SUMMARY
- The 70 "weeks" refer to Sabbath-year cycles (7 years each).
- Daniel's prayer relates to the exile in Babylon, which is based on Israel's violations of the Sabbath year and their consequences as laid out in Leviticus 26. His plea for restoration aligns with the prophecy's promise of ending sin and bringing righteousness.
- Furthermore, this interpretation aligns with the same Greek word for "weeks" used in Leviticus 25 and Daniel 9:25 in the Septuagint, and was a recognized interpretation in early Jewish literature.
- The prophecy starts with Cyrus's decree (539 BC) allowing the Jews to rebuild Jerusalem.
- This decree fulfills prophecies about Cyrus in Isaiah (44:28, 45:13).
- However, the actual Sabbath Year cycles didn't restart until Ezra's mission in 458-457 BC, when Jewish law was fully reinstated in Jerusalem and Judea.
- The 69 weeks mark the time until the Messiah arrives. This aligns with Jesus's baptism in 27 AD
- Jesus was crucified "after" the 69 weeks, not "in" the 70th week.
- This, among other things, allows for a gap between the weeks.
- The subsequent destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans (70 AD) confirms the prophecy's prediction of temple/city destruction by the Romans.
- There have been wars and desolations in Jerusalem since then, fulfilling the last part of verse 26.
- The 70th week is yet to come and will include the future abomination of desolation, marking a key end-times event.
- Historically, abomination of desolation refers to an idolatrous act in the temple (Dan. 11:31). Therefore, Jesus cannot be the fulfillment of this prophecy.
FULL POST
Background: The Babylonian Exile
Israel was supposed to let the land rest for a year every 7 years.
"For six years you shall sow your field, and for six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its produce, but during the seventh year the land shall have a Sabbath rest, a Sabbath to the Lord; you shall not sow your field nor prune your vineyard." - Leviticus 25:3
They also descended into idolatry and terrible sins. As a result, Israel went into exile in Babylon for their sin.
31 I will turn your cities into ruins as well and make your sanctuaries desolate, and I will not smell your soothing aromas. 32 And I will make the land desolate so that your enemies who settle in it will be appalled at it. 33 You, however, I will scatter among the nations, and I will draw out a sword after you, as your land becomes desolate and your cities become ruins. (Leviticus 26:31-33)
The exile was not finished until 70 years were completed for Babylon.
‘Then the land will restore its Sabbaths all the days of the desolation, while you are in your enemies’ land; then the land will rest and restore its Sabbaths. All the days of its desolation it will have the rest which it did not have on your Sabbaths, while you were living on it. (Leviticus 26:34-35)
"to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. All the days of its desolation it kept the Sabbath until seventy years were complete." - 2 Chronicles 36:21
(For a discussion of the length of the exile, and what the 70 years refer to, see this link:
JEREMIAH'S SEVENTY YEARS FOR BABYLON: A RE-ASSESSMENT PART I: THE SCRIPTURAL DATA
and this link:
JEREMIAH'S SEVENTY YEARS FOR BABYLON: A RE-ASSESSMENT PART 2: THE HISTORICAL DATA
Daniel's Prayer
While in exile in Babylon, Daniel realizes that the 70 years for Babylon have ended. This is proven by the fact that Darius was "of Median descent," and was in charge at the time.
In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of Median descent, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans— 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which was revealed as the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years. (Daniel 9:1-2)
Therefore, he prays a prayer of repentance specified by Leviticus 26 for when the nation is in exile.
11 Indeed, all Israel has violated Your Law and turned aside, not obeying Your voice; so the curse has gushed forth on us, along with the oath which is written in the Law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against Him. 12 So He has confirmed His words which He had spoken against us and against our rulers who ruled us, to bring on us great disaster; for under the entire heaven there has not been done anything like what was done in Jerusalem. 13 Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come on us; yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our wrongdoing and giving attention to Your truth. (Daniel 9:11-13)
and also
16 Lord, in accordance with all Your righteous acts, let now Your anger and Your wrath turn away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; for because of our sins and the wrongdoings of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people have become an object of taunting to all those around us. 17 So now, our God, listen to the prayer of Your servant and to his pleas, and for Your sake, Lord, let Your face shine on Your desolate sanctuary. (Daniel 9:16-17)
Compare to Leviticus 26...
