and so that we may do them and teach them correctly with Love.

So many false theories out there, on the death, burial and the resurrection of Jesus. Sunday crucifixions, Wednesday Crucifixions, Thursday Crucifixions, Sabbath Resurrections, weekday [Mon-Fri] Resurrections, mythologized/allegorized,spiritualized away resurrections [usually from the Jesuit teachings] and all manner of what else, besides the Truth.

Now we can look at AD 31, more closely when Time allows, and possibly any loose ends.

**************************

Happy Thanksgiving! We should be most thankful for the life, death, burial and resurrection of Christ Jesus, and of the Great Work He has been entered in upon in the Most Holy Place since the end of the 2,300 days, in 1844. Amen.

That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works. Psalms 26:7

I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. Psalms 69:30

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. Psalms 95:2

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. Psalms 100:4

And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing. Psalms 107:22

Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God: Psalms 147:7

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Philippians 4:6

Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Colossians 2:7

Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Colossians 4:2

... why stop there? Keep on with the heartfelt thanksgiving unto the Lord God, for I do not remember eternity ceasing yet.

reddogs · Nov 28, 2013

Shiny Gospel Shoes said:
Last Week of Jesus - the events & Trials, Crucifixion, Death, Burial, Resurrection.

Jesus Christ was indeed crucified in the Year AD 31, the 1st Month Nisan/Aviv, the 14th Day, being the 6th day of the week, the preparation, the Passover Feast, and died approx. at the hour of 3 PM at the time evening sacrifice, a few short hours before sunset, was buried and rested the 7th Day Sabbath [15th], being both the Creation Sabbath and Feastal sabbath that year combined, and He resurrected very early the First day of the week [16th].

Year: 31 AD [see late 457 BC, + 486 1/2 of the 490/2,300, [+1, no year 0]
Month: 1st, Nisan/Aviv
Day: 14th, Passover Feast, being the 6th Day [of the week], the preparation
Hour: About the Ninth Hour, or 3PM, time of the evening Sacrifice

There is of course another mention of another time, in relation, being given in Revelation 9:15, which speaks of the exact moment of "an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year" and perhaps another time, we may come to this, but not now, not this thread.

The direct answer for this question, as to when did Jesus die, and all of the above cross-time statements, are directly found in the Pages of Scripture [Type in the OT, Prophecy and Gospels], and also the Spirit of Prophecy, especially the Book Desire of Ages [read chapters 62-82, specifically to see the exact timeframes]

www . connectingwithjesus . org/media/DA . pdf

Let's take a look at the background to all of this.

Now, let us consider that in the very week leading up to the Passover itself, from the very day that Jesus left Bethany [where He had rested the 7th Day Sabbath of the Lord thy God, six days before the Passover; John 12:1] and coming into and entering Jerusalem, in the Triumphal Entry [Matthew 21:1], being the First Day of the Week towards the setting of the sun [Mark 11:11], Jesus was in the Temple on several days [Day 1, 2, 3] in a row:

[Jesus is coming from Bethany, where He had rested on the 7th Day Sabbath at Lazarus' house, now to Jerusalem on the First day of the week, and thus picks up where Matthew and Mark come in.]

And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves. John 11:55

[For the Passover, see Exodus 12:1-14; Leviticus 23:4-9; etc]

Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast? John 11:56

Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he were, he should shew it, that they might take him. John 11:57

Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. John 12:1

On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, John 12:12

Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. John 12:13

[First Day of the Week, the Triumphal Entry at the near the setting of the Sun]

[Note for times, keep an eye on when Jesus is entering and leaving the city, and speaking in the Temple, for one must have all 4 Gospels open and consulted together to see this.]

And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? Matthew 21:10

And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve. Mark 11:11

[Second Day of the Week, casting out the Moneychangers; 2nd Cleansing of the Temple at the end of His Ministry]

And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, Matthew 21:12

And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. Matthew 21:13

And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there. Matthew 21:17

And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: Mark 11:12

And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves; Mark 11:15

And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. Mark 11:16

And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves. Mark 11:17

And when even was come, he went out of the city. Mark 11:19

[Third Day of the Week, the Last Confrontation between Jesus and the Priests, being before two days before the Passover Matthew 26:2; Mark 14;1]

Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered. Matthew 21:18

And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority? Matthew 21:23

And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. Mark 11:20

And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders, Mark 11:27

Additionally, the Spirit of Prophecy, which includes the Desire of Ages and the Great Controversy, etc., confirm the above time line and are in perfect harmony with the Scripture, please see the Desire of Ages references cited for the clearest time line.

We may therefore conclude that when Jesus was on His last day [Third Day of the Week] of teaching in the Temple, it was just before two days before the Passover [Matthew 26:1-2; Mark 14:1; Luke 21:37-38, 22:1], and He having taught already two consecutive days in the Temple, prior [on the First [Triumphal Entry] and Second Days of the Week [Casting out the Moneychangers]]:

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Matthew 23:37

Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. Matthew 23:38

For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Matthew 23:39

And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected. Luke 13:32

Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem. Luke 13:33

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! Luke 13:34

Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Luke 13:35

Thus from Tuesday [Third Day of the Week] was the “to day” and Wednesday [Fourth Day of the Week] was the “to morrow” and Thursday [Fifth Day of the Week] was the “third [day]” when Jesus would finally be finished [“perfected” [Strong's Concordance; G5048; τελειόω] which is completed, finished] working the miracles [“cast out devils” and “do cures”] and thus enter into His final experiences as mortal man, Thursday night, unto Friday [Sixth Day of the Week] be buried Sabbath [Seventh Day of the Week] and resurrect Sunday [First Day of the Week].

The Last Miracle Jesus did before His death, was the healing of the High Priest's servants ear, the very night He was betrayed:

And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him. Luke 22:51

This is where Jesus stated that He had recently been with them, teaching "daily" in the Temple:

In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me. Matthew 26:55

I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled. Mark 14:49

And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him, Luke 19:47

When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness. Luke 22:53

Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. John 18:20

Even the Disciples carried this practice forward after Pentecost, at least for a short while:

And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Acts 2:46

And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. Acts 5:42

The Spirit of Prophecy, even the Desire of Ages, now sets the timeline perfectly, as already noted above:

"This chapter is based on Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-11; Luke 7:36-50; John 11:55-57; John 12:1-11.

Simon of Bethany was accounted a disciple of Jesus. He was one of the few Pharisees who had openly joined Christ’s followers. He acknowledged Jesus as a teacher, and hoped that He might be the Messiah, but he had not accepted Him as a Saviour. His character was not transformed; his principles were unchanged.

Simon had been healed of the leprosy, and it was this that had drawn him to Jesus. He desired to show his gratitude, and at Christ’s last visit to Bethany he made a feast for the Saviour and His disciples. This feast brought together many of the Jews. There was at this time much excitement at Jerusalem. Christ and His mission were attracting greater attention than ever before. Those who had come to the feast closely watched His movements, and some of them with unfriendly eyes.

The Saviour had reached Bethany only six days before the Passover, and according to His custom had sought rest at the home of Lazarus. The crowds of travelers who passed on to the city spread the tidings that He was on His way to Jerusalem, and that He would rest over the Sabbath at Bethany. Among the people there was great enthusiasm. Many flocked to Bethany, some out of sympathy with Jesus, and others from curiosity to see one who had been raised from the dead.

Many expected to hear from Lazarus a wonderful account of scenes witnessed after death. They were surprised that he told them nothing.” [The Desire of Ages, Chapter 63, "Thy King Cometh", Page 557] -text . egwwritings . org/publication.php?pubtype=Book&bookCode=DA&lang=en&collection=2&section=all&pagenumber=557

See also the same references in the following, thus we have the start of the timeline, as noted above, in perfect harmony with Scripture:

[The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 2, p. 372.1]

text . egwwritings . org/publication.php?pubtype=Book&bookCode=2SP&lang=en&collection=2&section=all&pagenumber=372&QUERY=feast+sabbath&resultId=1

[The Spirit of Prophecy Volume 3, p. 186.3 (1)]

text . egwwritings . org/publication.php?pubtype=Book&bookCode=3SP&lang=en&collection=2&section=all&pagenumber=186&QUERY=feast+sabbath&resultId=3

[ST October 9, 1879, par. 1]

text . egwwritings . org/publication.php?pubtype=Periodical&bookCode=ST&lang=en&collection=2&section=all&QUERY=feast+sabbath&resultId=7&year=1879&month=October&day=9

[Redemption: or the Teachings of Christ, the Anointed One, p. 105.1]

text . egwwritings . org/publication.php?pubtype=Book&bookCode=4Red&lang=en&collection=2&section=all&pagenumber=105&QUERY=feast+sabbath&resultId=15

Now, let us corroborate what we have here from Scripture with the Spirit of Prophecy more specifically. Then we will move back to Scripture, then back to the SoP again and again until we are finished.

