Daniel's 70th Week
Introduction
One of the more hotly contested Old Testament prophecies is the "70 Weeks" prophecy revealed to Daniel, as recorded in Daniel 9. The dispensational framework of interpretation, as formulated by John Nelson Darby in the 1830s and popularized in the Scofield Reference Bible (1909, 1917), finds correlation between Daniel 9, the Olivet Discourse, and Revelation as all pointing to a future seven year period beginning with the rapture of the church and ending with the physical return of Christ. This is inconsistent with the historic understanding held by the Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and many Protestant churches.
This article intends to examine the evidence and determine which understanding holds up best in light of the scriptural and historical evidence.
Scriptures
Isaiah 44:21 - 45:13 (ESV)
The Lord Redeems IsraelRemember these things, O Jacob,
and Israel, for you are my servant;
I formed you; you are my servant;
O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me.
I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud
and your sins like mist;
return to me, for I have redeemed you.
Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it;
shout, O depths of the earth;
break forth into singing, O mountains,
O forest, and every tree in it!
For the Lord has redeemed Jacob,
and will be glorified in Israel.
Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer,
who formed you from the womb:
“I am the Lord, who made all things,
who alone stretched out the heavens,
who spread out the earth by myself,
who frustrates the signs of liars
and makes fools of diviners,
who turns wise men back
and makes their knowledge foolish,
who confirms the word of his servant
and fulfills the counsel of his messengers,
who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be inhabited,’
and of the cities of Judah, ‘They shall be built,
and I will raise up their ruins’;
who says to the deep, ‘Be dry;
I will dry up your rivers’;
who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd,
and he shall fulfill all my purpose’;
saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built,’
and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’”
Cyrus, God's Instrument
Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus,
whose right hand I have grasped,
to subdue nations before him
and to loose the belts of kings,
to open doors before him
that gates may not be closed:
“I will go before you
and level the exalted places,
I will break in pieces the doors of bronze
and cut through the bars of iron,
I will give you the treasures of darkness
and the hoards in secret places,
that you may know that it is I, the Lord,
the God of Israel, who call you by your name.
For the sake of my servant Jacob,
and Israel my chosen,
I call you by your name,
I name you, though you do not know me.
I am the Lord, and there is no other,
besides me there is no God;
I equip you, though you do not know me,
that people may know, from the rising of the sun
and from the west, that there is none besides me;
I am the Lord, and there is no other.
I form light and create darkness;
I make well-being and create calamity;
I am the Lord, who does all these things.
“Shower, O heavens, from above,
and let the clouds rain down righteousness;
let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit;
let the earth cause them both to sprout;
I the Lord have created it.
“Woe to him who strives with him who formed him,
a pot among earthen pots!
Does the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’
or ‘Your work has no handles’?
Woe to him who says to a father, ‘What are you begetting?’
or to a woman, ‘With what are you in labor?’”
Thus says the Lord,
the Holy One of Israel, and the one who formed him:
“Ask me of things to come;
will you command me concerning my children and the work of my hands?
I made the earth
and created man on it;
it was my hands that stretched out the heavens,
and I commanded all their host.
I have stirred him up in righteousness,
and I will make all his ways level;
he shall build my city
and set my exiles free,
not for price or reward,”
says the Lord of hosts.
Jeremiah 25 (ESV)
Seventy Years of CaptivityThe word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah (that was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), which Jeremiah the prophet spoke to all the people of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem: “For twenty-three years, from the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, to this day, the word of the Lord has come to me, and I have spoken persistently to you, but you have not listened. You have neither listened nor inclined your ears to hear, although the Lord persistently sent to you all his servants the prophets, saying, Turn now, every one of you, from his evil way and evil deeds, and dwell upon the land that the Lord has given to you and your fathers from of old and forever. Do not go after other gods to serve and worship them, or provoke me to anger with the work of your hands. Then I will do you no harm.’ Yet you have not listened to me, declares the Lord, that you might provoke me to anger with the work of your hands to your own harm.
“Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: Because you have not obeyed my words, behold, I will send for all the tribes of the north, declares the Lord, and for Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants, and against all these surrounding nations. I will devote them to destruction, and make them a horror, a hissing, and an everlasting desolation. Moreover, I will banish from them the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the grinding of the millstones and the light of the lamp. This whole land shall become a ruin and a waste, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. Then after seventy years are completed, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity, declares the Lord, making the land an everlasting waste. I will bring upon that land all the words that I have uttered against it, everything written in this book, which Jeremiah prophesied against all the nations. For many nations and great kings shall make slaves even of them, and I will recompense them according to their deeds and the work of their hands.”
The Cup of the Lord's Wrath
Thus the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it. They shall drink and stagger and be crazed because of the sword that I am sending among them.”
So I took the cup from the Lord's hand, and made all the nations to whom the Lord sent me drink it: Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, its kings and officials, to make them a desolation and a waste, a hissing and a curse, as at this day; Pharaoh king of Egypt, his servants, his officials, all his people, and all the mixed tribes among them; all the kings of the land of Uz and all the kings of the land of the Philistines (Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod); Edom, Moab, and the sons of Ammon; all the kings of Tyre, all the kings of Sidon, and the kings of the coastland across the sea; Dedan, Tema, Buz, and all who cut the corners of their hair; all the kings of Arabia and all the kings of the mixed tribes who dwell in the desert; all the kings of Zimri, all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of Media; all the kings of the north, far and near, one after another, and all the kingdoms of the world that are on the face of the earth. And after them the king of Babylon shall drink.
“Then you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Drink, be drunk and vomit, fall and rise no more, because of the sword that I am sending among you.’
“And if they refuse to accept the cup from your hand to drink, then you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: You must drink! For behold, I begin to work disaster at the city that is called by my name, and shall you go unpunished? You shall not go unpunished, for I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth, declares the Lord of hosts.’
“You, therefore, shall prophesy against them all these words, and say to them:
“‘The Lord will roar from on high,
and from his holy habitation utter his voice;
he will roar mightily against his fold,
and shout, like those who tread grapes,
against all the inhabitants of the earth.
The clamor will resound to the ends of the earth,
for the Lord has an indictment against the nations;
he is entering into judgment with all flesh,
and the wicked he will put to the sword,
declares the Lord.’
“Thus says the Lord of hosts:
Behold, disaster is going forth
from nation to nation,
and a great tempest is stirring
from the farthest parts of the earth!
“And those pierced by the Lord on that day shall extend from one end of the earth to the other. They shall not be lamented, or gathered, or buried; they shall be dung on the surface of the ground.
“Wail, you shepherds, and cry out,
and roll in ashes, you lords of the flock,
for the days of your slaughter and dispersion have come,
and you shall fall like a choice vessel.
No refuge will remain for the shepherds,
nor escape for the lords of the flock.
A voice—the cry of the shepherds,
and the wail of the lords of the flock!
For the Lord is laying waste their pasture,
and the peaceful folds are devastated
because of the fierce anger of the Lord.
Like a lion he has left his lair,
for their land has become a waste
because of the sword of the oppressor,
and because of his fierce anger.”
Daniel 9 (ESV)
Daniel's Prayer for His PeopleIn the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, by descent a Mede, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans— in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.
Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying, “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of the treachery that they have committed against you. To us, O Lord, belongs open shame, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you. To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by walking in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice. And the curse and oath that are written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out upon us, because we have sinned against him. He has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us and against our rulers who ruled us, by bringing upon us a great calamity. For under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what has been done against Jerusalem. As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us; yet we have not entreated the favor of the Lord our God, turning from our iniquities and gaining insight by your truth. Therefore the Lord has kept ready the calamity and has brought it upon us, for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works that he has done, and we have not obeyed his voice. And now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and have made a name for yourself, as at this day, we have sinned, we have done wickedly.
“O Lord, according to all your righteous acts, let your anger and your wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy hill, because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people have become a byword among all who are around us. Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord, make your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate. O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.”
Gabriel Brings an Answer
While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my plea before the Lord my God for the holy hill of my God, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice. He made me understand, speaking with me and saying, “O Daniel, I have now come out to give you insight and understanding. At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved. Therefore consider the word and understand the vision.
