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THE PROPHECY

The prophet Daniel was among the first of his people (The Southern Kingdom) to be deported to Babylon. Daniel loved the Lord and served Him since the days of his youth and was understandably very concerned about his people. Knowing that their time in captivity was almost up, in prayer he poured out concerns. Because he was so loved, Daniel’s prayer for Israel was answered immediately, as found in Daniel 9:24-27:

 

“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.”

 

This answer includes a prophecy concerning the future of Israel and Jerusalem, specifically addressing the following six (6) spiritual issues mentioned in verse 24:

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  1. Finish the transgression – end the violation of the laws of God

  2. Make an end of sins – put an end to mankind’s sinful ways

  3. Reconciliation for iniquity – restoration of man to God

  4. Bring in everlasting righteousness – usher in the kingdom of Jesus Christ

  5. Seal up the vision and prophecy – fulfillment of all kingdom prophecy

  6. Anoint the Most Holy – Anointment of Jesus Christ as King over all the earth

 

The fulfillment of these spiritual issues is satisfied within three specific and prophetic timeline periods:

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  1. The first 7 weeks address the rebuilding of Jerusalem which was demolished following the Babylonian conquest.

  2. The next 62 weeks address timing of the coming and death of Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

  3. The last week addresses the final resolution of his people. This period is more commonly known as “The Tribulation Period” because its focuses on God’s judgment on mankind’s rebellion in general. It is also known as “The Time of Jacob’s Trouble” because it also has a specific focus on God’s dealings with Israel.

 

Two points need to be made clear about the 70 Weeks:

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  1. While the time periods are given in terms of weeks, they are in reality weeks of years, or sabbatical years of 7. Therefore, the first 7-week period is 49 years, the 2nd phase of 62 weeks is 434 years, and the last phase of 1 week is 7 years. This is a total of 490 years. And,

  2. There is an extended gap between the death of the Messiah and the final week of 7 years. This gap is for the establishment and growth of the Church … the “ecclesia”, meaning “called out assembly”. This is the Church of Jesus Christ, as he called it in Matthew 16:18. All those who accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, Jews and Gentiles, will comprise the Church.

 

While the nation of Israel would return to rebuild the Temple and Jerusalem under the leadership of people like Zerubbabel, Ezra and Nehemiah, they began to fall back into the old ways which caused them to be deported in the first place (Nehemiah 13).

 

The question became, what did God do in response to this?

 

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Next: THE MESSIAH

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