THE SEVENTY WEEKS OF DANIEL

TEXT: DANIEL 9:24-27

The prophecy of the seventy weeks is one of the most important prophecies
of the Old Testament. It spans the future history of the Jews from the time
of Daniel until the end of the age. It therefore warrants a careful study. It is
a key to understanding several other prophecies in Scripture.

A. Background (Daniel 9:1-23)

It is important to understand the background to this prophecy. Israel had
been in captivity in Babylon1 and Daniel came across the prophecy of
Jeremiah that the captivity would last 70 years (Jer. 25:11; 29:10)2. Realizing
that the time was fast approaching, Daniel decided to seek Gods face. He
perhaps thought that at the end of the captivity, God will fulfill all His
promises to Israel and usher in the millennial age. The angel comes along to
tell him about the time span of the remainder of Gods dealings with Israel
as a nation.

B. Meaning of Seventy Weeks

- Seventy weeks literally means seventy sevens
- Seventy weeks in this passage means 70 x 7 years = 490 years
- Obviously the events that are prophesied in this passage could not
possibly be fulfilled in seventy weeks of days that is, 490 days or

1
To avoid historical confusion, one must note that there were three deportations of the southern kingdom of
Judah to Babylon:
a) The 1st in 605 BC under King Jehoiakim (also called Eliakim, 2 Kings 23:34; 2 Chron. 36:4).
During this deportation, Daniel and the 3 Hebrew boys as well as many others were taken to
Babylon. The vessels of the temple were also taken (2 Kings 24:1; 2 Chron. 36:5-8; Dan.1:1-3);
b) The 2nd in 597 BC under King Jehoiachin (also called Coniah in Jer. 22:24, 28; 37:1 and Jeconiah
in 1Chron. 3:16; Jer. 24:1; Matt. 1:12). At this time, the prophet Ezekiel and Jehoiachin the king
were numbered among the captives (Ezek. 1:1-2; 2 Kings 24:10-16; 2 Chron. 36:9-10). Also
among the captives in this 2nd deportation were Mordecai and Esther (or preferably their ancestor
Kish) (Esther 2:5-6);
c) The 3rd and final one in 586 BC under king Zedekiah (also called Mattaniah in 2 Kings 24:17). At
this time, Jerusalem was completely devastated and the temple built by Solomon was burnt down
(2 Kings 25:1-17; 2 Chron. 36:11-21).
2
There are generally two possibilities presented for the beginning and end of the Seventy Year Exile: either
from the first deportation of exiles in 605 BC to the return under Zerubbabel in 536 BC, or from the
destruction of the temple in 586 BC to its rebuilding in 516 BC. The time is accounted for in either case.
Not only was the seventy years a measure of Gods judgment on Israel, it was also the basis for the seventy
weeks prophecy of Daniel considered here.

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 about 16 months. That the seventy sevens refers to years is
suggested by the fact that Daniel was already thinking in terms of
years (Dan. 9:1,2).

C. Why 490 years?

- Violation of Israels sabbatical years
Lev. 25:2-6; Lev. 26:33-35, 43; 2 Chron. 36:17-21.

D. Whom do the seventy weeks concern?

The whole 490 years are determined or marked off for thy people
(Daniels people, the Jews) and for thy holy city (Daniels native city,
Jerusalem). They have no reference to the church. In fact, the church
was not formed until after the 69th week and will be raptured before
the 70th week begins.

E. Division of the 70 Weeks

1. 1st division 7 sevens or 49 years for the rebuilding of Jerusalem

(v. 25)
2. 2nd division 62 sevens or 434 years, from the rebuilding of
Jerusalem to the time of the Messiah (v. 25-26).

3
Culled from Lahaye and Ice (eds.), The End Times Controversy: The Second Coming Under Attack
(Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 2003), p.321

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 3. 3rd division 1 seven or 7 years, the last 7 years of this age ending
with the 2nd coming of Christ.

F. Six purpose clauses of the 70 weeks (v. 24)

1. To finish the transgression (Rom. 11:25-29)

2. To make an end of sins (Zech. 12:10-13:1; Ezek. 36:24-30)
3. To make reconciliation (atonement) for iniquity (Zech. 12:10-13:1;
Rom. 11:25-27).
4. To bring in everlasting righteousness (Dan. 2:44-45; 7:13-14)
5. To seal up the vision and prophecy (Isa. 11:9; Jer. 31:31-40)

6. To anoint the most holy, i.e. the holy of holies in the temple to be
built again in Israel4.

G. When do the Seventy Weeks Begin?

- With the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem (v. 25)

There were 4 such decrees or commandments:

1. The decree of Cyrus the Great (559 530 B.C) in 538 B.C (2
Chron. 36:22-23; Ezra 1:1-4; 5:13; 6:3-5). It only related to the
rebuilding of the temple.
2. The decree of Darius I (522 486 B.C) in the year 520 B.C (Ezra
6:1, 6-12). This decree merely affirmed the earlier decree of Cyrus.
4
It is clear from Scripture that the Jewish temple will be rebuilt before the Second Coming of Christ. The
temple is instrumental to the fulfilment of several prophecies. See the references to the temple in Daniel
9:27; Matt. 24:15; 2 Thes. 2:4 and Rev. 11:1-2. This Tribulation temple will be the third temple in Jewish
history.
- The first was Solomons temple which was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC.
- The second temple was built under the leadership of Zerubbabel in 516 BC (Ezra 6:14-15) after the return
from Exile but was later expanded by Herod. This is why it is sometimes called Herods temple. This was
the temple in existence in the time of Christ, the destruction of which He prophesied in Matthew 24:2. See
also Daniel 9:26. This temple was destroyed by the Roman army in 70 AD under the leadership of General
Titus.
- The fourth and last temple will be the Millennial temple given detailed description in Ezek. 40:5 43:27.
In the eternal state in the New Jerusalem, there will be no temple, for Revelation 21:22 reads: And I saw no
temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple thereof. By virtue of the fact that
the entire Trinity will dwell with man, there will no longer be a need for any kind of Temple.

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 3. The 1st decree of Artaxerxes Longimanus (464 - 424 B.C) in 457
B.C (Ezra 7:11-26). It only related to the establishment and
practice of the proper services at the temple.

4. The 2nd decree of Artaxerxes Longimanus in 444 B.C (Neh. 2:1-8,

17, 18)

The 4th decree is the starting point of the prophecy for the following
reasons
a) Direct references to restoration of the city (2:3,5)
b) City gates and walls (2:3,8)
c) It was in times of distress (Neh. & Ezra 4:7-23, Daniel 9:25)
d) There were no later decrees by Persian kings regarding
rebuilding Jerusalem.

H. Unto the Messiah the Prince

The 69 weeks came to an end when Jesus rode into Jerusalem at the
triumphal entry and was rejected by the Jewish leaders. "And when
He approached, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, If you had
known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But
now they have been hidden from your eyes. . . . because you did not
recognize the time of your visitation" (Luke 19:41-42, 44). How was
Israel to have known the time of their visitation? From a literal
understanding of Daniels prophecy. In fact, this prophecy, along with
Christs fulfillment of every other first-coming Messianic prophecy
proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus was Israels Messiah. It
should be borne in mind that in calculating the time a biblical
(prophetic) year consists of 360 days based on the lunar cycle and not
our modern 365.25 days based on the solar cycle. This can easily be
confirmed from the following passages: Gen. 7:11, 24 and 8:3-4;
Esther 1:4; Dan. 7:25, 12:7; Rev. 11:2-3, 12:6, 14, 13:5.

I. Crucifixion of the Messiah

This was to take place after the 62 weeks. It took place in 33 AD.

J. The People of the prince that shall come

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 This is a reference to the Romans who under General Titus, destroyed
Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

K. The Prince that shall come

This is a reference to the Antichrist who will come from the Roman
Empire territory. He will be the ruler of the 10 future kingdoms yet to
be formed inside the Old Roman Empire (Daniel 7:23-25).

L. The Great Parenthesis

The church age is parenthetical between the 69th and 70th week. The
clock of Gods dealings with Israel stopped ticking after the 69 th week
due to their rejection of the Messiah. From that time, God began
building a new body comprising both Jews and Gentiles called the
church. (Eph. 2:11-19). Once the church is removed from the earth at
the Rapture, Gods clock of judgment will tick off to complete the
remaining 7 years or 1 week.

M. The 7 year covenant of the Antichrist with Israel (v. 27)

The terms of this covenant are not listed but it is likely to be a non-
aggression pact involving the protection of Israel.

N. The Middle of the week

- The covenant broken
- Jewish sacrifices done away with
- Abomination of desolation set up in the rebuilt Jewish temple (2
Thes. 2:3-4; Matt. 24:15-22; Dan. 9:27; 11:45; Rev. 13:1-18).

O. End of 70th week (Rev. 19:11-21)

- Second coming of Christ
- Antichrist defeated at the battle of Armageddon
- Millennium begins.

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The decree
to restore The coming Messiah
Prince returns
Church Age

+ Messiah cut off

week week

444BC 33AD
Jerusalem
(Neh. 2:1-8) Triumphal destroyed
Entry 70 AD
Luke 19:28-40