The Seventy Weeks
“Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed. And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”
Ezra 1 (ESV)
The Proclamation of CyrusIn the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing:
“Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem. And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.”
Then rose up the heads of the fathers' houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem. And all who were about them aided them with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, with beasts, and with costly wares, besides all that was freely offered. Cyrus the king also brought out the vessels of the house of the Lord that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods. Cyrus king of Persia brought these out in the charge of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. And this was the number of them: 30 basins of gold, 1,000 basins of silver, 29 censers, 30 bowls of gold, 410 bowls of silver, and 1,000 other vessels; all the vessels of gold and of silver were 5,400. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up, when the exiles were brought up from Babylonia to Jerusalem.
Ezra 4:1-6 (ESV)
Adversaries Oppose the RebuildingNow when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple to the Lord, the God of Israel, they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of fathers' houses and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we worship your God as you do, and we have been sacrificing to him ever since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria who brought us here.” But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers' houses in Israel said to them, “You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we alone will build to the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.”
Then the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah and made them afraid to build and bribed counselors against them to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
Ezra 6:1-12 (ESV)
The Decree of DariusThen Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in Babylonia, in the house of the archives where the documents were stored. And in Ecbatana, the citadel that is in the province of Media, a scroll was found on which this was written: “A record. In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king issued a decree: Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be rebuilt, the place where sacrifices were offered, and let its foundations be retained. Its height shall be sixty cubits and its breadth sixty cubits, with three layers of great stones and one layer of timber. Let the cost be paid from the royal treasury. And also let the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that is in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be restored and brought back to the temple that is in Jerusalem, each to its place. You shall put them in the house of God.”
“Now therefore, Tattenai, governor of the province Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and your associates the governors who are in the province Beyond the River, keep away. Let the work on this house of God alone. Let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its site. Moreover, I make a decree regarding what you shall do for these elders of the Jews for the rebuilding of this house of God. The cost is to be paid to these men in full and without delay from the royal revenue, the tribute of the province from Beyond the River. And whatever is needed—bulls, rams, or sheep for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, or oil, as the priests at Jerusalem require—let that be given to them day by day without fail, that they may offer pleasing sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons. Also I make a decree that if anyone alters this edict, a beam shall be pulled out of his house, and he shall be impaled on it, and his house shall be made a dunghill. May the God who has caused his name to dwell there overthrow any king or people who shall put out a hand to alter this, or to destroy this house of God that is in Jerusalem. I Darius make a decree; let it be done with all diligence.”
Nehemiah 1:1-3 (ESV)
Report from JerusalemThe words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah.
Now it happened in the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, as I was in Susa the citadel, that Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.”
Nehemiah 2:1-8 (ESV)
Nehemiah Sent to Judah In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid. I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' graves, that I may rebuild it.” And the king said to me (the queen sitting beside him), “How long will you be gone, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time. And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.” And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.
Nehemiah 6:15 (ESV)
So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days.
Nehemiah 7:73
And when the seventh month had come, the people of Israel were in their towns.
Matthew 24 (ESV)
Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple
Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”
Signs of the End of the Age
As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
The Abomination of Desolation
“So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.
The Coming of the Son of Man
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
The Lesson of the Fig Tree
“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
No One Knows That Day and Hour
“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Mark 13 (ESV)
Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple
And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”
Signs of the End of the Age
And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?” And Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name, saying, I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.
“But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
The Abomination of Desolation
“But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let the one who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter his house, to take anything out, and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that it may not happen in winter. For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be. And if the Lord had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days. And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand.
The Coming of the Son of Man
“But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
The Lesson of the Fig Tree
“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
No One Knows That Day or Hour
“But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”
Luke 21 (ESV)
The Widow's Offering
Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple
And while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, “As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” And they asked him, “Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, I am he!’ and, The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.”
Jesus Foretells Wars and Persecution
Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness. Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. You will be hated by all for my name's sake. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives.
Jesus Foretells Destruction of Jerusalem
“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
The Coming of the Son of Man
“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
The Lesson of the Fig Tree
And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
Watch Yourselves
“But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
And every day he was teaching in the temple, but at night he went out and lodged on the mount called Olivet. And early in the morning all the people came to him in the temple to hear him.
