What would the order of the books of the Old Testament canon have to do with the interpretation of Daniel? The last three books of the Hebrew canon from the first century A.D. were Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah, and Chronicles. Ezra-Nehemiah initially was one book as was First and Second Chronicles. Second Chronicles ends with a verb, ‘alah, the Hebrew word that best summarizes the longing of Israel for release, redemption and restoration. The fact that the actual return from captivity is only mentioned in 1 Chronicles 9:2-34 is parallel to Ezra and Nehemiah coming before Chronicles in the Hebrew Bible. Ezra and Nehemiah record a return from the Babylonian Captivity , but one that is flawed, as is seen in the necessary reforms of Ezra and Nehemiah. Chronicles follows that with the hope for a return beyond that of Ezra and Nehemiah. Theirs was not the return. In the context of Daniel 9 Gabriel is revealing to Daniel that the return will not be in seventy years will be at the end of the seventieth week which Jesus shows in Matthew 24:15-30 will be at the second coming of Christ.
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