I. IntroductionLike other prophecies of the Old Testament Scripture, Prophet Daniel’s seventy weeks prophecy (which is found in the book of Daniel 9:24-27) has had its fulfilment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Host of Bible scholars cited three hundred plus realized predictions with such precision that it is now established without any shadow of doubt that the prophesied Messiah came in the person of Jesus.
The so-called Daniel’s “seventy weeks” prophecy is one of the interesting old prophecy which when followed through in its completion in particular periods chronicled in known history will be appreciated for what it is – God’s prophetic word indeed. Jesus himself affirmed that the entire prophetic thrust of the Old Testament was about his person and redemptive work (Luke 24:27,44). Therefore, while the prophecy of Daniel must be understood in its specific background when it was first given (i.e.
what precipitated the prophecy, and what was its immediate application at the time – in particular, during the days of Daniel), it is also right to seek an understanding of it in the light of what happened next to Israel as the people of God before and during the New Testament times. Because one can properly said that the entire Bible is a story of predictive and fulfilled prophecies, to approach it with the intent of observing its predictions and then look for their realizations in particular periods of time in human history as narrated in the Bible are not only appropriate, but correct. Hence, the argumentation and flow of this paper will proceed from 1) the immediate context of the prophecy, and 2) its precise unfolding in specific times in Israel’s history until the days of Jesus and even beyond. Treatment is properly given to each of these aspects, so that at the end, there will be a proper appreciation of divinely inspired prophecy, as well as a grasp of historic unfolding of events as God determined their outcomes through his overruling of the necessary details – including certain people and nations – as they served their unique roles in the Divine economy for the securing of the elect’s salvation.
Daniel’s seventy weeks prophecy is one of the Bible’s solid proofs that God is the Sovereign over human history, and that the canon of the Old and New Testaments were truly inspired by no other than God who created and sustains everything for his own glory (Escalona, 2009).II. Historical Background of the Prophecy (Its Immediate Context)It should be noted that the usual pattern whenever prophetic messages were given at certain times in the life of God’s people, there were causes which precipitated those inspired utterances. The message given by angel Gabriel to Daniel (which was proven prophetic) was generated by a longstanding violation of the sabbatical year set by God for his chosen people (2 Chron.
36:21). Israel had been violating God’s clear command which was binding on them being in covenant with the God who gave birth to them as a nation, as well as delivered them from their Egyptian bondage (Zaspel, 1991). For them, their neglect and belittling of the sabbatical year was a very grave misconduct in God’s eyes. They were God’s people, and as such, they ought to have represented God through their reverent observance of his laws.
They ought to have proven themselves worthy of the calling with which God had called them. Remember that God had judged the inhabitants of Canaan through Israel for their years of abominable existence as they freely practiced their paganistic God-dishonoring religions. Now, they had to behave as they were instructed in the Torah to conduct themselves in a manner that would point the surrounding peoples to the true God of the universe who had just saved them in the famed and historic exodus (which particular miraculous account was widely known). Unfortunately, as their recorded history was told and recorded, Israel has proven herself unfaithful to the God who called and chose her for a purpose.
Nevertheless, in spite of the repeated failures on Israel’s part, God remained faithful on his part (and this for his own glory) to uphold his plan of redemption so to secure it for all the chosen peoples of the earth. Thus, though it was in the context of punishment that the prophecy was given (Dan.9:24-27), it nevertheless had set the new phase of God’s unfolding of his redemptive plan. God, in grace (as always since the Fall), overruled the flagrant violation of his people.
In God’s omniscience and omnipotence, he was able (so to speak) to work everything out – including the repeated sins of the people he had chosen, and the corresponding punishment – for the accomplishment of his ultimate purpose.To make it unmistakeably clear, the suggestion being pointed out in all of these disciplines from the hand of God (Israel’s long years of deportation from their homeland), was that it was because of their long years of defiance of God’s clear command regarding the sabbatical year as stated in Leviticus 25:1-7. God had commanded Israel beforehand that when they get to the land promised to them, like their weekly Sabbath, they would have to observe also a similar Sabbath which was applicable specifically to the land. They were allowed to work and till the land for their livelihood for six years, but on the seventh, the land should be given its own rest.