Shiny, first welcome to the forum and happy Thanksgiving. You do know only Adventist can post lessons here, it seems you are but I just don't see your SDA icon.

Shiny Gospel Shoes · Nov 28, 2013

reddogs said:
Shiny, first welcome to the forum and happy Thanksgiving. You do know only [Seventh-day] Adventist ~~can post lessons here, it seems you are but I just don't see your SDA icon.~~

Thank you reddogs for the welcome and blessings of a happy thanksgiving, that yours may be joyous in Christ Jesus also.

Yes, I understand that Seventh-day Adventists, which are the faithful remnant of God, which keep the Commandments of God, having the Faith of Jesus and the Testimony of Jesus, post lessons here, which was the primary reason I posted this topic here, that everyone may see the abundance of evidence for themselves, from the Scripture, from the Spirit of Prophecy and also from the History, so that all are without excuse.

About the latter, in regards to an 'icon', perhaps these texts may be of assistance in that area:

Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Matthew 7:16

Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Matthew 7:20

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. Matthew 10:16

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: Ecclesiastes 3:1

Please take care brother, with me, to notice that the texts do not say that we shall be known by our mere pronouncement of the faith, but by the fruits borne of it.

Very dangerous Wolves are about us brother, and their numbers increase daily, and their circling grows tighter, and it may be perhaps that it has not been noticed recently by some, but their raging packs grow larger and more concentrated, yes more bold and brazen, and it becomes more and more difficult, for those who are mainly out in the open field, rather than in the creche, to reach the other sheep without alerting those sniffing and looking for blood.

However, for peace between brethren, see now the Banner of the Lord I stand under, "the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel". Yes, I am part of, and in good fellowship with the brethren, membership of the remnant body of Christ Jesus and in faithful standing with, the prophetic Seventh-day Adventist movement, called of God in Scripture, sounding forth the last and great cries of the Everlasting Gospel in the Three Angels Messages, to a world perishing, which comes before the great 2nd Advent, the awesome Day of the Lord.

Shiny Gospel Shoes · Nov 28, 2013

THE YEAR 31 AD; SCRIPTURE & HISTORY:

The Year AD 31 for the death of Jesus is fixed by Scripture and Historic Chronology, for in Daniel 8 [... a vision appeared unto me .. Daniel 8:1; ... I saw in a vision I saw in a vision ... Daniel 8:2; ... and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns ... Daniel 8:3; Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision, the daily, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? Daniel 8:13; And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. Daniel 8:14; The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. Daniel 8:20; And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days. Daniel 8:26], we receive that the vision began with the Kingdom of Medo-Persia, and it was with that Kingdom that the decree of Cyrus II The Great, Darius I Hystaspes The Persian and finally Artaxerxes I Longimanus in His 7th Year [457 BC] would go forward and the 2,300 evening/mornings [day/years] begin, and in Daniel 9 [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. Daniel 9:23; 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; 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, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. Daniel 9:25; And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. Daniel 9:26; 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] it is confirmed with the 490 day/years sectioned/determined for the Jews out of it, and further in Daniel 10-11 we have further confirmation of events and times, see Daniel 10:1-21, 11:1-2 and in Ezra, Esther and Nehemiah.

ARTAXERXES I LONGIMANUS DECREE [The 7th Year of His Reign [457 BC]]:

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, Ezra 7:1

This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he [was] a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him. Ezra 7:6

And there went up [some] of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king. Ezra 7:7

And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which [was] in the seventh year of the king. Ezra 7:8

For upon the first [day] of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first [day] of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him. Ezra 7:9

For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do [it], and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments. Ezra 7:10

Now this [is] the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, [even] a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel. Ezra 7:11

Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect [peace], and at such a time. Ezra 7:12

I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and [of] his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee. Ezra 7:13

Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which [is] in thine hand; Ezra 7:14

And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation [is] in Jerusalem, Ezra 7:15

And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which [is] in Jerusalem: Ezra 7:16

That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which [is] in Jerusalem. Ezra 7:17

And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God. Ezra 7:18

The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, [those] deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem. Ezra 7:19

And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow [it] out of the king's treasure house. Ezra 7:20

And I, [even] I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which [are] beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily, Ezra 7:21

Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing [how much]. Ezra 7:22

Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? Ezra 7:23

Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them. Ezra 7:24

And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that [is] in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that [are] beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know [them] not. Ezra 7:25

And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether [it be] unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment. Ezra 7:26

Blessed [be] the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put [such a thing] as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which [is] in Jerusalem: Ezra 7:27

And hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God [was] upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me. Ezra 7:28

And they delivered the king's commissions unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors on this side the river: and they furthered the people, and the house of God. Ezra 8:36

For we [were] bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem. Ezra 9:9

The Completed work was mentioned here:

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. Ezra 6:14

Shiny Gospel Shoes · Nov 28, 2013

According to known historical record, Artaxerxes I Longimanus ruled from 464/465 BC to 424 BC, even from The Chronology of Ezra 7, by Siegfried H Horn & Lynn H Wood - www . scribd . com/doc/150308036/The-Chronology-of-Ezra-7-Siegried-h-Horn

We may also confirm by other sources, such as Ptolemy's Canon [King's List], or other helpful resources like quick source Wikipedia:

Ptolemy's Canon - en . wikipedia . org/wiki/Canon_of_Kings#Persian_Kings.2C_538.E2.80.93332_BC

www . livius . org/cg-cm/chronology/canon . html

"Artaxerxes I was the sixth king of kings of the Achaemenid Empire from 465 BCE to 424 BCE. He was the son of Xerxes I of Persia and Amestris, daughter of Otanes." - en . wikipedia . org/wiki/Artaxerxes_I_of_Persia

"Artaxerxes (Hebrew: אַרְתַּחְשַׁסְתְּא‎, pronounced [artaχʃast]) commissioned Ezra, a Jewish priest-scribe, by means of a letter of decree, to take charge of the ecclesiastical and civil affairs of the Jewish nation. A copy of this decree may be found in Ezra 7:13-28.

Ezra thereby left Babylon in the first month of the seventh year (~ 457 BCE) of Artaxerxes' reign, at the head of a company of Jews that included priests and Levites. They arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month of the seventh year (Hebrew Calendar).

The rebuilding of the Jewish community in Jerusalem had begun under Cyrus the Great, who had permitted Jews held captive in Babylon, to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple of Solomon. Consequently, a number of Jews returned to Jerusalem in 538 B.C., and the foundation of this "Second Temple" was laid the following year.

In Artaxerxes' 20th year (444 B.C.)[5], Nehemiah, the king's cupbearer, apparently was also a friend of the king as in that year Artaxerxes inquired after Nehemiah's sadness. Nehemiah related to him the plight of the Jewish people and that the city of Jerusalem was undefended. The king sent Nehemiah to Jerusalem with letters of safe passage to the governors in Trans-Euphrates, and to Asaph, keeper of the royal forests, to make beams for the citadel by the Temple and to rebuild the city walls.[6]" - en . wikipedia . org/wiki/Artaxerxes_I_of_Persia#Portrayal_in_the_Book_of_Ezra_and_Nehemiah

"Year 457 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Pulvillus and Augurinus or Cincinnatus and Vibulanus (or, less frequently, year 297 Ab urbe condita). The denomination 457 BC for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years. ...

... Persian Empire

Artaxerxes I decrees that the city government of Jerusalem shall be re-established.[1]" - en . wikipedia . org/wiki/457_BC

That would place his, Artaxerxes I Longimanus 7th year exactly in 457 BC.

