Chapter 2: The 70 Weeks - Part 3

At the end of the final Great Jubilee Cycle for Israel (458 BC-AD 33), God indeed provided the Great Atoning Sacrifice of the Messiah, releasing God’s favour and forgiveness upon His people, and He was also ready to fulfil the 70 Weeks Prophecy and establish the Kingdom that year, but something happened to delay this.

The Prophecy itself anticipates this in v26, indicating that the Messianic Kingdom could not be established then, because of Israel’s rejection of the Messiah and His Kingdom that He offered her. As a result of this, Israel came under Divine Judgement. Now, God was not taken by surprise by this development, for He even prophesied in v26 that the Kingdom would not be established at the end of 490 years (as v24 seemed to indicate). And yet v24 still stands! God is still declaring that He will establish the Kingdom at the end of
the 70th Week! So, how could God still fulfil the Prophecy of the 70 Weeks and establish the Kingdom at the end of the 70th Week, even after Israel had rejected the Kingdom, causing its Postponement?

*How will God fulfil the Prophecy of 490 years, as He must?

The answer is amazing and provides a major key to understanding End-Time Prophecy, especially to understanding the End of the Age Tribulation of 7 years, which will run after the Church-Age. Praise God Who: "changes the times and the seasons" (Daniel 2:20-22). God did something special with the last 7 years on Israel's Timetable, about which, so far, the Prophecy has been silent:

Because Israel (as a nation) rejected their King and Kingdom, He officially cut them off (Luke 13:4-8, Acts 7), stopped their Clock and cancelled their last 7 years (AD 26-33, the 70th Week, the Time of Messiah’s Presentation). This is why the 7 years, AD 26-33 are blotted out of verse 26. He will give them a second chance to receive Him and and His Kingdom by letting these 7 years (of Daniel’s 70th Week) run again for Israel at the End of the Age, after which Christ will return to establish His Kingdom, having been received by a believing Israel. The difference is that these are 7 years of Tribulation under the antichrist, rather than 7 years of Grace under the Christ.

In the first 7 years, Christ presented Himself to Israel as King, but in the last 7 years, the antichrist will present himself as king. Both 7-year periods divide into two halves, where things that begin in the first half (of 3.5 years) come to their full climax in the 2nd half.

Click here for "Prophecy Plan" chart

Thus v24 will still be literally fulfilled, because the Kingdom will be established after 490 years on Israel’s Clock. However, before the final 7 years on Israel’s Clock run, the 2,000 years or so of the Church-Age are inserted which postpone the Coming of the Kingdom. So there is a GAP between the two sets of 7 years that is filled by the Church-Age (which is not mentioned directly, since it is a Mystery).

The precedent and type for this is the dreams of Pharaoh in the time of JOSEPH (see Genesis 41), where the 7 lean cows eat the 7 fat ones and the 7 thin, blighted heads of grain eat up the 7 good heads. This referred to 7 prosperous years being EATEN UP by 7 years of famine and affliction which came after.

Likewise, the 7 blessed years of John and Christ were 'eaten up' (blotted out) on Israel's Calendar and replaced by 7 years of Tribulation, by the end of which the Kingdom must be established. Joseph is a Type of Christ, and his brothers represent Israel. They rejected Joseph as their leader and 'killed' him. They did not come to him in the first 7 years, but in the years of Tribulation (‘the Time of Jacob's Trouble' - Jeremiah 30:7); they realised their troubles were due to their sin against Joseph and were repentant. After testing them, Joseph revealed himself to them in the 7 years of Trouble (Tribulation) and they were reconciled. Likewise, Jesus will reveal Himself to His brethren (Israel), and they will be reconciled and receive Him as their King! When they call on Him as Messiah, He will return to save them.

v26,27 describe two consequences of Israel’s rejection of her Prince:

*(1) The First Judgement that came soon after is in Daniel 9:26:
"the people of the prince who is to come (the Romans) shall destroy the City (Jerusalem) and the Sanctuary (the Temple). The end of it shall be with a flood (an overwhelming invasion) and until the end of the war, desolations are determined.”

