The Mystery of Ephraim

Many theologians noted that Chapter 9 of Daniel identify the coming of the Messiah, the one specially annointed; but Rabbinic Jews and Rabbi Tovia Singer identify this “annointed” as Cyrus, Isaiah 45:1. Cyrus maybe God’s annointed and God’s servant but certainly he just couldn’t be the “Most Holy,” Daniel 9:24. To honour Cyrus as the “Most Holy” would be blemphemous. Further, Daniel 9 is a prophecy for a future “in the last days” which Daniel couldn’t figure out as he was dazzed and puzzled!

In Daniel 12:4 “but thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days,” – this phrase “in the last days” shows this prophecy isn’t meant for Daniel’s time but its timing is for the far future; and only during the latter days could we fully understand this prophetic significance.

Alternate views by Rabbi Tovia Singer, here; and Jews for Judiasm or here for your study.

Daniel 9

¹ In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans” — in the first year of Darius, the son of Ahasuerus, known in secular history of the empire after the fall of Babylon, of the seed of the Medes, who were with the Persians in the conquest of Babylon, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans, not by accession, but through the agency of the victorious army and by the hand of Cyrus,

— there were three Darius in biblical times and the most sensible one while Daniel was still alive must be Darius I, whose reign was from 522 to 486 BC; whereas Cyrus “the Great” reign was from 550 to 529 BC; hence the Rabbinic deflection that Gabriel’s prophecy was “to anoint the Most Holy” applies to King Cyrus just doesn’t make sense: (1) Cyrus had already came and gone, dead; and (2) Cyrus maybe “his annointed” prophecised in Isaiah 45:1, but he certainly just couldn’t be qualified to be considered “the Most Holy” Daniel 9:24. By denying this Special Annointed One as the Most Holy that would be close to blasphemy!

²⁰ And while I was speaking and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God— — and while Daniel was praying and confessing his sin and the sin of his people Israel and presenting his supplication before the Lord, piling up petitions in seeking the mercy of God in the interest of the His country and people and true worship;

²¹ yea, while I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. — while Daniel was praying, making the concluding remarks, even Gabriel, one of the chief angel-princes, whom Daniel had seen earlier in the vision at the beginning (Daniel 8:15-16), being caused to fly swiftly, touched him about the time of the evening sacrifice, about three o’clock in the afternoon.

²² And he informed me, and talked with me and said, “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. — and he informed Daniel and talked with him and said, O Daniel, I am now come to give thee skill and understanding, a correct insight into the problem perplexing him and an assurance for the future.

²³ At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth; and I have come to show thee, for thou art greatly beloved. Therefore understand the matter, and heed the vision: — at the beginning of Daniel’s supplications the commandment came forth, namely, the decree or oracle, which is presently stated, and Gabriel was to show him to make it known;

— for thou art greatly loved, this being the reason why the Lord was so ready to make known to Daniel the solution of the problem of the seventy weeks; therefore understand the matter and consider the vision, observing the oracle as to be set forth and explained.

²⁴ “Seventy weeks are determined concerning thy people and concerning thy holy city to finish the transgression and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint (4886 וְלִמְשֹׁ֖חַ wə·lim·šō·aḥ) the Most Holy. — seventy weeks are determined upon thy people to build the Holy City, the capital which was so dear to the heart of Daniel, the determination of the time being purposely indefinite, to finish the transgression and to make an end of sins, to restrain the rebellion and to seal up the sins so that they would no longer find expression;

— and to make reconciliation for iniquity, to effect an expiation for guilt and to bring in everlasting righteousness, the result of the expiation of sin and to seal up the vision and prophecy, rather “and the prophet,” for these would be the chief and greatest prophecies ever written and be fulfilled;

