UNDERSTANDING ISAAC NEWTON'S 49 YEARS - Not what you think!
With
all the developing information coming forth pertaining to the "49"
years that is being attributed to the recent discoveries in Isaac
Newton's writings I became interested in researching for myself. The
author's reputation as a well respected christian with exceptional
intelligence is noted. Nonetheless, we need to be discerning and alert
when new information is being presented that could be misleading.
For instance, he believes the 490 yrs. was completed at the crucifixion of Jesus - this being the "first part". Then as a "second part" of the Daniel prophecy he tells us that there is 434 yrs. to the birth of Jesus. The "third part"
(7yrs.) ended at the destruction of the temple which he claims is the
"abomination of desolation" - this in 70 ad. None of this makes sense
to me.
He replicates the 49 years (7 weeks) for the 1st and 2nd coming of Jesus. His reasoning is as follows: "But
as he is to come in the end of seven weeks of years or in the year of
Iubile counted from the going forth of the commandment to rebuild
Ierusalem so its fit that a Iubile should be then kept as well for the
day of the Messiah as in MEMORY of the commandment to rebuild Ierusalem.
" Then again he states:
"Which makes it highly probable that the seven weeks to come shall be
of the same kind, especially since they contein the space of a Iubile.
For why should not the year in which the commandment shal goe forth to
rebuild Ierusalem & the yeare in which the Messiah shall come to be
Prince be celebrated by the Iews which a Iubile."
And here:
" If divers of the Ancients, as Irenæus (l. 5 Hæres. c. 25) Iulius
Africanus, Hippolytus the martyr & Apollonius Bishop of Laodicea
(apud Hieron. in h. l.) applied the half week to the times of
Antichrist, why may not we by the same liberty of Interpretation apply
the seven weeks to the time when Antichrist shall be destroyed by the
brightness of Christ's coming."
Here he inserts his own opinions and interpretation and apparently adds to the scripture:
The beginning of his reign is in the next words thus predicted. Know
also & understand that from the going forth of the commandment to
build Ierusalem again (?) unto the Messiah the Prince [that is untill
his coming to be Prince or untill the beginning of his reign] shall be
seven weeks.
It
is reasonable to advance a theory about the 49 yrs. being a pattern for
this time in history - i.e. that 49 years will precede Jesus' coming
which completes a Jubilee cycle. I get that, however, the
interpretation coming out today about what he actually proposed implies
that the initial 49 yrs. as described in Daniel is a fulfillment of
the 49 years in our present time indicating that 49 years was not
fulfilled during the time of Jesus. That is not what he says. Rather,
he is replicating
the 49 yrs. as one would do, for instance, when establishing a pattern
or cycle for a time-line. Nothing wrong with that. I do that in my
Calendar Study. He has an interesting theory and it should be presented
as such. What is being promoted now is a misrepresentation of what
Newton actually hypothesized.
It
should be noted that in addition to his hyhpothesy, he actually does
violation to scripture (imo) with the insertion of the word "again" as seen in the following:"The
beginning of his reign is in the next words thus predicted. Know also
& understand that from the going forth of the commandment to build
Ierusalem again (?) unto the Messiah the Prince [that is untill his
coming to be Prince or untill the beginning of his reign] shall be seven
weeks."Then
what about the 7 years of tribulation - none that I can see. He
believes the 7 yrs. was completed in 70 ad. So, what he actually
believes is the last cycle of 49 yrs. will end with the 2nd coming - no
tribulation. I can see, however, that it could be 49 yrs. to the
Rapture with the 7 year tribulation following.
Here is the actual account of when the7 years of Daniel occured according to Newton:"By
the last part of the Prophysy the Romans who captivated the Iews were
to make a firm league which many for a week & in the latter half of
the week to take away the dayly sacrifice & oblation & place the
abomination & so it fell out as the learned Bishop LLoyd has
explained. For the Romans made a firm peace which the Eastern Princes of
the Medes, Parthicans & Armenians A.C. 63 towards the end of
summer: upon which the Temple of Ianus was shut & towards the end of
winter in the beginning of the year 67 of Christ the Romans under
Vespasian & Titus began the warr upon the Iews & the sacrifice
& oblation ceased Iuly 17 A.C. 70 & the Temple was set on fire
Aug 10 following & the lower city burnt presently after & the
upper City taken Sept 7 following".Whether
or not the Rapture occurs in the 49 yr. from 1967 I don't know - it
could, of course. All I'm trying to prevent is anyone being misled
especially since we really don't have any positive confirmation - not
yet anyway. Newton's theories are very convoluted to say the least, so
please use discernment.
If
the Rapture were to occur 49 yrs. from June 6/7, 1967 that would =
September 22/23, 2015 on our 365.25/day and of course June 6/7, 2016 on
the 360/day. These dates seem highly unlikely to me, but then who
knows? In any event, as watchers, we're all looking expectantly for his
soon return.
The following is from "The Newton Project" which recites Newton word for word.
Newton's interpretation of Daniel's 70 weeks (490 yrs.) -
An Interpretation of the Prophesy of Daniels weeks by Iewish years.
In
this short Prophesy are predicted all the main periods of time relating
to the Messiah, that of his death, those of both his comings & that
of the ceasing of the dayly sacrifice & setting up the Abomination.
1.
The death of the Messiah is thus predicted. While I was speaking in
prayer the man Gabriel touched me & informed me by talking with me
& said, O Daniel I am now come forth to give thee skill &
understanding [about thy people for whose restauration thou prayest.] At
the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth [from
God] and I am come to shew it thee, for thou art greatly beloved.