This took place over a 7-year period from Spring AD 66 - Spring AD 73, the Jewish War against the Romans, which resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple and great desolation to Israel, causing her to be scattered to the nations. In AD 73, at the end of this Jewish War against Rome, the last Jewish resistance was destroyed at the mountain-fortress of Masada. They consisted of about 1,000 people, who took a last stand. The Romans built a massive ramp up the side of the mountain, on which their siege towers could attack the walls on top of Masada. Once defeat was inevitable, the Jews committed mass suicide rather than lose their freedom and become slaves. Masada fell at Passover AD 73, exactly 40 years after the Passover of AD 33, when the Messiah, Jesus was crucified! This was no coincidence. Since Israel, at that time, had rejected Jesus as their Messiah, Jesus Himself warned them that as a result of this, the Romans would bring great destruction on Jerusalem and the nation, and they would be scattered to the nations until the end of the Age.

Jesus warned of this coming Roman Invasion in Luke 21:20-24: “When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. For these are the Days of Vengeance (Judgement), that all things which are written (for example, in Daniel 9:26) may be fulfilled. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be Great Distress in the Land and Wrath upon this people. And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”

Jesus also warned Israel of this coming Roman Judgement in Luke 23:26-31: “As they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the Cross that he might bear it after Jesus. And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him. But Jesus, turning to them, said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, `Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!' Then they will begin to say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us! For if they do these things in the green wood (in a time of Grace), what will be done in the dry (in a time of Judgement)?"

Daniel 9:26: "the people of the prince who is to come (the Romans) shall destroy the City (Jerusalem) and the Sanctuary (the Temple). The end of it shall be with a flood, and until the end of the war, desolations are determined.” The first part, up to: “...its end will come with a Flood” refers back to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. A Flood is often used of an overwhelming invading and destroying army. The final phrase (as translated above) could also refer to the Jewish War of AD 66-73. However, it could also be translated: “even to the end (of the age) there will be war; desolations are determined”, in which case it is being fulfilled throughout the entire period of the Church-Age (almost 2,000 years thus far). For example, the NIV translates it: “The people of the ruler who will come (the Romans) will destroy the City and the Sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed.”

This language parallels that of Luke 21:24: “they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until...” Thus the final words of v26 sum up the history of Israel since AD 70: “desolations are determined.” Thus Daniel predicts that that terrible invasion of AD 70 would not end the nation’s sufferings, for they would continue until the end, until the prophecies of the 70 Weeks are completely fulfilled by Messiah’s Return to save Israel.

*(2) The Second Judgement is described in Daniel 9:27 (NIV):
"Then, he (‘the prince to come’, see v26) shall confirm a covenant with the many for ONE WEEK (7 years). But in the middle of the Week (after 3.5 years) he will bring an end to Sacrifice and Offering. And one who causes Desolation (the antichrist) will place Abominations on a Wing of the Temple, (continuing) until the end (of the 70th Week), the time God has set, to pour out Judgement on this evil desolator (at the 2nd Coming).”

This describes the coming of a future prince: ‘the prince to come’ of v26, who will arise out of a (Revived) Roman Empire, for v26 says his people are the ones who destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple (the Romans). Thus this prince is a future (end-time) Roman leader.

His destructive activities against Jerusalem and the Temple also take place over a 7-year period (Daniel’s 70th Week, the Tribulation).
They are described in v27 and they identify him as the antichrist. This shows the antichrist will be the head of a Revived Roman Empire. There is a contrast between 2 princes (who both aspire to be world-rulers). There is the Jewish ‘Messiah the Prince’ (the Christ) and the Roman ‘prince to come’ (the antichrist). Since Israel rejected her true Messiah-Prince after 7-years of grace, she must endure life under the false Messiah-Prince during the 7-year Tribulation. Thus the cause (origin) of the Tribulation is Israel’s rejection of her Messiah, and the consequent re-running of Daniel’s 70th Week.

So after v26 describes the 7 years of AD 66-73, the Prophecy jumps forward to these final 7 years for Israel at the End of the Age (in v27). Although they are separated by many hundreds of years, both sets of 7 years are connected. They are both times of Judgement and Trouble for Israel, resulting from her rejection of the Messiah.

