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Darius & Artaxerxes: The Context of the Word to Restore & Build Jerusalem

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In my ongoing effort to untangle the claims and criticisms raised by Rick Lanser in his recent article The Seraiah Assumption  (published at the Associates for Biblical Research website) this week we will be exploring the context of Ezra 5-6 as it relates to the Persian king Darius (son of Hystaspes) and as it relates to Ezra, Nehemiah, and a divine command given by, Yahweh the living God of the Bible, telling the Jewish people to – return – and build His house.

This important aspect of 2nd temple era history is for the most part ignored by Mr. Lanser in his article The Seraiah Assumption and this oversight along with his errors concerning the chronology of Ezra 4 (See Part I of this series) creates unnecessary confusion regarding the events leading up to Ezra and Nehemiah’s arrival in Jerusalem during the reign of a Persian “Artaxerxes”.

Here are a few related quotes from Mr. Lanser article The Seraiah Assumption which illustrate how his misunderstanding of Ezra 4 helped influence his interpretation of Ezra 6. I’d encourage those just joining this conversation to read Mr. Lanser’s entire article (here) so you can get the full context of these quotes. Further these quotes show why trying to explain Ezra 6:14 and the “commandments” mentioned there without providing the background context of Ezra 4-6 leads to some pretty serious interpretational errors that unnecessarily confuse the subject. I quote Mr. Lanser:

But as illustrated by our examination of Ezra 4 above, his context is too limited. It needs to be expanded beyond the immediate chronological context of Ezra 6:14, to include proper regard for the writer’s thematic context. When this is done, it provides the third “commended” king of Persia—Artaxerxes I Longimanus—that Austin could not find under the constraints of his purely chronological approach….

We are to understand that the writer presents the commandment of God in Ezra 6:14 as a single overarching decree, yet manifested through the individual edicts issued by Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes. This one decree of God—the word is a singular noun—is not completely unfolded until Artaxerxes contributes his part, notwithstanding that it is somewhat removed in time from the earlier contributions of Cyrus and Darius….

Before moving on, one more point can be made: since Ezra 6:14 tells us the one command of God had three kings involved in its outworking, we cannot say the decree of Daniel 9:25 had fully “gone forth” until Artaxerxes Longimanus added his contribution. We have to wait until Artaxerxes’ reign to find Daniel’s prophesied decree. (Rick Lanser – excerpts taken from his article The Seraiah Assumption)

 Summary and Review of the Context of Ezra 4
In Part I of this series Cyrus to Darius: The 2nd Temple Context of Ezra 4 we learned that author of Ezra 4 provided a congruent and chronological summary of events which took place from the reign of the Persian king Cyrus up to the reign of Darius (son of Hystaspes). We learned that Cyrus gave the initial decree which allowed the Jewish people to return and build the city of Jerusalem and the temple. Then during the reign of the Persian Ahasuerus in Ezra 4:6 (Cambyses), counselors for the enemies of the Jewish people tried to stop these construction efforts to no effect.

Subsequently during the reign of a Persian Artaxerxes in Ezra 4:7-23 (Bardis), the enemies of the Jewish people were successful and construction on the temple was stopped. Ezra 4:24 tells us that construction was stopped until the 2nd year of the reign of Darius.

23 Now [‘edayin] when the copy of king Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.

 24 Then [‘edayin] ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia. (Ezra 4:22-24)  

The Prophesying of Haggai and Zechariah
Ezra 4 closed with the nearly hopeless state of affairs in Jerusalem. The Jewish peoples efforts to restore Yahweh’s house had come to a standstill. The Persian king Artaxerxes (Bardis – the magian userper) had commanded that construction be stopped and the enemies of the Jewish people had done so by force of arms.

Then just when all hope seemed to be lost, once again Yahweh the living God of the Bible, reached down into the affairs of mankind to set in motion His redemptive plan for mankind.  Ezra 5 opens with Haggai and Zechariah prophesying to the Jewish people. The text doesn’t say what was prophesied but the result was immediate. Here take a look:

Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them. 

Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them. (Ezra 5:1-2)  

So what do you think these prophets said that so challenged Joshua, Zerubbabel, and the Jewish people that they defied king Artaxerxes orders to stop construction? To find the answer we need to turn to the books of Haggai and Zechariah.

In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word [dabar] of YHWH by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying,

2 Thus speaketh YHWH of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that YHWH’S house should be built.  3 Then came the word of YHWH by Haggai the prophet, saying,  4 Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?  5 Now therefore thus saith YHWH of hosts; Consider your ways….

Thus saith YHWH of hosts; Consider your ways.  8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith YHWH.

 9 Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith YHWH of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.  10 Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit.  11 And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands. 

12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of YHWH their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as YHWH their God had sent him, and the people did fear before YHWH.  13 Then spake Haggai YHWH’S messenger in YHWH’S message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith YHWH.

 And YHWH stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of YHWH of hosts, their God,  In the four and twentieth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king. (Haggai 1:1-15, excerpted for brevity)  

Doing What is Right in the Face of Adversity
A few things to notice from Haggai 1. First of all it is apparent that Yahweh was displeased with attitude of the Jewish people related to their efforts in building His house. Notice they were “building” their own houses. In fact construction activities were taking place in the city of Jerusalem but the people had their priorities wrong. They were building their own houses while Yahweh’s house lay desolate.

How many times in life have we excused our own lack of service to Yahweh by complaining about our circumstances? “I would have been nicer to that person if they hadn’t been so mean.” “I would have helped that person but I just lost my job.” “I would have done the right thing but the “law” says I can’t.”

That is what Yahweh was dealing with here regarding the construction of His house. His people weren’t really all that interested doing His work. They were just looking for excuses. Remember they’d been “building” the temple since the 2nd year of Cyrus and they still hadn’t even completed the foundation yet. When Artaxerxes said that they couldn’t build Yahweh’s house any longer they simply used that “law” as an excuse for not doing what was right in Yahweh’s eyes.

There is a valuable lesson here. Notice the text indicates their poor lot in life was in part related to their unwillingness to do what was right in Yahweh’s eyes. Yahweh was punishing their bad attitude and improper priorities.

Another thing worth noting here was that the counselors hired to represent the enemies of the Jewish people before the kings of Persia, framed the activities of the Jewish as if they were building the city of Jerusalem in an effort to rebel against the king of Persia, when in fact it was their half hearted efforts to build the temple that were really the concern. This just illustrates an important fact of life.

This life is a spiritual battle not against flesh and blood but against the “principalities, powers, and against the rulers of the darkness of this world.”  Satan didn’t care if the Jewish people were building their own houses. What the adversary did care about was the reestablishment of Yahweh’s house and spiritual significance of that house. The temple of Jerusalem was the beating heart of the city of Jerusalem. 

Building Yahweh’s House Was Building Jerusalem
This raises a curious point. Today most scholars claim that building the temple in Jerusalem was not “building” Jerusalem, despite the fact that the enemies of the Jewish people thought so (Ezra 4), Yahweh thought so (Zech 1; Hag. 1), and Daniel thought so (Dan. 9:4-22). To me such claims seems like a distinction without a difference. To claim building the temple was not “building Jerusalem” makes about the same sense as saying the development of the human heart in a baby is not part of  the divine “building” process of our body that Yahweh encoded into the DNA of this human tabernacle. By any objective measure, building the temple in Jerusalem was indeed, “building” Jerusalem. 

Zechariah receives the “word” of Yahweh
As stated in Ezra 5, it just wasn’t Haggai that received the word of Yahweh which commanded the Jewish people to return and build the temple. Zechariah also received a similar message to share with the Jewish people.

In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word [dabar] of YHWH to Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying,  2 YHWH hath been sore displeased with your fathers. 3 Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith YHWH of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith YHWH of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith YHWH of hosts….

Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word [dabar] of YHWH unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying,…

12 Then the angel of YHWH answered and said, O YHWH of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?  13 And YHWH answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words. 

14 So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith YHWH of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.  15 And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction. 

16 Therefore thus saith YHWH; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith YHWH of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.  17 Cry yet, saying, Thus saith YHWH of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and YHWH shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem. (Zechariah 1:1-3, 7, 14-17)  

There is so much important information here which grounds our understanding of the 2nd temple era on a solid contextual foundation.

First all notice that like the word give to Haggai this “word” (dabar) of Yahweh also came in the 2nd year of Darius. This word told the Jewish people that Yahweh had returned to Jerusalem with “mercy” and that His house would be build and that a line would be “stretched forth upon Jerusalem.”  In other words, Yahweh told the Jewish people that His house, the very heart of Jerusalem, was to be built and this effort was in fact building or stretching a construction “line” upon Jerusalem.

Notice here that the text indicates that up to this 2nd year of Darius, Jerusalem and the Jewish people and their activities were under a cloud of divine “indignation”. That divine indignation the text tells us began 70 years earlier and then ended here in the 2nd year of Darius when Yahweh “returned to Jerusalem with mercies”. What is so neat about this statement is that it once again confirms just how accurate the Bible’s chronological record is when it relates history.