Key Dates
Jeremiah's Prophecy
Jeremiah prophesied of the coming judgment of God upon Judah through the Babylonian captivity of the Southern Kingdom.
• ~700 BC Isaiah prophecies that Cyrus will fulfill God's purpose, and that Jerusalem and the Temple will be rebuilt
• 605 BC Jeremiah prophesies that the captivity will last for 70 years (Jer. 25:11-14; 29:10).
• 538 BC Babylon falls, and Darius the Mede is given the kingdom of Babylon (Dan. 5:31)
• 538 BC Daniel has a vision of the 70 weeks in the first year of Darius, the son of Ahasuerus (Dan. 9:1)
• 537 BC In the first year of Cyrus the King of Persia (Ezra 1:1; 5:13; 6:3) he decrees that the Jews return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple (Ezra 1:2-4; 5:13-15) in fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy (Isaiah 44:26-28; 45:13)
• 537 BC Altar constructed and sacrifices are made in the seventh month of the year (Ezra 3:1, 6)
• 536 BC Levites appointed to oversee the construction of the Temple in the second month of the second year (Ezra 3:8-10)
• 535 BC Cambyses II becomes co regent with Cyrus
• 535 BC Daniel has his final vision in the third year of Cyrus (Dan. 10:1)
• 535 BC Opposition to the construction from the reign of Cyrus to Darius and construction of the temple ceased (Ezra 4:1-6)
• 535 BC In the beginning of reign of Ahasuerus/Artashasta/Artaxerxes (Ezra 4:6-7) the Samaritans wrote a letter to the king (Ezra 4:8-16) and the work ceased (Ezra 4:24)
• 521/520 BC In the second year of Darius, Haggai and Zechariah began to prophesy in Judah (Ezra 5:1; Hag. 1:1; Zech. 1:1)
• 521/520 BC In the second year of Darius, Zerubbabel king of Judah and Yahshua the high priest began reconstruction (Ezra 4:24; 5:1-3, 16)
• 521/520 BC A letter is written to Darius (Ezra 5:3-17) who finds the decree of Cyrus (Ezra 6:1-5) and he decrees that work continues (Ezra 6:6-12)
• 517/516 BC The Temple completed on third day of Adair in the sixth year of Darius (Ezra 6:14-15) 517-516 BC
• 464 BC Artashasta/Artaxerxes became king of Persia (Ezra 7:1)
• 458 BC In the fifth month of the seventh year of Artashasta/Artaxerxes (Ezra 7:7-9), he issued a decree (Ezra 7:11, 13) to allow the Jews to return and to provide whatever is needed for regular sacrifices in the Temple and return the utensils and reinstitute a theocracy (Ezra 7:11-26), granting Ezra’s request who led a group of Levites and Temple servants from Babylon to Jerusalem (Ezra 7:6-7)
• 445 BC On the new moon of the month of Nissan, in the twentieth year of Artashasta/Artaxerxes (Neh. 2:1), Nehemiah requested that he be sent to Judah to rebuild Jerusalem (Neh. 2:4-5), so he granted him letters confirming it (Neh. 2:6-8)
• 433 BC The wall around the city was completed in the thirty-second year of Artashasta/Artaxerxes (Neh. 5:14, 6:15)
• 409 BC The rebuilding of Jerusalem was complete 49 years (7x7) after the decree (Dan. 9:25)
• 175 BC Antiochus IV Epiphanes becomes King of the Seleucid Empire. He accelerates Seleucid efforts to eradicate the Jewish religion by forcing the Jewish High Priest Onias III to step down in favor of his brother Jason, who was replaced by Menelaus three years later. He outlaws Sabbath and circumcision, sacks Jerusalem and erects an altar to Zeus in the Second Temple after plundering it.
• 167 BC Maccabean revolt sparked when a Seleucid Greek government representative under King Antiochus IV asked Mattathias to offer sacrifice to the Greek gods; he refused to do so, killed a Jew who had stepped forward to do so and attacked the government official that required the act.
• 6 BC John the Baptist was conceived in the days of Herod (Luke 1:5).