They are also connected by the fact that in both cases the instrument of this trouble is Rome. It is this that provides the grammatical link between v26 and v27. Whereas v26 refers to: ‘the people of the prince to come’ (the Romans), v27 focuses in on this coming prince himself (‘he’), implying that all Roman power will ultimately be centred upon himself. By defining the Romans of the first century in terms of the final Roman Leader, the main emphasis is put upon him. Thus, v26b and v27 describe the initial and final outworking of the consequences of Israel’s response to the Messiah in His First Coming (see v25,26a), with the initial (1st century) fulfilment being a forerunner of the final climactic end-time fulfilment through the Roman antichrist dictator.

Thus there are two 7-year Judgements upon Israel for her 7-year Rejection of Christ (AD 26-33). The first (v26) was fulfilled in AD 66-73, exactly 40 years later. This was a forerunner of the 2nd (v27) - the future Tribulation. They have interesting parallels: Both increase in severity with time. Both see a Roman invasion of Jerusalem half-way through the 7-years followed by a Desecration or

Destruction of the Temple. In both, the 2nd-half is a time of Great Tribulation, but because of Jesus’ warnings to flee when they see the relevant Sign, based in each case on something the Roman invaders do (Luke 21:20-24 in the first case, and Matthew 24:15-22 in the second case), the believers escape to safety before the time of Great Tribulation begins.

In the Olivet Discourse (recorded in Mark 13, Matthew 24, Luke 21), Jesus basically expounds and expands upon this Prophecy of Daniel. In so doing, He predicts the invasion of Jerusalem in AD 70 (Luke 21:20-24, c.f. Daniel 9:26), and the future parallel invasion in the Tribulation (Matthew 24:15-22, c.f. Daniel 9:27). In so doing, He brings out this other similarity: that in both cases a way of escape will be made for believers just before the main destruction hits. Because of these similarities many think these are identical events, but there are also significant differences between the two accounts.

The invasion in Luke results in desolation and captivity in the nations for a long period of time (v24). Thus Jesus predicts that there will be an invasion well before the End of the Age in line with Daniel 9:26. On the other hand, the invasion in Matthew results in the desecration (rather than the total destruction) of the Temple and it happens just before Christ’s Return (v22-31). Thus, Jesus also predicted a 2nd Invasion very near the end, in line with Daniel 9:27.

Click here for "70 Weeks" chart

*Let us now turn our attention more closely to Daniel 9:27:
After introducing the Roman prince (antichrist) in v26 as an important figure yet to come, v27 tells us more about him:

Daniel 9:27a: "Then (after some period of time), he (this must be the last person mentioned, namely: 'the prince who is to come', the antichrist) shall confirm a covenant (peace-treaty) with the many (the majority in Israel) for ONE WEEK (7 years!)." The final (70th) Week of 7 years has not been directly mentioned until now.

*Who is the man (‘the prince to come’) of v27? The first question that arises in v27 is to whom does the indefinite pronoun ‘he’ refer to? It must refer to ‘the prince who is to come’ in v26.

Verse 26 had said: “the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the City (Jerusalem) and the Sanctuary (Temple).” Now it is the people of ‘the prince to come’ who destroy Jerusalem. We can now identify these people from history as the Romans under Titus, who destroyed Jerusalem. Therefore the future prince who is to come (in v27), must be the head of a future Revived Roman Empire. He is the coming antichrist, the final head of the End-Time Roman Empire, already mentioned previously in Daniel 7 and 8 (which is why he is referenced as: ‘the prince who is to come’, as if we already know something about him).

Thus the leading actor of this verse 27 is the antichrist, the great evil man of the End Time. To make it refer to Jesus, who: ‘will make a firm covenant with the many,’ rather than antichrist, violates the rules of Hebrew grammar. In the Hebrew, there is no pronoun; only the 3rd masculine singular form of the verb, indicating that an antecedent must be sought in the preceding context. This ‘he’ must

refer to the last noun agreeing with “he” in gender, number and sense, namely: “the prince to come” of v26. This is ‘the coming prince’ of v26, described this way since the reader would already know him as a prince to come, being the ‘little horn’ on the 4th beast of Daniel 7. Moreover the way this prince is introduced in v26 calls for just such a further reference as in v27. There is no reason for his mention unless there is more to be said about him, for he plays no part in the activities of v26.

