Prophecy 3 - Birth of the Messiah, Jesus Christ
[br The 69 "sevens" are broken down into two phases: One seven and sixty-two "sevens."
1. Seven "sevens" tells of the time during which the temple was rebuilt. It took 49 years. Ezra and Nehemiah both helped in the rebuilding and spoke often of the troubled times occurring during this process.
2. The 69 "sevens" concludes when the Anointed One, the Ruler comes." From 444 B.C. until the coming of Christ on Palm Sunday is 483 years or 69 "sevens." 483 prophetic years (360 days adjusted to 365.25 days =5.25 days difference between- the Jewish calendar and our present-day calendar. 483 X 5.25 = 2535.75 days or about 6 years and 11 months. Subtract adjustment... and...483 Jewish years from March 4, 444 B.C. to Palm Sunday is April 6, 30 A.D. (see Robert Anderson's book, The Coming Prince).
This is one way that Anna and Simeon knew that it was about time for the Messiah to be born so that they could carry out their planned worship of Jesus as a baby. To a believer in Christ, Daniel's 490 year prophecy is a tremendous confirmation of the Word of God! We live in a day in which the Word of God is under attack on every hand. Many mock it, and thousands ignore it; yet, here is a tremendous confirmation for all of us to see this prophecy fulfilled in absolute detail to the very day.
Of course, most of Israel was blinded to it all, as many are blinded to how God is working today as well. Several things occur between- the end of the 69th seven at the beginning of the 70th (Daniel 9:26).