The Seventy Weeks of Daniel
Daniel 9:24-2724Seventy 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. 25Know 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. 26And 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. 27And 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)
C.S.R. You ask whether the first half of the seventieth week of Daniel has already been fulfilled in the three-and-a-half years ministry of Christ on earth, as has been suggested.
We think not. You will notice that it is distinctly stated that after the three score and two weeks (mentioned immediately following the first seven weeks, or forty-nine years, during which the wall of Jerusalem would be re-built “in troublous times”) Messiah would be cut off. The cutting off of Messiah is thus placed not in the midst of the seventieth week, but after sixty-nine weeks in all had run their course: that is, of course, in the symbolism of Daniel’s prophecy, weeks of years, that is, 483 years. The period of 483 years runs from “the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem:” this commandment was evidently that given to Nehemiah in the l0th year of the reign of Artaxerxes, for the earlier decrees recorded as to Jerusalem concerned simply “the house of the Lord God of Israel” (Ezra 1:1-3; 6:38; 7:7); and the dates of secular history confirm the fulfillment of the prophecy in the fact of the 483 years running out in the time of Christ, His crucifixion, and the suspension of God’s special dealings with the Jews. From that point they were left to the mercy of the Gentiles, and very soon “the people of the prince” (the Romans) besieged and destroyed the city and the sanctuary.
It is interesting to notice that it does not say “the prince” will destroy the city and the sanctuary, but “the people of the prince;” the prince himself comes into the arena during the last week, which is still future. He will belong to the Roman Empire, for he is of the same people that destroyed Jerusalem in A.D. 70; but it is the Roman Empire divided into ten kingdoms, the ten horns (the horn is symbolical of power) of Daniel 7:2424And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. (Daniel 7:24). He shall arise and subdue three of these kingdoms. At the appearance of this prince it would seem that many of the Jews are already gathered in unbelief to their own land, their temple rebuilt and the sacrifices resumed, and they will make a covenant with him, in order, probably, to save themselves from “the overflowing scourge” — some great power from the North (Isa. 28:1515Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: (Isaiah 28:15)). Nothing corresponding to this covenant of verse 27 has taken place since the events of verse 26.
But the alliance thus formed with this blasphemous prince will be broken by him in the midst of the week; he will force idolatry upon them, and even erect an idol in the holy place within the temple — the abomination of desolation (Matt. 24:15,15When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) (Matthew 24:15) see also Rev. 13:55And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. (Revelation 13:5)). There are several Scriptures which evidently refer to this point of history: “In the midst of the week (i.e., in the middle of the seven years) he shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease,” etc. (Dan. 9:2727And 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 9:27)). “He shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High (the true remnant of Israel), and think to change times and laws; and they shall be given into his hand until a time, and times, and the dividing of time” — three years and a half (Dan. 7:2525And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. (Daniel 7:25)). Then under the figure of the “beast” (power) “there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months” — three years and a half (Rev. 13:5-75And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. 6And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 7And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. (Revelation 13:5‑7).) “And the holy city shall be trodden underfoot forty and two months” (Rev. 11:22But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. (Revelation 11:2)).
It will probably be, during this period that the Jews will go through the “great tribulation” (Matt. 24:3-253And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 4And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8All these are the beginning of sorrows. 9Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. 10And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 14And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. 15When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains: 17Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 21For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. 23Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25Behold, I have told you before. (Matthew 24:3‑25)), the time of Jacob’s sorrow, the result of her rejection of her Messiah. But through all this period the true remnant of Israel shall be preserved of God “for a time, and times, and half a time” (Rev. 12:1414And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. (Revelation 12:14)). Finally those days of sorrow will be shortened for the elect’s sake (Matt. 24:2222And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. (Matthew 24:22)). The Lord will answer the cries of His people by coming to Mount Olivet (Zech. 14:1414And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and apparel, in great abundance. (Zechariah 14:14)) to the exact spot from whence He left the earth (Acts 1:11, 1211Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. 12Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey. (Acts 1:11‑12)). And the seventy weeks will close in “everlasting righteousness” brought in by Him, who, in His cutting off as Messiah, made “reconciliation for iniquity” (Dan. 9:2424Seventy 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. (Daniel 9:24)).
R.H. This is not identical with “the times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:2424And 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. (Luke 21:24)) to which you also refer. This latter is the whole period during which Jerusalem is subject to Gentile rule: it began with the Babylonian captivity of Judah under Nebuchadnezzar, and will extend until the time when at the close of Daniel’s seventieth week the Gentile world power is smitten and destroyed by the “stone cut out without hands” (Dan. 2:34-35, 4434Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. 35Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. (Daniel 2:34‑35)
44And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. (Daniel 2:44)), that is, at the coming of the Lord as predicted in Revelation 19:1111And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. (Revelation 19:11).
As to “the fullness of the Gentiles,” however, we may point out that God’s dealings with Israel as His specially favored and chosen people on earth, were suspended as a result of their rejection of Christ as their Messiah; they were blind and saw not in the One who came “meek and sitting on an ass” their all-glorious King; they were deaf and would not listen to His word of emancipation and life. So they stumbled, and He became a rock of offense to them. But by their fall, salvation has gone out to the Gentiles (verse II), and the harvest of this gospel amongst the Gentiles will be the Church, the Bride of Christ. This is the fullness of the Gentiles.
But when the fullness of the Gentiles is gathered in — that is, when the Church has been caught up to her appointed place in heaven above — God will resume (from the beginning of Daniel’s seventieth week) His dealings with Israel, beloved for the fathers’ sakes, “and so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written. There shall come out of Zion a Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob” (ver. 26).
So that Israel’s rejection of Christ did but further God’s gracious and eternal purpose of gathering out of the nations a people for Himself, nor will the promises made to Abraham and David fail of fulfillment. Thus God makes the very wrath of men to praise Him, and well may we exclaim with the apostle, as we view it all: “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been His counselor? or who hath first given to Him and it shall be recompensed unto Him again? For of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen” (verses 33-36).
Idolatry
Yet as you point out the worship of the calf “Thy gods, O Israel” is not made prominent in 1 Corinthians 10:7,7Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. (1 Corinthians 10:7) but the fact that “the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” The fear of Moses, which doubtless had had a restraining effect upon their evil tendencies was removed, and they gave rein to their passions, and made themselves merry in his absence.
There is certainly in this a warning for us, and to this end it is quoted in Corinthians. The Lord is absent from this earth, it is our privilege and responsibility to remain true to Him and to watch for His return, and in this way all Israel ought to have acted as regards Moses. But we need to seek grace from God, that we may be kept in true heart separation from the world, lest we fall into this snare, and we be found like the one in Matthew 24:48-49,48But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; 49And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; (Matthew 24:48‑49) “But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to smite his fellow-servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken.” This is idolatry. It is those who have professed loyalty to a rejected and absent Lord, turning again to the world that rejoices at His absence (John 16:2020Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. (John 16:20)) and making themselves merry with it.
Covetousness is also spoken of as idolatry (Col. 3:55Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: (Colossians 3:5)). Whether it be the using of things possessed in self-gratification, or the lust for things not possessed, the heart is in bondage to something other than God, and it is idolatry.
In Other Lands
As to the “Scripture Truth” Free Distribution Fund (for free supply of copies of “Scripture Truth” to missionaries and Christian workers in other lands), we have to announce that our brother in Christ, Mr. Thos. Bell, of “Summerleigh,” Monkseaton, Northumberland, has kindly undertaken to conduct this fund jointly with Mr. D. R. Huntley, whose address was published last month. Contributions may be sent to either of them, and will be acknowledged by them jointly.