PROPHETIC DATES

By Fransisco Msonge (MD), 2025

CONTENT

• 1.Introduction
• 2.The year 508 A.D
• 3.The year 533 A.D
• 4.The year 538 A.D
• 5.The year 1798 A.D
• 6.The year 1843 A.D
• 7.The year 1844 A.D

1.INTRODUCTION

The dates 508, 533, 538, 1798, 1843, and 1844 hold deep significance in the realms of eschatology and prophetic interpretation, particularly within the prophetic books of Daniel and Revelation. These time markers are not mere historical footnotes—they are seen by many scholars and students of prophecy as milestones that unlock divine timelines and illuminate the grand narrative of cosmic conflict, spiritual restoration, and end-time fulfillment.

This article presents a concise yet meaningful summary of the biblical and historical evidences supporting the biblical significance of each of these dates, offering a clear framework for understanding their role in the prophetic timeline. Whether you’re a student of prophecy or just beginning your journey, this overview aims to lay a solid foundation for deeper Bible study and reflection.

Biblical prophecy is the backbone of all theology. It explains where we’ve come from, where we are now, and where we’re going. Prophecy continues to unite true, Bible-believing Christians globally, fuel evangelism, and prepare people for the soon return of Jesus Christ.

Biblical prophecy remains critically important today because it:

• Strengthens faith and hope in God’s Word,
• Warns of coming deceptions, and
• Guides moral and spiritual preparation.

Fulfilled prophecies—such as the fall of ancient empires and the 1260 years of papal supremacy—build confidence in the reliability and divine origin of Scripture. Prophecy assures believers that God is in control and that evil will not last forever.

Books like Daniel and Revelation warn of false worship, the mark of the beast, and global spiritual confusion. As Jesus said in Matthew 24:24, understanding prophecy helps believers avoid being deceived in the last days.

Ultimately, prophecy is not just about dates and symbols—it is a divine call to repentance, holiness, and readiness for Christ’s return, as emphasized in 2 Peter 3:10–14. Now is absolutely the time to study Bible prophecy, for we are living in the final moments of earth’s history.

2.THE YEAR 508 A.D.

• “First Church-State union in Western Europe”
• “Papal political power”.

BIBLICAL BASIS FOR 508 A.D.

Daniel 11:31 (KJV)

“And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.”

“Arms shall stand on his part”

• “Arms” are interpreted as military or political powers supporting the Papacy.
• This points to civil enforcement of ecclesiastical authority, especially during the rise of Papal Rome.

“Pollute the sanctuary of strength”

• Refers to the corruption of the true gospel and heavenly sanctuary truth, especially through false teachings, such as:
  • Salvation by works or the sacraments
  • Confession to priests instead of Christ
  • Replacement of Christ’s priestly work in heaven with earthly rituals

“Take away the daily”

• It refers to the continual burnt offering or daily priestly sacrifice that was part of the temple rituals in Jerusalem.
• The taking away of “the daily” signifies a systematic substitution of Christ’s priesthood with a counterfeit (e.g., the Papal mass and earthly mediation).

“They shall place the abomination that maketh desolate”

• This is the establishment of the Papal system—a union of church and state that brought about persecution, distortion of truth, and the “desolation” of spiritual understanding and faith.
• The establishment of papal supremacy, often identified with 538 A.D., but 508 A.D. is viewed as the starting point of this transition.

HISTORICAL BASIS FOR 508 A.D.

The year 508 A.D. mark a major turning point in Church-State relations, laying the groundwork for papal dominance in Western Europe.

Key Event:

• Clovis I, king of the Franks, had converted to Catholic Christianity by 496 A.D.
• By 508, he had defeated the Arian Visigoths (who opposed the Papacy) and consolidated power in support of Roman Catholicism.
• He is the first “Catholic” king to fully unite church and state by military force in the West.

508 AND THE 1,290-DAY PROPHECY

DANIEL 12:11 (KJV)

“And from the time that the daily shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.”

Interpretation:

• 1,290 prophetic days = 1,290 literal years
• Starting from 508 A.D., the 1,290 years end in 1798 A.D., the year the Pope was captured by Napoleon’s general, marking the end of papal political power.
• Thus, 508 becomes the starting point of this 1,290-year prophecy.

HISTORICAL QUOTES FOR 508 A.D.

