Daniel's 21 Day Delay and Haggai's Rebuilding of Temple

Daniel's 21 Day Delay

Tom Tanner brought to my attention a video made by reneem2012 that although many expected the return of the Lord Jesus on Rosh HaShanah this year, that there would be a delay of 21 days akin to Daniel's 21 days of fasting and prayer prior to receiving his vision of the glorified Messiah.

-For Bible history buffs-

In 538 BC Belshazzar ruled Babylon and was using the holy cups taken from Jerusalem's Temple to feast to his own gods when he saw the writing on the wall which Daniel interpreted to mean his kingdom was going to be taken over by the Medes and Persians, and was fulfilled that same night (Daniel 5:1-31). Cyrus, king of Persia, left 70 year old Darius the Mede to rule over Babylon, as he continued to secure the rest of the former Babylonian empire (as Isaiah 45:1 prophesied). Daniel may have recognized king Cyrus was prophesied to restore the Temple (Isaiah 44:28). In 538 BC Daniel realized Jeremiah's prophecy of 70 years of exile (Jeremiah 29:10) would be ending soon (606 – 70 = 536 BC) and so Daniel repented for the sins of his people so that they could be restored to their promised land and the holy city of Jerusalem (Daniel 9:1-20). While Daniel was in the midst of his prayers and confession Gabriel came to him and told him the 70 sevens prophecy unto the year of Messiah's coming. (Daniel 9:20-27). Gabriel also showed Daniel the future of history in Mesopotamia and Egypt regarding Israel until, and including, the reign of Antiochus IV (170-164 BC over Israel) in Daniel 11. Gabriel speaks of the angel Michael in Daniel 12:1, and concludes in verse 4; then for the rest of the chapter two other angels tell Daniel prophecies of the last days (with the last two verses pointing to 2012 AD being 45 years from 1967 and the Jews reclaiming the Temple Mount).

The next year, 537 BC, Daniel was thrown into the lion's den (Daniel 6:1-28). Old Darius the Mede died in his third regnal year, and king Cyrus ruled over Babylon in 536 BC and made his decree for Jews to return and rebuild the Temple (Ezra 6:3), and they restored the altar by the feast of trumpets. In 534 BC, the third regnal year of Cyrus over Babylon, Daniel received a vision of the glorified Messiah (Daniel 10:5-7) much the same as John did when he was an old man (Rev. 1:13-16); both being “beloved” prophets of God. John saw his vision of King Jesus on the “Lord's day” and heard His “great voice as of a trumpet” which I believe alludes to Jesus' birthday on the feast of trumpets as did the stars on (Tishri 1) September 11 in 3 BC (Rev. 12:1).

-end-

Delay of 21 Days

ASSUMING John received his vision of the glorified Christ on the Feast of Trumpets (Tishri 1), and ASSUMING Daniel began praying on Tishri 1 as well, then Daniel's vision of Christ was delayed by the “prince of Persia” 21 days (until Tishri 22) which would come to the “eighth day of assembly” (Shemini Atzeret) after the Feast of Tabernacles (Tishri 15-21).

“Speak to the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days to the LORD. On the first day shall be an holy convocation: you shall do no servile work therein. Seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation to you; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD: it is a solemn assembly; and you shall do no servile work therein.” (Leviticus 23:34-36)

Shemini Atzeret is sometimes combined with Shimchat Torah (rejoicing in Torah) as one long day of new beginnings. The cycle of Torah portions to be read ends and begins anew that day. This year the “eighth day of assembly” falls on October 8, 2012 when the last trumpet of the feast cycle will be sounded.

“Blow the trumpet [shofar] in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly [atzeret]:” (Joel 2:15)

In another video of reneem2012 the date of October 8^th becomes significant. There are 21 days between Rosh haShanah, the evening of Sept. 16, 2012 (Tishri 1), and Shemini Atzeret (Tishri 22) on October 8^th. The video suggests that those who expected the Lord's return on Feast of Trumpets will experience Daniel's delay of 21 days. The video then makes a unique calculation.

“Jesus answered and said to them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and will you raise it up in three days? But he spoke of the temple of his body.” (John 2:19-21)

Using the prophetic year of 360 days, 46 X 360 = 16,560 days. The Jews retook the Temple Mount in the old city of Jerusalem on June 7, 1967. When adding 16,560 days to that date it comes to October 8, 2012 of new beginnings and Messiah's millennial reign. Thus some are looking for King Jesus' return at midnight on October 7^th (Tishri 21) which is the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles. 
 

Haggai's Prophecy on Tishri 21 regarding Rebuilding the Temple

“In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the LORD by the prophet Haggai, saying, Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and to the residue of the people, saying, Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do you see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing? Yet now be strong . . . and work: for I am with you, . . . For thus said the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, . . . The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, said the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, said the LORD of hosts.” (Haggai 2:1-8 in 520 BC)

Messiah's first coming was glorious, but His second coming will be more glorious.

After Zerubbabel returned with exiles to Jerusalem (535 BC), opposition stopped work on the Temple (522-520 BC). Haggai's name means “festive” from (c)hag for “festival” derived from chagag which means “to move in a circle, to march in a sacred procession, to celebrate, dance, to hold a solemn feast or holiday”. Tishri 21 is the Hoshanah Rabbah (Great Salvation) in which the priests circle the altar seven times and cover it with willow branches and pour out pitchers of water and wine (symbolic of water and blood flowing from Christ's side on the cross to cleanse our sins). The group of priests with the willow branches approached the altar from the Temple's eastern gate, and the group of priests with the water from the pool of Siloam approached from the Water gate.

“As each of the parties reached their respective gates, a trumpet (shofar) was blown. Then one man would stand up and play the flute (the flute represents the Messiah). The flute player is called 'the pierced one'.” [The Seven Festivals of the Messiah by Edward Chumney, p. 171]

“Now the Jew's feast of tabernacles was at hand. . . . In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come to me, and drink. He that believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:2, 37-38)

“For I will pour water on him that is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground: I will pour my spirit on your seed, and my blessing on your offspring: And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses.” (Isaiah 44:3-4)

Many Christians are desperately crying out for Jesus Christ to return. The Messianic believers are welcoming their Messiah to return as King by saying “Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord” (Matthew 23:39). Like Daniel and John we long for the revelation of Jesus Christ.

“Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come to you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. To whom it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to us they did minister the things, which are now reported to you by them that have preached the gospel to you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. Why gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;” (I Peter 1:10-13)

P.S.
As if anticipating the Lord's return isn't enough, the book of Revelation was a revelation TO Jesus Christ (check the Greek).  David Stern's Complete Jewish Bible correctly translates the first verse as follows:

"This is the revelation which God gave to Yeshua the Messiah, so that he could show his servants what must happen very soon.  He communicated it by sending his angel to his servant Yochanan."