If we count 70 years back from the 2nd year of Darius (son of Hystaspes) in 520 BC we arrive at roughly 589 BC and what Ezekiel 8-10 describes as the departure of Yahweh’s divine presence from Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem.  How awesome is that.  70 years after departing from Jerusalem and the temple, here is Yahweh the living God of the Bible, telling Zechariah and Haggai the prophets that He had “returned” to Jerusalem with mercies and He wanted construction on His house restarted.

As you look at the following chart remember that Part I of this series showed how the author of Ezra 4 gave an incredibly accurate summary of events between the reigns of Cyrus and Darius, a summary which fits congruently with secular Persian history. In the chart below both of those important ‘bookends’ (Cyrus & Darius) of this chronology are further emphasized by marking the end of a 70 year period of time. That’s how cool the Bible!


The Temple Completed in the 6th Year of Darius
Four years after Yahweh had returned to Jerusalem with mercies and commanded the Jewish people to return and build His house, that house was completed. The beating heart of Jerusalem was once again serving it’s purpose in the city of peace. That’s what happens when we listen to Yahweh and do what’s right even in the face of adversity. As the Paul wrote to the Romans: 

If God be for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31b)  

Darius Rebukes the Enemies of the Jewish People
Let’s back up here for just a few moments now that we understand the context of Yahweh’s divine command to restore (return) and build the temple as given through the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. We left off in Ezra 5 with the following verses for which you now known the fascinating back-story and context.

Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them. 

Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them. (Ezra 5:1-2)  

Once construction on the temple resumed it didn’t take long for the enemies of the Jewish people to try and stop this divinely sanctioned effort. This time though the Jewish people held firm, they were more afraid of Yahweh than the former decree of the Persian king Artaxerxes. So the matter was taken to king Darius and the Jewish people claimed precedence in the former decree of king Cyrus who had given them permission to build both the city and the temple.

Darius had a different attitude than the Magian usurper Bardis, so he made a search of the records and found the decree of Cyrus granting the Jewish people the right to return and build. Darius then wrote his own rather scathing letter to these enemies of the Jewish people telling them to leave the Jewish people alone or else! Here is an excerpt with some of the highlights. I’d encourage you to read all of Ezra 5 & 6 to get the full context.

Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon2 And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written:

 In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;… 

Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shetharboznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river, be ye far from thence: 7 Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place. (Ezra 6:1-7 )

Finally Ezra 6:13-15 provides another chronological panoramic by summing up the chronology from Ezra 5 (the prophesying of Haggai and Zechariah the word-dabar of Yahweh) and those who gave commands which resulted in the completion of the temple by the 6th year of Darius.

Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shetharboznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily.

 And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

 And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. (Ezra 6:13-15)

Let’s unpack this a bit more to make sure we can understand exactly what these verses are saying. Verse 13 tells that the enemies of the Jewish people obeyed the threatening letter of Darius and they left off harassing the Jewish people.

Verse 14 summarizes the history up to that point. First of all it points out that prophesying of Haggai and Zechariah was the catalyst that spurred the Jewish people’s return to the building efforts, the result of which was their “prospering” as Yahweh promised in Haggai 1 and Zechariah 1. The text further clarifies that building – and – finishing of the temple was the result of a command by the “God of Israel” and also the commands of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes.

For right now let’s not deal with the curious inclusion of Artaxerxes as one of those who helped build and finish the temple by the 6th year of Darius. We’ll explore that subject in the next part of this series, for now let focus on the other “commandments” first. Based upon the context we have explored in Ezra 4-6 does the Bible identify specific commands related to Yahweh, Cyrus & Darius which resulted in the building and finishing of the temple by the 6th year of Darius? Sure it does.  Here are the commands as they took place chronologically.

Cyrus
In 536 BC Cyrus ended the 70 years captivity of the Jewish people in Babylon. He allowed them to return and build the temple and the city of Jerusalem.

That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.  (Isaiah 44:28)

Yahweh
After construction was stopped on the temple by the Persian king “Artaxerxes”, Yahweh in the 2nd year of Darius (520 BC) personally commanded Israel to return and build. This “commandment” was given as a word (dabar) of Yahweh through the prophets Haggai and Zechariah.

In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word [dabar] of YHWH by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, ….

 Thus saith YHWH of hosts; Consider your ways.  8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith YHWH. (Haggai 1:1-8 for brevity)

Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word [dabar] of YHWH unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying,  …

Then the angel of YHWH answered and said, O YHWH of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years? 

13 And YHWH answered the angel that talked with me with good words [dabar] and comfortable words [dabar]…. 

Thus saith YHWH of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy…. 

Therefore thus saith YHWH; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith YHWH of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem. (Zechariah 1:7-16 exerpted for brevity)

14 And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo.

And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. 15 And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. (Ezra 6:14-15  excerpted for brevity)

Darius
In 520 BC Darius confirms Cyrus’ original decree and encourages the Jewish to continue their efforts to build the temple which Yahweh had commanded them to do. Four years later in the 6th year of Darius the temple was completed.

Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shetharboznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river, be ye far from thence:

Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place.  Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king’s goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered.

Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this.  And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed. (Ezra 6:6-12)   

Comparing and Contrasting with The Seraiah Assumption
Now after exploring the context of Ezra 4-6 in a congruent and chronological manner consider the following quotes by Mr. Lanser once again. Do you think they represent an accurate explanation of the events Ezra 4-6 relates:

We are to understand that the writer presents the commandment of God in Ezra 6:14 as a single overarching decree, yet manifested through the individual edicts issued by Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes. This one decree of God—the word is a singular noun—is not completely unfolded until Artaxerxes contributes his part, notwithstanding that it is somewhat removed in time from the earlier contributions of Cyrus and Darius….

Doing this equates the command of God with the three-fold human command (singular!) of Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes. That Brown’s view of the waw explicativum is possible does not necessarily make it so, of course, but it does show that Struse and Austin are not being equitable in the way they evaluate the translation possibilities. Fair-mindedness towards the data requires that they not insist their preferred view of this grammar question is the only one possible.

Before moving on, one more point can be made: since Ezra 6:14 tells us the one command of God had three kings involved in its outworking, we cannot say the decree of Daniel 9:25 had fully “gone forth” until Artaxerxes Longimanus added his contribution. We have to wait until Artaxerxes’ reign to find Daniel’s prophesied decree.

The claims Mr. Lanser makes in the statements above is why understanding the entire context of subject is so important. The commandment of God in Ezra 6:14 is not an ambiguous overarching thematic decree. Rather it was a very specific word (dabar) to restore and build Jerusalem given within a very specific sequence of chronological events and relayed through the mouths of the two prophetic witnesses of Haggai and Zechariah.  That word (dabar) given in the 2nd year of Darius by Yahweh, the living God of the Bible, commanded the Jewish people to return and build His house, the beating heart of Jerusalem.

This context is so important lets summarize one last time:

23 Now [‘edayin] when the copy of king Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.

24 Then [‘edayin] ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia. (Ezra 4:23 – 24) 

 Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them.  Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them. (Ezra 5:1)

In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word [dabar] of YHWH by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, ….

 Thus saith YHWH of hosts; Consider your ways.  8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith YHWH. (Haggai 1:1-8 for brevity)

 5 But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they [the enemies of the Jewish people] could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned answer by letter concerning this matter. (Ezra 5:5)

Ezra 6:1 Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon….

7 Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place.  8 Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king’s goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered.   ( Ezra 6:7-8  )

13 Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shetharboznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily. 

14 And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.  15 And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. (Ezra 6:13-15)   

Summary
In our exploration of the book of Ezra to date, we’ve learned that it is a straightforward and chronological account of the events relating to the building of the city of Jerusalem and the Temple starting in the 1st year of the Persian king Cyrus (536 BC) and continuing through to the 6th year of the Persian king Darius (son of Hystaspes) in 516 BC. The central focus of these events being Yahweh’s divine word (dabar) commanding the Jewish people to return and build His desolate sanctuary. This divine word we have learned came at the end of His 70 years of divine anger. 

As I’ve demonstrated in my book The Jubilee Code: Prophetic Milestones in Yahweh’s Redemptive Plan, a reasonable case can be made that the 70 years of Babylonian captivity, the 70 years of divine anger, and the 70 years between the destruction of the Solomon’s temple and rebuilding and dedication of the 2nd temple, were a trifecta of 70 years periods which all had their origins within the 70th Jubilee cycle from Adam.

This important chronological information further underscores the significance of the timing of Yahweh’s divine “word” commanding the Jewish people to return and build His desolate sanctuary.  In a future part of this series I’ll show why this divine word to return and build, given at this pivotal point in Biblical history, began the 70 “Weeks” of Daniel 9:24-27 and the Bible’s most famous countdown to the Messiah. The chart to the left demonstrates the significance of these events within the Bible’s larger chronological cycles.

I  invite you to join me next time as we continue our investigation of this thrilling and important period in Biblical history.

Maranatha!

Authors Note:
This is a multi-part series of articles responding to the Associates for Biblical Research criticism of my view of 2nd temple history as presented in an article on their website entitledThe Seraiah Assumption.

