THE SEVENTY WEEKS Since Daniel had great love for his people, and even to all humanity, God granted him wisdom, understanding and the gift of prophecy. He interpreted the dreams for the kings, as well as the visions pertaining to the future of the whole world. Now in his old age, as he noticed that God had promised the return of God’s people from captivity after seventy years, as mentioned in the book of Jeremiah, he started asking God, with humility, to forgive his people. God granted Daniel the vision of the seventy weeks in which He revealed to him not only the return of the people to Jerusalem, but also the return of the entire human race to the divine bosom. He determined to him the time for the divine incarnation and the offering of the unique Sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. This prophecy was to redress the Jewish misinterpretations, for the Jews thought that after the captivity they would establish a Jewish glorious kingdom. However, the Word Incarnated was coming to establish a kingdom by His Self- Sacrifice to grant the believers’ inner glory and not a temporary kingdom. 1. Daniel studies the prophecies 1-2 2. Daniel a man of prayer 3-19 3. The prayer answered 20-23 4. The vision of the seventy weeks 24-27 1. DANIEL STUDIES THE PROPHECIES “In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the lineage of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of Chaldeans” (1). The events of this chapter took place after the fall of Babylon, in the first year of the reign of King Darius, the son of Ahasuerus, around the year 537 B.C. according to the historian Zenofon. Only one year before Cyrus allowed the Jews to go back to Jerusalem. The name Ahasuerus was common at that time among the kings of Persia and Media. “Was made king,” means that Darius did not become king because of his own integrity, but because he received this kingdom from Cyrus, his nephew and his son-inlaw. “In the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the Lord through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem” (2). Daniel appears not only as a prophet, but also as one who studies prophecies (Jer. 25: 9-11; 29: 10; 31: 38; 2 Chron 36: 21). He studies the word of God and the prophecies and mingles his study with his prayers. He prays three times a day, and his study was not to fulfill mental sensation or to satisfy his curiosity, but rather to enjoy the promises of God. Daniel grew old and retired. He spent about 69 years in the captivity from year 606 B.C. to 537 B.C. (until the moment of this vision). However, his heart did not grow old nor did he quit God’s work as a man of God, but as time passed, he was filled with power and hope in God’s true promises. That is why Daniel resorted to the Holy Bible to find in it the treasure of these promises. He mingled his study of the Holy Bible with the ascetic life, prayer with contrition before God. “I, Daniel, understood by the books” (2): Some liberal critics think that the word “books” in the Hebrew language means that Daniel was speaking of a perfect law that governs the books of the Old Testament, however, they also think that this law was not 183 established until the second century before Christ. The critics say that they founded their opinion on the beliefs of the past three centuries; however, the scientific studies and the research have annulled these thoughts based on the following: First, the prophets did not write their books to hide them, but on the contrary, people used to learn by heart what was written in the books of the prophets even before they were written because the Holy Spirit revealed the contents of the books to the people. Second, these books were assembled in the temple by the people especially the prophets and the scholars of religion. The original copy was put in the temple, and other copies were put in the synagogues, which were built for the Jewish worship as a temporary substitute of the temple. All what was written before Daniel, he had a copy of it1. 2. DANIEL A MAN OF PRAYER When Daniel opened the Holy Bible and discovered the treasures of the heavenly promises, he realized that enjoying these treasures require prayers mingled with fasting, humility and contrition. This chapter revealed Daniel’s personality as a man of prayer. In his prayer we get the picture of a living man in the presence of God. We notice in his prayers here the following: a. Prayer as a lively meeting with God: When Daniel realized that he was not ready spiritually for God’s promises, he prayed to God confessing his sins and confessing God’s righteousness (3-14). Thus, Daniel admits that he is awaiting God’s divine work, not because he deserves it or even his people do i.e. .not due to human righteousness [18]. “Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes” (3). To Daniel, prayer was not a matter of routine or a duty he has to perform but rather a pleasure to see God’s face, for he said, “I set my face toward the Lord God.” He enters into dialogue with God with the spirit of love and humility. Thus he fulfilled what Solomon the wise man had said on the inauguration day of the temple: “When they sin against You (for there is no one who does not sin). and You become angry with them and deliver them to the enemy, and they take them captive to the land of the enemy, far or near; yet when they come to themselves in the land where they were carried captive, and repent, and make supplication to You in the land of those who took them captive, saying, ‘We have sinned and done wrong, we have committed wickedness; and when they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who led them away captive, and pray to You toward their land which You gave to their father, the city which You have chosen and the temple which I built for Your name; then hear in heaven Your dwelling place their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause” (I kings 8: 46-49). b. Daniel did not weaken his faith regarding God’s promises. Daniel asked God, with sackcloth and ashes, to fulfill His promises, not because he lacked the faith about what will happen in the future, but rather to avoid the danger of heedlessness which creates rebellion against God2.] St. Jerome . 1 القس عبد المسیح بسیط أبو الخیر: إعجاز الوحي والنبوة في سفر دانیال، ص 62 2 PL 25:678. 184 c. The feeling of a personal relationship with God: Daniel said and repeated, “The Lord my God” (4, 20). He was confessing his sins and the sins of the people, nevertheless he did not approach God with fear but with trust and confidence in God, his personal Friend, who keeps His promises. “And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said, “O Lord great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments” (4). And I prayed, “O Lord great and awesome God” meaning that You God are awesome to those who neglect Your commandments1. St. Jerome d. Daniel felt that he is sharing the sins of his people: He does not blame them alone but he blames himself with them. He presents the subject of his prayer and confession by mingling the greatness of the awesome God and His mercy with the confession of his sins and the sins of his people. He started his prayer by glorifying God for His surpassing care of His people. Daniel knew that God fulfills His promises to those who keep His commandments. The Bible links between God’s covenant and His divine promises, for the covenant is based on His mercies. A believer feels that God is faithful in His promises, but the believer has to prepare himself to enjoy God’s promises and mercies, by declaring his faith and trust in God and at the same time confessing his sins. “God is faithful, by whom You were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Cor 1: 9). “God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able…” (1 Cor 10: 13). “But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one” (2 Thess 3: 3). “We have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments” (5). While Daniel keeps confessing his sins, he declares that what had happened to him and his people was due to their sins. The captivity was a just chastening because of their rebellion. They cannot complain about the brutality of the enemy who made them captive and about all the financial losses and shame. St. Jerome said: [Daniel looked at the sins of the people as though he is the one who committed them, because he considered himself one of them. The same applies to St. Paul in his epistle to the Romans2.] When we approach God by confessing our sin, we have to feel that we are guilty and that we are pleading to win His mercy and love. In his confession, Daniel used more than one expression, from these: “We have sinned”: this is associated with the word “Satan,” for the nature of Satan is to sin. When we sin, we reject God’s fatherhood and we admit that we are children of Satan. As the Lord Jesus said to the Jews, “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do” (John 8: 44). “And committed iniquity,” meaning that we committed lawlessness. “We have done wickedly,” that is our behavior became inappropriate. 