Daniel 9:24-27 Seventy Weeks
We have arrived at the seventy weeks prophecy in Daniel. I’m not even going to pretend I know what it all means. But God does.
All my life, growing up, I was told that this portion of Daniel speaks of the Great Tribulation and the periods leading up to it. Asking my bible helps what it means didn’t net me any answers either. They offer three possibilities and let you decide what you think it might be. None of these possibilities line up with what I was always taught.
What I was always taught was that the 70 weeks were years and they were to coincide with the years that Israel had become a nation again. The last week was to be the seven years of the Great Tribulation. In that timeline, 76 years have already passed. My bible helps also speaks of the 70 seventies; meaning 70 X 7=490. Is this the right timetable? If so there are 414 years left for Israel. With the state of the world today, I don’t see God waiting THAT long!
Some of the interpretations my bible helps offer have this entire timeline already having occurred. One claims it started with the destruction of the first Temple by the Babylonians and ends with Judas Maccabeus and the death of Antiochus IV Epiphanes. This would make the “seventy weeks” be figurative as it was only 422 or 441 years between the two, depending on where you start counting. This accounting though does NOT put an end to sin or atone for iniquity, or bring in everlasting righteousness.
Another of their possibilities says that this is a figurative number and the 70 X 7 represents “God’s perfect appointment of time.” One ‘fork’ of this view says that with the “ultimate completeness” “no further specificity is implied.” Another ‘fork’ says that the prophecy refers to “three broad periods, with the first period of seven sevens extending from Cyrus’ decree allowing the Jews to return and build the temple to about the time of Ezra and Nehemiah in the first century. Then the 62 weeks extends from about 400 B.C. to the advent of Christ. The last ‘seven’ goes from the first advent of Christ to sometime after his death, but before the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. It is rightly argued that God’s specifying certain periods isn’t random. Why wouldn’t Gabriel simply say “for a while” instead of putting a specific number on it?
The last theory presented says “sees the ‘seventy sevens’ as a literal period of 490 years, culminating around the time of Christ. But what starting date is used for this?” Three different start dates are postulated with them ending at, or near, Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection.
Apparently I’m not the only one who has trouble figuring all this out. All I can say is that GOD knows when EACH of these periods are and how long they will actually take. He has it ALL under control! And, since He has it under control, I don’t need to worry and stress about it.
I have a funny feeling that the rest of Daniel will go a lot like this section. Me lost and looking for something to grab onto. But we ARE going to walk through it anyway. Keep your seat belts fastened, your chair in the upright position and your tray tables secured. It may be a bumpy ride!!!
Father God, ALL I HAVE TO SAY is THANK YOU that YOU know what You are doing! I’m lost in all this but I’m NOT lost and alone. I’m SAFE in Your hands and YOU will carry me through whatever lies ahead. That is enough for me.
