Ezra 7:14, commentary and pictures

Artaxerxes with his seven counsellors sent Ezra as a royal representative to examine the condition of Judah and Jerusalem, with the law of his God in his hand as the standard and authority for the work. This was the third and final decree for restoring and building Jerusalem, issued in the seventh year of Artaxerxes in 457 B.C., completing in fullest form what was begun under Cyrus and continued under Darius. It supplies the commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem that begins the prophetic periods of the 2,300 days of Daniel 8:14 and the seventy weeks. Because the decree went forth in the autumn near the close of 457 B.C., those periods are reckoned from autumn, bringing the 2,300 years not to 1843 but to the fall of 1844. From that same date the seventy weeks were fulfilled to their end in A.D. 34, with Christ crucified in the midst of the final week in A.D. 31.

Ezra's Commission and Context

Artaxerxes with his seven counsellors sent Ezra to examine and investigate the condition of Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of his God in his hand as the standard and authority for the work. The decree made him a royal and special representative with extensive authority to carry out the king's purpose of supporting God's commands, reviving study of God's word, and helping restore Jerusalem. Ezra's trust in God had impressed the king and led to his appointment and empowerment to carry out his plans.

The verse belongs to the third and final decree for the restoring and building of Jerusalem since the close of the seventy years captivity, issued by Artaxerxes Longimanus in his seventh year in 457 B.C., completing in its completest form what was begun under Cyrus and continued under Darius. It was issued with the approval of the seven counselors and took effect in autumn, and together with the earlier decree of Cyrus and its reaffirmation by Darius it reached the form required to mark the prophetic beginning. The decree is remarkable for its expressions regarding the God of heaven, its recognition of Ezra's attainments, and the liberality of its grants to the remnant people of God.

According to the good hand of God upon him, Ezra persuaded the king to make abundant provision for all the people of Israel with the priests and Levites throughout the Medo-Persian realm who were minded of their own free will to go up to Jerusalem. This gave the children of the dispersion again opportunity to return to the land with whose possession the promises to the house of Israel were linked. The decree brought great rejoicing to those uniting with Ezra in studying God's purposes, moving Ezra to bless the Lord God of their fathers for putting it in the king's heart to beautify the house of the Lord in Jerusalem and for extending mercy to him before the king and his counsellors and mighty princes. God thus raised up Ezra as His servant and moved the king to favor him, provide generously for the rebuilding of the temple, and make possible the Jews' return from seventy years of Babylonian captivity to serve God again in their own country, showing God's forbearance toward His wayward people. Ezra returned with a company of Jews to carry out a special work for God's people as part of restoring temple services and bringing religious reform.

Prophetic Starting Point

The decree to which the verse belongs is the commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem that supplies the starting point for the prophetic time periods in Daniel, both the 2,300 years of Daniel 8:14 and the seventy weeks. In its complete form it was issued by Artaxerxes in 457 B.C., completing what was begun under Cyrus and continued under Darius to reach the form required to mark the beginning of the 2,300 years. The verse itself identifies the Persian king's authorization, issued with the approval of his seven counselors, sending Ezra to investigate the condition of Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of God in his possession.

That decree in Ezra 7 went forth in 457 B.C. in the autumn near the end of that year, so the prophetic periods beginning from it are reckoned from autumn rather than from the start of the calendar year. Counting 2,300 years from 457, with 2300 minus 457 leaving 1843, first pointed to the close of 1843 for the coming of the Lord. That calculation of prophetic time was so simple and plain that even children could understand it, and its passing without the coming of the Saviour brought sad disappointment.

When it was seen that the decree went forth near the close of 457 B.C., the same counting showed the 2,300 years did not end in 1843 as first expected but reached the fall of 1844. The vision therefore had not failed or passed its appointed time. From that date also the specifications concerning the seventy weeks were fulfilled, with the period ending in A.D. 34 and its final week including Christ's crucifixion in A.D. 31.