Articles related to this series:
The Seraiah Assumption by Rick Lanser of Associates for Biblical Research
The Seraiah Assumption: Wrapping up Loose Ends by Rick Lanser

My response to Rick Lanser’s – The Seraiah Assumption:
Introduction – The Associates for Biblical Research Responds to the Artaxerxes Assumption
Part I – Cyrus to Darius: The 2nd Temple Context of Ezra 4
Part II – Darius & Artaxerxes: The Context of the Word to Restore & Build Jerusalem
Part III – Darius the great Persian Artaxerxes: A Contextual Look at the Book of Ezra in the Light of Persian History
Part IV – Darius and the Kingdom of Arta
Part V – Darius, Artaxerxes, & the Bible: Confirming Royal Persian Titulature
Part VI – Mordecai & the Chronological Context of Esther
Part VII – Esther, Ahasuerus, & Artaxerxes: Who was the Persian King of 127 Provinces?
Part VIII – Darius I: A Gentile King at the Crux of Jewish Messianic History
Part IX – The Priests & Levites of Nehemiah 10 & 12: Exploring the Papponymy Assumption

 

Next Time
Now that we’ve laid a contextual chronological foundation for Ezra 4-6, Yahweh willing in Part III of this series we will explore the crux of the Artaxerxes Assumption. Who was the “Artaxerxes” of Ezra 6:14 and why was his name added amongst those who “building and finished” the temple by the 6th year of Darius? In this upcoming article we will also address some the following related challenges and pointed criticism raised by Mr. Lanser in his article The Seraiah Assumption:

One is obliged to ask why the writer of the book of Ezra would have even bothered to introduce the name “Artaxerxes” into the narrative at Ezra 6:14, when this king had been uniformly referred to as “Darius” several times earlier in the book (4:5, 4:24, 5:5, 5:6, 5:7, 6:1, and 6:12). If “Darius” and “Artaxerxes” were indeed one and the same person, waiting until this late point in the narrative to introduce an additional designation for Darius does nothing but confuse the reader.

Ezra 6:14 and the Waw Explicativum
Ezra 6:14 is another verse where the desire to avoid anachronistically introducing Artaxerxes I Longimanus into the narrative has given rise to creative ways of getting around it. One is a particular grammatical argument centered on the Hebrew letter waw. Prefixed to another word, waw is generally translated as a simple connective, “and.” There are places, however, where it can be used as what grammarians term a waw explicativum, where it equates the two items it joins and takes the translation “even.” Applying this understanding to Ezra 6:14b yields:

And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, even Artaxerxes king of Persia (KJV, emphasis added).

By this understanding, Darius is equated with “Artaxerxes.” Mr. Struse is quite insistent that this is the way this waw must be understood; in one place (https://www.the13thenumeration.com/Blog13/2016/09/08/who-is-the-artaxerxes-in-your-prophecy/) he writes,

The error [of translating Ezra 6:14b as “and Artaxerxes”] is actually found in the English translation of the passage. It stems from presuppositional bias and the erroneous use of the Hebrew letter waw. In order to show that Ezra lived during the reign of Artaxerxes Longimanus, as they presupposed, the translators used the letter waw to form a conjunction instead of a hendiadys (two words with one meaning), as the context would dictate.

With all due respect to Mr. Struse, it is fair to say that 99% of people without any skin in the game would expect the well-trained professional scholars and translators of the various English versions of the Bible, particularly those who uphold it as the Word of God and take their responsibility to handle it carefully with utmost seriousness, to be in a good position to tell us what “the context would dictate.” To assert “presuppositional bias” and “erroneous use of the Hebrew letter” carries little weight when coming from someone without specialized training.

 

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Blood Moons & the Biblical Context of Time

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Blood-MoonLong after the critics of Mark Biltz’s book, Blood Moons have been forgotten, like it or not, the premise of his book will be changing how people view the Bible’s reckoning of “time”. To be sure Biltz was not the first to show the religious calendar of the Bible must be understood within its Biblical context but it was his research that was the catalyst which raised awareness of the subject to the point where it can no longer be ignored.

In his book, Mark Biltz shows that our Creator, YHWH, authored “divine appointments” which he codified in the religious calendar given to Israel. Mr. Biltz demonstrated the early church’s belief that several of these divine appointments were fulfilled in Yeshua’s (Jesus’) death and resurrection. He went on to make a strong case for a future fulfillment of those Biblical holy days in events related to the 2nd coming of Yeshua. Now I have read Biltz’s book on the Blood Moons and contrary to the assertions of some, he has not claimed the blood moons are a specific sign of the 2nd coming of Christ in 2014/2015.

A Reminder of the Context of Biblical Time
What Mr. Biltz does claim is the blood moons are an important reminder to our generation that we should understand how our Creator reckons time.  For those willing to listen, the blood moons remind us that the Biblical calendar is based upon both the cycles of the sun and moon. It is this lunar/solar interaction which makes our Creator’s calendar so unique. Let me tell you why I believe Biltz’s premise concerning a Biblical calendar is controversial to so many. Simply put, it represents a fundamental shift in how we view Biblical “time”. I’ll try to explain.

A Cosmic Rolex
If you pulled back the cover on your expensive wrist watch you’ll find different sized gears which allow your watch to keep track of seconds, minutes, days, weeks, months, and years. Each gear is a specific size which allows it to precisely measure “time”. Our Creator’s watch works the same way only His gears are the Sun, Moon, Earth and Stars. This cosmic Rolex, if you will, measures time according to a standard He set in motion at creation. (Gen. 1:14)

Our Earth in its orbit around the sun is the gear which gives us our year of 365.24 days. The moon is the gear which gives us a month of 29.53 days. The rotation of the earth is the gear which gives us our day of 24 hours. Here is what makes the Biblical calendar extraordinary. 12 lunar cycles (months) of 29.53 days equals 354.36 days. This makes the Biblical lunar/solar “year” about 11 days shorter than each solar year of 365.24 days. If the Biblical calendar was not corrected every few years the months would “wander” causing them to move through the seasons. A good example of this type of wandering calendar is the lunar calendar of Islam. 

A Biblical View of Time Synchronizing the Bible’s Calendar
If Nisan (the 1st Biblical month beginning in March or April) was not fixed to the solar/agricultural cycle it would continue to move 11 days away from its starting point every year.  In only eighteen years time Nisan would be celebrated in the fall. YHWH in his infinite wisdom did not intend for this to happen so when Israel left Egypt He instructed Moses to begin each new year in the month of the “Abib”. Abib is a term for barley when it is forming its ears of grain.  Not to get lost in details but by linking the Biblical calendar to the solar/agricultural cycle of Abib, YHWH provided the Israelites a practical means to synchronize the lunar cycle of 29.53 days with the solar year of 365.24 days, thus preventing it from wandering in the solar cycle. In practical terms this synchronization was accomplished by adding a 13th month approximately every 3 years. In modern terms we call this an intercalation. (For a Biblical example see my article Ezekiel’s 13th Month)

Here is another way to look at it: The Biblical calendar can be divided into two parts. One part, as it relates to mankind’s day to day activity, is governed by the rising and setting of the sun. According to the Biblical example (first set by YHWH at creation) this day to day cycle is also grouped into 6 days of labor and 1 day of rest. The other part of the Biblical calendar, as Mark Biltz demonstrates in his book Blood Moons, is governed by the cycle of the moon.  Specific days in these lunar months are designated as “divine appointments”.

When we look up into the night sky after a hard days work the lunar cycle is there to remind us of our Creator’s plan of reconciliation for all mankind through Yeshua. In the first month on Passover, Yeshua became the “lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world.” Not many days later he rose from the grave and became, “the firstfruits” of them that slept.

If YHWH had not fixed the Biblical calendar to the solar/agricultural cycle Yeshua would not have fulfilled these Divine appointments. If you’ve read my book The 13th Enumeration: Key to the Bible’s Messianic Symbolism, then you know it is no accident that lunar/solar cycles of the Biblical calendar are reconciled by a 13th month. This 13th month is the bridge which connects the side of the Biblical calendar which governs mankind’s struggle to survive under the curse of sin, with the side of the calendar which offers hope through the promised Redeemer. For many today, Biltz’s book Blood Moons is an uncomfortable reminder that our way of looking at “time” has wandered from its Biblical foundations.

Bible Prophecy and Biblical Time
Think of the implications this has for how we understand many of the prophetic passages in the Scripture. Have you ever wondered why the prophecies in the book of Daniel and the book of Revelation do not use the term “years” to designate the shorter time frames? It makes perfect sense if you realize the Biblical calendar “year” varies between 12 & 13 months. Remember years in a Biblical sense are based upon a certain number of lunar cycles of 29.53 days.

Those lunar cycles are then recalibrated every few years to synchronize them with the solar/agricultural cycle. This explains why a 7 “year” or a 3.5 “year” tribulation period is never specifically mentioned in relation to the prophecies of the Bible. A “year” in the strictest Biblical sense is not 365.24 days but rather 12 or 13 lunar cycles (months). This is the reason the books of Daniel and Revelation so often use days and months instead of “years” to described specific end time events.

