Book of Daniel Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Book of Daniel - Research Paper Example The Commencing of counting according to the text is in the year 458 BC, which is the seventh year of the King Artaxerxes of Persia. The king, during this year, issues an order that Ezra begins his journey to Jerusalem on the first day of the first month. According to  current calendars, it would be 8th of April1. The beginning of the Christian The Christian era began soon after 457 years and nine months of this time. At around the time of 26 AD, John the Baptist  starts his assigned ministry and he baptizes Jesus who later the same year began his ministry too. The prophecy dictates that the Messiah or the anointed one’s killing would be on the seventieth week or after three and a half years. During this time, the city and the temple of Jerusalem would face destruction. Daniel was a captive of Babylon since 606 BC before he came an understanding that the captivity would last 70 years while reading Jeremiah’s prophecies. As Daniel was praying for the restoration and r edeeming of his people, the Angel of the Lord came to him and made it clear the exact time of the long- awaited Messianic Kingdom. The following is a detailed verse-to-verse, word-to-word explanation of the prophecy of the coming of the Messiah2. Verse 24 states that, â€Å"Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and  thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and anoint the most holy.† The verse specifically reveals that time of accomplishment of the prophecy is 70 weeks. The number seventy is very symbolic in this text and not just a number. First, seventy is a multiple of ten and according to Genesis 31:7 signifies completeness. Secondly, seven is a number that signifies divine perfection as stated in Genesis 2:3. The punishment of sin being the suffering for 70 years and response to Peters question on Forgiveness that we s hould forgive until 70 times is a major theme in this verse. It is clear that transgression and sin will be common until the emergence of the Messianic Kingdom. According to the Hebrews, the word week meant years or weeks of days (Shabuim Yomim). Therefore, seventy weeks meant 70 times 7 or 490 years until fulfilment. Only Jesus of Nazareth fulfilled the prediction of a holy ruler in a perfect kingdom. His own people or those of the Anointed One (Acts 10:38) and the Holy one are his children, and the fruit of his travail on the cross. Through free justification by Grace and anointment under the new covenant, they become just as righteous as he is (I John 3:5-7). The spotless Lamb slain before the world began (Revelation 13:8), who from the beginning to the end of this world, all sin-ended, reconciliation and atonement achieved, Abraham rejoiced on seeing (John 8:56). According to Hebrews 3:1 the holy brethren or otherwise referred to as saints in Romans 1:7 comprise the true temple of God (I Corinthians 3:16, 17) that is also the body of Christ according to Ephesians 1:22 and 233. Coming of Messiah In verse 25, â€Å"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