— and to anoint the Most Holy: if this is meant to be Cyrus, it is blemphemous, he might be God’s anointed, but surely he wasn’t anything holy; if this is meant for the Holy of Holies in the Temple, then what is this anointing for? And why the split into TWO anointings? What is its significance? C’mon, Rabbi Singer? No possible explanation were even attempted. It only has meaning if it is something special: to anoint the Special One; to anoint the Messiah; this has far more merit than for any other purpose;

— how could Cyrus be the Most Holy? Cyrus maybe God’s anointed to be his servant to perform certain jobs, but how could Cyrus be annointed as the Most Holy? – such thoughts are convulsing and contemptuous;

— second, if the Temple had been desecrated (as was the case by Antiochus Epiphanes in 167 BC), and if the cleansing of the Most Holy has any remote chance of something to do with the Temple or the Holy of Holies, the ashes from an unblemished red heifer would be used for its cleansing; so what would this anointing of “the Most Holy” for?

— and even if some merit points may be offered they would pale in comparison when compared to the anointing reserved for a Special One; One that would eventually emerge as the Messiah, the Prince; One that will make all His enemies becoming His footstool! Psalm 110:1; and thus it is unsurprising that these unbeliving Rabbinic Jews and Rabbi Tovia Singer are denounced by the prophet Isaiah as being deaf and blind to the will of God (Isaiah 42:19-20, 56:10, 59:10);

— using the day-for-a-year principle of Bible prophecy is understood in Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:3-6, the seventy weeks in Daniel 9 represent 70 times 7 or 490 days — that is, since days stand for prophetic years, this comes to a total of 490 years. What was to happen at the end of these years?

²⁵ Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem until the Messiah (4899 מָשִׁ֣יחַ mā·šî·aḥ) the Prince (nā·śî”), shall be seven weeks and threescore and two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times. — the Messiah the Prince (nā·śî); literally, an Anointed one, a Prince; the two nouns being placed in apposition, and the article omitted before each; the Annointed and the Prince (nā·śî mentioned 18 times referring to the Messiahic reign in Ezekiel 40-48 during the Millenium period starting with “It is for the prince nā·śî; the prince nā·śî shall sit in it to eat bread before the LORD יְהוָ֑ה”) to possess both attributes which in other passages are ascribed to only one;

— of great significance is ths title “Messiah the Prince” as nowhere is this composite title used elsewhere in the Scriptures. Yes, this “annointed Prince nā·śî” is special, real special, hence translators into the English language rightly capitalise the M for Messiah and added the particle “the” before the title, that is “the Messiah” – simply because such anointing for Him is extremely Special!

— know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem, from the time that the decree to restore and to build Jerusalem until the Messiah the Prince,

— shall be seven weeks, that is, until the coming of the Messiah, the Prince, and threescore and two weeks, during which the great city of the Lord would be constructed; the street shall be built again and the wall, even in troublous times; young and adolescents, until the spiritual Church established, under the turbulent Roman rule, would be like kids playing in the streets of Jerusalem in troublous times;

— this means the Messiah would appear after “seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks” or 69 weeks, after the decree was given; it is known that the seventh year of Artaxerxes when he issued the decree was from September 458 to September 457 BC (Jewish reckoning fall to fall; Artaxerxes came to the throne in December 465 BC and reigned until 424 BC; Encyclopedia of World History; Wikipedia);

— it took seven prophetic weeks, or 49 years (a year for a day) to complete this rebuilding of the city. The troublous times are described in Nehemiah 4. This carries us from 457 to 408 BC;

— after 62 more weeks, or 434 years (from 408 BC), the Messiah would be on the scene (verse 26).

— in other words, from 457 BC in the fall, till Christ appeared on the scene, there would be sixty-nine weeks (7 + 62) — a total of 69 times 7 or 483 years! Just 483 years after 457 BC brings us to exactly AD 27!

483 years were to pass, beginning from
457 BC when the decree went forth, bringing us to
26 AD — however, one year must be added
1 in crossing from BC to AD, bringing us to
27 AD — since there is no year zero (for the Jewish Calendar equivalent, see more at the end)

The Messiah would appear on the scene in 27 AD!