1 PL 25:678. 2 PL 25:678-679. 185 “And rebelled,” rebellion is worse than sin, for it is considered defiance to God’s commandment and His judgments. Rebellion is rejection to the divine light, as David the Psalmist said, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps 119: 105).“ Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our princes, to our fathers and all the people of the land” (6). Daniel did not justify sin, but on the contrary he justified God’s chastening to His people. God had warned them through His prophets, however they all have committed sin, from the leaders to the people. “O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face, as it is this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those near and those far off in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of the unfaithfulness which they have committed against You” (7). Since they all fell under God’s wrath, yet God is righteous in His wrath, they deserved the shame of face that is confessing their sins before Him. As St. Paul said, “Let God be true but every man a liar, as it is written, ‘That You may be justified in Your words and may overcome when You are judged’” (Rom 3: 4). We cannot glorify God, while we are committing sins falling under His chastisement, until we confess our sins and realize the wisdom of God in chastising us. By saying “Those near and those far,” Daniel meant the people of Judah and the people of Israel, but there were more people from Israel scattered and captured than from Judah. They were expelled from their land because of their treason, so it is appropriate for them to confess their sins in shame of face. “O Lord, to us belongs shame of face, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers because we have sinned against You. To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him” ( 8-9). Daniel continues confessing his sins and the sins of his people before God. The kings and the leaders deserved the shame of face because it was written in the book of Isaiah: “From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but wounds and bruises and putrefying sores; they have not been closed or bound up, or soothed with ointment” (Is 1: 6). “We have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets. Yes, all Israel has transgressed Your law, and has departed so as not to obey Your voice; therefore the curse and the oath written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against Him” (10-11). Israel has committed two major transgressions: 1. Disobedience to God’s Law, which was clearly evident among them. God has manifested His righteousness, His will, His commandments plainly through His Law, which made the people deserving a double punishment when they disobeyed. 2. Inattention to the voice of the prophets who had warned them. Daniel did not try to justify the people’s error, but He emphasized God’s faithfulness in His promises. Once more, he emphasized that it was communal transgression for which God’s wrath was poured on all the people. He mentioned the word poured or “tittach” which is used in melting metals and pouring it on the bodies of criminals. Thus, was the feeling of the captives because they were deprived of their 186 temple and their country. Their souls were bitter when God chastised them. However, God has warned them since He chose Moses their first leader, therefore, they had no excuse! Daniel considered every transgression directed toward God Himself. (11). St. Jerome commented on this expression by saying: [‘The curse …have been poured on us’ meaning do not pour on us all Your wrath for we cannot endure it, but pour only a drop of Your wrath so that we may return to You when we fall into Your snare1.] “And He has confirmed His words, which He spoke against us and against our judges who judged us, by bringing upon us a great disaster, for under the whole heaven such has never been done as what has been done to Jerusalem. (12). Moses the prophet foretold all the chastisement that befell God’s people. God had previously warned not only the people but also the judges, for no one is above the divine Law. No one can brag before God, and no one can escape the divine chastisement, no matter how high his position is, or whether he holds a religious or carnal position. The leaders were given authority from God, but within the limits of His Law and will. The authority granted to them cannot cover their sins and does not protect them from the chastisement. The captivity years were as long as 70 years, however the people did not move to repent or to accept the divine truth. God has chosen Jerusalem as His holy city, but when it sinned and rebelled and did not repent, God has vigorously chastised the people (12). “As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us; yet we have not made our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities and understand Your truth” (13). Daniel admits that God has chastised them, yet they have not benefited from that chastisement for the following reasons: I. They have not pleaded God. They indeed have prayed whether individually or as a group, but these were superficial prayers with hypocrisy, for their hearts were not lifted up to heaven nor were they in true dialogue with God. Their prayers did not come out of a living faith or of a true repentance. II. They did not repent, thus they didn’t meet with the Divine God, and He didn’t hear their prayers. III. They did not understand God’s truth, for they abided by human wisdom and ignored God’s wisdom. The whips of the chastisement did not drive them to wisdom, but rather they remained in their foolishness, by saying, “That we might turn from our iniquities and understand your truth” (13). He links between the holy life and the true faith or the divine truth, as well as he links between the evil behavior and the deviation from the truth. St. Jerome said, [Consider God’s Truth is equal to repenting from evil2.] Daniel connects between prayer or supplication to God and repenting from sin and enjoying the divine wisdom and truth. “Therefore the Lord has kept the disaster in mind, and brought it upon us; for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works which He does, though we have not obeyed His voice” (14). “Has kept” this verb means the alertness of the mind and it is used with the guards who are awake night and day to guard the cities. All the disasters that had happened were 1 PL 25:678-679. 2 PL 25:678-679. 187 not done haphazardly, but God who guards the soul and who cares for her salvation allows the disaster, or what we may think is evil, to happen. He was very patient for many generations, though He may appear to be severe, and in due time allowed the captivity for the chastisement of His people. Whenever we are rebuked for our sins, God keeps an eye on us and chastises us. But when God forsakes us, then we are not worthy of His chastisement, as if He is asleep and not paying any attention to us, as it is written in the Psalms, “God arises as though He was asleep…” (Ps 78) 1.] St. Jerome Daniel confirmed in this book that all the tribulations we meet in life are not done haphazardly, but according to the providence of God the Almighty, lest we deprive God of His surpassing care for His creation and misunderstand His might and justice. During our tribulation, he emphasizes that God is “our Lord” who cares for us. We have to hear His voice and understand His plan and doctrines, not only through the commandments but also through His chastisement and his permission for suffering! He takes us into the school of chastisement and reveals to us the philosophy of suffering! “And now, O Lord our God, who brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and made Yourself a name, as it is this day, we have sinned, we have done wickedly!” (15). Daniel the prophet confessed his sins and the sins of his people, as well as he admitted that they were justly chastened, which revealed his confidence that God is the Savior of his people. He remembered the experience of God’s salvation from the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and