According to modern theology, The Bible prophesy of Daniel's 70 weeks of is either a Messianic prophecy that foretells the baptism of Jesus Christ and the year of His crucifixion, or it is a prophecy that tells of the coming of antichrist and a seven year tribulation period. These two things are so diametric, that one cannot even begin to be a type and shadow. If Christ, the Messiah, was the fulfillment of Daniel's 70 weeks, then a future AntiChrist is completely ruled out of an interpretation of this chapter, and quite frankly, one of the major under pinning of modern pretribulation/ premillenial 7 yr Rapture theology ceases to exist. 70 weeks cut off In Daniel 9:20-27 we find an angel explaining the 70 week time prophecy to Daniel. The fulfilled interpretation is that no gap is to be placed between the 69th week and the 70th-that the 70th week followed the 69th in logical sequence.
Why is this important? Because depending on how you read Daniel chapter 9 depends on how you view yourself in God's kingdom, how you see the Body of Christ either advancing triumphantly, or an an ultimately losing battle until the Second Coming of Christ.
here we go. To start off, let's remember that our main man Daniel is in Babylon, in captivity. He might be enjoying a bit of success with the various rulers of Babylon but his heart is for his people, knowing it was their sin and apostasy that led to their being taken away captive. He wants to know, what can we do, Lord, how can we end this and go back home? Daniel's prophecy is the first year of Darius, which means that it occurred in the year 539 B. C. E., about 66 or 67 years after the Jews initially went into exile to Babylonia.
Daniel
9 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the lineage of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans— 2 in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the Lord through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
3 Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. 4 And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said, “O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, 5 we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments. 6 Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our princes, to our fathers and all the people of the land. 7 O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face, as it is this day—to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those near and those far off in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of the unfaithfulness which they have committed against You.
8 “O Lord, to us belongs shame of face, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. 9 To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him. 10 We have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets. 11 Yes, all Israel has transgressed Your law, and has departed so as not to obey Your voice; therefore the curse and the oath written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against Him. 12 And He has confirmed His words, which He spoke against us and against our judges who judged us, by bringing upon us a great disaster; for under the whole heaven such has never been done as what has been done to Jerusalem.
13 “As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us; yet we have not made our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities and understand Your truth. 14 Therefore the Lord has kept the disaster in mind, and brought it upon us; for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works which He does, though we have not obeyed His voice. 15 And now, O Lord our God, who brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and made Yourself a name, as it is this day—we have sinned, we have done wickedly!
16 “O Lord, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people are a reproach to all those around us. 17 Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and for the Lord’s sake cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary, which is desolate. 18 O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies. 19 O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.”
The Seventy-Weeks Prophecy
20 Now while I was speaking, 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 yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, reached me about the time of the evening offering. 22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand. 23 At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved; therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision:
24 “Seventy weeks are determined
For your people and for your holy city,
To finish the transgression,
To make an end of sins,
To make reconciliation for iniquity,
To bring in everlasting righteousness,
To seal up vision and prophecy,
And to anoint the Most Holy.
For your people and for your holy city,
To finish the transgression,
To make an end of sins,
To make reconciliation for iniquity,
To bring in everlasting righteousness,
To seal up vision and prophecy,
And to anoint the Most Holy.
25 “Know therefore and understand,
That from the going forth of the command
To restore and build Jerusalem
Until Messiah the Prince,
There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks;
The street shall be built again, and the wall,
Even in troublesome times.
That from the going forth of the command
To restore and build Jerusalem
Until Messiah the Prince,
There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks;
The street shall be built again, and the wall,
Even in troublesome times.
26 “And after the sixty-two weeks
Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself;
And the people of the prince who is to come
Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary.
The end of it shall be with a flood,
And till the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;
But in the middle of the week
He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate,
Even until the consummation, which is determined,
Is poured out on the desolate.”
Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself;
And the people of the prince who is to come
Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary.
The end of it shall be with a flood,
And till the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;
But in the middle of the week
He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate,
Even until the consummation, which is determined,
Is poured out on the desolate.”
God is a covenant-keeping God (Dan 9:4). And he faithfully keeps covenant even when Israel violates his covenantal statutes (9:5) to the point of repudiating the prophetic covenant-lawyers (9:6, 10) and enduring covenantal curse (9:11-15). Significantly, we must note that Daniel 9 is the only chapter in all of Daniel to use God’s special covenant name Jehovah (yahweh, “LORD,” vv. 2, 4, 10, 13, 14, 20; cf. Exo. 6:2-4). This prayer about covenant loyalty (9:4) receives an answer structured by the covenantal sabbath pattern of seventy weeks (9:24-27), which results in the confirmation of the covenant (9:27).
The clear covenantal structure of this prophecy virtually demands a focus on Christ’s fulfillment of redemption during His ministry.
