The Jewish Dispersion

Note: The following is a chapter from my unpublished original manuscript, “Great and Mighty Things,” which traces the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.

Introduction

First, Peter Chapter One says: “To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia” (1 Pet. 1:1, NKJV).

It is usually understood that Peter was writing to Jewish Christians scattered in Asia Minor (present-day Turkey).

The book of Isaiah says: “It shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people who are left, from Assyria and Egypt, from Pathros and Cush, from Elam and Shinar, from Hamath and the islands of the sea. He will set up a banner for the nations, assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth” (Isa. 11:11-12, NKJV).

The book of Jeremiah says, “Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock: for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished, and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel” (Jer. 25:34, NKJV).

John’s gospel says, “Then the Jews said among themselves, “Where does He intend to go that we shall not find Him? Does He intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks” (John 7:35, NKJV).

At the Feast of Pentecost, the people heard the disciples speaking in their native languages. “And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. When this sound occurred, the multitude came together and were confused because everyone heard them speak their language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, ‘Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how do we hear each other in the language we were born in? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our tongues the wonderful works of God’” (Acts 2:5-11, NKJV).

The term dispersion is usually used to refer to the scattering of Israel. New Testament Jews also used it to refer to Jews living outside of the Jewish homeland.

The Bible records three different times when the Jews were scattered. The first was when the Assyrians took the northern kingdom of Israel into captivity in 740 BC and again began in 722 BC, lasting about three years. It was the practice of the Assyrians to separate the people (probably families), to move and scatter the people over their then-controlled world. This group of people has been called the ten lost tribes of Israel – however, they were never lost. Some of these people may have been at the Jewish Feast of Pentecost. We do know that the Assyrians replaced the people in the Northern Kingdom with captives from other parts of the world. These people groups later married some of the Southern Jews and created a mixed breed of people called the Samaritans.

A little over a hundred years later, King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon requested tribute from the Southern Kingdom of Judah, but the King of Judah refused. In 605 BC, this resulted in King Jehoiakim’s death and the exile of King Jeconiah, his court, and many others. Over the next few years, more people were taken to Babylon, and in the year 587 BC, the city of Jerusalem was burned to the ground. Most of the Jews were taken to Babylon. A few went to Egypt (including Jeremiah) or were scattered elsewhere. Some may have hidden themselves and remained nearby.

In 70 A.D., the Romans burned the city of Jerusalem and scattered the Jews across Africa, Asia Minor, and Europe.

This article focuses on the 70 years that Judah spent in Babylonian captivity. We learn about this period from two Old Testament prophets taken into captivity – Daniel and Ezekiel. Both of these prophets were taken captive early. As part of the royal family in the first siege in 605 BC, Daniel was taken to the royal palace in Babylon. Ezekiel became a hostage, along with 10,000 others who were carried off to Babylon in the second siege in 597 BC. It is reported that “the first 32 chapters of Ezekiel were written before the third siege”.

We read in Ezekiel chapter one: “Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar.” Where is the river of Chebar? The Chebar River is a tributary of the Euphrates in Babylon – it lies south of Babylon between the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers. This is probably where most of the Jews were located. Ezekiel became their spiritual leader during those years.

The prophet Jeremiah also participated in the Babylonian Siege. He repeatedly prophesied about the coming siege and established a timeline for the length of the captivity.

We read: “And this whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years” (Jer. 25:11, NKJV). We will follow this timeline as we study these years.

Note: The following sections are not necessarily intended to be in sequence. They are selection nuggets that I believe are important in understanding the days of the Babylonian captivity. I will begin with the withdrawal of the Glory of God from the temple in Jerusalem.

The Glory of God Departs the Temple

Note: the following vision probably took place by the Chebar River in Babylon.

We read in the first verse of Ezekiel these words, “Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the River Chebar, that the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God” (Ezek. 1:1, NKJV).

It appears that the Babylonians placed the Jewish exiles in the Chebar River region, with the exception of the young men who were taken to Babylon. (Read the First Chapter of Ezekiel).

In a Babylonian vision, Ezekiel saw God’s departing glory in Jerusalem. I will let the Scriptures tell the story in Ezekiel chapter ten. I am placing this here before we get into the details of the books of Daniel and Ezekiel.

“And I looked, and there in the sky above the head of the cherubim appeared something like a sapphire stone, having the appearance of the likeness of a throne. Then He spoke to the man clothed with linen and said, ‘Go in among the wheels, under the cherub, fill your hands with coals of fire from among the cherubim, and scatter them over the city.’ And he went in as I watched” (Ezek. 10:1-2, NKJV).

Note: The man in the cloth appears to be an angel. “At the very least, this man dressed in linen represents God’s mercy. Some even see him as the preincarnate Christ” (Google).

