Dan 9:25  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.

 

What commandment was this? In the bible there were four commandments given. The first commandment was given by Cyrus in 536 B.C. It is recorded in Ezra 1:1-4. The second commandment was given by Darius I. It was given in the second year of his reign on 520 B.C. and the temple was completed in the sixth year of his reign in 516 B.C. The third commandment was given by Artaxerxes I in the seventh year of his reign, which most people say is 457 B.C. The fourth commandment was given by Artaxerxes I in the twentieth year of his reign in 445 or 444 B.C.

 

The commandments of Cyrus and Darius were to rebuild the temple only. So, this alone disqualifies these two commandments. Then if you do the math, it does not put you in the time frame that we now know is the time of Jesus. Cyrus’ commandment puts us in 55 to 48 B.C. and Darius’ commandment puts us in 37 to 30 B.C. We know that Jesus was born around 4 B.C. and was crucified around 33 B.C. So, neither of these two commandments be the commandment that we are to start from.

 

The second commandment given by Artaxerxes in the twentieth year of his reign is used by a lot of people as the year to start from. When did Artaxerxes reign? ARTAXERXES I. (surnamed Longimanus—"Long-Hand"): King of Persia; ascended the throne in 465 B.C., and died in 425 B.C.(1)

 

Artaxerxes ascended the throne in 465 B.C., the twentieth year of his reign would be 446 B.C. If we do the math, we end up between the years of 37 to 44 A.D. This alone disqualifies this commandment. Why then do people still use this commandment as the starting point for the prophecy? The Seventh Day Adventist say to be able to understand the prophecy, you must understand that the Hebrew were using a lunar calendar instead of a solar calendar. The lunar calendar is 350-360 days long, which is shorter than the solar calendar. So, you must convert from the lunar calendar to the solar calendar. You must multiply 483 years by 360 days to get 173,880 days. Then divide that number by 365 days to get 476 years and subtract this number from 444 B.C. to get 32 A.D. They say that this is the year Jesus was baptized and crucified in the year 32 A.D.

 

Now, we look at the first commandment of Artaxerxes. 11 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. 12 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. 13 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. 14 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; 15 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, 16 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: 17 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. 18 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. 19 The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem. 20 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. 21 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, 22 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. 23 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? 24 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. 25 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. 26 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.

 

This commandment gave the Hebrews the ability to go to Jerusalem and have sacrifices in the temple. It also gives Ezra the ability to appoint magistrates and judges. This means that the Hebrew people would be able to have self-government.

 

To restore means to bring back (a previous right, practice, custom, or situation); reinstate or to return (someone or something) to a former condition, place, or position or repair or renovate (a building, work of art, vehicle, etc.) so as to return it to its original condition. To build means to construct (something, typically something large) by putting parts or material together over a period of time, this word build is what Ezra was doing by appointing magistrates and judges. Jerusalem had to be built to be able to have self-government.

 

The street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. This part of Daniel 9:25 will happen during the first 7 weeks or 49 years of the prophecy. It has nothing to do with the going forth of the commandment or the start of the prophecy. This happened in Nehemiah. He went to rebuild the wall and there was opposition to the rebuilding of the wall.

 

To understand the prophecy, we must understand inclusive reckoning. Go to the Inclusive Reckoning page on the Daniel 9 page if you do not understand this concept.

 

The First Set of Sevens - 7 Weeks or 49 Years: The starting point for the prophecy is the first commandment given by Artaxerxes in 457 B.C. The first set of 7 weeks would go from 457 B.C. to 409 B.C.(Remember to count inclusively) by 409 B.C. the Jewish worship was restored to it's original purity. The civil order in Jerusalem was restored during the conflicts and even the walls were rebuilt

 

Ezr 7:7  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. 
Ezr 7:8  And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. 
Ezr 7:9  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.

 

Ezr 8:36 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. This is sometime in the months of July and August(AV) in 457 B.C. 

 

Neh 2:1  And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.

Neh 2:2  Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid,

Neh 2:3  And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire? 

Neh 2:4  Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.

Neh 2:5  And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it.

Neh 2:6  And the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.

Neh 2:7  Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over till I come into Judah;

Neh 2:8  And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.

 

When you look at Nehemiah 2:8, you see that he is to rebuild the gates and the wall. Nothing about rebuild and restore the city and the santuary. 
 

 

The Second Set of Sevens - 62 Weeks or 434 Years: This second set of sevens starts at 408 B.C. and ends at 26 A.D. By counting inclusivelely, when we add 408 years to 408 B.C.(-408 for 408 B.C.) we come to 1 B.C. Since there is no zero year, then 409 would equal 1 A.D. Now, if we subtract 409 from 434, we end up with 25 years left. 1 A.D. plus 25 years equals 26 A.D. Now, 1 A.D. equals 409 years from 408 B.C., 409 plus 25 equals 434 years. By counting inclusively, 408 B.C. to 26 A.D. is exactly 434 years.