Seventy Weeks Prophecy
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Daniel’s Seventy Weeks prophecy
Daniel 9:24
“Seventy (weeks) have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy place.”
What are the weeks?
“Sevens” is what the word means. In Hebrew this word doesn’t have to mean a week, but means a group of seven. It can mean seven weeks, but it can also mean seven years. In this case the prophecy itself proves it to be years. So, 69 weeks is really 69 groups of seven years, or 483 years. This is proved in revelation when it says the tribulation period is seven years long. This same period is referred to in Daniel 9:27 as the seventieth week. (or the 7 year tribulation – 360 day year)
The problem with using our 365 day calendar year is that the Jews didn’t use this. They used a 30 day month, and therefore a 360 day year, so we’ll need to do some date conversions. (They added some days every x years to keep the calendar in line with the seasons)
Daniel 9:25
“So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven (sevens) and sixty two (sevens); it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress.”
Different decrees to rebuild:
- Cyrus in 536BC (Ezra 1) (only rebuilt the temple)
- Artaxerces in 458BC (only the temple)
- Darius
- Artexerxes second decree in 445BC (Nehemiah 1-2) Month: Nissan, 20th year of reign (Started reign in 465 BC – 20 = 445BC) On our calendar: March 14, 445BC
The forth decree must be the one the Bible is referring to, since it was the only one that allowed for the rebuilding of the city, plaza and moat. So, the starting date for the prophecy is 445BC. (Our calendar)
Authors that hold to the 4th decree:
Sir Robert Anderson – book (Coming prince)
Harold Honer – Dallas Theological
69 sevens = (69 * 7) or 483 years from decree to Messiah
Since the prophecy refers to Jewish years, convert the years to Jewish days so we can get the total number of days in the prophecy.
483 years * 12 months (30 day months) = 173880 days till the Messiah. We have to figure the days based on the Jewish month.
Based on charts, new moons, solar historical information, it is figured that Jesus triumphal entry (when he rode into Jerusalem on a donkey) was in April 6, AD32
March 14, 445BC – Decree
April 6, AD32 – Triumphal Entry
If Jesus is the Messiah, there must be 173,880 days between these two dates. Don’t forget that we’re figuring the days between two dates based on our Julian calendar, which the Jews didn’t use. We’re looking for 173880 days. Lets see…
- March 14, 445 BC to April 6, 32AD = 477 years, 24 days
- subtract one year since 1BC-1AD are the same year
- = 476 years, 24 days between two dates
- Convert to days: 476 yrs * 365 days + 24 days
- = 173764 days
- Add leap years – 476/4 =119
- 173764 days + 119 leap year days
- =173883
Why isn’t it 173800 days?
An inaccuracy in our Julian/Gregorian calendar shows our year to be 1/128th of a day too long.
. 1/128=0.0078125
. 0.0078125 * 476 years
. = 3 extra days in our calendar between the two dates
. 173883 days – 3 extra days
. = 173880 days
To the exact day this prophecy was fulfilled and it was predicted 483 years before it happened. Why doesn’t they show this in TV instead of Nostradamus?
Notes:
62 (weeks) and 7 (weeks)
7 Weeks or 49 years is what it took Nehemiah to rebuild the city. As the prophecy says, it was in troubled times. (see Ezra 9-10) (Nehemiah 1-2)
. After 69 weeks, Messiah will be cut off (Jesus was crucified)
. Jerusalem will be destroyed. (in AD 70 it happened)
. He will make a covenant for 1 Week (Antichrist) In the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice. This hasn’t happened. Since the dispersion of Israel in AD 70, there has been no temple for sacrifice. He will desecrate the altar.
The Gap in Daniel’s prophecy
There is a gap between Daniel 9:26 and 9:27. 9:26 talks about the Messiah being killed. Verse 27 talks about something that we know from Revelation and the Gospels, will happen in the end. Interesting that the prophecy does separate the first 69 (weeks) from the seventieth. In hindsight it’s easy to see the gap, because we are living in it! The Jews didn’t see the gap, and were therefore looking for the Messiah to bring in the new Kingdom the Bible spoke of.
In Isaiah 9:6 it says: “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on his shoulders.”
When Jesus read from the Bible in Nazareth, he read from Isaiah 61:1-2. However, he stopped reading in the middle of a verse, and closed the book. Interesting that this minor detail is in the New testament. Why did he close the book? Because he knew about the gap. Here’s what he read:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are downtrodden, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”
He closes the book here. Now read the rest of the verse that he was quoting from Isaiah:
“And the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn.”