Understanding the Prophecy of 70 Weeks

[Hobie]

We read Daniel 9 starting in verse 22...
22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.
23 At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.
24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

The Prophecy of Seventy Weeks in Daniel chapter 9, is the 490 years of uninterrupted period starting from "the time the word goes out to rebuild and restore Jerusalem," of Daniel 9:25 and ending 3½ years after Jesus' death. The starting point identified with a decree by Artaxerxes I in 458/7 BC to provide money to rebuild Jerusalem and its temple.

Now there where two earlier decrees by Cyrus and Darius’. So why don't these two decrees qualify to start the prophecy of Daniel 9:25? Well lets take a look at these two decrees. The first is the decree of Cyrus, given in his first year (537/536 B.C.) which is recorded in Ezra 1:1-4. An undated decree of Darius (520/519 B.C.) which is found in Ezra 6:1-12 merely reconfirms the decree of Cyrus. however, the first two decrees are about the temple, and its reconstruction, whereas the statement in Daniel 9:25 is concerned with the decree that resulted in the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem.

The first two decrees can be omitted from consideration, because they deal only with the building of the temple, and not the rebuilding of the city and restoration, "that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times." So we can see that the third decree of Artaxerxes is the one that started the prophecy of Daniel 9 and was implemented in September/October 457 B.C.

The appearance of "Messiah the Prince" at the end of the 69 weeks (483 years) is aligned with Jesus' baptism in 27 CE. The 'cutting off' of the "anointed one" is applied to the Jesus' execution 3½ years after the end of the 483 years, bringing "atonement for iniquity" and "everlasting righteousness". Jesus' death is said to 'confirm' the "covenant" between God and mankind by in 31 CE "in the midst of" the last seven years. The end of the 70th week is associated with 34 AD when the gospel was redirected from only the Jews to all peoples

Christian historicism, which is what unveils these verses from scripture, interprets prophecy as an overview of the history of the Christian church, asserting connections between historical events and statements in the Bible, and distinguishing between prophecies considered already fulfilled and those still to come. The Jews of biblical times, had taught this view in the many prophecies to be fulfilled, which were pointing to the Messiah such as those by the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel. The early church and the precursors to the Reformation used it, Jerome in his 'Commentary on Daniel' went into the kingdoms that Daniel predicted, and we find it held by many of the Protestant Reformers and in their teachings.

 

[Hobie]

We can understand what the prophecy points to using the historicist view of the 70 weeks which basically is interpreted as 490 years according to the day-year principle. Looking at it through this, Antiochus IV Epiphanes is considered irrelevant, and the period is instead applied to the Jewish nation from about the middle of the 5th century BC until not long after the death of Jesus. The seven and sixty-two-week periods are generally understood as consecutive, non-overlapping periods starting during the reign of Artaxerxes I and ending with Jesus' baptism.

Here is a good explanation: "Prophecies are couched in symbolic language that needs to be unraveled before the meaning of the words can be understood. Prophetic time is used as a symbol to be interpreted in the light of Scripture.

According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for each day you shall bear your guilt one year, namely forty years (Numbers 14:34 NKJV).

I have appointed thee each day for a year (Ezekiel 4:6).

These two texts provide the key—the day-year principle. This principle takes prophetic days and converts them to actual years. Applying this principle to the 70-week prophecy will show that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah.

Six Messianic Tasks
Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy (Daniel 9:24).

“Thy people” were God’s chosen people Israel. Seventy weeks resolves into 490 days. Applying the day-year principle, 490 days become 490 years.

The 490 years were appointed to the Jewish nation for these six reasons found in Daniel 9:24:
1. to finish the transgression
2. to make an end of sins
3. to make reconciliation for iniquity
4. to bring in everlasting righteousness
5. to seal up vision and prophecy
6. to anoint the most Holy

These six issues could only be fulfilled in and through the Messiah. Who else could make reconciliation for iniquity or bring in everlasting righteousness?

Jesus Fulfills the Prophecy
Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate (Daniel 9:25-27).

The angel gives a breakdown of the 70 weeks as follows:

7 weeks of years for rebuilding of Jerusalem (verse 25)

62 weeks of years to the Messiah (verses 25-26)

1 week of years to the close of the period (verse 27)...

The 2300-day prophecy, of which the 70-week prophecy is a small part, was to begin at the command that effected the restoration of Jerusalem. This command went forth under King Artaxerxes Longimanus in the year 457 BC (Ezra 7:12-13).ii

From this starting point, we can determine all the other time markers of the prophecy. Seven weeks were allotted for the restoration of Jerusalem. True to the prophecy, Jerusalem was rebuilt 49 years after 457 BC, which was 408 BC.

Seven weeks (49 day-years) for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and another threescore and two weeks (62 weeks or 434 day-years) brings us to "the Messiah the Prince." Beginning in 457 BC and applying the day-year principle, we can determine the passing of 483 years from 457 BC which brings us to 27 AD (allowing for the conversion from BC to AD being one extra year).

