Who commanded Nehemiah to go back to Jerusalem and rebuild the city wall?
Artaxerxes, the next Syrian king after Ezra’s time, gave the commandment to Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the city wall. This decree, as Daniel’s prophecy indicates, began the 490-year prophetic timetable for Israel, though only 483 years elapsed until Christ was crucified.
Les explains that after Ezra had built the temple, another Syrian king, the next one in line, Artaxerxes, gave the commandment to Nehemiah to come back to Jerusalem and rebuild the city wall, because a city would not last long without the protection of a wall. Nehemiah and some who returned with him then began to rebuild the wall. From the date of that command, Daniel’s prophecy foretold 490 years of God’s timetable, prophetically fulfilled in the nation of Israel, as recorded in Daniel chapter 9. History shows that from the decree until Christ was crucified was not 490 years but 483 years. Therefore, when God left off dealing with Israel early in the Book of Acts, the last seven years had not yet been accomplished. Bible scholars realized these seven years—the Tribulation—were still future, belonging to Daniel’s 490-year prophecy, and though we do not know when, almost 2,000 years have passed and it feels close.