The Program began with the command or decree to restore and build Jerusalem where the streets and wall of the city will be rebuilt (Daniel 9:25). In this Decree there is no mention of the rebuilding of the Jerusalem Temple.
There are a total of 3 Decrees issued by the Persian Kings for the exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem.
The specific Decree that Angel Gabriel referred to must be the one issued by King Artaxerxes in his 20th year of reign (Nehemiah 2:1-8; 17-18) since it had to do with the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. The other two earlier Decrees were related to the rebuilding of the Temple.
The Year, Month & Date of the Decree
Historians had determined the 20th year of King Artaxerxes is the year 444 BC [refer Note 1 below] in the Julian calendar [refer Note 2]. With regards to the month, the Decree was issued in the month of Nisan (Nehemiah 2:1). What about the date? The specific date was not known but let’s assume it was on 1st Nisan [refer Note 3]. And 1st Nisan corresponds to 5th March 444 BC in the Julian calendar.
The 69 Weeks or 483 years
7 weeks + 62 weeks = 69 weeks x 7 years = 483 Prophetic years
As this is a prophecy, the years would be Prophetic years. A Prophetic year has only 360 days unlike a Solar year that has 365.24 days, and a Lunar year has 354.37 days.
Based on Prophetic year
69 weeks x 7 years = 483 Prophetic years
483 years x 360 days 173,880 days
Based on Solar year, the outcome would be:
173,880 days ÷ 365.24 days = 476 Solar years
Subtracting the 444 BC years = AD 32
Add an additional year to make up for the insertion of
“0” year between BC and AD = AD 33
Until the Messiah the Prince (Daniel 9:25)
The phrase “Until the Messiah the Prince” refers to the appearance of the Messiah. What exactly does this mean? Surely it could not be referring to the day of His birth as the year AD 33 would be too late a date for that. Also, it could not be referring to His crucifixion as Angel Gabriel said, “And after the 62 weeks Messiah shall be cut-off………” (Daniel 9:26).
Most likely, the Messiah’s appearance must be a reference to His triumphant entry into Jerusalem riding on a donkey (Matthew 21:1-17). It took place at the beginning of the Holy Week. The significance of that event was related to the Passover Feast in which He consecrated Himself as the Lamb of God ready to be sacrificed on the altar.
The Holy Week in AD 33
As the Passover Lamb, the Messiah had come to fulfill the Passover Feast (Exodus 12:1-14). According to the Passover Feast, on 10th Nisan a lamb is prepared in the Jewish home. Four days later, on 14th Nisan the lamb is killed.
Since the Messiah was crucified on Friday, the Friday of that Holy Week must be 14th Nisan to comply with the requirements of the Passover Feast. This being the case, His triumphant entry into Jerusalem must therefore be on Monday 10th Nisan (“Until the Messiah the Prince”).
Using the Hebrew - Western Calendar Calculator,
or
it is determined that in the year AD 33, Monday 10th Nisan and Friday 14th Nisan correspond to 30th March and 3rd April respectively (i.e. based on the Julian Calendar).
A snapshot of the reading is shown below:
In AD 33 the Passover day of 14th Nisan fell on Friday. In the years before and after AD 33, Passover day did not fall on Friday as shown below. This lends further support to the view that the Messiah was crucified on Friday 3rd April, AD 33.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the phrase “Until the Messiah the Prince” refers to the appearance of the Messiah, specifically referring to the day He dedicated Himself as the Paschal Lamb of God which He did during His triumphant entry into Jerusalem riding on a donkey. That day was Monday 10th Nisan which corresponds to 30th March, AD 33.
NOTES
1) Artaxerxes Longimanus reigned 41 years (465-424 BC).
Nehemiah first heard of Jerusalem’s desolation in the month of Chisleu in the 20th year of Artaxerxes (Neh.1:1). In that same year, in the month of Nisan, he was granted permission by the king to go visit Jerusalem (Neh.2:1). Since Nehemiah placed the month of Chisleu before the month of Nisan in the same year, he must be using the same dating method used by King David & the Judean kings, that is, the Tishri-to-Tishri dating method and not the Nisan-to-Nisan dating method used by the Persians (Refer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tishri-years ).
Historians had determined that Artaxerxes began his reign as king upon the death of his father King Xerxes the Great (Ahasuerus) on December 17, 465 BC in the Julian calendar. The year corresponds to 465 BC under the Jewish calendar using the Tishri to Tishri dating method.
The Chisleu and Nisan mentioned in Nehemiah 1:1 and 2:1 pertain to the 20th year of Artaxerxes, that is, 445 BC based on the Tishri to Tishri dating calendar.
However, based on the Julian calendar, the Chisleu in Neh.1:1 is of the year 445 BC while the Nisan in Neh.2:1 fell on the year 444 BC.
2) Why Julian calendar is used instead of the Gregorian calendar?
The Julian calendar introduced by Julius Caesar was used from 46 B.C to AD 1582. It was replaced with the Gregorian calendar introduced by Pope Gregory XIII. The modification reduces the average year from 365.25 days to 365.2425 days. It shortened the calendar year by 0.0075. No calendar system is perfect. Since our focus is on the BC era, we shall use the Julian calendar as the errors then were minor in its early usage.
3) The date of the Decree issued to Nehemiah was tentatively set at 1st Nisan which corresponds to 5th March. After having determined the appearance of the Messiah was on 10th Nisan which corresponds to 30th March, AD 33, it now seems unnecessary to know the specific date the Decree was issued. Suffice is to know that the Decree was issued in the month of Nisan, and it was also in the month of Nisan that the 70 Weeks/490 Years Program was temporary suspended.
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