Christians often point to Daniel chapter 9 as proof that Jesus fulfilled the exact timing of the Messiah’s arrival. They calculate 483 years from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem and claim it lands perfectly on Jesus’ ministry and crucifixion.
But when you apply the same rigorous historical criticism that Jay Smith uses to expose the foundations of Islam, Christianity shows the same weaknesses.
Jay Smith demands early manuscripts, contemporary records, and honest chronology. He shows that Islam has no 7th-century Quran manuscripts and that its key traditions were written centuries later. Rabbi Tovia Singer applies that same standard to Christian claims about Daniel 9 and the resurrection.
In recent lectures, Rabbi Singer dismantles the popular Christian reading of Daniel 9. He shows how missionaries mistranslate the Hebrew, ignore context, and force the text to fit a narrative that isn’t there. He also addresses claims of Jesus’ resurrection, pointing out that the often-repeated idea of the disciples dying as martyrs for their eyewitness testimony has no solid support in the earliest sources.
This lines up with what Daniel himself warned about in Daniel 7:25 — a power that would “think to change the times and the law.” Rome changed calendars, dates, and interpretations.
The Council of Nicaea in 325 CE happened after Jews had been expelled from Jerusalem. No Jewish voices were present when major decisions were made. The original blueprint was rewritten without the people commanded in Exodus 12:1 to keep and record time.
Rabbi Ephraim Palvanov explained it clearly: a person repents and turns to Hashem because he is created in the image of God and is fundamentally good. We are not born in sin. We do not need someone to die for our sins. The original blueprint given to Adam is inside every human being.
Daniel didn’t just prophesy the coming of the Messiah. He also prophesied the rise of a movement that would become the greatest stumbling block to Israel — a religion built on altered times, changed interpretations, and a rewritten code.
The same critical eye Jay Smith uses on Islam and Rabbi Tovia Singer uses on Christian claims reveals the pattern.
Mishna Torah
(Note: This is Rambam’s Mishneh Torah — his comprehensive code of Jewish law, often called “Mishna Torah” in conversation — not the Mishna itself, though he also wrote a famous commentary on the Mishna. These two chapters close out the entire Mishneh Torah and lay out his vision of the Mashiach, the Messianic era, and his candid assessment of Jesus and Christianity.)
Here is the complete, clear English translation by Rabbi Eliyahu Touger (Chabad.org edition). (prison ministry, synagogue, or your own notes).
Chapter 11 – The King Messiah
Halacha 1 In the future, the Messianic king will arise and renew the Davidic dynasty, restoring it to its initial sovereignty. He will build the Temple and gather the dispersed of Israel. Then, in his days, the observance of all the statutes will return to their previous state. We will offer sacrifices, observe the Sabbatical and Jubilee years according to all their particulars as described by the Torah.
Anyone who does not believe in him or does not await his coming denies not only the statements of the other prophets, but those of the Torah and Moses, our teacher.
The Torah testified to his coming, as Deuteronomy 30:3-5 states: “God will bring back your captivity and have mercy upon you. He will again gather you from among the nations… Even if your Diaspora is at the ends of the heavens, God will gather you up from there… and bring you to the land.” These explicit words of the Torah include all the statements made by all the prophets.
Reference to Mashiach is also made in the portion of Bilaam, who prophesies about two anointed kings: the first anointed king, David, who saved Israel from her oppressors; and the final anointed king, who will arise from his descendants and save Israel at the end of days…
The Instruction
Halacha 2 Similarly, with regard to the cities of refuge, Deuteronomy 19:8-9 states: “When God will expand your borders… You must add three more cities.” This command was never fulfilled. Surely, God did not give this command in vain…
Halacha 3 One should not presume that the Messianic king must work miracles and wonders, bring about new phenomena in the world, resurrect the dead, or perform other similar deeds. This is definitely not true. Proof can be brought from the fact that Rabbi Akiva… was one of the supporters of King Bar Kozibah [Bar Kochba] and would describe him as the Messianic king… Once he was killed, they realized that he was not the Mashiach. The Sages did not ask him for any signs or wonders.
The main thrust of the matter is: This Torah, its statutes and its laws, are everlasting. We may not add to them or detract from them.
