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Daniel's 70 Weeks


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Daniel's Seventy Weeks
 

We have been studying what men have falsely called “end times” prophecies for the past few weeks in an effort to see how far off the mark they are when it comes to their predictions of Judgment Day. We have been comparing their views to what the Bible actually says, and they fall far short of Scripture. The book of Daniel is a popular place for these false teachers to find their doctrine. Let's start today’s lesson by reading from the book of Daniel. 

Daniel 9:20-27

Many ideas have been attributed to what was predicted by Gabriel in this prophecy and when these things would take place. I will not claim to be an expert on these matters, but I would like to examine this prophecy in detail so that we may all understand better what Gabriel was discussing.

First, there’s the historical context. Because of Israel’s apostasy, Jeremiah foretold that the Jews would be held captive in Babylon for 70 years.

Jeremiah 25:12

Jeremiah 29:10
 


 

This prophecy was fulfilled. 

Daniel 9:1-2

Why seventy years?


II Chronicles 36:21

They would be held captive until the land enjoyed its Sabbath rest.

The Old Law required that the ground go without being plowed every seventh year.

Leviticus 25:1-7

The Israelites ignored this commandment. There is no record of it having ever been followed before the captivity.  God had even told them what would happen if they ignored this commandment. 

Leviticus 26:33-35

Since each year of captivity represents a violation of the Sabbath year rest, then the captivity represented 490 years of neglecting God’s law. 


 

While the captivity looked back 490 years, the prophecy given to Daniel looks forward 490 years to the coming “Anointed One” who would make an end to sin.

Daniel 9:24

 

Daniel, at the time of this prophecy stood at the half-way point between two eras. He knew that the prophecy of Jeremiah was about to end, so he prayed for his people.

He confessed the sins of himself and his people and asked that God restore Jerusalem and rebuild the temple.

Daniel 9:16-17

While Daniel prayed, God answered his prayer by sending Gabriel with an answer.  A decree would be going forth to restore Jerusalem and rebuild the temple.

Daniel 9:25

However, something more important would be coming — The anointed one. Gabriel showed Daniel the mission of the Messiah.

First, the Messiah would deal with sin. He would make an end of sins. We see this fulfilled by Jesus.


 

 Matthew 1:21

Jesus would save his people from sin.
 

I Corinthians 15:3

He died for our sins.

Galatians 1:4

He gave himself for our sins.

The Messiah would also reconcile iniquity. We also see this fulfilled by Jesus. 


Matthew 20:28

Jesus came to give his life as a ransom for sin

Ephesians 1:7

He brought forgiveness through his blood.

Colossians 1:20

He would reconcile all things to himself through his sacrifice.

The Messiah would bring in righteousness. We see this also fulfilled by Jesus.
 


 

II Corinthians 5:21

He took on our sins like the scapegoat in the Mosaic Law, so we might have righteousness.

 

I Peter 2:24

We were healed by his stripes so we might live for righteousness

Daniel prayed for forgiveness for Israel, and he received much more than that. Now let’s look at how the Messiah fulfilled all of this.  Christ’s coming did not end sin in the sense of eradicating it from the world. Instead, Jesus introduced a system that permanently solved the problem of sin for mankind.

Hebrews 9:26

Jesus died once, for all. He will never have to return to repeat the events at Calvary.

Isaiah 53 uses the same words (transgression, sin, and iniquity) to describe the Messiah’s work in dealing with this problem. Isaiah 53 is frequently quoted in relationship to Jesus’ first coming. The sin that Jesus dealt with was during his first coming, not waiting to be resolved at some future date.

Hebrews 9:23-28

It was only done once.

The Messiah would bring in everlasting righteousness.  Paul shows that Jesus brought this era of righteousness into effect. Romans 3:21-26

This righteousness is brought to the people through the gospel. Romans 1:16-17

In the time of the Messiah, vision and prophecy would be sealed. “Sealed” means this would be brought to a conclusion

The prophecies of the Old Testament were about the Messiah and the Christian era.

I Peter 1:10-12

With the completion of the New Law, the need for prophecy ended.

