Untitled article by E. G. Rust

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · December 17, 1867

TIME IN DAN. IX, 25.

By E. G. Rust

JERUSALEM at this time lay in ruins, and Daniel was among the Jewish captives at Babylon. This was about 538 B. C. About the year 610 B. C. may be said to have ended the Jewish independence. The Jews then became subject to the king of Egypt, at the death of their good king Josiah, in battle. About the year 605, however, the Babylonian empire, having gained universal sway, its king overpowered the king of Egypt, thus making the Jews tributary to the kingdom of Babylon.

The Jewish kings whom Nebuchadnezzar placed upon the throne all proved rebellious to him, and refused to pay tribute; and also did wickedly in the sight of the Lord. After suffering and dethroning the rebellious kings, Jehoachim and Jehoachin, he came up in the ninth year of the wicked king Zedekiah and laid siege to the city, and after two years he took it, in consequence of famine, and put to the sword, without distinction of age or sex, a large part of the inhabitants. 2 Chron. xxxvi. It was about this time, or during this siege, that this wicked king cast the prophet Jeremiah into the dungeon for prophesying the calamities which the Lord would bring upon them.

Daniel had learned from searching the Scriptures that God would restore the city after seventy years. Dan. ix, 2. And while he was earnestly pleading that God would fulfill his word in this respect, the angel Gabriel came to instruct him in regard to his vision of the previous chapter, and to assure him that God had heard his prayer. His mind seems to have been all engrossed with the seventy years' captivity, and he did not understand the time (2300 days) in the vision of the 8th chapter, although Gabriel had explained all of the rest of the vision to him; and now, in chapter ix, while Daniel is praying, the angel Gabriel came to finish his explanation to him. As we listen to the explanation of this heavenly messenger, let us bear in mind that these prophetic days are symbols of literal years. See Num. xiv, 34; Eze. iv, 6.

In commencing to explain the 2300 days of Dan. viii, 14, the angel tells him that seventy weeks are cut off upon, or allotted to, the Jewish people (at the end of which time the apostles would turn to the Gentiles). Now, if we carefully listen to Gabriel's explanation, he will tell us when these seventy weeks commence, which is also the commencement of the 2300 days: “Know therefore, and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem unto Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and three-score and two weeks.” Now, we want the time of the going forth of this commandment. Jeremiah tells us in his prophecy that the Lord would accomplish this desolation of Jerusalem in seventy years. Jer. xxiv, 11, 12; xxix, 10. This prophecy was given about 606 B. C. The Lord said of king Cyrus, through Isaiah, about 712 B. C. (over 100 years before his birth): “He is my Shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.” Isa. xliv, 28; xlv, 13. “Know therefore, and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and three-score and two weeks.”

In this language we are told that the going forth of this commandment is to mark the commencement of the seventy weeks, as also the 2300 days. This commandment does not go forth until the close of the seventy years' captivity. Jerusalem lay desolate during this period. Now as Gabriel came to explain to Daniel the vision concerning the 2300 days, he proceeds to inform him that seventy weeks, or 490 years, of the 2300 days are allotted to the Jews and Jerusalem. See Dan. ix, 24. “Seventy weeks are determined,” literally, cut off. Therefore the seventy weeks are a part of the 2300 days, and cut off from that time. Hence, the commencement of the seventy weeks is the commencement of the 2300 days also.

In verse 25, he says that from the going forth of this commandment unto Messiah [or the commencement of Christ's ministry] shall be sixty-nine of the seventy weeks, or 483 years. The 27th verse contains an explanation of what is to occur in the last of the seventy weeks: “And he [Christ] shall confirm the covenant with many for one week.” It was just seven years, or one week, from the commencement of our Saviour's ministry till the Jewish Sanhedrin formally rejected the gospel, and the apostles turned to the Gentiles. His ministry commenced in A. D. 27, when he was baptized and went forth preaching, saying, “The time [sixty-nine weeks of Dan. ix, 25] is fulfilled.” He preached to the lost sheep of Israel 3½ years, when, in the midst of the week, [A. D. 31] by the great sacrifice of his own precious life, he caused the sacrifice and oblation to cease. Verse 27. His disciples then finished the one week by preaching to the Jews 3½ years more, bringing us to the end of the seventy weeks, in A. D. 34. Thus, we have several different ways of ascertaining the commencement of the seventy weeks and 2300 days:

1. By searching the prophets and finding the time when this commandment went forth. Dan. ix, 25.

2. By finding the event to transpire at the end of the sixty-nine weeks (483 years), then taking the acknowledged date of said event (verse 26), and reckoning back, and

3. By taking the events to transpire at the end of the seventy weeks, ending with the “one week” of verse 27, comparing them with secular history and getting the dates, and then reckoning them back.

