“Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem …” (Daniel 9:25a).

One of the great fascinations of most prophetic books is the amazing number of time-related prophecies. A riveting study comes when examining the meaning of this time-driven verse.

In a dual command Daniel was asked to know and understand. This was not to be a sealed message. It was fully open, and each detail conveys a specific truth. When Gabriel arrived from heaven he said he came to give skill and understanding (vs 22) to the mareh vision (vs 23). Now he makes it clear – “Don’t miss what I’m about to tell you.” That includes us also: “Know therefore.”

It is almost without precedence that God tells us what must be done to spiritually synchronize with heaven’s timetable – that 490 years is mankind’s time period to come into full compliance with heaven. A timeless God has given to man timed boundaries. God and man are to partner inside of those boundaries. The 70 weeks-of-years is God’s final response period given to mankind. It is a time of probation set within ten Jubilee cycles. We will discover an amazing story of how this was temporarily put on hold for a time, called the tarrying time, and what starts the timeclock again at the appointed time.

What was to be restored?

This heaven-ordained block of time is to start at the command to “restore” and “build” Jerusalem. This all sounds easy and appears to be a history-driven point in time – but there are challenges. First, we need to understand several words – “restore,” “build” and “Jerusalem.” They are the object of the command or decree. In the immediate context Jerusalem (Yeruwshalaim) refers to the city that had been destroyed. This is the object of restore and build. Is this a reference to a physical restoration of Jerusalem?

Gabriel gave the 70-week probation to “your people and your holy city.” Is a destroyed city going on probation? In prophecy the temple, sanctuary and Jerusalem are often used metaphorically to represent God’s people and His church. Daniel’s prayer has already alluded to this. Up to this point, Daniel 9 has been fully focused on spiritual restoration. Why would God tie a secular, asset-driven decree to the beginning of eternal issues? He wouldn’t – and that is important to know and understand. That decree must include a spiritual restoration command. That is what the previous verse was all about.

The Hebrew word for “restore” is shuwb, used in many ways throughout the Old Testament. Its most important use relates to the restoration of a covenant community. It denotes a returning to the Lord in a sense of repentance, turning from evil and towards good. It also conveys a meaning of returning from exile. Isn’t that amazing? God’s people have been in bondage – in exile. The decree must show that they are released to return to the Lord. Again, that is exactly what the previous verse meant.

The Hebrew word for “build” (banah) usually means to construct a physical structure. But throughout the Old Testament it is repeatedly used as a metaphor for God building up His kingdom, His nation and Israel. Again, the decree that Gabriel talks about must include a spiritual restoration command.

Daniel knew that the 70 literal years of captivity were coming to a close. He had been earnestly studying Jeremiah, Isaiah and Chronicles. Something dramatic would soon occur in answer to his prayer regarding the end of that prophecy. Gabriel, however, is drawing his attention to a wider scene – one that encompasses moral issues. The eternal beauties of glory must be opened up to God’s people. A wider spiritual scene is being unfolded upon their release from bondage. This must be grasped! A scene that transcends ancient Israel and her land to the time of the Messiah, even far beyond when a spiritual Israel looks forward to the heavenly promised land – when the New Jerusalem becomes His bride.

The decree to restore and build Jerusalem is a command to return to God and restore the everlasting covenant with God’s people. Then they would become holy – and that is what Daniel and Revelation are ultimately all about.

Civil Decrees to Help Israel

“From the going forth of the commandment …” (Daniel 9:25). Much conflict occurs between Bible scholars as to which decree or commandment should be honored (there were many given). This word, “commandment” or dabar, must convincingly establish a date to prevent fracturing the 70 weeks-of-years prophecy.

Long before Daniel’s time (590 B.C.) and the exile, the Lord revealed to Isaiah details of Israel’s deliverance from Babylon.

“Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself; … That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof: … 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. Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; … I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts” (Isaiah 44:24, 25, 28; 45:1, 13).

Isaiah’s fascinating prophecy even assumed Jerusalem and the temple would be destroyed long before the exile. A rescuer whom God called His anointed (mashiah) or chosen one was a worshiper of the pagan God Marduk. Yet he, Cyrus, would be instrumental in having God’s people “come out of Babylon.”

Some time before the exile (627 B.C.) Jeremiah warned that out of the north an evil will break upon “the inhabitants of the land” (Jeremiah 1:14). Later (610 B.C.), he told Judah that they had broken the covenant with God and this evil would come upon them. Finally, around 605 B.C. he prophesied that Nebuchadnezzar – “my servant” – would take them captive for 70 years, after which Babylon would be forever desolate.

It was noted in II Chronicles 36:21-23 that after the land “enjoyed her Sabbaths,” at the end of the 70 years prophesied by Jeremiah, Cyrus, king of Persia, would make a proclamation (qol) in writing to build the temple in Jerusalem. That prophecy was written during a time when the Babylonian king had already started exploits against Jerusalem (approximately 609 B.C.). It refers to the same prophecy as Isaiah above.

