Daniel Knew When Messiah Would Come

My Rebecca's family
Easter Sunday, 2010

"Now listen and understand! Seven sets of seven plus sixty-two sets of seven will pass from the time the command is given to rebuild Jerusalem until a ruler - the Anointed One [Messiah] - comes. Jerusalem will be rebuild with streets and strong defenses, despite the perilous times." (Daniel 9:25 NLT)

It's hard to believe that Easter Sunday 2015 is just two weeks away. Bonnets and bows, anthems and egg hunts will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, King of kings and Lord of lords.

Jesus was born a Jew, but many of His own did not believe.

Jesus wept. "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God's messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn't have Me." (Luke 13:34)

Had the Jews carefully studied the Old Testament prophecy in Daniel, however, they would have recognized Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. For in Daniel chapter 9, God sent the angel, Gabriel, to tell:

"Now listen and understand! 

Seven sets of seven 

[7 x 7 = 49 years]

plus sixty-two sets of seven 

[62 x 7 = 434 years]

[49 + 434 = 483 years]

will pass from the time the command is given

to rebuild Jerusalem

until Messiah the Prince." 

In other words, there would be 483 years between the decree to rebuild Jerusalem and the Messiah. And sure enough, 483 years after King Artaxerxes issued a decree allowing Nehemiah to rebuild Jerusalem's streets and moat (Nehemiah chapter 2), Jesus road into Jerusalem on a donkey on Palm Sunday, was crucified on a cross that Black Friday, and rose from the grave on the third day - the first Easter Sunday - by Jewish calendar calculations, on the very date Gabriel foretold the prophet Daniel!

Hallelujah, Jesus is alive

Death has lost its victory

And the grave has been denied

And Jesus lives forever

He's alive

He's alive

Yes, Jesus is alive!1

Beloved, will you bow your knee to Jesus as Lord?

1 JESUS IS ALIVE. Ron Kenoly. 1991.