Ezra 7:16
And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem: And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem:
The decree allows all the silver and gold to be found throughout Babylon to be collected, along with the voluntary gifts of the people and priests, for God's house in Jerusalem. These royal gifts furnished generous resources that sustained the temple worship and adorned God's house, as part of the provision that sent Ezra with his company back from captivity to serve God in their own land. Together with the decrees of Cyrus and Darius, this decree of Artaxerxes in his seventh year completes the command to restore and build Jerusalem as the third and final decree, put into effect in the autumn of 457 B.C. That date begins the seventy weeks and the 2,300 years of Daniel 8:14. Reckoning 2,300 years from 457 pointed first to 1843 with joyful expectation of the Lord's coming, and its sad disappointment gave way to dating the decree to the close of 457, bringing the period to the autumn of 1844 with the cleansing of the sanctuary.
Temple Provision and Return
The verse authorizes the gathering of all the silver and gold that can be found in all the province of Babylon for the house of God in Jerusalem. Together with that imperial provision are placed the freewill offerings of the people and of the priests, given willingly for the service of their God. The king's grants thus furnished abundant means that supported the temple service and helped to beautify the house of God. That liberal supply was part of the support and authority granted for Ezra's return to Jerusalem.
The verse belongs to the decree of Artaxerxes, the third and final decree for the restoration of Jerusalem. Under that decree Ezra led a company of Jews back from Babylon. The king thereby provided abundant means for rebuilding the temple and enabled the Jews to return from seventy years of captivity in Babylon. In their own country they were given another opportunity to serve God again.
Start of Prophetic Period
This verse stands within the decree that, together with the decrees of Cyrus and Darius, supplies in its completed form the command to restore and build Jerusalem. That completing decree was issued by Artaxerxes in his seventh year as the third and final decree for Jerusalem's restoration, under which Ezra led a company back from Babylon. In its completed form it is dated to 457 B.C.
The completed decree went into effect in the autumn, near the end and close of the year 457 B.C. That dating places its going forth at the close of 457 before Christ.
That date marks the starting point of the seventy weeks and the 2,300-year prophetic period of Daniel 8:14. Reckoning from it fulfills the prophecy's specifications for when the periods begin.
Counting 2,300 years from 457 was reckoned as 2,300 minus 457 to reach 1843. The reckoning was so simple and plain that even children could understand it. The end of that year 1843 was looked to for the coming of the Lord. When the year entirely passed away without the Saviour's coming it brought sad disappointment. When it was ascertained that the decree was given near the close of 457 B.C., the period was reckoned to reach to the fall of 1844, culminating in the sanctuary being cleansed.