“Now the cherubim were standing on the temple’s south side when the man went in, and the cloud filled the inner court. Then the glory of the Lord went up from the cherub and paused over the threshold of the temple, and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the Lord’s glory. And the sound of the cherubim’s wings was heard even in the outer court, like the voice of Almighty God when He speaks” (Ezek. 10:3-5, NKJV).

“Then it happened, when He commanded the man clothed in linen, saying, ‘Take fire from among the wheels, from among the cherubim,’ that he went in and stood beside the wheels. And the cherub stretched out his hand from among the cherubim to the fire that was among the cherubim, took some of it, and put it into the hands of the man clothed with linen, who took it and went out. The cherubim appeared to have the form of a man’s hand under their wings” (Ezek. 10:6-8, NKJV).

“And when I looked, there were four wheels by the cherubim, one wheel by one cherub and another wheel by each other cherub; the wheels appeared to have the color of a beryl stone. As for their appearance, all four looked alike—as it were, a wheel in the middle of a wheel. When they went, they went toward any of their four directions; they did not turn aside when they went but followed in the direction the head was facing. They did not turn aside when they went. And their whole body, with their back, their hands, their wings, and the wheels that the four had, were full of eyes all around. As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing, ‘Wheel’” (Ezek.10:9-13, NKJV).

“Then the glory of the Lord departed from the threshold of the temple and stood over the cherubim. And the cherubim lifted their wings and mounted up from the earth in my sight. When they went out, the wheels were beside them; they stood at the door of the east gate of the Lord’s house, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them” (Ezek. 10:14-17, NKJV).

“This is the living creature I saw under the God of Israel by the River Chebar [see Ezek. Chapter 1), and I knew they were cherubim. Each one had four faces and each one four wings, and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings. And the likeness of their faces was the same as the faces which I had seen by the River Chebar, their appearance and their persons. They each went straight forward” (Ezek. 10:18-20, NKJV).

Note: We need to remember that after seventy years of captivity, the Jews were allowed to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. Later, King Herold rebuilt the temple complex in Jerusalem, which was destroyed in 70 AD. The Shekinah Glory never returned to the temple. Jesus, as the incarnated Christ, walked many times in the temple area, but He hid His glory during that time (see John 17:4).

However, Ezekiel would later have a vision of the Glory returning to the temple during the future Millennial Kingdom.

“Afterward he brought me to the gate, the gate that faces toward the east. And behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east. His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory. It was like the appearance of the vision which I saw—like the vision which I saw when I came to destroy the city. The visions were like the vision which I saw by the River Chebar; and I fell on my face. And the glory of the Lord came into the temple by way of the gate which faces toward the east. The Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the temple” (Ezek. 43:1-5, NKJV).

The Hebrew Children

Amidst the first siege, some young people in Judah’s royal count were taken to Babylon for training and service in the King’s court.

“Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king’s descendants and some of the nobles, young men in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who could serve in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans” (Dan. 1:3-4, NKJV).

“And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king’s delicacies and wine which he drank, and three years of training so that they might serve before the king at the end of that time. Now among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. To them the chief of the eunuchs gave names: he gave Daniel the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abed-Nego” (Dan. 1:5-6, NKJV).

We will see that all four of these young men obtained high positions of service in the Babylonian Kingdom. Daniel would become prime minister, and the other three would be given governorships. Their high positions probably made life much easier for their people in captivity.

There is no record that the Jews ever served as slaves in Babylon. Over the years, the Jewish People made a new home and lived fruitful lives. Children were born, and older people died. They forgot about life in Judah. During this time, the Jews established places of worship called synagogues. We read a lot about the synagogues in the Gospels.

However, the four Hebrew children had a problem with the King’s Food.

We read: “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore, he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Now, God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs. And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, ‘I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and drink. Why should he see your faces looking worse than the young men your age? Then you would endanger my head before the king’” (Dan. 2:8-10, NKJV).

“So Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, ‘Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants.’ So he consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten days” (Dan. 2:11-14, NKJV).

“And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king’s delicacies. Thus the steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams” (Dan. 2:15-17, NKJV).

Now the four Hebrew children are brought before the King. “Now at the end of the days, when the king had said that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. Then the king interviewed them, and none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they served before the king. And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers in his realm. Thus, Daniel continued until the first year of King Cyrus” (Dan. 1:18-21, NKJV).

The four Hebrew children continued to believe in their God and honor and obey Him. We will meet them again later. Now, we will look at Daniel’s gifts of visions and dreams.

Nebuchadnezzar Dream

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had a dream that he could not remember, and it troubled him. The king called for all the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and Chaldeans to tell him what he had dreamed and to interpret the dream for him. When none of his wise men could help, Daniel came to his aid.

