On Fri, 27 May 2005 03:16:20 +0000 (UTC), "Sarah Kanary"
wrote:

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>"Douglas Cox" wrote in message
>news:143.11.17.05.559787000@srcbs.org...
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>>>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.
>>
>> The problem with this is that Daniel's prophecy begins with the
>> initial commandment to build Jerusalem and the temple, not the date of
>> actual commencement of the building. This was given by Cyrus in 538
>> BC.
>
>Daniel's prophecy begins with the initial command to rebuild Jerusalem. No
>mention is made of the temple.

See Isaiah 44:24-28, eapecially verse 28 below:

24 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;
25 That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad;
that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;
26 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:
27 That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers:
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.

Isaiah's prophecy clearly says that Cyrus is the one who says to
Jerusalem: "Thou shalt be built." So I would choose this command as
the command that begins Daniel's 70 weeks, rather than one of several
later subsequent ones.


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>>
>> Dan 9:25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of
>> the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the
>> Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street
>> shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
>
>Please note that the 70 weeks started, not with the command to restore the
>temple, but with the command to *restore and to build Jerusalem.*

That would be the commandment that Cyrus gave, according to Isaiah's
prophecy. Sure, there were several later ones, but which one was the
most significant? The first one, of course.

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>> There were several decrees concerning the rebui