The Seventy Weeks (Dan 9:20-27)

SEVENTY WEEKS
Daniel 9:20-27

1) One of the great signs of Bible prophecy, if not the greatest sign, is the nation of Israel. If you want to know what time it is on God’s Prophetic Clock, look at the nation of Israel. Israel has been called the linchpin of Bible prophecy. That is what makes Daniel chapter 9 one of the most important chapters in the book, as well as the whole Bible.

2) As we have seen in our study of the book of Daniel, parts of the book are historical and parts are prophetical. When it comes to the prophecies of the book, you can divide them into two distinct parts. There is prophecy concerning the Gentile nations of the history and prophecy concerning the nation of Israel. Chapters 2 and 7 outline the prophetic program for Gentiles nations. Chapter 9 outlines God’s prophetic outline for the nation of Israel.

3) In verses 1-19 we saw Daniel in his devotion time. He was reading from the prophet Jeremiah. During his devotion time Daniel had a heavenly visitor. We read in verses 20-21, “²⁰ And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God; ²¹ Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.”

4) It was at the time of the evening sacrifice (oblation) that Daniel had a visit from Gabriel. The visit had a divine mission behind it, for it was a visit to reveal and explain to Daniel prophecy concerning the nation of Israel. We read in verses 22-23, “And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. ²³ At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.”

5) The word “informed” simply means that Daniel was given “understanding.” As Gabriel said, “I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.” The prophecy that Gabriel gave Daniel understanding is referred to as “seventy weeks” in verse 24: “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.” You will notice that Gabriel said these seventy weeks “are determined.” The word “determined” means a “decree.” In other words, this is God’s decree and what is being explained will certainly happen.

7) As we have seen, much prophecy in the book of Daniel has already been fulfilled. History is a testimony to the truthfulness of certain prophecies that are contained in the book. Just as certain prophecies have been fulfilled just as God declared, you can be certain that the prophecies that are yet to be fulfilled will be fulfilled. What God has decreed is determined. It will happen just as God said. The Bible is a book you can believe from cover to cover. Amen!

8) In verse 24 we are told that these seventy weeks involve the nation of Israel. Gabriel spoke of “thy people” and “thy holy city.” The people referred to as “thy people” (Daniel’s people) are the Jewish people and the city referred to as “thy holy city” (Daniel’s city) is the city of Jerusalem. Much of the prophecy Daniel had been given had concerned the gentiles nations of the world. In regards to the seventy weeks, Gabriel makes it clear that this prophecy involves the nation of Israel.

9) In verse 24 Gabriel explains certain goals that will be accomplished during this period of time. One goal is “to finish the transgression.” This transgression is called “the transgression” which identifies it as a particular transgression. This transgression refers to Israel’s rebellion and rejection of Christ as the Messiah. To reject Christ is the transgression of all transgressions. To “finish” this particular transgression is to complete or bring to an end this transgression. Israel rejected Christ as their Messiah, but there will come a day when they will recognize and receive Him as their Messiah.

10) The second goal will be “to make an end of sins.” During this time God will settle the sin problem once and for all. Sin is as common as a cold in the world today, but there will come a day when sin will be brought under control and will cease.

11) The third goal will be “to make reconciliation for iniquity.” During this period of time God will provide a reconciler to make reconciliation for sin. Of course, this is none other than the Lord Jesus who died on the cross to make reconciliation for sin. As John declared when he saw the Lord Jesus, “Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

12) The fourth goal will be “to bring in everlasting righteousness.” There will be a time when righteousness will rule and reign upon the earth. The Bible speaks of the millennium (1,000 years) when God’s glory will fill the earth. This world is anything but righteous now, but one day it will be a spiritual utopia.

13) The fifth goal will be “to seal up the vision and prophecy.” To “seal” means “to close.” God’s will bring to completion His prophecies concerning the nation of Israel.

14) The sixth and last goal will be “to anoint the most Holy.” It is literally, “the most Holy place.” It is a reference to the millennial temple where Christ will rule and reign over the earth. The world may mock and reject Him now, but one day Christ will rule and reign over the earth from the Most Holy Place.

15) After explaining the goals of the seventy weeks, Gabriel then begins to explain the seventy weeks themselves. He explains to Daniel that these seventy weeks will be broken down into three periods of time.