Daniel told King Nebuchadnezzar that he had dreamed of a great image. The image head was of fine gold; its breast and arms were silver; its belly and thighs were bronze; its legs were iron; and its feet were part iron and part clay. The king had seen a stone cut out without hands, which smote the image upon its feet, and the image broke into pieces. Click on Dan. 2:1-36 to read the full text about Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream.

Now, we will look at Daniel’s interpretation. ”This is the dream. Now we will tell the interpretation. ‘You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory; and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all—you are this head of gold’” (Dan 2:37-38, NKJV).

“But after you shall arise another kingdom [silver] inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others. Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay” (Dan. 2:39-43, NKJV).

“And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever” (Dan. 2:44, NKJV).

“Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold—the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure” (Dan. 2:45, NKJV).

Daniel identified the image head of fine gold as Babylon, which was to be followed by three world kingdoms, each conquering the previous one. Each of these kingdoms was symbolized by metal. History has shown the accuracy of this prophecy. The silver symbolized the Mede-Persian Empire that followed Babylon; the bronze symbolized the Greek Empire that followed the Mede-Persian Empire; and the iron symbolized the Roman Empire that conquered the Greeks. Beginning with the Mede-Persians, these world empires were controlled by the descendants of Japheth, Noah’s son. We recall that Noah predicted that God would enlarge Japheth, and the historical record of world empires shows the infallible accuracy of the prophecies in God’s Word.

Then Daniel saw a stone, not cut by hands, which smote the image upon its feet of iron and clay and broke it into pieces. And the stone that smote the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. All the prophecies relating to the vision have come to pass except for the stone destroying the image. We have seen that the picture represents the world system of government under the control of the Gentile Nations. The government has manifested itself with three dimensions of control: politically, militarily, and economically. These governments, as a whole, are under the control of Satan and must be replaced. The stone that will destroy the image will be the second person of the Godhead, The Son of God, The Rock of Ages, Jesus of Nazareth.

“Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, prostrate before Daniel, and commanded that they present an offering and incense to him. The king answered Daniel, and said, ‘Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret.’ Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts; and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon. Also Daniel petitioned the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel sat in the gate of the king” (Dan. 2:46-49, NKJV).

The Fiery Furnace

Nebuchadnezzar said, “Your God is the God of gods.” Yet he would not recognize and worship Daniel’s God. His ego got the best of him, and he made himself the supreme God by his pride.

He was very proud of being the head of Gold. We read about what he did about it.

“Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. And King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to gather together the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. So the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered together for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then a herald cried aloud: ‘To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up’” (Dan. 3:1-5, NKJV).

If anyone refused to bow down and worship the image, he would be cast immediately into a burning fiery furnace. The Bible is silent about where Daniel was or what he did, but we know that Daniel would not have bowed down. However, the other three Hebrew children, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, would not bow down and worship the image, and they were reported to Nebuchadnezzar.

We read about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego’s encounter with Nebuchadnezzar.

“So they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, ‘Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands” (Dan. 3:13-15, NKJV)?

“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up” (Dan. 3:16-18, NKJV).

Then, Nebuchadnezzar was furious. He ordered the fiery furnace to be made seven times hotter than usual, bound the three young men, and threw them into the fire.

We read, “Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, ‘Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?’ They answered and said to the king, ‘True, O king.’ ‘Look!’ he answered, ‘I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God” (Dan. 3:24-25, NKJV).

God had protected the three men from the fire. But who was the fourth man? Many scholars believe the term “Son of God” refers to Jesus Christ. If not, he was an angel sent from God to protect the men. The three men were put to the test and were found faithful.

“Then Nebuchadnezzar went near the mouth of the burning fiery furnace and spoke, saying, ‘Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here.’ Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego came from the midst of the fire” (Dan. 3:26, NKJV).

“Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, ‘Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God! Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this.’ Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the province of Babylon” (Dan. 3:28-30, NKJV).

If you wish to read all of the third chapter of Daniel, click: “The Third Chapter of Daniel.”

Nebuchadnezzar’s Insanity

The king, consumed by his pride and the grandeur of his kingdom, found himself in a predicament. In His wisdom, the Lord presented the king with a dream that baffled all interpreters. In his desperation, the king turned to Daniel for answers. This stark and poignant contrast between the king’s towering pride and his eventual, humbling downfall is a cautionary story for us all. Let us now delve into Daniel’s response.

“The tree that you saw, which grew and became strong, whose height reached to the heavens and which could be seen by all the earth, whose leaves were lovely and its fruit abundant, in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and in whose branches the birds of the heaven had their home — it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong; for your greatness has grown and reaches to the heavens, and your dominion to the end of the earth” (Dan. 4:20-22, NKJV).

“And inasmuch as the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump and roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze in the tender grass of the field; let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let him graze with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him’; this is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king: They shall drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen. They shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the Most high rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses” (Dan. 4:23-25, NKJV).

