I
have written on this subject frequently in the past as a full chapter in each
of my three published books includes details of what has been termed as
Daniel’s seventy weeks. My purpose in this blog is to add just a point or two
of clarification. This passage has been badly misinterpreted by many who have
been nurtured in dispensational theology and these distortions have resulted in
the perversion of many other scriptures resulting in the formulation of a system
of theology which departs in significant ways from the truths set forth in the
Bible.
The
pivotal passage in question covered here in some significant detail is Daniel
9:24-27. Let us break down the phrases in the text and provide explanation and
interpretation as we move through it. Before beginning with the text it must be
stated unequivocally that there is no “gap” in the fulfillment of the prophecy
but it sets forth seventy consecutive weeks from the point of beginning to the
consummation of the period as it relates to Old Testament Israel, i.e. its
application is solely “…upon thy people.”
The “weeks” are weeks of years, that is to say that each week is a period of
seven years as understood by the Israelites from their history and written
records (See Leviticus 25:8-10). Thus seventy weeks is a total of 490 years (70
X 7) and is to be understood as measured by the Hebrew calendar. Therefore, we
must determine precisely the points of beginning and ending.
“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people
and upon the holy city,(this portion of the text is covered above) to finish the transgression and make an end,
of sins, and to make reconciliation , and to bring in everlasting righteousness,
and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.” Verse
24 0f the text provides us with a summary of what was accomplished in the
person and work of Christ for he is the consummation and object of the prophecy and the accomplishment of all of the
verse in his death on the cross and subsequent resurrection. The
final phrase of the verse to anoint the
most Holy” is clearly fulfilled in the baptism of Christ by John the Baptist
as recorded in the gospels. We see there that the Holy Spirit descended upon
him and his anointed ministry to
Israel began immediately.
“Know therefore and understand that from the
going forth of the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem unto the Messiah
the Prince shall be seven weeks and three score and two weeks: the street shall
be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times” Verse twenty five
directs us to the restoration of the destroyed city of Jerusalem and the
ministry of recovery of the tenets of the law. This was accomplished beginning
with the arrival of Ezra the priest “ a
ready scribe in the law of Moses…”(Ezra 7:6) “who had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it…”(Ezra
7:10). This is the beginning of the recovery of the testimony of the law under
the precepts of the Old Testament covenant and it was accompanied by a lengthy
decree written by Artaxerxes I, the king of Persia. It is contained in this chapter and identifies
the decree referred to in Daniel 9:25. This
is the beginning point of the “seventy
weeks”. This recovery period of ministry including the rebuilding of Jerusalem
and the wall covered one week or forty nine years and later involved the
ministry and work of Nehemiah in the building of the wall. (See the book of
Nehemiah). He arrived about thirteen years after Ezra.
“After three score and two weeks shall Messiah
be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince which shall come
shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a
flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.” In verse 26
we first see the reference to the crucifixion of Christ, i.e. “shall Messiah be cut off.” The rest of
the verse is related to the judgement executed by God on Israel and Jerusalem
with its destruction at the hands of the Roman prince Titus. According to
history this happened in 70CE.
“And he shall confirm the covenant with many
for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the
oblation to cease…” Again this phrase gives us a confirmation of Christ’s
death on the cross causing sacrifice and oblation to cease. It also encompasses his ministry to Jewry
covering three and one-half years and the subsequent ministry of the twelve
apostles to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel “for an additional three and
one-half years. A total of “one week”. The
final phrases in the verse confirm the judgement to be poured out on the desolate (Jewry) “for the overspreading of abominations”
Many in Israel believed from the ministry of Christ and many more from the
testimony of the apostles.
The
ending point of the seventy weeks is clearly seen in Acts, chapter seven with
Stephen’s lengthy discourse addressing and condemning the seventy elders of
Israel—the counsel—the Sanhedrin. This is a formal rejection by the recognized
authority of the Israelites and because of their rejection and violent murder
of Stephen they confirmed their position as to Jesus Christ. In my writings I have used the date of 457BCE
as the beginning of Ezra’s ministry authorized by the decree of Artaxerxes 1 and
this would set Stephen’s sermon to the Sanhedrin at 34CE. However, the secular calendar has been
modified a couple of times and is not accurate or even really relevant to
determine these seventy weeks. These weeks were determined in accordance with
the Hebrew calendar and quantified precisely to equal seventy seeks or four
hundred and ninety years measured precisely thereby.
David Lance
Dean See my books The Israel Deception and
Christian
Zionism
and the Scofield Reference Bible
Visit my
website: authordavidlancedean.com
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