In Depth Analysis — Full Article

The Long-Awaited Messiah and the Modern Meddlings

Would it surprise you to learn that nearly all writings of ancient peoples worldwide tell the same story of a fall from the original paradise state, a departure from unity with the Creator? Art and literature have recorded this "Fall" as it became known and it has been present within human culture from time in memorial throughout the world.

Egypt, Babylonia, Sumeria, China, India and even the Americas and the Pacific. Indeed, among all peoples, this tragedy is present in the oldest racial memory. The loss of immortality caused by man's disobedience to divine law was keenly felt by more than one ancient writer. (For example, the Mesopotamian Temptation Seal -- now in British Museum. Also, Adapa Myth and the Gilgamesh Epic. A translation of the Adapa Myth made by E.A. Speiser is found in J.B. Pritchard, ed., Ancient Near East Texts Relating to the Old Testament, 3rd ed. Princeton, N.J., 1969, pp. 101-103.

A translation of the Gilgamesh Epic made by Speiser is found in Ancient Near East Texts Relating to the Old Testament, pp. 72-79. See especially, pp. 88,90,96. Alfred Jeremias, Das Alte Testament im Lichte des Alten Orients, 4th ed. Leipzig 1930, p.99. W. H. Prescott, Conquest of Mexico, vol. 1. London: J.M. Dent and Sons Ltd., 1948, p.380)

Many prayers and hymns of the ancients impressively reveal how these people clearly understood the principles of the Ten Commandments and knew quite well what was right and wrong. (Jonathan Gray, Ark of the Covenant, page 56).

Throughout the world prophecy of a coming Deliverer, or Messiah, -a "restorer"- one who will reconcile man to God, spans some 4,000 years. Over the centuries, more information is received concerning this coming person. The simple outline of the first prophecy becomes progressively more detailed as a Supreme Mind inspires different prophets in succession. The accurate recording of these prophecies is rendered in the Bible.

Each new messenger is like a painter who uses the brush to put in details --- until at last the word painting is finished and the full picture of the coming Messiah stands out perfect and complete. His whole life story - including the precise time he would appear, was written down hundreds of years in advance.

In the Old Testament of the bible some 300 prophecies are recorded of this restorer of which we shall now examine several.

He is the "seed" of the woman (Genesis 3:15), and "to us a child is born, unto us a son is given." (Isaiah 9:6) "This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord \[Yahweh\] our righteousness." (Jeremiah 23:5-6) "And he will be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6) "Whose goings forth have been from the days of eternity." (Micah 5:2)

Yes, over time a progressive thread of prophecy unfolds

Beginning with Noah, in addressing his three sons who became the progenitors of the three racial branches of mankind, he references "the Lord, the God of Shem" who was ancestor of the Semites, Gen 9:6. Following on from this revelation the book of Genesis reveals in a series of far reaching prophecies how Abraham and his seed will play a significant role, which includes the formation of nations blessed by the acceptance of the Messiah.

This promise passes through a certain linage -Isaac and Jacob. (Genesis 28:13,14) Continuing on the prophecies narrow it still further, to one f Jacob's twelve sons, the coming ONE- the Christ- will be born of the tribe of Judah. (Genesis 49:8-11). And of all the families in Judah, he will appear through the family-line of Jesse. (Isaiah 11:1,10). Jesse had at least eight sons and prophecy eliminates all of them except one --- David.

The Messiah will be a descendant of King David. (Jeremiah 23:5,6; 2 Samuel chapter 7) He will be born in Bethlehem --- and a particular Bethlehem at that. You see, there were two towns called Bethlehem. There was Bethlehem of Zebulon, 70 miles to the north in Galilee; but this was not where the Messiah would be born. The prophesied place was "Bethlehem Ephratah... in Judah". (Micah 5:2) Thus eliminating all the cities in the world, except one. And what about His appearing "the Lord, whom ye seek, will suddenly come to his temple." (Malachi 3:1)

This prophecy has a time element to it as well as it relates to the Second Temple as the First Temple was already destroyed. It indicates that Messiah will appear BEFORE the Second Jewish Temple is destroyed and the Jews finally exiled. This, along with three similar prophecies (Genesis 49:10; Haggai 2:9; Daniel 9:25-27), required that the Messiah come while the Second Jewish Temple was still standing. The time factor was clearly spelt out.

This is of great significance when we understand that the Second Jewish Temple was destroyed by the Romans in AD 70.

After the destruction of Solomon's Temple in 586 BC, a Second Temple was constructed in Jerusalem by Zerubbabel and many sorrowed over the fact that it was inferior to Solomon's Temple. But the prophetic compensation to those who sorrowed over that inferiority, was that the glory of the latter house should exceed the glory of the former house (Haggai 2:9), since the Messiah would come to that Second Temple (Malachi 3:1). So He had to come BEFORE the destruction of that temple --- or the prophecy would fail.

