DANIEL’S 70th WEEK FULFILLED!

“Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness. . . . and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. . . . to put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate. . . .” (Daniel 9:24-27)

Most commentators seem to butcher the 70 weeks of Daniel, leaving more questions than answers. I’m going to try to make this understandable.

The “seventy weeks” are usually understood to be seventy weeks of years, or 490 years. While there are different possibilities, most scholars think that the 70 weeks began in approximately 457 BC (or perhaps a bit later) when King Artaxerxes decreed that any remaining Israelites could return to Jerusalem (Ezra 7:12-26). That would put the end of the seventy weeks in about AD 34. However, AD 34 does not match the description of what was to happen per Daniel 9. Notice that Daniel prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. That happened in AD 70.

So, there was either a small gap between the 69th and 70th weeks, or the timeline is not strictly literal. Some people try to make the timeline fit literally by saying it ended with the stoning of Stephen in c. AD 34. But that event does not fit the narrative of Daniel 9. Dispensationalists put a 2000-year gap in there, but that must be rejected as making zero sense―as it does not match the narrative either which is clearly about the fall of Jerusalem and destruction of the temple in AD 70. And there is no evidence of a long-delayed 70th week in the text. (Read the text.)

We can be certain that AD 70 marked the end of the seventy weeks since Daniel 12 reiterates the timeline. In Daniel 12 we see that the “TIME OF THE END” would be when “the power of the holy people would be shattered” and “the regular burnt offering taken away.” THAT IS CLEARLY, UNAMBIGUOUSLY AD 70. The AD 70 destruction of Jerusalem and the temple is a culminating event in Dan 9 and 12. You would have to be pretty stubborn to miss this. “The end” here was the end of the Old Covenant dispensation, not the end of history.

Jesus confirmed the timeline. In Matthew 24:15 He told his disciples that THEY would witness the Abomination of Desolation spoken of by Daniel (9:27; 12:11), insisting that “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place” (Matthew 24:34). That would happen when the temple was destroyed at the end of the Old Covenant Age (Matthew 24:1-3)―when God would judge Israel for her sins and refusal to accept Jesus as Messiah (Matthew 21:33-45; 22:1-14; 23:29-39; Hebrews 8:13; etc.) The veracity of Jesus is at stake here. Daniel’s vision would be fulfilled in finality with the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70.

The Abomination of Desolation, in fact, happened twice. Many commentators—futurists and preterists—agree that both of these occurrences are referenced in Daniel. Daniel 8:11-14 and 11:31 probably refer to the first time it happened—in the mid-second century BC. Daniel 9:27 and 12:11 refer to the second time it happened—during the Jewish-Roman War from AD 66-70. This is the Abomination of Desolation to which Jesus specifically refers as he describes the soon future events surrounding his Second Coming in judgment (Matthew 24:15-28; Mark 13:14-23; Luke 21:20-24).

In the first occurrence, King Antiochus IV Epiphanes (ruler of the Greek Seleucid kingdom from 175-164 BC) forbade ceremonies and the worship of God in the Jerusalem temple and in the cities of Judah. In around 168 (or perhaps 167) BC Antiochus entered the Most Holy Place and plundered the silver and gold vessels. He erected an altar to the Olympian Zeus on the altar of God in the temple court and sacrificed pigs there. The books of 1 and 2 Maccabees (books in the Roman Catholic Bible but not in the Protestant Bible) mention the abomination of desolation in reference to these actions of Antiochus.

There are some confirming indications within Daniel that the 8:11-14 mention of the Abomination of Desolation refers to the Antiochus abomination. In particular, verse 8:14 indicates that the temple would be restored. The temple was indeed cleansed and rededicated under the leadership of Judas Maccabeus in 164 BC.

