“Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem.”

Daniel 9:25

We are now ready to analyze the components of this prophecy, commonly known as Daniel’s Seventy Weeks. We begin by noticing the specific time reference mentioned in verse 25. The angel tells Daniel that to know and understand this prophecy, Daniel must first understand where the count of 490 years begins. In other words, Daniel is told the historical event that began the 490 years. It is the “going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem” (25).

But Bible teachers and scholars do not agree on what specific time this refers. “There are no less than four different decrees, or royal commands, which have been brought forward as the point from which the seventy weeks are to be counted. Some able and learned expositors choose one, and others equally able and learned choose another. Yet the word of God speaks as clearly as to this as it speaks concerning where Christ should be born” (The Seventy Weeks and the Great Tribulation, page 21). The Word clearly indicates that the command to restore and build Jerusalem was given by Cyrus the Great (II Chronicles 36:22,23, Ezra 1:1-4).

Many scholars and Bible teachers reject that Cyrus issued the command because they say the chronology is off by many years. We don’t have time to discuss all of the reasons why the chronology is skewed if Cyrus is the one. We simply say that these people who reject Cyrus are basing it on a chronology of a man named Ptolemy, an Egyptian, who drew up a list of Persian kings upon which most chronologies are based. But Ptolemy’s list of Persian kings is not correct which is why Cyrus is rejected as the one issuing the decree.

More important than the chronology itself is the Bible’s own testimony to Cyrus as the one who issued the decree. The prophet Isaiah, two hundred years before Cyrus was born, was mentioned by name as the one God called to issue the decree to rebuild city and temple (Isaiah 44:28-45:1-7).   Jewish tradition says that one of the reasons Cyrus issued the decree for them to return and rebuild city and temple, was that the Jewish High Priest showed him his name in the scroll of Isaiah. Seeing his name written in the scroll of Isaiah two hundred years before he was even born provides a sure reason he issued the decree allowing the Jews to return and build the temple and city. Of course, this is only conjecture—the Bible doesn’t actually teach it. But it does explain the favor Cyrus showed the Jews.

We should notice that God did not only speak about Cyrus, but directly to him. Look at Isaiah 45:4. This is one of the most remarkable prophecies in the entire Word of God. “It was to be expected that, inasmuch as God has been pleased to give in His Word, an exact time-measure from a given event unto Christ, He would also make it clear beyond a doubt what the event is from which the count of years was to begin. And this expectation is fully met” (The Seventy Weeks and the Great Tribulation, page 31).

Having established that God promised to do six things for Israel within a period of 490 years (seventy weeks), and having solidified that the count of those 490 years began with the decree of Cyrus, we can now proceed to understand the prophecy. The prophecy is broken into three sections; seven weeks ( 49 years), sixty-two weeks (434 years), and one week (7 years). It ends with the “coming of an anointed one, a prince” (9:25). It is after the first two sections which equals 483 years (49 years and 434 years) that an anointed one comes.

The Hebrew word for ‘anointed one’ is Mashiach which when translated from Hebrew to Greek is Khristós from which our word Christ is derived. So this prophecy provides the exact count of years from the decree of Cyrus to the appearing of Messiah, the Prince.

But what specific moment in the history of Messiah the Prince does the prophecy point to? We’ll look at this in our next installment.