I think we may have been interpreting the starting point of the seventy sevens prophecy incorrectly all along. What if the decree wasn't to be announced by a Persian king but announced by God through His prophets?
Many think the decree began either with Cyrus's release of the exiles or in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes. That would place the decree to either begin in 538 BC or 455 BC. This complicates the 69 sevens, an unbroken chain of events, landing either in the year 55 BC or 28 BC. I would like to propose another date that does not complicate the 69 sevens and lines up with the rest of the Bible's prophecies.
Both Zechariah and Haggai began prophesying to the exiles in the second year of King Darius the Great (520 BC) to return to rebuild Jerusalem and used the signs of Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel the governor to assure the people the temple would be rebuild and that they should leave their lands of exile. Those two offices would be combined into one during the Hasmonean Dynasty and influence the Jewish understanding of the office of messiah. Therefore, from the decree by God to restore the temple and Jerusalem unto the time the messiah would be cut off would be 69 sevens, or 483 years.
If you count back 483 years from 520 BC, it lands you at the incredibly significant year 37 BC. This was the year the Hasmonean Dynasty was overthrown by King Herod the Great, putting an end to the office of the messiah. That office would remain vacant even throughout the destruction of the city and sanctuary (Daniel 9:26). This explains why there is such a long gap between the 69th and 70th year. The restoration of the office of the messiah is would kicks off the time of the end, but Jesus warned us that many would come in His name (title) saying, "I am he."
Paul told us that the lawless one will reveal himself as a god in God's holy temple. Revelation 13 showed us that false prophets would come and convince the world that the beast is a god by using signs and wonders. Daniel 9:27 shows us that the prince would confirm the covenant with many, which I believe alludes to the 10 toes of Daniel 2 and 10 horns of Daniel 7. With all this put together, the false messiah proves himself false by seeking to control the kingdoms of this world. Jesus' kingdom is not of this world, evidenced by his rejection of those kingdoms when he was tempted in the wilderness.
Thoughts? Happy Memorial Day!
Many think the decree began either with Cyrus's release of the exiles or in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes. That would place the decree to either begin in 538 BC or 455 BC. This complicates the 69 sevens, an unbroken chain of events, landing either in the year 55 BC or 28 BC. I would like to propose another date that does not complicate the 69 sevens and lines up with the rest of the Bible's prophecies.
Both Zechariah and Haggai began prophesying to the exiles in the second year of King Darius the Great (520 BC) to return to rebuild Jerusalem and used the signs of Joshua the high priest and Zerubbabel the governor to assure the people the temple would be rebuild and that they should leave their lands of exile. Those two offices would be combined into one during the Hasmonean Dynasty and influence the Jewish understanding of the office of messiah. Therefore, from the decree by God to restore the temple and Jerusalem unto the time the messiah would be cut off would be 69 sevens, or 483 years.
If you count back 483 years from 520 BC, it lands you at the incredibly significant year 37 BC. This was the year the Hasmonean Dynasty was overthrown by King Herod the Great, putting an end to the office of the messiah. That office would remain vacant even throughout the destruction of the city and sanctuary (Daniel 9:26). This explains why there is such a long gap between the 69th and 70th year. The restoration of the office of the messiah is would kicks off the time of the end, but Jesus warned us that many would come in His name (title) saying, "I am he."
Paul told us that the lawless one will reveal himself as a god in God's holy temple. Revelation 13 showed us that false prophets would come and convince the world that the beast is a god by using signs and wonders. Daniel 9:27 shows us that the prince would confirm the covenant with many, which I believe alludes to the 10 toes of Daniel 2 and 10 horns of Daniel 7. With all this put together, the false messiah proves himself false by seeking to control the kingdoms of this world. Jesus' kingdom is not of this world, evidenced by his rejection of those kingdoms when he was tempted in the wilderness.
Thoughts? Happy Memorial Day!