40 ‘But if they confess their wrongdoing and the wrongdoing of their forefathers, in their unfaithfulness which they committed against Me, and also in their acting with hostility against Me— 41 I also was acting with hostility against them, to bring them into the land of their enemies—or if their uncircumcised heart is humbled so that they then make amends for their wrongdoing, 42 then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and I will remember also My covenant with Isaac, and My covenant with Abraham as well, and I will remember the land. 43 For the land will be abandoned by them, and will restore its Sabbaths while it is made desolate without them. They, meanwhile, will be making amends for their wrongdoing, because they rejected My ordinances and their soul loathed My statutes. (Leviticus 26:40-43)
The Angel's Answer to Daniel's Prayer
As a result, God responds by sending an angel to answer Daniel's prayer.
“Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the wrongdoing, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for guilt, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy Place." - Daniel 9:24
The angel says it will take 70 "weeks" for the Jews and Jerusalem to bring in "everlasting righteousness" and for them to stop sinning. We've already established a really strong link between Leviticus 26 and Daniel 9. So what are the weeks?
Definition of "Weeks"
The Septuagint is the Greek translation of the Old Testament used in the time of Jesus. It's translation abbreviation is "LXX." The Septuagint refers to "weeks" in two different places. The first is Daniel 9:24-25 of course.
"Seventy weeks [Greek: ἑβδομάδες] have been determined..." (Daniel 9:25b Brenton's LXX)
...there shall be seven weeks [Greek: ἑβδομάδες], and sixty-two weeks [Greek: ἑβδομάδες]... (Daniel 9:25b Brenton's LXX)
What's the ONLY OTHER PLACE that uses this Greek word for "weeks"? You guessed it. Leviticus!
"And thou shalt reckon to thyself seven sabbaths of years, seven times seven years; and they shall be to thee seven weeks [Greek: ἑβδομάδες] of years, nine and forty years." (Leviticus 25:8 Brenton's LXX)
Genesis 1:1 (LXX)
"εβδομαδες" primary search results are listed below along with dictionary aides, FAQs, and Lexiconc.
www.blueletterbible.org
Apparently, the interpretation of the "weeks" as Sabbath year cycles is found in multiple other Jewish documents BEFORE Christ. This view was apparently held within 5 centuries after Christ as well.
"That shavu'a meant the sabbatical cycle is attested in Qumran, rabbinic and epigraphic documents."
"The difference between the two interpretations is that, according to the former, any septennial number will do; according to the latter, however, each seven-year period had its fixed place in a series, precise in beginning and end. A second difference stems from the first. Modern exegetes interpret the passage without reference to Jewish chronology current at that time. The ancients, however, took it for granted that the numbers in 9:24-27 had to harmonize with their calendar of sabbatical cycles." -Ben Zion Wacholder
CHRONOMESSIANISM: THE TIMING OF MESSIANIC MOVEMENTS AND THE CALENDAR OF SABBATICAL CYCLES
Therefore, "weeks" are Sabbath year cycles, not just any old 7-year period.
The Decree to Restore and Rebuild Jerusalem
So you are to know and understand that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, until Messiah the Prince, there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with streets and moat, even in times of distress. (Daniel 9:25)
(Notice also, the apparent allusion to Leviticus 25:8 with the forty-nine years of the verse above).
What then is the kick-off decree? Bear with me a moment, but I think many people are onto something when they say it has to be the decree of Cyrus to let the Jews return home. This is actually REQUIRED theologically.
It is I who says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd,
And he will carry out all My desire.’
And he says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be built,’
And of the temple, ‘Your foundation will be laid.’”
(Isaiah 44:28)
and also...
I have stirred him in righteousness,
And I will make all his ways smooth.
He will build My city and let My exiles go free,
Without any payment or reward,” says the Lord of armies. (Isaiah 45:13)
Though not always historically accurate, the 1st Century Jewish historian, Josephus, agrees with this:
"Cyrus also sent an Epistle to the Governours, that were in Syria: the contents whereof here follow.
'King Cyrus to Sisinnes, and Sathrabuzanes, sendeth Greeting.
I have given leave to as many of the Jews that dwell in my countrey as please, to return to their own countrey, and to rebuild their city, and to build the temple of God at Jerusalem, on the same place where it was before."' -Josephus
Josephus: Antiquities of the Jews, Book XI
penelope.uchicago.edu
It looks like Cyrus authorized rebuilding of the city, as well as the temple.
When Did Wall-Building ACTUALLY Begin?
In fact, we see building activity by Jews after Ezra arrived in the 7th Year of Artaxerxes (457-458 BC).