— Note that earlier, the decree of Cyrus concerning the first rebuilding was of the house of God, the Temple, not the city of Jerusalem, Ezra 1:2 (The Lord God of heaven hath given me (Cyrus) all the kingdoms of the earth; and He hath charged me to build Him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah); but this verse specify it is the rebuilding of Jerusalem unto the time of Messiah, the Anointed One, the Prince; shall be 62 weeks;

— also in II Chronicles 36:

²² Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and put it also in writing, saying, ²³ “Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord God of heaven given me; and He hath charged me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all His people? The Lord his God be with him, and let him go up.”

²⁶ And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for Himself; and the people of the prince who shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. And the end thereof shall be with a flood, and until the end of the war desolations are determined. — and after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, namely, at the time of One’s death, a death not for Himself, but for the whole humanity;

— and the people of the prince that shall come, a mighty opponent, an anti-Messianic movement, Rome, shall destroy the city Jerusalem and the Temple, so that everything, apparently, would be lost after an overwhelming attack as in AD 66 to 70;

— and the end thereof shall be with a flood, so that the attacking prince himself would perish in the end, by a divine judgement, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined, or “until the end there will be warfare,” until the end of this world; these sound like a preamble, introduction or summary to the book of Revelation.

²⁷ And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week; and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease. And for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” — and he, the prince shall confirm the covenant with many for one week;

— and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease, so that there would be a transfer of the worship of God from the physical to the spiritual, and for the over-spreading of abominations he shall make it desolate; the daily sacrifice of the Temple and all their other sacrifices; when the city of Jerusalem, being besieged by Titus, and their fall in AD 70; the daily sacrifice ceased to the great grief of the people;

When? When did the Messiah accomplish this? “In the MIDST of the week”! That is dual — 1) after fulfilling one half of the seventieth week — after preaching the Kingdom of God for three and a half year, Christ died for the sins of the world, after doing the Work of God for three and a half years, from autumn 27 AD until spring 31 AD.

And 2) it also indicates that Christ died for our sins in the middle of a literal week — on a Wednesday! And He was resurrected three days and three nights later — near sunset on the weekly Sabbath (Matthew 12:40), so that He had risen already by sunrise Sunday morning (Matthew 28:6; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:6).

Since Yeshua died for the sins of man kind in the midst of the week, the prophecy, “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week,” has not yet been been completely fulfilled. For three and a half years, during His ministry, He confirmed the covenant with His disciples. By His death, He put the final stamp on the covenant; through Him all people can now enter into the covenant which God made with Abraham and become heirs “according to the promise.”

But as Daniel 9:26-27 reveals, there yet remains three and a half years of Christ’s ministry to be fulfilled! When will Christ fulfill it? When will He once again confirm the covenant? It is a Mystery!

Thus in Summary on why only Yeshua as the Son of God fulfills this prophecy:

(1) Daniel 9 is prophecy is for the endtime; Cyrus does’t qualify for this; he was already dead;

(2) no annointed could be considered as the “Most Holy” unless he is very special; if this is meant to be Cyrus, it is blemphemous;

(3) the composite title “Messiah the Prince” is of great significance; this “annointed prince” is real special, so special that when translated into English, “the Messiah” is rightly designated.

Israel, today as in the past, has many blind shepherd:

“Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see” Isaiah 42:18

“His watchmen are blind; they are all ignorant; they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark, sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber” Isaiah 56:10

~~~~

In the Jewish Calendar

— in other words, from 3305 (457 BC) in the fall, till Christ appeared on the scene, there would be sixty-nine weeks (7 + 62) — a total of 69 times 7 or 483 years! Just 483 years after 3305 brings us to 3788!

483 years were to pass, beginning from
3305 when the decree went forth, bringing us to
3788 —

~ by Joel Huan on June 5, 2022.

Posted in Daniel, Jews for Judiasm, Messiah, R Tovia Singer