I Corinthians 13:8-13

God would stop sending prophets into the world.

Zechariah 13:2-3

Claiming to be able to prophecy with no authority from God, will cut you off from Him due to your lawlessness.

Matthew 7:21-23
 

The Most Holy was going to be anointed.  Most Holy is referring to God. Jesus, the Son of God came to this world in human form.

John 1:1-4,14

Anointing was used to dedicate something to God. In other words to declare it holy.

I Kings 19:16

Here a king and a prophet are anointed.

Exodus 28:41

Here a priest is anointed.
 

The Messiah holds all three of these roles.

Acts 3:20-22

He is a prophet.

Hebrews 3:1

He is a priest.

Matthew 21:5

He is a king.

It was prophesied that the anointing would be by the Spirit of God.

Isaiah 61:1
 

This was fulfilled at Jesus’ baptism.

Matthew 3:16-17

It was confirmed by the apostles.

Acts 10:38

The very meaning of “Christ” and “Messiah” is “anointed”.

The Messiah would make a firm covenant.
 

Hebrews 8:7-9

The old covenant would be replaced with a new one.

Hebrews 9:15

The Messiah was the mediator of a new covenant.

Sacrifice and offerings would end when the Messiah came. With Jesus’ sacrifice, the sacrifices of the Old Law ended.

Hebrews 10:8-10
 


 

Jesus nailed the Mosaic law to the cross.

Colossians 2:14

He abolished the division between Jew and Gentile.

Ephesians 2:13-17

Daniel’s prophecy not only told the Israelites what would happen, it also told them when it would happen. The beginning point is placed at the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem.  The length would be 70 weeks or 490 days. It is generally agreed that each day of the prophecy would represent one year.
The time is divided into 3 segments:

                                    a. Seven weeks

                                    b. 62 weeks

                                    c. In the middle of the 70th week, sacrifice would end

                                    d. i.e. a total of 486 ½ years.

The ending point would be the cutting off of the anointed one. So when did it occur? There are three possible dates for the start.
 

Zerubbabel led a group out of captivity in 536 B.C. However, 486 years from this would be 50 B.C., or 80 years prior to Christ’s death.
 

Nehemiah led a band back in 444B.C. However, 486 years from this would be A.D. 42, or 12 years after Christ’s death

In 457 B.C., Ezra took a group from Babylon to Jerusalem. 486 years from this would be A.D. 30 — the year of Christ’s crucifixion!

Ezra 7:6-7; 9:9

Ezra and the people came for the rebuilding of Jerusalem (though not actually rebuilt until Nehemiah came 13 years later).

The 7 weeks (49 years) covers the rebuilding of Jerusalem. The walls would be rebuilt and the temple restored in troubled times. Daniel 9:25

Ezra 4:1-6

The 62 weeks added to the 7 weeks (483 years) or A.D. 26, the baptism of Jesus and the beginning of his ministry.  Then in the midst of the 70th week (3 ½ years later), he would be cut off or killed.
 

 

The consequences of rejecting the Christ are shown. No matter how people wish to rewrite history, it remains a fact that Jesus was rejected and killed by his own people.

John 1:11

Daniel prophesied the consequence of that rejection.

Daniel 9:26-27

A prince that would come who would destroy the city and the temple like an overwhelming flood.  All has been determined, set in place by God, as a result of their rejection of the Christ. Jesus explained this portion of the prophecy in Matthew 24.

Matthew 24:15

In A.D. 66, the Jews, who were subject to Rome, revolted against the empire and fought a bloody war with Rome for several years. The prince was Titus, son and successor of Vespasian. He overthrew the city of Jerusalem after a five-month siege in the summer of A.D. 70.  Jerusalem was burned and the temple was destroyed. Not one stone was left upon another.

This completed the “abomination of desolation” referred to by Daniel. The city of David was desolated by the Roman army. The Romans were abominable, idolatrous force. Even the Jews recognized the destruction was a fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy. 

Josephus writes: “Daniel also wrote concerning the Roman government, and that our country should be made desolate by them.”

How powerful is our God to foretell the future in such detail, to even establish the date of the events centuries in advance. 

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