Why is the 457 BC decree of Artaxerxes chosen as the starting point of the prophecy rather than the earlier decrees of Cyrus and Darius? QSEW 15.10
The decrees of Cyrus (Ezra 1:1-4) and Darius (Ezra 6:1-12) dealt only with the rebuilding of the temple. The decree of Artaxerxes in 457 BC restored the civil government (Ezra 7:25), which went beyond either of the two previous decrees and which was one of the specifications laid down in Daniel 9:25. The decree of Artaxerxes authorized Ezra to teach both Jewish and Imperial law and to enforce the same with capital punishment (Ezra 7:26). Implied is the setting up of law courts and a fortress for enforcing the court’s decrees, the building of shops to provide supplies, houses to provide homes, and a wall for community protection. This decree restored Jerusalem to capital-city status. QSEW 15.11