In 27 AD, Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit on the occasion of His baptism which marked the beginning of His ministry (Luke 3:21-23). This baptism marked the event in Daniel’s prophecy “unto the Messiah the Prince.” When Christ proclaimed, “The time is fulfilled” (Mark 1:15), He was referring to this part of the prophecy.iii

The end of the prophecy is 34 AD, 7 day-years after the baptism:
And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease (Daniel 9:27).

Christ would confirm the covenant made with Israel for one prophetic week (7 years), but oblation (offerings) would cease in the middle of the week (3 ½ years after 27 AD). This mid-point brings us to 31 AD—the year Christ was crucified. It was at His death that he put an end to the system of offerings practiced by Israel for so many years. "The 70-Week Prophecy | Daniel 70 Weeks Prophecy

 

[Hobie]

Here is another good explanation on this..
"It starts out with, well, 70 weeks. The angel Gabriel says that “seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city” (Dan. 9:24, NKJV).

So, it begins with 70 weeks, 490 days.

Gabriel then says 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” (verse 25).

So, seven weeks plus 62 weeks comes to 69 weeks, or 483 days. Thus, 69 of the 70 weeks are immediately accounted for. Plus, this gives us the starting point of the 70 weeks.

All that remains is one week, the last, the seventieth.

That week immediately appears in the next verse, when Gabriel says, “And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself” (verse 26).

After what 62 weeks? The 62 weeks of the previous verse, which follow the seven weeks. Thus, after the seven weeks and the 62 weeks, that is, after 69 weeks, the Messiah will be “cut off.” And because only one week remains in the prophecy, this verse is referring to the seventieth week, the last seven days.

This final week is depicted again: “Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering” (verse 27).

In the midst of the last week, or in three and a half days, the “sacrifice and offerings” will cease.

So, to review.

We have the 70 weeks.

Then 69 of the 70 are immediately depicted; only one week, the last week, or the last seven days, remains.

Then three and a half days through the last week “the sacrifice and the oblation” will cease (verse 27, KJV).

What does this all mean?

First, the command to “restore and rebuild Jerusalem,” its starting point, was in 457 B.C, one of the firmest dates in biblical antiquity...

So from 457 B.C to the “Messiah the prince,” Jesus, was how long? The text said 69 weeks, 483 days, or about one year and four months. That length, of course, can’t be correct, because it would have the Messiah, Jesus, coming almost half a millennium before He did. But if one applies the day-year principle, the 69 weeks, or 483 days, becomes 483 years, which brings us to A.D. 27, the year that Jesus was baptized. The ministry of Jesus Himself proves the validity of the day-year principle.

All that remains, then, is the last week, or the last seven years. In the midst of the week, or three and half years later, which comes to A.D. 31, “the sacrifice and the oblations” are brought to an end. At the death of Jesus, that is, when the Messiah was “cut off” in A.D. 31, the veil in the temple was torn apart, from top to bottom (Matt. 27:51; Mark 15:38), signifying the end of the purpose of the sacrifice and oblations because what they all pointed to, the death of Jesus, had been fulfilled.

Meanwhile, it said that He, the Messiah, will confirm a covenant “with many for one week” (verse 27), the last week, which ended in 34 A.D. with the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7) and the gospel now going to Gentiles as well as Jews.

So in short, there are 70 “weeks.” Sixty-nine of the 70 bring us to Jesus. The last week remains; in the midst of that week, or three and half “days,” Jesus is crucified,” then the prophecy ends."

Read more at: Cliff's Edge––The 70-Weeks Made Simple | Adventist Review

 

[Randy Kluth]

The Prophecy of Seventy Weeks in Daniel chapter 9, is the 490 years of uninterrupted period starting from "the time the word goes out to rebuild and restore Jerusalem," of Daniel 9:25 and ending 3½ years after Jesus' death. The starting point identified with a decree by Artaxerxes I in 458/7 BC to provide money to rebuild Jerusalem and its temple.

Yes, those who push forward the "Gap Theory" imposing a "Gap" between the 69 Weeks of Years and the 70th Week of Years actually corrupt the idea that it is a 70 Weeks period! If it is 69 Weeks + the NT Era + a future Week, then it ceases to be only 70 Weeks!

But Irenaeus held to this view, and his Disciple Hippolytus followed him in it. But this was a marginal minority view among the Church Fathers. Sadly, Irenaeus and Hippolytus were very important in other matters of Church Theology and Eschatology. And so, the Catholic priests Ribera and Lacunza took up Irenaeus' view of a future 70th Week of Dan 9.

Darby then incorporated this thought, I believe, into his Dispensational Theology. But from the start, I don't think either Jews or Christians in the Early Church would've viewed 70 Weeks as anything other than a continuous period of time, lest it fail to even mean a set period of time.