Cyrus’ decree was not made until 538 B.C, 71-72 years later. “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem. And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem” (Ezra 1:1-4).

In that decree the vessels of the “house of the Lord” were returned and the temple was to be built.

Could this be the dabar Gabriel was referring to? Since this related to the 70 years of Daniel’s exile, it could not be the 490 years Gabriel was referring to. Neither would his message “from the Lord” be apropos as the “commandment” for restoration.

That conclave that returned to Palestine at the end of the literal 70 years numbered 50,000, with Cyrus appointing Zerubbabal as head and Joshua as high priest. They had long been deprived of visible tokens of God’s presence but now built an altar on the old site of the daily burnt offering. This brought deep conviction to the people of God’s leadings. This began one period of restoration[1] – but was incomplete to the prophecy.

The fulfillment of this decree was so vital that Satan resisted the efforts so mightily that Gabriel was obstructed in dealing with the prejudiced mind of Cyrus until Jesus Himself came to change the course of the battle (Daniel 10:15). The 538 B.C. decree fulfilled prophecy for the exiles to return and begin rebuilding their homeland. The prophets Haggai and Zechariah were raised to help direct the minds and efforts of the people.

Because of the continued harassment from Judah’s neighbors, especially the Samaritans, the Jewish leaders appealed to Darius Hystaspes, now ruler of the Medo-Persian Empire. He asked a question, “Who commanded you to build this house; and to make up these walls?” (Ezra 5:9). Darius I found and reviewed Cyrus’ decree and issued another (approximately 515 B.C.) (Ezra 6:1, 6-12). The temple was finally completed in Darius I’s sixth year (vs 15). Was this the decree (dabar) or judgment that Gabriel was referring to? Surely importance must be given to this decree because that temple would be where the Messiah would appear (Haggai 2:9, 7).

Around this time (515 B.C.), God, through Zechariah (2:1-5), again made it clear that Jerusalem was to be rebuilt.

Then comes Xerxes (Ahasuerus), of the story of Esther’s fame, and his successor Artaxerxes I (Artaxerxes Longimanus). Under very favorable influences, Ezra asked this king to permit him and his people to return to Jerusalem. Another decree (457 B.C.) was given to Ezra. This was very different from the previous two decrees. Ezra was given special powers, a system of government was to be established, everything was to be done “according to the law of thy God” (7:14, 26), and “the God of heaven” was acknowledged as supreme (vs 23). Was this the decree that Gabriel was referring to?

Another commandment presented itself from Artaxerxes I. Nehemiah received word (444 B.C.) that many of the Judean Jews were in great affliction and the walls in Jerusalem had not yet been built and the city gates had been burned. Nehemiah presented the problem to the king. In his request he made it clear that the city “lieth in waste” (hareb) – desolation and ruin (Nehemiah 2:17).

Through a series of letters from the king, Nehemiah was given safe passage. Also, he was provided a royal escort. Under his leadership the wall was rebuilt (Nehemiah 6:15). Nehemiah set up rulers over Jerusalem. Then the people fasted and repented, and a great revival took place, and the Levites were reestablished as spiritual leaders. Were the letters of 444 B.C. the commandment to restore Jerusalem?

Which Decree Should We Choose?

How were the Jews to know when the time was to begin? It would indicate when the Messiah would appear. Gabriel’s initial challenge was for them to be fully cognizant of the commandment (dabar) – the authoritative word that would encompass the restoration (shub) or spiritual revival. That was when the covenant relationship was permanently developed with Jerusalem (Yeruwshalaim) – God’s people. Only one decree formally addressed the spiritual issues. The others were clearly physical restorative commands. Artaxerxes I’s decree went way beyond the physical restoration to include the resumption of the theocratic rule with Israel. They were decreed to be once again God’s people.

At the time of Ezra’s arrival with a large retinue of Jewish captives from Babylon, he was told that many leaders of Judah had intermarried with the heathen nations. With deep earnestness he confessed and repented of Israel’s sins (Ezra 9). All the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves in Jerusalem, confessed their sins and put away their strange wives and their children by them.

This brought to Israel a major revival. It reversed a behavior that had originally contributed to the Babylonian captivity over 70 years before.

“This was the beginning of a wonderful reformation…. Wherever Ezra labored, there sprang up a revival in the study of the Holy Scriptures.”[2]

Of all four decrees, only the one given in 457 B.C. embodied within the decree the reestablishment of a theocratic form of government, the appointment of spiritual leaders and the requirement that all must obey God. This was even established upon threat of death if not
followed.

Thus, no decree fits the declaration of Gabriel except that of Artaxerxes I in 457 B.C. It is a spiritual issue – not one of building assets!

In the next chapter we will begin to analyze why the 70 weeks-of-years was broken up into numerical divisions. That had great spiritual meaning to God’s people then, as it does to us today.