Therefore observe well the speech & consider the Vision. Seventy
weeks [of years] are a[1] numbred upon thy people & upon thy Holy
City [ in the end of that time] to finish transgression & to b[2]
blot out sinns & to make reconciliation for iniquity & to bring
in everlasting righteousness & to c[3] seal the Vision &
Prophesy [that Book opened in the Apocalyps] and to annoint the most
Holy
2. The double coming of the Messiah is
in the next words thus predicted. Know also & understand that from
the going forth of the commandment to build Ierusalem again untill the
Messiah the Prince [that is, untill his coming to reign as Prince] shall
be seven weeks.
Also
[that you may not mistake the commandment know that untill the Messiah]
threescore & two weeks the street shall be built again and the
wall, but [this shall be] in troublesome times and after the threscore
& two weeks the Messiah shall [not reign as Prince but] be cut off
and it [the people or City] shall not be his but the people of a Prince
that shall come shall destroy the City & the sanctuary and the end
thereof shall be with a flood and at the end of the war [untill God's
wrath against thy people shall be fulfilled & they shall return from
captivity & rebuild Ierusalem] desolations are decreed.
3.
The time of the ceasing of the dayly sacrifice is thus predicted. And
he [that other Prince or People] shall make a firm convenant which many
for <1v> a week and in half the week [the latter half] he shall
make the sacrifice & Oblation to cease & d[4] upon the wing are
the Abominations which make it desolate [set up] the Abomination of
desolation & b[5] untill the consummation [ on the verge [of the
Temple] even that which is decreed shall be poured upon the desolate.
This is the Prophesy & the Interpretation is as follows. In the first part of the Prophesy
seventy weeks of years are recconed for the duration of the People & Holy City unto the death of Christ.
For they recconed unto the finishing of transgression & blotting
out of sins & making reconciliation for iniquity & bringing in
everlasting righteousness all which was accomplished by the death of
Christ, & unto the sealing of Vision & Prophesy, that book
opened in the Apocalyps part of which may be justly accounted the
prophesies of Christ untill his death, he being the greatest of the
Prophets and lastly unto the annointing of the most Holy or consecrating
the great High Priest which was also accomplisht at his death. For as
the High Priest under the law was consecrated which water oyle &
blood (Exod. 29.4, 7, 21) so Christ was consecrated an eternall High
Priest by baptism which water unction with the Holy Ghost &
sprinkling with his own blood. Now the duration of the People & Holy
City began when they first returned from captivity so as to become
again a people & Holy City. There were but two returns from
Captivity Zerubbabell's & Ezra's. In Zerubbabel's they had only a
Commission to build the Temple, in Ezra's they first became
reincorporated into a policy or City by a government of their own. For
Ezra not only revived the worship but alsoa[6] by the Kings Commission
set up Magistrates & Iudges in all the land to judge & govern
the people according to the law of God & the King & punish
offenders with death banishment confiscation & imprisonment &
hereby was the sanhedrim restored & the scattered Iewsb[7] in the
language of the Scripture became reunited into a people or city. Now
Ezra returned in thec[8] seventh year of Artaxerxes And the years of
Artaxerxes began about two or three months after the summer solstice and
his seventh year fell in with the third year of the 80th Olympiad,
& the latter part thereof wherein Ezra went up to Ierusalem was in
the 4257th year of the Iulian Period.
Count the time from thence to the death of Christ & you will find it just 490 years, or 70 weeks of years.
If you count in Iudaic civil years commencing in Autumn & date the
recconing from the first Autumn after Ezra's coming to Ierusalem when he
put the Kings decree in Execution: the death of Christ will fall on the
year of the Iulian Period 4747 anno Domini 34 & the weeks will be
Iudaic weeks ending with sabbatical years. And this I take to be the
truth. But if you had rather place the death of Christ in the year
before as is commonly done you may include the year of Ezras Iourney in
the recconing.
<2r>
By
the next part of the Prophesy the street & the wall were to be
built sixty & two weeks of years or 434 years untill the Messiah
that is untill the first coming. Now they that came up which
him from Artaxerxes that is Ezra & his companions attempted to
rebuild Iersualem & the wall but were prohibited (Ezra 4.12, 21, 23)
& Nehemiah came to Ierusalem in the 20th year of Artaxerxes while
Ezra still continued there (Nehem 12.36) & found the City lying wast
& the houses & wall unbuilt (Nehem. 2.17 & 7.4) and
finished the wall in the 25t day of the month Elul (Nehem 6.17) in the
28th year of the King (Ioseph. ) that is in September in the end of the
Iewish year either in the year of the Iulian period 4278 or in the year
before accordingly as the 25t of Elul fell on the end of the 28th year
of the King or on the beginning of that year. Count now 434 years from
September anno I.P. 4278, & the recconing will end in September anno
I.P. 4712, the last year of which recconing is the year in which Christ
was born according to Clemens Alexandrinus Irenæus, Eusebius,
Epiphanius, Ierom Orosius Cassiodorus & other ancients. For this was
the general opinion of the Ancients till Dionysius Exiguus invented the
vulgar accompt in which Christs birth is placed two years later. And it
is observable that in this recconing the sixty two weeks like the 70
are Iewish weeks ending with sabbatical years which makes the Prophesy
more elegant. If which some you reccon that Christ was born 3 or 4 years
before the vulgar accompt yet his birth will fall in the latter part of
the last week which is enough. How after these weeks Christ was cut off
& the city & sanctuary destroyed by the Romans is well known.