Now there where two earlier decrees by Cyrus and Darius’. So why don't these two decrees qualify to start the prophecy of Daniel 9:25? Well lets take a look at these two decrees. The first is the decree of Cyrus, given in his first year (537/536 B.C.) which is recorded in Ezra 1:1-4. An undated decree of Darius (520/519 B.C.) which is found in Ezra 6:1-12 merely reconfirms the decree of Cyrus. however, the first two decrees are about the temple, and its reconstruction, whereas the statement in Daniel 9:25 is concerned with the decree that resulted in the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem.

The first two decrees can be omitted from consideration, because they deal only with the building of the temple, and not the rebuilding of the city and restoration, "that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times." So we can see that the third decree of Artaxerxes is the one that started the prophecy of Daniel 9 and was implemented in September/October 457 B.C.

Yes, I've studied this, as well. With Artaxerxes' decree in Ezra 7.13, it was recognized that temple worship had not yet been properly restored, and magistrates and judges needed to be installed.

Later, within the 49 year period ("7 Weeks), Nehemiah emerged to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, and the rest of the city obtained its independent government. If we run from this decree in 457 BC to 27 AD, we have the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the entire 69 Weeks of years leading up to the beginning of Jesus' ministry in 27 AD.

The appearance of "Messiah the Prince" at the end of the 69 weeks (483 years) is aligned with Jesus' baptism in 27 CE. The 'cutting off' of the "anointed one" is applied to the Jesus' execution 3½ years after the end of the 483 years, bringing "atonement for iniquity" and "everlasting righteousness". Jesus' death is said to 'confirm' the "covenant" between God and mankind by in 31 CE "in the midst of" the last seven years. The end of the 70th week is associated with 34 AD when the gospel was redirected from only the Jews to all peoples

Yes. Thanks much! I think though a number will reject this or argue over it a good number can be helped by it. It's an amazing prophecy!

 

[Hobie]

Yes, those who push forward the "Gap Theory" imposing a "Gap" between the 69 Weeks of Years and the 70th Week of Years actually corrupt the idea that it is a 70 Weeks period! If it is 69 Weeks + the NT Era + a future Week, then it ceases to be only 70 Weeks!

But Irenaeus held to this view, and his Disciple Hippolytus followed him in it. But this was a marginal minority view among the Church Fathers. Sadly, Irenaeus and Hippolytus were very important in other matters of Church Theology and Eschatology. And so, the Catholic priests Ribera and Lacunza took up Irenaeus' view of a future 70th Week of Dan 9.

Darby then incorporated this thought, I believe, into his Dispensational Theology. But from the start, I don't think either Jews or Christians in the Early Church would've viewed 70 Weeks as anything other than a continuous period of time, lest it fail to even mean a set period of time.

Yes, I've studied this, as well. With Artaxerxes' decree in Ezra 7.13, it was recognized that temple worship had not yet been properly restored, and magistrates and judges needed to be installed.

Later, within the 49 year period ("7 Weeks), Nehemiah emerged to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, and the rest of the city obtained its independent government. If we run from this decree in 457 BC to 27 AD, we have the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the entire 69 Weeks of years leading up to the beginning of Jesus' ministry in 27 AD.

Yes. Thanks much! I think though a number will reject this or argue over it a good number can be helped by it. It's an amazing prophecy!

Yes, it was the understanding from all the way from Daniels time and it was prevalent in Wycliffe's writings and taught by Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Wesley, and Sir Isaac Newton and many others after them such as George Whitefield, Charles Finney, C. H. Spurgeon, Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke, Albert Barnes, and Bishop Thomas Newton also are considered as advocates of this view along with many today. But the today many Christians have been deceived by the false idea of Futurism, Preterism, and Dispensationalism which is based on futurism basically. And Futurism, Preterism are originally as can be found from history, really from Jesuit penmanship for no other reason than to counter the reformation and its theology of Historicism which it held, but now has been confused in many churches.

 

[Hobie]

Here is a great explanation of the confusion it caused...

“Today many Protestants have departed from the Christian interpretation of the prophecies in the Book of Revelation, and many other passages in the Word of God. Church history has not left us in ignorance concerning the [false] dispensational interpretation of the Book of Revelation…

“Preterists declared that the anti-Christ power of Scriptures had already come and gone being fulfilled in the Roman Emperors Vesparian and Titus, who had attacked the Jews, ransacked Jerusalem, destroyed the Temple and slaughtered over one million people in the year 70 AD…

“The other school known as the Futurists said that this great power must be future, teaching that it would not appear until the Second Advent of Jesus Christ. The originator of this second erroneous thesis was a Spanish Jesuit priest, Francisco Ribera (1590). As he attempted to advance the Roman Catholic Counter Reformation, Ribera was embarrassed by the persistent Protestant identification of the Papacy with the Antichrist. To counter this he revived a futuristic interpretation for the Book of Revelation (he placed all but the first three chapters in the future). Antichrist was restored to a person and an individual ruler (not the Pope) who would arise in the future. Antichrist would reign for three and one half years and his teaching was embellished with a rebuilding of a temple at Jerusalem, revival of the Levitical Laws and Sacrifices, plus various Jewish aspects in addition to the wholly unfulfilled persecution of the Church. This futuristic interpretation was popularized by Cardinal Bellarmine and became widely accepted within Romanism."The Origin of Dispensational Futurism and its Entrance into Protestant Christianity by H. C. Martin | Lutheran Library Publishing Ministry