It is simply a matter of mathematical calculations using the timeframes given in Daniel, and even intermeshing with the Gospel of Lukes historical information among other materials/information.

Shiny Gospel Shoes · Nov 28, 2013

In the Persian Empire that conquered Babylon, we find these persons in Scripture listed, specifically Daniel 5-11, Ezra, Nehemiah, 2 Chronicles, etc:

Darius The Mede [son of Ahasuerus, not to be confused with the other two later]

Lord - 1) the son of Ahasuerus, king of the Chaldeans, who succeeded to the Babylonian kingdom on the death of Belshazzar;... [Strong's Concordance] - Daniel 5:31, 6:1,6,9,25,28, 9:1, 11:1

So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian. Daniel 6:28

Cyrus II The Great King of the Medes [and later Persians] [559 BC 530 BC] [Cyrus ruling] 2 Chronicles 36:22,23; Ezra 1:1,2,7,8, 3:7, 4:3,5; Isaiah 44:28, 45:1; Daniel 1:21, 10:1 - en . wikipedia . org/wiki/Cyrus_the_great

[yet 3 Kings from Daniel 10:1, Cyrus II The Great already ruling]

Cambyses II [530 BC 522 BC] [son of Cyrus, aka Ahasuerus mentioned in Ezra 4:6, and as one of yet three Persian Kings of Daniel 11:2] [this is not the Ahasuerus, the 'father' of Darius the Mede of Daniel 9:1, and neither the Ahasuerus of Esther [Xerxes I, The Great], ...which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, [over] an hundred and seven and twenty provinces...] Prophets and Kings, Page 572-572 [342-343] and see also - en . wikipedia . org/wiki/Cambyses_II

And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they [unto him] an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. Ezra 4:6

And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than [they] all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia. Daniel 11:2

There is a mention of this fact in the Story of Daniel the Prophet by SN Haskell; Page 90 -

"Cyrus struggled between two influences, but was restrained by Gabriel from doing any act of violence. Cambyses, his son, reigned nearly eight years, but most of his time was spent in useless and expensive warfare in Egypt and Ethiopia. Cambyses is the Ahasuerus of Ezra 4:6. To him the Samaritans wrote letters of complaint against the Jews at Jerusalem. But Cambyses was too busy with his foreign wars to give heed to this matter, and hence no action was taken either for or against the work at [Page 90-91] Jerusalem." - temcat . com/L-1-adv-pioneer-lib/SNHASKEL/Haskell-Daniel-Prophet . pdf

False Smerdis [521-522; 6 months or so] [Pseudo Bardiya, Gaumata, aka [false] Artaxerxes of Ezra 4:7-23 [4:7,8,23] and Daniel 11:2] [Haggai [the LORD's Messenger] and Zechariah [the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the Prophet] the Prophets begin during the reign of this Usurper; Ezra 5:1, 6:14] Prophets and Kings Page 573 [343] [...During the reign of Cambyses the work on the temple progressed slowly. And during the reign of the false Smerdis(called Artaxerxes in Ezra 4:7) the Samaritans induced the unscrupulous impostor to issue a decree forbidding the Jews to rebuild their temple and city. ... [Prophets and Kings, page 572-573]] see also - en . wikipedia . org/wiki/Gaumata and en . wikipedia . org/wiki/Bardiya

And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter [was] written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue. Ezra 4:7

Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort: Ezra 4:8

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. Ezra 4:23

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. Ezra 4:24

He gives the rescinding decree., which according to Medo-Persian Law, which could not be changed, was an invalid decree and had to be reinstated by Darius I Hystaspes The Persian afterward read Ezra for further details.

And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than [they] all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia. Daniel 11:2

There is a mention of this fact in the Story of Daniel the Prophet by SN Haskell; Page 91 -

"Cambyses was slain while in Egypt;and before the report was circulated throughout the Medo-Persian empire, an impostor took the throne which belonged to Smerdis, the son of Cambyses. The impostor, known in history as Pseudo- Smerdis (the false Smerdis), is the Artaxerxes of Ezra 4:7. He reigned only seven months, but that gave him time to consider complaints from the Samaritans and the tribes about Jerusalem, and to issue a commandment for the building of Jerusalem to cease until further word should come from the throne. This letter of the false Smerdis is found in Ezra 4:18-22. This is the only act which the divine historian mentions in the life of this Persian monarch. p. 189,.

Although very little is said about him, God knew every move he made. This is seen as we follow the history of the decrees. As soon as the Jews at Jerusalem heard the reading of the letter from the false Smerdis, all work ceased. "For," reasoned they, "how can we go on?" After they ceased to build, God raised up two prophets, Haggai, and Zechariah, and from these we gain a knowledge of the condition of affairs in Jerusalem. p. 189,.

The people ceased to build the temple, and turned to building houses for themselves. When urged to continue the Lord's work, they complained that money was scarce. They sowed seed, but the harvest was less than the amount sown; their trees bore little or no fruit; there was drought, and the cattle died; men could not pay their rent or taxes, and became slaves because of debt, and sold their children into bondage. Then they complained to God. But all the time God was working for them, and they knew it not. p. 189,.

This is the way He worked: In the city of Babylon, six of the chief men of the empire suspected that the reigning king was not the rightful heir, and they banded themselves together to find out. Forcing their way into the presence of Smerdis, they recognized the impostor, and slew him, and Darius, the chief of the band, was made king. This is the man in history known as Darius Hystaspes, and is Darius the Persian spoken of in Ezra 4:24. p. 190,. " - temcat . com/L-1-adv-pioneer-lib/SNHASKEL/Haskell-Daniel-Prophet . pdf

Darius I Hystaspes The Persian [522 BC 486 BC][Ezra 4:5,24, 5:5; Haggai 1:1; Zechariah 1:1; wife was Atossa [daughter of Cyrus II, The Great] [not to be confused with Darius The Mede of Daniel]] [Haggai [the LORD's Messenger] and Zechariah [the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the Prophet] the Prophets continue during the reign of this King; Haggai 1:1 [even unto the 2nd year; Haggai 1:15]; Zechariah 1:1 [even unto the 4th year; Zechariah 7:1]; etc]

[moving unto the 4th King far richer, see Esther, first and last chapters specifically, notice the amounts of provinces, riches, silver, feasts, etc and tribute]

Xerxes I The Great [486 BC - 465 BC] [aka Ahasuerus of Esther, over 127 provinces which is greater than that of his predecessors] [aka; Persian: Ḫayārā; Hebrew: 'Achashverowsh; Bible: Ahasuerus [I will be silent and poor, or lion-king [Gesenius's Lexicon]] of Esther 1:1-2,9,10,15,16,17,19, 2:1,12,16,21, 3:1,7,8,12, 6:2, 7:5, 8:1,7,10,12, 9:2,20,30, 10:1,3 [not to be confused with the father of Darius the Mede in Daniel 9:1], but rather, Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this [is] Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, [over] an hundred and seven and twenty provinces: ) Esther 1:1; Queen was Vashti, and then Queen was [Hadassah] Esther [whose uncle was Mordecai the Jew]; Xerxes was the son of Darius The Persian and Atossa] [Esther, the Book of happens during the reign of this King], [...Xerxes,the Ahasuerus of the book of Esther... [Prophets and Kings, page 598.2]] [...Darius Hystaspes, under whose reign the Jews had been shown marked favor, was succeeded by Xerxes the Great. ... [Prophets and Kings, page 600.1]]

And the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land, and upon the isles of the sea. Esther 10:1

Thus he stirs up the Greeks of Daniel 11:2, "...the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia.".

