APPENDIX A


1. ARTAXERXES I (465-425 B.C) (old-Persian Artâkhshatra [some researchers may have him as Artakhšaça, but that is Artaxerxes III]). The Greeks called Artaxerxes I, "Makrocheir", "with the long hand". He succeeded his father, XERXES I (the Ahasuerus of the Book of Esther), in whose assassination he had no part. ARTAXERXES I was a member of the ACHAEMENID Dynasty of ancient PERSIA. The dynasty ended with DARIUS III. ARTAXERXES is the Greek form of the Persian name ARDASHIR.

We know from ancient history inscriptions and the Bible that there were MANY separate commands relevant to the activities at Jerusalem. Several are ommitted by most researchers.

I. The FIRST command was given by G-d to CYRUS II (THE GREAT) in 538 B.C.[1] (Ezra 1:2) This command was not connected to the prophecy of Daniel, but as Ezra says, "to fulfill the words of Jeremiah". The Book of Daniel says nothing of rebuilding the Temple proper. The rebuilding of the Temple was led by Zerubbabel in 536 B.C. The Second Temple was completed and Dedicated (Ezra 6:15) in 516 B.C.

CYRUS II is killed in battle about 529

II. The SECOND command (ommitted by most researchers) was given by CYRUS' son CAMBYCES II (Reigned 529-522) who took the throne as inheritance from his father CYRUS II. (CYRUS IIs' son CAMBYCES II is called "AHASUERUS" in Ezra 4:6). CAMBYCES II STOPPED the Jews from rebuilding the Temple. (EZRA 6:21) This command effectively NEGATED and reversed the FIRST Command of his father CYRUS II.

III. The THIRD command (also ommitted by most researchers) was by SMERDUS the Usuper who Reigned but 10 months. His command confirmed CAMBYCE IIs' command, to STOP the Jews from building the Second Temple. (Ezra 4:17-22)

IV. The FOURTH command (usually not mentioned by researchers) was a restatement by DARIUS I (Reigned 521-486) after the rediscovery of the original command of CYRUS II for the Jews to proceed to Jerusalem and continue rebuilding.

V. The FIFTH and effectual command was given in Ezra 7:9-26 (called by most "the second" command), by ARTAXERXES I (son of XERXES) in 458 B.C. This was followed by Ezra: "For upon the first day of the first month began he (Ezra) to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his G-d upon him." Ezra 7:9. The command would have also meant to include the restoration of the street and walls roundabout because later in Ezra 9:9 Ezra Prays this Prayer of Thanksgiving: "For we were bondmen; yet our G-d hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our G-d, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem." Notice here the year is 458 B.C. and a month and day are clearly given.

So, 458 + 490 calculates out to the 33 A.D. date, adding one year for the "0 A.D." factor.

VI. The SIXTH command (444 B.C.) is given by ARTAXERXES I in Nehemiah 2:1 ff. (called by most "the third" command) came in the 20th year of his Reign which occurred in the month of Nisan: 444 B.C. does not refer to the Daniel 9 Prophecy, because counting the years forward we arrive at 45 A.D. Neither is there a day of the month given (as in Ezra 7) to lend any support for a Dispensationalist claim that they "know the exact day" based on Nehemiah 2, even if some claim to use the rabbinic lunar calendar to juggle some numbers around a bit. Any Dispy claiming to use only Ezra 1 and Nehemiah 2 while telling you he "knows the exact day" is being less than honest with you. There is NO DAY GIVEN in any passage except Ezra 7:9 ff. (the 458 B.C. event).

There was no Messiah other than Yeshua being announced in Israel at this time (45 A.D.) and the events had already occurred as proved.

From this, we see that in 458 B.C. (Ezra 7) the command given by ARTAXERXES I that resulted in the Fulfillment of the restoration and rebuilding because the command of CYRUS II had been broken off and stopped by CAMBYCES II and also SMERDUS. Hence, only the command given in 458 B.C. precisely Fulfills the words of the Prophecy of the ARCHANGEL GABRIEL in Daniel 9:25. Therefore it is upon the command given in 458 B.C. that the Prophecy is Fulfilled, not 538 B.C. (broken off) or 444 B.C. (far too late to accomodate the MESSIAHS' Appearance)

IMPORTANT!

