Daniel's Prophecy of the 70 Weeks – session one
1) A summary of the “70 Weeks” prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27:
Daniel's prophecy of the 70 Weeks is a 490 year timetable, following the 70 years of Babylonian captivity, that begins with a command to rebuild Jerusalem with a significant end point at 483 years of the Christ's first coming, followed by His crucifixion and the destruction of the Jewish temple and Jerusalem by the Romans, and then concluding with the final 7 years involving significant time-of-the-end events, accomplishing six things for salvation for Israel as a people and out of which all people are made savable.
2) A New International Version (NIV) reading of the text with my added explanation in brackets [ ]:
24 “Seventy ‘sevens’ [of years, being 490] are decreed for your [Daniel's] people [the Jews] and your holy city [Jerusalem] to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone [make satisfaction] for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up [finish] vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place [in the Jewish temple].
25 “Know and understand this: From the time the word [command] goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One [Messiah / Christ], the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens’ [49 years], and sixty-two ‘sevens’ [434 years]. It [Jerusalem] will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble [opposition by Jerusalem's neighbors].
26 After the sixty-two ‘sevens’ [total 483 years], the Anointed One [Messiah / Christ] will be put to death [executed] and will have nothing. The people [an army] of the ruler who will come will destroy [a second time] the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood [overwhelmingly destructive]: War will continue until the end, and desolations [to lay waste, to ruin] have been decreed.
27 He [the ruler to come] will confirm [or strengthen] a covenant with many for one ‘seven’ [7 years]. In the middle of the ‘seven’ [years] he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination [a detestable thing] that causes desolation [sanctity ruined], until the end that is decreed is poured out on him [the ruler to come].” Daniel 9:24-27 NIV
3) The background for the prophecy.
– Daniel 9:1-5,13, 16-17: With Babylon's overthrow by the Medes and the Persians, Daniel considers the prophet Jeremiah's prophecy about the 70 years of captivity, and considering it coming to an end, he confesses their sins and seeks God's mercy, petitioning God to act on behalf of the Jews and Jerusalem.
– Judah was in captivity for 70 years in Babylon for disobedience, including idolatry, social injustices, and the violation of the land sabbath. Ez 36:16-21; Zech 7:8-14; Lev 25:2-5; 26:27, 31-35; 2 Chron 36:15-21; Jer 25:11-13; Zech 1:12 Also consider Jer 27:1-15
– Daniel 9:20-23: The angel Gabriel gives a timetable with respect to the salvation of Daniel's people and city that goes beyond what is accomplished in the near future return of a remnant as recorded in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.
Daniel's Prophecy of the 70 Weeks – session two
1) The word translated “Week” means a unit of 7. Context determines what the unit of 7 is. Daniel 10:2-3 uses the word “week” for 7 days, but the Hebrew has the word for “days” left untranslated into English, and so it is clearly a week of days.
The 70 years captivity was due to 490 years of violation of the sabbath-land-rest: every 7 years the land was to rest from farming, and that was violated 70 times (70 x 7 = 490 years). There appears to be a pattern with the 490 years. A 490-year prophecy would make more sense than a 490-day prophecy, which has no clear fulfillment in such a time-frame of the things the prophecy says will happen.
2) There was a command (or decree) that starts the 70 7s of years: Daniel 9:25.
1. Cyrus to rebuild temple 539BC: 2 Chron 36:22-Ezra 1:1-4; Isaiah 44:28.
2. Darius 519/18BC confirms Cyrus' command because of opposition: Ezra 6:1-5.
3. Artaxerxes in 457BC sends more of the remnant: Ezra 7:12-13.
4. Artaxerxes in 444BC sends Nehemiah to rebuild the wall and city: Neh 2:4-6.
There are two time periods that are successive, being 7 units of 7 years and 62 units of 7 years (49 and 434 together are 483 years). The first period is 49 years (7 x 7), being with reference to restoring Jerusalem, particularly its wall. This supports the Artaxerxes 444BC command to Nehemiah, the other views would assume restoring the city as part of their commands.
We are given an end point for the second period (the 62 7s, being 434 years) being “Messiah the prince.” This reference point could be the beginning of Christ's ministry or the triumphal entry.
I don't want to get bogged done in these calculations; I only want to show that calculations have been done, from a command to rebuild that ends with the time of Christ, either his baptism or triumphal entry.
Our dating system uses an approximate 365.25-day year, but there is reason to believe the Bible uses a 360-day-year. The first 3 commands are based on the 365+ day-years, and the last one uses the 360-day-years, converting them to days to work with our 365+ days chronologies. Probably the most popular view is the second Artaxerxes' command-view, though the Cyrus' command-view is attractive, but requires an error of 82 years in the chronology—which some believe is the case.
3) Daniel 9:26 gives 2 things following the period of 62 7s of years, being Messiah cut off and the city and sanctuary destroyed
The one is the crucifixion of Christ and the other is the AD70 destruction of Jerusalem.
Both events are placed in an indeterminate gap of time between the end of the 69th Week (7 + 62 = 69) and 70th Week. The 70th Week, the last 7 years is not immediately successive to the 69th Week.
Daniel's Prophecy of the 70 Weeks -- session three
Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city,
To finish the transgression,
To make an end of sins,
To make reconciliation for iniquity,
To bring in everlasting righteousness,
To seal up vision and prophecy,
And to anoint the Most Holy.
Daniel 9:24
There are 6 things that will be accomplished with respect to the Jewish people and Jerusalem.
The first 3 are address sin, the last 3seem to be with reference to the kingdom of God, beginning with the Millennial kingdom.