As a direct and severe punishment for his pride and rebellion, God would drive Nebuchadnezzar insane, and he would go into the fields and eat grass like the animals. This divine intervention underscores the power and authority of God in the face of human arrogance.

“At the end of the twelve months he was walking about the royal palace of Babylon. The king spoke, saying, ‘Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?’ While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice fell from heaven: ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you’” (Dan. 4:29-31, NKJV).

“’And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.’ That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds ’claws’” (Dan. 4:32-33, NKJV).

At the end of his period of punishment, God restores his sanity and kingdom, and Nebuchadnezzar praises the living God.

“And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever” (Dan. 4:34a, NKJV).

As far as we can tell, Nebuchadnezzar served the living God for the rest of his life.

If you wish to read the Entire Fourth chapter of Daniel, click “The Fourth Chapter of Daniel.”

“Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon from 605 BC to 562 BC”. Apparently, he died in 562 BC. Daniel was carried to Babylon in 605 BC and would have served the king for 43 years. We can assume that Daniel was about 60 years old when Nebuchadnezzar died.

“Finally, Nabonidus, the son of a priestess, became king in 556 B.C. and married Nitocris (probably the queen in Daniel 5:10). Their eldest son Belshazzar was made regent and co-ruler with him. In about 550 B.C., Nabonidus moved to Arabia leaving Babylon in the hands of Belshazzar. He didn’t return for ten years, only to be captured by the Persians” (Source: http://bibleq.net/answer/1904/).

So, we raise the question: Were Nabonidus and Belshazzar Nebuchadnezzar’s sons and grandson? The book of Jeremiah implies that they were.

“And now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant; and the beasts of the field I have also given him to serve him. So all nations shall serve him and his son and his son’s son, until the time of his land comes; and then many nations and great kings shall make him serve them.” (Jer. 27:6-7, NKJV).

The Bible says that Belshazzar was his son, but the term “son” can often refer to earlier descendants’.

Belshazzar’s Party

Let’s delve into the historical era of King Hezekiah, a time when Babylon was a rising power, and explore his remarkable hospitality towards a visiting group from this empire.

“At that time Merodach-Baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. And Hezekiah was pleased with them, and showed them the house of his treasures—the silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, and all his armory—all that was found among his treasures. There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that Hezekiah did not show them” (Isa. 49:1, NKJV).

Among these treasures, the most sacred were the silver and gold temple serving pieces, imbued with the sanctity of their use in Jewish religious services.

“Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, ‘Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: ‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,’ says the Lord. ‘And they shall take away some of your sons who will descend from you, whom you will beget; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon’’” (Isa. 49:5-7, NKJV).

The temple serving pieces were magnificent and very valuable. When Nebuchadnezzar later invaded Jerusalem, he took them back to Babylon and stored them. However, because they were sacred and used in Jewish religious services, he never used them. Maybe he had planned to return them to the Jews if they returned to their home in Jerusalem.

By 539 BC, Daniel had lived in Babylon for 66 years, which would make him in his eighties.

Belshazzar, an evil man, and perhaps his father, Nabonidus, served as king or co-kings of Babylon.

One night, Belshazzar hosted a big party. We read about it in Daniel’s fifth chapter.

“Belshazzar the king made a great feast for a thousand of his lords, and drank wine in the presence of the thousand. While he tasted the wine, Belshazzar gave the command to bring the gold and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple which had been in Jerusalem, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple of the house of God which had been in Jerusalem; and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone” (Dan. 5:1-4, NKJV).

“In the same hour the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king’s countenance changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so the joints of his hips loosened and his knees knocked against each other. The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. The king spoke to the wise men of Babylon, ‘Whoever reads this writing, and tells me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck; and he shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.’ Now all the king’s wise men came, but they could not read the writing, or make known to the king its interpretation. Then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled, his countenance was changed, and his lords were astonished” (Dan. 5:5-9, NKJV).

Notice that Belshazzar said whoever could read the writing would be made third in the kingdom. Who was second? Perhaps it was his father, Nabonidus.

Now, the king’s wife told Belshazzar that a man in your kingdom used to interpret dreams for Belshazzar’s father (or grandfather). So, the king sent for Daniel.

“Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke, and said to Daniel, ‘Are you that Daniel who is one of the captives from Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah? I have heard of you, that the Spirit of God is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. Now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not give the interpretation of the thing. And I have heard of you, that you can give interpretations and explain enigmas. Now if you can read the writing and make known to me its interpretation, you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom” (Dan. 5:13-16, NKJV).

“Then Daniel answered, and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another; yet I will read the writing to the king, and make known to him the interpretation” (Dan. 5:17, NKJV).

Daniel then explains to Belshazzar how Nebuchadnezzar had found faith in the living God of the Jews and had served him during his last days. Then he warns Belshazzar that he had not done that, that he had served stone, wood, silver, and gold idols.

