THE SIXTY-NINE WEEKS AND 2300 DAYS.
By Hiram Edson
We are now more than two years past the disputed ground in chronology for the ending of the 2300 days, and some, from the consideration of this fact, admit that they terminated in 1844, but are unwilling to admit the solemn and glorious truths which of necessity follow. Others, to avoid the truths consequent upon the termination of the days in ’44, deny the fact of their being ended in the past, and endeavor to remove the landmark of the crucifixion, from the midst, (middle,) of the week of confirmation, back to the end of the sixty-nine weeks. The false fabric built on this basis was exploded in the spring of 1850. And now some are ready to give up the connection between the eighth and ninth chapters of Daniel, rather than admit the days ended, and the truths which of necessity follow. Others, unwilling to give up the connection of Dan. viii, and ix, yet, to avoid the fact of the days being ended, think it can be clearly proved that the 2300 days and the 6000 years end together. But no proof is even attempted; but another calculation is made from these wrong premises for the ending of the 2300 days in the spring of 1851. Then the calculation based upon the crucifixion being at the end of the sixty-nine weeks, somehow or other, is made to stretch forward one year from the spring of 1850, to the spring of 1851. But this calculation is certain to fail. The pretended argument for removing the crucifixion from the middle of the week of confirmation, back to the end of the sixty-nine weeks, is Heb. ix, 16, 17. “For,” say they, “a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.” To this pretended argument, we reply, that the manifestation of the MESSIAH, his death as a testator, and his testament to come in force are separate events, one following the other in order. Paul, in Heb. ix, 16, 17, uses a common business transaction, familiar to us all, to illustrate the confirmation and bringing into force the new covenant. The figure is as follows. A man executes and confirms his will before witnesses chosen by himself to testify to the same after his death. Then after the testator dies, the witnesses are called upon to testify concerning the will, and the will is annulled, made void, or confirmed and established according to the testimony in the case. Then after this it takes effect and becomes of force. Now let us look at the reality illustrated in this figure. And first Jesus is anointed and manifested as the Messiah, at the end of the sixty-nine weeks, as we shall hereafter show. He then confirms the covenant before witnesses, (chosen before of God, see Acts x, 36—41,) three and a half years, then causes the “sacrifice and the oblation to cease,” in the middle of the week of confirmation, by dying as the testator. Then after his resurrection he appears to his chosen witnesses, tells them to “wait for the promise of the Father, which saith he, ye have heard of me.” “Tarry ye in Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high.” “John, indeed baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” This was to qualify them to be suitable witnesses in confirming and establishing his will and testament. Mark this: The new covenant was to be made and confirmed with the house of Israel. On one occasion a Gentile woman petitioned Jesus to have mercy on her, but he would not answer her. His disciples requested him to send her away. He answered them, “I am NOT SENT BUT to the lost sheep of the HOUSE OF ISRAEL.” He said to the woman, “It is not meet to take the children’s bread and cast it to dogs.” And when he sent forth his disciples to preach, he said to them, “Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” This they strictly adhered to, “preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only,” until they had confirmed the covenant three and a half years, which brought them to the end of the week of confirmation. Thus the word “BEGAN to be spoken (three and a half years) by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us (three and a half years) by them that heard him.” Heb. ii, 3. At the end of the week, Cornelius and Peter have visions, and while Peter thought on his vision, “the Spirit said unto him, Behold three men seek thee. Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them DOUBTING NOTHING, for I have sent them.” Thus God made choice of Peter that the Gentiles should FIRST hear the word of the gospel, by his mouth and believe. See Acts xv, 7. And Peter was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision, but went; and when he had come to the house of Cornelius, “he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.” Here then, for the FIRST TIME, he preached the gospel to the Gentiles, and the result was glorious. But some of Peter’s brethren were tried with him for going to the Gentiles. Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and when they had heard him through, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, “Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.” And Paul and Barnabas also waxing bold, said to the Jews, It was necessary that the word of God should FIRST have been spoken to you; but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldst be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. Under the new covenant dispensation all the families of the world were to be blessed. But the Gentiles were held as strangers and foreigners, until the week of confirming the covenant had expired; then the word was sent to them, and they were permitted to become fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.—Here then, at the END of the seventieth week, the new testament comes into full force, and not at the end of the sixty-nine weeks. Seventy weeks were determined upon the Jews and their city to finish their transgression, &c., at the end of which the kingdom of God was taken from them, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. See Matt. xxi, 43. The sixty-nine weeks were to reach unto the MESSIAH THE PRINCE. “Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem unto the MESSIAH THE PRINCE shall be seven weeks and three-score and two weeks.” MESSIAH signifies ANOINTED. To anoint then, constitutes the MESSIAH the Christ. This is the only definition of the term MESSIAH. The time when God ANOINTED Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with POWER, will mark the termination of the sixty-nine weeks. We will notice a few texts on this point. Acts x, 36—42. “The word which God sent INTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL preaching peace by Jesus Christ, he is Lord of all. That word I say ye know, which was published throughout all Judea, and BEGAN from GALILEE, after the Baptism which John preached; how God ANOINTED Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power; who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him, and we are WITNESSES of all things which he did, both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree. Him God raised up the third day and shewed him openly; not to all the people, but unto WITNESSES chosen BEFORE of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead. John’s testimony is, ‘And I knew him not: but that he should50be made MANIFEST to ISRAEL, therefore am I come baptizing with water. And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.—And I knew him not; but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him, the same is HE which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw and bare record,’ &c.” It is clear that previous to this time Jesus was not known, or manifest to John, nor Israel, as the MESSIAH. Neither do the Scriptures recognize him as the Messiah previous to this point of time. But from this point they begin to recognize him as such. See John i, 41. Andrew said to Simon, We have found the MESSIAH; which is, being interpreted, the Christ. [margin, the ANOINTED.] Again, when Jesus talked with the woman of Samaria at Jacob’s well, “The woman saith unto him, I know that MESSIAS cometh, which is called Christ;” “Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee AM HE.” John, iv, 25, 26. On another occasion He said to his disciples, “But whom say ye that I am?” “Peter answered, Thou art the CHRIST.” He answered Peter, “Blessed art thou Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” Matt. xvi, 15—17. And when he was demanded of the high priest whether he was the Christ, “Jesus said I am.” Mark xiv, 61, 62. After Jesus was anointed, he was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted forty days, he then returns in the power of the Spirit (into which he had been anointed) into Galilee, and there was delivered to him the Book of the prophet Esaias, and he opened it and read, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, BECAUSE HE HATH ANOINTED me to preach the gospel, &c.” Luke iv, 1—18. Here in Galilee is where Jesus BEGAN to preach the gospel of the kingdom of God, Saying, THE TIME IS FULFILLED. Mark i, 9—15. Here “the fullness of the time was come, when God sent forth his Son.” Gal. iv, 4, “Saying hear ye him,” and from this point Jesus began to preach, &c. The sixty-nine weeks was the fullness of the time here fulfilled. For no other time is given to reveal the point of time for the manifestation of the Messiah. From the above considerations it is perfectly clear that the sixty-nine weeks ended when Jesus was anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power and BEGAN to preach the Gospel of the kingdom which was A. D. 27. And he caused “the sacrifice and oblation to cease,” in the middle of the seventieth week, by the sacrifice of himself, A. D. 31. And the seventieth week ended when the gospel was sent to the Gentiles, A. D. 34. The seventy weeks, 490 years, terminate then in A. D. 34, 1810 years added fill up the 2300 years, which terminated in 1844. Amen. HIRAM EDSON.