now He can take them out from Babylon to glorify His holy name. Daniel believed that God who worked in the past is still working in the present. “O Lord, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people are a reproach to all those around us” (16). We deserve death because of our multiple evils and sins, yet Your righteousness and mercies are innumerable, therefore, we ask for all Your righteousness. As we boldly approach the throne of Your mercy, may You turn away Your wrath from Your city which You like, and from Your holy mountain which You have chosen and where we offer acceptable sacrifices, so we may be sanctified. “Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and His supplications and for the Lord’s sake cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary, which is desolate” (17). Daniel is asking God to prove His reconciliation by shining His face on them. He did not ask God to allow him to rebuild the temple, which was destroyed, but to shine His face on the sanctuary, for God’s house is not built by stones but by His dwelling with them and His satisfaction with His people. He concludes his prayer by asking God to speedily interfere, not because he deserves it but because of His grace. He did not ask God’s mercy for his sake, nor for the sake of Israel, but for the sake of God Himself to glorify His name. Daniel could not 1 PL 25:679 A,B. 188 present anything to God to justify enjoying His mercies, but saw God the Lover who bountifully gives everyone. All His mercy (16), for God’s mercy is great (18). and abundant which forgives all our iniquities. “For the sake of the city of God, His holy mountain” (16), which became a reproach because of our sins. Here, the feelings of Daniel are clearly evident in a way that shows how bitter he was because he was deprived of the city of God and the holy sanctuary. “For the Lord’s sake” (17), that is for the sake of God Himself. “For His name,” which was called on the people and on the city. “O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies. O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name” (18-19). Daniel does not ask God to hear him and see the desolation, but rather to incline His ear and to open His eyes and see. When we sin we feel as though God is ignoring us, that He shuts His ears so that He does not hear us and closes His eyes so that He may not see us. But we implore Him saying: “We need You to cleave to us before You hear and see. We want You to incline Your ear as a kind Father who listens to his young child. Open Your eyes with love so that our souls may rest in You. We want You and only You! May You come close to us for we are in dire need of You.” St. Jerome says, [When He turns His face it seems we are not worth the care of His eyes or ears1.] During the time of the captivity, the people felt as though God has forsaken them, and that He does not hear them. Here, Daniel asks God for His mercies and His immediate forgiveness. Daniel pleaded with God to forgive His people, like Moses who interceded for his people. He did not justify himself but felt his part of responsibility as a member of the community and that he has an important role to fulfill. The book did not mention any personal sins, which Daniel may have committed, but still he wanted to repent with all the people, for he said, “I confess my sin and the sin of my people” (20). Daniel was a man of prayer therefore he enjoyed the following blessings: 1. The Son of Man appeared to him several times: (7: 13; 8: 15; 10: 5-9), when all the nations were longing for one appearance. 2. He was the only one who saw heavenly visions, for he said, “And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision; but a great terror fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. Therefore I was left alone when I saw this great vision…” (10: 7-8). 3. Daniel enjoyed the company of the archangel Gabriel, who received the command from the Son of Man to interpret to Daniel the mysteries of His first and Second Coming and His act of salvation (8: 16; 9: 21; 11: 1). Also the archangel gave Daniel strength (10: 9). 1 PL 25:680. 189 4. Daniel was called “greatly beloved” (9: 23; 10: 11,19), to prove that he is the one whom God desires and is pleased with. 3. THE ANSWER OF THE PRAYER “Now while I was speaking, praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God” (20). St. Augustine used to count on this verse in answering the followers of Pelagius and Coelestius who ignored the divine grace and relied mostly on the human strife. St. Augustine emphasized that there is not one single righteous person who does not need God’s mercies. According to the Holy Bible, Daniel did not commit any sin and Ezekiel witnessed that he was one of the three righteous persons in the world, Job, Noah and Daniel (Ezek.14: 14). who supplicated God with a contrite heart to forgive his sins. How about us? The Lord Jesus Christ has taught His disciples to ask for the forgiveness of their sins more than once through the Lord’s Prayer. Therefore, whoever thinks that he does not need the forgiveness of his sins has isolated himself from the teachings of the Lord Himself. St. Jerome said: [Daniel did not only think of the people’s sins, but also of his sins, being one of the people. Though he did not commit any personal sins, yet he wanted to win God's forgiveness by his humility1.] “Yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, reached me about the time of the evening offering. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, ‘O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand. At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved; therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision.” (21-23). Daniel revealed the surpassing love of God who heard his prayer and accepted his confession of his sins and the sins of the people, and his supplication for the sake of the holy mountain, that is for the city of Jerusalem and all its holy places. First, Daniel said, “while I was speaking” (21), which means that he did not pray only with his heart but also with his lips. He offered his prayers with his spirit as well as with his body that is to reflect what was happening inside him. And the answer came to him as he was praying. Second, Daniel has not yet finished his prayer, for it is written, “While I was speaking in prayer” (21), which mean that God has answered his prayer before he even finished it. It is unexpected that Gabriel told him, “At the beginning of your supplication the command went out” (23), which mean that God answered Daniel’s prayer before he had even started it. Third, God sent him Gabriel very swiftly! God’s great concern for Daniel was amazing! For this was the first time that God sent an angel in the form of a man “the man Gabriel.” Here, God reveals how precious man is in His eyes, to the extent that He sent His angels to serve man, and furthermore the angel carries the features of a man! St. Jerome said: “ [It was mentioned that the angel flew, but he appeared in a picture of a man2.] 1 PL 25:680. 2 PL 25:680A. 190 Fourth, Archangel Gabriel appeared to Daniel at the evening time of the offering that is at three o’clock in the afternoon. Daniel had been a captive for at least seventy years and therefore he had not seen the evening offering, which the priest used to offer in the temple of the Lord. However, the long years did not make him forget the ritual of the offering and did not deprive him of enjoying the temple of God, whose stones were destroyed! In the palace of Babylon, Daniel used to participate every morning and evening in the worship, which was abandoned in Jerusalem. Hence, man can worship God, even if he is in a prison, and can share with the heavenly church its magnificent worship. St. Jerome said: [“at the time of the evening” in other words referring specifically to the evening offering is to state that Daniel’s prayer was extended from the time of the morning offering until the evening offering, that is why God was merciful to him1.] The appearance of the archangel Gabriel at the time of the evening offering has a symbolic meaning. The fullness of time has come, not by the end of the seventy years of captivity but when the time of sin has ended by the coming of the Savior who touches us by His incarnation and lifts us to the new heavenly knowledge. Fifth, Archangel Gabriel revealed to Daniel his position before God, for he told him, “You are greatly beloved” (23). In Hebrew language, those words mean the one whom God likes, who is the subject of God’s pleasure. God the Lover of mankind loves those who have a deep fellowship with Him, and He reveals His divine mysteries to them. Sixth, God gave Daniel a divine commandment, moreover a divine gift, which is the gift of understanding. “Consider the matter and understand the vision” (23). Daniel has studied the prophecies of Jeremiah and understood the history of the return from the captivity, but he wanted a better understanding when his heart was absorbed not in his return to Canaan but to heaven itself through the work of the Messiah. 