DANIEL 9:25 Order to Rebuild JERUSALEM
EZRA CHAPTER 7
And
NEHEMIAH CHAPTER 2
HERMENEUTICS
PURPOSE:
Determination
of “when” the "decree" was given to restore and to build Jerusalem;
According to Daniel Prophecy per 9:24-25.
Either in 457 B.C. per Ezra chapter 7,
or 445 B.C. per Nehemiah chapter 2.
Emphasis on verses: Ezra
7:11-13 and Neh. 2:1-8
OBJECTIVE METHODOLOGY:
To determine the start date of the decree to restore
and rebuild Jerusalem, according to Ezra Chapter 7 in 457 B.C., or, according to Nehemiah Chapter 2 in 445 B.C.; in fulfillment
of the prophecy in Daniel 9:24-25.
A hermeneutical analysis of the complete books of Ezra and Nehemiah will provide an “in-context”
overview. This will be followed by an outline overview of both Ezra Chapter 7 and Nehemiah Chapter 2 for
a more in-depth / “in-context” hermeneutical analysis.
A comparative evaluation will then determine the hermeneutical
basis, for an accurate start date, for the “order to restore and rebuild Jerusalem”.
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REFERENCES:
Prophecy:
Dan. 9:24 “Seventy weeks (70 - 7 periods) are determined upon thy people and upon Thy holy city (Jerusalem), 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 the most Holy.”
“Know therefore and
understand, that from the
going forth of the commandment to restore
and to build Jerusalem
unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks (69-7’s): the street
shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.”
See:
Daniel 70 Weeks Prophecy
Historical Events and Dates Overview - 606 B.C. TO 445 B.C. (to follow)
Hermeneutical Principles Applied (to follow)
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Historical Overview:
Yr’s Date
Event
70 606 - 536 BC Captivity of 10 Northern Tribes Starts -
70yr.
593 - 571 BC Ezekiel's Vision of a Future Temple
70 586 - 516 BC Temple destroyed (to be completely rebuilt)
70 586 - 536 BC Judah Captivity into Babylonian starts - 50 years.
70 606 - 536 BC Captivity of 10
Tribes Ends - 70 years
50 586 - 536 BC
Captivity of 10 Tribes Ends – 50 yrs after Temple destroyed
50 586 - 536 BC
Judah Captivity ends - 50 years
20 536 - 516 BC
Zerubbabel starts rebuilding the “Zerubbabel” Temple
70
586 - 516 BC Temple
Rebuilt - 70 years
after it was destroyed.
457 BC Ezra leads return to Jerusalem and restores temple worship
445 BC
Nehemiah is ordered to “Restore
& Rebuild the city of Jerusalem.”
Neh. 2:1,8 Fulfillment of Dan. 9:24-25 (69-7’s)
prophecy
Reigns of Babylonian Kings:
Cyrus 559-530
B.C.
Cambyses
530-522 B.C.
Smerdis
522 B.C.
Darius I 521-486 B.C.
Ahasuerus
486-464 B.C.
Artezerxes
I 464-423 B.C.
Darius
II 423-404 B.C.
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Hermeneutical Principles
“Hermeneutics
is the art of finding the meaning of an author’s words and phrases, and of explaining it to others.”
Spurgeon:
"To say that words do mean a thing,
merely because they can be tortured into meaning,
is a most dishonorable and dangerous way of handling Scripture.
Ambiguity of language has been resorted to
in order to mislead the reader or hearer.
This is not 'to interpret the obscure by the clear',
but to obscure the clear
by a misleading
comparison of assumedly ‘parallel’ passages."
General Guidelines Should Include:
The greatest rule of sound biblical interpretation is to
Let the Bible interpret itself, as a unit of thought,
in the immediate context, with the passage and book as a whole.
We cannot properly “determine the meaning of a passage of
Scripture; independent of the rest of Scripture”
Therefore, when seeking the meaning of one passage we must seek
unity with all other Bible teachings related to it,
particularly the words of Jesus.
Linguistic Hermeneutical
Principles To Be Applied
IN CONTEXT - CLEAR
AND LITERAL GRAMATICAL PRINCIPLES:
Grammer:
Analysis of the sentence and paragraph; i.e. noun, verb, object etc.
Determine "In-Context" meaning from the grammatical structure.
Review a Hebrew or Greek Lexicon transliteration
of meaning.
Look up the actual meaning of
each word in the original languages.
Context is
crucial within
the larger narrative.
Study the context
of the passage and the theme of the book.
Learn the cultural
setting of the passage.
Determine what the original
readers understood it to mean.
SCRIPTURE VERIFYING SCRIPTURE:
Confirm an interpretation with similar passages (synonyms).
Cross-references will show how the words are used in other contexts.
How the first mention
of the word or topic is presented in the Bible.
Spurgeon:
“Primary attention should be given to the literal
sense.
Understand each passage in its ‘first sense’—that
is, its literal or obvious meaning.
The first sense of the passage must never be drowned it must
be distinctly declared.
Accommodation must never thrust out the original
and native meaning,
A passage should not be strained.”
Milton Terry
1898:
“The same general principles by which we ascertain the grammatical-historical sense, apply also
to the interpretation of figurative language.”
“Two passages might be similar in sentiment, but
not strictly parallel or identical in sense."
"The words of Scripture
were intended to have one definite sense,
and that our first object
should be to discover that sense,
and adhere rigidly to it.”
