Recently, We have been confronted with numerous books and scholarly text that attempt to "PUT DOWN" the prophesies of Daniel and even claim to have "proofs" that DANIEL was not the author of the prophesies. We MUST AGREE WITH THAT CONTENTION; However, We agree only on the basis that the AUTHOR was GOD and DANIEL was the scribe for the LORD. The other "proofs" would not hold up to scrutiny and We welcome the presentation by ANYONE that has any such proof. Otherwise, We believe that NOT ONE ERROR exist in the bible in relation to ANY aspect - Scientific, Geographical, Historical or Religion. In EACH AND EVERY case where a person has presented me with "proof of error" We have shown where no error existed - only mis conceptions.
As to Daniel, IF GOD IS TRUTH and IF DANIEL WAS A PROPHET of GOD, then the prophesies MUST BE TRUE AND EXACT. To miss a prophesy by even a small factor would effectively destroy the basis for believing a person to be a prophet. Daniel met the test of a Prophet of God. A Little History and a Little simple math will show the accuracy of Daniel. It would seem that the majority of dispute is centered around the last week of Daniel's famous 70 week prophesy. If the prophesy about WHAT IS TO COME is questioned, then it would follow that its accuracy must be judged on the accuracy of WHAT HAS TRANSPIRED.
Daniel states that SEVEN and THREESCORE and TWO WEEKS after "THE ORDER" to restore Jerusalem, the MESSIAH would enter its gates! To phrase it in today's English language, " The MESSIAH will come through the gates of JERUSALEM sixty nine weeks after the command to rebuild Jerusalem. Mind you, this is SIX HUNDRED YEARS BEFORE JESUS! The fact that Daniel gives a firm date for the prophesy to be fulfilled is really "laying it on the line" in that if the prophesy is NOT fulfilled EXACTLY as prophesied then Daniel was a Fakir and not of God. HOWEVER; if Daniel's prophesy is correct then it would flow logically that Daniel's prophesies of events still to come will be AS ACCURATE and from God. Let us look CLOSELY at the "69 WEEKS (7 and threescore and two = 7 + 60 + 2 = 69).
The Jewish calendar consist of years made up of 360 days and not 365 as we have at present. Daniel's weeks represented seven week periods and we KNOW that years were meant because History records that it took EXACTLY 49 years (completion 396 B.C.) which corresponds with Daniel's "seven weeks". The impossibility of building a great city in just 7 weeks time is also a factor in KNOWING that the weeks mean seven year periods. The 360 day years is also found in Revelation (11:3) where the 3 1 2 year tribulation is given as 1, 260 days or 3.5 times 360 days per year. Now we can look at the mathematics of the prophesy. Sixty-Nine sets of seven year periods come out to 483 years (keep the 360 day year in mind). History tells us that the order to rebuild Jerusalem was issued in 445 B.C. Now let's take it carefully to see if Daniel was correct.
1. Daniel prophesied that the Messiah would arrive in Jerusalem in 173, 880 Days after the order to rebuild was issued. This is shown thus: 69 "weeks" = 483 years (69 times 7) 483 years times 360 days (The Jewish years of that time) = 173, 880 days.
2. The ACTUAL DATE of the decree was MARCH 14, 445 B.C. We know this from Neh 2:1-6 that the decree was issued "in the Month of Nisan, in the 20th year" of Artaxerxes' reign. History records Artaxerxes' reign as being from 465 - 425 B.C. History also records that "The 1st of Nisan is a new year for the computation of the reign of Kings and for festivals" so we know that the decree to rebuild Jerusalem, which would have been a Major decree was issued on the First of Nisan which in 445 B.C. fell on March 14.
3. History and Church documents show that Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem on April 6, 32 A.D. (Zech 9:9). Other facts prove this to be the date.
If Daniel was correct then 173, 880 days would have to pass from March 14, 445 B.C. to April 6, 32 A.D. Now we do our math.
1. From March 14, 445 B.C. to April 6,32 A.D. would seem to be 477 years and 24 days; However, we must deduct One Year as there is only one year between 1 B.C. and 1 A.D. This means that we have 476 Years and 24 days. We now take 476 times 365 (our Julian Calendar) and we come up with 173, 740 days and add the 24 days and we have 173, 764.
2. Our Julian calendar has numerous peculiarities such as LEAP YEAR. We find that there were 119 LEAP YEARS (476 divided by 4 = 119) and thus must add 119: 173, 764 + 119 = 173,883 days This study is not intended to prove theory or this writer's mathematical abilities. It is intended to show that the Book of Daniel, written SIX CENTURIES before Christ, was inspired and given to man by GOD. Persons who wish to debate whether Daniel actually was the author miss the point of scripture - the MESSAGE FROM GOD TO HIS CREATIONS. We believe Daniel wrote the book.
3. This would seem to be THREE Days TOO MANY. Other people have calculated to this point and not progressed beyond it and claim that it "is close enough to prove Christ was the Messiah and that Daniel was a prophet." They fail; However, in considering a little known fact of our Julian Calendar. Our years are actually 1 128th of a day TOO LONG and every 128 YEARS we must skip LEAP YEAR every 128 years!!! Therefore, we find that this skipping occurred three times (483 divided by 128 = 3+). NOW WE SUBTRACT THREE DAYS: 173, 883 - 3 = 173,880 DAY EXACTLY THE NUMBER OF DAYS PROPHESIED BY DANIEL!!!
Now, we can see that Daniel was a true prophet of God. We also see that he was TOTALLY correct and accurate to the degree on would demand from a prophet of God. It would also hold that (1) If Daniel were correct in prophesies that were fulfilled in our history but in his future, then (2) the prophesies of our future will stand to be as accurate!
The only proof We need of that is that all indications are that Daniel wrote it, and We feel that its authorship was of GOD. It really is not material as to who actually took pen in hand and scribed the characters. The importance of the Bible and all of its books is that IT IS THE WORD OF GOD. We pray that this study will help re-direct its readers to this ONE TRUTH and bring those who wish to argue "against the wind" that they are wasting time they could be using for HIS Glory. This study is dedicated to our Lord, Jesus Christ.
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