Is There a Way to Know for Sure Who the Messiah Is?
If you’ve ever wondered whether the Hebrew Scriptures actually pinpoint the Messiah—by name, by time, or even by mission—then Dan Bruce’s book The Messiah Prophecy in the Tanakh might just surprise you.
This isn’t your average prophecy book. It doesn’t spin wild theories or ask you to make blind leaps of faith. Instead, Bruce does something refreshingly different: he dives deep into Daniel chapter 9, sticks to the original Hebrew, and compares it—line by line—with actual events in history. And the conclusion he reaches? That Jesus of Nazareth is the only person in all of Jewish history who could possibly fulfill what Daniel foretold.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. Haven’t people been debating Daniel’s prophecy for centuries? Yes, and Bruce addresses that head-on. In fact, he argues that both Jewish and Christian scholars have often gotten the timeline wrong. Why? Because they assumed that the “seventy weeks” in Daniel meant 490 years, based on the idea of a “week of years.” But Bruce says that’s not what Daniel was saying at all.
Instead, Bruce makes a bold claim: that the word “week” (שָׁבוּעַ, shavu’a) in this prophecy refers to the Feast of Weeks, also known as Pentecost. That changes everything. Suddenly, we’re not looking at a 490-year timeline—we’re looking at a span of seventy Pentecosts, or about seventy years. When you lay that out on a calendar, it runs from 42 BCE to 28 CE.
And guess who shows up during that exact window? … Jesus.
Why This Approach Stands Out
What makes this book worth reading is its total commitment to facts. Bruce isn’t asking you to take his word for it—he’s asking you to look at the Hebrew text, compare it with well-documented history (like Julius Caesar’s decrees and the Roman rebuilding of Jerusalem), and see for yourself.
He builds his case step-by-step, using five “keys” to unlock the prophecy. One of those keys, for example, identifies a Roman decree by Julius Caesar in 44 BCE that allowed Hyrcanus II—an anointed high priest and prince—to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls. That decree, Bruce argues, starts the prophetic countdown.
He then walks you through the history of those seventy Pentecosts—year by year—ending in 28 CE, when Jesus begins his public ministry. Along the way, he shows how six specific signs in Daniel 9 were fulfilled during that exact period, including the introduction of the New Covenant foretold by Jeremiah.
What I appreciated most was that Bruce isn’t trying to force the Bible to fit history—or twist history to fit the Bible. He just lines them up and lets the results speak for themselves. And it’s pretty convincing.
Who Should Read This?
If you’re Jewish and have always wondered why Christians believe Jesus is the Messiah, this book offers a respectful, deeply textual explanation rooted entirely in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh). Bruce doesn’t rely on the New Testament to prove his case—he sticks to Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and other Tanakh sources, and only brings in Jesus once the timeline and signs are fully set.
If you’re a Christian, this book will strengthen your faith with a more detailed, historically grounded understanding of Messianic prophecy than most churches ever teach.
And if you’re just curious about biblical prophecy, this is one of the clearest, most down-to-earth presentations I’ve seen.
A Few Things to Know
This isn’t a fluffy devotional—it’s a study book. Bruce dives into ancient calendars, sabbath cycles, and the exact wording of the Hebrew text. But he writes clearly, without academic jargon, and he explains each point so that you don’t need a seminary degree to follow along.
That said, his interpretation of “week” as Pentecost instead of seven years is a big departure from traditional interpretations. He backs it up well, but if you’ve grown up hearing the 490-year view al;l your life, it may take a little mental shifting.
Also, the book focuses almost entirely on Daniel 9. It doesn’t dive into other prophecies like Isaiah 53 or Micah 5:2. But that’s by design—Bruce wants to show that this one passage alone is enough to identify the Messiah of Israel if read correctly.
Bottom Line
Dan Bruce’s The Messiah Prophecy in the Tanakh is a thought-provoking, well-researched, and surprisingly accessible book that makes a powerful case for Jesus as the promised Messiah of Israel. Whether you’re Jewish, Christian, or just spiritually curious, this book will give you plenty to think about—and plenty of historical facts to explore.
Highly recommended. Especially if you’re tired of vague answers and want to see how history and Scripture actually line up.
This book is available for free download in our bookstore: click here.