By
the last part of the Prophesy the Romans who captivated the Iews were
to make a firm league which many for a week and in half the week to take
away the dayly sacrifice & set up the abomination and so it fell
out. For the Romans made a firm peace which the eastern
Princes of the Medes Parthians & Armenians A.D. 63 towards the end
of summer upon which the Temple of Ianus was shut (as the learned Bishop
of Worchester has shewed), & in the beginning of the year 67 in
spring or towards the end of winter under the conduct of Vespasian &
Titus they began the war upon the Iews & made the sacrifice &
Oblation to cease Iuly 17 A.D. 70, & set fire on the Temple Aug 10
ensuing, & while the Temple was burning set up their ensignes, which
were the Images of their Gods, in the Close or border of the Temple
over against the eastern gate and sacrificed to them according to their
Idolatrous manner, & soon after burnt the lower city and on Sept 7th
ensuing took the upper city, & by these & other ensuing warrs
the land was emptied of Iews & remains desolate to this day.
<3r>
An Interpretation of the Prophesy of Daniel's weeks by Iewish years
In
this short Prophesy (according to the following interpretation are
predicted all the main periods of time relating to the Messiah, the
ceasing of his acting as a Prophet & commencement of his
High-Priesthood; the commencement of his reign as Prince, the time of
his birth or coming as a Prophet & the time of taking away the dayly
sacrifice & setting up the abomination: so that the interpretation
is full. It renders the whole prophesy very significant without defect
or superfluity.
1.
The period of his acting as Prophet & commencement of his High
priesthood is thus predicted. While I was speaking in prayer the man
Gabriel touched me & informed me by talking with me & said, O
Daniel I am now come forth to give thee skill & understanding [about
thy People for whose restauration after 70 years captivity thou
prayest.] At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came
forth [from God] and I am come to shew it thee, for thou art greatly
beloved. Therefore observe well the speech & consider the Vision.
Seventy weeks [of years] are a[9] numbred upon thy people & upon thy
holy City [in the end of that time] to finish transgression & to
b[10] blot out sins & to make reconciliation for iniquity & to
bring in everlasting righteousness [by the attonement of the great High
Priest] & to c[11] seal [or finish] the [book of] Vision &
Prophesy [by the death of the expected Prophet] & to annoint the
most Holy [or consecrate the great High Priest, who makes the
attonement]
2.
The commencement of his reign is in the next words, thus predicted.
Know also and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to
build Ierusalem again untill the Messiah the Prince [that is, untill
his coming to be Prince or untill the beginning of his reign shall be
seven weeks.
3
Then follows the birth of the Messiah & state of the Iews
consequent thereto in these words Also that you may not mistake the
commandment, know that] there shall precede another commandment to build
Ierusalem & thereby] threescore & two weeks the street shall be
built again & the wall, [untill the Messiah] but [this shall be] in
troublesome times, and after the threscore & two weeks the Messiah
shall [not reign as Prince but come only as a Prophet & ] be cut off
and it [the people or City] shall not be his, but the people of a
Prince that shall come shall destroy the City and the Sanctuary and the
end thereof shall be with a flood and at the end of the war [untill ]
the commandment shall go forth to build Ierusalem again] desolations are
decreed.
4.
In the last place the time of the ceasing of the daily sacrifice is
thus predicted. And he [that other Prince or people] shall make a firm
covenant which many for a week, and in half the week [the latter half]
he shall [destroy the City & sanctuary. &] make the sacrifice
& Oblation to cease & on the Verge [of the Temple set <3v>
up] the abomination of desolation, ande[12] untill the consummation
even that which is decreed shall be poured upon the desolate.
This is the Prophesy, and the Interpretation is as follows.
In
the first part of the Prophesy seventy weeks of years are recconed for
the duration of the People & Holy City unto the death of Christ
whereby he ceased to act as a Prophet & was consecrated an High
Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck. For they are recconed
unto the finishing of Transgression & blotting out of sins &
making reconciliation for iniquity & bringing in everlasting
righteousness (all which were accomplished by the death of Christ who as
a more perfect High Priest then those under the Law offered himself
once for all a sacrifice for sin Heb. 7.27 & 9.12, 14, 26.) &
unto the sealing of the book of Vision & Prophesy that book opened
in the Apocalyps, part of which may be justly accounted the prophesies
of Christ untill his death he being the Prophet predicted by Moses the
last & greatest of the Prophets under the law, & lastly unto the
annointing of the most Holy or consecrating the great High Priest,
which also was accomplisht at his death. For as the High Priest under
the law was consecrated which water oyle & blood (Exod. 29.4, 7, 21)
so Christ was consecrated an eternal High Priest by baptism with water,
unction which the Holy Ghost & sprinkling with his own blood. Now
the duration of the People & Holy City began when they first
returned from captivity so as to become again a people & Holy City,
& this was under Ezra. There were but two returns from captivity
Zerubbabel's & Ezra's. In Zerubbabel's they had only a commission to
build the Temple, in Ezra's they first became reincorporated into a
people or polity by a government of their own. For Ezra not only revived
the worship but also by the Kings commission [13] set up Magistrates
& Iudges in all the land to judge & governe the people according
to the law of God & the King & punish offenders which death
banishment confiscation of goods & imprisonment (Ezra 7) &
hereby was the Sanhedrim restored & the scattered Iews, (in the
language of the scripture Isa. 23.13 & 7.8 & Ier. 48.42, 46, 47)
became reunited into a people or city. This return of Ezra from
captivity was in the seventh year of Artaxerxes (Ezra 7.7, 8, 9) &
the years of Artaxerxes began in autumn (Ezra 7.7, 8, 9. Nehem. 1.1
& 2.1 & 5.14) & his seventh year fell in which the third
year of the 80th Olympiad & the latter part thereof wherein Ezra
went up to Ierusalem was in the 4257th year of the Iulian Period{.} Count the time from thence to the death of Christ & you will find it just 490 years, or 70 weeks of years.