The number seven is familiar to students of Old Testament sabbatic law. The prophecy of the seventy weeks follows sabbatic chronology (cf. Lev. 25): The Hebrew word shabuim, which is translated “week” (Dan. 9:24), literally means “sevened.” Daniel receives this prophecy in the first year of Babylon’s fall to Persia (Dan. 9:1), while he contemplates the approaching conclusion of the seventy years’ captivity (9:2). Israel’s failure to observe levitical sabbath-rests for the land (Lev. 26:43; 2 Chron. 36:21) originally causes the Babylonian Captivity.
https://postmillennialworldview.com/2013/11/11/structure-and-chronology-of-daniels-70-weeks/#more-1098
If we want to understand the significance of the 70th week, we need to understand the significance of what 7*7 = 490 years
“[Moses,] Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a sabbath to the Lord. For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops. But in the seventh year the land is to have a sabbath of rest, a sabbath to the Lord. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards. Do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the grapes of your untended vines. The land is to have a year of rest. Whatever the land yields during the sabbath year will be food for you — for yourself, your manservant and maidservant, and the hired worker and temporary resident who live among you, as well as for your livestock and the wild animals in your land. Whatever the land produces may be eaten.” (Leviticus 25:2-7)
God’s method of reckoning time is often called the Jubilee Calendar because of the 50th year of celebration or the year of Jubilee. In fact, the 70 weeks in Daniel 9 and other prophetic time-periods in Daniel and Revelation are based on God’s weekly calendar.
‘Count off seven sabbaths of years — even times seven years — so that the seven sabbaths of years amount to a period of forty-nine years. Then have the trumpet sounded everywhere on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement sound the trumpet throughout your land. Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each one of you is to return to his family property and each to his own clan.” (Leviticus 25:8)
Ken Gentry gives an wonderful accounting... “seventy sevens” is also covenantal: seventy covers ten of these seven week periods, thereby standing for a ten-fold Jubilee. The number ten symbolizes completion, in that it represents the full number of digits on a man’s hands. Thus, the seventy sevens (weeks) would appear to point to a complete redemptive Jubilee. This must point to Christ, who brings in the ultimate Jubilee of full and complete redemption (cf. Luke 4:17-21; Isa. 61:1-3; Matt. 24:31) and who is the leading point of Daniel’s prophecy (Dan. 9:25, 26, 27). Consequently, the seventy weeks demarcates the period in which “the Messianic redemption was to be accomplished.”
LUke 16So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:
18“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
20Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” 22So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?”
23He said to them, “You will surely say this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in Your country.’ ” 24Then He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country. 25But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; 26but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”
28So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, 29and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. 30Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.
(president for weeks/days/years In Genesis 29:27-28 Jacob labors a “week” for Rachel: “‘Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which you shall serve with me for another seven years.’ Numbers 14:34 the forty years of wandering result from the forty days of spying the land: “According to the number of days which you spied out the land, forty days, for every day you shall bear your guilt a year, even forty years, and you shall know My opposition.” Ezekiel 4:6 employs the same standard of prophetic measure as Daniel: “I have laid on you a day for each year.
So, When Do Daniel's Weeks Start?
9:25: “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem
At first we might suspect Cyrus’s decree in 538 B.C., which is mentioned in 2 Chronicles 36:22-23 and in Ezra 1:1-4; 5:13, 17, 6:3. Certainly Cyrus gives a command to rebuild the city (Isa. 44:28): yet the bulk of the references to his decree deal with the Temple’s rebuilding. Daniel, however, specifically speaks of the command to “restore and build Jerusalem, though the Jews make half-hearted efforts to rebuild Jerusalem after Cyrus’s decree, the city long remains little more than a sparsely populated, unwalled village.
Yet Daniel speaks of the command to “restore” (root: shub, “return”) Jerusalem (Dan. 9:25). This requires a return to its original integrity and grandeur as per Jeremiah’s prophecy: “I will cause the captives of Judah and the captives of Israel to return, and will rebuild those places as at the first” (Jer. 33:7). This must involve the restoring of the city complete with its streets and protective wall: “the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times” (Dan. 9:25)
However, the Jews did not seriously undertake this until the middle of the fifth century B.C. Hengstenberg points to the decree of Artaxerxes I in Nehemiah 2:1 (cf. v. 18) as the beginning point, which he argues is in 455 B.C. J. Barton Payne and C. Boutflower direct our attention to the spiritually charged endeavor under Ezra in Ezra 7:11-26 as the starting point. This date would be in 458 or 457 B.C.
The Wise Men
Here is an interesting point that confirms the truthfulness of what you have just read. Each time the story is told of the birth of Jesus, the wise men are mentioned. Many people do not know that the wise men are considered to have been serious students of prophecy.
They were Spirit-led Gentiles that lived in the East (area around Babylon) where they had found and studied Daniel’s writings. By studying Daniel 9 and considering that a priest in Israel had to be 30 years of age before beginning his ministry, they had calculated an approximate time for the appearing of Messiah.
It can be assumed that they counted 483 years from the decree of Artaxerxes in 457 B.C. and then subtracted 30 years from their conclusion to determine the approximate year of Jesus’ birth.
When we consider that their round-trip journey to see baby Jesus, could have taken up to two years, traveling at night, we detect the intensity of their desire to see the Messiah. Wise men do not go to such extremes for foolish reasons. Like the prophets Simeon and Anna, they too, longed to personally behold the Savior of the world.
The fact that the wise men were there at the birth of Jesus is a solid confirmation that the decree of Artaxerxes in 457 B.C. was understood to be the correct decree for starting the countdown. The presence of the wise men in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus’ birth is a undeniable statement about Daniel 9, for there is no other prophecy in the Bible pinpointing the time of Messiah’s appearing other than Daniel 9.
