In Defense of the Faith

A Threefold Decree

We find this threefold decree given first by Cyrus, the king of Persia (Ezra 5:13), repeated by Darius (Ezra 6:6-12), and again repeated by Artaxerxes (Ezra 7:12-26). In Ezra 6:14 we read these words: DOF 291.2

“The elders of the Jews builds, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they built, 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.” DOF 291.3

The commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem was, then, according to the Scripture itself, a threefold decree, given lastly by Artaxerxes in 457 BC. From this date, therefore, we begin to count that long period of 2300 years reaching to 1844. Seven weeks, or forty-nine years, of this time were to cover the period of the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Forty-nine years this side of 457 BC., would bring us to 408 BC., the year in which the reconstruction work was completed. DOF 291.4

Sixty-nine weeks, 483 years, were to reach to Messiah the Prince. This would bring us to AD. 27, and that is the year when Jesus was baptized of John in the Jordan, upon which occasion He was anointed, receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit without measure (John 3:34), and was proclaimed the son of God, by a voice from heaven. (See Luke 3:21, 22; Acts 10:38.) DOF 292.1