The “seventy weeks” prophecy is one of the most significant and detailed Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament. It is found in Daniel 9. The chapter begins with Daniel praying for Israel, acknowledging the nation’s sins against God and asking for God’s mercy. As Daniel prayed, the angel Gabriel appeared to him and gave him a vision of Israel’s future.
The Divisions of the 70 Weeks
In verse 24, Gabriel says, “Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city.” Almost all commentators agree that the seventy “sevens” should be understood as seventy “weeks” of years, in other words, a period of 490 years. These verses provide a sort of “clock” that gives an idea of when the Messiah would come and some of the events that would accompany His appearance.
The prophecy goes on to divide the 490 years into three smaller units: one of 49 years, one of 434 years, and one 7 years. The final “week” of 7 years is further divided in half. Verse 25 says, “From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’” Seven “sevens” is 49 years, and sixty-two “sevens” is another 434 years:
49 years + 434 years = 483 years
The Purpose of the 70 Weeks
The prophecy contains a statement concerning God’s six-fold purpose in bringing these events to pass. Verse 24 says this purpose is 1) “to finish transgression,” 2) “to put an end to sin,” 3) “to atone for wickedness,” 4) “to bring in everlasting righteousness,” 5) “to seal up vision and prophecy,” and 6) “to anoint the most holy.”
Notice that these results concern the total eradication of sin and the establishing of righteousness. The prophecy of the 70 weeks summarizes what happens before Jesus sets up His millennial kingdom. Of special note is the third in the list of results: “to atone for wickedness.” Jesus accomplished the atonement for sin by His death on the cross (Romans 3:25; Hebrews 2:17).
The Fulfillment of the 70 Weeks
Gabriel said the prophetic clock would start at the time that a decree was issued to rebuild Jerusalem. From the date of that decree to the time of the Messiah would be 483 years. We know from history that the command to “restore and rebuild Jerusalem” was given by King Artaxerxes of Persia c. 444 B.C. (see Nehemiah 2:1-8).
The first unit of 49 years (seven “sevens”) covers the time that it took to rebuild Jerusalem, “with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble” (Daniel 9:25). This rebuilding is chronicled in the book of Nehemiah.
Converting the 360-day year used by the ancient Jews, 483 years becomes 476 years on our solar calendar. Adjusting for the switch from B.C. to A.D., 476 years after 444 B.C. places us at A.D. 33, which would coincide with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1–9). The prophecy in Daniel 9 specifies that, after the completion of the 483 years, “the Anointed One will be cut off” (verse 26). This was fulfilled when Jesus was crucified.
Daniel 9:26 continues with a prediction that, after the Messiah is killed, “the people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary.” This was fulfilled with the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. The “ruler who will come” is a reference to the Antichrist, who, it seems, will have some connection with Rome, since it was the Romans who destroyed Jerusalem.
The Final Week of the 70 Weeks
Of the 70 “sevens,” 69 have been fulfilled in history. This leaves one more “seven” yet to be fulfilled. Many scholars believe that we are now living in a huge gap between the 69th week and the 70th week. The prophetic clock has been paused, as it were. The final “seven” of Daniel is what we usually call the tribulation period.
Daniel’s prophecy reveals some of the actions of the Antichrist, the “ruler who will come.” Verse 27 says, “He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’” However, “in the middle of the ‘seven,’ . . . he will set up an abomination that causes desolation” in the temple. Jesus warned of this event in Matthew 24:15. After the Antichrist breaks the covenant with Israel, a time of “great tribulation” begins (Matthew 24:21, NKJV).
Daniel also predicts that the Antichrist will face judgment. He only rules “until the end that is decreed is poured out on him” (Daniel 9:27). God will only allow evil to go so far, and the judgment the Antichrist will face has already been planned out.
Conclusion
The prophecy of the 70 weeks is complex and amazingly detailed, and much has been written about it. Of course, there are various interpretations, but what we have presented here is the dispensational, premillennial view. One thing is certain: God has a time table, and He is keeping things on schedule. He knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10), and we should always be looking for the triumphant return of our Lord (Revelation 22:7).
The Little Book
The “little book open” that John sees during the 6th Trumpet period is the little book of Daniel.
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PROPOSITION 7
Midway into John’s account of the 6th Trumpet period, which runs from Revelation 9:13 through 11:14, there is another interlude. This interlude includes all of chapter 10 and majors on calling his attention to the significance of this stage of The Revelation. The timing of what we here find is all the more thought provoking if the focus is now upon the world of the Bible days, as evidenced by the things that he has seen leading up to this point.