What is so ironic is that these “Gentiles” were watching and waiting for the sign of Messiah while the Jewish leaders were in total ignorance. Perhaps some of the Jewish elders had experienced false Messianic excitement before. So, what does their attitude about the birth of Christ actually say about their understanding of Daniel 9?
Julius Africanus, Vitringa, Ideler, and most dispensationalists compute the years by Jewish 360-day years. Adopting any of these closely related scenarios, we discover a possible reason the Jews expect the Messiah in the first century (Matt. 11:3; Mark 15:43; Luke 1:76-79; 2:25, 26, 38; 3:15). And he does appear at that time.
In the final analysis, the decree of Ezra in 457 B.C. during the seventh year of Artaxerxes I (454-424 B.C.), seems the best possibility. Ezra certainly understands this as permitting the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls. This would carry the first sixty nine years up to A.D. 26 (omitting a year in the calculation, because no year 0 exists between 1 B.C. and A.D. 1), which is the year Christ’s ministry opens. The Romans then crucify him three and one-half years later in A.D. 30 — a date accepted by most evangelicals scholars.
References decades after Cyrus’s decree, make abundantly clear that little was done toward rebuilding Jerusalem. Nehemiah laments that Jerusalem’s walls are “broken down” (Neh. 1:3; 2:3-5, 17; 7:4). Zechariah speaks of Jerusalem as “destroyed” in his day (Zech. 14:11), even mentioning its soon-coming rebuilding (Zech. 1:16; cp. Zech. 1:12; 2:1; 7:7; 8:5-6). The enemies of the Jews warn Artaxerxes that the Jews will become a problem if they rebuild the city (Ezra 4:12-23). This explains why Ezra mentions Jerusalem’s utter affliction “even to this day” (Ezra 9:7-9, 15).
The process of diligent rebuilding climaxes in Jerusalem’s restoration. This process probably begins either in seed during the spiritual revival under Ezra (Ezra 7) or in actuality under the administration of Nehemiah (Neh. 2:1, 17-18; 6:15-16; 12:43). Several political commands prepare for the restoring of Jerusalem, as well as one divine command: “So the elders of the Jews built, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they built and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the command of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia” (Ezra 6:14).
The first period of seven weeks must mark off some event, in that Daniel distinguishes it from the two other periods. If it were not significant, he would speak of “sixty-nine weeks,” rather than “seven weeks and sixty-two weeks” (Dan. 9:25). Although we cannot be certain, this seven weeks (or forty-nine years) apparently covers the period of Jerusalem’s actual rebuilding. The Jews rebuild the city during this era, despite the opposition in “troublesome times” that God ordains (cp. Neh. 4:18; Dan. 9:25). the second period of sixty-two weeks extends from the conclusion of Jerusalem’s rebuilding to Messiah’s formal introduction to Israel at his baptism (Dan. 9:25). This is sometime around A.D. 26. Conservative scholars widely agree on such an interpretation, which is virtually universal among Christian exegetes — excluding dispensationalists.
Dispensationalists say that there is a gap between the 69 and 70th week when “God will once again turn His attention in a special way to His people the Jews and to His holy city Jerusalem, as outlined in Daniel 9:24.” Clearly then, the dispensationalist adopts a decidedly futurist approach to the prophecy — when he gets past the first sixty-nine weeks.
When was Jesus born? From Theology Today. I lean more to 2-3 BC but this is an excellent outline! https://reasonabletheology.org/year-jesus-actually-born/
When was Jesus born? From Theology Today. I lean more to 2-3 BC but this is an excellent outline! https://reasonabletheology.org/year-jesus-actually-born/
“What year was Jesus born? What kind of question is that!?”
If our calendar is broken up into B.C. (Before Christ) and A.D. (anno Domini, the year of our Lord) doesn’t that mean Jesus was born in year one (since we don’t count year zero)?
Actually, the issue is a bit more complex than that.
Starting the calendar with the birth of Christ didn’t come about until the 6th Century, when a monk named Dionysius did his best to calculate when Christ was born.
He used Scripture and the historical information available to him and calculated that Jesus was born in the 753rd year of the Roman Empire. So that year was redubbed “A.D. 1” and we kept adding on from there.
However, information would eventually come to light which showed that the well-intentioned monk made some errors. By analyzing new information related to the chronological markers provided in Scripture, scholars were able to see that Jesus was born a few years later than initially thought.
What year was Jesus born? Here’s why many scholars say Jesus was born between 5 and 6 B.C.
Although the Gospel writers did not focus primarily on preserving a precise chronological history of Jesus’ life and ministry, we can still approximate some key dates by comparing historical markers with passages of Scripture.
Calculating the Year Jesus Was Born
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
This familiar passage from the Gospel of Luke states that these events took place when Quirinius was governor of Syria. While there is some scholarly debate on the matter, many date Quirinius’ declaration of the census in 8 B.C. and believe that it would have taken a couple of years for the decree to be executed.
Additionally, we know from Matthew 2:1-23 that Herod sought to have the child spoken of by the Magi killed. Jesus’ family fled to Egypt and lived there until Herod died. So we know that Jesus had to be born before the death of Herod, and historical evidence suggests that he died in 4 B.C.