So next time you’re reading a prophetic passage in the Scripture consider it in terms of our Creator’s calendar, you might be surprised at the insights you find. No matter what you believe about the Blood Moons they are, at the very least, a spectacular reminder for us to look at Biblical “time” in terms of our Creator’s calendar, not a poor man-made imitation.

In the words of king David:  

 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.  2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.  3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. 4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, 5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.  6 His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. Psalm 19:1-6

Digging Deeper
For those Berean’s interested in digging into this further the following chart shows the prophecies of Daniel & Revelation using a Biblical reckoning of time.

    (Click on image to enlarge)Bible Prophecy - Biblical Time

 

Blood Moons and Bible Chronology
So is there some actual chronological significance to the Blood Moons? Personally, I don’t believe the chronology of the Bible supports the idea that the “blood moons” of 2014/2015 will see the rapture of the church, the start of the “great tribulation”, or the 2nd Coming of Yeshua as a few people are speculating. I also do not agree with those who are saying these events have no importance at all. As I will explain shortly the “blood moons” of 2014/2015 come at a very significant point in Bible chronology. So while many are questioning the significance of these events lets take a step back and look at them in the context of a panoramic view of Biblical history.

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The Jubilee Code
Regular readers of my b41_Jubilees_Cycleslog know that I love to dig into the details of Biblical history and chronology. Over the years I have found the chronology of the Bible brings wonderful context as well as rich symbolism to many of the events recorded, especially those events related to the reconciliation of mankind to our Creator through the sacrifice of Yeshua.

41 Jubilee Cycles
In a recent article on the Jubilee Code I explained how the 41 generations from Abraham to Yeshua (Matt. 1) actually equaled 41 Jubilee cycles. Further, if you go back in time you’ll find the span of time from Abraham to Adam also equaled 41 Jubilee cycles. Based upon this and other evidence I became convinced that the lineage of Yeshua in Matthew 1 was written as a type of chronological keystone.

A Biblical Epic
Of particular interest to our present generation is that in the fall of 1979 the 123rd Jubilee cycle from Adam began (41+41+41). This means that we a currently living in the 41st Jubilee cycle from Yeshua.

Significantly the 123rd Jubilee also marks the end of another important epic in Biblical history. According to a reasonable (and defensible) rendering of Old Testament chronology, the birth of Isaac took place on the 43rd Jubilee from Adam. This set time or “mow’ed”, as it was called in the Scripture, began a Biblical epic which was typified by atonement sacrifice and YHWH’s dealings with Abraham’s seed.  During this 43rd Jubilee YHWH tested Abraham’s faith by asking him to sacrifice his son. Genesis 22 gives us a beautiful testimony of Abraham’s faith as well as prophetic picture of Yeshua’s future atonement:

Genesis 22:2-8 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.  And Abraham rose up early in the morning,…Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.  And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you,…. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?  And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering:….

40_Jubilee_Cycles 39 & 40 Jubilee Cycles
39 (13×3) Jubilee cycles later YHWH did indeed provided “himself” a lamb when Yeshua died for our sins. Then in 69 AD, the following Jubilee cycle (40th), the last atonement sacrifice was offered in the temple at Jerusalem. The following year on the 9th of Av the temple was destroyed, thus beginning the exile of the Jewish people. Jesus, in Luke 21 predicted this destruction of the temple and the scattering of the Jewish people.  When asked by his disciples, when the destruction of the temple would take place he gave (in part) this answer:

Luke 21:24-28   24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.  25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.  27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

It can be argued, reasonably so I might add, that 70 AD did indeed see the destruction of the temple and the dispersion of the Jewish people into “all nations” as prophesied by Yeshua. In fact it was only in the first part of the 20th century that a mandate was given which set in motion the return of the Jewish people to their ancient land.Then in 1948 the nation of Israel was reborn in fulfillment of numerous prophecies in the Bible.  Though Israel recaptured and untied Jerusalem in 1967, parts of this ancient city are still under “gentile” control.

Israel and the Jubilee Cycles
This brings me back to the present. Today we are living in the 40th jubilee cycle from the destruction of Jerusalem and that last fateful atonement sacrifice. I believe a reasonable argument can be made that the past 40 Jubilee cycles are what Yeshua described as the “times of the Gentiles”. This epic will soon be drawing to a close. To me it is fascinating to note that the 39th Jubilee cycle from Isaac saw the birth of Yeshua. The 40th Jubilee saw his death, resurrection, the destruction of Jerusalem, the end of the sacrificial system and the birth of the “church age”.

39 Jubilee cycles into the “church age” the nation of Israel has once again been reborn and we find YHWH again dealing with the Jewish people, bringing them back to the land He promised to Abraham. As the 40th Jubilee winds down it becomes apparent that we are in another period of transition. Great changes are afoot as YHWH prepares mankind for the return of Yeshua and His millennial reign from Jerusalem. Before I talk about the “blood moons” and the year 2014/2015 as it relates to the Jubilee and Sabbath cycles I would like to look at a couple of more symbolic themes which I believe add credibility to the Biblical epics I’ve been describing.

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40 and the Bread of Heaven
After Israel left Egypt they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years before “crossing over” into the Promised Land under the leadership of Yeshua (Joshua son of Nun).
For those who may not know the name Jesus/Joshua/Yeshua are all variations on the same name which means Salvation of YA.
 During those 40 years of wandering, Israel was given manna to eat. In John 6, Yeshua compared the manna in the wilderness with himself as the “Bread of Life” or “Living” bread. Later the apostle Paul connects the symbolism of Yeshua and “bread” with the expectancy of His 2nd Coming.  

John 6:47-58  47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.  48 I am that bread of life.  49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.  50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.  51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: …..  58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

1 Corinthians 11:23-26  That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:  24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me……  26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.

For 40 years the Children of Israel ate manna in the wilderness before they crossed over into the Promised Land. For the past 40 Jubilees mankind has been given the opportunity to eat the “living” bread of heaven.

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40 Weeks, 40 Jubilees, and the Birth Pangs
The last theme I want to look at is one that is often mentioned when discussing eschatology. In Matthew 24, Yeshua, when describing the events which transpire between the destruction of the temple and His return, explains them in terms of a woman’s birth pangs. I believe a good case can be made that this symbolism may have a near and far fulfillment. In terms of human biology a full term pregnancy last 40 weeks. Yeshua’s death and resurrection took place in 30 AD and Jerusalem fell 40 years later. A reasonable case can be made that the events of 70 AD were a partial fulfillment of Yeshua’s words in Matthew 24. Clearly Yeshua did not literally return at that time so He must have been speaking of another time as well. A period of 40 Jubilees may well fit the pattern. If this is the case then a little speculative math may give us some insights into this final period time.

If 40 weeks = 40 Jubilees
1 week = 49 years.
Each day of “labor” = 7 years.

 1 Thessalonians 5:1-4  1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.  2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.  3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.  4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

Mark 13:4-8  4 Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?  5 And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you:  6 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.  7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet.  8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows (birth pangs).

Matthew 24:4-8  4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.  5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.  6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.  7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.  8 All these are the beginning of sorrows (birth pangs).

Blood Moons of 2014/2015
So what does this have to do with the “blood moons” in 2014/2015? Based upon the Jubilee cycles as described above the autumn of 2013 – 2014 ends the 5th Sabbath cycle of the 40th Jubilee from the destruction of Jerusalem. (Each Jubilee has 7 cycles of 7 years.) The fall of 2014 begins the final two Sabbath cycles of this 40th Jubilee as well as the 123rd Jubilee from Adam. If there is any validity to the symbolism of birth pangs and 40 Jubilees cycles, then the next two Sabbath cycles (14 years) should see some incredible events as they related to Bible prophecy. It’s also worth noting that Joseph’s 7 years of plenty and 7 years of famine fell in the final two years of the 47th Jubilee cycle. (see chronology chart below for more details.)

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In summary then I do not believe the “blood moons” indicate any specific immediate event but based upon a larger chronological context they may well represent the beginning of the end for several very important Biblical epics.

For those who would like to look at the underlying chronological information that was described above please see the excerpted chart below or download the full free (PDF) chart here: Chronology of the Old Testament. The excerpted chart is best understood in the context of the full PDF. Please do your own due diligence as Bereans.

The image below can be enlarged by clicking on it.

1979-2015 Sabbath_Jubilee Authors Note: The information developed in this article is based upon over twenty years of research. The chronology involved took two years to complete in charted form. For those who would like to see the Biblical basis for the chronology as described above you will find a PDF chart of chronology here: Chronology of the Old Testament.  Please note this chronology is based upon the Old Testament MT text of the Scriptures. Though this chart itself is solely my own effort I often turned to some of the great chronologists of the past and present to try and work out the chronology of the Kings of Israel and Judah. I’ve appreciatively walked in the footsteps of the following giants of Biblical chronology: Ussher, Rawlinson, Newton, Rutherford, Davidson, and Jones. Please do your own due diligence as a Berean. Please note that the dates in this article should be understood within the context of the Jubilee & Sabbath cycles given. The dates are not a prediction of the “Rapture” or the 2nd coming of Yeshua.

