Last month, we started an in depth study of Daniel’s revelation of Israel’s time of reconciliation for iniquity, a period of 70 weeks, explained to him by the archangel Gabriel. We left off last month, as Gabriel appeared before Daniel while he was fasting, praying and as he sat in ashes to humble himself before God. Gabriel told Daniel that, “At the beginning of your supplications, the commandment came forth and I am come to show you, for you are greatly beloved, therefore, understand the matter and consider the vision” Daniel 9:23. He went on to tell Daniel, “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon your holy city, 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 the prophecy and to anoint the most Holy” Daniel 9:24. Gabriel just explained to Daniel that it would take 70 weeks to bring an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, bring in everlasting righteousness and seal up the vision and prophecy “and to anoint the most Holy.” First, it is important to understand that “70 weeks” did not refer to literal weeks, as we know the meaning of weeks, but in those days the Hebrews frequently referred to a week as a seven-year time period. We can see this when Laban asked Joseph to work for the hand of Rachel for seven years, as he said to Joseph, “Fulfill her week and we will give you this also for the service which you shall serve me yet seven other years” Genesis 29:27. This is the same concept, as Gabriel explained to Daniel that it would take “70 weeks” to bring an end to sins, meaning 70 times seven years, which equals a total of 490 years. Gabriel, in essence, said that within 490 years the sins of Israel will be reconciled by God, everlasting righteousness would come (which is Jesus our Savior, and His righteous kingdom), and within that same time period, the most Holy would be anointed. We understand that Jesus’s appearance took away sins, by His death and resurrection, but to understand the “anointing of the most Holy,” we need to take a look at Ezekiel’s description of the rebuilding of the Millennial Kingdom Temple (Ezekiel 40-48). The Millennial Kingdom Temple will be built at the end of days, and part of the process is to “anoint the most Holy,” in that it is God’s dwelling place and must be anointed upon completion of the temple, before it is inhabited by God Himself, as described in Exodus 30:26-29. Gabriel continued to explain this revelation to Daniel, “Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks (49 years) and threescore and two weeks (434 years); the street shall be built again, and the wall, in troublous times” Daniel 9:25. To be very clear, Gabriel told Daniel that it would be 49 years and an additional 434 years, a total of 483 years from the commandment to rebuild Jerusalem to the appearance of Messiah the Prince. It is important to note here that the words “Messiah the Prince” are “Meshiach Nagid” in Hebrew (the original Old Testament script), actually meaning “Messiah the King.” Jesus, throughout His ministry, avoided presenting Himself as “King,” until His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, fulfilling Zechariah’s prophecy, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, your King comes to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding upon an ass and upon a colt, the foal of an ass” Zechariah 9:9. The Jewish calendar is lunar and a year is 360 days on the Jewish calendar. Therefore, 483 years multiplied by 360 days equals 173,880 days. History tells us that Artaxerxes commanded that the captives be released to rebuild Jerusalem on March 14, 445 BC. Jesus’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, as King of the Jews, occurred on April 6, 32 AD (Nisan 10, 32 AD), which is exactly 173,880 days! Gabriel told Daniel that the street and the wall would be built in “troublous times.” In fact, when Nehemiah commenced rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem, he and the Jews helping him received strong opposition from the Ammonites and Arabs, to the point that the builders worked with one hand and carried a weapon in the other hand (Nehemiah 4:17). I have no more space, but I will continue with this fascinating prophecy next month, God willing. In the meantime, God bless you and may you be spiritually prepared to escape the fulfillment of the last and remaining “week” of Daniel’s prophecy, also known as “Jacob’s Trouble.”