“But you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, although you knew all this. And you have lifted yourself up against the Lord of heaven. They have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines, have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which do not see or hear or know; and the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified. Then the fingers of the hand were sent from Him, and this writing was written” (Dan. 5:22-24, NKJV).

“’And this is the inscription that was written:

MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.

This is the interpretation of each word. ‘MENE: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; TEKEL: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; PERES: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.’ Then Belshazzar gave the command, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a chain of gold around his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.” (Dan. 5:25-29, NKJV).

That night, Cyrus the Great, King of the Medes-Persians, came into the city, killed Belshazzar, and captured the empire. Interestingly, the prophet Isaiah prophesied about Cyrus many years before the fall of Jerusalem. “

If you wish to read all of the Fifth chapter of Daniel, click: “The Fifth Chapter of Daniel.”

Cyrus the Great

Cyrus, a formidable conqueror, had previously subdued the Median Empire, the northern part of what we now know as Iraq, around 550 BC. His dominion extended over the present-day area of Iran. With the conquest of Babylon, Cyrus ascended to the throne of a vast empire, encompassing a significant portion of the land in modern-day Iraq and Iran.

The once magnificent city of Babylon, known for its Hanging Gardens, began a gradual descent. These gardens, a marvel of the ancient world, were a testament to the city’s grandeur and the wealth of its rulers.

The prophet Isaiah prophesied about the fall and decline of Babylon.

“’For I will rise up against them,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘and cut off from Babylon the name and remnant, and offspring and posterity,’ says the Lord. ‘I will also make it a possession for the porcupine, and marshes of muddy water; I will sweep it with the broom of destruction,’ says the Lord of hosts” (Isa. 14:22-23< NKJV).

Today, we do not know where the old city of Babylon was located.

The Babylonian Empire has now been replaced by the Mede-Persian Empire. Cyrus the Great reigned from his capital in Pasargadae (located in present-day Iran). Cyrus’s tomb is located there.

It is interesting that Cyrus was prophesied by Isaiah in the days of Hezekiah.

“Thus says the Lord to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held — to subdue nations before him and lose the armor of kings, to open before him the double doors, so that the gates will not be shut” (Isa 45:1-4, NKJV).

At some point, Daniel, as a very old man, was taken to Persia and given a leadership role in the Persian Empire.

We may be wondering about the other Jews who were taken into captivity. As stated earlier, the Jews were never slaves in Babylon. As the years went by, they established homes in Babylon and perhaps moved about. Cyrus would later begin the process for some of them to return to Jerusalem, but most did not want to return because they considered the land of Babylon as their home. Perhaps, many did scatter about what would become the Mede-Persian Empire. Over the years, Ezekiel served as their prophet and spiritual leader. Both Ezekiel and Daniel had visions of Israel’s future. We will look at those visions and encounters later.

History says that in 539 BC. Cyrus let a group of Jews return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple.

History also says that Cyrus died in 529 BC and Darius I became king of the Mede-Persian Empire in 522 BC. Perhaps there was another king between them. Daniel would serve in a high position of authority under Darius I. Daniel would have been close to 100 years old at that time. There is a lot of confusion about who Darius was. He is listed as the third king of the Mede-Persia Empire on Wikipedia (the online encyclopedia). It says, “he ruled the empire at its peak, when it included much of West Asia, the Caucasus, parts of the Balkans, most of the Black Sea coastal regions, parts of the North Caucasus.”

In the Lion’s Den

Darius I, also known as “Darius the Mede,” relocated his palace from Pasargadae (Iran) to Ecbatana (Iran). In a move that would shape the course of history, he restructured the empire, establishing provinces and appointing satraps to govern them. Among these satraps was Daniel, a man of exceptional character and faith, who was elevated to the esteemed position of a governor.

“It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, to be over the whole kingdom; and over these, three governors, of whom Daniel was one, that the satraps might give account to them, so that the king would suffer no loss. Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm. So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him. Then these men said, ‘We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God’” (Dan. 6:1-5, NKJV).

Living under the “Law of the Medes and Persians,” Daniel was bound by its unchangeable decrees. His enemies, aware of this, hatched a plot to entrap him, knowing that his unwavering faith in his God would be their weapon.

‘”All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter.’ Therefore King Darius signed the written decree” (Dan. 6:7-9, NKJV).

This new law prevented Daniel from praying to the living God of the Jews. Daniel had no choice but to break the law even though he knew he could be placed in the lion’s den.

“Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days. Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God” (Dan. 6:10-11, NKJV).

Daniel’s enemies went before the King and accused Daniel. They demanded that Daniel be put in the lion’s den—a den of hungry lions. The King was a friend of Daniel, and he deeply regretted what he had signed. But the decree was made under the “Law of the Medes and Persians,” and the king could not change it.

