Daniel Study | Session 16 | 9:24-25

In today's study we find one of the greatest prophecies in all of the Bible that predicts the coming of the Messiah to the very day, the difference between a Julian and a Babylonian calendar, and the Triumphal Entry.

Verse 24: "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy."

As we mentioned in our last study, the "seventy weeks" represent seventy sevens. So, here we see seventy weeks of seven, or 70 x 7, which is a total of 490 years. In other words, this entire prophecy will be fulfilled in a total 490 years. During that time, six things will happen, 1. transgression will be finished, 2. an end of sin, 3. reconciliation for iniquity, 4. everlasting righteousness will be brought in, 5. vision and prophecy will be sealed, and 6. the Most Holy will be anointed. The first three were fulfilled in Christ on the cross and the last three will be fulfilled at His second coming.

The Commandment

Verse 25: "Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times."  Notice, "that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem." History, both secular and biblical, tells us that that command came in 445 BC (Nehemiah 2:1-6). As a matter of fact, according to Sir Robert Anderson, in his work "The Coming Prince", he says that we not this happened on March 14, 445 BC! Interestingly, Sir Robert Anderson (1841-1918), a contemporary is E.W. Bullinger also said, "nothing new or 'Christian' happened in Acts 2", i.e., he did not believe in the birth of the church until Paul. 

Now notice this, "that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem (we know that that command was given on March 14, 445 BC) until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks."

Notice, "seven weeks and sixty-two weeks." That is simply 7 + 62 = 69 and 69 x 7 = 483 years. We are looking at one of the greatest prophecies in all of the Bible. This prophecy literally sets the date when the Messiah will come! It tells us that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of the Messiah will be 483 years.

Now bear in mind, that it wasn't until 71 BC that we began using what is called the Julian Calendar which has 365 ¼ days. Up until that time, the world used the Babylonian calendar which had 360 days. So, when looking at the prophecy we must look at it in the context in which it was written, Babylon. If we were to take 483 years and multiply it times 360 when would get 173,880 days. So, if we add 173, 880 days to March 14, 445 BC we would arrive at April 6, 32 AD!

On April 6, 32 AD, Jesus was sitting with his disciples on the Mount of Olives with his disciples when he said, "And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem. And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither. And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him" (Luke 19:28-31).

It also says that they took the donkey and "cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon. And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way. And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out. And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation" (Luke 19:35-44). The prophet Zechariah spoke of this same event when he said, "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; he is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey" (Zechariah 9:9).

This is an amazing prophecy that was fulfilled to the very day!