The Theological Problem Presented by the Exactness of Daniel's 70 Weeks
From the acknowledgments on the first page: “My thanks to Steven Rudd, pastor in Hamilton Ontario, who suggested in the fall of 2019 that we look more closely at the dates associated with the interpretation that we both held for Daniel’s 70 weeks.
www.academia.edu
"11 this is a copy of the letter which they sent to him:
“To King Artaxerxes: Your servants, the men of the region beyond the Euphrates River; and now 12 let it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you have come to us at Jerusalem; they are rebuilding the rebellious and evil city and are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations. (Ezra 4:11-12)
This was why Nehemiah was so upset when he heard that the walls were in ruins (Nehemiah 1:3). It was not because of the city's destruction from nearly 150 years prior! He would have known about that.
Most scholars, however, do not believe that Nehemiah’s distress was caused by the condition of walls torn down one hundred forty years before his time but rather by the episode of Ezra 4:7–23. According to this passage Jews had attempted to rebuild the walls earlier, in the reign of Artaxerxes I. But after the protest of Rehum and Shimshai, the king ordered the Jews to desist.
Nehemiah Esther Expositors Bible Commentary
Furthermore, Nehemiah's mission was primarily about REPAIRS, which only took 52 days!! (Nehemiah 6:15)
BibleGateway - Keyword Search: repairs
www.biblegateway.com
Some people start the Daniel 9:27 decree with Nehemiah. But this is not accurate, because they have to use 360-day years for the calculation, when literal years are required by context of the SOLAR 70 years of the desolations of Jerusalem.
But the Cyrus decree doesn't line up with the coming of Jesus, does it? That happened in 539 BC.
Keep reading to see how it does.
When Do the "Weeks" Begin?
Remember, Sabbath-year cycles aren't just any 7-year period. They correspond to times in Jewish history. But Sabbath year cycles are only observed when in the land.
25 The Lord then spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying, 2 “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you come into the land which I am going to give you, then the land shall have a Sabbath to the Lord. (Leviticus :25:1-2)
Jews were allowed to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple (and apparently, the city). But they probably didn't start observing Sabbath-Year cycles at that point. The actual weeks didn't start until 457-458 BC, when Ezra took another group of returnees and re-instituted Jewish law in Jerusalem and Judea.
"25 “And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God which is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges so that they may judge all the people who are in the province beyond the Euphrates River, that is, all those who know the laws of your God; and you may teach anyone who is ignorant of them. 26 And whoever does not comply with the Law of your God and the law of the king, judgment is to be executed upon him strictly, whether for death or for banishment, or for confiscation of property or for imprisonment.”" - Ezra 7:25-26
The Going Forth of Artaxerxes’ Decree Part 1
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biblearchaeology.org
This lines right up to the baptism of Jesus in 26-27 AD!!
Daniel's 70-Week Prophecy Converges with Sabbatical and Jubilee Years to Uniquely Date the Ministry and Crucifixion of Jesus Christ
Among modern Bible scholars, the two most commonly accepted dates for Jesus’ crucifixion are either Nisan 30 AD or Nisan 33 AD. Many researchers have called upon Daniel’s 70-Week Prophecy to support their Crucifixion date of choice. However, another
www.academia.edu
But what happens AFTER the 62 and 7 weeks?
AFTER the 69 Weeks
Then after the sixty-two weeks, the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. (Daniel 9:26)
Historians lean towards a crucifixion date of 30 A.D. Some say it's 33, but I think the slight majority prefer the 30 A.D. date. As we know from history, Jesus was killed and rejected by his people "AFTER" the 69 weeks, not "IN" the 70th week. The Romans came after this and destroyed the city and sanctuary as predicted by Daniel. This happened in 70 A.D.
And since then, Jerusalem has been sacked or sieged numerous times in history.
Siege of Jerusalem - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
This is consistent with the wars and desolations until "the end."
26 Then after the sixty-two weeks, the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.
this aligns with Christ's words as well:
Woe to those women who are pregnant, and to those who are nursing babies in those days; for there will be great distress upon the land, and wrath to this people; 24 and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
The 70th Week
"And he will confirm a covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come the one who makes desolate, until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, gushes forth on the one who makes desolate.”
This part hasn't happened yet. Jesus stated that the "abomination of desolation" was future from the standpoint of the first century. (Matthew 24). This also supports a "gap" between the end of the 69th week and the 70th week, since both refer to abomination of desolation. The abomination of desolation precedes the resurrection of the dead in the end times (Daniel 12) and happens in close proximity to the return of Christ in Matthew 24. Therefore, it is an end times event.
Bible Gateway passage: Matthew 24 - New American Standard Bible
Signs of Christ’s Return - Jesus left the temple area and was going on His way when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. But He responded and said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will...
www.biblegateway.com
Furthermore, Jesus can't be the one who "makes desolate" as some interpreters claim. Abomination of desolation is associated with idolatry in the temple (Daniel 11:31), not our Savior.
Thoughts?
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