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13 & 14 and the Blood Moons
On a related note, for those who read my new book The 13th Enumeration: Key to the Bible’s Messianic Symbolism, it is fascinating to see that the “blood moons” fall on the 6013/14 year from Adam.  As decribed in my book the numbers 13 & 14 are woven into the very fabric of the Bible’s Messianic symbolism. If you would like to learn more about 13 & 14 and the Bible’s Messianic symbolism I encourage you download a free copy of my book. Subscribers to my blog will receive a free digital copy. If you prefer to purchase a copy please see my Amazon author page here: William Struse

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The “Preparation” Day

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Author’s Note: My recent article The 14th Sacrifice  looked at the gospel accounts pertaining to Yeshua’s Passover supper. That article concluded that Yeshua was not crucified on the 14th of Nisan but instead the most plain reading of  the New Testament record shows he was crucified on the feast day proper. (i.e. 15th Nisan, the 1st day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread) My next few articles will look at Yeshua’s Passover week chronology in light of some of the objections which are often raised by those who believe Yeshua was crucified on the 14th of Nisan.

Peter_Denies_Yeshua

Peter denying Christ – Poussin

The “Preparation” Day

My last article on chronology of Yeshua’s Passover week looked at why Yeshua’s accusers were not willing to enter Pilate’s judgment hall for fear of being “defiled”. (see: Defiled on the “Passover”) Shortly after these events Yeshua was taken and crucified. In the gospel accounts it tells us that this day was the “preparation” day. In this article I want to look at this day in relation to the events of Yeshua’s Passover week. Take a moment to read the following verses, they represent each usage of the term “preparation” in the New Testament.

 Mark 15:42-43   42 And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath,  43 Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.

 Luke 23:52-54  2 This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.  53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.  54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.

 Matthew 27:59-62   59 And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,  60 And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.  61 And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.  62 Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate

 John 19:13-16   13 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.  14 And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!  15 But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.  16 Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away.

 John 19:31-42   31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away….. 42 There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews’ preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.

 The word “preparation” comes from the Greek paraskeue, it means a making ready, a preparation, or equipping. It is used almost exclusively in the Scripture to designate the day before the Sabbath. I say “almost exclusively” because some contented that John 19:14 uses the term “preparation” to refer to the day before the “Passover”.

Of the verses above, Mark 15:42, Luke 23:52 & John 19:31 each clearly state that the “preparation” day is the day before the Sabbath. Taken at face value these verses need no further clarification. Yeshua was crucified on the day before the Sabbath. So how do we reconcile John 19:13 where it states that the day Yeshua died was the “preparation of the Passover”?

In my opinion this is another place where the term Passover is used in the general sense to represent the feast of Unleavened Bread. As I showed in my articles The 14th Sacrifice and Defiled on the “Passover” the term “passover” is used in the Bible to represent the Passover supper proper as well as the entire Feast of Unleavened Bread. John 19:13 then is not saying that Yeshua was crucified on the day before the Passover supper but that he died on the “preparation” day during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. There are several ways to prove this:

1. The Feast of Unleavened Bread does not require a “preparation” day because work related to the preparation of food is not prohibited.
2. John 19:31 states the day following the “preparation” was a “high Sabbath”. A “high Sabbath” can only refer to a Sabbath day which has been elevated by its inclusion within the feast days. The Feast of Unleavened Bread is not a true “Sabbath” or “rest” and it is never referred to as such in the Bible.
3. The gospel accounts show that the day following this “high” Sabbath was the 1st day of the week.

Take a look at the verse below. In this passage Luke is describing the burial of Yeshua. He describes the day as the “preparation, and the sabbath drew on”. Verse 56 provides a unique confirmation that this day is indeed the “Sabbath” or 7th day of the week. Notice it states that the women returned from the sepulcher and then “rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment”. The feast of Unleavened Bread has no such commandment because Exodus 12:16 allows work related to the preparation of food. 

Jerusalem_MT_Olives

View of Jerusalem from Mt. of Olives

With the above information in mind it can be reasonably concluded that Yeshua was crucified on the “preparation day” or the 6th day of the week which also happened to be the 1st day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. That the following day was the weekly Sabbath and by its very position within the 7 day feast it was a special or “high” Sabbath.

“Preparation” = 3904, paraskeue {par-ask-yoo-ay’}
Meaning:  1) a making ready, preparation, equipping 2) that which is prepared, equipment 3) in the NT in a Jewish sense, the day of preparation 3a) the day on which the Jews made necessary preparation to celebrate a sabbath or a feast
Origin:  as if from 3903; TDNT – 7:1,989;
Usage:  AV – preparation 6; 6

The references below are a sampling of historical references to the “preparation day”.

 Antiquities of the Jews 16:162-163  162 “Caesar Augustus, high priest and tribune of the people, ordains thus:–Since the nation of the Jews has been found grateful to the Roman people, not only at this time, but in time past also, and chiefly Hyrcanus the high priest, under my father, {a} Caesar the emperor,  163 it seemed good to me and my counsellors, according to the sentence and oath of the people of Rome, that the Jews have liberty to make use of their own customs, according to the law of their forefathers, as they made use of them under Hyrcanus the high priest of the Almighty God; and that their sacred money be not touched, but be sent to Jerusalem, and that it be committed to the care of the receivers at Jerusalem; and that they be not obliged to go before any judge on the Sabbath day, nor on the day of the preparation to it, after the ninth hour, {b} 

Ignatius to the Trallians 9:2
Martyrdom of Polycarp 7:1
Didache 8:1

Authors Note: This chart shows the chronology described above. For those looking to search this out for yourself you will find Scriptural references provided for each event. I know this is a little different format than most are use to but it helped me organize the events in a way which allows me to take the New Testament events at face value in their most natural and plain reading.

Click on the Image to enlarge:

Yeshuas_Passover_Week1200_2014

For more on Yeshua’s Passover Week chronology please see the following articles:

* The 14th Sacrifice
* “The Feast Day”: Judas’ Betrayal
* Defiled on the “Passover”
* The “Preparation” Day
* The “3rd Day”

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The 14th Sacrifice

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Burnt_Offerings

Burnt Offerings

 

I’m continually thrilled by the Messianic symbolism YHWH has hidden in the Scripture for us to find. To me it’s the ultimate treasure hunt, with each new find bringing additional depth and beauty to our Creator’s plan of reconciliation for all mankind.

Burnt Offering Sacrifice

Click to Enlarge

Right up front I’ll admit my bias, I believe the Bible to be the inspired words of YHWH. When there are passages that don’t make any sense or seem down right funky I like to look a these parts as a wonderful puzzle to solve. A good example of what I am talking about is the order and number of sacrifices prescribed during the Biblical feast days. If you’ve read my article An Old Testament Enigma or The Messiah Factors you already know there is more to the arrangement of Old Testament sacrifices offered during the Feast of Tabernacles.

Since Passover 2014 is just days away I thought I would share a little bit different perspective on this wonderful Biblical holy day which is so symbolic of Yeshua’s sacrifice on our behalf.

I know many today hold to the belief that in order for Yeshua to fulfill the symbolic nature of this Biblical feast he had to be crucified at the same time as all the other “Passover” lambs on the 14th of Nisan. There are several reasons I do not hold this belief. The first, and most important reason is it would require me to take the gospel accounts at something other than face value and by doing so it needlessly confuses the rest of the Passover week chronology. The second, is that I think that holding this position does not allow us to see a greater symbolic picture which Yeshua fulfilled in regards to this Biblical feast day.

Let’s start with gospel accounts: 

Matthew 26:18-20 17 Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?…19 And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.  20 Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.

Mark 14:12-18   12 And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover?…. and they made ready the passover.  17 And in the evening he cometh with the twelve.  18 And as they sat and did eat,

Luke 22:8-15   8 And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat….  and they made ready the passover.  14 And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.  15 And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:

 John 13:1-2  Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.  2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him;

Taken at face value the above passages show that Yeshua ate the Passover supper with his disciples at the same time as the rest of Jerusalem. Some have used the passage in John 13 to claim that Yeshua kept a special teaching “supper” with his disciples before the real Passover supper. Matthew, Mark and Luke do not support this position. If you have read my article Even unto Even and the Exodus Day then you know the Scripture is perfectly clear that the Passover lambs are killed before “even” on the 14th which was just before sunset beginning the15th day of Nisan . (And the start of the 7 days of Unleavened Bread.)

 To avoid confusion I think it would be helpful here to define the two ways the term “passover” is used in the Bible. In the specific sense the Hebrew term pecach (Passover) comes from the Hebrew root pacach which means to “pass over”. In a majority of cases the term is used to designate the commemorative Passover supper as kept by the Israelites the night before they exited Egypt.