If you count in Iudaic civil years commencing in Autumn & date the
recconing from the first Autumn after Ezra's coming to Ierusalem when he
put the Kings Decree in execution: <4r> the death of Christ will
fall on the year of the Iulian Period 4747 & year of our Lord 34,
& the weeks will be Iudaic weeks ending with sabbatical years. And
this I take to be the truth. But if you had rather place the death of
Christ in the year before as is commonly done, you may include the year
of Ezra's Iourney in the recconing.
The
next part of the Prophesy concering the coming of the Messiah as Prince
is not yet fulfilled by that part which follows. By the 3d part thereof
the street & the wall were to be build sixty & two weeks of
years or 434 years untill the Messiah, that is untill his other coming
when he should not reign but be cut off. Now before the Iews
attempted to rebuild the wall they rebuilt the Temple in the reign of
Cyrus & Darius. Then they that came up from Artaxerxes, (that is
Ezra & his companions,) having a larger Commission then
Zerubbabel's, attempted to rebuild also the City & the wall but were
opposed & prohibited (Ezra 4.12, 21, 23) & in the 20th year of
the King Nehemiah came to Ierusalem while Ezra still continued there
(Nehem. 12.36) & found the City lying wast & the houses &
wall unbuilt (Nehem 2.17 & 7.4) and rebuilt them by the Kings
commission and finished the wall in the 25th day of the Month Elul
(Nehem. 6.17) in the 28th year of the King (Ioseph. ) that is in
September in the end of the Iewish civil year, in the year of the Iulian
Period 4278 or perhaps in the year before if the 25t of Elul fell on
the beginning of the 28th year of the King. Count
now 434 years from September anno I.P. 4278 & the recconing will
end in september anno I.P. 4712, the last year of which recconing is the
year in which Christ was born according to Clemens Alexandrinus,
Irenæus, Eusebius, Epiphanius, Ierome, Orosius, Cassiodorus & other
ancients. For this was the general opinion of the Ancients till
Dionysius Exiguus invented the vulgar accopmt in which Christs birth is
placed two years later. And it is observable that in this recconing the
sixty two weeks (as well as the seventy) are Iewish weeks ending with
sabbatical years; which makes the Prophesy more elegant. If
which some you reccon that Christ was born three or four years before
the vulgar accompt, yet his birth will fall in the latter part of the
last week, which is enough. How after these weeks Christ was cut off & the city & sanctuary destroyed by the Romans is well known.
By
the last part of the Prophesy the Romans who captivated the Iews were
to make a firm league with many for a week, and in half the week to take
away the daily sacrifice & set up the abomination, and so it fell
out. The Romans made a firm peace which the eastern Princes of the Medes
Parthians & Armenians towards the end of summer A.D. 63 upon which
the Temple of Ianus was shut (as the learned Bishop of Worcester has
explained) and in the beginning of the year 67 in spring or towards the
end of winter, under the conduct of Vespasian & Titus they
<4v> began the war upon the Iews & made the sacrifice &
Oblation to cease Iuly 17, A.D. 70, & set fire on the Temple Aug.
10 ensuing, & while the Temple was burning set up their ensignes,
which were the Images of their Gods, in the Close or border of the
Temple over against the eastern Gate & sacrificed to them according
to their idolatrous manner & soon after burnt the lower City &
on Sept 7th ensuing took the upper City & by these wars the land was
emptied of Iews & remains desolate to this day.
The
seven weeks from the going forth of the commandment to build Ierusalem
again unto the Messiah the Prince remain to be interpreted . In
dating them from a commandment which is to end the great captivity
& usher in the reign of the Messiah the Prince, I beleive the Iews
who express his future reign, will not much oppose me. For all Daniels
Prophesies reach to those times & there is scarce a Prophesy in the
old Testament concerning Christ which doth not in something or other
relate to his second coming.
If
divers of the Ancients as Irenæus (l. 5 Hær. c. 25) Iulius Africanus ()
Hippolitus the Martyr & Apollinaris Bishop of Laodicea (apud
Hieron. in h. l.), applied the half week to the times of Antichrist, why
may not we by the same liberty of Interpretation apply the seven weeks
to the time when Antichrist shall be destroyed by the brightness of
Christs coming. The Israelites in the days of the ancient
Prophets when the ten Tribes were led into captivity expected a double
return from Captivity & that at the first return the Iews should
build a new Temple inferior to Solomon's untill the time of the age
should be fulfilled and afterwards they should return from all places of
their captivity & build Ierusalem and the Temple gloriously (Tobit
14.4, 5, 6) And to express the glory & excellence of this City tis
figuratively said to be built of precious stones (Tobit 13.16, 17, 18.
Isa 54.11, 12. Apoc 21) & called the new Ierusalem, the heavenly
Ierusalem, the holy City, the Lambs wife, the City of the great King,
the City into which the Kings of the earth do bring their glory &
honour.
And
while such a return from captivity was the expectation of Israel even
before the times of Daniel, I know not why Daniel should omit it in this
Prophesy. This part of the Prophesy therefore being not yet fulfilled I
attempt not to interpret it, but shall content my self with observing,
that as the 70 weeks & the 62 weeks were Iewish weeks ending which
sabbatical years so the seven weeks are the compass of a Iubile &
begin & end with actions proper for a Iubile & of the highest
nature for which a Iubile can be kept; and that since the Commandment to
rebuild Ierusalem precedes the Messiah the Prince 49 years, it may
perhaps come forth not from the Iews themselves but from some other
Kingdom friendly to them & precede their return from captivity,
& give occasion to it & lastly that this return from captivity
& coming of the Messiah & his Kingdom are described
in Dan. 7 Apoc 19. Act. 1 Matt. 24 Ioel 3. Ezek 36, 37. Isa. 60, 62, 63,
65, 66 & many other places of scripture. The answer I know not. Let
Time be the Interpreter.