The other instances of the burnt offering cessation and the Abomination of Desolation (Daniel 9:27 and 12:11) are portrayed differently by Daniel than the Antiochus situation. At the end of the AD 66-70 abomination period, instead of being cleansed or restored, the temple would be destroyed (Daniel 9:26) and the Jewish nation would be shattered (Daniel 12:7-11). This was a first century fulfillment, but there are minor disagreements over what precise event marked the final Abomination of Desolation. It could be the destruction of the temple itself in AD 70. Or it could be other events earlier in the AD 66-70 tribulation period when various radical groups—the Zealots and the Idumeans—stormed the temple and committed acts of mass murder. But in any case, it is clear that Daniel 9:27 and 12:11 were fulfilled consistent with the prophecies of Daniel and Jesus—in the first century.

To be more precise, however, the destruction of the temple in AD 70 happened in the MIDDLE of the 70th week (Daniel 9:27). The first half of the 70th week matches the period of the siege of Jerusalem by the Roman army under Vespasian and his son Titus―which was from February AD 67 to August AD 70. That’s 3.5 years. Interestingly, that also matches the 42-month period―also 3.5 years―predicted in Revelation 11:2 when the holy city would be trampled.

What happened during the second half of the 70th week? The text doesn’t say. But it hints that the end of the war was coming (9:26). The Jewish-Roman War finally ended at the close of AD 73 or early AD 74 when the Romans finally took the fortress of Masada. That was 3.5 years from the destruction of the temple.

Who are the two “princes?” They have to be different people. The first prince (9:25) is the “anointed one” or the Messiah Jesus, who atoned for iniquities. The second one (9:26) is the Roman general Titus, the one who destroyed the city and sanctuary.

Oh, and by the way. There is no 7-year tribulation found in Daniel 9:24-27, except the Jewish-Roman War. And indeed, it was a Great Tribulation for the Jews as, according to Josephus, over a million of them were killed and tens of thousands taken into slavery.

And, the text says nothing about the restoration of Israel to her land―or a rebuilt temple. Read the text. It’s about the DESTRUCTION of the temple. Jesus’ kingdom is not a worldly kingdom (John 18:36). There is no justification for putting any of this beyond the first century except for a violently forced presupposition on the part of the interpreter. And, Jesus made it abundantly clear that all Old Testament prophecy would be fulfilled in his generation:

“These are the days of vengeance to fulfill all that is written.” (Luke 21:22)

Also see “The Early Church Thought about Daniel’s 70th Week” here:

https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21AL2j6ucbkWCPzWE&cid=D3BD424B0B25B83F&id=D3BD424B0B25B83F%2116763&parId=D3BD424B0B25B83F%21113&o=OneUp

which is clearly about the fall of Jerusalem and destruction of the temple in AD 70.

I am reading the article carefully and considering the viewpoint, but I do detect blatant circular reasoning here. Nevertheless, I read on to see what gems might be in store. :)

“So, there was either a small gap between the 69th and 70th weeks”

This was so all the end times preachers had a week to get their charts on the same page.

Why can’t you preterists be honest and call your interpretation what it is - yours is the preterist interpretation of the seventy weeks. Which as the name “preterist” indicates, is in opposition to any part of it having a future fulfillment.

I don’t think preterists have ever said otherwise. There are a few 70 Weeks interpretations between preterists but they all result in a complete fulfillment by the end of the Roman War. The 70 Weeks prophecy is explicitly about Jerusalem and it’s destiny. The book of Daniel is about Jerusalem and it’s future associated with the four beasts and their dominion. You can’t extend that past the time of Rome.

Daniel 12:7
... and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.

When was the “power of the holy people completely shattered”?
When did the sacrifices end?
When was their temple destroyed?
When were their genealogies destroyed?
When did their priesthood end?
When did most of “the holy people” die and the rest were sold into slavery?
When was “the great city” destroyed and a new city replaced it?

In what city did this happen, and when?
Rev 11:8
8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

Truth be told, this is a prophecy about 70 sevens.

Because at this time of year, you really need to run the math, and stock up.

Daniel 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

David has his seeds, Daniel his liquid refreshment...all we need is dessert.

Heh - the author's even got Christ in his name.

And 300 = the "Spirit of Elohim" (the famous one, first appearing in Gen 1:2) so you know it's good.

The Master Comedian of the Universe is finally going the get the respect He deserves.

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