Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy place.
Commentary:
This Old Testament prophecy relates to the year of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Regarding
the date from which this prophecy is calculated 'Abdu'l-Bahá explains in Some
Answered Questions:
...in the Book of Daniel, from the rebuilding of Jerusalem to the
martyrdom of Christ, seventy weeks are appointed; for by the martyrdom of Christ the sacrifice
is accomplished and the altar destroyed. This is a prophecy of the manifestation of Christ.
These seventy weeks begin with the restoration and the rebuilding of Jerusalem, concerning
which four edicts were issued by three kings.
The first was issued by Cyrus in the year 536 B.C.; this is recorded
in the first chapter of the Book of Ezra. The second edict, with reference to the rebuilding of
Jerusalem, is that of Darius of Persia in the year 519 B.C.; this is recorded in the sixth
chapter of Ezra. The third is that of Artaxerxes in the seventh year of his reign -- that is,
in 457 B.C.; this is recorded in the seventh chapter of Ezra. The fourth is that of Artaxerxes
in the year 444 B.C.; this is recorded in the second chapter of Nehemiah.
But Daniel refers especially to the third edict which was issued in
the year 457 B.C. Seventy weeks make four hundred and ninety days. Each day, according to the
text of the Holy Book, is a year. For in the Bible it is said: "The day of the Lord is one
year. Therefore, four hundred and ninety days are four hundred and ninety years. The third
edict of Artaxerxes was issued four hundred and fifty-seven years before the birth of Christ,
and Christ when He was martyred and ascended was thirty-three years of age. When you add
thirty-three to four hundred and fifty-seven, the result is four hundred and ninety, which is
the time announced by Daniel for the manifestation of Christ.
So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks...
Then after sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.
But in the twenty-fifth verse of the ninth chapter of the Book of Daniel this is expressed in another manner, as seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; and apparently this differs from the first saying. Many have remained perplexed at these differences, trying to reconcile these two statements. How can seventy weeks be right in one place, and sixty-two weeks and seven weeks in another? These two sayings do not accord.
But Daniel mentions two dates. One of these dates begins with the command of Artaxerxes to Ezra to rebuild Jerusalem: this is the seventy weeks which came to an end with the ascension of Christ, when by His martyrdom the sacrifice and oblation ceased.
The second period, which is found in the twenty-sixth verse, means that after the termination of the rebuilding of Jerusalem until the ascension of Christ, there will be sixty-two weeks: the seven weeks are the duration of the rebuilding of Jerusalem, which took forty-nine years. When you add these seven weeks to the sixty-two weeks, it makes sixty-nine weeks, and in the last week (69-70) the ascension of Christ took place. These seventy weeks are thus completed, and there is no contradiction.
And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.
Then I will act with wrathful hostility against you; and I, even I, will punish you seven times for your sins.
...and you will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whomever He wishes.
Commentary:
Refer to the Commentary on Daniel 9:24 above. This "week" of seven years is the
period in which the whole Christian dispensation occurred - starting from the time John the
Baptist initiated his ministry, and ending with the crucifixion of Jesus.
And he said to me, "For 2300 evenings and mornings; then the holy place will be properly restored."
...'Son of man, understand that the vision pertains to the time of the end.'
And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, Tell us what will be the sign of Your coming and the end of the age.
...when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the HOLY PLACE (let the reader understand)...
Commentary:
'Abdu'l-Bahá explains in Some Answered Questions: Now that the manifestation of Christ has been proved by the prophecies of
Daniel, let us prove the manifestations of Bahá'u'lláh and of the
Báb...
...Briefly, the purport of this passage is that he appoints two
thousand three hundred years, for in the text of the Bible each day is a year. Then from the
date of the issuing of the edict of Artaxerxes to rebuild Jerusalem until the day of the birth
of Christ there are 456 years, and from the birth of Christ until the day of the manifestation
of the Báb there are 1844 years. When you add 456 years to this number it makes 2300
years. That is to say, the fulfillment of the vision of Daniel took place in the year A.D.
1844, and this is the year of the BÁB'S manifestation according to the actual text of
the Book of Daniel. Consider how clearly he determines the year of manifestation; there could
be no clearer prophecy for a manifestation than this.
In Matthew, chapter 24, verse 3, Christ clearly says that what Daniel
meant by this prophecy was the date of the manifestation, and this is the verse: "As He
sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto Him privately, saying, Tell us, when
shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the
world?" One of the explanations He gave them in reply was this (v. 15): "When ye
therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in
the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand)." In this answer He referred them to
the eighth chapter of the Book of Daniel, saying that everyone who reads it will understand
that it is this time that is spoken of. Consider how clearly the manifestation of the
Báb is spoken of in the Old Testament and in the Gospel.
...it would be for a time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they finish scattering the power of the holy people all these events will be completed.
...they will tread under foot the Holy city for forty-two months.
And I will grant authority to My two witnesses, and they will prophecy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.
And those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their dead bodies for three days and a half, and will not permit - their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb.
Commentary:
Daniel 12:7 - "...a time (1), times (2), and half a time (½)" is 3½ years,
or 42 months, or 1260 days (as per the quotes from Revelation). "A Day of the Lord is as a
year," so these quotes refer to the year 1260 A.H., or 1844 C.E. - the year of the
Báb's declaration and the start of the Bahá'í era.
And the four angels who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that they might kill a third of mankind.