<5r>
How it may be possible to interpret Daniels weeks by Iewish years.
In
this short Prophesy are predicted the times of the death of the Messiah
& of both his comings & also that of the destruction of
Ierusalem. For all Daniel's Prophesies extend to Christ's second coming.
1.
The death of the Messiah is thus predicted. While I was speaking in
prayer, the man Gabriel touched me & informed me by talking with me
& said, O Daniel I am now come forth to give thee skill &
understanding [about thy people for whose restauration thou prayest] At
the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth [from God]
& I am come to shew it thee, for thou art greatly beloved.
Therefore observe well the speech & consider the Vision. Seventy
weeks [of years] are a[14] numbred upon thy people & upon thy Holy
City [vizt from the time that it shall be reincorporated into a people
& Holy City] to finish transgression & to b[15] blot out sinns
& to make reconciliation for iniquity & to bring in everlasting
righteousness & to seal the Vision & Prophesy [that book opened
in the Apocalyps] & to annoint the most Holy [or consecrate the
great High Priest, that is by baptism which water unction which the
spirit & sprinkling which his own blood. For the High Priest was
consecrated by water oyle & blood Exod 29.4, 7, 21.]
2. The double coming of the Messiah is in the next words thus predicted.
Know
also & understand that from the going forth of the commandment to
build Ierusalem again untill the Messiah the Prince [that is untill his
coming to reign as Prince] shall be seven weeks
Also
[that you may not mistake the Commandment know also that untill the
Messiah] threescore & two weeks the street shall be built again
& the wall [untill the Messiah] but [this shall be] in troublesome
times & after the threscore and two weeks the Messiah shall [not
reign as Prince but] be cut off and [the People or Kingdom] not be his,
but the people of a Prince that shall come shall destroy the City &
the Sanctuary & the end thereof shall be with a flood & at the
end of the war [untill God's wrath against thy people shall be fulfilled
& they shall return from captivity & rebuild Ierusalem]
desolations are decreed.
3.
The time of the destruction of Ierusalem is thus predicted. And he
[that other Prince] shall make a firm covenant with many for a week
& in half the week [the latter half] he shall make the Sacrifice
& Oblation to cease & with a wing of abominations he shall cause
desolation & untill the consummation even that which is decreed
shall be poured upon the desolate
<5v>
This is the Prophesy, & the first part thereof was thus fulfilled. In the seventh year of Artaxerxes
Longimanus
Ezra returned from Babylon which a body of Iews & a commission not
only to revive the Iewish worship but also to set Magistrates &
Iudges over the Land who might judge the people according to the laws of
their God & of the King & punish Offenders with death or
banishment or confiscation of goods or imprisonment And by this
commission was the Sanhedrim & Iewish Polity or Government restored
& the Iews reincorporated into a Nation & Holy City: Now from this year to the death of Christ A.C. 33 are just 490 solar years or 70 weeks of years, as Daniel predicted
By the next
part of the Prophesy the street & the wall of Ierusalem were to be
built 62 weeks of years or 434 years untill the first coming of the
Messiah: & so many solar years there are from the 28th
year of Artaxerxes Longimanus when Iosephus tells us the wall was
finished, unto the Nativity of Christ two years before the vulgar Æra.
By
the last part of the Prophysy the Romans who captivated the Iews were
to make a firm league which many for a week & in the latter half of
the week to take away the dayly sacrifice & oblation & place the
abomination & so it fell out as the learned Bishop LLoyd has
explained. For the Romans made a firm peace which the Eastern Princes of
the Medes, Parthicans & Armenians A.C. 63 towards the end of
summer: upon which the Temple of Ianus was shut & towards the end of
winter in the beginning of the year 67 of Christ the Romans under
Vespasian & Titus began the warr upon the Iews & the sacrifice
& oblation ceased Iuly 17 A.C. 70 & the Temple was set on fire
Aug 10 following & the lower city burnt presently after & the
upper City taken Sept 7 following
When
& how the present captivity of the Iews shall return &
Ierusalem be rebuilt is not here predicted nor after what manner the
Messiah shall come as Prince. But
as he is to come in the end of seven weeks of years or in the year of
Iubile counted from the going forth of the commandment to rebuild
Ierusalem so its fit that a Iubile should be then kept as well for the
day of the Messiah as in memory of the commandment to rebuild Ierusalem.
For this is the new Ierusalem the {Citadel} which for its glory &
dominion is figuratively said to be in heaven & to be built which
pretious stones Tobit 14.5, 6 & 13.16, 17 Isa. 54.11, 12. Apoc. 21.
the ancient sabbattick years & Iubiles beeing kept by the Iews as a
type of that day. The manner of his coming you have described in other
Prophesies Dan 7.13, 14 Mattt 24.27, 30. Acts 1.11 Apoc 19.15, 16
I
enter not into the disputes about the years of Christs birth &
death. The Prophesy runs by weeks of years: & as in recconing by
days we neglect the odd hours & in recconing by weeks we neglect the
odd days so in <6r> by weeks of years it may not be necessary to
regard a year or two over or under
Daniel
in recconing by weeks of years uses the Iewish Lunisolar years which
ran by sevens, every seventh year being a sabbatical one. For the birth
& death of Christ & destruction of Ierusalem fell on sabbatical
years & therefore all Daniels weeks already past end in Sabbatical
years. Which makes it highly probable that the seven weeks to come shall
be of the same kind, especially since they contein the space of a
Iubile. For
why should not the year in which the commandment shal goe forth to
rebuild Ierusalem & the yeare in which the Messiah shall come to be
Prince be celebrated by the Iews which a Iubile. For this City is the
new Ierusalem the heavenly Ierusalem the Holy City the Lambs wife which
for its glory & dominion is figuratively said to come down from
heaven & be built of precious stones (Apoc 21. Isa 54.11, 12 Tobit
13.16, 17 & 14.5, 6.) & therefore its Encnia deserves the
greatest of solemmities except the day of the Messiah the Prince to be
celebrated 49 years after. in propsect of which the Iews kept the last
day of the feast of Tabernacles which the highest degrees of rejoycing.
b
Heb. And upon the wing [are] the abominations which make it desolate,
that is in opposition to the dayly worship he shall set up the worship
of abominations or Idols by which the Iews with their religion shall
become odious to the inhabitants of the land & be persecuted &
driven out of it untill the consummation & from the time of this war
& the taking away the daily sacrifice these abominations are upon
the wing that is begin to advance & come into the land.