1. Clovis’s Victory and Alliance with Catholicism

• “Clovis, King of the Franks, had accepted the Catholic faith in 496. In 508, he waged war in its defense, defeating the Visigoths, who were Arian Christians.”
  — Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, Vol. 3
• “The conversion of Clovis was the first step in the conquest of Europe by Roman Christianity.”
  — James Bryce, The Holy Roman Empire

2. Franks Defend Rome and the Papacy

• “Clovis I, in the year 508, was recognized by the Eastern Roman Emperor Anastasius as the Consul of Rome. This imperial recognition further legitimized the Frankish king’s authority and his defense of Roman Catholic interests.”
  — Will Durant, The Story of Civilization, Vol. IV
• “The triumph of the Franks marked the emergence of a political power committed to the protection and advancement of Catholic orthodoxy.”
  — H.G. Wells, A Short History of the World

2. THE YEAR 533 A.D.

• “Decree of Emperor Justinian I”
• “First major papal ecclesiastical power”

BIBLICAL BASIS FOR 533 A.D.

1.The Little horn

Daniel 7:24–25 (KJV)

“And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak  great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.”

Understanding:

• The little horn is the Papacy.
• 533 A.D. marks the year when the Papacy was legally recognized as supreme in the Christian Church, fulfilling the “rise” of this power.
• The 1,260 years (“time, times, and half a time”) began when this power was enforced (538 A.D.) and ended in 1798 A.D.

2. The Dragon Gives Power to the Beast

Revelation 13:2 (KJV)

“And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear,
and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.”

Understanding:

• The “dragon” represents pagan Rome.
• The “beast” represents papal Rome.
• In 533 A.D., the Roman emperor (Justinian) transferred religious authority to the Pope, fulfilling this transfer of “seat and authority.”

The Man of Sin Exalted

2 Thessalonians 2:3–4 (KJV)

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.”

Understanding:

• The “man of sin” is the papal system, claiming authority in God’s Church.
• The decree of 533 A.D. represents the legal acknowledgment of the Pope’s supremacy, beginning the fulfillment of this self-exalting role.

HISTORICAL BASIS FOR 533 A.D.

What happened:

• In 533 A.D., Emperor Justinian I of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire issued a decree officially recognizing the Bishop of Rome as the “head of all the holy churches.”
• This was included in Justinian’s Codex Justinianus, a foundational document in Byzantine law.

Wording (paraphrased from the Codex):

“We have determined that the most blessed Pope of the city of Rome is the head of all the holy priests of God…”

Why it matters:

• This was a formal legal and ecclesiastical recognition by the civil authority (the Emperor) of the Pope’s primacy over all Christendom.
• It marks the first time a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical leader was officially elevated by imperial decree above all other bishops.

Why Not 538 A.D.?

While 533 A.D. is when the decree was issued, it was not fully effective immediately because:

• The Ostrogoths (Arians) still controlled Rome.
• It wasn’t until 538 A.D., when Justinian’s general Belisarius defeated the Ostrogoths and cleared the way for papal authority, that the decree could be enforced.

Early Developments Before 533

There were important developments before 533 that led to Roman Catholic ecclesiastical dominance:

• 313 A.D. – Edict of Milan: Constantine legalized Christianity.
• 325 A.D. – Council of Nicaea: Established Trinitarian orthodoxy, with Rome as a key influence.
• 381 A.D. – Council of Constantinople: Elevated the Bishop of Constantinople, but Rome retained its traditional prestige.
• Late 4th century: The Church began to refer to the Roman bishop as“Pope”, and Roman Christianity began to dominate.

However, none of these conferred universal supremacy on the Bishop of Rome as the head of all Christendom, in the way Justinian’s decree did in 533 A.D.

3.THE YEAR 538 A.D

• “The beginning of papal supremacy”
• “Both ecclesiastical and political authority”

BIBLICAL BASIS FOR 538 A.D

1. Daniel 7:24–25 — The Little Horn Power

Daniel 7:24–25 (KJV)

“And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them… and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.”

Interpretation:

• The “little horn” is the papal system.
• The three kings subdued are the Heruli (493), Vandals (534), and Ostrogoths (538).
• The phrase “time and times and the dividing of time” = 1,260 years, from 538 to 1798 A.D.