[Final Decree maker]

Artaxerxes I Longimanus [son of Xerxes I] of The 457 Decree in Ezra,
[465 BC 424 BC] Ezra 7:12; Artaxerxes I Of Persia, Longimanus, King of Kings [Ezra 6:14, 7:1,7,11,12,21, 8:1; Nehemiah 2:1, 5:14, 13:6][Artaxerxes was the son of Xerxes I and his wife Amestris] [Ezra [the scribe] in the first years at least, while Nehemiah [the cupbearer] was in the latter years at least, 20th year] [...But it was not until several years later, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes I, the successor of Xerxes the Great, that any considerable number returned to Jerusalem, under Ezra. ... [Prophets and Kings, page 605.3]] [...The decree of Artaxerxes Longimanus for the restoring and building of Jerusalem, the third issued since the close of the seventy years captivity, is remarkable for its expressions regarding the God of heaven, for its recognition of the attainments of Ezra, and for the liberality of the grants made to the remnant people of God. Artaxerxes refers to Ezra as the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the Lord, and of His statutes to Israel; a scribe of the law of the God of heaven. The king united with his counselors in offering freely unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem; and in addition he made provision for meeting many heavy expenses by ordering that they be paid out of the kings treasure house. Verses 11, 12, 15, 20. ... [Prophets and Kings; page 610.1]]

and so on, until the Persian Empire is overwehelmed by Greece and Alexander the Great in the time of the Persian King Dairus III Codomanus.

There are 3 decrees and 1 set of letters in scripture given, the only dates which can apply to the Daniel Prophecy are these (following) alone, and only to one of them can the 483 years be added [69 weeks of the 70 weeks],

[1.] The decree of Cyrus recorded in Ezra 1:1-4. 536 BC

[2.] The decree of Darius I recorded in Ezra 6:1-12. 520 BC

[3.] The decree of Artaxerxes I (Longimanus) recorded in Ezra 7:12-26. 457 BC

[4.] The letters of Artaxerxes mentioned in Nehemiah chapters 1 and 2. 444/445 BC

If we add 483 years [69 weeks of the 70 weeks], and then add 3 1/2 years until Christ's death, and 3 1/2 years until end of 70 weeks] to these dates, notice their timeframes and the impossibility of 3 of them to be relevant:

[1.] 536 BC + 483 years = BC 53 [still BC] + 3 1/2 years = 49/48 BC [still BC] + 3 1/2 years = 45/44 BC [still BC, end of 70 weeks]

[2.] 520 BC + 483 years = BC 37 [still BC] + 3 1/2 years = 33/32 BC [still BC] + 3 1/2 years = 29/28 BC [still BC, end of 70 weeks]

[3.] 457 BC + 483 years = AD 27 [no year 0] + 3 1/2 years = AD 31 + 3 1/2 years = AD 34 [end of 70 weeks]

[4.] 444 BC + 483 years = AD 40 [no year 0] + 3 1/2 years = AD 43/44 + 3 1/2 years = AD 47/48 [end of 70 weeks]

So, of the 4 possibilities, the first two [1. and 2.] are completely out of the question, being entirely too early, as they are not even close to Christ Jesus anointing [or even His birth], and also do not reconcile with the whole of Daniel [especially chapter 11, and the 'tax']. The fourth [4.] is also out of the question, being entirely too late even for His death.

The only option that is even of sense to the prophetic scriptures of Daniel, etc. is obviously the third [3.] choice. Now, this is not merely one of sheer convenience, but rather one of ordered mathematics, rulerships of kings and heads of state, scripture and God's providence.

We know by so many texts and historical record that it was indeed the year AD 31 in which Christ Jesus [Messiah the Prince] died, fulfilling Prophecy to the exact specifications set forth so many millennia ago in the Word of God.

457 BC is the beginning of the Decree in Ezra 7 and thus the 2300 day/years also ended in 1844 [and we can also know this by other corresponding prophecies preceding it which were also fulfilled].

reddogs · Nov 29, 2013

Shiny Gospel Shoes said:
Thank you reddogs for the welcome and blessings of a happy thanksgiving, that yours may be joyous in Christ Jesus also.

Yes, I understand that Seventh-day Adventists, which are the faithful remnant of God, which keep the Commandments of God, having the Faith of Jesus and the Testimony of Jesus, post lessons here, which was the primary reason I posted this topic here, that everyone may see the abundance of evidence for themselves, from the Scripture, from the Spirit of Prophecy and also from the History, so that all are without excuse.

About the latter, in regards to an 'icon', perhaps these texts may be of assistance in that area:

Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Matthew 7:16

Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Matthew 7:20

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. Matthew 10:16

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: Ecclesiastes 3:1

Please take care brother, with me, to notice that the texts do not say that we shall be known by our mere pronouncement of the faith, but by the fruits borne of it.

Very dangerous Wolves are about us brother, and their numbers increase daily, and their circling grows tighter, and it may be perhaps that it has not been noticed recently by some, but their raging packs grow larger and more concentrated, yes more bold and brazen, and it becomes more and more difficult, for those who are mainly out in the open field, rather than in the creche, to reach the other sheep without alerting those sniffing and looking for blood.

However, for peace between brethren, see now the Banner of the Lord I stand under, "the blood-stained banner of Prince Emmanuel". Yes, I am part of, and in good fellowship with the brethren, membership of the remnant body of Christ Jesus and in faithful standing with, the prophetic Seventh-day Adventist movement, called of God in Scripture, sounding forth the last and great cries of the Everlasting Gospel in the Three Angels Messages, to a world perishing, which comes before the great 2nd Advent, the awesome Day of the Lord.

Thank you for such a well thought out answer. One request that I need to make, is if you could add the SDA icon so that others may be clear and not need to ask. Thanks my brother.

God Bless
Red

Shiny Gospel Shoes · Nov 29, 2013

reddogs said:
Thank you for such a well thought out answer. One request that I need to make, is if you could add the SDA icon so that others may be clear and not need to ask. Thanks my brother.

God Bless
Red

Hmmm. I had already included the icon at the time of the first response. It does not seem to be showing presently however, even now, and I reselected its option yet again and updated. Not sure why it is not taking effect. I apologize for something I cannot at this time remedy, and ask for patience.

Thank you brother for your kindness.

PS. What do you personally think of the evidences so far from Scripture and the SoP on this issue, if you have been considering it. More is to come on it, but I am apparently needing a few more posts so that I may properly utilize photos/links. I really dislike having to break up the links that way in the posts, so that the sources may at least be given somewhat, if not fully functioning.

Shiny Gospel Shoes · Nov 29, 2013

THE YEAR 31 AD; SPIRIT OF PROPHECY:

“... In the spring of A.D. 31, Christ, the true Sacrifice, was offered on Calvary.

When Christ on the cross cried out, “It is finished,” the veil of the temple was rent in twain. This veil was significant to the Jewish nation. It was of most costly material, of purple and gold, and was of great length and breadth. At the moment when Christ breathed His last, there were witnesses in the temple who beheld the strong, heavy material rent by unseen hands from top to bottom. This act signified to the heavenly universe, and to a world corrupted by sin, that a new and living way had been opened to the fallen race, that all sacrificial offerings terminated in the one great offering of the Son of God.

Type ... met antitype in the death of God’s Son. ...” [The Faith I Live By; Into the Holy Place, July 14; Page 201] - text . egwwritings.org/publication.php?pubtype=Book&bookCode=FLB&lang=en&collection=2&section=all&pagenumber=201

“… The 2300 days had been found to begin when the commandment of Artaxerxes for the restoration and building of Jerusalem went into effect, in the autumn of B. C. 457. Taking this as the starting-point, there was perfect harmony in the application of all the events foretold in the explanation of that period in Daniel 9:25-27. Sixty-nine weeks, the first 483 of the 2300 years, were to reach to the Messiah, the Anointed One; and Christ’s baptism and anointing by the Holy Spirit, A. D. 27, exactly fulfilled the specification. In the midst of the seventieth week, Messiah was to be cut off. Three and a half years after his baptism, Christ was crucified, in the spring of A. D. 31. The seventy weeks, or 490 years, were to pertain especially to the Jews. At the expiration of this period, the nation sealed its rejection of Christ by the persecution of his disciples, and the apostles turned to the Gentiles, A. D. 34. The first 490 years of the 2300 having then ended, 1810 years would remain. From A. D. 34, 1810 years extend to 1844. “Then,” said the angel, “shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” All the preceding specifications of the prophecy had been unquestionably fulfilled at the time appointed. With this reckoning, all was clear and harmonious, except that it was not seen that any event answering to the cleansing of the sanctuary had taken place in 1844. To deny that the days ended at that time was to involve the whole question in confusion, and to renounce positions which had been established by unmistakable fulfillments of prophecy.