Moreover, the description and timing of his activities do not fit Christ. He “makes a firm covenant with the many for one Week,” that is 7 years. Some attempt to make this a reference to Christ’s covenant to save His people. But there was no 7-year covenant made by Christ with Israel at the time of His first Coming, rather it is an eternal covenant. There is no hint in the Gospels of a covenant that Christ made with the majority of the Jewish people for 7 years! Also the word for covenant does not carry the article (contrary to KJV), it is ‘a covenant’ probably assuring Israel
protection against her enemies. The Daniel 9:27 covenant is to be made with “the many.” This term always refers in some way to Israel in Daniel (11:33, 39; 12:3). Thus it is a narrow term, used in a specific context, not the language of global salvation. Since such a covenant as described in v27 has not yet taken place in relation to Israel, it must be a yet future event.

Moreover, v27 says that in the middle of the 7-year period: “he will put a stop to Sacrifice and Offering”, but Christ did not cause Temple Sacrifices to cease when He died, for the Temple-Services carried on for about another 40 years. This is the language of something that is to actually take place, not of something that someone is proposing to do later. How is this just a proposal of what has been determined, when the passage clearly says that this will take place within the time-frame? Furthermore, the covenant (in v27) comes after the cutting off of Messiah and the destruction of the Jerusalem in v26.

This is conclusively confirmed by the way Jesus Himself, just days before the Cross, interprets the events of v27 as happening well into the future, in fact, just before His 2nd Coming (see Matthew 24:15-22). Moreover, He clearly applies the main action of v27 to the antichrist, not to Himself!

v27 says the Abomination of Desolation would be set up in the middle of the Week. This was NOT set up by Christ. In Matthew 24:15, we have His interpretation of Daniel 9:27, in which this event is clearly future to the time of Christ. Moreover, nothing like it corresponds to anything within 7 years of His prediction. Therefore, we have to see this as a yet future event.

Matthew 24:15,16: “Therefore when you see the Abomination of Desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the Prophet (in 9:27) standing in the Holy Place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains...v21: “For then there will be Great Tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.” Here we have a clear reference to the antichrist who will desecrate the Temple. This did not happen near the time of Christ’s First Coming, nor in AD 70.

Moreover, placing the complete fulfilment of the 70th Week at AD 70 or before severs the obvious connection between Daniel 9, Matthew 24 and Revelation. (Compare “in the middle of the Week” (Daniel 9:27), 42 months and 1,260 days (Revelation 11:2, 12:6, 13:5), and Time, Times, and half a Time (Daniel 12:7, 7:25; Revelation 12:14).

In the Middle of the Week. The final Week of 7 years is detailed in v27:
“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.”

This verse tells us what will happen during the final Week, which I believe to be a yet future 7 year period often called the Tribulation.

Since the Week is a 7-year period, its middle is 3.5 years into the 7 years. Interestingly, Daniel 7:25 and 12:7 both refer to a 3.5 year period (‘Time, Times and half a Time’). The context of both passages speak of the future time of the antichrist or beast. This supports the futurist understanding of the 70th Week of Daniel 9:27.

Daniel 7:25: “he will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a Time, Times, and half a Time.” The chronology of Daniel 7:25 fits perfectly with the 70 Weeks of Daniel 9. Daniel 9:27 clearly refers to the same time periods that were previously described in the end-time activities of the antichrist (“little horn”) of Daniel 7. The clarification provided in Daniel 9, is that the 3.5 year period begins with the antichrist: “causing a covenant [with the many] to be made strong” (literal translation). Then, “in the middle” of this final 7-year period: “he will put a stop to sacrifice (literally: blood sacrifices), and grain offering [non-bloody sacrifices].”

Daniel 12:7: “I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a Time, Times, and
half a Time; and as soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed.”

Both Daniel 9:27 and 12:7 speak of the antichrist’s rule coming to an end at the conclusion of the same 3.5 year period. This supports the notion that they both refer to a yet future time that we often call the Great Tribulation. Thus ‘the prince to come’ (in Daniel 9:27) refers to the future antichrist, not to the Christ (Messiah).