This means that Jesus would have been born after 8 B.C. and before 4 B.C. Therefore, a birth date of 5 or 6 B.C. can be determined.[1]
Checking the Math
Clearly, Jesus being born in any year Before Christ (B.C.) is earlier than what we would expect. Can this be right? Is there some way to double check the math?
Thankfully, there is. We can see how this date for Jesus’ birth fits with other chronological markers in Scripture. For example, does this number work out when taking into consideration Jesus’ ministry and crucifixion?
John the Baptist Begins His Ministry
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.
Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus
This passage speaks about when John the Baptist began his ministry as “the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord.'”As underlined above, it references the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius, which began when he became co-emperor with Augustus in A.D. 11.[2]
That would place the 15th year of his reign at A.D. 26, which helps us understand when John began his ministry. From here, we can look to Scripture for an indication of how long Jesus’ earthly ministry lasted before His crucifixion.
Jesus’ Earthly Ministry & Death
Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age…
The Gospel of Luke tells us that Jesus was roughly 30 when He began His ministry. John’s Gospel mentions at least three Passovers during the ministry of Christ (John 2:23; 6:4; 12:1). This indicates that His earthly ministry lasted at least two years. It very likely lasted almost three full years.[3]
So if Jesus’ ministry began when He was baptized by John around A.D. 26 and lasted for roughly three years before He was crucified under Pontius Pilate, we can estimate that Jesus’ death and resurrection occurred around A.D 29-30.
Taking Luke 3:23 into account, Jesus would have been between 34 and 36 when he died.
If Jesus was 34-36 at his death in A.D. 29-30, this would put his birth at around between 5 and 6 B.C.
Whoah, Woah, Woah. Wasn’t Jesus 33 when He died?
Many, if not most of us, have heard sermons which state that Jesus was 33 when He died. The problem is that Scripture does not tell us that explicitly. It is a conclusion reached primarily by the estimate that Jesus’ ministry lasted about three years and that Jesus was about 30 years old when he began His ministry (Luke 3:23).
Keep in mind two things: First, estimates by scholars are fallible and Scripture is not. The above logic could be off or adjusted if archeological findings provided new information. Second, it would not be inaccurate for Luke to say that Jesus was “about 30 years old” if He was really 31 or even 33. We use such language all the time, and the fact that Scripture uses “about” in this instance allows for a few years in either direction.
Does anyone else agree with these dates?
The above information comes largely from Thomas D. Lea and David Alan Black’s book The New Testament: Its Background and Message and their conclusions seem sound.
Other scholars have reached the similar conclusions. Dr. Harold Hoerner of Dallas Theological Seminary argues in Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ that Jesus was born around 4 or 5 B.C. and was 37-38 years old at His death (here’s a short summary).
Andreas Köstenberger and Justin Taylor suggest in The Final Days of Jesus: The Most Important Week of the Most Important Person Who Ever Lived that Jesus was between 33 and 35 when He began His ministry and 36-38 when He was crucified.
Conclusion
So there you have it. While there is not perfect agreement among Biblical scholars on this issue, many are confident that we can date the birth of Jesus Christ between the year 4 and 6 A.D. Other information from Scripture and history fits this time frame.
Although faith is certainly the “evidence of things unseen” (Heb. 11:1) there is great value in seeing that we can trust the historicity of the Christian Gospel and the life of Christ through various sources outside of Scripture. Properly understanding the historical background of early Christianity allows us to gain a better understanding of the New Testament writings and provides a basis for truth for presenting Christ to an increasingly skeptical generation.
For example, corroboration for information recorded in the New Testament can be found in the writings of ancient historians such as Josephus, Tacitus, and Pliny the Younger’s letter to Emperor Trajan. These three sources corroborate information regarding Christ’s crucifixion, the spread of Christianity, and the practice of singing hymns worshipping Jesus.
In the end, our understanding of certain aspects of Biblical events and people can be informed by examining extra-Biblical information. In doing so, we always want to adjust our assumptions and conclusions according to the truth of Scripture and not the other way around.
6 fold purpose of Daniel 9:24
1. Israel completing her transgression against God. Let us notice, first, that the seventy weeks will result in the finishing of the transgression. Remember that Daniel’s prayer of confession regards Israel’s sins (Dan. 9:4ff) and the prophecy’s focus is on Israel (Dan. 9:24a). Consequently, this finishing (kala) the transgression refers to Israel’s completing her transgression against God. This occurs when Israel culminates her resistance to God by rejecting his Son and having Him crucified, as Christ Himself prophesies in parabolic form: “Last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance’” (Matt. 21:37-38).
2. Upon finishing the transgression against God by rejecting the Messiah, Israel’s sins are sealed up (NASB and ASV marg.; chatham). As Payne observes, the idea here is to seal or to “reserve sins for punishment.” Because of Israel’s rejecting her Messiah, God reserves punishment for her. God will execute her punishment by finally and conclusively destroying her Temple. But God reserves this punishment from the time of Jesus’s crucifixion in A.D. 30 until A.D. 70 (Matt. 24:2, 34). his is a major point in the Lord’s Olivet Discourse: though just before his crucifixion Christ says, “Your house is left to you desolate” (Matt. 23:3), He then reserves his judgment for one generation (Matt. 24:2, 34).
