What Is The 70 Weeks Prophecy
The 70 weeks prophecy is for knowing when the Messiah would come into this world. It is a prophecy which can be measured in time based upon events which were detailed to take place. It is broken down into three parts or segments of time.
Here the Hebrew word for week means a period of seven. Additionally with the context Daniel 9:2 he is seeking the number of years. Here this context would help in determining that these weeks stand for years. Furthermore a study of history would prove this context and Hebrew translation to be for this purpose.
These 70 weeks are weeks of years. In other words each day within a week accounts for one year. Thus each week is 7 years of time. This would allow for a total of 70×7 = 490 years. If one is looking for a mathematical proof from Nehemiah to Christ I will save you time in that I do not share this. I have my reasons which I will detail as I move forward.
Three Segments Of Time
Segment 1: The first seven weeks pertained to the rebuilding of Jerusalem as outlined in Daniel 9:25 totaling 49 years.
25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
Daniel 9:25
Segment 2: The next 62 weeks would be waiting for the Messiah, who is Jesus, to come and begin fulfilling His last moments on Earth. More specifically it measures to the day of His entry into Jerusalem before the crucifixion. This 62 weeks totals 434 years.
26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that 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.
Daniel 9:26
Segment 3: The last week is specific to the Tribulation. It is the last 7 years of time to the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom. It is marked with an event that is a covenant which is made with the many heralding the Antichrist.
27 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, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
Daniel 9:27
This last week is further broken down into two segments which are specific to that period of time. Those seven years will exist as 3.5 years and 3.5 years with events specific to each of those periods of time. Furthermore the marker for this split in time in its midpoint is the defilement of the new Temple.
First Seven Weeks
We find in Nehemiah 2 the story of this call to rebuild Jerusalem. This was done under king Artaxerxes. It is from this period that we can begin to measure time. Nehemiah gives us the time this took place in. He describes it as the month of Nissan in the twentieth year of the king.
Confusion exists within some circles because there were three calls to rebuild Jerusalem. There was one decree issued by Darius in 538 BC. Artaxerxes issued two calls one being 457 BC and the second in 445 BC.
Why do we select this 445 BC date archaeologically? It is based upon the: Third, the Elephantine papyri (Egyptian documents). The calls to rebuild prior to 445 BC do not match the words of Gabriel in rebuilding the wall. The only call of those three which matches the prophecy given is the one we find in 445 BC.
Others have measured by alternate dates. Some argue accuracy with calendar conversions. Few realize the Babylonians altered their calendar in 445 which also can cause some confusion potentially shifting time. Thus the argument is made for 444 BC. These attempts to measure to a specific day are great and wonderful yet to me I do not obsess over it.
For Daniel to make such a prophecy like this and hit anywhere in Christ’s life should be impossible. Yet it was God telling him rather than Daniels own prediction. No other prophet in history gave such an accurate depiction of time to the Messiah.
I can accept a little muddy water in time if need be without reverse engineering dates. Attempting to calculate everyone’s calendar with its conversions properly with archaeological data is maddening. Archaeologists still today have to make assumptions to things pertaining to dates in other empires such as the Egyptians. I can accept a little historical irregularity.
62 Weeks To Messiah
We spent some time in Nehemiah yet a lot happens within this 434 years which pass. Across this time we find the fall of the Persian Empire and the rise of the Greeks. Alexander the Great makes his great campaigns conquering all that he can within his short life. With the fall of the Greeks we find the Rise of Rome.
When one looks at this narrow band of time when compared to the rest of history there is a lot of change. Yet despite all this we still arrive within the life of Christ just as Daniel prophesied. This is why I stated earlier that such things within our natural state of mind would be impossible. It was God speaking to Daniel through Gabriel.
What I find so hard to understand is how people will cling to men like Nostradamus with simple quatrains that are so vague they could mean anything. Yet as Christians we are pushed to obsesses over matching a specific day to when any prophecy should land. If it is found questionable at all it is then in error and we are burned at the proverbial stake.
It is amazing to see such fine straws drawn to standards no others are held to except for the Christian community. The archaeological community of Egypt itself could not account to the level of scrutiny that is given concerning their framing of dates yet are allowed to continue. Nevertheless we move forward.
