According to what I've been taught, 445 bc.

OP: Which of the above is the official decree that fulfills the explanation of the prophecy by the angel Gabriel in Daniel 9:25?

1. The first decree given to build the Temple by Cyrus in 539 B.C and overseen by Zerubbabel (Cryus lived 600-530 B.C)
2. the second decree given by Darius the Great 522-486 B.C (what year was this decree given... 521 B.C?)
3. The authority given to Ezra by Artaxerxes in 7th year of his reign (457 B.C)
4. or the letters given to Nehemiah by Artexerxes to build the city walls and gates? (445 B.C)

The answer is #3 because it is the only one to line up with Daniel’s prophecy of 490 years (70 weeks of 7) to Messiah and the decree to rebuild Jerusalem.

1 CYRUS

If we start with the decree of Cyrus in 538 BC, then to Christ’s death (the cutting off) at either of the years 30 or 33 AD, we are at plus 80 weeks (560 years). If we start at 535, then we’re still at plus 80 weeks. Or even if only to Christ’s birth, we are still looking at plus 70 weeks.

Besides, this command is only to build a house in Jerusalem.

This decree does not work.

Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Ezra 1:2

2 DARIUS

This decree takes place in 520 BC. It is basically a reiteration of Cyrus’ decree. It also has the same problems as the decree of Cyrus. It takes too much time to Christ and the decree is not about rebuilding Jerusalem, but only the temple (house of God).

Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon. And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written: In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits; Ezra 6:1-3

4 ARTAXERXES to NEHEMIAH

This decree begins to fulfill Daniel’s prophecy, but has a timing problem. The decree was given in 445/4 BC. Counting to Christ’s death in 30 or 33 AD, we get to 68 weeks. This is too short given Daniel’s timeline.

Some have adjusted the timeline to make the count a prophetic year (360 days), rather than a solar year (365 days). This “adds” time (14 years). If I make the adjustment, I end at the same year of baptism of Christ in 26 AD and death/burial/resurrection in 30 AD. This ties to the next decree that works.

My notes on this suggest Africanus and Sir Robert Anderson attempt the same prophetic year calculations, though they arrive at different end points. I assume the number of intercalary years accounts for a difference.

Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over till I come into Judah; And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me. Neh 2:7-8

3 ARTAXERXES to EZRA

The year given for Nehemiah’s first arrival is accurate at 445 BC, but using the same starting point, the year of the decree to Ezra would be 458 BC, not 457. This decree actually is the valid starting decree. It is based on a “normal” solar year from 458 BC and ends at 69 ½ weeks of the 70 at Christ’s death in 30 AD. If we use Christ’s death in 33 AD, then the full 70 weeks have been fulfilled, though “alignment” questions linger.

Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel. Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time. I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee. Ezra 7:11-13

The decree is to go to Jerusalem and to do what?

And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem: That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. Ezra 7:16-17

Take money and make vessels and offerings, but notice the next verse of the decree.

And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God. Ezra 7:18

What would that open-ended decree provide? What was the will of their God? What did Ezra do or at least begin?

In the next chapter 8, Ezra catalogues the people who come with him, sends for Levites (priests), rebuilds the temple and altar, and stores the excess gold and silver.

But then surfaces a conflict about mixed marriages. Ezra is beside himself. He does not want the nail already established to be removed, to return to being slaves. He prays to God. During this prayer, Ezra mentions this.

For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem. Ezra 9:9

This is a reference to the same decree. What was the will of God? Daniel 9:25 is being fulfilled beginning from Artaxerxes command to Ezra to rebuild Jerusalem, including setting up judges (theocratic kingdom), building the temple, establishing the priesthood, vessels, and sacrifices, and building a wall.

Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. Daniel 9:25

So, this command is the going forth in the year 458 BC as prophesied by Daniel. 483 years or 69 weeks later John baptizes Christ about Tabernacles. Three and one-half years later Christ is crucified at Passover.

70 Years of Jeremiah

There are two prophecies of Jeremiah which are possibly the same prophecy. Both Jer 25:11, 12 and Jer 29:10 predict that Judah would serve the king of Babylon for 70 years, during which the land would become waste. This was fulfilled beginning in 605 BC when Nebuchadnezzar captured many of the nobility in the first Judean campaign. Two more campaigns followed in 597 BC (where another 10,000 captives were taken), and the final in 586 BC that destroyed the city. In Oct 539 BC Cyrus defeated the Babylonian kingdom. His first regnal year began in Sep 538 BC and he issued the decree recorded in Ezra 1 in early 537 BC. It was also during this first regnal year that Daniel 9 is recorded and refers directly to the prophecies of Jeremiah and the 70 years. The decree went into effect when the Jews organised themselves and departed Babylon (Ezra 1) probably in 536 BC, 70 years (by inclusive reckoning) after the first captivity of Judah.

2 Chron 36:21 also quotes Jeremiah’s 70 years and says that “the land enjoyed its Sabbath rests all the time of its desolation.” This suggests that the 70 years was to make up for previous years when the 7th year of Sabbath rest was not observed making a total of about 490 previous years – about the total time of the Israelite monarchy from Saul to Zedekiah.

Daniel 9:2 also refers to Jeremiah’s 70 years of captivity. In Dan 9:2, Daniel says that the 70 years would be the duration of the city’s “desolation”, a reference to the fact that Jews had been held captive by Babylon for almost 70 years. The subsequent prophecy in Daniel 9:24-27 is couched in terms that are seven times greater than the 70 years of Jeremiah.

70 Years of Zechariah

Zechariah 1:12 & 7:5 appears to allude to another 70 years during which the temple remained unbuilt. Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the temple in 586 BC, and later, Zerubbabel and Haggai supervised the completion and rededication in 515 BC, about 70 years later, in the second year of Darius, Zech 1:1, 7, or perhaps the fourth year, Zech 7:1.

Thus, both prophecies appear to have been fulfilled.

70 Sevens/Weeks of Dan 9

The start of the 70 weeks of Dan 9:24 is another matter entirely as it concerns a different prophecy which is seven times greater than the 70 years. These are contrasted in Dan 9 as follows:

• 70 years of Jeremiah concerns the duration of the Babylonian captivity, following which the people were allowed to return.
• The start of the 70 weeks is a little more controversial as Ezra contains several royal decrees.

Royal Decrees in Ezra

1. Ezra 1:1-4 - 1st year of Cyrus, about 537 BC. This decree was to allow the scattered Jews to return to Jerusalem and Judah.
2. Ezra 6:3-12 - probably in the 2nd or 4th year of Darius (about 515 BC) Zech 1:1, 7, 12, 7:1, 5. This decree was to allow the rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem only
3. Ezra 7:12-26 - 7th years of Artaxerxes, 457 BC (Ezra 7:7, 8). This decree was specifically for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and a restoration of its polity and thus is the likely candidate for the start of the 70 weeks.

I struggle to see any significance for the 80 years between the first return of the Jews from Babylon to Jerusalem and the later issuing of the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. It is not specifically mentioned anywhere in the Bible and so there is nothing to say.