This one explains what it did.. "Francisco Ribera, a Jesuit scholar, introduced Futurism in 1585. Cardinal Robert Bellarmine, one of the best known Jesuit apologists, helped to promote Ribera’s ideas. Ribera took the last week of the 70 week prophecy, split it into two halves, and applied it to the antichrist, rather than to Christ. He also placed this one week way into the future, as if the antichrist power would not be around until 7 years before the second coming of Yahushua. This is the “7 years of Tribulation” that people are always speculating about. Therefore, many have been deceived into waiting and watching for the antichrist while staring him right in the face! A flood of incorrect doctrines have come from this false teaching – the Secret Rapture, 7 years of Tribulation, a group of Super Jews who fight at the end of time after the Secret Rapture – just to name a few.

Futurism also required the creation of the State of Israel, which happened in 1948. Zionist and Jesuits are working together for a common deception. Because of their false interpretation of Daniel 9:27, they need a third temple to be built and abominable sacrifices to be reinstated in order to herald in a phony “antichrist” to be brought down by the REAL antichrist posing as the true Christ. It is the perfect crime against humanity because almost all of popular Christianity unknowingly embraces this counterfeit eschatology."Counter-Reformation Deceit: Futurism & Preterism Infiltrate Protestantism

 

[Davy]

The Prophecy of Seventy Weeks in Daniel chapter 9, is the 490 years of uninterrupted period starting from "the time the word goes out to rebuild and restore Jerusalem," of Daniel 9:25 and ending 3½ years after Jesus' death. The starting point identified with a decree by Artaxerxes I in 458/7 BC to provide money to rebuild Jerusalem and its temple.

The idea that all... the 70 weeks prophecy of Daniel 9 was fulfilled and thus an "uninterrupted period" is a JEWISH DOCTRINE, like from JW or SDA. It is a false doctrine. The final 70th week has still NOT HAPPENED YET TODAY.

What is that final 70th week about brethren in Christ?

It is about IDOL worship in JERUSALEM for the end of this world by the coming false-Messiah.

Can our Lord Jesus Christ be a part of that false IDOL WORSHIP?? No Way!!!

Just ASSOCIATING that final "one week" of Daniel 9:27, the 70th week, with Lord Jesus, is BLASPHEMY against The Word of God! That's how easy it is to KNOW those who push that final "one week" back to the time of Lord Jesus are unbelieving JEWS doing that, and their deceived minions.

 

[Randy Kluth]

Yes, it was the understanding from all the way from Daniels time and it was prevalent in Wycliffe's writings and taught by Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Wesley, and Sir Isaac Newton and many others after them such as George Whitefield, Charles Finney, C. H. Spurgeon, Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke, Albert Barnes, and Bishop Thomas Newton also are considered as advocates of this view along with many today. But the today many Christians have been deceived by the false idea of Futurism, Preterism, and Dispensationalism which is based on futurism basically. And Futurism, Preterism are originally as can be found from history, really from Jesuit penmanship for no other reason than to counter the reformation and its theology of Historicism which it held, but now has been confused in many churches.

Well we may disagree on this point. I very much value the contributions of a return to Futurism, even though I would agree with you that on the 70 Weeks prophecy, the fulfillment was historical. And the same with the Olivet Discourse. Though that prophecy did refer to the 2nd Coming, the main thrust of the prophecy was historical and spoke of the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem, leading to an age-long Jewish punishment.

So I'm a Futurist, but not at all a card-carrying Dispensationalist. I don't consider myself a Dispensationalist at all, except that I believe in a future reign of a literal Antichrist (3.5 years). And I believe that Israel will literally be restored at the Coming of Christ on the last day. I do *not* believe in a Pretribulational Coming, or in an imminent, "any moment," Coming.

I've found that I can't make any doctrinally-orthodox Christian scholar a bogey man, rejecting everything simply because part of what he says is wrong. If we look for the truth in every good man, ignoring his errors, we will come to a better understanding. At least that's been my experience.

 

[Ronald Nolette]

The appearance of "Messiah the Prince" at the end of the 69 weeks (483 years) is aligned with Jesus' baptism in 27 CE. The 'cutting off' of the "anointed one" is applied to the Jesus' execution 3½ years after the end of the 483 years, bringing "atonement for iniquity" and "everlasting righteousness". Jesus' death is said to 'confirm' the "covenant" between God and mankind by in 31 CE "in the midst of" the last seven years. The end of the 70th week is associated with 34 AD when the gospel was redirected from only the Jews to all peoples

Maybe His Baptism is His appearance. Many believe it is Palm Sunday when He came to Jerusalem as Messiah.

