(Continued-Chapter XI-The Promise Of The Redeemer)

Here we see a prediction of the birth of a child unto the Jewish people who shall exercise governmental authority over the nation. This one is to be called "Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Why will this one be called by these suggestive names? There is but one answer: He is exactly what these words imply: namely, God in human form, who has, according to Isaiah 7:14, entered the world by virgin birth and who will exercise sovereignty over the earth.


IX. THE PREDICTION CONCERNING THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE REDEEMER

"But thou, Beth-lehem Ephrathah, which art little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall one come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel: whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting" (Micah 5:2). The prophet in this passage clearly foretold that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem of Judah, which is approximately five miles south of Jerusalem on the Jerusalem-Hebron highway. That "Bethlehem" in this passage means exactly what it says is evident from the fact that when the wise men from the East inquired in Jerusalem, where the Messiah should be born, they were told that He was to be born in Bethlehem of Judah. They therefore, leaving Jerusalem, went to Bethlehem in accordance with the prediction. There can be no question as to the birth place of Israel's Messiah and the world's Redeemer.


X. THE PREDICTION CONCERNING THE TIME OF MESSIAH'S BIRTH

24 Seventy weeks are decreed upon thy people and upon the holy city, to finish transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy. 25 Know therefore and discern, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the anointed one, the prince, shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: it shall be built again, with street and moat, even in troublous times. 26 And after the threescore and two weeks shall the anointed one be cut off, and shall have nothing: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and even unto the end shall be war: desolations are determined. 27 And he shall make a firm covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease: and upon the wing of abominations shall come one that maketh desolate; and even unto the full end, and that determined, shall wrath be poured out upon the desolate (Dan. 9:24-27).

An examination of the chapter from which this passage is taken shows that Daniel, after having read the prophecies of Jeremiah regarding the desolation of Jerusalem, prayed earnestly for his brethren and confessed his own iniquities and theirs. The Angel Gabriel came and informed him that seventy weeks were decreed upon the Jewish people and upon Jerusalem for bringing in the conditions which we know from other passages of scripture will obtain only during the Millennial Age (vs. 24). What is meant by the expression, "seventy weeks"? Literally this statement simply means seventy sevens; but seventy sevens of what? Since he had been reading about a period of seventy years and thinking in terms of this period, it is evident that the seventy sevens are seventy sevens of years, or 490 years.

The initial date of this period was the year for the going forth of the commandment to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem. When was that decree issued and by whom? This is a mooted question: but, when all the facts bearing upon the subject are studied, it is found that the decree can be none other than that which was issued by Cyrus and foretold by Isaiah (Isa. 44:24-45:13). (For a full and complete discussion of the details entering into this question see Messiah: His First coming Scheduled.)

According to Daniel 9:25,26, the Messiah would be cut off and have nothing at the end of the sixty-nine weeks of years, or 483 years. Since the initial date of the period was the year that Cyrus issued his decree for the Jews to return to Jerusalem, the year when Messiah was to be cut off was 483 years after that time.

But, someone argues, since the year when Cyrus issued his decree was 536 B.C., and since Messiah was cut off in 30 A.D., the period of time from the issuing of Cyrus' decree to the crucifixion--according to the accepted chronology--was 565 years, whereas Daniel said it would be 483 years. Certain interpreters, therefore, ignoring the prediction that Cyrus would issue this decree, turn to the permission of Ahasuerus to Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem (Neh., chap. 2) and figure from that date to 33 A.D. By certain manipulations of the figures they discover 483 years from this latter event to the crucifixion. This position is untenable in the light of all the facts. As stated above, I have thoroughly presented the evidence in my volume, Messiah: His First coming Scheduled, which I earnestly urge the reader to study for himself and to arrive at his own conclusions in the light of all the evidence.

According to this prophecy of Daniel, the time for Messiah to appear on the earth was before the end of this period of 483 years; for at that time He was to be cut off and have nothing. He therefore had to enter the world and grow to manhood and accomplish His work before being cut off. When one studies impartially all the facts regarding the birth, life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, one comes to the conclusion that He is the only person who fills out the full picture of the prophetic word on these points. The Messiah did come at the appointed time, being born in the right place, and of the Davidic house. He appeared on time, accomplished the work foretold of Him and has gone back to glory awaiting Israel's accepting Him as her King and Redeemer. Jesus of Nazareth is therefore Israel's Lord, Redeemer, and Messiah, as we shall see in the next chapter.