They should take this command seriously as they do the weekly Sabbath. The weekly Sabbath and the Sabbath year are equally in the same category – they are both God’s commands to be obeyed. Apparently, they did not take the seventh year Sabbath seriously as they did the weekly Sabbath. Their deportation to Babylon which lasted seventy years was a judgment coming directly from the hand of God whom they violated for so long (Payne, 1973).
Actually, based on 2 Chronicles 36:21, the land of Israel until the time of the expulsion of the Hebrews from their home country, had not been enjoying its Sabbath. The land was deprived of its rest for four hundred ninety years, (if one would bother to break down each year represented by 70 years – every year represents 7 years). And so, when Daniel set his heart to prayer for the return of the Jews to their home land, it was nearing the termination of the 70 year exile. God then clarified to Daniel the prophetic significance of the 490 years represented by the 70 year captivity.
The angel Gabriel was sent to inform Daniel that the exact number of years from the time the command by Cyrus to rebuild God’s house to the Messiah’s death would be 490 years (Clarke, 1997).III. The Unfolding of Events in Israel’s HistoryAs has been said, the Seventy Weeks of Daniel was equivalent to 490 years as it was the corresponding number of years when each of the seventy years is taken to represent a seven year period, which was of course the proper counting of Sabbath year. Almost all credible scholars of the Bible agree that the number of years represented by “seventy weeks” in Daniel 9:24-27 is four hundred ninety years.
And again, the number (490 years) is prophetic. It pointed to certain events in Israel’s history that would not for long have their fulfilments in the not so distant future from Daniel’s day.Chronological Sketch1.) The Beginning of the Prophecy’s Fulfilment (the first 49 years).
It has been suggested that had there been plenty of diligent students of Jeremiah’s prophecy (like Daniel), there would be no lack of knowledgeable scribes amongst Israel when the Messiah first came in the person of Jesus. They would know for sure that the Messiah would suffer and die for humanity’s sins. Note that in verse 25 of Daniel 9, the inauguration point of the prophecy’s execution would correspond to an edict to “rebuild Jerusalem.” The termination point of the whole prophecy covers the said “cutting off” of the Messiah (Dan.
9:26) to the “abominations” which would be performed by the Roman army under Titus, Vespasian’s son. It has been observed by many scholars that biblical predictions are very accurate. And since this accuracy in terms of fulfilment of details of biblical prophecies is not only upheld by credible theologians but taught in the Bible as to testing true prophecy coming from God, it is also the contention of this author to uphold the same view of the prophecy. And so, since Daniel’s Seventy Weeks prophecy mentions specific number of years (490 years), there needs to be an accurate tracing of the beginning point of the Seventy Weeks.
There are many probabilities which when considered would only end up in approximation in terms of the number of years (more or less). Scholars who took seriously into account some of these probable commencing point of Daniel’s prophecy even suggested that exact number of years is not to be strictly followed. They suggest that if the commencing point (i.e.
Zerubbabel 536 BC, Nehemiah 444 BC) culminates to a few years before Christ’s time, or after his death, it is not to be treated significantly. They said, eighty years earlier than Jesus’ crucifixion, or even twelve years after his death are not that important considering the fact that the whole time frame of the prophecy is almost five centuries. Well, it seems to be not that big a deal. But, when another leader of returnees from exile is considered by the name of Ezra, it will only prove and buttress the fact that biblical predictions are accurate and need not be treated short of comprehensive research, especially when all the necessary informations are provided in the Bible.
With due respect to those scholars who opted to set the starting point of Daniel’s Seventy Weeks to Zerubbabel’s or Nehemiah’s, they have actually done their helpful contributions to the whole study of this particular prophecy. If not for their contributions, this subject would be lacking in some necessary ingredients which made this whole research all the more interesting. If, on the other hand, the inauguration of the execution of the prophecy is traced to Ezra’s time when he led a batch of Jews back to the holy city of Jerusalem, the said time (which was 457 BC) would add up to 486 ½, and would zoom the focus in history at AD 26 during the time of the commencement of Christ’s public ministry. Since this view (although common among reputed scholars) is not exempt from strong objections coming from other biblical scholars, it should be noted that Ezra’s task included authorizations to rebuild not only the holy city of Jerusalem, but the center of worship for the Hebrew people – God’s holy temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 9:9).
