■ The Seventy Weeks Prophecy

This time, I would pick up "The Seventy Weeks Prophecy".

"The Seventy Weeks prophecy" appears in the Book of Daniel chapter 9 vs24-27. We will make a brief study on it.
What Daniel told in this prophecy was also told in Apostle John's Revelation as "seven years in Great Tribulation period", which I briefed at the last session.
Daniel prophesied in this prophecy what happened and will happen from the time of the Babylonian Captivity through the time of Second Coming of Jesus Christ with amazing preciseness.

The Bible's original word for "week" is "seven". But considering the context of the Book of Daniel it is reasonable to take it as seven years. Therefore, seventy weeks surely represents seventy times of seven years, that is 490 years. The time the prophecy covers started "from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem"(Daniel 9:25). "To restore and build Jerusalem" must have included building wall, so, this "command" is understood to point to the command of rebuilding Jerusalem told in the Book of Nehemiah 2: 1-8. Historical survey shows that it was March, BC 445.

Daniel prophesied in chapter 9 vs25-26 that "And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off---" Messiah of course means Jesus Christ.
Seven weeks and sixty two weeks mentioned in vs25 means 483 years. Considering that one year of Jewish calender was 360 days, 483th year from BC 445 when the command to rebuild Jerusalem was issued, is April AD 32. This is precisely the time when Jesus was crucified.

Daniel further prophesied and said in vs 26 "the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary." As a matter of fact, after the crucifixion of Jesus, the city of Jerusalem and the Sanctuary was destroyed by Roman army in AD 70. The prophecy was fulfilled.
Sixty nine weeks thus ended. But before the 70th weeks starts there came an era of church which still continues through nowadays.
Vs 27 tells about the last week, 70th week. And this is about the end times which corresponds to the seven years before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ mentioned in the Revelation by Apostle John.

Daniel says in vs 27 "he shall confirm a covenent with many for one weel." "he" is believed to imply anti-christ and this sentence means that before the last seven years starts anti-christ is alredy quite powerful and conclude Peace Treaty of the Middle East with the nations.

This prophecy shall be fulfilled in due time as Daniel's Seventy Weeks Prophecy was really fulfilled.

We must carefully watch the emerging Second Roman Empire, Anti-Christ Power from Europe as well as the development of Middle East Peace Treaty negotiations.

August 2008