But God had led his people in the great Advent movement; his power and glory had attended the work, and he would not permit it to end in darkness and disappointment, to be reproached as a false and fanatical excitement. He would not leave his word involved in doubt and uncertainty. Though many abandoned their former reckoning of the prophetic periods, and denied the correctness of the movement based thereon, others were unwilling to renounce points of faith and experience that were sustained by the [Page 410-411] Scriptures and by the witness of the Spirit of God. They believed that they had adopted sound principles of interpretation in their study of the prophecies, and that it was their duty to hold fast the truths already gained, and to continue the same course of Biblical research. With earnest prayer they reviewed their position, and studied the Scriptures to discover their mistake. As they could see no error in their reckoning of the prophetic periods, they were led to examine more closely the subject of the sanctuary. [See Appendix, Note 6.] ...” [The Great Controversy 1888; Chapter 23, What Is The Sanctuary; Pages 410-411] - text . egwwritings.org/publication.php?pubtype=Book&bookCode=GC&lang=en&collection=2&section=all&pagenumber=410

“... “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week”—the last seven years of the period allotted to the Jews. During this time, from A.D. 27 to A.D. 34, Christ and His disciples extended the gospel invitation especially to the Jews. The Saviour’s direction was: “Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Matthew 10:5, 6.

“In the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease.” In A.D. 31, three and a half years after His baptism, our Lord was crucified. With the great sacrifice offered upon Calvary, type had met antitype. All the sacrifices and oblations of the ceremonial system were to cease.

The 490 years allotted to the Jews ended in A.D. 34. At that time, through action of the Jewish Sanhedrin, the nation sealed its rejection of the gospel by the martyrdom of Stephen and the persecution of the followers of Christ. …” [From Here To Forever; Chapter 18, New Light in The World; Page 205] - text . egwwritings . org/publication.php?pubtype=Book&bookCode=HF&lang=en&collection=2&section=all&pagenumber=205

For More see - text . egwwritings . org/search.php?lang=en&collection=2&section=all&QUERY=31+A.D.&Search=Search&hitLength=paragraph&hitsOnPage=20&sortBy=perbook

reddogs · Nov 30, 2013

Shiny Gospel Shoes said:
Hmmm. I had already included the icon at the time of the first response. It does not seem to be showing presently however, even now, and I reselected its option yet again and updated. Not sure why it is not taking effect. I apologize for something I cannot at this time remedy, and ask for patience.

Thank you brother for your kindness.

PS. What do you personally think of the evidences so far from Scripture and the SoP on this issue, if you have been considering it. More is to come on it, but I am apparently needing a few more posts so that I may properly utilize photos/links. I really dislike having to break up the links that way in the posts, so that the sources may at least be given somewhat, if not fully functioning.

I will ask the moderators for help. I am going over it, but it looks good.

Shiny Gospel Shoes · Nov 30, 2013

reddogs said:
I will ask the moderators for help. I am going over it, but it looks good.

Well, since I cannot alter the icon, even though it has been selected, I have manually added the designation in two place, [1] in the profile, [2] in the special title section which others may view in the forums, beneath the user name.

Thank you for the comments, as always, I pray you had a very blessed Sabbath, I know I did, for the sweet abiding presence of God was very near and what joy and peace filled my heart.

Shiny Gospel Shoes · Dec 1, 2013

457 BC is the beginning of the Decree in Ezra 7 and thus the 2300 day/years also ended in 1844 [and we can also know this by other corresponding prophecies preceding it which were also fulfilled].

The Chronology of Ezra 7:
http://www.temcat.com/005-Bible-versions/Chronology-Ezra7.pdf

[having begun in 457 BC; Ezra 7, etc [457 BC - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia] [Artaxerxes I of Persia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia] [File:Ezrachonology.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia]]:

Notice Luke’s Historical account:

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, Luke 3:1

[Tiberius - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia] [File:TwentySevenAD.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia] [Pontius Pilate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia] [Philip the Tetrarch - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia] [Herod the Great - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia]

Jesus was anointed as Christ [Messiah] in AD 27 [6 months into John the Baptist Ministry, which began in AD 26*], according to scripture at His Baptism in the River Jordan, and recognized as such by not only John the Baptist [the forerunner], but by the Holy Spirit and God the Father. Jesus then preached for 3 ½ years according to scripture, and thus the first half of the final 70th week was fulfilled in AD 31 at the Cross when Christ Jesus was cut off but not for himself, and the final 3 ½ years were fulfilled by the disciples and Apostles according to Hebrews 2:3 [confirmed first by Jesus, see last supper “testament/covenant” in “my blood” “shed for all” etc, then by those which heard him], and thus the council rejected not only Christ Jesus in AD 31, but also those whom He sent like Stephen which died in AD 34. From then onward the Gospel goes to the Gentiles through the dispersion and Paul..:

*“...to determining when the reign of Tiberius Caesar started.[38] The traditional approach is … that the reign of Tiberius started when he became co-regent ... placing the start of the ministry of John the Baptist around 26 AD. ...” - [Wikipedia; "Baptism of Jesus"] - Baptism of Jesus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"...John the Baptist was born about 5 BC, and now about 26 A.D. about the age of 30 he appears in the wilderness of Judea. ..." [Bible-History; John the Baptist] - John the Baptist Appears - Story of The New Testament (Bible History Online)

reddogs · Dec 7, 2013

Shiny,

Can you post this at one of the Adventist forums so they can look at it also.

The Adventist Forum

Thanks.
Red

Shiny Gospel Shoes · May 4, 2014

Additional Information, found - Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews:, clearly cites 3 consecutive Days, and confirms that the cyclical 7th Day [from Creation] is the Sabbath [not based upon moons]...

"...“[Note]CONCERNING THE FESTIVALS; AND HOW EACH DAY OF SUCH FESTIVAL IS TO BE OBSERVED.

3.237

THE law requires, that out of the public expenses a lamb of the first year be killed every day, at the beginning and at the ending of the day; but on the seventh day, which is called the Sabbath, they kill two, and sacrifice them in the same manner. At the new moon, they both perform the daily sacrifices, and slay two bulls, with seven lambs of the first year, and a kid of the goats also, for the expiation of sins; that is, if they have sinned through ignorance.

3.239

But on the seventh month, which the Macedonians call Hyperberetaeus, they make an addition to those already mentioned, and sacrifice a bull, a ram, and seven lambs, and a kid of the goats, for sins.

3.240

On the tenth day of the same lunar month, they fast till the evening; and this day they sacrifice a bull, and two rams, and seven lambs, and a kid of the goats, for sins. And, besides these, they bring two kids of the goats; the one of which is sent alive out of the limits of the camp into the wilderness for the scapegoat, and to be an expiation for the sins of the whole multitude; but the other is brought into a place of great cleanness, within the limits of the camp, and is there burnt, with its skin, without any sort of cleansing. With this goat was burnt a bull, not brought by the people, but by the high priest, at his own charges; which, when it was slain, he brought of the blood into the holy place, together with the blood of the kid of the goats, and sprinkled the ceiling with his finger seven times, as also its pavement, and again as often toward the most holy place, and about the golden altar: he also at last brings it into the open court, and sprinkles it about the great altar. Besides this, they set the extremities, and the kidneys, and the fat, with the lobe of the liver, upon the altar. The high priest likewise presents a ram to God as a burnt-offering.

Upon the fifteenth day of the same month, when the season of the year is changing for winter, the law enjoins us to pitch tabernacles in every one of our houses, so that we preserve ourselves from the cold of that time of the year; as also that when we should arrive at our own country, and come to that city which we should have then for our metropolis, because of the temple therein to be built, and keep a festival for eight days, and offer burnt-offerings, and sacrifice thank-offerings, that we should then carry in our hands a branch of myrtle, and willow, and a bough of the palm-tree, with the addition of the pome citron: That the burnt-offering on the first of those days was to be a sacrifice of thirteen bulls, and fourteen lambs, and fifteen rams, with the addition of a kid of the goats, as an expiation for sins; and on the following days the same number of lambs, and of rams, with the kids of the goats; but abating one of the bulls every day till they amounted to seven only. On the eighth day all work was laid aside, and then, as we said before, they sacrificed to God a bullock, a ram, and seven lambs, with a kid of the goats, for an expiation of sins. And this is the accustomed solemnity of the Hebrews, when they pitch their tabernacles.