3. The third result (beginning the second couplet) provides “reconciliation for iniquity.” The Hebrew word for “reconciliation” is kaphar, which we may also translate “atonement.” It clearly speaks of Christ’s atoning death, which is the ultimate atonement to which all Temple rituals point (Heb. 9:26). This also occurs during his earthly ministry — at his death.
The dispensationalist, however, prefers to interpret this result as application rather than effecting, as subjective appropriation instead of objective accomplishment. Walvoord admits that this result “seems to be a rather clear picture of the cross of Christ,” but then he asserts that “the actual application of it is again associated with the second advent as far as Israel is concerned.” On the basis of the Hebrew verb, however, the passage surely speaks of actually making reconciliation (or atonement).
4. The result? Ever lasting righteousness, no more sacrfices, Christ lays his life down ONCE AND FOR ALL for the atonement of sin. "But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God even the righteousness of God which is through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth to be a propitiation by his blood, through faith, to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed” (Rom. 3:21-25). What is everlasting righteousness? It's what you and I receive when we make Jesus Lord and Savior. He forever makes us righteous in his sight.
5. The completion.. the “sealing of prophecy” is limited by the express statement of purpose in Daniel 9 the full accomplishing of redemption from sin through blood atonement. And Christ does effect this: “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished” (Luke 18:31; cp. Luke 24:44; Acts 3:18)
6. Anoint the Most Holy. I've always read this as Jesus and had no idea what the End Timers were preaching.. to anoint the Most Holy.” This anointing (mashach) speaks of the formal introduction of Christ by means of his baptism, rather than the anointing of the Temple. This seems clear from the following:
- The overriding concern of Daniel 9:24-27 is Messianic. The Temple built after the Babylonian Captivity will be destroyed after the seventy weeks (v. 27). Daniel makes no further mention of it; nor does his prophecy allow for its re-building for the millennium.
- In the verses following the anointing, Daniel mentions the Messiah (mashiyach, “anointed one”) twice (vv. 25, 26).
- Contrary to the interpretation of some dispensationalists, no Temple is anointed in Scripture — whether Solomon’s original Temple, Zerubbabel’s rebuilt Temple, Ezekiel’s visionary Temple, or Herod’s expanded Temple. Thus, even some dispensationalists (such as J. Dwight Pentecost) will allow that Christ Himself is in view.
Luke 418“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
20Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” 22So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?”
1“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
Because the Lord has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
2To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
3To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”
4And they shall rebuild the old ruins,
They shall raise up the former desolations,
And they shall repair the ruined cities,
The desolations of many generations.
5Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks,
And the sons of the foreigner
Shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.
6But you shall be named the priests of the Lord,
They shall call you the servants of our God.
You shall eat the riches of the Gentiles,
And in their glory you shall boast.
7Instead of your shame you shall have double honor,
And instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion.
Therefore in their land they shall possess double;
Everlasting joy shall be theirs.
8“For I, the Lord, love justice;
I hate robbery for burnt offering;
I will direct their work in truth,
And will make with them an everlasting covenant.
9Their descendants shall be known among the Gentiles,
And their offspring among the people.
All who see them shall acknowledge them,
That they are the posterity whom the Lord has blessed.”
10I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
My soul shall be joyful in my God;
For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
11For as the earth brings forth its bud,
As the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth,
So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.
At his baptismal anointing the Spirit comes upon Him (Mark 1:9-11) to prepare Him for his ministry, of which we read three verses later: “Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled [the sixty-ninth week?], and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel’” (Mark 1:14-15). Christ is preeminently the Anointed One (Psa. 2:2; 132:10; Isa. 11:2; 42:1; Hab. 3:13; Acts 4:27; 10:38; Heb. 1:9).
Mark 1: 14Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
The 70th Week
At that time “Messiah shall be cut off.” The English rendering “cut off” translates the Hebrew karath which “is used of the death penalty, Lev. 7:20; and refers to a violent death.” 1 Thus, it refers to the death of Christ on the cross.
Given the Hebraic pattern of repetition, we may easily discern a parallel between verses 26 and 27: verse 27 expands on verse 26. Negatively, Messiah’s cutting off in verse 26 results from Israel’s completing her transgression culminating (v. 24) in her crucifying the Messiah.2 Verse 27 states: “He shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.” Positively, then, confirming the covenant with “many” effects reconciliation and brings in everlasting righteousness (v. 24). Thus, these parallels refer to the same event when viewed from the two angles of blessing and curse (cp. Deut. 11:26; 30:1). Both occur within the seventy weeks.
What are we to make of the “confirming of the covenant” in verse 27? This surely refers to the prophesied covenantal actions of verse 24. These actions result from the perfect covenantal Jubilee (seventy weeks) and are a result of Daniel’s covenantal prayer (cf. v. 4). This covenant must be the divine covenant of God’s redemptive grace.[3] Messiah comes to confirm the covenantal promises: “to perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant” (Luke 1:72).[4] He confirms the covenant by his death on the cross: “by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant” (Heb. 7:22b).[5]
Furthermore, the word translated “confirm” (Heb., higbir) is related to the name of the angel Gabriel who brings Daniel the revelation of the seventy weeks (he also later brings the revelation of Christ’s birth [Luke 1:19, 26]). “Gabriel” (Heb., gabriel) is based on the Hebrew gibbor, “strong one,” a concept frequently associated with the covenant God.[6] The related word found in Daniel 9:27 means to “make strong, confirm.” [7] This certainly is a “firm covenant” for it brings about “everlasting righteousness” (Dan. 9:24).