Exodus 12:11-13  11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the YHWH’S passover.  12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, …… and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

Yeshuas_Passover_Supper2014

Click to Enlarge

 As I showed in my article on the Exodus Day , Israel sacrificed the Passover lamb late on the 14th day of Nisan just before the 15th. Later that night (on the 15th) all Israel ate the Passover supper.

 The term Passover is also used in a more general sense to designate the entire 7 day Feast of Unleavened Bread. (The Passover “supper” beginning this 7 day feast.) Here are a couple of examples:

 Ezekiel 45:21   21 In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.

Luke 22:1 Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.

Josephus also shows that the term Passover was used to represent the entire 7 day Feast of Unleavened Bread. Ant. 14:21; Ant. 17:213; Ant. 18:29; Jwr. 2:10

 *    *    *

Even though the New Testament does not show that Yeshua was killed at the same time as the other Passover lambs there is a bigger picture related to the “Passover” that I think many are missing.

 First of all, the fact is the Passover lambs were not killed on the “feast day” proper. The Passover lambs were killed during the day of the 14th of Nisan just before sundown of the 15th. In my opinion and I think the Biblical record bears this out, both contextually and symbolically Yeshua had to be killed on the “feast day” proper (i.e. the 15th). Contextually the above gospel accounts show that Yeshua ate the Passover with his disciples as prescribed by the Law. This would place his death during the daytime hours of the 15th of Nisan about the same time as the sin atonement sacrifice was offered by the high priest.

The gospel accounts aside the apostle Paul’s in 1 Cor. 5:7-8 refers to Yeshua as “our passover” in the context of the feast of unleavened bread. Later in 1 Cor. 11:23-26 Paul shows that the “bread” and “cup” of the Passover supper kept by Yeshua and the disciples was, in Yeshua’s own words,  a symbol of the Messiah’s death and resurrection. As such this service should be kept in remembrance of Yeshua until he comes again.

 1 Corinthians 5:7-8  7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

 1 Corinthians 11:23-26   23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:  24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.  26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.

 I know some will argue that Paul’s reference above to Yeshua as our “passover” means that Yeshua had to be killed at the same time as the other “Passover” lambs. As I showed above, the term “Passover” is used in both a general and specific sense. In order to not contradict the gospel accounts the term “passover” in 1 Cor. 5 (above) must be understood in the general sense. Indeed, it was not until the 15th of Nisan that an sin atonement sacrifice was offered.

*    *    *

Yeshua_Garden_Geth For the sake of argument let’s take the gospel accounts at face value. Let’s assume that Yeshua did in fact eat the Passover supper with his disciples and the rest of Jerusalem during the early evening hours which began the 15th of Nisan. Later that night, still the 15th of Nisan, Yeshua took the disciples into the garden of Gethsemane to pray.

Now contrast this with the events of the Exodus Day. That very night about 1500 years earlier the blood on the doors posts of Israelites protected them from the angle of death. Yeshua that very same night shed his blood in “great drops” petitioning the Father. Instead of an angel sent to kill that night an angel was sent to strengthen.

 Luke 22:43-44   43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.  44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

 About the same time Israel was leaving Egypt with their “unleavened bread” upon their shoulders, Yeshua, the unleavened “bread of heaven”, bore (on His shoulders) a cross and the sins of mankind on his way to pay the righteous price for our reconciliation to our Creator.Yeshua_Bearing_Cross

 Exodus 12:34  34 And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading troughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.

 John 19:17-18  17 And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:  18 Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.

 Matthew 27:31-32   31 And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.  32 And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.

 *    *    *

 With the above chronology in mind let’s now consider the 1st day of Unleavened Bread in context of the sacrificial service. One of my secondary objections to Yeshua crucifixion on the 14th of Nisan is that the 14th of Nisan is not a miqra or “holy convocation”. Though the Passover lambs were killed on the 14th of Nisan their blood did not protect, nor was the sacrifice consumed by the Israelites until the night of the 15th (the feast day proper). For 1500 years before Yeshua and now almost 2000 years after both Jews and Gentiles have commemorate the 15th of Nisan as the day YHWH delivered Israel from the bondage of Egypt. As I have laid out above, a reasonable case can be made that Yeshua’s blood, that very same day, paid the price for mankind’s bondage to sin.

 *   *   *

As a final thought on the subject (for this article anyway) I would like to look at the sacrifices prescribed for the first day of Unleavened Bread as found in Numbers 28. 

 Numbers 28:17-23  17 And in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten.  18 In the first day shall be an holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work therein:  19 But ye shall offer a sacrifice made by fire for a burnt offering unto YHWH; two young bullocks, and one ram, and seven lambs of the first year: they shall be unto you without blemish:…. 22 And one goat for a sin offering, to make an atonement for you.  23 Ye shall offer these beside the burnt offering in the morning, which is for a continual burnt offering.

Numbers 28:3-4  3 And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto YHWH; two lambs of the first year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering. 4 The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even;

 In light of my articles on the Messiah Factors isn’t it fascinating to realize that 13 sacrifices are commanded to be made for this day. (2 bullocks, 1 ram, 7 lambs, 1 goat, and the 2 morning/evening continual burnt offering.) What’s even more, though the “Passover” lamb was killed on the 14th it’s purpose was not realized until the 15th of Nisan, thus making 13 sacrifices offered but 14 consumed on the feast day. Now how awesome is that? The Passover lamb was indeed a 14th sacrifice, and by its unique nature forever stamping the 15th of Nisan with the Messiah Factors .   

Passover Sacrifices 2014

 Authors Note: In subsequent articles I will explore some of the more controversial aspects of the chronology described above. Such as:

* The 14th Sacrifice
* “The Feast Day”: Judas’ Betrayal
* Defiled on the “Passover”
* The “Preparation” Day
* The “3rd Day”
*The Sign of Jonah

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The Exodus Day

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Moses-at-the-passage-of-the

Moses and the Red Sea – Poussin

You are probably wondering why I’d concern myself with writing about the day of the Exodus, especially when Numbers 33:3-8 spells it out so precisely:

And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians.  Numbers 33:3-8

 Truthfully, I like to explore these subjects simply because I enjoy trying to figure out the details of Biblical history, but in this case there is a lot more to the subject which intrigues me.

Overthrow-of-Pharoah-Red_Se

Destruction of Pharaoh’s Army – Poussin

First of all, I wondered if it was possible to ascertain not the day of the month of the Exodus but the day of week. I realize this is a theoretical exercise because YHWH didn’t give Moses instructions for 6 days of labor and a day of rest until after the Exodus. In fact it was not until the middle of the 2nd month, in the Land of Sin, that YHWH instructed Israel on the Sabbath cycle.
That being said I still wondered if we could not count the cycles retrospectively and still arrive a reasonable conclusion regarding the day of week upon which Israel left Egypt. After all, I figure that even though YHWH did not instruct Israel regarding the Sabbath cycle until after the Exodus, He did in fact set the example for 6 days of labor and one day of rest all the way back in Genesis. To my way of looking at it, if he had set this pattern up in the very beginning it was not beyond His abilities to later synchronize and continue that pattern at the Exodus.

The second reason this subject interests me is that the New Testament describes Yeshua’s (Jesus’) death and resurrection as a “shadow” picture of the Exodus events. John the Baptist testified that Yeshua was:

“The Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world”.  

The apostle Paul when describing Yeshua’s sacrificial atonement on our behalf stated: “
“So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.  For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.” Heb. 9:28-10:1

So if Yeshua’s death and resurrection is a “shadow” picture of the Exodus events, surely understanding the precise chronology of the Exodus might provide valuable context to the New Testament events.  With these interests in mind the following is what I believe is a reasonable outline of events based upon the Biblical record.

  1. Israel was commanded to kill the “Passover” lamb on the 14th day at “even”.  My article Even to Even explains that when the “even” of a day is mentioned it designates the end of that day and the beginning of the next. For example      when Lev. 23 mentioned the “ninth day at even” it was specifically designating the start of the 10th  day. In like manner the Exodus events show that the 14th day at “even” was in fact the start of the 15th day. I’ve included the passage from Exodus 12 at the end of this article.
  2. Israel was to eat the lamb in readiness to depart Egypt:
    And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is YHWH’s Passover.  For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night. Exo.12:11
  3. The Angel of Death passed over the land of Egypt that night. (the 15th)
    “And it came to pass, that at midnight YHWH smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt,…” Exo. 12:29
  4. The following morning all Israel departed Egypt. This was the 1st day of the feast of Unleavened Bread.
     And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to YHWH….  Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; ….And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; …And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt. Exo. 12

In summary, the above chronology clearly shows that Israel killed their Passover lambs on the 14th day at “even” just before sundown which began the 15th. The night beginning the 15th of Nisan they ate the Passover, leaving nothing of it until the morning, as they were commanded. When the morning of the 15th came, Israel, fully dressed, shod, and with much treasure from their Egyptian neighbors, departed Rameses.

And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the 15 day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians. Numbers 33:3-8 

*    *    *

Gathering-Manna

Gathering Manna – Poussin

Having established a reasonable chronology of the Exodus it is necessary to turn to Exodus 16 in order to establish a basis for the weekly Sabbath cycle.