3.248

In the month of Xanthicus, which is by us called Nisan, and is the beginning of our year, on the fourteenth day of the lunar month, when the sun is in Aries, (for in this month it was that we were delivered from bondage under the Egyptians,) the law ordained that we should every year slay that sacrifice which I before told you we slew when we came out of Egypt, and which was called the Passover; and so we do celebrate this passover in companies, leaving nothing of what we sacrifice till the day following. The feast of unleavened bread succeeds that of the passover, and falls on the fifteenth day of the month, and continues seven days, wherein they feed on unleavened bread; on every one of which days two bulls are killed, and one ram, and seven lambs. Now these lambs are entirely burnt, besides the kid of the goats which is added to all the rest, for sins; for it is intended as a feast for the priest on every one of those days. But on the second day of unleavened bread, which is the sixteenth day of the month, they first partake of the fruits of the earth, for before that day they do not touch them. And while they suppose it proper to honor God, from whom they obtain this plentiful provision, in the first place, they offer the first-fruits of their barley, and that in the manner following: They take a handful of the ears, and dry them, then beat them small, and purge the barley from the bran; they then bring one tenth deal to the altar, to God; and, casting one handful of it upon the fire, they leave the rest for the use of the priest. And after this it is that they may publicly or privately reap their harvest. They also at this participation of the first-fruits of the earth, sacrifice a lamb, as a burnt-offering to God.

3.252

When a week of weeks has passed over after this sacrifice, (which weeks contain forty and nine days,) on the fiftieth day, which is Pentecost, but is called by the Hebrews Asartha, which signifies Pentecost, they bring to God a loaf, made of wheat flour, of two tenth deals, with leaven; and for sacrifices they bring two lambs; and when they have only presented them to God, they are made ready for supper for the priests; nor is it permitted to leave any thing of them till the day following. They also slay three bullocks for a burnt-offering, and two rams; and fourteen lambs, with two kids of the goats, for sins; nor is there anyone of the festivals but in it they offer burnt-offerings; they also allow themselves to rest on every one of them. Accordingly, the law prescribes in them all what kinds they are to sacrifice, and how they are to rest entirely, and must slay sacrifices, in order to feast upon them.

3.255

However, out of the common charges, baked bread [was set on the table of shew-bread], without leaven, of twenty-four tenth deals of flour, for so much is spent upon this bread; two heaps of these were baked, they were baked the day before the sabbath, but were brought into the holy place on the morning of the sabbath, and set upon the holy table, six on a heap, one loaf still standing over against another; where two golden cups full of frankincense were also set upon them, and there they remained till another sabbath, and then other loaves were brought in their stead, while the loaves were given to the priests for their food, and the frankincense was burnt in that sacred fire wherein all their offerings were burnt also; and so other frankincense was set upon the loaves instead of what was there before. The [high priest also, of his own charges, offered a sacrifice, and that twice every day. It was made of flour mingled with oil, and gently baked by the fire; the quantity was one tenth deal of flour; he brought the half of it to the fire in the morning, and the other half at night. The account of these sacrifices I shall give more accurately hereafter; but I think I have premised what for the present may be sufficient concerning them. ...”" -
- Perseus Under Philologic: Joseph. AJ 3.230 and Perseus Under Philologic: Joseph. AJ 3.252

Shiny Gospel Shoes · May 4, 2014

AD 31 and the Lunar Phases accounted for [not April, but May, by Karite Jewish reckoning] by Samuel Sheffield Snow [7th Month movement], thus perfectly lining up with the Scriptural account and the SoP, and the dates of 457 BC, and October 22, 1844 AD, etc.

... We come now to an examination of chronological dates. And let it not be forgotten that, as we have proved, the 70 weeks must have commenced on the 10th day of 7th month. The date of the year assigned for their commencement is B. C. 457. There has been some diversity of opinion among chronologists, as to the correctness of that date; but the majority of standard writers on chronology have agreed on that as the true date. Not only so, but recent investigations have resulted in its confirmation. Among other testimony on this point, we give the following, from an article on prophetic chronology, by N. N. Whiting, published in the Advent Shield, No. 1:

According to the Edinburgh Encyclopedia, there was an Eclipse of the sun, April 30, B. C. 464, which was followed by the assassination of Xerxes by Artabanus. Artaxerxes succeeded Xerxes. Hence we may fix his accession to the throne between the months which have been named, (July and November,) in the year B. C. 464. His first year would, therefore, embrace part of 464 and part of 463 B. C. Nisan (the first month) in his year consequently, falls in B. C. 463. His seventh year would commence in B. C. 458, (not earlier than Ab, the fifth month,) and end B. C. 457. And, therefore, the first day of the first month, (Nisan) when Ezra left Babylon, was in the same year, B. C. 457.

The commencement of the reign of Artaxerxes can be ascertained by another process.

The battle of Arbela put an end to the Persian monarchy. This battle was preceded by an eclipse of the moon, which occurred September 20th, B. C. 331, eleven days previous to the battle. See Arrians Life of Alexander, B. III., chap. 7; Quintus Curtius, B. IV. chap. 39; Plutarchs Life of Alexander, and Fugresons Table of Eclipses, in his Astronomy. The Canon of Ptolemy furnishes a history of the kings of Persia, with the period of each reign. He omits those who did not hold the throne a full year, by reckoning the months of their reign partly to the preceding and partly to the succeeding monarch. Thus Xerxes II. and Sogdianus began to reign B. C. 224. The former reigned two months, and the latter seven. Neither are named by Ptolemy; still these nine months, being applied to the reign of Artaxerxes Longimanus and Darius Nothus, no time is actually lost by his computation. Availing ourselves of the date of the battle of Arbela, which has been noticed, we can employ the Canon, and ascertain the era when Artaxerxes took the crown, by reckoning backward.

Darius Codomannus reigned 4 years to B.C. 331.
Arses, do. 2 do. Darius Ochus, do. 21 do. Aetaxerxes Mnemon, do. 46 do.Darius Nothus, do. 19 do. Sogdianus,
do. 00 7 months. Xerxes II. do. 00 2 months. Artaxerxes Longimanus, do. 40 3 months.133 00 years from B. C. 331,
to the beginning of the reign of Artexerxes. If we add 133 to the year B. C. 331, we learn the result 464 B. C.

Thus we see that by two different methods, including both Astronomical and Historical proof, we arrive at the same result, viz., that Artexerxes began his reign in the year B. C. 464, and, consequently, that his seventh year commenced in the year B. C. 458, and embraced a part of the following year. It follows, therefore, that Ezra left Babylon in the first month of B. C. 457, and the commandment went forth in the seventh month of the same year. From that point, 2300 years terminate in the seventh month, A. D. 1844. The next point to be considered is the date of the commencement of our Lords public preaching. This is a point of great importance, as it marks distinctly the termination of the sixty-nine weeks and the beginning of the last week of the seventy. And if, after a careful examination, we find it to harmonize with B. C. 457, which has been ascertained to be the true starting point, it will serve to confirm that date, and make assurance doubly sure.

In arriving at that date several steps are necessary. And first we will notice the fact that there was a difference of about six months between the ages of John the Baptist and our Lord. As proof of this, see Luke 1:24-37. In the next place let it be understood that John was a Levite, and of the order of the priesthood, Luke 1:5. According to the Law his ministry could not commence until he was thirty years of age: see Numbers 4:3, 23, 30, 35, 39, 43, 47; 1 Chronicles 23:3. As the birth of Jesus could not have been later in the year than December, the birth of John could not have been later than the preceding June. He was, therefore, thirty years old in the spring or in June, when he must have begun his ministry.

This was in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Casar---not of his sole reign, but of his administration, reckoned from the time when he was associated with his uncle Augustus in the government. The following remarks on the subject are from Horne:---We learn from the Roman historians that the reign of Tiberius had two commencements: the first, when he was admitted to a place in the empire, (but without the title of Emperor,) in August, of the year 764, from the foundation of the city of Rome, three years before the death of Augustus; and the second, when he began to reign alone after that Emperors decease. It is from the first of these commencements that the fifteenth year, mentioned by St. Luke, is to be computed, who, as Tiberius did not assume the imperial title during the life of Augustus, makes use of a word which properly marks the nature of the power exercised by Tiberius, namely, In the fifteenth year tés hégemonias [i.e. of the administration] of Tiberius Casar, etc. Intro. B. I. p. 564.

