WHAT ARE THE “SEVENTY WEEKS AND THE MESSIAH”?

 

SEVENTY WEEKS AND THE MESSIAH

So, what is the big deal about the “70 Weeks of Daniel”? Isn’t it just more hard-to-understand-to-unintelligible prophetic scriptures? Let’s take a look and see what’s up:

Daniel 9:24, “Seventy weeks,

(70 weeks of years = 70 x 7 = 490 years)

have been decreed for your people and your holy city,

(the Jewish people and Jerusalem),

to finish the wrongdoing,

(a divine intervention to halt the rebellion and disobedience of the Jewish people),

to make an end of sin,

(The end of sin is a theme echoed in the New Testament, particularly in passages like Hebrews 9:26, which speaks of Christ appearing to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself),

to make atonement for guilt

(Atonement involves reconciliation between God and humanity, achieved through a sacrificial offering),

to bring in everlasting righteousness, (

the establishment of a new order characterized by perpetual righteousness),

to seal up vision and prophecy,

(the fulfillment and completion of prophetic revelations),

and to anoint the Most Holy Place,

(the anointing of Jesus as the ultimate High Priest and the establishment of a new covenant).

Verse 25. So you are to know and understand that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, until Messiah the Prince, there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks,

(in other words, 7 x 7 weeks = 49 years plus 62×7 weeks = 434 years = a total of 483 years – this period is the exact number of years from the proclamation of the decree or the command by King Arteries of Persia in 444 B.C. to rebuild Jerusalem until Jesus’ crucifixion. To Wit: Converting the 360-day year used by the ancient Jews, 483 years become 476 years on our solar calendar. Adjusting for the switch from B.C. to A.D., 476 years after 444 B.C. places us at A.D. 33, which would coincide with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1–9). The prophecy in Daniel 9 specifies that, after the completion of the 483 years, “the Anointed One will be cut off” (verse 26). This was fulfilled when Jesus was crucified.);

it will be built again, with streets and moat, even in times of distress. Verse 26. Then after the sixty-two weeks,

(This phrase, “after the sixty-two weeks”, refers to a prophetic timeline given earlier in Daniel 9:24-25, where seventy weeks are decreed for the people of Israel. The “sixty-two weeks”, or 434 years, follow an initial period of seven weeks, making a total of sixty-nine weeks or 483 years. These 69 weeks are understood as symbolic of years, with each week representing seven years. This period is significant in biblical prophecy, marking the time from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem to the coming of the Messiah. I.e., there are 70 weeks mentioned in Daniel 9, and at this point we have exhausted 69 of the 70 weeks – which obviously leaves one week on the eschatological clock or 7 years),

the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing,

(this is a reference to Jesus’ crucifixion and death),

and the people of the prince who is to come,

(This part of the prophecy is commonly associated with the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple in 70 A.D. by the Romans. The “people of the prince who is to come” are understood to be the Roman forces under General Titus, who was responsible for the siege of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. during the First Jewish-Roman War. This campaign resulted in the destruction of the city and the Second Temple, marking a significant turning point in Jewish history. The “prince”, however, is interpreted as a future ruler or antichrist figure, suggesting a dual fulfillment of prophecy),

will destroy the city and the sanctuary,

(The First Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed in 586 B.C. by the Babylonians and is considered a precursor or a foreshadowing of the destruction of the Second Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D, by the Romans. Both events are commemorated on the Jewish fast day of Tisha B’Av). And its end will come with a flood, (a ‘flood’ is a type of judgment in the Bible. The Great Flood of Noah occurred around twenty-four fifty-eight B.C. which was judgment on the entire earth for its continual sin. This ‘flood’ as mentioned in Daniel 11 is, first, a flood of people, of invading armies (see Daniel 11) the next reference is by Jesus referencing a ‘flood’ as found in Matthew 24:36-41,); even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined (this is a reference to Jesus remark in Matthew 24:6-8, “And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pains (of the tribulation periods).

Verse 27. And he will confirm a covenant with the many for one week,

(Note that this is to occur AFTER “wars and rumors of war” – after the “Birth Pains” of the tribulation that “he”, the antichrist, will confirm of make a peace treaty with “the many” is Israel, her allies and others involved in the Mideast conflict with Israel),

but in the middle of the week,

(which will be after 3 ½ years, at the blowing of the sixth tribulation trumpet – see Revelation 9:13-21),

he,

(the antichrist),

will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come,

(The “abomination that causes desolation” is a term used to describe a sacrilegious act that defiles the temple, making it desolate. This phrase is rooted in historical events, such as the desecration by Antiochus IV, who set up an altar to Zeus in the Jewish temple. Jesus references this prophecy in Matthew 24:15, indicating its future fulfillment. The “wing of the temple” suggests a specific part of the temple complex, possibly an elevated or prominent area, where this abomination will occur. This event is seen as a pivotal moment in eschatological timelines, marking a period of intensification of the great tribulation),

the one who makes desolate, until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, gushes forth on the one who makes desolate.”

“So what” you may ask. Why does it matter “when” the tribulation starts or “when” Christians are to be raptured into the heavens?

• It matters because being ready for His Return is proof of True Christianity, and only a True Believer in Christ will be guaranteed to join Christ at the sound of His Great Trumpet call and escape the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord.
• It matters because being ready requires believing and doing what He has instructed us to do in preparation for His return.
• It matters because He has warned that “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and, in Your name perform many miracles? And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’
• It matters because many Christians are sitting idly waiting for an event that has already begun and they are not DOING what He told them to do and therefore are in grave danger.
• It matters because some of our family, friends and neighbors are completely unaware or just don’t believe that Christ will return and God’s final judgments will sentence them to outer darkness.
• It matters because, as Christians, our faith, our convictions and our behavior are speaking louder than our words.
• Jesus will either say to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the rest of My Father”, or He will ask you, “Why do you call me Lord, when you do not do what I have commanded you? Depart from me, you who work lawlessness. I never knew you”.

We, as Christians, have been and are being taught that we have little to do more than wait. Just sitting by, waiting for Jesus’ return and our rapture off the earth and into our promised heavenly home. Just waiting and behaving as nicely as we are able, going to church, tithing and performing some ‘good works’ as defined by or as offered through our church. But, be warned. And if you think that this is all you have to do, then take notice: you are being misled. Jesus said none of this. What He did say to His disciples – including you – is:

1. Repent of that thinking – for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.
2. Follow me and I will make you fishers of people.
3. Go and make disciples, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to do all that I have commanded you.
4. Be ready and stay reading for His return, doing all He has commanded you, or you will be left behind.
5. As you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with leprosy, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give. Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts, or a bag for your journey, or even two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is deserving of his support. ¹¹ And whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it, and stay at his house until you leave that city. As you enter the house, give it your greeting. If the house is worthy, see that your blessing of peace comes upon it. But if it is not worthy, take back your blessing of And whoever does not receive you nor listen to your words, as you leave that house or city, shake the dust off your feet. Truly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment, than for that city.
6. “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the rest of My Father”.

Let’s pray for one another that we will be found faithful.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

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