4. THE VISION OF THE SEVENTY WEEKS Introduction This vision has a significant importance to the Jews as well as to the Christians. Both have agreed that in this vision the day refers to a year, and a week to seven years as stated in the book of Leviticus. “And you shall count seven Sabbaths of years for yourself, seven times seven years; and the time of the seven Sabbaths of years shall be to you fortynine years” (Lev. 25:8). St. Jerome said that the Jews who preceded that age have admitted, in humility, that no one can understand this expression except by the coming of the Messiah. However, many see that God’s punishment will befall the Jews even after their return from the captivity. In their opinion, the beginning of the seventy weeks is the destruction of the temple and ends by the desolation of the temple during the time of Titus. However, in spite of the difference of opinions, all agree that the focus of the vision is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. First: The purpose of the vision “Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation of iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most 1 PL 25:680A. 191 Holy” (24). This period (70 weeks) was determined to accomplish a certain goal with six results, three of them are negative and three are positive. They were all fulfilled by the advent of the Lord Jesus Christ. “To finish the transgression” - means to erase sins from the eyes of God, by preaching the Gospel of salvation and enjoying the gift of the Holy Spirit, which God granted to His Church through the merit of the precious blood. The captivity was considered a chastisement for the sins of Israel and Judah. However, it was not a just punishment because captivity cannot wash away sins, therefore, the sacrifice on the cross was a must, where the Lord Jesus offers Himself on the cross as a propitiation for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2: 1). “To make an end of sins” – is when our Lord Jesus Christ, who is without blemish, offered Himself as a Sacrifice for ending the sins of the whole world. “To make reconciliation of iniquity” - means that the sacrifice for reconciliation or atonement has to be offered. Those were the negative results where the curse of sin was abolished. Sin created enmity between God and us, thus we needed to be reconciled with Him. Now the three positive results are: “To bring in everlasting righteousness” - means give perpetual peace, which the Messiah grants as a free gift. He offers Himself for justification, so He justifies us. St. Athanasius the Apostolic comments on Daniel’s prophecy by saying: [This was the reason for all the prophecies, that is the true Righteous One comes who becomes a ransom for the sins of all1.] St. Paul said, “…who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption” (1 Cor.1: 30). Montgomery, who conveyed the opinion of the critics who interpreted this vision, reported that Haddershan said, “the everlasting righteousness is Messiah the King.” “To seal up vision and prophecy” - means the prophecies and the symbols of the Old Testament were fulfilled with the advent of the Messiah, His redemption, and His eternal glory. Daniel has enjoyed seeing the visions, but the time will come when there won’t be any need for visions and prophecies, when the Word of God Himself will dwell among us and talk to us in person. Pope Athanasius said that when the Lord Jesus will come there would be no need for prophesies and visions. [With the first advent of the Lord Christ all prophecies and visions ceased. This is an irrevocable proof of the coming of the Word since there are no more prophecies and no more visions. Naturally since the One referred to by all this came, then there is no need to make reference to. When the truth comes, why do we need the shadow then? The kings were anointed from among the people until the Holiest of all came. Jacob prophesied about the kingdom of Judah saying, “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people” (Gen 49: 10). The Savior cried saying, “For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John” (Matt 11: 13, Luke 16: 16). If there were among the Jews any king or prophet or vision, then they would have denied that the Lord Christ has 1 De Incarnatione Verbi Dei, 40:2. 192 come1.] “To anoint the Most Holy” means that our Lord Jesus Christ has sanctified Himself for us, offering Himself as the unique Sacrifice which intercedes on our behalf. As the Lord Jesus said in His final prayer, “And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth” (John 17: 19). His only goal is to lead every soul to the eternal glory in order to enjoy the heavenly inheritance. In another translation, it is mentioned that the holy of holiest was anointed, that is, the place full of holiness, or the most holy place in the temple. St. Jerome noticed that God told Daniel, “Your people, your holy city,” and did not say “My people and my holy city,” because God has separated from His people and rejected His city due to their transgressions. By the same token, God talked to Moses when the people persisted to live in sin. Here, God reveals to Daniel who loves the Jewish people and the city of Jerusalem that the Lord Christ will come and achieve salvation. He will come to His own people but His own people will not believe in Him, therefore they will be rejected and become like a city under chastening! Second: The three stages of the seventy weeks “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times. And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, and till the end of the war desolations are determined. Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured on the desolate” ( 25-27). God has determined a specific time for the coming of the Word of God, the Word Incarnate. In great wisdom, He has determined the hour in which the Messiah would be born and the moment in which He will offer His life as a Sacrifice for the sins of the world. In God’s eyes, the coming of the Lord and His redemption are the center of the history and the backbone of the divine care and the crown of grace. Nothing is done haphazardly, but everything is done in great accuracy and according to God’s providence. The Holy Bible has ascertained the coming of the Savior in the fullness of time and at the end of ages. This prophecy came as a shining star among the miseries of the captives who suffered from the darkness of bitter agony. Many understood the prophecy, so that when He came, the Jews were expecting the Messiah. Many saintly men and women diligently studied the prophecies and were waiting for the coming of the Savior. Simeon the elder was waiting for the consolation of Israel. Anna and others were waiting for the salvation of Israel. Also, the Samaritans were waiting for the coming of the Lord, as the Samaritan woman said, “I know that Messiah is coming, who is called Christ. When He comes, He will tell us all things” (John 4: 25). Even the Gentiles were expecting His coming for the wise men who saw the star, were expecting a King and a Savior2. Tertullian presented in his article, “An answer to the Jews” a whole chapter about 1 De Incarnatione Verbi Dei, 40:1-4. 2 Bethany Parallel Commentary on the O.T., p.1798; The Treasury of the Old Testament. 