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40 Daniel’s “Seventy Weeks”

CONTINUOUS, or CONSECUTIVE, weeks. And, understand this, if this measure of time be bro-
ken off at the end of the 69th week, then the great events with which the prophecy is concerned --
namely the “cutting off” of the Messiah (thus finishing the transgression, making an end of sin,
making reconciliation for iniquity, etc.) -- would be left OUTSIDE THE SEVENTY WEEKS
ALTOGETHER!! It is sufficient to say at this time that this viewpoint is totally destitute of support
in the Bible -- and contrary to the terms of the prophecy itself. It should be pointed out, however,
that the words “for one week” in Daniel 9:27 of the Authorized Version do not give the true sense of
the original -- there being no “for” in the text, nor anything to imply it. The true sense of the passage,
as revealed in the Septuagint, is that the “one week” (the last of the 70, of which 69 had previously
been accounted for) would witness the confirming of the New Covenant with many whereby the
sacrifices and oblations of the Old Covenant were caused to cease -- and the things predicted in
verse 24 were fulfilled. For more details read Matthew 26:28 (noting the words “covenant” and
“many”), and Hebrews 10:9.

As Daniel states in 9:27, it was “in the midst of the week” that the Messiah was crucified,
because his ministry lasted three and a half years according to the Book of John. The last verse is en-
tirely appropriate -- in fact, necessary -- to complete the prophecy of the Messiah. To assign that
verse to some future Antichrist is to insert into the prophecy an element that is utterly foreign to it --
and which destroys its unity! It also destroys the effect of the marvelous fulfillment -- through the
death and resurrection of Yeshua the Messiah -- of this amazing prophecy.

“The Time” Fulfilled

The first proclamation of the Messiah, recorded in Mark 1:14-15, had reference to this
amazing “time” -- the 70th week of the prophecy. There can be little doubt about it because it was
right at the beginning of that 70th week that the Messiah “came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of
the Kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent
ye and believe the gospel.” Clearly, the 70th week had now come, for the 69th week had only
brought us “unto the Messiah.” That week is the only “time” whose measure had been given in the
unfulfilled prophetic scriptures. It was THE TIME OF ALL TIMES -- the time of Immanuel --
when Yeshua fulfilled his role as the Messiah, preaching, healing, blessing and dying for the sins of
the people, to rise from the dead and enter into his ministry as High Priest in heaven. It is the “time”
when the holy spirit came down to abide with men, and the gospel of the Kingdom of YEHOVAH
God went out to first Israel and then the world.

The Messiah was born in 5 B.C., therefore the Messiah’s 30th year, corresponding to the
15th year of Tiberius Caesar, would be 26 A.D. -- and his death, resurrection and ascension -- and
the coming of the holy spirit -- was in 30 A.D. When dying on the tree, the Messiah prayed for his
murderers, saying “Father forgive them,” and the answer is seen in the fact that YEHOVAH God
withheld the judgment -- the destruction of Jerusalem, foretold by Daniel and by the Messiah in
Matthew 24 and Luke 21 -- for just 40 years when the city was destroyed by the armies of Titus, “the
people of the prince that shall come,” in 70 A.D. During this period of time the gospel of the King-
dom of YEHOVAH God was diligently preached “to the Jew first,” and tens of thousands were con-
verted.

The Berean Voice March-April 2003