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EZRA CHAPTERS
1 - 10 HERMENEUTICAL ANALYSIS
CHAPTER 7 EMPHASIS
Keywords
& Emphasis:
King’s decree
to Ezra & Zerubbabel to rebuild the house of God at Jerusalem;
Ezra to rebuild the spiritual condition of the people; deliverance from bondage
Physical restoration of the temple guided by Zerubbabel; spiritual reformation guided by Ezra
Book
of Ezra In-Context Overview:
Theme: Ezra instructed to guide Jews return
to Jerusalem and rebuild the house of God.
20 References to rebuilding the
temple;
Ezra 1:2 3:2,6,8,10,11,12,
4:24 5: 2,13,16 6:3,14 7:13,17,19,20,21,23,24
0 references to rebuilding the walls and gates city of
Jerusalem.
Chapter Overviews:
Chapter 1-6: 536-516
B.C. Ezra ordered to rebuild the “House of God”
Chapter
7: 457 B.C.
Ezra leads the 4th and last group of people back from Babylon to Jerusalem
Chap. 8-10: Ezra struggles with the repopulation and
moral restoration of Jerusalem
EZRA CHAPTERS 1 – 10:
Chapters
1-2:
In
the 1st year of his reign, Cyrus made a proclamation charging Ezra to return to Jerusalem to build the
house of his God.
Chapter 3:
On the 7th month, Zerubbabel & Joshua
the priest build the altar to observe the Feast of Tabernacles, but the foundation of the temple of the Lord was not yet laid
(3:6). Then in the 2nd month of the 2nd year of their return to Jerusalem to rebuild
the house of God (3:8), they set forth the work to build the house of the Lord (3:8, 9, 10, 11, 12), and
the foundation of the house of the Lord was completed.
Chapter 4-6:
Adversaries petition King Cyrus, then
King Artexerxes, against the Jews in Jerusalem, causing work on the house of God to cease until the 2nd year of
the reign of King Darius (4:24). Then Zerubbabel arose to rebuild the house of God at
Jerusalem (5:2). He showed King Darius the original decree of King Cyrus to rebuild the house of God that
was not yet finished (5:13, 16). King Darius issued a decree to search for the records and found that in
the 1st year of Cyrus, a decree was made concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, authorizing that it
be built (6:1-3). So the temple was rebuilt and finished according to the commands of Cyrus, Darius
& Artexerxes. It was completed in the month of Adar in the 6th year of the reign of
Darius, i.e. 516 B.C. (6:14-15). So they kept the Feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread
on the 14th day of Nissan.
Ezra Chapter 7 In-Context
Overview:
In Chapter 7 there are 7 references to restoring the
“House of God”.
No references to "rebuilding Jerusalem".
Ezra
leads the people to repopulate Jerusalem and restore worship in the house of God, 457 B.C.
7:1-9
In
the 7th year of Artexerxes, Ezra reflects on his journey from Babylon to Jerusalem, according to all his requests
and prepares his heart to seek the law of the Lord and to do it, and to teach IN Israel statues and judgments.
He travels from Babylon to Jerusalem from the first day of the 1st month (Nissan), to the first day of the
4th month (Tammuz).
7:10-24
King Artexerxes issues a decree
(v13) that all who wish to go to Jerusalem with Ezra(v13) were to carry the silver and gold (v15) to purchase the offerings
for the temple (v17) and to offer them upon the altar in the house of God (v.19). If more be needed for
house of God (v.20), King Artexerxes decrees (v20) that the king’s treasure house is open (v20), as Ezra
and the priests have need for the house of God (v.21) and No tribute (v.24) shall be imposed upon the ministers of the house
of God (v.24).
7:25-28
Ezra
is instructed by the king to set up magistrates and judges who
may judge all the people according to the laws of his god, and to teach them what the laws and statutes
of his God and be judged accordingly (v.25-26).
Ezra prepares to leave for Jerusalem on the first day of the first month,
in the 7th year of Artexerxes (28).
Ezra Chapter 8-10:
Ezra restores ministers for temple
service and struggles with moral reforms of the people.
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NEHEMIAH CHAPTERS 1 - 13 HERMENEUTICAL ANALYSIS
CHAPTER 2 EMPHASIS
Keywords & Emphasis:
Nehemiah as governor for 12 years establishes the physical and political reconstruction of Jerusalem starting with rebuilding
the outer walls and security gates;
Artexerxes’ decree, 445 B.C.
Book of Nehemiah In-Context Overview:
Theme: Nehemiah is appointed governor, and is instructed by the king to return and rebuild Jerusalem that had been left to lay wasted.
8
references to rebuilding Jerusalem; Neh. 2:3,5,8,17 4:6, 17-18 6:15, 12:27
0 references to rebuilding the temple
Nehemiah Chapter 2 In-Context Overview:
2:1-8
In
the month of Nissan in the 20th year of Artexerxes, Nehemiah requests the king’s permission to return to
Judea in the city of his fathers so that he may rebuild it (v.5). Artexerxes issues a letter of approval,
which includes instruction to the keeper of the king’s forest to make it available for Nehemiah’s use in rebuilding
the walls and gates for the city of Jerusalem (v.8).
2:9-15
Nehemiah travels to Jerusalem and inspects the gates
& walls.
Jerusalem was left to lay wasted and broken down.
2:16-18
He approaches
the rulers and the priests, saying to them, “You see the distress of Jerusalem laid waste and the gates thereof.
“Come let us build up the wall of Jerusalem.” They replied, “Let
us rise up and build for this good work.”
2:19-20
Other Gentile inhabitants scorn & ridicule them,
so Nehemiah rejects them as participants in the rebuilding.