When the numbers are crunched it is accepted that the end of these 62 weeks land on Christ entry into Jerusalem before the crucifixion. I have no issues accepting this. Whether we work the numbers forward archaeologically or reverse engineer the dates backwards.
I state this for they come so close that any irregularity across historical record keeping could easily influence this. The secular community can argue as much as they like to discredit whatever they wish. The difference is they seek to destroy the truth of Christ for something is at stake.
The Last Week
It is this last week that we still are waiting on. It is the Tribulation period otherwise known as Jacob’s Trouble. I have written extensively on this topic in other places on this site thus will avoid detail here. Nevertheless according to Daniel the marker of this event is the covenant with the many which is made.
This is often taken as a peace agreement which is made with Israel. I have no doubt they are involved. Yet Daniel states with the many. It is likely that there is a council of nations involved yet to what degree we are uncertain of. No where in that statement is war mentioned where secession is made for hostility.
It could also be likely that this confirmation is the official approval of something such as a one world system, alliance, or hostile actions in conflict between nations like Israel and others. I will not say that it is specifically one over another. Nevertheless it is a confirmation of a covenant with many.
Why Was This Prophecy Given?
Daniel opens the chapter in prayer. He had questions pertaining to the words of Jeremiah in his writing of prophecy. Jeremiah 25 is the passage which caused this inquiry. He stated that 70 years would be required of Israel in serving the king of Babylon.
This is not to be confused with the 70 weeks prophecy. They are not the same.
It does hold very interesting implications though. After 70 years of Israel being in service to Babylon they are conquered by the Persians. This is the punishment spoken of by Jeremiah in verse 12. It is in Isaiah 44:28 and again in Isaiah 45:1 that Cyrus is mentioned.
This is important for Isaiah details how Cyrus will do the bidding of God and allow the Israelites to return home. Keep in mind Isaiah wrote this 150 years before Cyrus was born.
Within the prophecy of the 70 weeks we find other prophetic events wrapped into it. Its purpose was more than how we use it today. For the Jews of that time it became a foundational understand of the direction which they would move.
Within it God confirmed the prophecy of Jeremiah, Isaiah, and brought them to understand Israel would be rebuilt. With this a time line was given for how long it would take to accomplish. This was extremely important to a people which had been subjugated by a foreign power for many assimilated into this new culture.
For the people in the time of Daniel it was God calling them to return home with a purpose. He informed them that indeed things would be rebuilt and it would be in troubled times. Nevertheless God would be with them. It was in preparation for Jesus to be born, live and serve in His ministry, and to die for all sin.
Why Not Become Time Focused
I wish to urge people to not become too consumed with measuring dates and time when it comes to this prophecy. We clearly know that the 70 weeks lead to the life of Christ. I personally believe it leads to the day of His entry into Jerusalem and that historical data supports it.
Nevertheless for the secular community who wishes to refute matters concerning this I wish to point something out to the reader here. The Bible gives understanding of time to us in different ways.
Looking at the history of Empires in Daniel 7 is one example. It also can become very specific to a point for certain people, usually those people being Israel.
Jeremiah knew how long Israel would be in captivity before they would be released. This prophecy came before Nebuchadnezzar took them to Babylon. Isaiah named the Persian king who would let them return home at least some 150 years before the event. Daniel was given the prophecies leading to Jesus.
In these three prophecies alone we know Israel was taken captive. They did spend 70 years in captivity. Cyrus did let them return home. Then Daniels prophecy led to the life of Christ. The statistical odds of this being an accident or fluke would require more numbers than a mathematician would know how to say.
The odds of these events taking place are so statistically improbable that it would be to an unrealistic exponential power. Why obsess over specific dates of when Nehemiah received a decree?
Additionally do not obsess over when the last week of Daniel will come. The New Testament states clearly that we are not to know. It cannot be known. Ignore the drivel of madmen such as Harold Camping. It will come.
If Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Daniel are this accurate I dare say we have no need to worry. These are only three prophets which I used here. There are others which I could involve such as Ezekiel. The prophecies which are fulfilled were done so by men who often lived a lifetime apart. There is absolutely no other way things could come to pass unless it was by the hand of God.
The last week is reserved for a specific point in the future. As to its timing we have only one clue. For it to come to pass the last soul to be saved which is preordained is all that is needed. At that point the Church is removed from this world and all further events will begin to follow.