Transgression, sins, and iniquity are 3 words that compare in meaning, but there is probably something different going on with each reference, and yet they are related.
3 --”to make reconciliation for iniquity” I want to start with this one, because I believe it is the basis or cause for the first two. “Reconciliation” is the translation of a word that elsewhere means “to cover” or “to propitiate.” I believe this looks to the work of the cross that made satisfaction for sin.
This took place after the 69th Week. It's the basis of the “New Covenant” which I believe the first two accomplishments involving sin deals with. There are several times in Leviticus that says the priest shall make atonement for sin and it will be forgiven (Lev 6.6-7). The atonement is the cause and forgiveness is the effect. Propitiation or satisfaction is probably a better word. The death of Christ is the cause for the new covenant.
2 --”to make and end of sins” I want to look at the second thing next, because I believe this is speaking of once and for all forgiveness, being release from the consequences of sin. The new covenant says that God will forgive Israel's sins: Jeremiah 31.31-34: their sins he will remember no more. To make an end is to finish. God will finish sin in that he will remember them no more. What is true for Israel is true for everyone through the cross of Christ. The release from sin is to be restored in relationship to God.
1 – “to finish the transgression” With respect to the Jews, the “finish”ing of trangression, I believe, looks to a practical result. Through the forgiveness of sins and restoration in relationship to God, the Jews will be living in obedience to God. The results of salvation and living in the new community of God will have this practical effect. The book of Acts anticipates this practical effect: “6 To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities." Acts 3:26 Romans speaks of both the eternal and practical effects: “26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; 27 For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins." Romans 11:26-27
For the Christian, the practical effect is always potential, if we “walk in the Spirit,” but Israel will have an advantage in that day due to the community benefit, that benefit is further seen in the next accomplishments...
It's important to understand the difference between standing and state: Standing is who we are and state is how we behave.
4 -- “To bring in everlasting righteousness” I believe looks to the character of the kingdom of God. Righteousness will rule the day. The millennium will be a temporal stage of what's to come in the final state: “Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” 2 Peter 3:13 The Jewish people will be a righteous people: “13 The remnant of Israel shall do no unrighteousness And speak no lies, Nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth;” Zephaniah 3:13
“3 Many people shall come and say, "Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” Isaiah 2:3
5 --” To seal up vision and prophecy” with the conclusion of the 70 Weeks and the second Coming of Christ and the regathering of Israel into the land of Promise, prophecy will be complete, concerning those things involving Daniel's people and the holy city. Daniel 12:9 speaks of the prophecy being closed and sealed up—maybe 2 aspects of sealing is being secure and realized at the appointed time. “...it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.” Daniel 12:7
6 --” And to anoint the Most Holy” some believe this refers to Christ, but it is more likely referring to the Temple. Ezekiel 40-48 speaks of a new temple after the Jewish return to the Land.
Daniel's Prophecy of the 70 Weeks--session four
The 70 Weeks prophecy has to have an indeterminate gap of time between the 69th and 70th Week for the crucifixion and Jerusalem's destruction.
The destruction of Jerusalem in AD70 is not the same as the Abomination of Desolation in the Temple which Daniel 9:27 speaks concerning in the middle of the 70th Week. One was a near prophecy, and the other was a far prophecy—just like prophecies of the first and second coming of Christ.
Jesus foretold the destruction of the Temple and the city, which would come from the prophecy of the 70 Weeks: 43 For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, 44 and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation." Luke 19:43-44 20 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. Luke 21:20
Jesus made reference to the abomination of desolation (AOD) that Daniel spoke about. Seeing that in Daniel 9:27 as being in the middle of the final 7 years is very significant, because it will support the view that the “great Tribulation” that follows is 3 ½ years.
The end of sacrifice and offering and the AOD go together and involve the temple. The two things are spoken together elsewhere in Daniel, involving a person of a certain character that ties many prophecies together. That person is the desolator who has a distinctive appointed end.
Daniel 9:27: 27 “Then he [the “prince to come”] shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate [in the temple], Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate." Daniel 9:27
The final 7 years begins, ending the indeterminate gap of time, by a ”covenant confirmed with many.” Though the New Testament says nothing about the 7 years, Daniel begins it with this covenant, and it appears the covenant is confirmed by the “prince” who is connected with the “people” who last destroyed the Temple and city. The people were the Roman armies, but more specifically, they were Syrians employed by Rome. This individual could be a Syrian or Middle-Easterner and Islamic. The covenant (maybe like the "Abraham Accords") could be an agreement involving Middle East countries including Israel, and it could be a new one or a previous one that is strengthened for another 7 years. However this all plays out, it's what happens in the middle of the 7 years that gets all the attention.
Jesus said: 15 "Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand), … 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened.” Matthew 24:15-22
Daniel's Prophecy of the 70 Weeks--session five
The desolator is a person of a distinctive character and activity; there was a foreshadow of him by a Syrian king named “Antiochus.” In Daniel, it could have Antiochus in view as a near fulfillment, and the “AntiChrist” in view as a far fulfillment.
11 "And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days.” Daniel 12:11
31 And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation.” Daniel 11:31
13 Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, "How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled underfoot?" Daniel 8:13
24 The ten horns are ten kings Who shall arise from this kingdom. And another shall rise after them; He shall be different from the first ones, And shall subdue three kings. 25 He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of the Most High, And shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand For a time and times and half a time. Daniel 7:24-25
And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. 4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?" 5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. 6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. 7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. Revelation 13:3-7
3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-10
19 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. 20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. Revelation 19:19-20
11 "I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking; I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame. Daniel 7:11
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