Another of the timing prophecies states: "And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off "cut off out of the land of the living" -- Isaiah 53:8, but not for himself; and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary." (Daniel 9:26) This is a remarkable statement! You will notice that a time sequence was specified. First, Messiah is cut off (dies). After that, the city (Jerusalem) and sanctuary (temple) is destroyed. Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed by Titus and his army in AD 70.

Another timing element is before tribe of Judah loses its judicial power "The scepter -tribal staff, shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh -the Messiah comes." (Genesis 49:10). There was no ambiguity about this. Jewish rabbis understood that "Shiloh" - "His gift", "the one to whom it belongs," "wished for", was the coming Messiah.

The Targums, or Chaldee Paraphrasis of Jerusalem, renders this prophecy "until the time when King Messiah shall come." (E. C Ettmann, Messianic Evidences, Melbourne, Australia: Presbyterian Women's Missionary Union, p.18). Onkelos (60 BC): "until Messiah comes, whose is the kingdom." The Talmud: "Shiloh is reckoned among the names of Messiah." The Targum Pseudo Jonathan on Gen-49: states: "How noble is the King, Messiah, who is going to rise from the house of Judah."

You will notice that two signs were to occur soon after the arrival of the Messiah:

1. Removal of the scepter or identity of the Hebrew tribe of Judah.

2. Suppression of the judicial power ("lawgiver").

It is important to note that right through history (even during the captivity in Babylon in the 6th century BC), the tribe of Judah never lost its "tribal staff" or "national identity". They always possessed their own lawgivers or judges, even while in captivity. (Ezra 1:5,8) It was not until AD 11 that the Roman procurators took away the power of the Jewish Sanhedrin (ruling council), to exercise the jus gladii (the sovereign right of life and death) themselves.

This deprived the nation of Judah of its ability to pronounce capital sentences. (Flavius Josephus, The Antiquities of the Jews. New York: Ward, Lock, Bowden & Co., 1900, Book 17, Chap. 13, 1-5) The Jewish Talmud itself admits that this occurred. (Talmud, Jerusalem, Sanhedrin, fol. 24, recto.)

Rabbi Rachmon says: When the members of the Sanhedrin found themselves deprived of their right over life and death, a general consternation took possession of them; they covered their heads with ashes, and their bodies with sackcloth, exclaiming: 'Woe unto us, for the scepter has departed from Judah, and the Messiah has not come! -M. M. LeMann, Jesus Before the Sanhedrin. Trans. By Julius Magath. Nashville: Southern Methodist Publishing House, 1886, pp. 28-30)

And to top it off, there were other Old Testament prophecies that identified not just the year, but the precise month, day and hour in history when that event would occur.

Here follows Daniel's Seventy weeks prophecy. Seventy weeks are determined...\[for the coming of the Messiah, the Promised One\]. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the decree to restore and build Jerusalem UNTO MESSIAH THE PRINCE shall be seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

And after the sixty-two-week period shall Messiah be killed, not for himself \[but for others\]: after that the people of a coming prince shall destroy Jerusalem and the temple; and at the end of the war, its desolation shall come like a flood.

For one week, the Messiah shall confirm with many God's promise of rescue for man: and half way through the week he shall bring the sacrificial system to an end, and because of its abuse he shall destroy its temple, until the end of time, when the judgment which is decided shall be inflicted upon the desolating power. (Daniel 9:24-27)

Biblical scholars teach that "70 weeks" = 490 years, including numerous Jewish scholars, that are clear on the fact that this prophecy is speaking of "weeks of years" in which every day of the prophetic week means a year. This is in harmony with the bible's own explanation of prophetic time. The Hebrew for "seventy weeks" literally means "70 sevens". This is recognised by scholars to mean 70 sets of 7 years, a total of 490 years - each day representing a year.

The year-for-a-day principle appears in the Bible as a divinely established identity in prophetic symbolism: "I have appointed thee each day for a year." (Ezekiel 4:4-6; Numbers 14:34)

On "seventy weeks" (70 x 7 years), Jewish commentator J.J. Slotki states: "The cryptic phraseology may have been suggested by the seven-year cycle of Lev. xxv. The expression 'week of years' occurs in the Mishnah (Sanh. v.i)." (J.J. Slotki, Daniel, Ezra, and Nehemiah, p.77a).

One could compare the expression "weeks of years" with "seven sabbaths of years..., seven times seven years;... forty and nine years" in the book of Leviticus. (Leviticus 25:8)

Other Jewish scholars concur on "he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week" (Daniel 9:27), Midrash Rabbah reads: "'Week' represents a period of seven years." (Lamentations, Soncino ed., p.65, note 3) and on this same reference (v.27), the Talmud says: "'One week' in Dan. ix means a week of years." (Yoma 54at Soncino ed., p.254, note 6)

Regarding the "seventy weeks are determined" (v.24), the Talmud states it to be "490, i.e. seventy weeks of years". (Nazir 32b, Soncino ed., p.118, note 6). Isaac Lesser refers to "Ancient Jewish writers", Rashi and other commentators as recognizing "year-weeks". (Isaac Leeser, The Twenty-Four Books of the Holy Scriptures, 1853, on Daniel 9:24,25; p.1243, notes 47,48)

Following is the outline of the prophecy that was to be fulfilled during the period of "seventy weeks". Daniel 9:24 says Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

This prophecy unveiled the future history of Judah and Israel including the precise time of Messiah's appearance. When examining this we notice a clear structure in which each verse deals firstly with Messiah, then with Jerusalem.