• 6/5 BC Christ was conceived six months later (Luke 1:26-36) after the decree of Caesar Augustus for a census (Luke 2:1-6)
• 5 BC Christ was born, likely during the feast of Tabernacles, six months after John the Baptist (Luke 1:36), and Elizabeth was in her sixth month in the sixth month of the year (Luke 1:26) in the days of Herod (Matt. 2:1)
• 3 BC The Magi came and Herod attempted to kill the Messiah (Matt. 2:1, 16)
• AD 9 Christ came to the temple during the feast of Passover when He was twelve (Luke 2:41-42)
• AD 12 Augustus fell in and Tiberius began to act as Emperor
• AD 26 In the fifteenth year of Tiberius (Luke 3:1), Christ’s ministry began when He was about thirty years old (Luke 3:23) in the fall, 483 years (69x7) after the decree of Artaxerxes I to rebuild Jerusalem (Dan. 9:25) and He made a new covenant (Dan. 9:27; Matt. 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20)
• AD 30 Christ was crucified (cut off) (Matt. 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, John 19) after 69 weeks (Dan. 9:26) putting a stop to sacrifice in the middle of the week (Dan. 9:27) and making atonement for iniquity (Dan. 9:24) 3-1/2 years later on the feast of Passover
• AD 33 Stephen was martyred 3-1/2 years later, 490 years after the decree of Artaxerxes I to rebuild Jerusalem, and the Apostles began turning to the Gentiles from that moment on, beginning with the Eunuch from Ethiopia (Acts 8:25)
• AD 66 The Roman armies surrounded Jerusalem and then left
• AD 67 The Romans began besieging Jerusalem in the spring
• AD 70 The Romans breached the city wall, Jerusalem fell, and the Temple was destroyed 3-1/2 years later (Dan. 9:26-27)
Interpretations
When did the 70 weeks begin?
"Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks." (Daniel 9:25)
Jeremiah’s first oracle in 605 BC (Jer. 25)
Seven "weeks" (49 years) later, in 556 BC should have come "an anointed one, a prince" (Dan. 9:25). However, there is no person or event that fits the description at that time.
Jeremiah’s second oracle in 597 BC (Jer. 29:10)
Seven "weeks" (49 years) later, in 548 BC should have come "an anointed one, a prince" (Dan. 9:25). However, there is no person or event that fits the description at that time.
Destruction of the temple in 587 BC
Seven "weeks" (49 years) later, in 538 BC should have come "an anointed one, a prince" (Dan. 9:25). That could be Cyrus (Isaiah 44:28-45:1), who a year later issued a decree to rebuild the Temple
Decree of Cyrus in 537 BC (Ezra 1:1; 5:13; 6:3)
In the first year of Cyrus, the King of Persia (Ezra 1:1; 5:13; 6:3), he issued an edict to rebuild the Temple (Ezra 1:2-4; 5:13-15) in fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy (Isaiah 44:26-28; 45:13), which spoke of both the Temple and the city.
Seven "weeks" (49 years) later, in 488 BC should have come "an anointed one, a prince" (Dan. 9:25). However, there is no person or event that fits the description at that time.
Artaxerxes I in 458 BC (Ezra 7:7-26)
There were actually three decrees concerning Jerusalem. The first decree was in the first year of Cyrus, the King of Persia (Ezra 1:1; 5:13; 6:3) to rebuild the Temple (Ezra 1:2-4; 5:13-15) in fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy (Isaiah 44:26-28; 45:13), which spoke of both the Temple and the city.The second decree was made by King Darius and was an affirmation of Cyrus’ first decree to complete the building of the Temple (Ezra 6:1-12) in 520 BC (Ezra 4:24; 5:1-3, 16).
The third and final decree was made by Artashasta/Artaxerxes (Ezra 7:7-26) in fifth month of the seventh year of his reign in 458 BC (Ezra 7:7-26) to allow the Jews to return and to provide whatever is needed for regular sacrifices in the Temple and return the utensils and reinstitute a theocracy (Ezra 7:11-26), granting Ezra’s request who led a group of Levites and Temple servants from Babylon to Jerusalem (Ezra 7:6-7).
