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xii
Early Writings
weeks, representing 490 years, are declared by the angel to be cut
off, as specially pertaining to the Jews. But from what were they
cut off? As the 2300 days was the only period of time mentioned in
chapter eight, it must be the period from which the seventy weeks
were cut off; the seventy weeks must therefore be a part of the
2300 days, and the two periods must begin together. The seventy
weeks were declared by the angel to date from the going forth of
[xii]
the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem. If the date of this
commandment could be found, then the starting-point for the great
period of the 2300 days would be ascertained
.
“In the seventh chapter of Ezra the decree is found. [
Ezra 7:12-
26
.] In its completest form it was issued by Artaxerxes, king of Per-
sia, B.C. 457. But in
Ezra 6:14
The house of the Lord at Jerusalem
is said to have been built ‘according to the commandment [margin,
decree] of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.’ These
three kings, in originating, re-affirming, and completing the decree,
brought it to the perfection required by the prophecy to mark the
beginning of the 2300 years. Taking B.C. 457, the time when the
decree was completed, as the date of the commandment, every spec-
ification of the prophecy concerning the seventy weeks was seen to
have been fulfilled
.
“‘From the going forth of the commandment to restore and to
build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks,
and threescore and two weeks.’—Namely, sixty-nine weeks, or 483
years. The decree of Artaxerxes went into effect in the autumn of
B.C. 457. From this date, 483 years extend to the autumn of A.D.
27. At that time this prophecy was fulfilled. The word ‘Messiah’
signifies ‘the Anointed One.’ In the autumn of A.D. 27, Christ was
baptized by John, and received the anointing of the Spirit. The
apostle Peter testifies that ‘God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with
the Holy Ghost and with power.’ [
Acts 10:38
.] And the Saviour
himself declared, ‘the Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He
hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor.’ [
Luke 4:18
.]
After His baptism He went into Galilee, ‘preaching the gospel of the
kingdom of God, and saying,
The time
is fulfilled.’ [
Mark 1:14, 15
.]
“‘And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week.’
[xiii]
The ‘week’ here brought to view is the last one of the seventy; it
is the last seven years of the period allotted especially to the Jews.