193 how this prophecy about the birth of the Lord Christ, His suffering and the desolation of Jerusalem was fulfilled. Daniel has determined the exact date of the coming of the Savior by saying “Seventy weeks are determined….” Probably the critics could find excuses in other prophecies or say that what is written is about the future, but what can they say about this prophecy? It refers to Christ and declares that the anointed one is not only a man but also the Most Holy, and that Jerusalem would stay until His coming, then prophecies and visions will cease in Israel1 St. Athanasius the Apostolic Bishop Dioscorus commented on this chapter by saying that due to the precision in this chapter in determining the time of the crucifixion of the Lord Christ, the Jews have replaced the word “to anoint the Most Holy” to “consecrating the holiest of all.” This was mentioned in their copy called “Masoretic,” which dates back to the eleventh century, and the prophecy seems to relate to a place and not a person. Moreover, they added the book of Daniel to the “Ketopem” which contains the historical books, the Psalms, the wisdom books, so that the book of Daniel is not counted as one of the prophetic books2. Father Bishoy Kamel commented on this prophecy by saying: [These calculations gave the Jews a chance to determine approximately the date of the coming of the Lord Jesus. That is why St. Luke the evangelist wrote, “…waiting for the consolation of Israel, and …to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem” (Luke 2: 25, 38). St. Luke wrote, “…because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately” (Luke 19: 11). Thus, the Jews have no excuse in determining the date of the coming of the Lord Jesus3.] Third: What is the meaning of week? In Hebrew, the word “week” means “shabua” derived from “seba,” not meaning seven days, but a unit of seven. The plural of the word is “shabu’im,” and it is not the feminine plural but it means periods of seven4. The Jewish and Christian interpreters have agreed in their explanation that “seventy weeks” mean seventy units of seven; most probably it starts from the year 457 or 455 B.C until the year between 26 and 70 A.D. Fourth: The special decrees of the return to Jerusalem and the restoration of the building of the temple Three decrees were issued for the return to Jerusalem and rebuilding the temple: Cyrus issued first decree in the year 538 B.C. or 537 B.C. after conquering Babylon (Is 44: 8; Ezra 1: 1-2, 2; Chron 36: 22-23). The first return was under the leadership of Zorobabel, the restoration of the altar and the reorganization of the worship had started, but the enemies had attacked them. During the era of Darius the First, the king ordered the continuation of building the temple, but did not issue a decree to rebuild the city of Jerusalem. Daniel said that there was a difference between the two decrees of renewing the temple and renewing Jerusalem. King Cyrus did not mind helping the Jews to build the temple; however, he felt that helping them to build the city of Jerusalem represented a great risk for him. Building the temple was considered the end of the period 1 De Incarnatione Verbi Dei, 39:1-3. 2 Bethany, p. 1764. . 3 دانیال صدیق الملائكة، ص 67 4 J. Barton Payne: Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy, p.383. 194 of captivity, which was 70 years. It was mentioned in the book of Ezra that “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the Lord God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is among you of all His people? May 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 God), which is in Jerusalem” (Ezra 1: 2-3). Ezra, the priest, did not mention anything here regarding the renewing of the city of Jerusalem and its construction. Second Decree: King Artaxerxes I (464 B.C. to 424 B.C.) issued that decree in the year 457 B.C. and Ezra the priest carried it (Ezra 8) about 80 years after their first return. The decree allowed the Jews to go back to Jerusalem (Ezra 7: 13) to organize the Law, to apply the Law of Moses (Ezra 7: 7), and to arrange the financial matters pertaining to the Temple (Ezra 7: 15,20). Ezra’s concern was to build the people spiritually and ethically (7: 9). He was granted the right to rebuild the temple and the walls of Jerusalem. He said, “For we were slaves. Yet our God did not forsake us in our bondage; but He extended mercy to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to revive us, to repair the house of our God, to rebuild its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem” (Ezra 9: 9). Unfortunately, the history did not tell us any of the renewals in the construction, however it was obvious that Ezra did the spiritual renewal but could not build the walls nor renew the city. “The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down and its gates are burned with fire” (Neh 1: 3). Nehemiah did not expect that the condition of Jerusalem was that bad; probably he expected that Ezra and his companions had renewed the city and built its walls1. Third Decree: Artaxerxes I issued the third decree in the twentieth year of his reign during the month of Nisan (March/April 445 B.C.). Nehemiah the cupbearer of the king carried it (Neh 1: 11). Nehemiah built the walls of Jerusalem and the city, for he said, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it” (Neh 2: 5). Fifth: The accounts of the three stages With faith, Daniel had asked God to fulfill His promise, which is the return of His people after the seventy years of captivity. However, God gave him a much greater promise, which was fulfilled not after 70 years but after 70 x 7 = 490 years to allow him, and all the human race, enjoy a new Sabbath and a complete rest in God’s righteousness. The fathers and the prophets desired the return of the human race to God through God’s salvation, through the incarnation of the Word who offered Himself as a propitiation for the sins of the world. God determined the time for the coming of the Savior, His crucifixion, as well as the events of His Second Advent. It is obvious that this expression talks about the coming of the Lord who will reveal Himself after seventy weeks. During the time of the Savior on earth, sins were erased through the propitiation. Eternal righteousness was preached which differs from the righteousness of the Law. Visions and prophecies had ceased until the coming of John and the Most Holy was anointed. Before the coming of the Savior, they were hoping for all these matters. The angel teaches us that the beginning of the numbers, that is the seventy weeks, which is equivalent to 490 years, starts with the decree of building 1 Gleson L. Archer: Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties, p. 290. 195 Jerusalem as an answer to the request of the captives. This happened in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, the king of Persia. Nehemiah had asked him and the answer was that he had to build Jerusalem in the year 115 of the Persian Empire, the forth year of the Olympics 83, and the twentieth year of reign of King Artaxerxes. Up until that date when it was he second year of the Olympics 202, and the year 16 when King Tiberius Caesar was in reign (when the Lord Jesus was crucified), the count is 475 years, which is equivalent to 490 years according to the Jewish calculation, where they calculate the year based on the rotation of the moon. To them, the year counts 354 days, while the solar year counts 365 days and a quarter. The solar year has eleven and a quarter day more than the lunar year, according to the rotation of the moon1] Fr. Julius Afrikanos [The period between the forth year of the Olympics 83 and the second year of the Olympics 202 is 475 solar years, as the Olympics is practiced every 4 years. This period is equivalent to 490 years according to the Jewish calculation.] In his interpretation of this vision, St. Jerome mentioned to the explanation of Julius Africanus. The period was divided into three parts First: Seven weeks: that is, 7 x 7 = 49 years, which is the period between issuing the decree to rebuild the temple and the wall by command of Artaxerxes I on Nissan 14 in the year 445 B.C., and appointing Nehemiah a governor for Jerusalem. This period ended in the year 397 or 396 B.C., when Nehemiah died during the days of Malachi the prophet. The seven weeks (equivalent to 49 years). is the duration of rebuilding Jerusalem. No doubt that Nehemiah had spent this period in building Jerusalem. Nehemiah was appointed a governor of Judea, and the rebuilding of Jerusalem took place during his second appointment as a governor. At the first appointment, he remained governor over Judea for 12 years. During the thirty-second year, Nehemiah returned to king Artaxerxes and asked him the permission to return to Jerusalem. (Neh 13: 6-7). The king gave him the permission and then after issuing the decree to rebuild Jerusalem he appointed Nehemiah governor over Jerusalem. When Nehemiah started rebuilding Jerusalem he was 30 years old and he spent 49 years in its construction, thus he was 79 years when the job was completed as stated by the historian Josephus. Some historians say that the temple was built in 49 years as follows: Cyrus gave permission to build the temple. The foundations were laid in three years, when Cyrus went to war in Scythis. But the Jews had to stop building during the time of his successor Cambyses who was against them. Forty-six years later they were given permission to continue the construction. Thus, the period (3 + 46 years = 49 years) was the period of rebuilding Jerusalem and rebuilding the Jewish people too, whether religiously or secularly, through Ezra and Nehemiah2. Second: 62 weeks (62 x 7 = 434 years) which represent four centuries of darkest periods for the people spiritually since there were no prophets until the coming of John the Baptist. Thus they were sitting in the darkness until the Sun of righteousness shone above them by His cross. After the return of the people under the leadership of Joshua, Ezra and Zorobabel, and 1 Cf. A N Frs, vol. 6, p.134-35. 