In this video I’m going to help bring about a better understanding of the 490 year “messianic” prophecy stated in Daniel chapter 9 verse 22 through 27.
The ninth chapter of the Book of Daniel is one of the most precise time frame based prophecies in all of the Hebrew Bible. It details a prophecy delivered to Daniel by the angel Gabriel, outlining a timeline of seventy weeks (literally seventy "sevens"of years) that would unfold in the history of the Jewish people. These seventy weeks are traditionally understood as a period of 490 years, divided into three distinct phases. Below is my simplified analysis of this prophecy based on historical and biblical analysis.
In Daniel 9:22-23, the angel Gabriel explains that Daniel’s prayers for the restoration of Jerusalem have been heard. The seventy weeks are then introduced as a divine timeline, revealing key events in the future of the Jewish people, their holy Temple, the High priesthood, and Jerusalem itself. The prophecy can be broken into three specific segments of time as outlined by the Angel:
Time frame one. Seven weeks (49 years). Time frame two. Sixty-two weeks (434 years) Time frame three. One final week (7 years). Each segment has specific significance in Jewish history, culminating in critical events that shaped the destiny of the Jewish people.
The First Seven Weeks (49 Years). Gabriel’s message begins with the decree to "restore and rebuild Jerusalem" (Daniel 9:25). Historically, this decree is associated with the command given by the Persian king Cyrus the Great authorizing the rebuilding of the temple and Jerusalem, known as the edict of Cyrus. This event occurred in 539 BCE. We know for certain that it is King Cyrus who is to issue the decree and authorize the building of the temple because God specifically pronounces this in Isaiah chapter 44 verse 28 saying “HaShem says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please; he will say of Jerusalem, “Let it be rebuilt,” and of the temple, “Let its foundations be laid”
Let's look at Daniel 9 verse 25 which reads “Know and understand this: From the issuance of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until an Anointed (Messiah), the Prince, there will be seven weeks [49 years]”
Who is the one that is anointed? Some translations even use the term “The Messiah”, even though the Hebrew text does not have a definite article before the word “anointed” so it is technically not correct to translate the verse stating it as “The messiah” rather it is properly translated “an anointed”. Who is the anointed prince that is anointed here? We know it's certainly not the Jesus of Nazareth person of Christianity being he did not appear for another 500 plus years later. Let’s examine history and see.
From the issuing of this decree, the prophecy allocates seven weeks of years (49 years) to the restoration and rebuilding process. This period led to the construction of the temple and the anointing of the high priest Joshua, who played a crucial role in reestablishing religious order after the return from Babylonian exile. This anointing marked a renewed focus on the Temple’s centrality and the restoration of sacrificial worship. The temple was built and Joshua the high priest was anointed and reigned as high priest in the year 490 BCE–exactly 49 years after the decree was given, just as the Daniel prophecy stated. Joshua the High Priest is clearly the “anointed prince” that the prophecy is referring to. This is confirmed by both history, and the scriptures themselves in Zechariah chapter 3 which speaks of him directly as well as in Nehemiah 12.
Let’s move on to the next 62 weeks block of time. Following the first 49 years, the prophecy continues with a period of sixty-two weeks, or 434 years. During this era, Jerusalem is rebuilt but under difficult circumstances, as the prophecy notes, "in times of distress" (Daniel 9:25).
This period encompasses significant historical developments, including three prominent stresses upon the reestablishment of Jerusalem:
Stress one. The challenges faced during the construction of Jerusalem’s walls and infrastructure, as recorded in Ezra and Nehemiah. Stress two. The Hellenistic era, marked by the oppression of the Jewish people under Greek rulers, including the desecration of the Temple by Antiochus Epiphanes. Stress three. The eventual dominance of Rome in Judea, which brought its own set of tribulations.
Despite the external pressures and internal struggles, the Jewish community remained steadfast, continuing to develop its identity, religious practices, and governance. Even transitioning from Greek persecution to oppressive Roman rule, Jerusalem and the temple stood firm and were further established.
Now moving on to the final seven-year period which is pivotal and brings a close to the Angel’s message to Daniel. In this final time period that began with a decree about the temple being rebuilt, the prophecy then concludes that an anointed one will be cut off and will have nothing and states "the people of the coming monarch will destroy the city and the Sanctuary" (Daniel 9:26). As per our earlier interpretation, we should understand this "anointed one" not as a future messianic figure but as a reference to the high priesthood, which came to an end with the destruction of the Second Temple. Just as the priesthood was reestablished with Joshua in the first time frame, it is then brought to an end in the final week of this prophecy.
This catastrophic conclusion unfolded during the Roman-Jewish War. The Temple, the center of Jewish worship and identity, was destroyed by Roman forces in 70 CE, marking the end of the sacrificial system and the High Priest's leadership. The "covenant" referenced in Daniel 9:27, which was strengthened for many, during the middle of this 70th week, can be understood as the attempted continuity of corrupted Jewish leadership making a pact with Rome. However this treaty by the Jewish leadership with Rome fell apart, and the war broke out in 66 CE (the middle of the 70th week).
We can see that Daniel’s prophecy focusing on distress highlights the harsh realities faced by the Jewish people during these centuries. From foreign domination to internal strife, these years were marked by ongoing challenges to Jewish autonomy and religious life. Yet, even in adversity, the Jewish community adapted and persevered, laying the foundation for rabbinic Judaism’s eventual emergence. These 490 years of struggle were to prepare the Jewish people for the great exile that was ahead of them. The exile in which they were to be sent throughout the entire world with the mission of spreading the light of Torah. Even the most remote parts of the earth could witness the light of HaShem’s people for a time just before the messianic age was to begin and Jerusalem would be established forever upon the redemption.
Even though the prophecy shows the reestablishment of the priesthood, and then its eventual end in 70 CE, Daniel 9 still serves as a reminder of divine providence and the enduring covenant between God and Israel. While the prophecy acknowledges periods of suffering, it ultimately reflects a vision of survival and continuity. The destruction of the Temple in 70 CE was not the end of Jewish life but a transformation. The rabbinic tradition, born out of this devastation, ensured the survival of Jewish faith and practice, emphasizing study, prayer, and communal resilience over a sacrificial system of worship.
The 490 years outlined in Daniel’s prophecy provide a framework for understanding key events in Jewish history, illustrating the interplay of divine timing, human agency, and enduring faith in the face of adversity. We can see clearly that this prophecy has nothing to do with the Christian view of a Messiah figure, and the timing does not all align with the coming of their Jesus Christ figure, but rather is all about Israel, Jerusalem, and the Temple and specifically the fate of the role of the High Priesthood which would then end until the age of redemption. And may HaShem’s day of redemption come speedily and in our day as we all hasten that day by walking in the truth of His Torah.
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