Commentary:
"...day (1) and month (30) and year (360)" is 391 years from the time when the
capital of the Eastern Orthodox Church (1/3 of Christiandom) was captured by Islam in 1453, to
1844 - the year of the Báb's declaration and the start of the Bahá'í era.
From the Heaven to the Earth He governeth all things: hereafter shall they come up to Him on a day whose length shall be a thousand of such years as ye reckon.
Commentary:
1000 years from the Imam Mihdi's disappearance in 260 A.H. is the year 1260 A.H. by Islamic
reckoning, or 1844 of the Christian calendar - the year of the Báb's declaration and the
start of the Bahá'í era.
And from the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1290 days...
Commentary:
'Abdu'l-Bahá explains in Some Answered Questions:
To conclude, let us now explain the date of the manifestation of
Bahá'u'lláh from the Bible. The date of Bahá'u'lláh is calculated
according to lunar years from the mission and the Hejira of Muhammad; for in the religion of
Muhammad the lunar year is in use, as also it is the lunar year which is employed concerning
all commands of worship...
The beginning of this lunar reckoning is from the day of the
proclamation of the prophethood of Muhammad in the country of Hijaz; and that was three years
after His mission, because in the beginning the prophethood of Muhammad was kept secret, and no
one knew it save Khadijah and Ibn Nawfal.[1] After three years it was announced. And
Bahá'u'lláh, in the year 1290 from the proclamation of the mission of Muhammad,
caused His manifestation to be known.
[2]
[1 Varaqat-Ibn-Nawfal, Khadijah's cousin.]
[2 The year 1290 from the proclamation of the mission of Muhammad was the year 1280 of the
Hejira, or 1863-64 of our era. It was at this epoch (April 1863) that
Bahá'u'lláh, on leaving Baghdad for Constantinople, declared to those who
surrounded Him that He was the Manifestation announced by the Báb. It is this
declaration which the Bahá'ís celebrate by the Feast of Ridvan, this name being
that of the garden at the entrance of the city, where Bahá'u'lláh stayed during
twelve days, and where He made the declaration.]
...Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.
The first Woe is past; behold, two Woes are still coming after these things.
Commentary:
John 13:38 - Jesus says that Christians would deny Christ 3 times (1. Muhammad, 2. the
Báb, and 3. Bahá'u'lláh) before the dawn of God's Kingdom on earth.
Revelation 9:12 - The Manifestation of God is a "woe" to leaders of old religion who deny and caval against the new
Revelation
After the Prophet Muhammad, the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh (two woes) remained
before the dawn of God's Kingdom on earth.
'Abdu'l-Bahá explains in Some Answered Questions:
The first woe is the appearance of the Prophet, Muhammad, the son of
Abdu'llah -- peace be upon Him! The second woe is that of the Báb -- to Him be glory and
praise! The third woe is the great day of the manifestation of the Lord of Hosts and the
radiance of the Beauty of the Promised One. The explanation of this subject, woe, is mentioned
in the thirtieth chapter of Ezekiel, where it is said: 'The word of the Lord came again unto
me, saying, Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Howl ye, Woe worth the day!
For the day is near, even the day of the Lord is near.'
Therefore, it is certain that the day of woe is the day of the Lord;
for in that day woe is for the neglectful, woe is for the sinners, woe is for the ignorant.
That is why it is said, 'The second woe is past; behold the third woe cometh quickly!' This
third woe is the day of the manifestation of Bahá'u'lláh, the day of God; and it
is near to the day of the appearance of the Báb.
Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the LORD; Whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple...
The second Woe is past; behold, the third Woe is coming quickly
Commentary:
The Báb's mission was to announce and prepare the way for Bahá'u'lláh Who
received His mission only 2 years after the Báb's martyrdom and declared His mission
only 19 years after that of the Báb. Historically, Manifestations of God have appeared
on earth and established new world religions approximately every 1,000 years; the appearance of
a new Manifestation after only two years is "sudden."
See also the commentary on Revelation 9:12 above.
But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia.
Commentary:
21 days is 21 lunar (Persian Islamic) years dated from 1268 A.H. (1844 C.E.) when the
Báb declared His mission to 1281 A.H. (1864 C.E.) when Bahá'u'lláh
declared His mission. In this period the Shah of Iran (the "prince of Persia")
vigorously persecuted the followers of the Báb.
"Michael" is a Hebrew name meaning "One Who is like God" ...another way of
saying "The Glory of God." Bahá'u'lláh not only revealed God's
teachings (see the commentary for Course footnotes #1 re: the 12 principles, etc.) but manifested in His every act the perfect
qualities of God (e.g.: love, justice, knowledge, power, etc.) As such He is both the Word of
God, and His symbol and image on earth. Thus the name: "Michael."
"Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me..." This is Mirza Husayn
Alí (Bahá'u'lláh) who was from a distinguished family of Persian nobility
descended from Yazdigird III - the last king of the Sasaniyan dynasty. (See the "Genealogy" section of this course for prophetic
details regarding the genealogy of the Manifestations of God.)
How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1335 days!
Commentary:
1335 years after the start of the Islamic calender brings us to the year 1957 C.E. In this year
Shoghi Effendi (the great-grandson of Bahá'u'lláh and the Guardian of the
Bahá'í Faith) passed away in the midst of the Ten Year Crusade that he
inaugurated to firmly establish the Faith in every country and territory on the planet for the
purpose that there would be an adequate base from which to elect the first Universal House of
Justice. The Crusade was successful and the House of Justice established in 1963 C.E.
because of this life-time effort by the beloved Guardian.