Some by the wing understand metaphorically the Pinnacle or battlements of the Temple as if the abominations were placed there
and
caused the daily sacrifice & oblation to cease Iuly 17 A.C. 70
& set fire on the Temple Aug. 10 ensuing and while the Temple was
burning set up their ensignes which were the Images of their Gods, in
the Close of the Temple over against the eastern gate & sacrificed
to them according their Idolatrous manner. & soon after burnt the
lower City & on Sept 7 ensuing took the upper City.
<6v>
By the next part of the Prophesy the street & the wall were to be
built sixty & two weeks of years or 434 years untill the Messiah,
that is untill his first coming.
Now
the Temple was finished in the reign of Darius, before they that came
up first from Artaxerxes that is Ezra & his companions attempted to
rebuild Ierusalem & its wall but were opposed & prohibited (Ezra
4.12, 21, 23) Then came Nehemiah to Ierusalem
Now
before the Iews attempted to rebuild the wall of the City they rebuilt
the Temple in the reign of Cyrus & Darius. Then they that came up
from Artaxerxes that is Ezra & his companions attempted to rebuild
the City & the wall but were opposed & prohibited (Ezra 4.12,
21, 23) & in the 20th year of the King Nehemiah came to Ierusalem
while Ezra still continued there (Nehem 12.36) & found the City
lying wast & the houses & wall unbuilt (Nehem 2.17, & 7.4)
& rebuilt them by the Kings commission & finished the wall in
the 25t day of the month Elul (Nehem 6.17) in the 28th year of the King
(Ioseph. ) that is
<7r>
An Interpretation of the Prophesy of Daniel's weeks by Iewish years.
Let
the Messiah be considered as a Prophet in his lifetime, as an High
Priest making intercession for us in the Heavens from the time of his
death resurrection & ascention & as a King after his return or
second coming: and in this short Prophesy according to the following
interpretation will be predicted all the main periods of time relating
to him & his kingdom, so that the interpretation is full. It
determins the beginning of his High-priesthood, the beginning of his
reign as Prince, the time of his birth or coming as a Prophet & the
time of destroying the city & sanctuary taking away the dayly
sacrifice & setting up the abomination: & by doing all this it
renders the whole Prophesy very significant without defect or
superfluity.
1.
The beginning of his Highpriesthood is thus predicted. While I was
speaking in prayer the man Gabriel touched me & informed me by
talking with me & said, O Daniel I am now come forth to give thee
skill & understanding [about thy people for whose restauration after
seventy years captivity thou prayest.] At the beginning of thy
supplications the commandment came forth [from God] & I am come to
shew it thee, for thou art greatly beloved. Therefore observe well the
speech & consider the Vision. Seventy weeks [of years] are a[16]
numbred upon thy people & upon thy Holy City [in the end of that
time] to finish transgression & to b[17] blot out sins & to make
reconciliation for iniquity & to bring in everlasting righteousness
[by the attonement of the great High Priest] and to seal [or c[18]
finish] the [book of] Vision & Prophesy [by the death of the great
Prophet] & to annoint the most Holy [or consecrate the great High
Priest who makes the attonement.]
2.
The beginning of his reign is in the next words thus predicted. Know
also & understand that from the going forth of the commandment to
build Ierusalem again
unto the Messiah the Prince [that is untill his coming to be Prince or
untill the beginning of his reign] shall be seven weeks.
3.
Then follows the birth of the Messiah & consequent state of the
Iews in these words. Also [that you may not mistake the commandment know
that there shall precede another commandment to build Ierusalem &
thereupon] threscore & two weeks the street shall be built again
& the wall [untill the Messiah] but [this shall be] in troublesome
times & after the threscore & two weeks the Messiah shall [not
reign as Prince but coming only as a Prophet shall] be cut off & it
[the people or city] shall not be his but the [idolatrous] People of a
Prince that shall come & <7v> shall destroy the City & the
Sanctuary & the end thereof shall be which a flood & at the end
of the warr [untill the commandment shall go forth to build Ierusalem
again] desolations are decreed.
4.
Lastly the ceasing of the daily sacrifice is thus predicted. And he
[that other Prince or people] shall make a firm covenant which many for a
week & in half the week [the latter half] he shall [in destroying
the city & Sanctuary ] make the sacrifice & Oblation to cease
& on the verge [of the Temple set up] the Abomination d[19] of
desolation & e[20] untill the consummation even that which is
decreed shall be poured upon the desolate.
This is the Prophesy and the Interpretation is as follows.
