Seventy Weeks

This prophetic timetable that looks to complete restoration of Israel as a geographically situated people under God in 70 times 7 years beginning with a decree after the Babylonian captivity. It is after the 69 7s of years (483 years) that Christ came the first time; it brings us to the approximate time of His crucifixion. The final 7 years are preceded by a gap of undetermined time, but with their beginning and completion comes the second coming of Christ and the Day of the Lord. The Day of the Lord will involve both the restoration of Israel under the New Covenant and the judgment of the nations.

There are three views about the beginning of the 70 weeks with a decree. One view says it is the Artaxerxes I command to Ezra in 457BC using 365-day-years that comes out exact to the beginning of Christ's ministry in AD27. Another popular view says it is the same Artaxerxes who commands Nehemiah in 444BC using 360-day-years comes out exactly to the day of Christ's triumphal entry in AD33.

The third view says it was the decree of Cyrus to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple, Isaiah 44.28, following the demise of Babylon, which brought an end to the 70 years of Jewish captivity. This view takes the 70 7s of years as 365 1/4-day-years. This view says there is an error in the king list; it is 82 years too long. The Jewish King list gives Persia 123 years; from Cyrus to Alexander is 123 years. The dating from Alexander (331 BC) onward is accurate. Alexander (331 BC) to Herod’s death (4 BC) is 327 years (331-4=327). Adding the Persian years (123) to the Alexander to Herod years (327) equals 450 years. Christ death was 33 years after Herod's death. And so 450 years + 33 years = 483 years. 483 years is 69 7s of years. The termination of the 483 years is during the time of Christ, particularly the year of his crucifixion: Messiah shall be cut off, Daniel 9.26.