On the new moon of Chislev Nehemiah in the twentieth year of Artashasta/Artaxerxes in 445 BC (Neh. 1:1) Nehemiah heard that the new wall was broken down and the gates burned with fire (Neh. 1:1-3). So he fasted and prayed (Neh. 1:4) until the new moon of Nissan (Neh. 2:1) and he requested that he be sent to Judah to rebuild Jerusalem (Neh. 2:4-5), so Artashasta/Artaxerxes granted him letters confirming it (Neh. 2:6-8). However, no actual decree is said to have been issued.
The first three decrees are grouped together as one (Ezra 6:14), as the second was really a confirmation of the first decree of Cyrus (Ezra 6:1-5).
The decrees of Artashasta/Artaxerxes are really one, as the second is just an affirmation of his first decree in 458 BC. Although construction of the city may have begun under the first decree of Cyrus (Ezra 4:13, 16), the decrees of Artashasta/Artaxerxes are the only ones that were specific about the rebuilding of the city (Neh. 2:5, 17), whereas the previous decrees were specifically about the rebuilding of the Temple (Ezra 1:1-7; 5:13-17; 6:1-12).
The decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem (Dan. 9:25) was, therefore, from Artaxerxes I in 458 BC (Ezra 7:7-26), on the New Moon of Av, the seventh year of Artaxerxes (Ezra 7:8-9).
Seven "weeks" (49 years) later, in 409 BC should have come "an anointed one, a prince" (Dan. 9:25). The rebuilding of Jerusalem was completed in 409 BC, so this may be a reference to the presence of God in the Holy of Holies.
"An Anointed One...Cut Off"
"And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing." (Daniel 9:26a)
Onias III, high priest, murdered in 171 B.C.
Onias III, was the legitimate high priest, but when his brother, Jason, a supporter of the royal hellenization program, offered the king money, Antiochus IV deposed Onias and replaced him with Jason (2 Macc. 4:7-10). Later, Menelaus stole the office from Jason by offering even more money (2 Macc. 4:24), which he obtained by selling some of the gold temple vessels (2 Macc. 4:32). When Onias denounced him, Menelaus had Onias killed (2 Macc. 4:34).
Jesus crucified in AD 30
If the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem (Dan. 9:25) was from Artaxerxes I in 458 BC (Ezra 7:7-26), then the 62 "weeks" ends in AD 26 (7x7 + 62x7 = 483 years later). Many scholars believe that Jesus was born around in the fall of 5 BC, which would make Him about 30 in the fall of AD 26 when he was baptized and began his ministry (Luke 3:21-23). He was 33 when crucified in the spring of AD 30 (after the 62 "weeks").
Jerusalem and the Temple Destroyed
And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed. (Daniel 9:26)
The first question we must ask is "who is the prince who is to come?" Is it a worldly prince (or king) or is it the "anointed one" mentioned in the preceding verse, Jesus Christ?
There are two events that fit this prophecy.
Jerusalem sacked and the Second Temple desecrated in 175 BC
In this view, the "people of the prince who is to come" are the Seleucid soldiers of Antiochus IV. The Syrians did not completely destroy Jerusalem and the temple as the Babylonians did earlier and as the Romans did later, but they caused much damage (1 Macc. 1:20-35; 2 Macc. 5:11-21) and in effect destroyed the sanctuary by replacing the worship of Yahweh with the cult of Zeus. Therefore, the temple structure remained, but it was completely corrupted and polluted by pagan rites.
The Fall of Jerusalem in AD 70?
In this view, the "people of the prince who is to come" are the Roman soldiers, led by Titus, who laid seige to Jerusalem in April of AD 70, three days before Passover began, and culminating in the burning and destruction of the Temple in August of the same year.
The prince may be Titus, but if the destruction of the temple is God's judgment on Jersualem, the prince is more likely Jesus. with the Roman soldiers being the instrument of His judgment.
The destruction of a future third Temple in Jerusalem?
In the modern dispensational view, the prince is speculatively the Antichrist, a future ruler who allows the temple to be rebuilt but then reneges on his promise in the following verse, resulting in its destruction.