16) We read in verse 25 that Gabriel speaks of “seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks.” Then in verse 27 he refers to “one week.” He is speaking of three distinct periods of time. One period is “seven weeks,” one period is “threescore and two weeks,” and one period is “one week.”

17) Now before we look at these 70 weeks, let me explain that each of these weeks refers to a year. Seven weeks would be 49 years, threescore and two weeks (62) would be 434 years, and 1 week would be 7 years, a total of 490 years. The seventy weeks is a prophecy that covers a period of 490 years.

18) Let’s look at these seventy weeks and the three periods of time involved. First, there is:

1. A TIME OF CONSTRUCTION

1) We read in verse 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” The first period of these 70 weeks involves a period of 49 years. Gabriel explains two things that will occur during these 49 years.

2) First:

A) A Return

1) Behind Gabriel’s words is the return of the Jewish people to their land. The book of Daniel began with certain Jews being carried into Babylon. Now, Gabriel tells Daniel that he and his people would be released and allowed to return to their land.

2) Daniel and those who had been carried into Babylon would spend a total of 70 years in Babylon. How it must have thrilled the heart of Daniel to hear these words. God was saying, “Your going home.”

3) Secondly, we not only see a return, but also:

B) A Rebuilding

1) When they returned they would “restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince.” The city of Jerusalem and the Temple had been ransacked and left in shambles by Nebuchadnezzar. Upon their release and return to the land, the great task before them was the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Temple.

2) The record of this rebuilding is found in the books of Nehemiah and Ezra. Gabriel said in verse 25 that “the street shall be built again, and the wall.” The book of Nehemiah tells the story of the rebuilding of the streets and the walls. Gabriel also added that it would be “troublous times.” The book of Nehemiah tells of the opposition and difficulties they encountered.

3) In 458 b.c., Artaxerxes I, gave the decree to Ezra that permitted Ezra and other Jews to return to Palestine and to reestablish the practice of services in the temple. A second decree of Artaxerxes I was issued to Nehemiah three years later in 445 b.c. and Nehemiah returned to rebuild the streets and walls just as Gabriel had said.

4) History tells us that this reconstruction time took 49 years, or as Gabriel said, “seven weeks.” This is another example of prophecy that history has proven to be accurate. It is another example in the book of Daniel that what God says is true.

5) So, there is a period of seven years, the first period of time within these 70 weeks. It was a time of reconstruction. In the second period of time we see:

2. A TIME OF REJECTION

1) In verse 25 we read of “seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks.” Following the 7 weeks (49 years) of reconstruction there would follow a second period of 62 weeks (434 years) that would conclude with certain things happening.

2) We read in verse 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.” Gabriel was telling Daniel that a period of 483 years would pass. At the end of this 483 years the following would occur.

3) First, there would be:

A) The Coming of the Messiah

1) In verse 26 Gabriel speaks of the “Messiah.” The Messiah is the Lord Jesus. “Messiah” means “anointed One.” It refers to one consecrated to a particular office or role. The Bible says in Acts 10:38 that “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power:” Jesus is the anointed One—the Messiah.

2) The Lord Jesus, as the Messiah and Anointed One, came to fulfill the goals Gabriel outlined in verse 24, such as “to make reconciliation for iniquity.” When the angel announced to Joseph that Mary was with child, he said, “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins” (Matt 1:21).

3) Secondly, Gabriel not only revealed the coming of the Messiah, but also:

B) The Crucifixion of the Messiah

1) You will notice in verse 26 that Gabriel said that the Messiah would be “cut off.” The words are used figuratively of eliminating, removing, or destroying something. The words are used in the Scripture to speak of death. For example, after the flood in Genesis, God said to Noah, “And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood” (Gen 9:11). God was assuring Noah that all flesh (men) would be never be destroyed, killed, by water again. Again, the words refer to death.

2) The prophecy that the Messiah would be “cut off” was a prophecy of the death of the Lord Jesus. When you look at the death of the Lord Jesus from a divine perspective, God gave His Son to the cross. The Bible says in Isaiah 53:4, “Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.” Jesus was stricken and smitten by God. From a divine perspective God was responsible for the death of the Lord Jesus. God gave His son!

3) Why did God give His Son to the cross. Isaiah 53:6 says that the “LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Jesus was God’s sacrifice for sin. Through Jesus, God provided a way “to make reconciliation for iniquity” (Dan 9:24).

O the love that drew salvation’s plan!