And atponement for iniquity, bring in everlasting righteousness, to make an end of sins, to finsih THEtransgression (singular) and also anoint teh most holy. Also aprince from the people who destroyed the temple (Roman Empire) has to make a 7 year covenant.

These have not happened as they are for jews and Jerusalem.

 

[covenantee]

The idea that all... the 70 weeks prophecy of Daniel 9 was fulfilled and thus an "uninterrupted period" is a JEWISH DOCTRINE, like from JW or SDA. It is a false doctrine. The final 70th week has still NOT HAPPENED YET TODAY.

Provide a verbatim quote, source, and date confirming your claim of JEWISH DOCTRINE.

The 70th contiguous week was fulfilled in and by Christ.

That's certainly not Jewish doctrine.

It is historical Christian orthodoxy.

Notwithstanding modernist cultic dispensatanism, which attempts to decapitate the 70th week, and to contort Christ into antichrist.

 

[Hobie]

The idea that all... the 70 weeks prophecy of Daniel 9 was fulfilled and thus an "uninterrupted period" is a JEWISH DOCTRINE, like from JW or SDA. It is a false doctrine. The final 70th week has still NOT HAPPENED YET TODAY.

What is that final 70th week about brethren in Christ?

It is about IDOL worship in JERUSALEM for the end of this world by the coming false-Messiah.

Can our Lord Jesus Christ be a part of that false IDOL WORSHIP?? No Way!!!

Just ASSOCIATING that final "one week" of Daniel 9:27, the 70th week, with Lord Jesus, is BLASPHEMY against The Word of God! That's how easy it is to KNOW those who push that final "one week" back to the time of Lord Jesus are unbelieving JEWS doing that, and their deceived minions.

This is what was doctrine till the Jesuits came up with these false doctrines of Futurism and Preterism, to deflect the Reformation and its clear view of the antichrist as the Papacy, so need to check and see what history shows.

"It is generally recognized that Preterism was first systematized by the Roman Catholic Jesuit, Luis de Alcasar, in his commentary on Revelation (1614 a.d.). Alcasar applied the principles of Preterism to the Book of Revelation in identifying the Beast, the False Prophet and Mystery Babylon with past historical events in order to shield the papacy from the Protestant interpretive system (called "Historicism") which identified the man of sin, the antichrist, the False Prophet and Mystery Babylon with the papacy and the Roman Catholic Church. Even Professor Moses Stuart, one of the chief and earliest proponents of Preterism in the United States, noted in his commentary on Revelation (1845 a.d.) the following in regard to the Jesuit, Alcasar (Vol. 1, pp. 463,464): "It might of course be expected, that the Romish church would not be idle, while the Protestant interpreters were so busy in applying the beast and the false prophet of the Apocalypse to the papacy. . . But no one had ever developed this idea [of Preterism] fully, and endeavored to illustrate and enforce it, in such a way as Alcassar. . . It might be expected, that a commentary which thus freed the Romish church from the assaults of Protestants, would be popular among the advocates of the papacy...

"One of the arguments used against a preterist interpretation of Revelation is that it was developed by Spanish Jesuit Luis De Alcazar (1554–1613) who wrote a commentary titled Vestigio Arcani Sensus in Apocaplysi or Investigation of the Hidden Sense of the Apocalypse and was published a year after his death. “In this work dedicated to the Catholic Church, he made a new attempt to interpret the Apocalypse by this Preterist scheme of exposition, that is, by the thesis that the prophecies were fulfilled in the past....

At the time Alcasar wrote, the Protestant Reformers considered the Papal system of the Roman Catholic Church to be the end-time antichrist. The Reformers were nearly unanimous in identifying the Papacy as the Great Harlot of Revelation 17. “For Martin Luther,” a representative of this view, “the Catholic Church was nothing more or less than Babylon — ‘it would be no wonder,’ he wrote in 1520, ‘if God would rain fire and brimstone from heaven and sink Rome into the abyss, as He did Sodom and Gomorrah of old’ — and the pope the Antichrist.