Halacha 4 (the section highlighted in the video) If a king will arise from the House of David who diligently contemplates the Torah and observes its mitzvot as prescribed by the Written Law and the Oral Law as David, his ancestor, compels all of Israel to walk in the way of the Torah and rectify the breaches in its observance, and fights the wars of God, we may, with assurance, consider him Mashiach.
If he succeeds in the above, builds the Temple in its place, and gathers the dispersed of Israel, he is definitely the Mashiach. He will then improve the entire world, motivating all the nations to serve God together…
Jesus of Nazareth, who aspired to be the Mashiach and was executed by the court, was also alluded to in Daniel’s prophecies, as ibid. 11:14 states: “The vulgar among your people shall exalt themselves in an attempt to fulfill the vision, but they shall stumble.”
Can there be a greater stumbling block than Christianity? All the prophets spoke of Mashiach as the redeemer of Israel and their savior who would gather their dispersed and strengthen their observance of the mitzvot. In contrast, Christianity caused the Jews to be slain by the sword, their remnants to be scattered and humbled, the Torah to be altered, and the majority of the world to err and serve a god other than the Lord.
Nevertheless, the intent of the Creator of the world is not within the power of man to comprehend, for His ways are not our ways, nor are His thoughts our thoughts. Ultimately, all the deeds of Jesus of Nazareth and that Ishmaelite [Muhammad] who arose after him will only serve to prepare the way for Mashiach’s coming and the improvement of the entire world, motivating the nations to serve God together as Tzephaniah 3:9 states: “I will transform the peoples to a purer language so that they all will call upon the name of God and serve Him with one purpose.”
How will this come about? The entire world has already become filled with the mention of Mashiach, Torah, and mitzvot… When the true Messianic king arises and proves successful, his position becomes exalted and uplifted, and they will all return and realize that their ancestors bestowed upon them a false heritage and that their prophets and ancestors caused them to err.
Chapter 12 – The Times of the Messiah
Halacha 1: Do not presume that in the Messianic age any facet of the world’s nature will change or that there will be innovations in the work of creation. Rather, the world will continue according to its pattern. Although Isaiah 11:6 states: “The wolf will dwell with the lamb…,” these words are a metaphor and a parable. The interpretation of the prophecy is as follows: Israel will dwell securely together with the wicked Gentiles who are likened to a wolf and a leopard… They will all return to the true faith and no longer steal or destroy…
Halacha 2 Our Sages taught: “There will be no difference between the current age and the Messianic era except the emancipation from our subjugation to the gentile kingdoms.”… A person should not occupy himself with the Aggadot and the exegesis of verses concerning these and similar matters, nor should he consider them as essentials, for study of them will neither bring fear nor love of God. Similarly, one should not try to determine the appointed time for Mashiach’s coming. Our Sages declared: “May the spirits of those who attempt to determine the time of Mashiach’s coming expire!” Rather, one should await and believe in the general conception of the matter as explained.
Halacha 3 During the era of the Messianic king… the entire nation’s line of descent will be established on the basis of his words and the prophetic spirit which will rest upon him… He will purify the lineage of the Levites first…
Halacha 4 The Sages and the prophets did not yearn for the Messianic era in order to have dominion over the entire world, to rule over the gentiles, to be exalted by the nations, or to eat, drink, and celebrate. Rather, they desired to be free to involve themselves in Torah and wisdom without any pressures or disturbances, so that they would merit the world to come…
Halacha 5 In that era, there will be neither famine nor war, envy nor competition… The occupation of the entire world will be solely to know God. Therefore, the Jews will be great sages and know the hidden matters, grasping the knowledge of their Creator according to the full extent of human potential, as Isaiah 11:9 states: “The world will be filled with the knowledge of God as the waters cover the ocean bed.”
This completes Hilchot Melachim and the entire Mishneh Torah.
These chapters are pure gold for teaching emunah (faith) in the coming of Mashiach — especially the clear criteria (Davidic king who succeeds in rebuilding the Temple, gathering the exiles, and restoring Torah observance) and the powerful closing vision of a world filled with knowledge of God.