It is therefore reasonable to uphold the starting phase of Daniel’s prophecy to the leadership of Ezra in 457 BC (Archer, 1964). As was observed, from the time of restoration under Ezra until the death of Christ is a summation of 486 ½ years. Half way on the seventieth week, the prophecy says that the Messiah Christ would be killed (“cut off”). Isaiah the Prophet, spoke of this “cutting off” of the Messiah in his lengthy description of the Anointed One’s suffering (Isa.
53:8). But, once again, focusing on the prophecy’s divisions (7 weeks, 62 weeks, and the referred to “middle of the week” killing of the Messiah), it’s curious to have found the account thus. However, the so-called divisions are not without purpose. The first section of “seven weeks” (which could be translated a literal “49 year period”), refers to the return of the group of exiles under Ezra’s leadership and their rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple (Dan.
9:25). Daniel prayed for this to happen as recorded in his book (Dan.9:16) and it was answered when the exiles returned to Jerusalem for this building project and for good. Although, it was an occasion for joyful celebration and had rekindled hope for the covenant people, this particular period was also characterized with “troubles” as was hinted in the prophecy (Dan.
9:25). While the reconstruction was underway, the enemies of the Hebrew people pestered them along the way. This troublesome time was described in great detail by Ezra (Ezra 4:1-6) and Nehemiah (in the book of Nehemiah). The Jews during this time were not left undisturbed by their enemies.
When the restoration was on its way and was gaining momentum, the Jews’ enemies with the leaderships of Rehum and Shimshai started to oppress them. They forged a credible accusation against the people of God and even went as far as influence the powerful king Artaxerxes through a petition letter (Ezra 4:7-23). As a result, the entire rebuilding project was temporarily put to a halt. These oppressors (Rehum and Shimshai), after receiving Artaxerxes’ authorization (via decree) to put a stop on the Jews’ work of rebuilding, immediately went to the center of activity, at the site, and even personally exert force to make the Jews stop without delay.
They headed to destroy the newly built walls and burned the gates(Ezra 4:23; Nehemiah 1:3).2.) The Second Phase of the Prophecy’s Fulfilment (“62 weeks” = 434 years). The period of the restoration from the time of Ezra lasted forty-nine years (“7 weeks” = 49 years); add to these years, another 434 years (the second phase of the fulfilment of the prediction = the “62 weeks”), and the calculation would catapult the scene to the time of Jesus’ baptism, which was AD 26.
It was also during this particular year that Jesus the Christ began to make public his ministry to accomplish his redemptive mission (Matt.3:13). There was a lot to cover in terms of history of God’s people during this prolonged period. A large portion of this period in the economy of God was properly designated by scholars as the 400 silent years (because it was observed that during this time, there were no inspired prophecies; no known prophet/s spoke during these four centuries).
3.) The Third Phase of the Prophecy’s Fulfilment (“middle of the 70th week = 3 ½). According to Daniel’s chronology, the third division of the completion of Daniel’s Seventy Weeks’ prophecy is the described “after the 62 weeks” (Dan.9:26).
This was placed to the “middle” of the week – equivalent to more or leas 3½ years. This three and a half years was accomplished in Jesus’ public ministry. One can check the biblical records, especially in the gospel of John, and find there that there were (at the most) five Passovers (Jn.2:13,23; 5:1; 6:4; 12:1) during which period Jesus ministered in person around Galilee and in Jerusalem.
This part of the prophecy concluded in the killing/death of the Messiah Jesus (which was around AD 30). There are theories circulating that between the 69th and the 70th week, there is an immeasurable gap. Dispensationalists named this period (the gap) the Church’s age. These scholars contend that this gap was totally unknown and unforeseen by the Old Testament writers and prophets.
