Prophecy of Daniel's Seventy Weeks

The Old Testament prophet Daniel was a young man - probably of royal descent - when he was taken into captivity by the Babylonian army of King Nebuchadnezzar. A younger contemporary of prophet Jeremiah, Daniel read and understood the writings of Jeremaih that the Jews of the southern state of Judah would be exiled in Babylon for seventy years as God had revealed to Jeremiah.



God, however, had given Daniel a prophecy of a different kind - one of 'seventy weeks of years' and the fulfillment thereof right up to the time of tribulation (Daniel 9:24-27). Bible scholars and theologians are generally agreed on the 'one day equals one year' principle (Numbers 14:34, Ezekiel 4:6). Base on this principle, Daniel's seventy weeks is actually referring to a time period totalling 490 years, divided into three epochs of 7, 62 and 1 week (total 70) known as the 'Jewish Age' - as they revolve around God's dealing with the Israelites.

The prophetic clock starts from 444 BC when King Artaxerxes 1 issued a decree allowing Nehemiah (his cupbearer) to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem (Daniel 9:25). The first epoch ends 49 Hebrew years (7 weeks) later when the Old Testament canon was sealed in 396 BC with the last book of Malachi. The second epoch of 62 weeks is 434 (62 x 7) Hebrew years. The total of these two epochs is 483 (49 + 434) Hebrew years which is 476 solar years (360/365.25) from 444 BC to 32 AD when the Messiah Jesus Christ was crucified.

The third epoch of 1 week is the seven-year tribulation which has yet to be fulfilled. This seven year tribulation is the time of Jacob's trouble when God will judge the unbeliving world and the remnant nation of Israel. All born again believers would have been raptured earlier at the beginning of the tribulation to face the Lord at the Judgment Seat of Christ. The tribulation will be a time of great sufferings and catastrophe as judgments came upon the earth in unprecedented measure.

Daniel 9:24 was largely fulfilled with the birth and crucifixion of Jesus Christ on the cross. He came to earth to 'finish the transgrsssion', 'make an end of sins' and 'make reconciliation for iniquity' with His atoning Blood. In 396 BC with the closing of the Old Testament, the vision and prophecy was sealed up. The church age is the beginning of the time of righteousness which will consummate in the One Thousand Year reign of Christ during the Millennial Age.

Interestingly, bible scholars have discovered that the Ark of the Covenant - the holy place where the glory of God dwells in the Old Testament days - was hidden inside a cave right under the cross where Jesus was crucified. His Blood flowed through the fissures on the ground right into the Holy of Holies where the mercy seat was, hence 'anointing the Most Holy' (Daniel 9:24).

Consistent with 2 Thessalonians 2: 2-4, Daniel 9:27 refers to the Antichrist making peace treaty with Israel at the start of the seven year tribulation but only to break it in the middle of the tribulation. There could probably be some desecration of the holy temple worship by the Antichrist which is sacrilegious to the Jews.


Adrian Fah is the author of The Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven

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