The Prophecy of the Archangel Gabriel in Daniel 9:25 is often cited by Dispensationalists as a command to rebuild the Temple, but the Prophecy does not refer to any Temple rebuilding whatsoever but restoration of other parts of the city. The command relates to the "street and wall" having to do with the command of Artaxerxes in 458. Daniel actually says NOTHING of the Temple being rebuilt!

Here is the passage often used to justify the claim that Daniels' Prophecy is related to the command to rebuild the Temple.

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. Daniel 9:25

But look closely, because Dispensationalists are sometimes very fond of misreading this verse saying instead, "the Temple shall be rebuilt, even in troublous times", but that is NOT what the verse says! The reference in Daniel 9:25 is to building Jerusalem and the street and wall, not the Temple. That means Daniels' Prophecy refers to the command of ARTAXERXES I. Lastly, the command to rebuild the Temple was issued previously under CYRUS THE GREAT, which he clearly said was to "fulfill the words of Jeremiah" (Ezra 1:1), CYRUS did not say "the words of Daniel"! Also remember that CYRUS II's command was abrogated by CAMBYCES which later resulted in ARTAXERXES I command in 458. The "troublous times" in Daniel 9:25 Prophesies, along with other events, the negation of the command of CYRUS II by CAMBYCES II his son, and again by SMERDUS the Usuper.

MORE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

"DARIUS, king of Persia, was the son of Hystaspes, of the royal family of the Achaemenidae. He did not immediately succeed Cyrus on the throne. There were two intermediate kings, viz., Cambyses II (the Ahasuerus of Ezra), the son of Cyrus who reigned from 528-522 and was succeeded by a usurper named Smerdis, who occupied the throne only ten months, and was succeeded by this Darius (B.C. 521-486). Smerdis was a Margian, and therefore had no sympathy with Cyrus and Cambyses in the manner in which they had treated the Jews. He issued a decree prohibiting the restoration of the temple and of Jerusalem (Ezra 4:17-22). But soon after his death and the accession of Darius, the Jews resumed their work, thinking that the edict of Smerdis would be now null and void, as Darius was in known harmony with the religious policy of Cyrus. The enemies of the Jews lost no time in bringing the matter under the notice of Darius, who caused search to be made for the decree of Cyrus II (q.v.). It was not found at Babylon, but at Achmetha (Ezra 6:2); and Darius forthwith issued a new decree, giving the Jews full liberty to prosecute their work, at the same time requiring the Syrian satrap and his subordinates to give them all needed help. It was with the army of this king that the Greeks fought the famous battle of Marathon (B.C. 490). During his reign the Jews enjoyed much peace and prosperity. He was succeeded by Ahasuerus, known to the Greeks as Xerxes, who reigned for twenty-one years." SwordSearcher

Go HERE for more.

There is no further Temple to be rebuilt in Jerusalem with G-ds' Authorization. YESHUA Fulfilled all of that in Himself being Raised from the dead (He Fulfilled His Prophecy of the Temple being rebuilt in three days) and He is The ONLY New Temple anyone will ever need to Believe in both now and Forevermore. See Amos 9:11 and Acts 15:16 and many other passages. Any attempt to build "another Temple" would only be an attempt at a lawless usurpation of His Temple that is Now Eternal.


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FOOTNOTES


[1]Cyrus II established what is recognized as the first Declaration of Human Rights.

"My numerous troops moved about undisturbed in the midst of Babylon. I did not allow anyone to terrorise the land of Sumer and Akkad. I kept in view the needs of Babylon and all its sanctuaries to promote their well being. The citizens of Babylon ... I lifted their unbecoming yoke. Their dilapidated dwellings I restored. I put an end to their misfortunes."

Cyrus II was one of a very long list of those who conquered Babylon.

[2]

[3]


BIBLIOGRAPHY AND CREDITS


APPENDIX A


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