A Complete Destruction. The last part of v27 says: “even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.” No such thing happened in connection with Christ’s First Coming. This is a yet future event when the antichrist will be totally destroyed at the 2nd Coming of Christ, which will bring to an end the 70th Week of years. An AD 70 fulfilment does not fit into anyone’s scheme of the 70 Weeks, for the Romans were not destroyed soon after (the fall of the Empire itself was still several hundred years away). Moreover, no known Roman leader ever “made a covenant” with the Jewish leaders for 7 years, and so this awaits future fulfilment when the 70th Week starts.

Thus this ‘coming prince’, whose activities are described in v27, cannot be the Messiah, who was already cut off in v26. This prince must come after Christ. It must either refer to Titus, the Roman prince who destroyed Jerusalem in AD 70, or to the future antichrist. But the history of Titus does not agree with v27. Moreover, v26 emphasises ‘the people’, rather than ‘the prince’ destroying Jerusalem. He is not described as ‘the prince coming with the people’, but instead a detached and distant description, as one who is coming, suggesting that the people and the prince will not
arrive in history together. The Prophecy is stated this way, to link the Roman destruction of AD 66-73 by ‘the people’ (v26), with the Roman ‘prince’ (antichrist)
of the final Week of years (v27). v27 makes clear that this ‘prince’ (ruler) will be the future persecutor of Israel during the 70th Seven (Week).

*All of this establishes the futurist interpretation of v27.
That is, the 70th Week described in v27 is a future 7 year-period (also called the Tribulation) which Israel has yet to endure under antichrist. Taking v27 literally requires this 70th Week to be in the future. When we take this approach, we find it harmonises all the other verses that speak of the future Tribulation leading up to Christ’s 2nd Coming.

In Summary, v26 refers to ‘the people of the prince to come’ destroying Jerusalem, which was clearly fulfilled in AD 70 by the Romans. This phrase: ‘the people of the prince to come’ implies that as well as facing this initial Roman invasion, Israel will also, at a later stage, have to face a future Roman prince, of even greater importance and power. This is confirmed by v27, which starts by saying: “Then he....” By the rules of grammar, the pronoun ‘he’ must refer to the last person mentioned, namely the Roman ‘prince to come’ of v26. This shows he is head of a future Revived Roman Empire. It then describes the activities of the future Roman antichrist, which are consistent with the other prophecies of the antichrist (beast) in Daniel and elsewhere (especially in Matthew 24 and Revelation).

Thus the Prophecy jumps across time from the Roman Army in
v26 to their future coming prince in v27, who will be the final head and dictator of the (Revived) Roman Empire. This jump is confirmed by the fact that although v26 has already been clearly fulfilled literally, v27 can’t be said to have taken place yet, in any literal sense. Between v26 and v27, Daniel’s Prophecy jumps 2000 years or so.

It is a good example of a Prophetic Gap. The connecting link is
Rome and the Roman Prince, identified by the phrase: ‘the people of the prince to come.’ At the end of the first run of Daniel’s 70th Week, Israel rejected Christ as their ruler, saying that "Caesar is our King" and the Roman army destroyed Jerusalem soon after (v26).

Appropriately, the last 7 years open with Israel receiving the antichrist as her protector-ruler. v27 describes the judgement and destruction that will come on Israel through Rome for rejecting Christ and accepting the wrong ruler (the antichrist), but by the end of the 70th Week, Israel will be ready to accept Jesus, the true Christ (v24).

Daniel 9:27a: "Then, he ('the prince who is to come', or antichrist) shall confirm a covenant (peace-treaty) with the many (the majority in Israel) for ONE WEEK (the 70th Week of 7 years)."

Here we see Daniel’s 70th Week (the last 7-years before the Kingdom comes) clearly identified for us. It is marked by the activity of the antichrist. The starting point for these 7 years of Tribulation is a peace treaty he makes with Israel as part of his rise to world-power.