Daniel’s prayer is particularly for Israel (Dan. 9:3ff) and it recognizes that God promises mercy to those who love Him (v. 4). Therefore, the prophecy holds that the covenant will be confirmed with many for one week. The reference to the “many” speaks of the faithful in Israel. “Thus a contrast is introduced between He and the Many, a contrast which appears to reflect upon the great Messianic passage, Isa. 52:13-53:12 and particularly 53:11. Although the entire nation will not receive salvation, the many will receive.” [8]
This confirming of God’s covenant with the “many” of Israel will occur in the middle of the seventieth week (v. 27). This timing parallels “after the sixty-two [and seven] weeks” (v. 26), while providing more detail. We know Christ’s three and one-half year ministry in the first half of the seventieth week decidedly focuses on the Jews, for he commands his disciples: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans” (Matt. 10:5b; cp. Matt. 15:24). Then for three and one-half years after the crucifixion, the apostles focus almost exclusively on the Jews.[9] They begin first “in Judea” (Acts 1:8; Acts 2:14) because “the gospel of Christ” is “for the Jew first” (Rom. 1:16; cf. 2:10; John 4:22).
Although Daniel clearly specifies the event that serves as the terminus of the sixty-ninth week, he does not specify the terminus of the seventieth week. Apparently, an exact event ending the seventieth is not as significant to know. Interestingly though, at the stoning of Stephen, the first recorded martyr of Christianity, the covenantal proclamation begins turning to the Gentiles. The apostle to the Gentiles appears on the scene at Stephen’s death as the Jewish persecution against Christianity breaks out: “Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church that was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles” (Acts 8:1). Acts informs us that Paul’s mission is to take the growing faith beyond a narrow Jewish focus: “he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15). Paul’s conversion shortly after Stephen’s stoning occurs in about A.D. 34 or 35. [10]
his confirming of the covenant occurs “in the middle of the week” (v. 27). I show above that the seventieth week begins with the baptismal anointing of Christ. Then after three and one-half years of ministry — the middle of the seventieth week — Christ is crucified.[11] The prophecy states that by his conclusive confirming of the covenant, Messiah will “bring an end to sacrifice and offering” (v. 27). He does this by offering up Himself as a sacrifice for sin: “Now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Heb. 9:25-26; cp. Heb. 7:11-12, 18-22). Consequently, at his death the Temple veil rips from top to bottom (Matt. 27:51). This is miraculous evidence God is legally disestablishing the sacrificial system (cf. Matt. 23:38). Christ is the Lamb of God (John 1:29; 1 Pet. 1:19) who opens the Holy of holies to his people (Heb. 4:14; 9:12, 24-26; 10:19-22).
The Destruction of Jerusalem
But how are we to understand the latter portions of verses 26 and 27? What are we to make of the destruction of “the city and sanctuary” (v. 26)? What does Daniel mean by “the abomination that causes desolation” (v. 27)? Do not most evangelical commentators agree that this speaks of A.D. 70, which occurs forty years after the crucifixion? And in this, do they not follow Josephus? Josephus applies Daniel 9:27 to the A.D.70 events: “In the very same manner Daniel also wrote concerning the Roman government, and that our country should be made desolate by them” (Ant. 10:11:7).
In verse 26 we learn there are two events to occur after the sixty-ninth week: (1) Messiah is to be “cut off” and (2) the city and sanctuary are to be destroyed. Verse 27a informs us that Messiah’s cutting off (v. 26a) confirms the covenant and occurs at the half-way point of the seventieth week. So Messiah’s death is clearly within the time-frame of the seventy weeks (as we expect, since he is the major figure of the prophecy).
The events involving the destruction of the city and the sanctuary with war and desolation (vv. 26b, 27b) are the consequences of the cutting off of the Messiah. They do not necessarily occur in the seventy weeks time-frame — they are an addendum to the point of the prophecy stated in verse 24.
This prophecy anticipates, however, the destructive acts occurring in A.D. 70: in the divine act of sealing up (or reserving) Israel’s sin for punishment. Israel’s climactic sin is completing her transgression (v. 24) in “cutting off” Messiah (v. 26a). In response to this, God reserves her judgment for later. God will judge Israel’s sin — after the seventy weeks expire. He will neither forget her sin nor delay her punishment forever. This explains the “very indefinite” phrase “till the end of the war”: the “end” will not occur in the seventy weeks. We today know the end occurs in A.D. 70, as Christ makes abundantly clear in Matthew 24:15.
Ken Gentry https://www.facebook.com/1524952727744990/posts/postmillennialism-and-daniel-9by-ken-gentrythis-is-part-four-of-a-series-on-dani/2346238888949699/
Jesus came to preach the YEAR OF JUBILEE. Those are his words. The ULTIMATE JUBILEE. What modern End Times theory does is disconnect Christ from his own prophetic fulfillment, to disconnect Christ from his own words. Jesus himself came to bring the ultimate Jubilee. 70 weeks. 7*7. 490 days.
