The Date of the Seventy Weeks.
By John Nevins Andrews
The true date of this important period is of great interest to all Bible students. As it furnishes the key to the correct reckoning of the 2300 days, it is of the highest interest to all who are identified with the great Advent movement. In turning over the “History of the World,” by William Howell, LL. D., a work written two hundred years since, and highly commended by Gibbon and other competent judges, I was deeply interested in his remarks concerning the date of the seventy weeks. In giving the history of all the nations of antiquity he gives that of the Persians at considerable length. When he comes to the reign of Artaxerxes Longimanus he makes the following remarks concerning the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem. Though in some particulars we do not agree with this learned man, yet the main points as set forth by him present a strong argument for the position which we occupy. I invite attention to his words as follows:— “Artaxerxes, in the seventh year of his reign, made a decree in the behalf of the Jews, that whosoever of them would, might go up with Ezra to Jerusalem and inhabit it. He and his counsellors contributed much treasure, and gave them liberty to collect what they could, and commanded his treasurers beyond the river Euphrates to furnish him yearly with what he wanted, as far as one hundred talents of silver, one hundred measures of wheat, one hundred baths of wine, one hundred baths of oil, and salt without measure, for the sacrifices and other uses, according to the discretion of Ezra. He commanded that all things should be done according to the mind and will of the God of Heaven, lest his anger might break out against the kingdom of him and his sons; the priests and Levites he made free from all impositions, and gave power to Esdras to constitute judges and governors over the people, for the settlement of polity or commonwealth. “Now, although here in this edict be no express mention of repairing the walls of Jerusalem, or of the request of Ezra in that behalf, yet it is probable enough that he would desire it, because of the often incursions of their enemies, the Samaritans, and others, neither could their habitation in the city be secure, nor the work of the temple go on with safety: and in what could all that treasure be spent but in fortifications? So that we may even conclude sufficient license and authority to be concluded in this decree, and that Ezra began to build the walls, but was either hindered by other occasions, or the negligence of the Jews, or more probably the molestations of their enemies; who, because the license was not expressed, took thence occasion to interrupt the work till thirteen years after [when] it was renewed, and perfected by the procurement and industry of Nehemiah, who obtained a confirmation rather of the former edict, than any new decree; so though Cyrus had first of all granted license for the rebuilding of the temple, yet because the work was hindered by the enemies of the Jews, there was need of another edict granted out by Darius. As the decrees of these two kings were in effect the same, so also those were only put in execution afterward by Nehemiah, because the execution of it, as to the rebuilding of the walls, was either remitted by negligence, or by malice of the borderers.” “If so, the beginning of the seventy weeks of Daniel, fitly may be taken hence, ending most probably in the death of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Dan. 9:24–27. Thus the oracle, in which is contained a prophecy concerning the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and the coming of Christ, who should bring inconceivable benefits along with him, and yet at length be put to death, not for himself, but others, and this should be all accomplished within seventy weeks of years, which contain four hundred ninety. Lastly, it foretells that, for that horrible sin of the Jews in murdering the Messiah, they should lose both principality and priesthood, and be punished with perpetual exile, and the utter and unrepairable desolation of the city. “Many are the opinions concerning the beginning and end of these seventy weeks amongst chronologers. Some begin them in the first year of the empire of Cyrus, and end them in the nativity of Christ. Others fetch their rise from the second of Darius Nothus, successor to Artaxerxes, and conclude them with the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus Vespasian. Some make them commence from the twentieth of Artaxerxes, when Nehemiah obtained another decree of him, and to conclude with the passion and death of Christ; and others will have them begin in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes Mnemon, and end in the desolation of the city by the Romans. But many there are who, rejecting all these, with best reason, fix the beginning of them in the seventh of Artaxerxes Longimanus, and their conclusion in the death of Christ, in which termination most of the learned, both ancient and modern agree. “If we seriously consider the account of time, and judge of it according to the best approved authors, the three former opinions will be found either to exceed, or come short of the number. From the beginning of the Persian Empire to Christ’s nativity passed about five hundred thirty years. From the second of Darius Nothus, indeed, to the destruction of Jerusalem, near upon four hundred ninety years intervened; but concerning any edict made by that prince there is not a word in Scripture. From the twentieth of Artaxerxes Longimanus, to the death and passion of Christ, are found four hundred and seventy-six, or four hundred and seventy-seven, which come too short by thirteen of the four hundred ninety; and betwixt the twentieth of Artaxerxes Mnemon and the destruction of Jerusalem, are found but about four hundred fifty, which come far short of the true account; as also the chronology of such as would fetch the rise of the four hundred ninety from the first of Darius Medus; and the second or sixth of Darius, the son of Hystaspes. And, although the angel mentioned the punishment to be inflicted on the Jews, yet doth he not comprise it in the four hundred ninety years, the end of which he signalizeth by the anointing and sufferings of the Messiah, but assigneth half a week or of seven years for the accomplishment of those plagues, which in such a quantity of time were to be inflicted upon his murderers. “But if we reckon from this seventh of Artaxerxes Longimanus, down by his successors in the Persian Empire, the Ptolemies of Egypt, after that of Alexander the Great, and then by the Assamoneans or Jewish princes, till we come at length to Herod the Great, and so to Christ, the just number of four hundred ninety we shall find accomplished at his death, with such small difference, as is pardonable to so many authors handling so many things. Or if we reckon by the years of the Olympiads and the building of Rome, we shall find Christ to have died in the four hundred and ninetieth year after the promulgation of this decree. The seventh year of Artaxerxes Longimanus fell in with the second and third of the eightieth Olympiad, according to Eusebius, and the two hundred and ninety-fifth, or the two hundred ninety-sixth of the city, from which continuing to the second year of the two hundred and second Olympiad, and the seven hundred eighty-fifth of the city, in which Christ was crucified, four hundred eighty-nine years, or four hundred ninety are precisely found; so that farther we shall not inquire about these seventy weeks, having therein already satisfied what this design and work requireth, leaving the further inquiry thereof to the studious reader, and to the judgment of the learned.”—Howell’s History of the World, part 1, book 2, chap. 1, sect. 3. Remarks.—The death of Christ does not mark the termination of the seventy weeks, for the sacrifice and oblation were to cease in the midst of the seventieth week. And this came to pass, when, at the death of Christ the ceremonial law was nailed to the cross, and the great Sacrifice was offered, which all these sacrifices had prefigured. The seventy weeks were cut off upon the Jews, and are that portion of the 2300 days which pertained to them as the people of God. A more exact chronology shows that the seventy weeks terminate with the commencement of the work to the Gentiles. Of this, more hereafter.