First of all, Daniel wrote this around 530BC, that is so long before Christ, and the temple was just being rebuilt and then the people would be going back from exile etc. So it is looking forward to the coming of the messiah.Daniel 9:24 (ESV)Seventy weeks are decreed about your people, and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put and end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place.Ok, when I read this, I see it completely fulfilled in the life, death , and resurrection of Jesus the Messiah. Spiritually, as Jesus said "It is finished". Physically, there are still sinners in the world etc and will be until the new heavens and new earth.Daniel 9:25 (ESV)Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, thre shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time.If the anointed one is supposed to be Jesus, why does it say there shall be seven weeks till he comes? That would only be 49 years...so i'm not clear at all on this.Daniel 9:26 (ESV)And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed.If Jesus is the anointed one, he is cut off/killed after the 62 weeks, makes sense. Later in 70 AD the city and temple are destroyed.Daniel 9:27And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.An interpretation of the first sentence that I tend to like is that Jesus made a covenant with the Jews for 7 years. The first 3 and 1/2 years were his ministry on earth, then at his death he put an end to sacrifice and offering, which He DID. Then the next 3 and 1/2 years is the time of witnessing to the Jews by the disciples before going out to the gentiles. This seems to make a lot of rational sense. The second sentence seems up for interpretation...I don't quite know what to think, other than that perhaps THIS is a sentence that could last 2000+ years "until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator".But then we come to Matthew 24:15-31. Jesus says in verse 15: "So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place, then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains" Here it seems Jesus could be talking about the coming desolation of Jerusalem in 70AD on many points. But not all because he says there will be "great tribulation such as has not been from thh beginning of the world until now, no and never will be" ...etc.etc. Many other statements in that passage must be referring to the end end times, to say there will NEVER be such tribulation could not refer to the time of 70 AD. So i'm wondering how to understand this seeming contradiction with the idea of the 70 weeks being completed and would like to hear from those who believe the 70 weeks are completed for their interpretation. (I know people who don't think it was completed will just say, "there's your proof it hasn't happened yet" so I don't really need to hear that--unless you are able to provide deeper explanation!) Thanks alot!