This agreement will bring Israel under the influence, authority and power of the antichrist for 7 years. In return, he will promise Israel protection, and allow them to worship in their rebuilt Temple. (It will seem he will have solved the Middle East problem). Thus, the final 70th Week, is marked by Israel being back in the Land, yet submitting to the antichrist and suffering terribly under his dominion.

Daniel 9:27b: "But in the middle of the Week (after 3.5 years, at Mid-Tribulation) he will bring an end to Sacrifice and Offering.”

At Mid-Tribulation, the antichrist breaks this covenant, invades

Jerusalem, kills the 2 Witnesses, and stops Israel’s Temple Worship,
in order to sit in the Temple and declare himself to be the only god to be worshipped, setting up an idolatrous Image of himself in the Temple (the ‘Abomination of Desolation’) and make his claim to be world dictator, backed by satan, and enforced by the Mark of the Beast, initiating the Great Tribulation which will last 3.5 years until it is ended by the Return of Christ (see also Daniel 7:23-27, 11:41-12:1; 2Thessalonians 2:3,4, Revelation 11:1-12, 12:6-17, 13:1-18, 17:7-17).

Daniel 9:27c: “And one (the antichrist) who causes Desolation will place Abominations on a Wing of the Temple...” Antichrist will utterly defile the Temple of God by putting an Image of himself on the Pinnacle and in the Holy Place of the rebuilt Jewish Temple and demand everyone worship him. This Idol Abomination (the
Image of the Beast) that he sets up in God’s Temple will bring down
Desolation (Desolating Judgements) from God in the Great Tribulation (the 7th Trumpet sounds immediately in response to the Abomination, releasing the Judgements of the Great Tribulation).

This is the ‘Abomination of Desolation’ that Jesus refers to in Matthew 24:15-22: “Therefore when you see the ‘Abomination of
Desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet (in Daniel 9:27), standing in the Holy Place” (whoever reads, let him understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains...For then

there will be Great Tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And
unless those days were shortened (by the Return of Christ, bringing antichrist’s reign of terror to an end), no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened (by the end of the 70th Week the elect nation of Israel will be at the point of extinction).”

The erection of this ‘Abomination’ will be a sign for the believers in Israel to escape at once to a place of safety in the mountainous wilderness of Jordan (Bozrah, possibly Petra). There, she (the Remnant of Israel) will be kept by God for the remaining 3.5 years (the Great Tribulation). This is the Woman of Revelation 12 fleeing into the wilderness for 3.5 years (1260 days). This escape will be necessary, because at this time, the antichrist (inspired and possessed by the devil) will be committed to totally destroy Israel, as
well as all believers, in order to foil God’s Promises and Purposes.

Daniel 9:27c: “And one (the antichrist) who causes Desolation will place Abominations on a Wing of the Temple (continuing) until the end (of the 70th Week) - the time God has set, to pour out
Judgement on this evil desolator (at the 2nd Coming of Christ).” (I am using the NIV translation here because it is by far the clearest).

Therefore the Antichrist and his Abomination bringing Desolations will continue for the remaining 3.5 years of the 70th

Week, and then both will be destroyed by the Christ on the last day of the 70 Weeks, when He returns to set up His Kingdom. Thus, this time of antichrist’s world-dictatorship is limited to 3.5 years, after
which he and his kingdom will be judged and destroyed. This can only be accomplished by the Return of the Messiah-King, Jesus at the end of the 7 years to deliver His People, and to establish His Kingdom, thus fulfilling the 490-year Prophecy (see also Daniel 2,7, and Revelation 19). Notice that both Antichrist and his Abomination are destroyed on the same day, the last day of the 70th Week, the Great and Terrible (Manifest) Day of the Lord’s glorious Return.

Postponement? Since there is still a future 70th Week to run at the End of the Age, it follows there must be a GAP of time in the outworking of the Prophecy of the 70 Weeks. The running of the final 70th Week must have been POSTPONED. God must have stopped Israel’s Clock, so that this 70th Week (of v27) has yet to run.

A gap is needed to make this Prophecy work out in history with the exact precision intended by God. No other approach works. The events of v26 (the Jewish War, destruction of Jerusalem and Temple in AD 70) cannot be made to belong to the Weeks in v25,26 or to the 70th Week of v27. They must belong to a time before this 70th Week.