The Church’s age, according to dispensationalists, was what the apostles would call (especially, Apostle Paul) “mystery.” Here also, at this particular period, they placed the time or period of the tribulation (which is 7 years in duration). Daniel’s prophecy, however, did not suggest that Jesus’ death would terminate the 69th week (Dan.9:26).
Rather, it hinted that at a certain point during this period after the 69th week, the Messiah would be killed (“cut off”). It is absurd to make a counting of the first two phases of the fulfillment of Seventy Weeks in both the same method of counting, and then, suddenly, at the 69th and the 70th – in between – a vast measureless time frame was placed. To count it thus would be utterly inconsistent in the treatment of the passage in consideration. What’s more? To date, since the cutting off of the Anointed One, there have been more than two millennia have past.
If this kind of counting is applied, until now, the counting until the 70th week isn’t over. Again, this is a very unlikely style to treat fairly the passage (Dan.9:24-27).Daniel’s prophecy, especially the last part (Dan.
9:27), records what would happen in the days of the Messiah, namely, the New Testament era. Chroniclers of the New Testament history proved in their chronology of events during this time that the Roman army had invaded and destroyed Jerusalem. This fact was not only in the records of Christian historians but also others who do not hold to the same faith. Josephus, a Jewish historian, attested to the fact of Roman devastations of the holy place in his book, The Complete Works of Flavius Josephus.
And so, Daniel’s Seventy Weeks prophecy foretells primarily the person and work of Christ, and then proceeded to describe in not so clear manner the destruction with which the Romans would destroy the holy city and God’s temple (Dan.9:26-27). To have a picture of what happened actually at this particular time when the Romans destroyed the city of Jerusalem and how they desecrated the Jewish temple, it is advisable to read Josephus eyewitness account in his book The War of the Jews. Just take note of the order Daniel wrote in his chronology: it would be after the Anointed One’s death that the so-called “prince” of Daniel 9:26 would come.
It is also important in studying the Seventy Weeks prophecy that one should go through Jesus’ own description of the turning of events after his death in Matthew 24 and 25. In will help a lot when Jesus’ teaching on the matter is consulted and compared to this Old Testament prophecy. Remember that Jesus referred to Daniel’s prophecy when he was narrating to his disciples what would transpire in the not so distant future from their own time.IV.
ConclusionWhile it would be exciting to make hypothetical calculations, it is still safe and better to stick to the passage’s intended meaning. Daniel’s Seventy Weeks prophecy is indeed a comprehensive knowledge given by God who knows and controls everything in his creation. The study of prophetic Scripture will continue until everything said is fulfilled. Like Daniel himself, it is wise and being responsible on the part of God’s people today to also study the times and to look for some hints whether a specific prophecy is becoming clearer and actually at hand nearing its fulfillment.
If the general attitude is passive and indifferent concerning prophecy among the chosen people of God, what happened in the days of Jesus will repeat itself – namely, the scribes who were supposed to have known their day have missed the greatest phenomenon that ever occurred in their time, the coming of the Messiah. Remember that biblical prophecy is accurate. Like what has been dealt and proven in this paper, Daniel’s Seventy Weeks prophecy from its commencement point to the coming of Jesus, its fulfillment was such that its precision was undeniable. From the specific number of “weeks” to their equivalent literal number of years, the order of the chronology was fulfilled in a precise manner.
If dispensationalism is correct in their gap theory between the 69th and 70th week, then this prophecy of Daniel will still have its culmination in the future. If it is right that “approximate” numbers do not matter, as long as the specific issue is being dealt with and as a result solved, then eventually the prediction will still be fulfilled. If, on the other hand, the view put forward in this paper is correct, then the Seventy Weeks prophecy had been fulfilled already during the time of Christ and the apostles in the Roman Empire. References: Escalona, Alan.
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Zaspel, Fred G. (1991). Daniel Seventy Weeks. Date Accessed: May 8, 2009 at http://www.
biblicalstudies.com/bstudy/eschatology/daniel.htmPayne, J. Barton (1973).
The Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy. Published by New York: Harper & Row.Archer, Gleason L. (1964).
A Survey of Old Testament Introduction. Chicago, IL: Moody.