As chapter 10 opens, John sees an angel that has in his hand “a little book open” (vs. 2). The angel cries out with a loud voice, after which seven thunders utter something that he is not allowed to write about (vss. 3-4). Next, the angel lifts a hand to Heaven and swears by the Lord “that there should be time no longer” (vs. 6). By the context, and in tune with other Bible translations, the words “time no longer” should be understood in the sense of no further delay. The angel then makes this statement:
7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, AS HE HATH DECLARED TO HIS SERVANTS THE PROPHETS.
All of this is very interesting in light of the things the prophet Daniel had long ago been shown, things that remained a mystery to him. Consider these words to him at that time, from Daniel 12:
4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, AND SEAL THE BOOK, EVEN TO THE TIME OF THE END: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
And then this, a few verses later…
8 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?
9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed TILL THE TIME OF THE END.
Equally as interesting is that many of Daniel’s prophecies parallel what John will now begin to see. These things (and more) practically give away the identification of the little book that he here sees as being the little book of DANIEL. As the time draws nearer, the visions that had even Daniel scratching his head will be opened to become more understandable. Continuing with the next verse (from Daniel 12), notice what he was told:
10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.”
According to these words, the wicked will not understand what all is going on in the last days and during the time of Daniel’s 70th Week. Furthermore, I am not sure how much even the wise of our day can truly understand about the upcoming section of The Revelation. However, some of those who will be left behind will evidently wise up and be enabled to understand, for their faith will be strengthened to the point of their being willing to die rather than receive the mark of the beast.
In the last verses of Revelation 10, John is instructed to take and eat the little book. Whereas it is sweet in his mouth, it makes his stomach bitter (vs. 10). Daniel experienced similar when he received some of the revelations that he recorded in the little book that bears his name. His first stemmed from a dream King Nebuchadnezzar had (Dan. 2:1-13), a revelation Daniel received with great joy (Dan. 2:19-23, then vss. 24-49). But, some visions he later received himself, which further expounded on the king’s dream (chapters 7-8), caused him to become sickly (Dan. 7:15, 28 and 8:27). Needless to say, the ending of this present world order will be a bitter/sweet thing.
Aligning with what I have been pointing out, as Revelation chapter 11 opens, we start seeing the parallels to Daniel’s prophecies. Of particular note is the first mentioning of TWO 3-1/2 YEAR TIME FRAMES (Rev. 11:2-3). John is told that during one of these time frames (vs. 2), the Holy City will be trodden under foot by the Gentiles. Compare this with what Jesus spoke of concerning this time in His Olivet Discourse (e.g., Matt. 24:15-21), especially in Luke’s account, from chapter 21:
20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereunto.
22 For these be the days of vengeance, THAT ALL THINGS WHICH ARE WRITTEN MAY BE FULFILLED.
23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: AND JERUSALEM SHALL BE TRODDEN DOWN OF THE GENTILES, UNTIL THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES BE FULFILLED.
During the other 3-1/2 year time frame (Rev. 11:3-14), John writes of two unnamed witnesses who will prophesy. Together, these two 3-1/2 year periods will equal seven years of time or a week of years—THE PERIOD OF DANIEL’S 70TH WEEK.
As Scripture will be seen to consistently support, it is with the opening of chapter 11 that the actual beginning of the account of Daniel’s 70th Week is given in The Revelation. This realization adds all the more meaning to what the angel had just declared in chapter 10, verse six. Said another way, when things finally progress to the point that the angel can declare “that there should be time no longer,” this will be the indicator that everything is ready for the fulfilling of that last week of Daniel’s Seventy Weeks’ prophecy to begin. This will mean, “IT’S TIME!!!“
According to verses 3-14 of chapter 11, the two witnesses will prophesy during the first half of the seven years and will be killed by the “beast” (or Antichrist), mentioned explicitly for the first time in verse seven. It is still during the 6th Trumpet period—not referred to as “past” until verse 14—that this will occur. Moreover, this verse establishes that the first half of the seven years will be completed at this time. Then, in verse 15, the 7th Trumpet is sounded, which will mark the beginning of the last half of the seven years (Rev. 12:6, 14, and 13:5) and what is beyond. It will be during this time, which was only briefly mentioned in verse two, that the Holy City will be trodden under foot by the Gentiles (recall from above), until Christ returns to reign.
Finally, we cannot forget about Revelation 11, verse one, which is the first verse after that chapter in The Revelation devoted to John’s account of him seeing the little book of Daniel at this time opened. In the next proposition we will look closer at this first verse and other scriptures thereto related. That all of the world’s scholarship has so long missed what we will now be seeing is very telling.