In
the first part of the Prophesy seventy weeks of years are recconed for
the duration of the People & Holy City unto the death of Christ
whereby he ceased to act as a Prophet & was consecrated an High
Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck. For they are recconed
unto the finishing of transgression & blotting out of sins &
making reconciliation for iniquity & bringing in ever lasting
righteousness (all which was accomplished by the death of Christ who as a
more perfect High Priest then those under the law offered himself once
for all a sacrifice for putting away sin. Heb. 7.27 & 9.12, 14, 26)
& unto the sealing or finishing of the book of Vision & Prophesy
that book opened in the Apocalyps, part of which may be justly
accompted the prophesies of Christ untill his death he being the Prophet
predicted by Moses, the last & greatest of the Prophets under the
law; and lastly unto the annointing of the most Holy or consecrating the
great High Priest, which was also accomplished at his death. For as the
High Priest under the Law was consecrated which water oyle & blood
(Exod. 29.4, 7, 21) so Christ was consecrated an eternal High Priest by
baptism which water, unction with the Holy ghost & sprinkling which
his own blood. Now the duration of the People & Holy City began when
they first returned from captivity so as to become again a people &
City & this was under Ezra. There were but two returns from
captivity Zerubbabel's & Ezra's. In Zerubbabel's they had only a
commission to build the Temple, in Ezra's they first became
reincorporated into a people or polity by a government of their own. For
Ezra not only revived the worship but also by the Kings commission set
up Magistrates & Iudges in all the Land to judge & govern the
people according to the law of God & the King & punish offenders
with death banishment confiscation of goods & imprisonment (Ezra 7)
& hereby was the Sanhedrim restored & the scattered Iews (in
the language of the scripture Isa. 23.13 & 7.8 & Ier 48.42, 46,
47) became reunited into a People or City. This return of Ezra from
captivity was in the seventh year of Artaxerxes (Ezra 7.7, 8, 9) &
the years of Artaxerxes began in autumn (Ezra 7.7, 8, 9. Nehem 1.1 &
2.1 & 5.14) & his seventh year fell in with the third year of
the 80th Olympiad & the latter part thereof wherein Ezra went up to
Ierusalem was in the 4257th year of the Iulian Period. Count the time
from thence to the death of Christ & you will find it just 490 years
or 70 weeks of years. If you count in Iudaic civil years commencing in
Autumn & date the recconing from the first autumn after Ezra's
coming to Ierusalem when he put the King's decree in execution: the
death of Christ will fall on the year of the <8r> Iulian Period
4747 & year of our Lord 34 & the weeks will be Iudaic weeks
ending with sabbatical years. And this I take to be the truth. But if
you had rather place the death of Christ in the year before as is
commonly done, you may include the year of Ezra's journey in the
recconing.
The next part of the Prophesy
concerns the coming of the Messiah as Prince & is not yet fulfilled.
By the third part thereof the street & the wall were to be built
threescore & two weeks of years or 434 years untill the Messiah,
that is untill his other coming when he should not reign but be cut off.
Now before the Iews attempted to rebuild the wall they rebuilt the
Temple in the reign of Cyrus & Darius. Then they that came up from
Artaxerxes, {(}that is Ezra & his companions) having a larger
commission then Zerubbabel's, attempted to rebuild also the City &
the wall but were opposed & prohibited (Ezra 4.12, 21, 23) & in
the 20th year of the King Nehemiah came to Ierusalem while Ezra still
continued there (Nehem. 12.36) & found the City lying wast & the
houses & wall unbuilt (Nehem 2.17 & 7.4) & rebuilt them by
the Kings commission & finished the wall on the 25th day of the
month Elul (Nehem. 6.17) in the 28th year of the King (Ioseph. Antiq. l.
11. c. 5 ) that is in September in the end of the Iewish civil year, in
the year of the Iulian Period 4278, or perhaps in the year before if
the 25th of Elul fell on the beginning of the 28th year of the King.
Count now 434 years from September anno I.P. 4278 and the recconing will
end in September anno I.P. 4712, the last year of which recconing is
the year in which Christ was born according to Clemens Alexandrinus,
Irenæus, Eusebius, Epiphanius, Ierome, Orosius, Cassiodorus & other
ancients. For this was the general opinion of the ancients till
Dionysius Exiguus invented the vulgar accompt in which Christs birth is
placed two years later. And it is observable that in this recconing the
sixty two weeks (as well as the seventy) are Iewish weeks ending with
sabbatical years; which makes the Prophesy more elegant. If with some
you reccon that Christ was born three or four years before the vulgar
accompt yet his birth will fall in the latter part of the last week,
which is enough. How after these weeks the Messiah was cut off & the
City & Sanctuary destroyed by the Romans is well known.
By
the last part of the Prophesy the Romans who destroy the City were to
make a firm league which many for a week & in half the week to take
away the daily sacrifice & set up the abomination, & so it fell
out. The Romans made a firm peace which the eastern Princes of the Medes
Parthians & Armenians towards the end of summer A.D. 63, upon which
the Temple of Ianus was shut (as the learned Bishop of Worcester has
explained) & in the beginning of the year 67 in spring or towards
the end of winter under the conduct of Vespasian & Titus they began
the war upon the Iews & made the Sacrifice & Oblation to cease
Iuly 17, A.D. 70, & set fire on the Temple Aug. 10 ensuing, &
while the <8v> Temple was burning set up their ensignes which were
the Images of their Gods in the Close or border of the Temple over
against the Eastern Gate & sacrificed to them according to their
idolatrous manner & soon after burnt the lower City & on Sept.
7th ensuing took the upper City & by these warrs the land was
emptied of Iews & remains desolate to this day.