For centuries the papacy was the unanimous antichrist candidate.[3] The papal system was identified as “both the ‘man of sin’ and the Babylonian whore of which Scripture speaks (2 Thess. 2; Rev. 17-18). In the conviction of the sixteenth-century Protestants, Rome was the great anti-Christ, and so firmly did this belief become established that it was not until the nineteenth century that it was seriously questioned by evangelicals.”[4] For example, the Westminster Confession of Faith (1647) included the following in Chapter 25 section 6:

There is no other head of the church but the Lord Jesus Christ. Nor can the pope of Rome, in any sense, be head thereof: but is that Antichrist, that man of sin, and son of perdition, that exalteth himself, in the Church, against Christ and all that is called God.[5] Was the Preterist Interpretation of Revelation Invented by the Jesuits? - The American Vision

"Rome’s answer to the Protestant Reformation was twofold, though actually conflicting and contradictory. Through the Jesuits Ribera, of Salamanca, Spain, and Bellarmine, of Rome, the Papacy put forth her futurist interpretation. Almost simultaneously Alcazar, Spanish Jesuit of Seville, advanced the conflicting preterist interpretation. These were designed to meet and overwhelm the Historical interpretation of the Protestants. Though mutually exclusive, either Jesuit alternative suited the great objective equally well, as both thrust aside the application of the prophecies from the existing Church of Rome. The one (preterism) accomplished it by making prophecy stop altogether short of papal Rome's career. The other (futurism) achieved it by making it overleap the immense era of papal dominance, crowding Antichrist into a small fragment of time in the still distant future, just before the great consummation. It is consequently often called the gap theory.

According to the Protestants, the vision of Babylon and the supporting Beast is divinely interpreted in chapter 17 of the Apocalypse. It was on this that the Reformers commonly rested their case—the apostate woman, the Roman church; the city, seven-hilled Rome; the many waters, the many peoples; the Beast, the fourth, or Roman beast of Daniel; the sixth head, the Caesars; and the seventh, the popes.

Roman Catholics as well as Protestants agree as to the origin of these interpretations. The Roman Catholic writer G.S. Hitchcock says:

• “The Futurist School, founded by the Jesuit Ribera in 1591, looks for Antichrist, Babylon, and a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem, at the end of the Christian dispensation.
• “The Praeterist School, founded by the Jesuit Alcasar in 1614, explains the Revelation by the Fall of Jerusalem, or by the fall of Pagan Rome in 410 A.D.” (G.S. Hitchcock, The Beasts and the Little Horn, p. 7.)

Similarly, Dean Henry Alford (Protestant), in the "Prolegomena" to his Greek Testament, declares:

• “The founder of this system [Futurist] in modern times…appears to have been the Jesuit Ribera, about A.D. 1580." (Henry Alford, The New Testament for English Readers, vol. 2, part 2, p. 351 [bottom numbering].)
• “The Praeterist view found no favour, and was hardly so much as thought of , in the times of primitive Christianity. … The View is said to have been first promulgated in anything like completeness by the Jesuit Alcasar … in 1614.” (Ibid, pp. 348, 349 [bottom numbering].)"...http://www.gospel-herald.com/futurism_history.htm

 

[Truth7t7]

We read Daniel 9 starting in verse 22...
22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.
23 At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.
24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

The Prophecy of Seventy Weeks in Daniel chapter 9, is the 490 years of uninterrupted period starting from "the time the word goes out to rebuild and restore Jerusalem," of Daniel 9:25 and ending 3½ years after Jesus' death. The starting point identified with a decree by Artaxerxes I in 458/7 BC to provide money to rebuild Jerusalem and its temple.

Now there where two earlier decrees by Cyrus and Darius’. So why don't these two decrees qualify to start the prophecy of Daniel 9:25? Well lets take a look at these two decrees. The first is the decree of Cyrus, given in his first year (537/536 B.C.) which is recorded in Ezra 1:1-4. An undated decree of Darius (520/519 B.C.) which is found in Ezra 6:1-12 merely reconfirms the decree of Cyrus. however, the first two decrees are about the temple, and its reconstruction, whereas the statement in Daniel 9:25 is concerned with the decree that resulted in the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem.

The first two decrees can be omitted from consideration, because they deal only with the building of the temple, and not the rebuilding of the city and restoration, "that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times." So we can see that the third decree of Artaxerxes is the one that started the prophecy of Daniel 9 and was implemented in September/October 457 B.C.

The appearance of "Messiah the Prince" at the end of the 69 weeks (483 years) is aligned with Jesus' baptism in 27 CE. The 'cutting off' of the "anointed one" is applied to the Jesus' execution 3½ years after the end of the 483 years, bringing "atonement for iniquity" and "everlasting righteousness". Jesus' death is said to 'confirm' the "covenant" between God and mankind by in 31 CE "in the midst of" the last seven years. The end of the 70th week is associated with 34 AD when the gospel was redirected from only the Jews to all peoples

Christian historicism, which is what unveils these verses from scripture, interprets prophecy as an overview of the history of the Christian church, asserting connections between historical events and statements in the Bible, and distinguishing between prophecies considered already fulfilled and those still to come. The Jews of biblical times, had taught this view in the many prophecies to be fulfilled, which were pointing to the Messiah such as those by the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel. The early church and the precursors to the Reformation used it, Jerome in his 'Commentary on Daniel' went into the kingdoms that Daniel predicted, and we find it held by many of the Protestant Reformers and in their teachings.

Daniel 9:24-27, Seventy Future Literal Weeks Explained?

Daniel's 70 weeks are literal 7 day periods, or 490 literal days.

