The Seventy Weeks Expanded.
DAN 9:24 "Seventy weeks [“shabuwa “ lit. sevened,i.e. a week, specifically of years. Seventy sevens, each day equals one year] are determined for your people [the Jewish people] and for your holy city [Jerusalem] to finish the transgression,[of the law] 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.
25 "Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince [Jesus picked up the inspired apocalyptic language of Daniel's prophecy. Apparently Jesus pointed to the Roman destruction of the Jewish Temple in AD 70 and beyond that to the second coming.
[Ezra 7:13-26, Neh 2:1-8], there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times. [Neh 3:1-33]
26 "And after the sixty-two weeks [of years] Messiah shall be cut off [Jesus crucified], but not for Himself; and the people [Roman military] of the prince who is to come [the antichrist] shall destroy the city and the sanctuary [AD 70]. The end of it shall be with a flood [“shetepha” deluge (lit. or fig.], and till the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 Then he [the antichrist] shall confirm a covenant with many [Jewish people] for one week [seven years]; but in the middle of the week [three and one half years] He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation [“kalah” a completion, to the end], which is determined [having made a firm decision not to change it:], is poured out on the desolate."[“shamem” ruined]
Dan 9:24-27
LAST THINGS, Great Tribulation
This difficult passage has received many interpretations. The "seventy'' may be related to Jer 25:11-14; 29:10-14. It is a major focal point in spite of its difficulties for some people's doctrine of last things. Three major interpretations include:
(1) The Historical--The period in view is from Jeremiah about 587 BC to Antiochus Epiphanes about 164 BC. The anointed one is either Cyrus (Isa 45:1), Zerubbabel (Hag 2:21-23), or Joshua the high priest (Hag 1:1). The first seven weeks ended with the return of the Exiles in 538 BC. The intervening period ended in 171 BC with the murder of Onias, the high priest. Compare Dan 11:22. The last week was from 171-164 BC, when Antiochus desecrated the Temple by sacrificing a pig.
Obviously if this view is correct the tribulation period has already taken place.
(2) The Messianic--The period in view is from 538 BC to AD 70 or until the death of Christ. The anointed one is Jesus. The numbers are symbolical, not mathematical. The first seven weeks were from 538 BC to Ezra and Nehemiah. The sixty-two weeks were from Ezra to Christ. The last week was the Lord's life climaxing in the tearing of the veil of the Temple. V 26 refers to the destruction of the Temple by Titus, the Roman emperor, in AD 70.
If this view is correct the tribulation period has also already taken place.
If the two views mentioned above are correct we must ask ourselves; why is Jesus teaching that long before AD 70 the tribulation event is still in the future? (Matthew 24:1-31; Mark 13:1-31; Luke: 21:5-28
(3) The Dispensational Premillennial--The starting point is the command to Cyrus to restore the Temple in 539 BC (Ezra 1:1-2) or from the decree of Artaxerxes to restore Jerusalem in 444 BC (Ezra 7:13-26). Sixty-nine weeks were completed at the time of Christ's death. The seventieth week is seen as a future tribulation period of seven years or a week of years. The present church age is a gap or parenthesis between the sixty-ninth and seventieth weeks which God had not revealed through His inspired prophets.
In this view the future seven-year tribulation period will be divided at its midpoint.( Daniel 9:27a) The focal point of the tribulation is seen by many dispensationalists to be the Jews in Jerusalem with a restored Temple. Daniel 9:27 “Then he 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, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate”. Covenant protection will prevail for the first three and a half years. The Jews will be favored by the world ruler or antichrist. However, the latter three and a half years will see a violation of the covenant and a time of great, unprecedented tribulation befalls the Jews..
Only in Jesus is there hope for putting an end to sin, atoning for iniquity, completing prophecy, bringing in everlasting righteousness, and anointing the most holy. The ultimate fulfillment has not yet occurred. Only Christ's final coming will totally fulfill the promises.
See Mark 13:14-23.
Jesus picked up the inspired apocalyptic language of Daniel's prophecy. Apparently Jesus pointed to the Roman destruction of the Jewish Temple in AD 70 and beyond that to His second coming.
Pastor Stan Smith retired
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