the idea of "works" is attaining salvation or right standing with God
through your own means. Salvation is wholly a work _by God_, which you
already know, "attained" by the Son and given to all those who
"receive". so there is a point in your life where you recieve, in
private or in a church service. If there was a specfic time of your
first birth, why wouldnt their be a specifc time for your secound
birth? what did He say, "you must be born again" why is that a "heresy"?

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"Douglas Cox" wrote in message
news:138.36.09.05.923308000@srcbs.org...
>
>
> The 70 weeks of Daniel begin with the decree of Cyrus in 538 BC. He
> issued a commandment to rebuild Jerusalem (Isa 44:28): "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."

Cyrus did indeed set in motion events that led to the rebuilding of
Jerusalem, and during Cyrus' reign, the temple was rebuilt to some extent.
However, it was not until 455 BCE that the actual city of Jerusalem began to
be rebuilt - in the 20th year of the reign of Artaxerxes. (Nehemiah 2:4-8)
It is then that the foretold "seventy weeks," or 490 years, began. They
would end in the latter part of 36 C.E.

How many years elapsed before Jerusalem was actually rebuilt? Well, the
restoration of the city was to be accomplished "in the straits of the times"
because of difficulties among the Jews themselves and opposition from the
Samaritans and others. The work was evidently completed to the extent
necessary by about 406 B.C.E. within the "seven weeks," or 49 years. (Daniel
9:25)

A period of 62 weeks, or 434 years, would follow. After that time period,
the long-promised Messiah would appear. Counting 483 years (49 plus 434)
from 455 B.C.E. brings us to 29 C.E. What happened at that time? The Gospel
writer Luke tells us: "In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius
Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was district
ruler of Galilee, . . . God's declaration came to John the son of Zechariah
in the wilderness. So he came into all the country around the Jordan,
preaching baptism in symbol of repentance for forgiveness of sins." At that
time "the people were in expectation" of the Messiah. (Luke 3:1-3, 15).

The final "week", or 7 years, began with Jesus' baptism and anointing as
Messiah in 29 C.E. "At the half of the week" or 33 C.E., Jesus' ransom
sacrifice "put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering" in that sin was
atoned for once for all time. The final "week" of favor toward the Jews
ended in 36 C