If Daniel meant 490 years he would have written

(Four Hundred Ninety Years)

Daniel had no restrictions in "Writing" exact numerology as seen below.

Daniel 6:1KJV
It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;

Daniel 8:14KJV
And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

Daniel 12:11KJV
And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.

Below in Daniel 10:2-3 we see just another example of Daniel's literal weeks, as Daniel mourned and fasted for 3 literal weeks or 21 days.

Daniel 10:2-3KJV
2 In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks.
3 I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.

Below in Daniel 9:24-27 we see 70 literal "Future" weeks or 490 days.

When the "Future" call/commandment goes out in Jerusalem to build unto the Jewish Meshiach/Messiah that they wait for (They Denied Jesus Christ) this will start the 7 week period in preparing to build.

62 literal weeks will be in building, and Meshiach/Messiah will be cut off by the armies surrounding Jerusalem, this stops the building.

The 70th literal week will see (The Antichrist) revealed in making a covenant, and in the middle of this literal week he proclaims to be Meshiach/Messiah God to the Jews, and Jesus returned to the apostate church, to start a Millennium on earth.

The 3.5 year tribulation starts at this time.

Daniel 9:24-27KJV
24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

 

[Davy]

This is what was doctrine till the Jesuits came up with these false doctrines of Futurism and Preterism, to deflect the Reformation and its clear view of the antichrist as the Papacy, so need to check and see what history shows.

You could quote the whole book Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler, and it would practically do the same thing as all the contrived... evidence from men's doctrines that you posted.

The Biblical FACT is, that there will be a coming final ANTICHRIST singular entity, at the very END of this world, at JERUSALEM on earth, playing GOD, and working miracles to deceive the whole world, and that... is what that final 70th week of the Book of Daniel is about. And this BIBLICAL DOCTRINE was an EARLY DOCTRINE of the EARLY CHURCH FATHERS, long........ BEFORE the Jesuit Order ever existed!! (Brethren in Christ, the Jesuits, i.e., Society of Jesus, wasn't created until the 16th century)

Early Church fathers like Hippolytus (170-235 A.D.) taught from The Word of God about the coming of the Antichrist in final, and how he will in every way try to imitate Christ, and his origin will come from Judah, as Christ was born of the tribe of Judah.

So my advice to you, is to get back to disciplined study in God's Word asking His help, instead of playing games with those who love to philosophize using men's silly traditions. True Bible scholarship firstly and mostly has always been about understanding the simplicity of the written Scripture with help by The Holy Spirit.

 

[Trekson]

We read Daniel 9 starting in verse 22...
22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.
23 At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.
24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

The Prophecy of Seventy Weeks in Daniel chapter 9, is the 490 years of uninterrupted period starting from "the time the word goes out to rebuild and restore Jerusalem," of Daniel 9:25 and ending 3½ years after Jesus' death. The starting point identified with a decree by Artaxerxes I in 458/7 BC to provide money to rebuild Jerusalem and its temple.

Now there where two earlier decrees by Cyrus and Darius’. So why don't these two decrees qualify to start the prophecy of Daniel 9:25? Well lets take a look at these two decrees. The first is the decree of Cyrus, given in his first year (537/536 B.C.) which is recorded in Ezra 1:1-4. An undated decree of Darius (520/519 B.C.) which is found in Ezra 6:1-12 merely reconfirms the decree of Cyrus. however, the first two decrees are about the temple, and its reconstruction, whereas the statement in Daniel 9:25 is concerned with the decree that resulted in the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem.

The first two decrees can be omitted from consideration, because they deal only with the building of the temple, and not the rebuilding of the city and restoration, "that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times." So we can see that the third decree of Artaxerxes is the one that started the prophecy of Daniel 9 and was implemented in September/October 457 B.C.

The appearance of "Messiah the Prince" at the end of the 69 weeks (483 years) is aligned with Jesus' baptism in 27 CE. The 'cutting off' of the "anointed one" is applied to the Jesus' execution 3½ years after the end of the 483 years, bringing "atonement for iniquity" and "everlasting righteousness". Jesus' death is said to 'confirm' the "covenant" between God and mankind by in 31 CE "in the midst of" the last seven years. The end of the 70th week is associated with 34 AD when the gospel was redirected from only the Jews to all peoples

Christian historicism, which is what unveils these verses from scripture, interprets prophecy as an overview of the history of the Christian church, asserting connections between historical events and statements in the Bible, and distinguishing between prophecies considered already fulfilled and those still to come. The Jews of biblical times, had taught this view in the many prophecies to be fulfilled, which were pointing to the Messiah such as those by the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel. The early church and the precursors to the Reformation used it, Jerome in his 'Commentary on Daniel' went into the kingdoms that Daniel predicted, and we find it held by many of the Protestant Reformers and in their teachings.

