Book: “Chronological Aspects of The Life of Christ”
By: Dr. Harold W. Hoehner, Distinguished Professor of New Testament Studies
According to Dr. Hoehner, of all the decrees, (the decree of Cyrus, 539 B.C. (Ezra 1:1-4); the decree of Darius, 519 – 518 B.C. (Ezra 5:3-7); the decree of Artaxerxes to Ezra, 457 B.C. (Ezra 7:11-16); the decree of Artaxerxes to Nehemiah, 444 B.C. (Nehemiah 2:1-8) 68/121ff); the decree in Nehemiah according to Dr. Hoehner: “In conclusion, this is the only decree that adequately fits the strictures given in Daniel 9:25. Hence this decree of Artaxerxes is considered the terminus a quo of the seventy weeks.” (P. 127, par. 1)
“Calculation with the 360-day year. The solution that is most plausible is the one introduced by Anderson. He proposed that the length of the year should be calculated as 360 days. He called these 360-day years ‘prophetic years’.
This makes good sense for several reasons. First, with modern astronomy one can reckon a year very precisely as being ‘365.24219879 days, or 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, 45.975 seconds.’” (p.135, par. 2, 3)
“Using the 360-day year the calculation would be as follows. Multiplying the sixty-nine weeks by seven years for each week by 360 days gives a total of 173,800 days. The difference between 444 B.C. and A.D. 33, then, is 476 solar years. By multiplying 476 by 365.24219879 or 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, 45,975 seconds, one comes to 173,855.28662404 days or 173,855 days, 6 hours, 52 minutes, 44 seconds. This leaves only 25 days to be accounted for between 444 B.C. and A.D.33. By adding the 25 days to March 5 (of 444 B.C.), one comes to March 30 (of A.D. 33) which is Nisan 10 in A.D. 33. This is the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.” (pg. 138, par. 1)
“As predicted in Zechariah 9:9, Christ presented Himself to Israel as Messiah the king for the last time and the multitude of the disciples shouted loudly by quoting from a messianic psalm: ‘Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord’ (Ps. 118:26; Matt. 21:9; Mark 11:10; Luke 19:38; John 12:13). This occurred on Monday, Nisan 10 (March 30) and only four days later on Friday, Nisan 14, April 3, A.D. 33, Jesus was cut off or crucified.”
“The seventieth week of Daniel’s prophecy is yet to be fulfilled. When that is accomplished, Daniel’s inquiry will be fully realized for Israel will be back in her homeland with her Messiah.” (p.139, par. 1, 2)
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The Bible vs. The Watchtower 
April 2, 2011 at 2:31 pm |
Prophecy of “70 weeks of years” of Daniel 9:25-27 – 70×7=490 lunar years. They started “from the going forth of [the] word to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem…” – Daniel 9:25. King Artaxerxes, upon the request of Nehemiah, gave the command to rebuild Jerusalem in the year 455 BCE. 69 “weeks of years” ended in 33 CE with Jesus’ sacrificial death. And after 1 “week of years”, that is 7 litteral years (until then Jehovah kept in force the covenant with only the nation of Israel) gentiles were excepted into the new Christian congregation – apostle Peter’s one of 3 “keys of the kingdom” – Acts 10:34.
April 5, 2011 at 8:43 am |
Watchtower interpretation of scripture, and in particular, prophecy, cannot be seriously entertained. Throughout Watchtower history the organization has proved itself to be false prophets. Therefore, to acknowledge them as an authority of biblical interpretation would be ludicrous. Their agenda of biblical interpretation rests solely upon the heretical. Without going into great detail regarding their cultic theology, case in point, the return of Christ. According to Watchtower interpretation of scripture (God communicated to them), Christ returned, invisibly, in the year 1914. This of course contradicts God’s inspired word which told the world that Christ (when He appears) would be visible to the world. Getting back to Daniel 9, we know that Christ would never break God’s covenant. God is faithful though man is not. The covenant being broke here (verse 27) is yet future. Christ does not break God’s covenants, but someone else will break a 7 yr. covenant in the future. This is the seven year tribulation period that the Bible speaks of.