Daniel’s 70 Weeks
Posted by L A on Tuesday, November 5, 2013 Under: Prophecy
Last month, we started an in depth study of Daniel’s revelation
of Israel’s time of reconciliation for iniquity, a period of 70 weeks,
explained to him by the archangel Gabriel. We left off last month, as Gabriel
appeared before Daniel while he was fasting, praying and as he sat in ashes to
humble himself before God. Gabriel told Daniel that, “At the beginning of your
supplications, the commandment came forth and I am come to show you, for you
are greatly beloved, therefore, understand the matter and consider the vision”
Daniel 9:23. He went on to tell Daniel, “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy
people and upon your 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 the prophecy and to anoint the most
Holy” Daniel 9:24. Gabriel just explained to Daniel that it would take 70 weeks
to bring an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, bring in everlasting
righteousness and seal up the vision and prophecy “and to anoint the most
Holy.” First, it is important to understand that “70 weeks” did not refer to
literal weeks, as we know the meaning of weeks, but in those days the
Hebrews frequently referred to a week as a seven-year time period. We
can see this when Laban asked Joseph to work for the hand of Rachel for seven
years, as he said to Joseph, “Fulfill her week and we will give you this
also for the service which you shall serve me yet seven other years”
Genesis 29:27. This is the same concept, as Gabriel explained to Daniel that it
would take “70 weeks” to bring an end to sins, meaning 70 times seven years,
which equals a total of 490 years. Gabriel, in essence, said that within
490 years the sins of Israel will be reconciled by God, everlasting
righteousness would come (which is Jesus our Savior, and His righteous
kingdom), and within that same time period, the most Holy would be anointed. We
understand that Jesus’s appearance took away sins, by His death and
resurrection, but to understand the “anointing of the most Holy,” we need to
take a look at Ezekiel’s description of the rebuilding of the Millennial
Kingdom Temple (Ezekiel 40-48). The Millennial Kingdom Temple will be built at
the end of days, and part of the process is to “anoint the most Holy,” in that
it is God’s dwelling place and must be anointed upon completion of the temple,
before it is inhabited by God Himself, as described in Exodus 30:26-29. Gabriel
continued to explain this revelation to Daniel, “Know therefore and understand
that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem
unto Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks (49 years) and threescore
and two weeks (434 years); the street shall be built again, and the wall, in
troublous times” Daniel 9:25. To be very clear, Gabriel told Daniel that it
would be 49 years and an additional 434 years, a total of 483 years
from the commandment to rebuild Jerusalem to the appearance of Messiah the
Prince. It is important to note here that the words “Messiah the Prince” are
“Meshiach Nagid” in Hebrew (the original Old Testament script), actually
meaning “Messiah the King.” Jesus, throughout His ministry, avoided
presenting Himself as “King,” until His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem,
fulfilling Zechariah’s prophecy, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout O
daughter of Jerusalem: behold, your King comes to you; He is just and having
salvation, lowly and riding upon an ass and upon a colt, the foal of an
ass” Zechariah 9:9. The Jewish calendar is lunar and a year is 360 days on the
Jewish calendar. Therefore, 483 years multiplied by 360 days equals 173,880 days.
History tells us that Artaxerxes commanded that the captives be released to
rebuild Jerusalem on March 14, 445 BC. Jesus’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem,
as King of the Jews, occurred on April 6, 32 AD (Nisan 10, 32 AD), which
is exactly 173,880 days! Gabriel told Daniel that the street and the wall would
be built in “troublous times.” In fact, when Nehemiah commenced rebuilding the
wall of Jerusalem, he and the Jews helping him received strong opposition from
the Ammonites and Arabs, to the point that the builders worked with one hand
and carried a weapon in the other hand (Nehemiah 4:17). I have no more space,
but I will continue with this fascinating prophecy next month, God willing. In
the meantime, God bless you and may you be spiritually prepared to escape the
fulfillment of the last and remaining “week” of Daniel’s prophecy, also known
as “Jacob’s Trouble.”
In : Prophecy
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