“And the king, when he heard these words, was greatly displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored till the going down of the sun to deliver him. Then these men approached the king, and said to the king, ‘Know, O king, that it is the law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the king establishes may be changed’” (Dan. 6:14-15, NKJV).

“So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, ‘Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.’ Then a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signets of his lords, that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed. Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no musicians were brought before him. Also his sleep went from him” (Dan. 6:16-18, NKJV).

The king believed that Daniel’s God would save him. At this point, we do not know if he believed that Daniel’s God was the only God and the living God of the universe. Now, we conclude the story.

“Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, ‘Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?’ Then Daniel said to the king, ‘O king, live forever! My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you’” (Dan. 6:19-22, NKJV).

The king had Daniel removed from the lion’s den and ordered that Daniel’s enemies who conspired against him be placed in the lion’s den.

Then the King issued a new decree, which showed everyone that the King believed in Daniel’s living God.

“Then King Darius wrote: to all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: peace be multiplied to you. I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the living God, and steadfast forever; His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed, and His dominion shall endure to the end. He delivers and rescues, and He works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions” (Dan. 6:25-27, NKJV).

“So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian” (Dan. 6:28, NKJV).

If you wish to read the Entire Sixth chapter of Daniel, click “The Sixth Chapter of Daniel.”

Dry Bones

We left Ezekiel by the River Chebar in Babylon. We don’t know how long he lived, but he was a prophet and spiritual leader for the Jewish people living in Babylon. Both Ezekiel and Daniel were concerned about the future of Israel. We know that some Jews returned to Jerusalem while Daniel was still living. However, we do not know about Ezekiel.

We must keep in mind that the Jewish kingdom was never fully restored. They never had a king.

Deuteronomy 28:48 states that God will put a yoke of iron upon the neck of the nation Israel until He has destroyed them. This was fulfilled when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD. The Jewish people were scattered among the nations without a country they could call their own homeland. Almost all the prophets clearly state that God would not forget His chosen people.

The latter chapters of Ezekiel (Chapters 33-48) speak of Israel’s restoration during the last days—a time when the Son of God and the Son of David would sit upon His throne—King Jesus, the Jewish Messiah.

God gave Ezekiel a vision of a valley of bones coming to life. These bones symbolized the resurrection of the nation of Israel, which began in 1948 and will be completed when Jesus returns. Now, let us look at the prophecy.

“The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. And He said to me, ‘Son of man, can these bones live?’ So I answered, ‘O Lord God, You know”‘ (Ezek. 37:1-3, NKJV).

“Again He said to me, ‘Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God to these bones: ‘Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and, shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.”’“ (Ezek. 37:4-6, NKJV).

“So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone. Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them. Also He said to me, ‘Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God: ‘Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.’’’ So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army” (Ezek.37:7-10, NKJV).

What a beautiful picture of the resurrection we have! God has recreated new bodies and placed life into those bodies. That which was dead is about to live again. Ezekiel must have wondered who these people were, as he had not been told. Now God is going to tell him.

“Then He said to me, ‘Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’ Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it,’ says the Lord’’’“ (Ezek. 37:11-14, NKJV).

Notice that God will put his spirit into the hearts of his people. When they were under the Mosaic Law, they were required to be obedient through the power of their flesh. The Holy Spirit indwelled only chosen leaders. God will change their hearts by putting the Holy Spirit within each individual. This is a new covenant God is going to make with Israel.

Now, we continue with God’s words to Ezekiel. “Then say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: ‘Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their land; and I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king over them all; they shall no longer be two nations, nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again. They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will deliver them from all their dwelling places in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them. Then they shall be My people, and I will be their God.’’” (Ezek. 37:21-23, NKJV).

The kingdoms of Israel and Judah have not been united since the days of Solomon. When they are resurrected, united, and restored to their promised blessings, God will cleanse their sins with the shed blood of the Lamb of God, and the Messiah will rule over the house of Israel as King of kings and Lord of lords.

This is the promise made to Ezekiel. “David My servant shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd; they shall also walk in My judgments and observe My statutes, and do them. Then they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob My servant, where your fathers dwelt; and they shall dwell there, they, their children, and their children’s children, forever; and My servant David shall be their prince forever. Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them, and it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary in their midst forevermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them; indeed I will be their God, and they shall be My people. The nations also will know that I, the Lord, sanctify Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forevermore” (Ezek. 37:24-28, NKJV).

In the previous chapter of Ezekiel, God tells us why He is going to restore Israel. “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God: ‘I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the Lord,’ says the Lord God, ‘when I am hallowed in you before their eyes’”(Ezek. 36:22 23, NKJV).

God’s chosen people are to be saved by God’s grace, not by what they have done. God entered into an unconditional covenant with Abraham and intends to honor that covenant.

God wants the Gentile nations, who have chosen to walk in their own way, to know that His word is true and that He is the Sovereign God of the universe. Today, it seems that He is beginning to restore Israel to the land, and the whole world waits in apprehension and anticipation as to what will happen next in the Middle East. Through television, the whole world is watching God’s plan unfold before our eyes.

“Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure.’…Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it. Listen to Me, you stubborn-hearted, who are far from righteousness: I bring My righteousness near, it shall not be far off; My salvation shall not linger. And I will place salvation in Zion, for Israel My glory” (Isa. 46:9-10, 11b-13, NKJV).

Daniel’s Seventy Weeks

From the seventh chapter onwards, Daniel’s visions began to unfold, revealing awe-inspiring and captivating prophecies about the future kingdoms of the world. These visions, reminiscent of the ones King Nebuchadnezzar experienced in the second chapter, hold a significant and captivating place in the biblical narrative.

Among the most remarkable and meticulously detailed prophecies in the Bible is the one found in the ninth chapter of Daniel. In this prophecy, God, through the angel Gabriel, unveils a chronological timetable for His program with the Jews. Gabriel’s mission was to equip Daniel with the skill and understanding to comprehend Israel’s future, marked by tribulations and blessings, all of which God foresaw, revealing the intricate layers of divine wisdom.

The Late Dr. J. Vernon McGee introduces the chapter as follows. “This is another one of those remarkable chapters in Scripture. Dr. Phillip Newell evaluates it as ‘The greatest chapter in the book and one of the greatest chapters of the entire Bible.’ The double theme is prayer and prophecy. If one were to choose the ten greatest chapters of the Bible on the subject of prayer, this chapter would be included on any list. The first twenty-one verses give us the prayer of Daniel, and the final six verses give us the significant prophecy of the seventy weeks.”

The late Dr. H.A. Ironside, quoting Sir Edward Denny, a noted prophetic student of the last century, called this timetable “The backbone of prophecy.” Dr. Ironside says that if this prophecy is misunderstood, “then an effort will necessarily be made to bend all other prophetic scriptures into accord with that misinterpretation. But if we have a correct understanding of the teaching of this chapter, we can then see readily how all prophecy, without any forcing, falls right into place, and is intimately linked up with this the greatest of all time prophecies” (Ironside, Daniel, pp 155).

Daniel had been greatly disturbed by the visions recorded in chapters seven and eight, which look forward to the “Times of the Gentiles.” He was getting old and remembered Jeremiah’s prophecy about the time Israel would spend in captivity under the Babylonians and Mede-Persians.

The chapter begins as follows, “In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the lineage of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans – in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the LORD through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem” (Dan. 9:1-2, NKJV).

To understand the background for the quoted verses, we need to review what Jeremiah wrote: “And this whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy year‘Then it will come to pass, when seventy years are completed, that I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity,’ says the Lord; ‘and I will make it a perpetual desolation” (Jer. 25:11-12, NKJV).

The writer of the Second Chronicles adds these words: “to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths. As long as she lay desolate she kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years” (2 Chr. 36:21, NKJV).

Daniel understood, as did the writer of the Second Chronicles that Israel’s punishment was tied to their failure to celebrate the Sabbath Year as given in the Mosaic law, where Israel was required to let the ground fallow every seven years. It would appear that for 490 years (70 times 7), they had violated this Mosaic Law, lust missing seventy Sabbath Years. For this great sin, God said that they would remain in captivity for seventy years – a year for each year they violated the law.

Daniel knew Israel’s period of captivity was about to be completed because the Mede-Persians had conquered the Babylonians, and King Cyrus had allowed a few to return to Jerusalem. He was greatly concerned about their future. With fasting, sackcloth, and ashes, Daniel pours his heart out in supplications and confessions to God. He confesses both the sins of Israel and his sins. The angel Gabriel appeared to him about the evening sacrifice (3:00 PM).

“And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, ‘O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand. At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved; therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision” (Dan. 9:22-23, NKJV).

Now, let us look at Daniel’s seventy weeks.

“Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy” (Daniel 9:24, NKJV).

Scholars often disagree on the interpretation of these verses, but most seem to agree that Daniel refers to a week of years and not a week of days—a period of 490 prophetic years. The Hebrew word “Shabuah,” meaning seven, has been translated into the English word “week.” Thus, Daniel states a period of seventy times seven or four hundred and ninety periods (years).

Based on Jewish law and customs, scholars tend to agree that the period of time is years. We will recall that the Mosaic Law required that the Jews keep a Sabbath based on days and one based on years. Therefore, we will assume the period for these future events is 490 years of 360 days each (Jewish calendar), or 176,400 days.

We must also understand that these 490 prophetic years must correspond with and run concurrently with “the times of the Gentiles.” The seventy weeks for Israel and “the times of the Gentiles” will both come to an end at the same time. However, we will find that the “seventy weeks” is not a consecutive period, and within these future years, the nation of Israel will be both destroyed and resurrected.