2. Revelation 13:5–7 — 42 Months of Authority

Revelation 13:5–7 (KJV)
“And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God…And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them:
and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.”

Interpretation:

• 42 prophetic months = 1,260 prophetic days = 1,260 literal years (based on Ezekiel 4:6 and Numbers 14:34).
• From 538 A.D. (papal supremacy begins) to 1798 A.D. (pope taken captive).
• This beast represents papal Rome, which persecuted and dominated the Christian world during this period.

3. Daniel 12:7 — Breaking of the Power of the Holy People

Daniel 12:7 (KJV)
“…it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.”

Interpretation:

• Again, a reference to 1,260 years of oppression.
• The “power of the holy people” (God’s faithful) was scattered by the union of church and state — starting in 538 A.D.

HISTORICAL BASIS FOR 538 A.D

1. Justinian’s Decree Becomes Effective

• In 533 A.D., Emperor Justinian I issued a decree declaring the Bishop of Rome (Pope) as the “head of all the holy churches.”
• However, at the time, Rome was controlled by the Arian Ostrogoths, who opposed papal authority.
• In 538 A.D., General Belisarius, Justinian’s general, defeated the Ostrogoths and liberated Rome, enabling the papal decree to be enforced.
• The Pope now held both religious and civil authority in Rome — the beginning of papal supremacy.

2. Ostrogothic Power Removed

• The Ostrogoths, the last of the three Arian tribes opposing papal power, were driven out of Rome in March 538 A.D.
• This fulfilled the prophecy in Daniel 7:8, which says the “little horn” uproots three kings (Heruli, Vandals, Ostrogoths).

Daniel 7:8 (KJV):
“I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn,
before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.”

Interpretation:

• The ten horns = ten kingdoms that arose from the Roman Empire.
• The “little horn” = the Papacy, which arose after these kingdoms.
• The three horns plucked up = Heruli-493 A.D and Vandals-534 A.D, and Ostrogoths-538. A.D.—destroyed for resisting papal authority.
• The “eyes like a man” = human religious leadership.
• The “mouth speaking great things” = papal claims of spiritual and temporal supremacy (Daniel 7:25; Revelation 13:5–6).

HISTORICAL QUOTES FOR 538 A.D

1.“History of the Christian Church” by Philip Schaff, Vol. 3, p. 327

“Vigilius…ascended the papal chair (538 A.D.) under the military protection of Belisarius.”

• Context: Pope Vigilius was installed as bishop of Rome after the Ostrogoths were defeated by Justinian’s general, Belisarius, thus enabling the Pope to exercise undisputed authority in the West.

2. Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th ed., Vol. 3, p. 365 (article: “Belisarius”)

“With the conquest of Rome by Belisarius, the political restoration of the Empire in the West began, and with it came the recognition of the Pope’s temporal authority.”

• Context: This restoration of Roman order (under Justinian) marked the political foundation of the Papacy’s rise in civil matters—beginning in 538 A.D.

3. A.C. Flick, The Rise of the Mediaeval Church, p. 168

“The Bishop of Rome, in the seat of the Caesars, was now the greatest man in the West, and was soon forced to become the political as well as the spiritual head.”

• Context: Although not dated, this statement reflects what 538 A.D. brought into reality: papal ascendancy after the fall of opposition (like the Ostrogoths).

4. Church Historian Edward Gibbon, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Vol. 4, Ch. 41

“The Roman Church was exalted upon the ruins of civil and ecclesiastical authority…”

• Context: This quote captures the vacuum of power that allowed the papacy to emerge as dominant, especially after 538 when other opposing powers (Arian kingdoms like the Ostrogoths) were uprooted.

5. B.G. Wilkinson, Truth Triumphant, p. 281

“The year 538 marks the time when Justinian’s decree of 533 could actually be carried out, since the Ostrogoths, who had been the chief hindrance to the papal authority, were finally defeated that year.”

• Context. This quote connects the prophetic time period directly to historical and military events recognized by historians.

4. THE YEAR 1798 A.D.

• “Capture and Captivity of Pope Pius VI”
• “Papacy’s political power was temporarily abolished”

BIBLICAL BASIS FOR 1798 A.D.

Daniel 7:25 (KJV)

“And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High,and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.”

