The Seventy-Weeks Prophecy

Daniel 9 contains an interesting prophecy about seventy—weeks—or 490 days. The Bible teaches that in prophecy, a day represents a year (see Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:6). So what does this 490—year prophecy mean? We find the answer by seeing the connection between Daniel 8 and 9. Daniel was unable to hear the full message of Daniel 8 and became sick (8:27). But in Daniel 9:20—23, the angel Gabriel returns to give him more understanding of a part of the great 2,300—day (year) prophecy, particularly the part that relates to "your people" (v. 24), the Jewish nation.

Daniel 9:24 tells us, "Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for you holy city to finish transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy."

The word "determined" means "cut off." The 70 weeks (or 490 years) are a piece of the larger 2,300—day prophecy. We can know the beginning of these two prophecies from Daniel 9:25: "Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty—two weeks." This command was given by Artaxerxes Longimanus and went into effect in the fall of 457 B.C.

What does "seven weeks and sixty—two weeks" (or 69 weeks, which represents 483 years) represent? If we add 483 years to 457 B.C., we are taken to the date of Jesus' baptism in the fall of A.D. 27, when Christ was "anointed" (which is the meaning of the word "messiah") by the Holy Spirit. When Jesus began His ministry, the Bible actually says, "The time is fulfilled" (Mark 1:15), showing the fulfillment of this time period.

Daniel 9:26 says, "And after the sixty—two weeks Messiah shall be cut off," which is a clear fulfillment of the crucifixion of Jesus on Calvary for the sins of the whole world; this took place in A.D. 31. In fact, verse 27 specifically says, "But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering," which perfectly fits the time frame of Jesus' ministry. We know that even the temple curtain separating the Holy and Most Holy Place was torn in half, signifying this ending of the sacrificial system.

This last "week" (7 years) ended in A.D. 34 when several important events took place. In that year the Jewish council rejected the gospel by stoning Stephen, thus sealing their rejection of Christ. At this time the disciples were scattered and began preaching the gospel to the Gentiles. Saul, who became Paul, started his work shortly after this event.

And so the 70 weeks (or 490 years) of Daniel 9 were decreed for the Jews and Jerusalem. It was a time period "cut off" (or a piece of) the greater 2,300—day (year) prophecy of Daniel 8 and actually gives us the key to both understand the beginning (457 B.C.) of the longest prophecy in Scripture—and also the end. When we remove 70 weeks (490 years) from 2,300 days (years) we are left with 1,810 years. By adding this number to A.D. 34, we are brought to the year A.D. 1844. (See the article on the 2,300—day prophecy for more information.)