JUL 28

Daniel 9:24-27
Memorise 1 Peter 1:19-21
“We have also a more sure word of prophecy”

WHAT ARE THE SEVENTY WEEKS OF DANIEL? (I)

Indeed, as Daniel sought the Lord’s forgiveness both for himself and his people in captivity and for Jerusalem’s restoration, suddenly Gabriel flew swiftly to him about the time of the evening oblation (3 pm). This Gabriel is the same who centuries after appeared to the Virgin Mary to announce the Birth of the Saviour through her (Luke 1:16-35).

This is the message delivered by Gabriel to Daniel: “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy 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 prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate” (Daniel 9:24-27).

While Daniel was thinking that the consummation of 70 years exile according to Jeremiah’s prophecy would usher in the Messianic Kingdom, God rather revealed what would happen to Israel in 70 x 7 prophetic years hereafter. A new Day indeed was coming when Messiah shall judge this sinful earth and bring in righteousness, but not until 70 x 7 prophetic years had passed. Now, some confusion has resulted in the minds of Bible students due to the translation “weeks” in verse 24: “seventy weeks are determined.” The Hebrew word so translated does not mean a week of days but rather a seven, like the English word “dozen”, meaning 12 of anything. What Daniel actually said in Hebrew was “seventy sevens are determined”. This is to say God was telling him it would not take 70 years but seven times seventy to consummate His saving-work with Israel. This was a cryptic way of saying, 490 years.

Thought: The Bible is not only a historic but also a futuristic book.
Prayer: Lord, help me understand Biblical prophecies.