Understanding:

• “Time, times, and the dividing of time” = 1,260 prophetic days = 1,260 literal years
• Start: 538 A.D. (The beginning of papal supremacy)
• End: 1798 A.D. (The papacy lost its political power)
• The Papacy had power for this exact period, fulfilling the prophecy precisely.

Revelation 13:5–7 (KJV)

“And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies;
and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God…And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.”

Understanding

• 42 months = 1,260 prophetic days = 1,260 literal years
• Ends in 1798, fulfilling the “war with the saints” and dominance of the Papal system.

Revelation 13:3 (KJV)

“And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.”

Understanding:

• In 1798, the Pope was taken captive, receiving a “deadly wound.”
• This marked the end of uninterrupted papal dominance.
• The healing of the wound refers to the gradual return of papal influence, especially in the modern era.

HISTORICAL BASIS 1798 A.D.

What Happened?

• In February 1798, General Louis-Alexandre Berthier, under orders from Napoleon Bonaparte, invaded Rome.
• Pope Pius VI was taken prisoner and exiled to Valence, France, where he died in 1799.
• This act ended the Pope’s political power, and the Papal States were temporarily abolished.

HISTORICAL QUOTES FOR 1798 A.D.

1. Encyclopedia Britannica (11th Edition, Vol. 25, p. 265)

“In 1798, General Berthier made his entrance into Rome, abolished the papal government,
and established a secular one.”

• Significance: Confirms the military occupation and abolition of the Papal States, ending the Pope’s civil rule.

2.The Cambridge Modern History (Vol. 1, p. 541)

“The Papacy was extinct; not a vestige of its existence remained; and among all the Roman Catholic powers, not a finger was stirred in its defence. The eternal city had no longer prince or pontiff; its bishop was dying a captive in foreign lands;and the decree was already announced that no successor would be allowed in his place.”

• Significance: Emphasizes the total collapse of the Papal institution’s temporal (political) power in 1798.

3. George Trevor, Rome: From the Fall of the Western Empire (p. 439)

“The Papacy was abolished; the Pope died in exile; the Church was without a head.”

• Significance: Highlights the historical finality of this event as a moment of institutional decapitation for the Catholic Church.

4.A.C. Flick, The Rise of the Medieval Church (1900), p. 575

“The downfall of the Papacy in 1798 was a staggering blow from which it has never fully recovered. It lost all temporal power, and its prestige sank to its lowest point.”

• Significance: Strong historical validation of the view that 1798 was a turning point in the fall of papal dominance.

5. The American Catholic Quarterly Review (April 1911)

“When, in 1798, the Papacy was abolished by the French, the world beheld for the first time a Pope who was a prisoner of a foreign power.”

• Significance: A Catholic source acknowledging the severity of the Pope’s arrest and the unprecedented nature of the event.

6. C.W. Hall, Ten Epochs of Church History, p. 281

“The object of the French directory was the destruction of the Papal power, and the accomplishment of this purpose was entrusted to Berthier…The aged Pontiff was hurried from prison to prison, and finally died in exile at Valence. No wonder that men thought the Papacy was dead.”

• Aligns with Revelation 13:3 — “the deadly wound”

7. Professor Thomas B. Macaulay, Critical and Historical Essays, Vol. 1, p. 39

“The Papacy remained, not in obscurity or retirement, but in the full light of history. Through ages of darkness and revolution,it retained its seat and authority… But in 1798 the Papacy suffered a deadly wound.”

• Even secular historians acknowledge the prophetic language of a “deadly wound.”

“It is important to note that it was under Clovis I (466–511 AD), the first king of the Franks to unite all the Frankish tribes, that the papal system gained its civil power in 508 AD; and it was under General Louis-Alexandre Berthier (1753–1815), by the order of Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821), a French military leader and emperor, that the papal system temporarily lost its civil power in 1798 AD.”

5.THE YEAR 1843 A.D.

• “Year of Blessing”
• “Millerite awakening and a deepened study of the Bible”
• “A crucial step toward the development of the Seventh-day Adventist faith”

BIBLICAL BASIS FOR 1833 A.D.

Daniel 12:11–12 (KJV)

• 11. “And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
• 12. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.”