The
seven weeks from the going forth of the commandment to build Ierusalem
again unto the Messiah the Prince, remain to be interpreted. In dating
them from a commandment which is to end the great captivity & usher
in the reign of the Messiah I beleive the Iews will not much oppose me.
for they expect his future reign & all Daniels prophesies reach to
those times and there is scarce a Prophesy in the old Testament
concerning Christ which doth not in something or other relate to his
second coming. If divers of the Ancients, as Irenæus (l. 5 Hæres. c. 25)
Iulius Africanus, Hippolytus the martyr & Apollonius Bishop of
Laodicea (apud Hieron. in h. l.) applied the half week to the times of
Antichrist, why may not we by the same liberty of Interpretation apply
the seven weeks to the time when Antichrist shall be destroyed by the
brightness of Christ's coming. The Israelites in the days of the ancient
Prophets when the ten Tribes were led into captivity expected a double
return from captivity & that at the first return the Iews should
build a new Temple inferior to Solomon's untill the time of that age
should be fulfilled & afterwards they should return from all places
of their captivity & build Ierusalem & the Temple gloriously
(Tobit 14.4, 5, 6) And to express the glory & excellence of this
City tis figuratively said to be built of pretious stones (Tobit 13.16,
17, 18. Isa 54.11, 12. Apoc. 21) & called the new Ierusalem the
heavenly Ierusalem, the Holy City, the Lamb's wife, the City of the
great King, the City into which the Kings of the earth do bring their
glory & honour. And while such a return from Captivity was the
expectation of Israel even before the times of Daniel, I know not why
Daniel should omit it in this Prophesy. This part of the Prophesy
therefore being not yet fulfilled I attempt not to interpret it, but
shal content my self with observing, that as the 70 weeks & the 62
weeks were Iewish weeks ending with sabbatical years so the seven weeks
are the compass of a Iubile & begin & end with actions proper
for a Iubile & of the highest nature for which a Iubile can be kept;
& that since the commandment to rebuild Ierusalem precedes the
Messiah the Prince 49 years, it may perhaps come forth not from the Iews
themselves but from some other Kingdom friendly to them & precede
their return from Captivity & give occasion to it, & lastly that
this rebuilding of Ierusalem & the wast places of Iudah is
predicted in Mica. 7.11. Amos 9.11, 14. Ezek 36.33, 35, 36, 38. Isa.
54.3, 11, 12, & 58.12 & 61.4 & 65 18, 21, 22 & Tobit
14.5 & the return from captivity & coming of the Messiah &
his Kingdom are described in Dan. 7. Apoc. 19 Act. 1. Math 24. Ioel 3.
Ezek 36, 37. Isa. 60, 62, 63, 65 & 66 & many other places of
scripture. The manner I know not. Let time be the Interpreter.
<9r>
How the Prophesy of Daniels weeks may be interpreted.
He
[the Angel Gabriel] informed me by talking with me & said, O Daniel
I am now come forth to give thee skill & understanding. At the
beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth [from God]
& I am come to shew it thee: for thou art greatly beloved: therefore
observe well the speech | Prophesy & consider the Vision. Seventy
weeks [of years] are numbred upon [or concerning] thy people & upon
[or concerning] thy holy city vizt from the time that it shall be
reincorporated into a people & holy City to finish transgression
& to blot out sins & to make reconciliation for iniquity &
to bring in everlasting righteousness & to seal up the Vision &
Prophet [or the book of Vision & Prophesy under the law which the
seven seals opened in the Apocalyps] & to annoint the most Holy [or
consecrate the great High Priest. in the end of those weeks.
Know
also & understand that from the going forth of the commandment to
build Ierusalem again till the Messiah the Prince [or till his coming as
Prince ] shall be seven weeks.
Also
[till the Messiah] threescore & two weeks the wall shall be built
again & the street but [this] in troublesome times & after the
threescore & two weeks the Messiah shall [not reign as Prince but]
be cut off & [the people or Kingdom] not be his but the people of a
Prince that shall come shall destroy the city & the sanctuary &
the end thereof shall be which a flood & at the end of the war
[untill God's wrath against thy people shall be fullfilled & they
shall return from captivity & rebuild Ierusalem] Desolations are
decreed.
And he [that Prince] shall make a firm
covenant which many for a week & in half that week [the latter
half] he shall make the Sacrifice & Oblation to cease & in or
upon the sanctuary shall be the abomination of desolation, & untill
the consumation even that which is decreed shall be poured upon the
desolate.
In this short Prophesy are foretold
the birth & death & second coming of Christ & the
destruction of Ierusalem. For all Daniels Prophesies extend to Christs
second coming. But because that part of his Prophesy which respects his
2d coming is not yet fulfilled it has hitherto gravelled all the
Christian Interpreters It has also gravelled the Iews who expect no
other then his second coming and untill that coming be accomplished it
must remain in the dark. I do not therefore undertake to interpret it
(for I know not the <9v> times or manner of the second coming )
but only to shew in general that it may which better sence be understood
of both comings that of either alone so to turn the eyes of both
Christians & Iews the more upon it untill it be interpreted by the
event. I shall therefore first set down the Prophesy in four parts
without its application to history & then apply it to history so far
as 'tis fulfilled.
He [the Angel Gabriel informed me & said
I shall therefore first set down the Prophesy in four parts & shew the Interpretation so far as they are hitherto fulfilled.
<11r>
3 The years used by Daniel in his Prophesies are Iewish Luni-solar years.
The
Chronology of the Kings of Persia is so well stated by Eclipses &
other characters & agreed on by Chronologers that I shall not enter
upon any discourse about it but take it for granted that Cyrus dyed
& Cambyses began his reign in spring Anno Iul. Per. 4185. Cambyses
reigned 8 years including the five months of Smerdes & then Darius
Histaspis began in spring (about March) anno I.P. 4193 & reigned 36
years. Then succeeded Xerxes in spring anno I.P. 4229 & reigned
almost 21 years & after him Artabanus seven months & then began
Artaxerxes Longimanus in autumn anno I.P. 4250, & reigned 40 years
including the 9 months of Xerxes & Sogdian & died in winter in
the seventh year of the Peloponnesian war, anno I.P. 4289 finiente
But because the Iews