“The times of the Gentiles” began when the Israelites lived in Jerusalem and were taken captive by the Babylonians. In the second and seventh chapters of Daniel this age was prophesied. In the second chapter of Daniel, God gave King Nebuchadnezzar a vision of an image with a head of gold, breast and arms of silver, belly and thighs of brass, and legs and feet of iron and clay. Each of these metals represented a world power that would rule during the age of the Gentiles. The “seventy weeks of Daniel” must be interpretative in light of “the times of the Gentiles.”

Now, let us return to the prophetic details of the angel’s seventy weeks.

“Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times. And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, and till the end of the war desolations are determined” (Daniel 9:25-26, NKJV).

Notice that the seventy years are divided into different periods. From issuing the decree to rebuilding Jerusalem, it will be 49 years. History has shown that the decree was issued to Nehemiah (Neh. 2:1-8) by Artaxerxes in the twentieth year of his reign to rebuild the city of Jerusalem. Artaxerxes was the Mede-Persian king, and the date was probably the month of Nisan (March) 445 BC. Within 49 years or seven weeks, the city was rebuilt, the last Old Testament prophets had spoken, and God ceased to communicate with his people.

Daniel says that after seven weeks and 62 weeks, or a total of 69 weeks, the Messiah will come and will be cut off. For many years, God was silent, and then suddenly, He began to speak through John the Baptist, declaring the kingdom was at hand. But God’s chosen people were blind and did not recognize their own Messiah, who was introduced to them by John the Baptist. They nailed Him to the cross, and He died for all our sins. The Jewish Messiah was cut off from His people, just as Daniel had prophesied. But it was not the Jews who cut the Messiah off, but the Messiah who cut Himself off from the Jews.

Scholars have calculated the 69 weeks beginning with March 14, 445 BC, and considered leap years as coming to a close on April 6, AD 32. It is amazing how closely this date corresponds with the date Jesus died on the cross. The Roman Empire crucified Jesus, and almost 40 years later, Roman General Titus burned the city of Jerusalem to the ground, thus fulfilling Daniel’s prophesy. The burning of Jerusalem also brought about the destruction of the nation Israel.

There remains one week or seven unaccounted years in Daniel’s seven weeks. But God had a surprise for His people. He stopped the clock on His program with the Jews and turned to a special “called-out” group that would become “The Church.” For many years, yet to be known, He has revealed Himself through “The Church.” But the day will come when He will turn again to His chosen nation – seven years before He brings “the times of the Gentiles” to a close.

Now let us look at the last week, which will last seven years.

“Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate” (Daniel 9:27, NKJV).

After Israel is restored to their land, the Gentile nations will triumph in bringing a world government under a world leader. This New World leader will come from one of the nations that traces its roots to either the old Roman Empire or one of the Islamic Nations. He will be disguised as a great humanitarian who promises peace, prosperity, and plenty. To the Gentiles, this man will have at last triumphed over the unjust and the evil of the world. Man will realize his destiny and find his utopia of peace and goodwill upon the earth.

The Jews will also be deceived and will believe that they will have found the promised Messiah. The prince, as Daniel calls him, will enter into a covenant with Israel and promise them peace and security. Finally, they can rebuild their temple and restore their sacrifices. But Daniel says, “In the midst of the week” (three and one-half years), the prince will break his covenant and turn against the Jews. These last three and one-half years will be a time of great tribulation, more severe than the world has ever known. Daniel called it a “transgression of desolations” in chapter eight, and Jeremiah called it “a time of Jacob’s troubles.”

The Apostle John was taken up into heaven in a vision and was allowed to see these catastrophic events that are yet to occur. He recorded his vision in Revelation chapters four through nineteen. Many believe that the great tribulation is a New Testament concept. Still, careful study shows that it is an Old Testament concept that has been more fully developed in the New Testament. Both the Old and New Testaments give the time period as three and one-half years – also as forty-two months, “a time, times, and half a time and 1260 days. The prince (known as the infamous Antichrist), as referred to in Daniel 9:26-27, will become the beast of Revelation in chapters thirteen, seventeen, and nineteen.

Conclusion

We conclude this article where we begin. The Dispersion of the Jews took place in three phases.

When the Assyrians took the Northern Kingdom of Israel into captivity in 721 BC, they relocated the Jews across the area that Assyria controlled. It was the Assyrian custom to separate and scatter the people they captured.
Most of this article focused on the Babylonian Captivity. The Babylonians apparently placed the Jewish exiles in the Keber River region of present-day Iraq. “In 539 BCE, the Persian king Cyrus the Great issued the Edict of Cyrus allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem and the Land of Judah, which was made a self-governing Jewish province under the new Persian Empire” (Google). Only a few returned, and many others scattered throughout the Persian empire.
In 70 AD, the Romans destroyed the temple and Jerusalem, thus scattering the people throughout the Roman empire.

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