Daniel 12:11–12 speaks of two key prophetic time periods:

• 1,290 days(Daniel 12:11)
• 1,335 days (Daniel 12:12)
• 1,290 years: is dated from 508 A.D to 1798 A.D
• 1,335 years: is dated from 508 A.D to 1843 A.D.

Why 1843 Matters:

• It was the year when William Miller, a Baptist preacher, and his followers (the Millerites) expected the Second Coming of Christ based on their interpretation of Daniel 8:14:
• Miller calculated the end of the 2,300-day prophecy to occur between March 21, 1843, and March 21, 1844, using the day-for-a-year principle and dating from 457 BC.
• This created a powerful revival movement with thousands preparing for Christ’s imminent return.

A Catalyst for the Adventist Movement

• Although Jesus did not return in 1843, the intense interest in prophecy led to:
  • A deeper examination of the Bible
  • The refinement of doctrines like the Investigative Judgment, Heavenly Sanctuary, and the Seventh Day Sabbath
• This laid the foundation for the SDA Church, which emerged from the faithful remnant of the Millerite movement after the Great Disappointment of October 22, 1844.
• The year 1843 holds deep historical and prophetic importance to the Seventh-day Adventist(SDA) faith, even though the church itself was not formally organized until 1863 A.D.

The “Blessing” of Daniel 12:12:

While Christ did not return in 1843, many true Christian with earnest study of prophecy understand the “blessing” of those who reached the 1,335 years.

They considered 1843 a blessed year because it marked:

• Arenewed study of prophecy
• Arevival in Christian experience and doctrines
• Awidespread expectation of Christ’s return

These verses are not only about dates but also faithfulness, waiting, and the blessing of understanding God’s plan in the end times. Reaching the year 1843 was a blessing because the spiritual revival that occurred during this time led to the restoration of Bible-based doctrines, faith, and true worship, which had been lost during the 1260 years of papal supremacy.

Daniel 12, as a whole, points to the time of the end, the resurrection, and God’s final deliverance of His people. Therefore, the year 1843 was not only prophetic but also a year of hope.

6. THE YEAR 1844 A.D.

• “An Atypical Day of Atonement”
• “The Cleansing of the Heavenly Sanctuary”

BIBLICAL BASIS FOR 1844 A.D:

• Daniel 8:14
• Daniel 9: 24-27
• Leviticus 16, 23
• Hebrews 8-9
• Revelation 14: 6-7

Daniel 8:13–14 (KJV):

• 13 Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?
• 14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

Interpretation of Daniel

These verses are central to prophetic understanding, especially the doctrine of the investigative judgment and the significance of the year 1844 A.D..

“The daily” and “transgression of desolation”

• “The daily” It refers to the continual burnt offering or daily priestly sacrifice that was part of the temple rituals in Jerusalem.
• The “transgression of desolation” is understood as the papal system, which usurped Christ’s mediatory role by a systematic substitution of Christ’s priesthood with a counterfeit (e.g., the Papal mass and earthly mediation).

“Sanctuary and host trodden underfoot”

• Represents how biblical truth (especially the heavenly sanctuary and gospel message) and God’s people were oppressed and obscured during the 1260 years of papal supremacy (538–1798 A.D.).

 “Unto 2300 days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed”

• The 2300 days is 2300 prophetic years (based on Ezekiel 4:6 and Numbers 14:34).
• Starting from 457 B.C., the decree to restore Jerusalem (Ezra 7), the prophecy ends in 1844 A.D.
• In 1844, Christ entered the Most Holy Place in the heavenly sanctuary to begin the investigative judgment—the final phase of His priestly ministry.

Daniel 9:24–27 (KJV)

24. Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, 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.

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.

26. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

27. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

Interpretation: The 70 Weeks Prophecy

The seventy prophetic weeks were a probationary timeframe for Jews and their city, Old Jerusalem. The end of this time was the end of the Israelite era as a God-chosen nation. It’s biblically important to remember that this timeframe took 490 years, from 457 B.C. to 34A.D. This prophecy is 490 literal years, and is Messianic in nature, pointing to Jesus first coming as the Messiah. These 490 years part of the 2300 years prophecy.