First, then, we hear Ezra saying that the Jews were built and prospered, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia. Ez. vi, 14. So, then, we see that it is the joint commandment of these three kings, with God as the prime mover and instigator, to which the angel refers Daniel. We find the Lord speaking through Isaiah long before Cyrus was born, to this same effect, that he would raise him up to perform all his pleasure. Isa. xlv, 28. When the time comes, we find the king Cyrus raised up and proceeding to perform the very work allotted to him by the Lord, of setting the Jews free. We find about the year 536 B. C. that Cyrus was actually king of Persia, and, the Lord stirring up his spirit, he made proclamation which laid the foundation for this great commandment. Ez. i, 1. He did not issue the commandment, but, in the hands of God, he performed an important part, and now, if we diligently search the records, we shall find when it went forth. Sixteen years after this, Darius, another Persian king, took up this decree of Cyrus, and enlarged it and clothed it with more power. He did not commence it, nor finish it, but enlarged it. He also performed his mission. Ez. vi. Some sixty-three years after this, Artaxerxes, another Persian king, took up the decree and completed it. He filled out and completed this great commandment, clothed Ezra the scribe with ample power to restore and build Jerusalem, and to restore the law of God in the city. It went forth in its complete form when Ezra, under its ample power, began to enforce the law of God with all its strictness in Jerusalem. This must have taken place some time between the fifth and ninth months of the year 457 B. C.; for we learn from Ez. vii, 9, that on the first day of the fifth month he arrived at Jerusalem, and in the ninth month we read of his exercising the authority which had been granted unto him over the people of the land. Ez. x, 9. Probably the solemn occasion of the tenth day of the seventh month (the day of atonement), was reserved for the sending forth of the commandment in its complete form. It was just far enough ahead, from the time of his arrival at Jerusalem, to give Ezra time to acquaint himself with the people and make proper selections of men to assist him in the great work. We now have the starting-point of the seventy weeks and 2300 days, from this prophecy.

Then again we read of the Saviour's being baptized, going forth to preach, and declaring the time to be fulfilled, at the end of the sixty-nine weeks, or 483 years. This took place in A. D. 27, just 483 years from the time that this commandment went forth, so we conclude it is the event prophesied of in Dan. ix, 24. It says in the following verse that, after this, the Messiah shall be cut off.

Again, in the midst of the last week of the seventy, or in the year A. D. 31, we find that the very event transpired that is clearly prophesied of in Dan. ix, 26,—the Messiah being cut off. Our Saviour was actually crucified at that time. It being 486½ years, from the going forth of the commandment, we reckon right back and we find it brings us to 457 B. C.

Again, we look to the events that transpired at the end of the seventy weeks, or 490 years, from B. C. 457, and we see that the Jewish nation actually and formally rejected the gospel of Christ, and the apostles then turned to the Gentiles, thus fulfilling the prophecy, “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people, and upon thy holy city,” the remainder of the 2300 days being allotted to the Gentiles. Oh! how important that Daniel should understand this matter, as he most unquestionably did.

We have now found that the 2300 days commenced in the fall, B. C. 457. Seventy weeks, or 490 years being allotted to the Jewish people, bring us down to the fall of A. D. 34, when the Jews in fulfillment of prophecy rejected the gospel of Christ. We now deduct the 490 years which were allotted to the Jews from the 2300, and it leaves 1810 years, in which the gospel was to be preached to the Gentiles of every nation. This brings us down to the 10th day of the seventh month, A. D. 1844, at which time we believe Christ our great High Priest entered upon his ministry in the Most Holy place, in the sanctuary in Heaven, and commenced the work of “cleansing” it, or making atonement for his people. See Prophecy of Daniel and Sanctuary, for sale at the Review Office.

This was compiled and prepared for Bible-Class use, and we now lay it before the readers of the Review, hoping that it may be blessed to the good of some.

E. G. RUST.

Battle Creek, Mich.