2 Bethany parallel Commentary on the O.T., p.1799. 196 the rebuilding of Jerusalem, there are 434 years until the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” Who is the One to forgive our sins? St. Paul said, “For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one…” (Eph 2: 14). “Having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us…” (Col 2: 14). There are 434 years between the return of the people from Babylon (the rebuilding of Jerusalem) and the birth of the Lord Christ1. St. Hippolytus of Rome During this time, two important events happened First: The appearance of Antiochus Epiphanes (167–164 B.C.) who is the Antichrist of the Old Testament. He stopped the offering of the permanent sacrifice for three and a half years. He ordained Greek priests, who worshipped Greek gods, defiled the temple with the blood of the pig, and murdered thousands of Jews. However, the Maccabees attacked him until the temple was liberated and the sacrifice was returned. Second: During the Roman Empire, when Herod the Great reigned and wanted to win the approval of the Jews, he started building the new temple around the year 20 B.C., and expanded the area on which the temple was built. It took about 46 years to finish the work. In verse 27, it was mentioned that in the middle of the week the animal sacrifice was abolished, that is in the middle of the last week of the 69th week. It means that the crucifixion will be accomplished in the week number 68.5, that is, (68.5 x 7) which happen to be 479 years after the issuing of the decree of rebuilding the temple by Nehemiah (year 445 B.C.). Thus, crucifixion should be 33 and half years after the birth of Christ and this was fulfilled, for we know that the Lord was crucified at that age. The end of the last week was 35 years apart from the crucifixion that is around year 70 A.D., when the temple was completely destroyed by the hands of Titus the Roman. Some historians see it this way that the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ came 483 years (7 + 62 = 69 × 7 = 483) after issuing the decree of Artaxerxes, for the crucifixion was fulfilled in April 30 A.D. Since the decree was issued in the year 445 B.C., then the total is 445 + 30 = 475 years and not 483 years, the difference is eight years. The explanation for the difference of the 8 years is that the year in the Holy Bible is based on 360 days and not 365 days and a quarter. The five and a quarter day make the difference of the 8 years. Thus the coming of the Messiah is 69 weeks later (69 × 7 = 483 years) exactly according to what was mentioned in the Holy Bible2. Gleason L. Archer sees that the sixty-nine years (483 years) are symbolic. He base his calculation on the second decree, or the first one according to King Artaxerxes, in the year 457 B.C., which Ezra carried for the construction. But the construction was not accomplished until Nehemiah. So if we subtract 483 from 457, the difference is 26. Since there is no year that is equal to zero, then the number 1 is added to 26, to make it 27 years A.D. Since the Lord Christ was crucified in the year 30 A.D., then He would have started His ministry and baptism on the year 27 A.D., thus the prophecy was accurately being fulfilled. Others see that the twentieth year of the reign of Artaxerxes is the year 454 B.C. according to the scholars Hengestenberg and Asher. If we subtract this year from the year 483 A.D. (69 weeks x 7), the period, which Daniel had spoken about in verse 25, the 1 Cf. AN Frs., vol. 5, p. 180-1 2 Clarence Larkin: The Book of Revelation, 1919, p. 52. 197 result is year 29 A.D., which is the year of the beginning of the ministry of the Lord Jesus. The most important point in the history of kings and rulers is the beginning of their reign and not their birth that is why Daniel heeded that point. Many see that the second period ends by the baptism of the Lord Jesus and the beginning of His ministry. Then the third period starts when the Lord Jesus offers Himself a Sacrifice in the middle of the week, three and a half years after He started the ministry, thus abolishing all the animal sacrifices. Third: The seventieth week or the last week: “Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering” (27). One opinion or reflection about this verse is that the week referred to is the Holy Week, with its seven days starting on the triumphal entry of the Lord to the temple on Sunday (tenth day of the month of Nissan) as a Lamb. Then He stayed in Bethany until the fourteenth day (Thursday) when He celebrated the last Passover with His disciples. It was at the Last Supper that He offered the sacrifice of the New Testament made of bread and wine transformed into His Body and His Blood, as the offering of Melchzedek, according to David’s prophecy in the Psalm. Thus the first five days refer to approximately five thousand years of animal sacrifice offerings in preparation to and symbol of His own sacrifice. Then the last two days of the week refer to two thousand years, which ring a bell with what St. Peter had written about the Second Coming. “Do not forget this one thing that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet 3: 8-9). Some people see that the sixty-ninth week has ended when the Lord Jesus offered Himself as the unique Sacrifice of love. Now, Daniel’s vision bring us back to the end of the world, which is the period of the seven last years. The Antichrist will then come to rule for three and a half years and the great tribulation will materialize. The Lord Jesus taught us about the great tribulation saying, “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation’, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (whoever reads let him understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house…For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened” (Matt 24: 15-22). Then He talked about His Second Advent. Daniel made reference to the same subject matter in another place, “And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time…” (Dan.12: 1). Also in the book of Jeremiah, it was mentioned, “Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it; and it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it” (Jer 30: 7). Also in the book of Zephaniah it was written, “Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the Lord’s wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of His jealousy…” (Zeph 1: 18). In the book of Revelation, “…These are the ones who came out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Rev 7: 14). Description of this great tribulation was also mentioned in the following references: Rev 6: 15; 11: 1-14; 198 12: 6-17). He stretched His hands meaning that He stretched His sufferings. Mentioning a time and two times and a half made reference to the three and a half years (1290 days). of the ruling of the Antichrist, which Daniel had prophesied about1. St. Hippolytus of Rome 1 Cf. AN Frs., vol. 5, p. 185. 