Thus Daniel’s 70 Weeks require a chronological Postponement, so that the Prophecy jumps over a time-gap. This is not unusual, but

is just like many other Messianic Prophecies of Christ’s 2 Comings, which jump over the gap (of about 2000 years) between them as if it was not there. These Prophecies of the Coming Messiah combined their descriptions of both phases of Christ into a single passage, without distinguishing between them. They spoke of a single Messiah (Jesus) who would come twice, once to suffer, and then again in glory.
Therefore it is not unreasonable to expect in a Messianic passage the necessity of a time-gap, between the fulfilment of all the events prophesied. This supports our literal interpretation of Daniel 9:24-27.

Rerun? Although there is a future 70th Week, this does not mean that all 70 Weeks (490 years) have not already run. The unique thing about this Prophecy is that it is specifically designed to be an exact measuring time-frame for the Time of Messiah. If we allow gaps between the Sections (of 7 Weeks, 62 Weeks and 1 Week) then this would contradict the Unity of the 70 Weeks in v24 and undermine the value of the Prophecy as an exact time-measurement. An elastic yardstick is a worthless measure. Therefore the 70 Weeks
must be allowed to run from their starting point as a Unit. We shall show that when this is done, they were fulfilled to the very day in the Death and Resurrection of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ!

Therefore, the 70th Week has already run and it will also run again! What are we to make of this? There is only one possibility.

Due to the rejection of Christ, God could not establish His Kingdom at the end of the 70 Weeks, so He cancelled the 70 Weeks, rewound Israel’s Clock by 7 years, so that He can run them again at the End of the Church-Age, giving Israel a second chance to repent and receive the Messiah and His Kingdom. Thus the 70th Week will run again for Israel as the Tribulation, after which she will receive her Messiah. Israel has now been re-established as a nation since 1948, over 60 years ago, suggesting the 70th Week (‘Seven’) may begin very soon !

Daniel’s 70 Weeks is a major key to Bible Prophecy. It gives the Countdown to the Messiah and His Kingdom, predicting the exact timing of His First Coming, and (for those in the Tribulation) His 2nd Coming as well! The End-Time Prophecy of Jesus (the Olivet Discourse) depends and builds upon it. It is a Masterpiece, and the lynchpin connecting Old and New Testament Prophecy, preparing us for the new developments. It establishes the Postponement of the Kingdom (crucial to relating Old Testament Prophecy and the Church Age). It also proves that despite the delay, the Kingdom will be finally established and Israel will be fully restored.

It also provides the fundamental truth about the Tribulation, revealing its cause, origin and nature: that it is the Rerun 70th Week of Daniel, the final 7 years of this Age, made necessary by Israel’s rejection of Christ in AD 33, and designed to bring Israel to

repentance and faith in Christ, and thus prepare the way for the Messianic Kingdom to be established at the 2nd Coming of Christ. Thus Daniel’s 70 Weeks is the foundational Prophecy for the Tribulation, and Daniel 9:27 in particular is its foundational verse:

Daniel 9:27 (NIV): “Then he (the Roman prince to come, the antichrist) shall confirm a covenant with many (the majority of Israel) for one Week (7 Years, the rerun 70th Week of Daniel), but in the Middle of the Week (Mid-Tribulation) he shall bring an end to Sacrifice and Offering (in the rebuilt Temple). And on a wing of the Temple, he will set up an Abomination that causes Desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him (the antichrist is destroyed by Christ at His 2nd Coming, at the end of the 7 years)."

Therefore the key truth about the Tribulation is that it is the re-run of the cancelled 70th Week of Daniel, which is why it is exactly 7 years long. In fact, we will show from Daniel and Revelation that the Tribulation is exactly the same number of days as the 7 years of Messiah’s Presentation to Israel from the start of John the Baptist’s Ministry (Nisan 1st, AD 26) to the day of Christ’s Resurrection on April 3rd, AD 33. This is because it is an exact chronological rerun!
We will show how the ‘70 Weeks’ has been fulfilled to the very day, and how it will be fulfilled to the day in the Tribulation!