The Purpose of the 70 Weeks

Seventy weeks were determined for Israelites and their city, the prophecy was about

• 1.Israelites and their holy city-Jerusalem
• 2.Reconciliation of Israelites iniquity to God
• 3.Birth of Jesus Christ (Messiah)
• 4. Anointment of the most Holy.
• 5.Crucifixion of the Messiah (The Messiah cut off)
• 6.Ceasation of sanctuary sacrificial services and worship.
• 7.Making covenant with many (Gospel to the Gentiles)

Daniel 9:25 — Start Date and Arrival of the Messiah

• Start: “From the going forth of the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem”
  • Date: 457 B.C. – Decree by Artaxerxes I (Ezra 7:7–13)
• Messiah the Prince: After 7 weeks (49 years) + 62 weeks (434 years) = 483 years
  • 457 B.C. + 483 years = A.D. 27 (year of Jesus’ baptism)
• Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit in A.D. 27 (Luke 3:21–22).

Daniel 9:26 — The Death of the Messiah

• Messiah shall be “cut off”, but not for himself”: Jesus died for our sins
• After His death, the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the sanctuary in A.D. 70
• In Daniel 9:26b, the prince represents a ruler (A Roman army commander called Titus, who later become the Roman emperor).
• The people of the prince represent a pagan Roman empire and its army. The city represents Old Jerusalem, and the sanctuary is the second temple. The flood represented a storm of destruction by a dreadful and irresistible Roman army

Daniel 9:27 — The Final Week

• It should be noted that the pronoun “he” in Daniel 9: 27a is the Messiah (Jesus Christ), an anointed ruler, called “Messiah the Prince” in Daniel 9:25. The phrase Messiah the Prince is used only once in the scriptures, and it only refers to the Son of Man, King of King Jesus Christ.
• The covenant is God’s covenant with Israel that “he” (God) was to make or confirm with many tribes, and nations.
• The seven-year covenant in Daniel 9:27a represents the final seven years of the 490-year prophecy. The verb translated as ‘confirm’ (the covenant) does not indicate the making of a new covenant, but rather the strengthening or upholding of an existing one.
• One week = 7 years
  • This is the covenant between Jesus and the people of all nations, which occurred in this last week of Daniel’s seventy weeks.
  • The 70^th week of Daniel 9:24–27 was the last week when Jews were still the chosen nation and host of the gospel.
  • First half (3.5 years): Jesus Christ’s Earthly Ministry
    • “In the midst of the week” = A.D. 31 → Jesus is crucified → “He shall cause the sacrifice… to cease”
      • The temple veil tore in two (Matthew 27:51), symbolizing the end of the sacrificial system
  • Second half (3.5 years): Gospel preached primarily to the Jews until A.D. 34
    • Stoning of Stephen = final rejection of Messiah by Jewish leaders → gospel goes to Gentiles (Acts 7–8)

THE THREE DECREES

We have three decrees in the book of Ezra; the first two decrees only authorized the rebuilding of the temple. The third decree was the most comprehensive and authorized the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem.

It’s paramount important to remember and understand that the second decree is used for biblical interpretation of the seventy (70) years-desolation of Jerusalem (Dan 9:1-2, Jer 25:2) while the third decree is used for seventy (70) prophetic weeks of Dan 9:24–27. It’s the third decree that gives us the date and time with which God intended for calculations and the beginning of Daniel 9:24–27

First decree

• Given in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia.
• In a year 539 B.C. Ezra 1: 1-4, 2Chro 36: 22-23.
• The Bible does not indicate when in the first year of King Cyrus of Persia reign begun, so the year 539 B.C. is historical, the world history also show the Media and Persia empire (Dan7:5) was between the year (539-331) B.C.
• Nor does the Bible tell us when Zerubbabel’s party left Persia and when they arrived in Jerusalem.

The first degree is not used for 70 years-desolation of Jerusalem or 70 prophetic week’s interpretation due to the following reasons

• 1.Only few Israelites returned to the land of Judah
• 2.The temple was no complete build as per scripture
• 3.Israelities were paying tax to the king of Persia
• 4.No free government or authority of their own
• 5.No re-establishment of Jewish laws and sovereignty

Second decree   

• It marks the end of 70 years of desolation (Daniel 9:2, Jeremiah 25: 2)
• 70 years started from destruction of temple 586 B.C to 516 BCE temple rebuilt.
• Given in the second year of Darius the king of Persia
• In a year 521 B.C. Ezra 6: 1-15, Ezra 4: 24
• It was essentially a renewal of Cyrus to rebuild the temple

