If you have an interest in the Bible, be sure to explore the remarkable prophecy presented here. It has been called the “Greatest Time Prophecy in the Bible.”

What Did Daniel Predict About the Coming of the Messiah?

In 538 B.C., the prophet Daniel wrote:

“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” (Daniel 9:25).

Daniel described a prophetic period of 69 “weeks” of years—that is, 69 x 7, or 483 years—between the decree to rebuild Jerusalem and the arrival of the Messiah. This prophecy was written over 500 years before the time of Jesus Christ.

When Was the Decree Issued?

The decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem was issued during the reign of Artaxerxes, a Persian king who came to power in 464 B.C. His twentieth year would therefore be 444 B.C.

In Nehemiah 1:1–4, we learn that Nehemiah, a Jewish cupbearer to King Artaxerxes, was troubled by news of Jerusalem’s ruins. He petitioned the king:

“Send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it.”

“So it pleased the king to send me” (Nehemiah 2:5–6).

The date of this decree is given in Nehemiah 2:1:

“In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king.”

Because no day is specified, it is customary in Jewish reckoning to assume the first day of Nisan, which is New Year’s Day on the Jewish calendar. This corresponds to March 5, 444 B.C., on the Julian calendar—the day the decree to rebuild Jerusalem was issued.

When Did the Messiah Appear?

Throughout his ministry, Jesus frequently instructed his followers not to declare him as the Messiah. He performed miracles but warned, “My hour has not yet come” (John 2:4; 7:6).

But on March 30, 33 A.D., he entered Jerusalem on a donkey and allowed himself to be publicly proclaimed. As the crowds shouted, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Luke 19:38), the Pharisees objected. Jesus responded:

“If these become silent, the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19:40)

This marked the day Jesus was officially presented as the Messiah the Prince—the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy.

How Is the Time Period Calculated?

Daniel’s prophecy speaks of 69 weeks of seven years, with each prophetic year being 360 days. The total duration is:

69 × 7 × 360 = 173,880 days

Let’s verify this timeline with actual dates:

• From March 5, 444 B.C. to March 30, 33 A.D. is 476 years (since there is no year zero).

• 476 × 365.242187 (accounting for leap years) = 173,855 days

• March 5 to March 30 adds 25 days

173,855 + 25 = 173,880 days — exactly as Daniel predicted.

Why a 360-Day Year?

The Bible uses a prophetic year of 360 days—twelve months of 30 days.

In Daniel 9:27, the “seventieth week” includes a period of persecution beginning in the middle of the seven years and lasting until the end—3½ years.

Revelation 13:4–7 refers to the same ruler persecuting the saints for 42 months. Revelation 12:6 clarifies this as 1,260 days. Dividing 1,260 by 42 gives 30 days per month, confirming the use of 360-day years in prophetic context.

Why Does Daniel Say “Weeks of Years”?

In Hebrew, Daniel uses the word “shabua,” which means a “seven.” In Daniel 9, it is understood to mean a week of years, or seven years.

This was common usage among Jews. When Daniel meant literal weeks of days—as in Daniel 10, where he fasted for three weeks—he specified them as “weeks of days” to avoid confusion.

What’s the Significance of This Prophecy?

The precise fulfillment of this prophecy—down to the very day—demonstrates the divine origin of Scripture. As Isaiah wrote:

“I am God, and there is no other… declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things not yet done” (Isaiah 46:10).

It reminds us that God alone foresees history in advance.

Final Reflections from Scripture:

“Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said: ‘Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Who determined its measurements?’” (Job 38:1–6)

“And suddenly a great storm arose on the sea… But He [Jesus] was asleep. His disciples woke Him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We are perishing!’ Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, ‘Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?’” (Matthew 8:24–27)