PROPHECY

SEVENTY  WEEKS  OF  YEARS

Daniel  Chapter  9

THE PROPHECY    -THE PROPHECY    -   Daniel 9:2Daniel 9:2

There are five specific periods of "TIME" and "DAYS’ mentioned in the book of Daniel. In addition to these five, we have the great period of the "seventy sevens" (or weeks) of years in Daniel 9. Sixty-nine of these were completed at the "CUTTING OFF" of the Messiah; the last or "SEVENTIETH SEVEN" is yet to come.

The "SEVENTY WEEKS" - SEVENS are to be reckoned as years. Therefore, on the basis of a Jewish year of 360 days (not 365 like ours), one "seven" is 360 x 7 = 2,520 days.

Seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks

 These Seventy Weeks are further divided into three lessor periods.

The beginning of the whole period of the Seventy weeks is definitely fixed at:

        "The going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem"

The end of the seven weeks and threescore and two weeks (69 weeks) will be marked by the:

 APPEARANCE OF MESSIAH AS THE PRINCE OF ISRAEL.

At a later time, "after the threescore and two weeks" which follows the first seven weeks (that is, after 69 weeks or 483 years), MESSIAH THE PRINCE WILL BE "CUT OFF," and Jerusalem will again be destroyed by the people of another "prince" who is yet to come (v. 26).

 THE BEGINNING OF THE SIXTY-NINE WEEKS

Daniel was told that this 490 year period would begin "from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem" (Daniel 9:24).

In the Scriptures are contained several decrees that have to do with the restoration of the Jews from the Babylonian captivity:

However, in all these permission was granted for the rebuilding of the TEMPLE only , but NOTHING was said about the REBUILDING OF THE CITY. In Ezra 4:1-4 the rebuilding of the temple was stopped because of the Jews who were rebuilding the city without authorization. In none of these decrees was the condition of Daniel 9:25 met. When we turn to the decree of Axtaxerxes, made in his twentieth year (NEHEMIAH 2:1-8), for the first time permission is granted to REBUILD THE CITY OF JERUSALEM. This then becomes the beginning of the prophetic time appointed by God in this prophesy.

 The Persian edict which restored the autonomy of Judah was issued in the Jewish month of Nisan. The seventy weeks are therefore to be computed from the 1st of Nisan B.C. 445 (14th of March).

THE FULFILLMENT OF THE SIXTY-NINE WEEKS

Vs 25: "... from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem (14th of March B.C. 445 Nehemiah 2:1-8) Unto Messiah the Prince (Jesus Christ) shall be seven weeks (49 years or rebuilding under Ezra and Nehemiah) and threescore and two weeks (434 years)."

An era therefore of sixty-nine "weeks," or 483 prophetic years reckoned from the 14th of March, B.C. 445, should close with some event to satisfy the words, "unto the MESSIAH THE PRINCE."

 The Lord’s last visit to Jerusalem was not only in fact, but in the purpose of it, the crisis of His ministry...now the twofold testimony of His words and His works had been fully rendered, and His entry into the Holy City was both to PROCLAIM HIS MESSIAHSHIP and to receive His doom....

 And the date of it can be ascertained. In accordance with the Jewish custom, the Lord went up to Jerusalem upon the 8th of NISAN, "six days before the Passover." But as the 14th, on which the Paschal Supper was eaten, fell that year upon a Thursday, the 8th was the preceding Friday. He must have spent the Sabbath, therefore, at Bethany; and on the evening of the 9th, after the Sabbath had ended, the Supper took place in Martha’s house. Upon the following day, the 10th of Nisan, He entered Jerusalem as recorded in the Gospels.

The Julian date (our calendar) of the 10th of Nisan was Sunday the 6th of April, A.D. 32. What then was the length of the period intervening between the issuing of the decree to rebuild Jerusalem and the public advent of "MESSIAH THE PRINCE," between the 14th of March B.C. 445, and the 6th of April, A.D. 32?

The interval contained exactly and to the very day 173,880 days, or Seven times sixty-nine Prophetic years of 360 days.

According to the Julian calendar: 476 x 365 = 173,740 days

However, since the Julian calendar did not yet exist when the prophecy was given, we must use the Jewish calendar to properly calculate the days:

Also, 69 weeks of Prophetic years of 360 days (or 69 x 7 x 360 =173,880

The corrected reading of St. Luke 19:42, spoken as our Lord came into Jerusalem on that day is most significant:

"If thou also hadst known, even ON THIS DAY, the things which belong to thy peace; but now they are hid from thine eyes!

Up to this point both the Historist and the Futurist agree.

Forward to the Next Section:  Between the 69th & 70th Weeks