decree issued
About the decree, it was 49 years. There were four decrees...
Cyrus issued a decree in 538BC (II Chron 36:22-23 and Ezra 1:1-4)
Darius issued a decree in 520BC (Ezra 6:1, 6-12)
Artaxerxes Longimanus in 457BC (Ezra 7:12-26)
Artaxerxes Longimanus in 444BC (Neh 2:1-8)
Four decrees, which one is the one to count from?
Dan 9:25 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: the street shall be built again, and the wall,
even in troublous times.
There will be 7 weeks plus 62 weeks = 69 weeks. That is 483 years (Num 14:34 and Ezek 4:6).
So let's add 483 years to each decree and see what works out...
1st decree: 538BC + 483 years = 55BC. This doesn't work because Christ would
not be born for another 51 years.
2nd decree: 520BC + 483 years = 37BC. Again, no good, Christ's birth
is still 33 years in the future.
3rd decree: 457BC + 483 years = 27AD. Christ's formal, 3-1/2 year ministry
began in 27AD culminating in His crucifixion in 31AD. We have a winner.
4th decree: 444BC + 483 years = 40AD. Christ's death, burial and resurrection was
9 years in the past and the destruction of the Temple was ~30 years in the future. No dice.
So, the decree in 457BC brings us to 27AD for the beginning of the ministry of Christ,
the first 3-1/2 years exactly as the prophecy in Dan 9 predicts.
There will be 7 weeks plus 62 weeks = 69 weeks.
That is 483 years (Num 14:34 and Ezek 4:6).
Artaxerxes Longimanus in 457BC (Ezra 7:12-26)
in 457BC brings us to 27AD for the beginning of the ministry of Christ,
the first 3-1/2 years exactly as the prophecy in Dan 9 predicts.
decree: 457BC + 483 years = 27AD.
Christ's formal, 3-1/2 year ministry began in 27AD culminating in His crucifixion in 31AD.