 And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt. Exodus 16:1

After arriving in the land of Sin, one month after the Exodus, Israel was now fully aware of the reality of their new life. The certainty of servitude had been replaced with the uncertainty of a life which required faith.

 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:  3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of YHWH in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.  Exodus 16:2-3   

So YHWH sent them the “bread from heaven”. But the gift came with conditions. They were only allowed to gather the “manna” for 6 days. On the seventh day they were required to rest:

22 And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread….. And he said unto them, This is that which YHWH hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto YHWH: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning…. And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto YHWH: to day ye shall not find it in the field.  26 Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none. Exodus 16:22-26 

 So the people rested on the seventh day. Exo.16:30

In summary, Israel came into the land of Sin on the 15th day of the 2nd month. The following morning YHWH gave them “manna”. For 6 days they gathered this bread of heaven and rested on the 7th day. So the 16th day of the 2nd month was the 1st day of the week.

Now turning back to the Exodus chronology we can count these days of the weeks backwards to the 1st month.  By this reckoning the Passover lambs were killed just before sundown on the 5th day of the week (14th Nisan). A few hours later on the 15th of Nisan, the Feast of Unleavened Bread began with the Passover supper, thus beginning the 6th day of the week.

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The_Exodus_Day

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The Abomination of Epiphanes

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Recently Joel Richardson posted an interesting article entitled : Daniel 11:21-35: History or Future? In this article Joel explores the consensus opinion of scholars which claim that Daniel 11:21-35 applies to the historical Antiochus IV Epiphanes and Daniel 11:36-40 applies to a yet future Antichrist. I don’t intend  to explore his entire article here but one great point (of several) he made was concerning the “abomination which maketh desolate” mentioned in Daniel 11 & 12.

Joel’s main point is that the angel in Daniel 12, when speaking about the abomination of desolation, is explaining the events as described in Daniel 11. So by this premise either Daniel 11 & 12 both speak of Antiochus Epiphanes or they speak of some other event. In my opinion, Joel rightly observes that this has great implications for our understanding of the future Antichrist and the Abomination of Desolation. If you get a chance I believe his article is worth pursuing. (see link above).

Daniel 11:30-32 …….he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant. And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.

Daniel 12:11-12  11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.  12 Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.

*    *    *

 For those who would like to explore the subject a little deeper I would like to offer some additional historical context which lends support to Joel’s thesis. Historically speaking there are two main sources which scholars point to when they claim Antiochus Epiphanes was the character responsible for the Abomination of Desolation. Those sources are the book of Maccabees and Josephus’ Antiquities of the Jews.  Though the book of Maccabees describes the Abomination of Desolation, it does not specifically mention it in the context of Daniel’s prophecies. Josephus on the other hand explicitly states the events were a fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecies. I’ve reproduced the relevant passages below. It’s worth taking a moment to read. (I’ve abridged the passage for the sake of brevity)

1 Maccabees 1:54   Now the fifteenth day of the month Casleu, in the hundred forty and fifth year, they set up the abomination of desolation upon the altar, and builded idol altars throughout the cities of Juda on every side;

 1 Maccabees 4:36-56  Then said Judas and his brethren, ….. So he chose priests of blameless conversation, such as had pleasure in the law:  Who cleansed the sanctuary, and bare out the defiled stones into an unclean place…. Then they took whole stones according to the law, and built a new altar according to the former;  And made up the sanctuary, and the things that were within the temple, and hallowed the courts….. Now on the five and twentieth day of the ninth month, which is called the month Casleu, in the hundred forty and eighth year, they rose up betimes in the morning,   And offered sacrifice according to the law upon the new altar of burnt offerings, which they had made.  Look, at what time and what day the heathen had profaned it, even in that was it dedicated with songs, and citherns, and harps, and cymbals….

 Antiquities of the Jews 12:246-253   King Antiochus …. made an expedition against the city of Jerusalem; …. Now it came to pass, after two years, in the hundred forty and fifth year, on the twenty-fifth day of that month which is by us called Chisleu, and by the Macedonians Apellaios, in the hundred and fifty-third Olympiad, that the king came up to Jerusalem, and, pretending peace, he got possession of the city by treachery:….So he left the temple bare, and ….. he forbade them to offer those daily sacrifices which they used to offer to God, according to the Law. ….. And when the king had built an idol altar upon God’s altar, he slew swine upon it, and so offered a sacrifice neither according to the Law, nor the Jewish religious worship in that country.

 Antiquities of the Jews 12:319-326  So on the five and twentieth day of the month of Chisleu, which the Macedonians call Apellaios, they lit the lamps that were on the lampstand, and offered incense upon the altar [of incense], and laid the loaves upon the table [of showbread], and offered burnt offerings upon the new altar [of burnt offering].  320 Now it so happened, that these things were done on the very same day on which their divine worship had stopped, and was reduced to a profane and common use, after three years’ time; for so it was, that the temple was made desolate by Antiochus, and so continued for three years.  This desolation happened to the temple in the hundred forty and fifth year, on the twenty-fifth day of the month of Apellaios, and on the hundred fifty and third Olympiad: but it was dedicated anew, on the same day, the twenty-fifth of the month of Apellaios, on the hundred and forty-eighth year, and on the hundred and fifty-fourth Olympiad.  And this desolation came to pass according to the prophecy of Daniel, which was given four hundred and eight years before; for he declared that the Macedonians would stop that worship [for some time]…… And from that time to this we celebrate this festival, and call it Lights .

Antiquities of the Jews 10:272-276  Daniel wrote that he saw these visions in the plain of Susa; and he has informed us that God interpreted the appearance of this vision after the following manner….. and that from among them there should arise a certain king that should overcome our nation and their laws, and should take away their political government, and should spoil the temple, and forbid the sacrifices to be offered for three years’ time.”  And indeed it so came to pass, that our nation suffered these things under Antiochus Epiphanes, according to Daniel’s vision, and what he wrote many years before they came to pass. In the very same manner Daniel also wrote concerning the Roman government, and that our country should be made desolate by them.

The Jewish War 1:32 He also spoiled the temple, and put a stop to the constant practice of offering a daily sacrifice of expiation, for three years and six months.

 

So both the book of Maccabees and the Antiquities of the Jews indicate that the events of 168-165 BC were a fulfillment of the prophecy of Daniel.  I must admit the events described sure look like they fit the prophecy. Josephus even goes so far as to say that Antiochus Epiphanes “forbid the sacrifices” for “three years’ time” according to the vision of Daniel. Josephus must be given credit for his zeal to prove Daniel prophesied the events which befell Jerusalem under Antiochus Epiphanes but there is a problem with Josephus’ math.

The prophecy of Daniel 11 & 12 was not for 3 years time.  The prophecy was for 1290 days & 1335 days. Based upon a year of 365.24 days the 1290 days is equal to 3.53 years. Both the book of Maccabees and Josephus’ Antiquities state the cleansing of the Temple took place in the same month 3 years after the Abomination of Desolation.

A Biblical lunar/solar calendar in use during the 2nd temple era would have had only 354.36 days. Once every third year or so an intercalary month was added which made for a year of 383.89 days. So even if one of the years between 168-165 BC was an intercalary year, at the most there were only 1092.61 days between the Abomination of Desolation by Antiochus and the cleansing of the temple by Judas Maccabeus.

 Bottom line: Judas Maccabeus’ cleansing of the temple was about 200 days short of fulfilling the 1290 days as described in Daniel 12. While the heroics of Judas Maccabeus were of great historical importance to the Jewish people they are by no reasonable rendering of the chronological record a fulfillment of the prophecy of Daniel 11 & 12.

*    *    *

While I agree with Joel Richardson that the most reasonable rendering of Daniel 11 & 12 points to a yet future fulfillment, I think it only fair to note that no matter which type of calendar month one uses the 1290 or 1335 days does not equal the 42 months mentioned in the Book of Revelation.  The prophecy of Daniel 11 & 12 may run before, after, or during the 42 months of Revelation but it is a distinctly different period of time.

1290 & 1335 days

*    *    *

 I can’t help but mention one other statement by Josephus that I find ironic in light of today’s scholarship regarding the prophecies of Daniel.  As Joel Richardson noted in his article the “overwhelming majority of conservative commentaries” attribute the prophecy of Daniel 11:21-35 to Antiochus Epiphanes. This, as we have seen above, is in large part  based upon the historical account of Josephus in Ant. 10:272-276. Yet, those same scholars ignore the very same passage where it states the following:

Antiquities of the Jews 10:272-276  Daniel wrote that he saw these visions in the plain of Susa; ……….And indeed it so came to pass, that our nation suffered these things under Antiochus Epiphanes, according to Daniel’s vision, and what he wrote many years before they came to pass. In the very same manner Daniel also wrote concerning the Roman government, and that our country should be made desolate by them. 

Contextually the prophecy which “Daniel also wrote” could only be a reference to Daniel 9 and the 70 Weeks. It is the only prophecy of Daniel which could have been attributed to the Roman empire’s destruction of Jerusalem and Judea. After all, Josephus had witnessed its fulfillment first hand. Right or wrong, we have at least one Jewish eyewitness who believed the Roman desolation of Jerusalem was a fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy.