Augustus died August 19th A. D. 14. And as Tiberius was united with him three years before, his administration must have commenced in August A. D. 11. From that point fourteen full years extend to August A. D. 25, when, of course, his fifteenth year began, which, reaching to August A. D. 26, would necessarily embrace that point of time at which John began his ministry. We come, then, to this result, that the ministry of John the Baptist began in the early part of A. D. 26.

Our Lord, being about six months younger that John, was thirty years of age in the autumn or in December following. About that time he was baptized; see Luke 3:21-23. After his baptism he attended a passover feast at Jerusalem; see John 2:3, 23. This was in the Spring, and, as it was the first spring after his baptism, must certainly have been in A. D. 27. After this he came into the land of Judea with his disciples, where he tarried and baptized. At the same time John was baptizing in Enon, not being yet cast into prison; see John 3:22-24. We may, therefore, rest assured that as late as the summer or autumn of A. D. 27, Johns imprisonment had not taken place...." [to be continued...]

Shiny Gospel Shoes · May 4, 2014

Shiny Gospel Shoes said:
AD 31 and the Lunar Phases accounted for [not April, but May, by Karite Jewish reckoning] by Samuel Sheffield Snow [7th Month movement], thus perfectly lining up with the Scriptural account and the SoP, and the dates of 457 BC, and October 22, 1844 AD, etc.[... continued...]

"... But Jesus did not commence the confirming of the covenant, by his public preaching and his public miracles, until after the imprisonment of John. Matthew 4:12, 17, Now, when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand. Mark 1:14, 15 Now, after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent ye, and the believe the gospel. Acts 10:37, That word I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached. Thus Matthew, Mark, and Peter, all testify that the public proclamation of the gospel by our Lord, began soon after the imprisonment of John. As that must have occurred in the summer or autumn of A. D. 27, the public preaching of Christ, accompanied by the confirmatory. Proofs of miracles publicly wrought, by which he was fully manifested to Israel and proved to be the true Messiah, did not commence till the autumn of A. D. 27. And that, it is very evident, must have been the true date.

But will this harmonize with the date B. C. 457? Let us see. From one point to the other there must be 69 weeks, i.e. 483 years. Suppose, then, the period to have embraced the whole of B. C. 457, there would then be needed 26 full years to make it complete. It would then extend from the first day of B. C. 457 to the first day of A. D. 27. But, as we have clearly proved, the period began on the 10th day of the 7th month. A part of B. C. 457 is not, therefore, to be included in the reckoning, and this deficiency must be made up by the addition of a part of A. D. 27. We see, then, that these two dates agree, and the 69 weeks which commenced in the 7th month B. C. 457, terminated in the 7th month A. D. 27. Then Jesus began to confirm the covenant, and on the 10th day of the first month of A. D. 31, he caused the sacrifice and oblation to cease, and four days after that the nailed the hand writing of ordinances to his cross.

The argument of Ferguson, that the death of our Lord must have occurred in A. D. 33, is not valid. It is based upon the assumption that the Rabbinical Jews are correct in their mode of reckoning the year. Were that true, the argument would be perfect and irrefutable. The crucifixion was evidently on Friday, the day before the Sabbath. See John 19:31; Mark 15:42. It was also on the day of the Passover; John 18:28. Now, admitting the Rabbinical Jews to be correct, we find by astronomical calculation, that the Passover full moon occurred on Friday, in the year 33, and not for several years before or after. But the Caraite Jews accuse the others of corrupting the Law in this matter, in other words, of adopting the customs of the heathen in their mode of reckoning time. And on examination we find the charge to be just. The Law imperatively required the presentation of the first-fruits sheaf, or handful, as a wave-offering, on the 16th day of the first month. But if the year be commenced, according to the Rabbinical Jews, with the new moon in March, it would be impossible to obey this requisition of the Law. For the grain would not be ripe in the first month. The Caraites, who adhere rigidly to the Law, usually commence the year one moon later than do the others; the one class regulating their year by the vernal equinox, after the manner of the Romans,the other by the ripening of the barely harvest, according to the requirements of the Mosaic Law. The Caraite computation is consequently correct; and the argument of Ferguson, based upon the Rabbinical reckoning, falls to the ground. The death of our Lord was not, therefore, in A. D. 33.

But let us see if it was not in A. D. 31. In the first place let us understand and remember, that the passover was always either on the day in which the moon came to the full, or the day following. This would depend upon the point of commencement of the month. The Jews began their months with the first visible appearance of the new moon. When its change took place early in the morning it would be visible the same evening, and the first day of the month, would be the day following. And as there are between fourteen and fifteen days from the change of the moon to the full, and the passover was always the fourteenth day of the month, it would, in this case, occur on the very day of the full moon. But when the moon changed at a later hour in the day, it could not be visible the same evening. In that case the first day of the month would be the second day after the moons change, and, consequently, the fourteenth day of the month would be the day following the full. We find upon examination that this must have been the case with the Caraite first month, A. D. 31.

We find also, that in A. D. 33 the full moon was on the 3rd day of April. From one full moon to another are about 291/2 days. The Caraite passover in that year would be on the 3rd day of May. As the lunar months fall behind the solar 11 days every year, so, in reckoning backward from A. D. 33 to A. D. 31, there must be an addition of 11 days to each year, making, for the two years 22 days. We see, then, that as in A. D. 33 the full moon was on the 3rd of May, it must have occurred on the 25th of May in A. D. 31. The true passover day must therefore have been either the 25th or 26th of May in that year.

Again, in the Appendix Townsends arrangement of the New Testament will be found a very accurate table, exhibiting the time of the occurrence of the passover (according to the Rabbinical Jews,) during our Saviours life. In that table it is placed for A. D. 31, Tuesday, April 25th. Assuming this as undoubtedly correct, we shall find that 291/2 days, which make a lunar month, extend to Thursday, May 25th. And as there is a small excess over 291/2 days in a lunar month, and also over 11 days to a year in the precession of the moons changes, it came to the full in the latter part of the day. Consequently the passover was on the day following, which was Friday. We come, then, to this conclusion, that our Lord was crucified, on Friday, May 26th, A. D. 31. S.
(To be continued.) ...[The Jubilee Standard Volume 1; May 29, 1845; Volume 1, New York City, Thursday, Number 12., [section] Prophetic Chronology Continued Samuel Sheffield Snow] - Ellen G. White Writings

Shiny Gospel Shoes · Aug 1, 2014

Albert Barnes Notes [Commentary], sees and agrees with the exact same order of Persian Kings, and their names from Daniel/Ezra/Esther, as given by Haskel and by the Spirit of Prophecy:

Daniel 11 Notes:

"... The chapter before us embraces the following definitely marked periods:

I. The succession of kings in Persia to the time of a mighty king who should arouse all the strength of his kingdom to make war on Greece - referring doubtless to Xerxes, Daniel 11:1-2. Of those kings in Persia there would be three - three so prominent as to deserve notice in the rapid glance at future events - Cambyses, Smerdis, and Darius Hystaspis.

II. After this succession of kings, one would stand up or appear who would be characterized as ruling "with great dominion," and "'according to his will," Daniel 11:3. The dominion evidently would pass into his hand, and he would be distinguished from all that went before him. There can be no doubt, from the connection, and from what is said in Daniel 11:4, that the reference here is to Alexander the Great.

III. The state of the empire after the death of this mighty king, Daniel 11:4. His kingdom would be broken, and would be divided into four parts - referring doubtless to the division of the empire of Alexander after his death.

