Bible Readings — Bible Questions Answered

The Beginning of the Time Period

When did the angel say that the seventy weeks (490 years) were to begin? BR-ASI9 159.2

“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. BR-ASI9 159.3

Note.—Seventy weeks are 490 prophetic days, and reckoning a prophetic day as a year (Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:6), this would be a period of 490 literal years. BR-ASI9 159.4

Sixty-nine (7 weeks and 62 weeks) of the seventy weeks were to reach “unto the Messiah the Prince.” Messiah is Christ, “the Anointed.” Messiah is the Hebrew word, and Christ the Greek word, meaning anointed. (See margin of John 1:41.) BR-ASI9 159.5

How was Jesus anointed? BR-ASI9 159.6

“God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power.” Acts 10:38. BR-ASI9 159.7

At what time did Jesus receive the special anointing of the Holy Spirit? BR-ASI9 159.8

“Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art My beloved Son.” Luke 3:21, 22. BR-ASI9 159.9

What prophecy did Jesus quote shortly after this as applying to Himself? BR-ASI9 159.10

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.” Luke 4:18. (See Mark 1:15.) BR-ASI9 159.11

Note.—It is evident that the sixty-nine weeks (483 years) were to reach to the baptism of Christ, as that was the time of His anointing by the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist began his work in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius (Luke 3:1-3), and this would put the anointing of Jesus in A.D. 27, at the time of His baptism. BR-ASI9 159.12

When was a decree made to restore and build Jerusalem? BR-ASI9 160.1

“This Ezra went up from Babylon. . . . 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. And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.” Ezra 7:6-8. BR-ASI9 160.2

Note.—Three decrees were issued by Persian monarchs for the restoration of the Jews to their homeland. They are mentioned in the book of Ezra: “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. BR-ASI9 160.3

The decree of Cyrus pertained to the temple only; the decree of Darius Hystaspes provided for the continuance of that work, hindered by Smerdis; but the decree of Artaxerxes restored the full Jewish government, making provision for the enforcement of their laws. This last decree, therefore, is the one from which we reckon the seventy weeks, as well as the 2300 days. BR-ASI9 160.4

The letter of Artaxerxes to Ezra, conferring upon him authority to do this work, is found in Ezra 7:11-26. BR-ASI9 160.5

The decree of Artaxerxes was issued in the seventh year of his reign, and according to ancient methods of chronology, went into effect in Jerusalem in the fall of 457 B.C. Reckoning 483 full years from the first day of 457 B.C., would bring us to the last day of A.D. 26. This is demonstrated from the fact that it requires all of the twenty-six years A.D., and all of the 457 years B.C. to make 483 years. BR-ASI9 160.6

If the decree for the complete restoration of Jerusalem did not go into effect until past the middle of the year 457 B.C. (Ezra 7:8), then all the time of the first part of that year not included in the period, must be added to the last day of A.D. 26, which would bring us to the latter part of A.D. 27, the time of Christ’s baptism. This “seals up,” or makes sure, the prophecy. BR-ASI9 160.7

At the close of 483 years, in A.D. 27, one week, or seven years of the 490, yet remained. What was to be done in the midst of that week? BR-ASI9 160.8

“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.” Daniel 9:27. BR-ASI9 160.9

Note.—As the sixty-nine weeks ended in the fall of A.D. 27, the middle of the seventieth week, or the three and a half years, would end in the spring of A.D. 31, when Christ was crucified, and by His death caused to cease, or brought to an end, the sacrifices and oblations of the earthly sanctuary. Three and a half years more (the last part of the seventieth week) would end in the autumn of A.D. 34. This brings us to the end of the 490 years which were “cut off” from the 2300. There still remain 1810 years, which, if added to A.D. 34, take us to A.D. 1844. BR-ASI9 160.10