199 FROM THE INSPIRATION OF DANIEL (9) YOU GRANT ME MORE THAN I ASK AND YOU GIVE ME MORE THAN I NEED! In humility, Daniel felt that he does not deserve Your promises, Therefore He prayed in sackcloth and ashes. He confessed his sins and the sins of his people. He wanted You to fulfill the promise of returning after seventy years! You have justly chastened Your people in the Babylonian captivity. During the chastisement, You watched over Your people And everything that befell them was by Your permission. You like to chastise them, then glorify them! He entreated You, for the sins of the people have hid Your presence. He supplicated You to incline Your ear and listen, to open Your eyes and see the shame that befell Your people. Please forgive their sins for the sake of Your name, for the sake of Your temple and Your city! Since the destruction of the temple, the offering of sacrifices have ceased. However, when the time came to offer a sacrifice, Daniel offered himself as a sacrifice of love crying to You, O the full of mercy. You sent him the Archangel Gabriel to grant him understanding. He told him that he is greatly beloved by You, And he interpreted the vision to him. With the old promise of freedom from captivity after seventy years, You gave him a new promise on the Sabbath of these seventy years. You showed him how the world should be free from the captivity of sin, And how the believers should not commit sin But enjoy righteousness and fulfillment of the prophecies about the coming of the Most Holy. You determined the time of the Incarnation and its purpose and revealed them to Daniel. You declared to him the mystery of the cross and the unique Sacrifice. You revealed to him the end of times and the enjoyment of the eternal glories! Truly, You grant me more than I ask and give me more than I need! 200 ANNEX CHAPTER NINE1 OPINIONS REGARDING THE 70 WEEKS St. Jerome provided us with various opinions of the Fathers of the Church and the Jewish scholars regarding the vision of the 70 weeks, even if it is different in the way of calculating it but it mainly concentrates all around the Person of Jesus Christ and His redeeming work. He commenced with the opinion of Fr. Julius Africanios, we have previously presented. He introduced to us afterwards a group of different opinions for Eusebius of Caesarea, which are mentioned in his eighth bookwork “Evangelic Preparation” “Praeparatio Evangelica,” which we will mention briefly here: 1. THE FIRST VIEW This opinion is based on the assumption that Jesus Christ, the High Priest, is the center of the vision, that is why the calculations arises through the successive high priests of the Israelites since their return from Babylon till the arrival of the Savior who is anointed for our sake. [I do not think that the division of the seventy weeks aroused hypothetically... let us think of the other (anointed ones) who took care of the Jewish people, and who succeeded this prophecy and the return from Babylon, i.e. the high priests “arkiereis” that the Bible calls them anointed ones. Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak (Ezra 3: 2; 4: 3 who was also called Joshua Zech 3: 1,3) who was followed by several successors who occupied this position until the coming of our Lord and Savior... which means here that the total of the seven weeks till the 62 weeks become (69× 7) 483 years after the time of Cyrus, or it will be said that we used our guessing to calculate those who occupied this position as anointed priests looking after the people since Joshua the son of Jozadak till the coming of the Lord, i.e. who were anointed as priests (we’ll mention this in details)...] Joshua the son of Jozadak the high priest, who together with Zorobabel Ben Shealtiel put the foundation of the temple and the construction, was accomplished in 49 years, as it was delayed due to the Samaritans and other Gentiles surrounding them. These 7 weeks (49) have separated from the 62 weeks as in the prophecy. The Jews have finally approved this opinion as they said to the Lord, as mentioned in the Gospel story, “Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and will you rear it up in three days?” (John 2: 20)… Josephus adds three more years the main works related to the building preparations etc. Thus the total comes to 49 years calculated from the seventh year of Darius. During this time Joshua the son of Jozadak and Zorobabel were looking after the people (which reached its maximum), and Zechariah and Haggai were telling their prophecies. Then Ezra and Nehemiah came from Babylon and built the walls of the city during the priesthood of Joiakim the son of Jeshua (Neh 12: 10) named Jozadak (Jehozadak), who was succeeded by Elishahib, then Jonathan and Joiada, afterwards Jaddua (Neh 12: 10) who during his era Alexander, the king of the Macedonia built 1 Translated by Nagwa Salib, Ottawa, Canada. 201 Alexandria, as mentioned by Josephus in his book Antiquities, He came to Jerusalem and offered sacrifices in the temple. Alexander died during the 113 Olympics in the year 236 of the Persian Empire, which started in its turn the first year of the 55 Olympics. This date came matching the time when Cyrus the king of Persia conquered the Babylonians and Chaldeans. After the death of Jaddua the Priest who was responsible for the temple during reign of Alexander, Onias took over the high priesthood. During this time Seleucus appointed himself as king on Syria and Asia after conquering Babylon in the 12th year following the death of Alexander. Until this time the total of the years passed since Cyrus the king are 248 years, complying with the date of the Book of Maccabees. Succeeding Onias the high priest came Eleazar (Avaran) heading the priesthood for the Jews. During this time the seventy elders have translated the Holy Bible to the Greek language (Septuagint) in the city of Alexandria. After this came Onias the Second them Simon who lead the people, Joshua the son of Sirach wrote, the Greek title Panartos (the honorable and perfect man) whom lots of people have related to Solomon by mistake. Antiochus during this time tried to obligate the Jews by submitting offerings the gods of the Gentiles. Judas Maccabaeus succeeded Onias, who cleaned the temple by destroying the idols of the Gentiles. His brother Jonathan, then his brother Simon (Thassi) to rule the people, succeeded him. By his death 277 years have passed by the reign of the Syrian Empire. The Maccabees has recorded the incidents happened during this time, leading to the end of the First Maccabees and the death of Simon the high priest in the year 425. Johannes Hyrcanus took over the high priesthood afterwards for 29 years, after his death Aristobulus the First ruled the people for one year, and he was the first one to have the honor of the high priesthood together with the power of ruling the kingdom after the return from the Babylon captivity. His successor was Alexander Jannaeus who combined being the high priest and king. He ruled the people for 27 years. At this point the total number of years from the first year of Cyrus and the return of the people to Judea from the captivity is 483 years. This total sums the 7 weeks with the 62 weeks making 69 weeks in total. During this duration the high priests ruled the Jews and the people considered them as the anointed ones. After the death of their last one, Alexander Jannaeus, the Jews were divided into different parties, and internal revolt was among them as they were without a leader. This lead Alexandra, the wife of Alexander who was named Salina (Salome) to overrule, and keep the post of high priest for her son Hyrcanus the Second but the kingdom was passed to her youngest son Aristobulus the Second who ruled the kingdom for 10 years. The two brothers started fighting and declared national wars and the Jews were divided into parties. Then Graeus Pompey the General of the Roman army came into the picture. He invaded Jerusalem and reached the Holy of Holies in the Temple and sent his brother Aristobulus the Second chained to Rome to humiliate him while he is in his victorious procession. He gave his brother Hyrcanus the Second the high priesthood. The Jewish nation became for the first time ruled by the Roman Empire. Herod the son of Intibater followed him in taking over the reign over the Jews with a decree from the Roman Senate 202 after the assassination of Hyrcanus, thus becoming the first foreigner to rule the Jews. Following the death of his parents he gave the high priesthood to his children although they weren’t from the tribe of Levi, neglecting the Law of Moses. He gave them this position in accordance to their promise to provide him with bribes and special benefits, as he despised God’s Law1. 