Ken Gentry... The "Gap" of Dispensationalists.
https://postmillennialworldview.com/2013/11/22/dispensationalism-and-daniels-gap-part-1/
Dispensationalism interposes this gap or parenthesis between the sixty-ninth and the seventieth weeks; it spans the entire Church Age from the Triumphal Entry to the Rapture.1 The dispensational arguments for a gap of undetermined length between the sixty-ninth and seventieth weeks are not convincing. Let us consider the leading arguments for this gap. I will state the argument briefly with some documentation and then respond.
First, the peculiar phraseology in Daniel: Daniel places the cutting off of the Messiah “after the 62 ‘sevens,’ not in the 70th ‘seven.’” 2 This allows for a gap between the sixty-ninth and seventieth weeks. If the cutting off does not occur in the sixty-ninth or the seventieth weeks, there must be a gap wherein it does occur.
In response, it is obvious that seventy occurs after sixty-nine and thus fits the requirements of the statement. Consequently, such an argument does not prove that “after” requires a gap. Besides, Daniel only mentions seventy weeks, and he most certainly does not say “after sixty-nine weeks, but not in the seventieth.” 3 The dispensational gap is a gratuitous assumption.
Daniel has yet to deal with the seventieth week, though he does deal with the preceding sixty-nine weeks (v. 25). Thus, it is quite natural to assume this cutting off of the Messiah must be within the seven year period covered by the remaining week, the seventieth. The seventy weeks prophecy is the major, over-arching time-frame of the prophecy. The cutting off of the Messiah is an event of unsurpassing prophetic and redemptive significance in general, and is fundamental to explaining the goal of the seventy weeks stated in verse 24 in particular.
Second, the burden of Daniel’s prophecy: The “six actions [of verse 24] pertain to Daniel’s ‛people’ (Israel) and his ‛Holy City’ (Jerusalem), not the church.” 4 McClain says “the fulfillment of the tremendous events in verse 24 cannot be found anywhere in known history.” 5 These have yet to occur for Israel; the events must be future.
As I show above, the leading idea of the seventy weeks prophecy is Messianic redemption. The Messiah is “the Most Holy” who brings in “reconciliation” and effects “eternal redemption” (v. 24). He does this for Israel and everyone else. He actually effects this eternal redemption by his death (v. 24), which seems clear enough in his being “cut off” (v. 26). As a matter of historical record, his death occurs within seven years of his baptismal anointing — three-and-one-half years, to be exact. What is to force us outside this unified seventy weeks time-frame?
Third, a fatal admission: “Historically the destruction of Jerusalem occurred in A.D. 70 almost forty years after the death of Christ.” 6 Since this is given in Daniel’s prophecy and is to occur within the seventy weeks, “the continuous fulfillment theory [is] left without any explanation adequate for interposing an event as occurring after the sixty-ninth seven by some thirty-eight years.” 7
Above I explain the relation of the seventy weeks to the Temple’s A.D. 70 destruction. It is important to remember that the goal of the seventy weeks is not the A.D. 70 destruction of the Temple — verse 24 does not even mention it. That destruction is a later consequence of certain events brought to fulfillment within the seventy weeks. The actual act of God’s sealing or reserving judgment (v. 24) occurs within the seventy weeks; the later fulfillment of that reserved judgment does not. There is no necessity at all for a gap.
Fourth, the general tendency in prophecy: “Nothing should be plainer to one reading the Old Testament than that the foreview therein provided did not describe the period of time between the two advents. This very fact confused even the prophets (cf. 1 Pet. 1:10-12).” 8 The dispensationalist argues that Old Testament prophecy often merges the First and Second Advents into one scene, though separated by thousands of years. Consequently, we have biblical warrant for understanding the sixty-ninth and seventieth weeks as merged into one scene, although separated by a gap of thousands of years.
This argument is wholly without merit. Clearly the seventy weeks compose a unit, though sub-divided into three unequal parts: (1) It is one period of seventy weeks anticipating the events mentioned; the parts make up a unified whole. Three separate periods of weeks are not the major chronology in the revelation; these three periods (7+62+1) make up the over-arching time-frame of seventy weeks of years. The plural “seventy weeks” is followed by a singular verb “is decreed” which indicates the unity of the time period. Dispensationalists even argue vigorously against allowing a gap in the midst of the seventieth week because “the week is one.” 9 Why do they not allow that the seventy weeks “is” one?
I am continuing a critique of dispensationalism’s gap theory for Daniel’s Seventy Weeks prophecy. In my last posting I presented four of their arguments with my rebuttals. I will continue now with the fifth and final dispensational argument.
Fifth, the order within the prophecy: “In the record of the prophecy, the destruction of the city [v. 26b] is placed before the last week [v. 27a].” 1 Since this occurs in A.D. 70, we must allow a gap to account for it.
