Hi Chaim, Isaiah 44:28 and Josephus' Antiquities 11.6 and 11.12 (from 11.1.2 / 11.1.3) prove both biblically and historically that Cyrus' edict included the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and I also offered you a link which shows Jerusalem was populated WELL before Nehemiah. If you insist on Artaxerxes' decree, that's one thing - but you cannot deny the facts about Cyrus.

No, I am not denying the prophecies regarding Cyrus, but the prophecy as spoken by the angel in Chapter 9 was for 490 years - and according to the Hebrew Scriptures, it took several kings for the word to rebuild Jerusalem to be accomplished. Not just Cyrus, not just Darius, not just Artaxeres, but all three - ending with Artaxeres.

I don't deny that that Jerusalem was populated before Nehemiah - but the city and wall was not rebuilt until Nehemiah got permission to return to Jerusalem and chop down some trees from Artaxeres's forest to get that done - as rebuilding of Jerusalem was one of the two issues involved in the 490 year prophecy, not just repopulation. The temple was also rededicated in Nehemiah's presence.

I agree that it's a 490 year prophecy. You don't. You believe it's 483 or 486.5 and separated by some 2000+ years until the 70th week. You continue to ignore the fact that the cut-off Messiah's death coincides with the destruction of the Temple. The temple's destruction would have happened in week 74 or 75 according to your calculations with Jesus (which is dependent on a mythical 360 day calendar).

Haven't I been saying in every post that Daniel 9 is a 490 year prophecy? And that "to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy" would not be finished until the 490 years are complete?

The temple destruction does not coincide with the messiah's death, but afterwards - because the temple destruction is associated with the prince who shall come - to identify not only the origin of that prince, but also the people - because those people are associated with the 4th kingdom of Nebchadnezzars statue dream - extended into the end times as the feet of iron and clay and the ten toes. In the days of those ten kings, God will set up his kingdom here on earth - "to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy" - with the messiah ruling and reigning.

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.


IF Jews cleaned up their act, THEN at the end of this 490 year period it was possible that Jews could have brought about the Messianic era at THAT time. THEN all the Messianic promises would start, as well as the annointing of the holy-of-holies. THAT didn't happen, and there's absolutely zero proof that it did happen with Jesus. Things got worse for the city and the people directly after Jesus.

I don't read any such conditional statements regarding the Jews "cleaning up their act" concerning the 490 year prophecy as written in Daniel 9. 2500 years have passed, so the Jews have had plenty of time. If the arrival of the messiah is dependent upon the righteousness of the Jews, given that 2500 years timespan, then what is the chance of his coming? Judaism's rationale baffles me.

Yes, things did get worse for the city and the Jews directly after - rejecting - Jesus....

In response to your statement, Chaim, on the incomplete prophecies - of course those specific messianic prophecies didn't occure during Jesus's first coming - because the 490 year prophecy is not completed yet. God made it possible for guys like me to be saved in the interim, the separation between the 69th week and 70th week - until He brings Israel's attention back to Him per Ezekiel 38,39, as the result of the ordeal of the Gog/Magog invasion. Such that, the prince who shall come will arrive, confirm the covenant with many, and stop the sacrifice in the temple - all according to Daniel 9:27, to finish up that last 7 years. And then Jesus will return, not when the Jews get their act together, but when they say "blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord", as the climatic ending to that 490 year prophecy, on the day of the Lord. That's what we Christians believe.