Dan 9:25 , At the end of 7 + 62 weeks Messiah will appear and Jerusalem will be rebuilt, but under. conditions of distress.

Dan 9:26, After the 7 + 62 weeks Messiah will die violently ( His substitutional death for mankind, Isaiah 53) and a desolator prince (Titus) will destroy Jerusalem again.

Dan 9:27, During the 70th week Messiah will keep covenant with many people and in the midst (middle) of that week He will cause sacrifices to cease. By His sacrifice Messiah would make the temple desolate and desolations are determined on the desolate ( those who rejected Messiah) until the consummation -- the full restoration of the fall.

The Mesiah would accomplish this and when Jesus appeared He stated in mark 1:15 ... The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. But how would one determine the start of the prophetic count to realize that Jesus was telling everyone I am here as per what the scriptures says.

Well we need to revisit Daniel 9:25 and then determine our start circumstances. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the \[decree; commandment\] to restore and to build Jerusalem unto Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. (Daniel 9:25) It begins from the decree to restore and build Jerusalem.

So, when did this take place? The Bible itself tells us: it was in the seventh year of the reign of the Persian king Artaxerxes (Ezra 7:1,7,8), when he issued his first "decree" (vv. 11-26) to rebuild the ruined city of Jerusalem.

Leading up to this decree were two others - those of Cyrus and Darius - which related only to the building of the ruined temple. In 536 BC, Cyrus allowed the Jewish exiles in Babylon to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. (2 Chronicles 36:22-23).

In 520 BC, Darius reaffirmed and expedited Cyrus' decree concerning the temple. And in February, 515 BC, the temple was dedicated. (Ezra.6:13-18. Bright, A History of Israel p.372)

It took the three decrees - of Cyrus, Darius and of Artaxerxes I - to implement the "commandment" of God, as Ezra terms it. Ezra 6:14.

And it was this third decree, "in the seventh year of Artaxerxes" in 457 BC, that gave Jerusalem its legal rebirth, restoring full autonomy in legal judgments, including the death penalty. Ezra 7:7,24-26. This made possible the restoration of Jerusalem to capital city status - necessitating its rebuilding as a visible administrative center. Corresponding with the prophecy to "restore and rebuild Jerusalem" as referenced in Daniel 9:25, that should be used as the most accurate date from which to begin the 490-year count to the Messiah.

In summary, Daniel defined the prophecy. Ezra recorded the commencement date and then for 400 years there was silence. While Judah and others waited, the countdown began. There is no date in Bible history of which one can be more certain and certainly no doubt that this prophecy existed. It was translated into a Greek version by seventy Jewish scholars in Alexandria between 283 and 180 BC, and circulated throughout the Greek-speaking world.

Now the wording of the prophecy that "from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem, UNTO MESSIAH THE PRINCE, SHALL BE 7 WEEKS + 62 WEEKS", amounting to 69 weeks or 483 years, provides us with a specific time for the more important event --- the appearance of the Messiah. And so when we calculate 483 years from the "commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem", we get the very year when Messiah would appear.

Therefor when we add 483 years to 437 BC we arrive at 27 AD. And true to the prophecy Luke records how Jesus enters the temple and proclaims -The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. Luk 4:18-21

But what year? well Luke supplies that as well, Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Luke 3:1-4

Luke supplies historical facts, confirming the date by referencing Tiberius Ceasars reign. There is abundant evidence on the Caesars of Rome and so we can identify the fifteenth year of Tiberius' reign as 27 AD. To be precise Tiberius' fifteenth year began in September or October, 27 AD

Concerning the veracity of Luke we shall consult F. F. Bruce, of the University of Manchester, who offers this tribute to his historical accuracy.

A man whose accuracy can be demonstrated in matters where we are able to test it is likely to be accurate even where the means for testing him are not available. Accuracy is a habit of mind, and we know from happy (or unhappy) experience that some people are habitually accurate just as others can be depended upon to be inaccurate. Luke's record entitles him to be regarded as a writer of habitual accuracy. (F.F. Bruce, The New Testament Documents. Are They Reliable? London: Inter Varsity Press, 1974, p. 90. Emphasis supplied)

In addition, Clark Pinnock, Professor of Interpretations at McMasters University, Toronto, concurs, with this comment. There exists no document from the ancient world witnessed by so excellent a set of textual and historical testimonies, and offering so superb an array of historical data on which the intelligent decision may be made. An honest (person) cannot dismiss a source of this kind. (McDowell, Josh The Resurrection Factor. San Bernadino Ca: Here's Life Publishers, Inc., 1981, p. .9)

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