O the grace that brought it down to man!

O the mighty gulf that God did span

At Calvary.

4) Gabriel said that the Messiah would be cut off “but not for Himself.” Who was He cut off for? He was cut off for you and me. Hallelujah!

5) From a divine perspective, the cross was all of God’s doing. However, from a human perspective Jesus was sent to the cross by Jewish leaders and representatives that rejected Him as the Messiah. The Jews from a human perspective were responsible for his death. When they falsely tried Him in order to have Him crucified it was a declaration of their rejection of Him as the Messiah.

6) Saying that let me bring you back to the seventy weeks Gabriel spoke of. First, there were 7 weeks (49 years) and then 62 weeks (434 years) giving us a total of 69 weeks (483 years). Bible scholars have taken these 69 weeks (483 years) and calculated that from the time the decree was given to allow the Jews to return to their land, to the very day Jesus died was exactly 483 years or 69 weeks. Once again we have a marvelous testimony of the accuracy of God’s Word.

7) There is one final period that is left and that is the one week that is mentioned in verse 27. In this period we see:

3. A TIME OF DESOLATION

1) The latter part of verse 26 says “and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.” Gabriel speaks of a time of desolation. As we saw earlier, the word “determined” speaks of that which is certain. This is a period of time that is certain to happen,

2) As we look closer we see that Gabriel is speaking of this time of desolation as when:

A) The Temple Is Destroyed

1) Gabriel said that after these 69 weeks have passed “the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the sanctuary” (Dan 9:26). We know from history that in 70 a.d. the Romans destroyed the Temple. The “people of the prince” refer to the people of the ruler. Roman was the ruling power in Palestine.

2) Jesus Himself foretold the destruction of the Temple. In Matthew 24:2 Jesus said, “See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” History tells us that when Titus invaded the city of Jerusalem that as the Temple was burning, the gold inside the Temple began to melt and run down between the stones. Roman soldiers pulled up the stones in order to get the gold. There was not a stone left upon another as Jesus said it would be.

3) Amazingly, hundreds of years before it happened, God told what would happen. Once again, we have another testimony to the truthfulness and reliability of God’s Word.

4) Gabriel not only speaks of the destruction of the Temple but also a time when:

B) The Temple Is Defiled

1) We read in verse 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.”

2) Up to this point everything has been fulfilled as history proves. But now Gabriel looks ahead and sees a time when one shall defile the Temple and will cause a cessation of the offering of sacrifices in the Temple. We know this to be the antichrist.

3) Gabriel tells us that “he shall confirm the covenant for with many for one week.” There will be a seven year period of time when the antichrist will enter into a covenant with the Jewish people. We know from elsewhere in the Scripture that this will be a covenant of peace.

4) We think about all the problems in the Middle East today. So many have tried to work out a peace agreement in the Middle East but all have been a dismal failure. However, there will come a day when one will have an answer to all the problems and will bring peace to that troubled part of the world. He will allow them to rebuild the Temple and once again the Jewish people will offer sacrifices in the Holy Place.

5) But then, as Gabriel explains, in the midst of the one week he will break the covenant, stop all Temple sacrifices and with “abominations he shall make it desolate.” He will defile the Temple, as Matthew 24 declares, by standing in the Temple and declaring himself to be the Christ.

6) The Bible tells us in 2 Thessalonians 2:4 that he will exalt himself, oppose those who defy him, and sit himself up in the Temple as God.

7) However, Gabriel tells us that God will bring him down. We read in the latter part of verse 27, “even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” God will consume the antichrist and fulfill His purposes for the nation of Israel.

8) Now in closing let me bring you back to the 70 weeks. Between the destruction of the Temple and the defilement of the Temple in verses 26 and 27 we have a gap. We are living in that gap. We call it the Church age. Israel rejected the Messiah and God is now calling out to Himself a Gentile Bride.

9) Sixty-nine weeks of the 70 have been fulfilled. There is 1 week left. We call this final week the Tribulation Period. Jesus will come back for His Church and when He does it will usher in the final week of Daniel’s 70 weeks. Just as the first 69 weeks have been fulfilled just as God predicted, the final week will happen just as He said.

10) The great question before us is whether or not we are ready. As much of the prophecy we have seen has already been fulfilled, as history testifies, the prophecies that are yet to be fulfilled, will be fulfilled just as God declared! His Word is true! Therefore, be ye also ready.