This argument overlooks the peculiarities of Hebrew poetic style. Oriental expression often confounds the Occidental concern for chronological succession; the Western framework may not be foisted upon the passage. This “revelational pattern” 2 allows a parallel rehearsal and expansion of the topic without requiring actual succession in time. Even classic dispensationalists understand that some prophetic passages do not flow chronologically. 3 A better understanding of the relation between verses 26 and 27 is given above.
Sixth, the interpretation by Christ: “The testimony of our Lord Himself [in Matt. 24:15] shows that the Seventieth Week is still future.” 4
This problem is already answered in the exposition of the passage above and in the response given to argument Five. The Lord cites from the portion of Daniel’s passage that lies outside the concern of the seventy weeks themselves. 5 There is no need for a gap in Daniel 9 to explain Christ’s use of it in Matthew 24.
The Covenant of Verse 27
What About Antichrist?
What About Antichrist?
Dispensationalists woefully misunderstand the confirming of the covenant in verse 27. They apply it to a still future, malevolent ruler who makes, then breaks a political covenant with Israel. According to Walvoord “this refers to the coming world ruler at the beginning of the last seven years who is able to gain control over ten countries in the Middle East. He will make a covenant with Israel for a seven-year period. As Daniel 9:27 indicates, in the middle of the seven years he will break the covenant, stop the sacrifices being offered in the temple rebuilt in that period, and become their persecutor instead of their protector, fulfilling the promises of Israel’s day of trouble (Jer. 30:5-7).” 6
Pentecost states: “This covenant will be made with many, that is, with Daniel’s people, the nation Israel. ‘The ruler who will come’ (Dan. 9:26) will be this covenant-maker, for that person is the antecedent of the word he in verse 27. As a yet-future ruler he will be the final head of the fourth empire (the little horn of the fourth beast, 7:8).” 7
Many problems plague this interpretation, several of which I deal with above in other connections:
(1) The covenant here is not made, it is confirmed. The usual word for the initial establishment of a covenant is Wtr]K; (karat), “to cut” 8 — here the word is ryBigh (higbar), “to confirm.” This, then, is a confirming of a covenant already extant, i.e., the covenant of God’s redemptive grace that Christ confirms (Rom. 15:8).
(2) The word “confirmed” (Heb.: higbar) is the emphatic form of gabar. Not only does the root term itself indicate a confirming of covenant, 9 but in its present form it is an expression too strong to apply to a covenant made, then broken by the Antichrist.
(3) As I note above, the term is related to the name of the angel of God who delivers the message to Daniel: “Gabriel” means “God is strong.” The lexical correspondence between the name of God’s strong angel (Heb.: gabriel) and the making strong (Heb., higbar) of the covenant suggests the covenant’s divine nature. In addition, covenantal passages frequently employ related terms when speaking of the strong God of the covenant. 10
(4) The parallelism with verse 26 indicates the death of the Messiah directly relates to the confirming of the covenant. He is “cut off” but “not for himself” (v. 26a), for he “confirms the covenant” for the “many” of Israel (v. 27a). His “cutting off” confirms the covenant, for “without shedding of blood there is no remission” (Heb. 9:22). As Christ puts it: “this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matt. 26:28).
(5) The indefinite pronoun “he” does not refer back to “the prince who is to come” of verse 26. The word “prince” is a subordinate noun; “the people” is the dominant noun. Thus, the “he” refers to the last dominant individual mentioned: the “Messiah” (v. 26a). The Messiah is the leading figure in the whole prophecy, so that even the destruction of the Temple results from His death. In fact, the people who destroy the Temple are providentially “His armies,” according to Christ (Matt. 22:2-7).
(6) It is in the death of Christ that Judaism is legally (covenantally) disestablished, bringing “an end to sacrifice and offering” (Heb. 7:12, 18). The sacrifices are a legal confirmation of the divine covenant with the covenant people Israel: “Gather My saints together to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice” (Psa. 50:5). 11 An unbreakable connection exists between the death of Christ and the ultimate destruction of the Temple (Luke 20:14-18; 23:28-31) — a connection between legal cause and judicial effect.
Conclusion
A careful study of Daniel’s seventy weeks removes from our future the judgmental devastation in its latter verses. Only hermeneutical gymnastics, a suspension of sound reason, and an a priori commitment to the dispensational system allows the importing of a massive gap into Daniel’s prophecy. Such interrupts the otherwise chronologically exact time-frame. Yet this gap is necessary if we project Daniel’s seventieth week into our future. But as I show above, not only is this difficult to do, but it is wholly unnecessary.
A careful study of Daniel’s seventy weeks removes from our future the judgmental devastation in its latter verses. Only hermeneutical gymnastics, a suspension of sound reason, and an a priori commitment to the dispensational system allows the importing of a massive gap into Daniel’s prophecy. Such interrupts the otherwise chronologically exact time-frame. Yet this gap is necessary if we project Daniel’s seventieth week into our future. But as I show above, not only is this difficult to do, but it is wholly unnecessary.
Daniel’s famous prophecy finds fulfillment in the first century of our era. Consequently, the pessimistic expectation of many evangelical Christians rooted in this passage is without warrant.
https://reasonabletheology.org/year-jesus-actually-born/
AntiChrist is not found nor does the Hebrew hint at the word "he" points to anything but the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Anti-Christ is foreign to the text. The Hebrew text, when diagrammed makes sense And "he" Messsiah shall come
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