IV. The history then proceeds to notice the events that would pertain to two of these portions of the empire - the conflicts between the king of the south, and the king of the north - or between Egypt and Syria, Daniel 11:5-19. This portion of the history embraces, in detail, an account of the policy, the negotiations, and the wars of Antiochus the Great, until the time of his death. These kingdoms are particularly referred to, probably because their conflicts would affect the holy land, and pertain ultimately to the history of religion, and its establishment and triumph in the world. In the notice of these two sovereignties, there is considerable detail - so much so that the principal events could have been readily anticipated by those who were in possession of the writings of Daniel. The destiny of the other two portions of the empire of Alexander did not particularly affect the history of religion, or pertain to the holy land, and therefore they are not introduced. In a particular manner, the history of Antiochus the Great is traced with great minuteness in this portion of the prophecy, because his doings had a special bearing on the Jewish nation, and were connected with the progress of religion. The commentary on this portion of the chapter will show that the leading events are traced as accurately as would be a summary of the history made out after the transactions had occurred. ..."

Daniel 11:2:

"...The prominent, the material points, would be the reign of those three kings; then the reign of the fourth, or Xerxes, as his mad expedition to Greece would lay the real foundation for the invasion of Persia by Alexander, and the overthrow of the Persian empire; then the life and conquests of Alexander, and then the wars consequent on the division of his empire at his death. The "three kings" here referred to were Cambyses, Smerdis, and Darius Hystaspis. As this communication was made in the third year of Cyrus Daniel 10:1, these would be the next in order; and by the fourth is undoubtedly meant Xerxes. There were several kings of Persia after Xerxes, as Artaxerxes Longimanus, Darius Nothus, Artaxerxes Mnemon, Ochus, and Darius Codomanus, but these are not enumerated because the real ground of the invasion of Alexander, the thing which connected him with the affairs of Pcrsia, did not occur in their reign, but it was the invasion of Greece by Xerxes.

And the fourth shall be far richer than they all - That is, Xerxes - for he was the fourth in order, and the description here agrees entirely with him. He would of course inherit the wealth accumulated by these kings, and it is here implied that he would increase that wealth, or that, in some way, he would possess more than they all combined. The wealth of this king is mentioned here probably because the magnificence and glory of an Oriental monarch was estimated in a considerable degree by his possessions, and because his riches enabled him to accomplish his expedition into Greece. Some idea of the treasures of Xerxes may be obtained by considering,

(a) That Cyrus had collected a vast amount of wealth by the conquest of Lydia, and the subjugation of Croesus, its rich king, by the conquest of Asia Miner, of Armenia, and of Babylon - for it is said respecting him, "I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places," Isaiah 45:3 : see the note at that passage.

(b) That Cambyses increased that wealth which he inherited from Cyrus by his victories, and by his plundering the temples wherever he came. A single case occurring in his conquests may illustrate the amount of wealth which was accumulated. On his return from Thebes, in Egypt, he caused all the temples in that city to be pillaged and burned to the ground. But he saved from the flames gold to the amount of three hundred talents, and silver to the amount of two thousand and five hundred talents. He is also said to have carried away the famous circle of gold that encompassed the tomb of king Ozymandias, being three hundred and sixty-five cubits in circumference, on which were represented all the motions of the several constellations. - Universal History, iv. 140.

(c) This was further increased by the conquests of Darius Hystaspis, and by his heavy taxes on the people. So burdensome were these taxes, that he was called by the Persians, ὁ κάπηλος ho kapēlos - the "merchant," or "hoarder." One of the first acts of Darius was to divide his kingdom into provinces for the purpose of raising tribute. "During the reign of Cyrus, and indeed of Cambyses, there were no specific tributes; but presents were made to the sovereign. On account of these and similar innovations, the Persians call Darius a merchant, Cambyses a despot, but Cyrus a parent." - Herodotus, b. iii. lxxxix. A full account of the taxation of the kingdom, and the amount of the revenue under Darius, may be seen in Herodotus, b. iii. xc. - xcvi. The sum of the tribute under Darius, according to Herodotus, was fourteen thousand five hundred and sixty talents. Besides this sum received from regular taxation, Herodotus enumerates a great amount of gold and silver, and other valuable things, which Darius was accustomed to receive annually from the Ethiopians, from the people of Colchis, from the Arabians, and from India. All this vast wealth was inherited by Xerxes, the son and successor of Darius, and the "fourth king" here referred to.

Xerxes was full four years in making provision for his celebrated expedition into Greece. Of the amount of his forces, and his preparation, a full account may be seen in Herodotus, b. vii. Of his wealth Justin makes this remark: "Si regem, spectes, divitias, non ducem, laudes: quarum tanta copia in regno ejus fuit, ut cum flumina multgtudine consumerentur, opes tamen regioe superessent." - Hist. ii. 10. Compare Diod. Sic. x. c. 3; Pliny, Hist. Nat. xxiii. 10; AEl. xiii. 3; Herod. iii. 96; vii. 27-29. In the city of Celaenae, Herodotus says, there lived a man named Pythius, son of Atys, a native of Lydia, who entertained Xerxes and all his army with great magnificence, and who farther engaged to supply the king with money for the war. Xerxes on this was induced to inquire of his Persian attendants who this Pythius was, and what were the resources which enabled him to make these offers. "It is the same," they replied, "who presented your father Darius with a plane-tree and a vine of gold, and who, next to yourself, is the richest of mankind." - Herod. vii. 27.

And by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia - That is, all his kingdom. He was enabled to do this by his great wealth - collecting and equipping, probably, the largest army that was ever assembled. The expedition of Xerxes against Greece is too well known to need to be detailed here, and no one can fail to see the applicability of this description to that invasion. Four years were spent in preparing for this expedition, and the forces that constituted the army were gathered out of all parts of the vast empire of Xerxes, embracing, as was then supposed, all the habitable world except Greece. According to Justin, the army was composed of seven hundred thousand of his own, and three hundred thousand auxiliaries. Diodorus Siculus makes it to be about three hundred thousand men; Prideaux, from Herodotus and others, computes it to have amounted, putting all his forces by sea and land together, to two million six hundred and forty-one thousand six hundred and ten men; and he adds that the servants, eunuchs, suttlers, and such persons as followed the camp, made as manymore, so that the whole number that followed Xerxes could not have been less than five million. - Connexions, pt. i. b. iv. vol. i. p. 410. Grotius reckons his forces at five million two hundred and eighty-two thousand. These immense numbers justify the expression here, and show with what propriety it is applied to the hosts of Xerxes. On the supposition that this was written after the event, and that it was history instead of prophecy, this would be the very language which would be employed."

Ezra 4:6:

"Ahasuerus - Or, Cambyses, the son and successor of Cyrus. Persian kings had often two names."

Ezra 4:7:

"Artaxerxes - Gomates, the Pseudo-Smerdis. He succeeded Cambyses (521 B.C.), and reigned for seven months, when he was deposed and executed by Darius Hystaspis."

Ezra 4:24:

"It ceased - The stoppage of the building by the Pseudo-Smerdis is in complete harmony with his character. He was a Magus, devoted to the Magian elemental worship, and opposed to belief in a personal god. His religion did not approve of temples; and as he persecuted the Zoroastrian so would he naturally be hostile to the Jewish faith. The building was resumed in the second year of Darius (520 B.C.), and was only interrupted for about two years; since the Pseudo-Smerdis reigned less than one year."

Ezra 5:3:

"Who hath commanded you to build? - There was no doubt a formal illegality in the conduct of Zerubbabel and Jeshua: since all edicts of Persian kings continued in force unless revoked by their successors. But they felt justified in disobeying the decree of the Pseudo-Smerdis (see the Ezra 4:7 note), because the opposition between his religious views and those of his successor was matter of notoriety."

Ezra 5:17:

"Let there be search made ... at Babylon - They perhaps doubted whether proof of the decree of Cyrus remained in the archives. The Pseudo-Smerdis had had the records in his power for seven months; and, when he reversed the policy of his predecessors, might have been expected to destroy their edicts. The decree was not found at Babylon, the most natural place for it, but in the provincial capital of Ecbatana, which Tatnai and his friends had not asked Darius to have searched (see Ezra 6:2)."

Ezra 6:14:

"Artaxerxes - The Artaxerxes of marginal reference seems to be meant (i. e., Longimanus); he was one of those who together with Cyrus and Darius helped forward the completion of the work."

Ezra 7:24:

"The decree of Artaxerxes was more favorable to the Jews than those of all previous Persian monarchs. ..."

Last Week of Jesus - the events & Trials, Crucifixion, Death, Burial, Resurrection.

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