 Daniel 9:26   And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

For those who would like to dig a little deeper into the chronology of Josephus and the Maccabees the chart below might help. References for each date are provided. Click on the image below for a larger size image or  download a full PDF version at the following link Chronology of the Old Testament. (You’ll find the chronology  you are looking for on page 8.)

Red dates = BC
Yellow (center) = Seleucus era
Light blue = Olympiads
Gray = A.U.C. (Roman year)
White = Y.C. (year of Creation)

Judas-Maccabees-Chronology

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The Jubilee Code -
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Generational Comparative of the 2nd Temple Era

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If you’ve read any of the articles on my blog you know I have an interest in the 2nd temple era. Several years ago I read a book entitled Esther And Ahasuerus: An Identification Of The Persons So Named by Richard Edmund Tyrwhitt (1868). I acquired this two volume work through a rare book service. Mr. Tyrwhitt’s premise was that Esther’s king had been misidentified by historians as Xerxes when if fact her true king was Darius “the Great”. This intrigued me and I set out to see if in fact the Biblical case was as strong as Mr. Tyrwhitt indicated. My articles Queen of Persia: Part I & Queen of Persia: Part II are a result of that research. In short, I found that Darius “the Great” Artaxerxes was in fact the most reasonable choice (from a Biblical perspective) for Esther’s king. When the reign of Darius is understood within the context of Esther, Daniel, Joshua, Zerubbabel, Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai and Zachariah, the entire 2nd temple era takes on new significance. (For more on the Biblical hero’s above just click on their name – linked in blue.)

For those who would like to better understand this great era in Persian and Jewish history I have reproduced a chart showing a generational comparative of the Egyptian, Babylonian, Media, Persian, and Judean kings in relation to Hadassah, Mordecai and the priests of Judah.  This chart helped me wrap my mind around the chronology of this era. For those who share my love of Biblical history I thought you might find this helpful in your own research.

Please note that this chart is based in part upon one first produced by Mr. Tyrwhitt in his book mentioned above. I have made several modifications to reflect what I believe to be a more accurate rendering of Ezra and Nehemiah’s chronology. I hope you enjoy the chart!

(Click on the chart to enlarge)

Generational_Comparative800

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The Jubilee Code -
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Nehemiah: The Governor

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Authors Note: This article is part of an ongoing series on the 2nd temple era chronology as it relates to the prophecy of Daniel’s Seventy Weeks.

Nehemiah: The Governor

In 520 BC YHWH gave Joshua and Zerubbabel  a “commandment to restore and build Jerusalem.” (See my article Fifth Command for more information on the subject.)  Four years later the temple in Jerusalem was completed but very little progress had been made in building the walls of the ancient citadel.  The remnant of people who dwelt there was still being harassed by their enemies.

Back in Shushan, the winter palace of the Persian Kings, a Judean captive named Nehemiah was the cupbearer to king “Artaxerxes”. Nehemiah heard of the plight of his brethren in Jerusalem and set out to do something about it. After pouring his heart out to YHWH in prayer, Nehemiah petitioned king Artaxerxes to allow him to go up and repair the walls of Jerusalem. Artaxerxes granted his request and we learn later that Nehemiah also became governor (Tirshatha) of Jerusalem.

Most scholars today identify the Persian “Artaxerxes” in the book of Nehemiah as Artaxerxes Longimanus.  If you have read my articles the Artaxerxes Assumption, or Ezra: Priest & Scribe you know why this identification is without a reasonable basis in the Biblical record. A close look at the information provided in the book of Nehemiah further adds to that conclusion.

In Nehemiah 5:14, it states that Nehemiah was appointed governor from the 20th to the 32nd year of “Artaxerxes”.  This information allows us to limit our search for Nehemiah’s “Artaxerxes” to three Persian kings because only three ruled 32 years or longer than. Those kings are Darius, Longimanus, and Memnon. (Memnon ruled 46 yrs. but is not included in the list below. His rule commenced after Darius Nothus)
    Persian Rulers                     

So which of these three Persian kings provides a reasonable basis to claim he is the “Artaxerxes” of Nehemiah?  There are several pieces of evidence in the book of Nehemiah which give us the answer so let’s take a look:

  1. In Nehemiah 1:1 we find Nehemiah in the Shushan palace.  For those familiar with the book of Esther you know that Shushan was the palace of Esther’s King. In my articles on the Queen of Persia I showed that in the most reasonable rendering of the Biblical evidence, Esther was the Queen of Darius Hystaspes, king of 127 provinces. This premise is further strengthened by an unusual statement in Neh. 2:6 (Artaxerxes is addressing Nehemiah)And the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return?
  2. Nehemiah 12:25-26 shows a contemporaneous relationship between the porters and Joiakim (son of Jeshua the high priest), Nehemiah, and Ezra. This is important, because this places Nehemiah as a first generation contemporary of those who returned under the mandate of Cyrus in 536 BC.Nehemiah 12:25-26  2Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub, were porters keeping the ward at the thresholds of the gates.  These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the priest, the scribe.
  3. Nehemiah 12:47 links the governorships of Zerubbabel and Nehemiah and their ministrations to the singers and porters.Nehemiah 12:47 – 13:1  47 And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the porters, every day his portion: and they sanctified holy things unto the Levites; and the Levites sanctified them unto the children of Aaron.
  4. In Nehemiah 8 it describes the celebration of the first Feast of Tabernacles which took place after the wall was finished. (21st year of Artaxerxes) The text identifies those who partook:Nehemiah 8:17   17 And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel done so. And there was very great gladness.

    Notice it says “them that were come again out of the captivity”. The most reasonable reading of this implies these people were the same generation as those who came up with Joshua and Zerubbabel in 536 BC.  This places them as the contemporary of Darius Hystaspes also known as Artaxerxes.
  5. Further supporting the above is the lists of Nehemiah 10 & 12. In Nehemiah 12 it lists the priests and Levites “chiefs of their fathers” who came up out of the captivity with Joshua and Zerubbabel by the decree of Cyrus in 536 BC.  Nehemiah 10 lists many of those same priests and Levites as still alive in the 21st year of “Artaxerxes”.

So which is the more reasonable explanation? These men were (at their youngest) 65-75 years old during the reign of Darius Hystaspes or they were (at their youngest) 122-132 years old during the reign of Artaxerxes Longimanus.  Only one of these options does not strain the bounds of credibility.  Please see the chart below for comparison.

Nehemiah_10&12

In summary, it is clear that Nehemiah and Ezra were contemporaries of Darius Hystaspes, also known as Artaxerxes.  Any other rendering of the chronology requires one to ignore the most reasonable and natural reading of the book of Nehemiah.

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"A book that will change how you look at the Bible's Messianic Symbolism."

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Book 2
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Daniel's 70 Weeks -
"A book that will forever change how you understand the Bible's greatest Messianic prophecy."

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The Jubilee Code -
"A book that will show you real Biblical evidence for Yahweh's guiding in hand history bringing about His redemptive plan for mankind."

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More Articles related to the prophecy of 70 Weeks and 2nd temple era chronology:
The “Artaxerxes” Assumption – The best kept secret of Old Testament chronology.
The Fifth Command – Why do prophecy teachers ignore it?
Ezra: Priest & Scribe – Part I – Defining “Artaxerxes” in the context of Ezra.
Ezra: Priest & Scribe – Part II – Ezra, Darius even “Artaxerxes”.
Nehemiah: The Governor– Nehemiah’s place in the 2nd temple chronology
Queen of Persia – Part I – Defining Esther is the context of the 2nd Temple era.
Queen of Persia – Part II – Defining Esther is the context of the 2nd Temple era.
A New Testament Cipher – The key to unlocking the prophecy of Daniel’s 70 Weeks.
Ezekiel’s 13th Month– Key to understanding Biblical “time” in the 2nd Temple era
6 milestones – Seventy Weeks – Defining the purpose of the Messiah within Daniel’s 70 “weeks”.
The Messiah Factors (Part I): Decoding 13 & 14 – Symbolism of the Messiah
The Messiah Factors (Part II): The Countdown – Proving Yeshua/Jesus is the Messiah promised in Daniel 9.

 

The 1st Jubilee

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As a student of Biblical history and ancient chronology there are few subjects more elusive and intriguing to me than the Sabbath and Jubilee cycles in the Bible. The following article is part of my research into the Jubilee and Sabbath cycles.  It might surprise some of you to learn that the 1st Jubilee mentioned in the Scripture was a jubilee of days.

As with other of my articles which have graphics and charts I have reproduced this in a series of pictures.  If you need it larger for reading you can use (Ctrl +) or just click on each image.  I hope you enjoy the article. – William Struse

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The 13th Enumeration
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Daniel's 70 Weeks -
"A book that will forever change how you understand the Bible's greatest Messianic prophecy."

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The Jubilee Code -
"A book that will show you real Biblical evidence for Yahweh's guiding in hand history bringing about His redemptive plan for mankind."

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