The Prophecy - Daniel 9:24-27 - Daniel's 70 Weeks |
Old Testament Prophecy |
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. 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 weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. 26) Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. 27) And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate. |
But that invasion, (Rome destroying Jerusalem and the Temple) awesome as it was, did not end the nation's sufferings, for war, Gabriel said, would continue until the end. Even though Israel was to be set aside, she would continue to suffer until the prophecies of the 70 “sevens” were completely fulfilled. Her sufferings span the entire period from the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. to Jerusalem's deliverance from Gentile dominion at the Second Advent of Christ.(1)
Short term fulfillment of this prophecy came to an end in 70 A.D. When Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed. There is a longer term fulfillment which will come to end at the end of Daniel's 70th Week.
Israel will not be at peace until they recognize their Prince Of Peace - The Messiah. The best they can hope for is a temporary absence of war. Prophetically, Israel's time of war is going to increase. The Time Of Jacob's Trouble and The Tribulation Period are soon to come and Israel must go through these events which occur in Daniel's 70th week in order for this prophecy to be brought to an end.
Till after the final war waged by the Messianic King and the war of Gog and Magog, desolation is decreed for the city. (Rashi)(2)
For an understanding of Israel's prophetic fulfilment to this verse one needs to look no farther than Israel at War And Conflict.
Here are some links that have been created to help move around inside of the Daniel 9:24-27 prophecy.
Other links of interest include:
1).Walvoord, John F. ; Zuck, Roy B. ; Dallas Theological Seminary: The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL : Victor Books, 1983-c1985, S. 1:1364
2). ArtScroll Tanach Series on Daniel p.264.
