Lesson for December 3, 2022

PROPHECIES CONCERNING JERUSALEM

Scripture reading: Ezra 7:8-28.

Memory verse: Ezra 7:27.

  1. When the angel Gabriel visited Daniel in Babylon what was his chief purpose and message? Daniel 9:24 (and the first part of verse 25).
  2. What other very important event concerning the Messiah did the angel Gabriel make known? Verse 26 (first part).
  3. Did the commandment go forth to rebuild the house of God? Ezra 7:13.
  4. Where do we find a copy of the king’s letter concerning this matter? Verse 11.
  5. Was there any appropriation of silver and gold given to Ezra, the high priest of the Jews? Verses 15, 16.
  6. Were the Jews allowed to buy, and take with them to Jerusalem, many provisions? Verses 17, 18.
  7. Were they also permitted to take vessels along with them for the house of God? Verse 19.
  8. Were there any vessels of importance carried away from the first House of God, which was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon? 2 Chronicles 36:18; Daniel 5:1-5.
  9. What decree did Artaxerxes make concerning providing money for this great work? Ezra 7-21.

Note. — While it is true that other decrees had been made concerning the rebuilding of the Temple and also that Jews had before this began retiming to Jerusalem, they were, more or less, poverty stricken, and powerless to really rebuild the city and the Temple without money. Artaxerxes’s decree, therefore, marks the real time for the starting of this prophecy of the 70 weeks or 490 years, as outlined in the previous lesson.

  1. According to the date at the top of your Bible, what year did this decree of Artaxerxes’s go forth? (Many Bibles have these marginal dates and all give the date of 457 B.C.).
  2. How long after this decree was reconciliation made for iniquity? Daniel 9:24; Matthew 26:6-13.

Note. — From the date at the top of the page in your Bible you will see that the crucifixion date is given as 33 A.D. Adding to this number of years B.C. 457 (Ezra 7) when the command­ment went forth and money was appropriated for the rebuilding of the Temple, it makes exactly 490 days or 70 weeks. There are some minor details relative to the last week, in which the crucifixion took place, which we will not attempt to solve here. The main outline of the prophecy was wonderfully fulfilled — The Messiah came, He was cut off, reconciliation was made for sin, the Holy One, the Messiah, was annointed, the prince that followed after (Titus the Roman) destroyed the city, and desolations came upon the Holy Land. The announcements made by Garbriel to Daniel have come to pass exactly, and now we are in the days of the second restoration of Israel to their Promised Land, which gives us the setting for the prophecied coming of the Messiah as King.

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