2. THE SECOND VIEW St. Jerome presents us with another explanation for the Eusebius of Caesarea, he states that the number of years since the sixth year of Darius’ rule who followed Cyrus and his son Cambyses this timing coincides the timing in which the temple building was completed, till the time of Herod and Augustus Caesar, this duration resembles the 7 weeks in addition of 62 weeks and its total 483 years. In this time Hyrcanus was assassinated becoming the last priest to the Maccabees through Herod ending the priesthood according to the Law. In this time a Roman leader destroyed the city and the temple. Maybe by Herod himself who declared himself a ruler illegally. According the angel’s saying: “And He emphasis his promise with many in one week, and in the middle of the week...” we recognize the following: Jesus Christ was born during the rule of Herod in Judea and Augustus Caesar in Rome, He preached with the Gospel and constructed the worship of the true God for many, meaning undutifully the apostles and the believers in general and following the sufferings of the Lord the offerings in the middle of the week were stopped because whatever was offered afterwards did not have any value in front of God... As all cried: “His blood be on us and our children” (Matth 2;25), and also “we do not have a king except Caesar”. Eusebius has mentioned this in his book Chronicle, but for calculating the years since the accomplishing of the temple till the tenth year of the reign of the Emperor Augustus Caesar, i.e. when Hyrcanus was sleighed and Herod took over the Jewish nation, in its total 7 + 62 weeks (7×69) or 483 years presented as follows: The building of the temple was accomplished during the 67 Olympics, which is the sixth year of Darius. In the third year of the Olympics 186, i.e. the tenth for Augustus, Herod ruled the Jews. Thus calculating this duration as 483 years according to the Olympics as it is completed every 4 years. [There are 120 Olympics within 186, 67. (120 × 4 = 480 + 3 (the third year after the Olympics) = 483)]. 3. THE THIRD VIEW St. Jerome states that Eusebius has another opinion which he does not totally reject, which is evaluating the last week of the years as equal to 70 years considering that each day is equal 10 years of age. In the midst of the week, approximately 35 AC, Jesus’ Sacrifice happened, and 35 years later (year 70) Rome arose against the Jews and destroyed the temple by Titus the Roman. ST. HIPPOLYTUS OF ROME VIEW We have previously discussed this in the Chapter’s explanation. He sees that the 1 PL 25:684 - 686B. 203 last week represents the end of the world, when the Antichrist will appear and Elijah the prophet will appear to declare God’s knowledge. Finally, Jesus Christ will come and kill the hypocrite with a blow of His mouth and will destroy his kingdom. APPOLINARIOUS VIEW He saw that with The Lord Jesus’ birth and his salvation work the seven weeks have completed (49 years), if we add to it the 62 weeks (434 years), i.e. in the year 482 the reconstruction of the temple and Jerusalem... when Elijah will appear reviving the hearts of the parents of their children, thus the Antichrist will come according to the apostle that he will sit in the Lord’s Temple (2 Thess 2) and arises a war against the saints, then he will be killed with the blow of our Lord and Savior. This will happen in the mid of the week fixing the oath of the Lord with His saints, after a decree is presented by the Antichrist forbidding the offerings as abomination will occur, that is a statue of an idol will be placed in the temple. And the final destruction will occur and the Jews who will believe the Antichrist after rejecting Jesus Christ will be condemned. Appolinarious gets witness of Julius Aficanios’s book the Tempora whom we have previously presented his view in the Chapter’s explanation. He emphasizes that the last week follows the end of the world, but Appolinarious says that it is impossible to separate the duration among each other, but it is stuck following each other. ST. CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIAVIEW Considered that the successive periods and that the seventy weeks were, from the reign of Cyrus king of Persia even took Vcepcian Titus and the Roman government, it includes the age of Persia, Greece and the Emperors of Rome. ORIGEN’S POINT OF VIEW Although he follows the symbolic interpretation, but we find him in this vision not appealing to symbolism but attached to the historic facts. He presented us with the following brief notice in the tenth binder of the Stromata division. [We must find thoroughly the duration between the first year for Darius the son of Ahasuerus and the second coming of Jesus Christ, and discover how many years it includes, and the facts which was said have happened during this time; then we find out if these timings coincides with the second coming or not]. TERTULLIAN VIEW St. Jerome presented to us the opinion of Tertullian1 mentioned in his book “Against the Jews” Contra Judaeos, briefly. How can we say that Jesus Christ came during the 62 weeks? We start calculating this since the first year of Darius, as it coincides with Daniel’s vision. That is why it is said He informed me, and talked with me, and said, “O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. At the beginning of your supplications the commandment came forth” (22, 23). Darius ruled for 19 years, and Artaxerxes 40 years, but Ochus named Cyrus ruled for 24 years and Argus one year then Darius called Melas for 21 years. Alexander the Macedonian ruled for 12 years, Soter in Alexandria for 35 years, the successor of Philadelphius for 38 years. Euergetes ruled for 25 years, the Philopatir for 17 years, 1 PL 25:691 - 694. 204 followed by Epiphanes for 24 years, and Euergetes the Second for 29 years and Soter 38 years, Ptolemy for 37 years and Cleopatra for 20 years and 5 months. Also, Cleopatra shared with Augustus the empire for 13 years. Augustus then ruled after Cleopatra for another 43 years, thus the total years of Augustus ruling 56 years. Augustus then lived after the birth of Jesus Christ for 15 years. The sum of the years till the birth of Jesus Christ (the 41 year of Augustus’ reign) 13 years shared by Cleopatra, 28 years alone (the birth of the Lord in the year 29 of his reign), making 437 years and 5 months, i.e. 62.5 weeks passed, which is equal to 437 years and 6 months upon the birth of Jesus Christ. The eternal ratification then appeared, and anointed the Holy of the Holies who is Jesus Christ, and the vision and prophesies where ended and Jesus omitted sin for all who believes in Him. But what does it mean that the visions and prophecies were justified? Tertullian says that the prophecies have ended, justifying that all the prophecies were completed, completing all the prophecies, which have been previously. Surely all prophesies and visions for the coming of Jesus and His sufferings are not valid anymore due to the fact that it is already achieved. Tertullian adds here: Let us search for the meaning of the 7 1/2 weeks that was in turn divided to parts of previous weeks, how it was achieved among these parts? After the death of Augustus who lived after the birth of Jesus, 15 years passed, and was followed by Tiberius Caesar who ruled for 22 years and 7 months and 28 days. In the 15th year of his reign, Jesus suffered when he was 33 years old. Then Caligula Caesar ruled for 3 years and 8 months and 13 days. Nero ruled for 9 years and 9 months and 13 days. Galba followed for 7 months and 28 days and Otho for 3 months and 5 days; Vitellius has ruled for 8 months and 28 days. Vesbesian conquered the Jews in the first year of his reign, thus the total years became 52 years and 6 months, for he ruled for 11 years and this during the time Jerusalem was invaded, thus the Jews have completed the 70 weeks as in Daniel’s prophecy. THE JEWS VIEW St. Jerome1 says that the Jews counted the 490 years starting from the 1st year of Darius who sleighed Belteshazzar and converted the Chaldean Empire to Medes and Persia, ending till the era of Jesus Christ. They found a prophecy about His death in it and about the attack of the Roman army under the lead of Vesbesian and Titus his son. And the prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem by the hand of the Romans, the Jews have considered the first 3 1/2 years from the week signifies its destruction on Vespesian hands and Titus and the other 3 1/2 years points to Hadrian’s war. James Montgomery2 who adopted the ideas of the critics of the 20th century has mentioned that several of the Jewish scholars in the Middle Ages followed the traditional vision considering the final point in the prophecy, the destruction of Jerusalem through Titus or Hadrian; like Rashi, and the son of Ezra etc. It is said on behalf of Shottgen examples for the Jews’ views of this prophecy, as Nachmanides said that the Holy of the Holies is not except the Messiah, devoted through David’s sons. And the rabbi Moses Hadershan says, “the eternal righteousness is Messiah the King”. 1 PL 25, 694 - 695. 2 A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Daniel, p. 392. 205 To add more interpretations for this prophecy of the Jewish scholars, please refer to the book of Father Abde-Messih Abou-El-Kheir page 136-139.
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