American Reformer
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the angel to date from the going forth of 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.
Verses 12-26
.
In its completest form it was issued by Artaxerxes, king of Persia, 457
B.C. But in
Ezra 6:14
the house of the Lord at Jerusalem is said to
have been built “according to the commandment [“decree,” margin] of
Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.” These three kings,
in originating, reaffirming, and completing the decree, brought it to
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the perfection required by the prophecy to mark the beginning of the
2300 years. Taking 457 B.C., the time when the decree was completed,
as the date of the commandment, every specification 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
457 B.C. From this date, 483 years extend to the autumn of A.D. 27.
(See Appendix.) 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.” 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. During this
time, extending from A.D. 27 to A.D. 34, Christ, at first in person and
afterward by His disciples, extended the gospel invitation especially
to the Jews. As the apostles went forth with the good tidings of the
kingdom, the Saviour’s direction was: “Go not into the way of the
Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: but go rather
to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
Matthew 10:5, 6
.