Historian shows that the temple was completed on 516 B.C.  The scripture show that the temple was done by 12 of March in sixth year of King Darius reign, which is 516 B.C. Despite the fact the temple was complete, the second decree is not used for 70 prophetic weeks interpretation, due to the following reasons

• 1.Only few Israelites returned to the land of Judah
• 2.Israelites were paying tax to the king of Persia
• 3.No free government or authority of their own
• 4.No re-establishment of Jewish laws and sovereignty

Third decree

• It marks the start of 70 prophetic week of Daniel 9: 24-27
• The first two decrees only authorized the rebuilding of the temple.
• The third decree was the most comprehensive and authorized the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem.
• Given in the seventh year of Artaxerxes king of Persia
• In a year 457 B.C. Ezra 7: 7- 26    

Reasons why the third decree and the year 457 B.C is used for Daniel 9:24-27.

• 1.The city was built by Ezra (Ezra 4)
• 2.Allowed Israelites to go home with their own freewill (Ezra 7:13)
• 3.Allowed Israelites to take anything from King treasures (Ezra 7:21)
• 4. Israelites no more paid taxes to the King of Persia (Ezra 7:24)
• 5.Allowed restoration of their own local government (Ezra 7: 21-28)
• 6.Authorized the appointment of magistrates, judges, and re-established Jewish laws (Ezra 7:25)
• 7.Allowed the judiciary to punish wrong doers (Ezra 7:25)
• 8.Gave and made the Jewish a sovereign nation (Ezra 7: 21-28)

Historical Validation

“In the seventh year of King Artaxerxes, Ezra went up from Babylon.”
— Ezra 7:7

• Artaxerxes I reigned from 465–424 B.C.
• His 7th year = 457 B.C., as confirmed by ancient Persian and Babylonian records

HISTORICAL BASIS FOR 1844.A.D

The Millerite Movement (1790s–1844)

• Led by William Miller, a Baptist preacher who, based on a study of Daniel 8:14, calculated that Jesus would return in 1844.
• Using the day-for-a-year principle (Ezekiel 4:6; Numbers 14:34), the 2,300 prophetic days = 2,300 literal years.
• Starting from 457 B.C. (Artaxerxes’ decree to restore Jerusalem), they expected Christ’s return around October 22, 1844.

The Great Disappointment (October 22, 1844)

• When Jesus did not return as expected, many believers were devastated—this is known as the Great Disappointment.
• However, a small group of believers (including Hiram Edson) re-examined the prophecy and concluded that they had misunderstood the event, not the timing.
• This year-1844 marks the beginning of the “Investigative Judgment” and Christ’s final phase of ministry in the heavenly sanctuary (not His return to earth).
• Originally misunderstood by the Millerite movement as the Second Coming, this was later clarified in more deeper theology study as a heavenly event.

SPIRITUAL AND PROPHETIC SIGNIFICANCE

Sanctuary Cleansing (Heavenly Sanctuary)

• The “sanctuary” in Daniel 8:14 refers not to the earthly temple (which was destroyed in A.D. 70) but to the heavenly sanctuary.
• “Cleansing” of the sanctuary = Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16), a symbol of final judgment.
• In 1844, Christ entered the Most Holy Place in heaven to begin the Investigative Judgment.
• The investigative judgment is part of the atonement process — a judgment carried out in grace and love. This judgment is based on the records kept in heaven, covering every life from Adam to the last soul before the Second Coming of Christ.
• Probation closes at the end of the antitypical Day of Atonement and the pre-Second Advent Judgment, that begun at the end of the 2300 days (Daniel 8:14) in 1844. The service is presided over by God the Father and the Son of God as the mediator and a judge.
• At the end of this antitypical Day of Atonement, when the work of the investigative judgment closes, the destiny of all will have been decided for life or death. Probation will end a short time before the appearing of the Lord in the clouds of heaven.
• After His service, Christ declares: “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be” (Rev. 22:11-12).
• God’s mercy does not cease at the close of probation or the conclusion of the investigative judgment; rather, the close of probation reveals that God has lovingly nurtured His creation to the point where each individual has made a free and final decision. The close of probation reveals the justice of God, as His mercy, is everlasting. In His justice, He intends to end sin and suffering.