The 70th Week
And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.” (Daniel 9:27)
Very important here is to note the antecedent of "he". Throughout this passage, the primary subject is the Anointed One, Jesus Christ. If the prince from the preceding verse is different person, that could be another candidate, although when read that way the sentence seems to be parenthetical. The best candidate seems to be the Anointed One.
Seventy Consecutive "Weeks"
Jesus came to fulfil the Law and Prophets as Messiah, establishing the New Covenant. Many scholars believe that Jesus was born around in the fall of 5 BC, which would make Him about 30 in the fall of AD 26 when he was baptized and began His ministry (Luke 3:21-23). He was 33 when crucified in the spring of AD 30, 3-1/2 years later, at which point he put an end to sacrifice and offering. Stephen was stoned in the fall, of AD 33, 3-1/2 years later, after giving an impassioned final speech, closing arguments for the prosecution condemning the Jewish Sanhedrin, who rejected Jesus just as their forefathers had rejected the prophets (Acts 6:8-8:3).
The First Jewish-Roman War?
The First Jewish-Roman War ran from AD66 to AD73. At the midpoint of the seven year war the Temple was destroyed, putting an end to the sacrifices and offerings. The "prince who is to come" could be either Vespasian or Titus. Vespasian was a Roman general given the task by Caesar Nero, of crushing the rising rebellion in Judaea. Titus was second in command but assumed command when his father Vespasian became Caesar in AD 69. This view requires a gap of one generation.
The Great Tribulation?
In the modern dispensational view, the present-day Church is a "parenthesis" or temporary interlude in the progress of Israel's prophesied history. In this view, the 70th week must be a future seven year period following a secret rapture of the Church. The "prince who is to come" would be the Antichrist, who will make a covenant with Israel, allowing a third Temple to be built and sacrifices resumed, before breaking the promise after 3-1/2 years.
Chiastic Pattern of Daniel 9:25-27
In ancient middle eastern literature, it is common to structure the content in a chiastic pattern as a mnemonic device. Named for the Greek letter chi, which is two lines intersecting (X), an example of chiastic structure would be two ideas, A and B, together with variants A' and B', which frame the central idea C, being presented as:
A
B
C
B'
A'.
In Daniel 9:25-27, the chiastic structure suggests a Messianic focus:
(Ancient Jerusalem Reconstruction)Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem(Messianic type: Onias III)to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks.(Ancient Jerusalem Reconstruction)Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time.(Messiah: Jesus)And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing.(Ancient Jerusalem Destruction)And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed.(Messiah: Jesus)And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering.(Ancient Jerusalem Destruction)And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”
Conclusion
The major difference in interpretation of the 70 Weeks prophecy in Daniel 9:25-27 is based on the theological framework of the interpreter.
Covenant theology is a conceptual overview and interpretive framework for understanding the overall structure of the Bible. It uses the theological concept of a covenant as an organizing principle for Christian theology. The standard form of covenant theology views the history of God's dealings with mankind, from Creation to Fall to Redemption to Consummation, under the framework of three overarching theological covenants: those of redemption, of works, and of grace.
Dispensational theology considers biblical history as divided by God into dispensations, defined periods or ages to which God has allotted distinctive administrative principles. According to dispensationalism, each age of God's plan is thus administered in a certain way, and humanity is held responsible as a steward during that time.
Those seeing the framework of covenant theology in the scriptures typically see the fulfillment of Daniel's 70th week prophecy in Jesus Christ and the fulfilment of Christ's reference to "the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel" as a continuation of the prophecy of the destruction of the temple.
In contrast, those seeing the framework of dispensationalism in the scriptures typically see the 70th week of Daniel as yet future.
Based on a holistic reading of the scriptures cited in this article and the record of corresponding historical events, it seems that the fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy leads clearly to Christ and that the prediction of Christ was fulfilled in the first century. This conclusion does not necessarily lead one to a preterist or partial preterist view of Revelation, although it is a necessary element of those views. This is also not necessarily in conflict with dispensationalism, although it is not commonly held by dispensationalists.
Appendix
If you found this article helpful and thought-provoking, you may be interested in some of these other articles I've written on the topic of eschatology:
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