s 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."(33) 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.

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.

Now that the manifestation of Christ has been proved by the prophecies of
Daniel, let us prove the manifestations of Baha'u'llah and of the B