Historicism may claim it but it's not accurate at all, imo. Many date the Artaxerxes decree at 444 bc. The time of his ministry is not in prophecy. The time of his baptism is not significant. The only prophecy that Christ fulfilled as the coming king and Messiah is from Zech. 9:9 and that was at the "end" of his ministry. Christ was never anointed because it was never about being anointed by the HS but about being anointed as king and Messiah of Israel as most kings were like Saul and David were, and that never happened.

 

[Davy]

70 Weeks Prophecy per the 19th century Bible scholar E.W. Bullinger:

The Seventy Weeks of Dan. 9:24-27. - Appendix to the Companion Bible

 

[Dave Watchman]

Meanwhile, it said that He, the Messiah, will confirm a covenant “with many for one week” (verse 27), the last week, which ended in 34 A.D. with the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7) and the gospel now going to Gentiles as well as Jews.

Who are the "many"?

What is the "covenant"?

"Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;​

For one week.

One whole week?

Or a half a week?

Jesus died on April 7, 30 AD. That was in the middle of a week. After He was resurrected, He visited with people for 40 days, then He ascended back to heaven.

He didn't confirm a covenant with many for a half a week, plus 40 days.

"Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.​

Are you saying that He came back after He ascended, and did something else to complete that week up until 34 AD that would be somehow confirming a covenant with many to complete the heptad at that time?

Or is: "Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; not a whole week of seven years?

Peaceful Sabbath.

 

[Davy]

Who are the "many"?

What is the "covenant"?

"Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;​

For one week.

One whole week?

Or a half a week?

Jesus died on April 7, 30 AD. That was in the middle of a week. After He was resurrected, He visited with people for 40 days, then He ascended back to heaven.

He didn't confirm a covenant with many for a half a week, plus 40 days.

"Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.​

Are you saying that He came back after He ascended, and did something else to complete that week up until 34 AD that would be somehow confirming a covenant with many to complete the heptad at that time?

Or is: "Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; not a whole week of seven years?

Peaceful Sabbath.

Not even close.

 

[covenantee]

You could quote the whole book Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler, and it would practically do the same thing as all the contrived... evidence from men's doctrines that you posted.

The Biblical FACT is, that there will be a coming final ANTICHRIST singular entity, at the very END of this world, at JERUSALEM on earth, playing GOD, and working miracles to deceive the whole world, and that... is what that final 70th week of the Book of Daniel is about. And this BIBLICAL DOCTRINE was an EARLY DOCTRINE of the EARLY CHURCH FATHERS, long........ BEFORE the Jesuit Order ever existed!! (Brethren in Christ, the Jesuits, i.e., Society of Jesus, wasn't created until the 16th century)

Early Church fathers like Hippolytus (170-235 A.D.) taught from The Word of God about the coming of the Antichrist in final, and how he will in every way try to imitate Christ, and his origin will come from Judah, as Christ was born of the tribe of Judah.

So my advice to you, is to get back to disciplined study in God's Word asking His help, instead of playing games with those who love to philosophize using men's silly traditions. True Bible scholarship firstly and mostly has always been about understanding the simplicity of the written Scripture with help by The Holy Spirit.

Hippolytus (and his mentor Irenaeus) were eschatological outliers. Not one recognized Church Father or scholar before or after them for 17 centuries of Christian orthodoxy subscribed to their attempt to decapitate the 70th week.

However, their decapitated 70th week looked nothing like that of modernist cultic dispensatanism's, for they speculated its termination at their hypothesized second coming date circa 500 AD.

History proved them wrong.

As it will ultimately prove wrong all modernist cultic speculations.

 

[Dave Watchman]

Not even close.

It would appear you've won the internet sir.

It's not even close.

It's happening now.

Peaceful Sabbath.

 

[Dave Watchman]

Hippolytus (and his mentor Irenaeus) were eschatological outliers. Not one recognized Church Father or scholar before or after them for 17 centuries of Christian orthodoxy subscribed to their attempt to decapitate the 70th week.

I like that one, "eschatological outliers."

I am the ultimate eschatological outlier. Hippolytus (and his mentor Irenaeus), or any of the early church fathers, were not able to enjoy the data sets available to us at this time.

They couldn't have known there were no need to decapitate the 70th week.

We have our own.

שָׁבֻעִים/seventy שִׁבְעִים/seventy

The vowel points added later. From the memorization of men who were gifted to accurately memorize long passages of oral readings, men called choyzers. Common in olden times, when there was no other way to accurately record speeches and readings. Daniel's original Hebrew was written as Seventy Seventy.

An outlier may be due to a variability in the measurement, an indication of novel data, or it may be the result of experimental error; the latter are sometimes excluded from the data set. An outlier can be an indication of exciting possibility, but can also cause serious problems in statistical analyses.

An exciting possibility? Not only are there two sets of seventy weeks, based on multiple decrees to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem, but we are nearing the end of the second set of 70 weeks, and nearing the end of it's last heptad.

As it will ultimately prove wrong all modernist cultic speculations.

We shall soon see.

Peaceful Sabbath.