Doug, I don't understand what Deuteronomy 31 has to do with the 70th week of Daniel 9. Am I slow or more dense than I thought? What does the reading of the old Mosaic laws every seven years at the Feast of Booths have to do with "he confirms the covenant for seven years" in Daniel 9? Are you saying it is the same seven years?
Dave, it is not the whole Mosaic Laws, although Moses did instruct them to put a copy in the Ark.
The time had come for that second generation to go in and possess the land. Moses wasn't allowed to go in himself.
As a remembrance to all future generations of what all they the Children of Israel went through, Moses made a law right then to have a periodic remembrance based on a 7 year interval, a commemorative speech on the feast of tabernacles day - which the feast of tabernacles itself is an acting out ceremony of how they had spent the time in the wilderness.
That commemorative speech was to be done by all future generations and from the place of God's choosing. In essence it was confirming of the Mt. Sinai covenant that the land God gave the Children of Israel was theirs forever.
Thus, in Daniel 9, the part in verse 27, about he shall confirms the covenant "for" one week (7 years). The "for" part alerts us to what exactly is meant by that overall phrase "confirms the covenant for one week (7years)"
Outside of Judaism, the Deuteronomy 31:10-11 requirement is not widely known about, especially in Christian circles - and all of the expert bible commentators. Most futurists, out of what has been taught, is that the confirms the covenant with many for one week (7 years) is a 7 year peace plan. Which is actually wrong because the commentators are not aware of Deuteronomy 31:10-11. Which a "for 7 years" cycle was established.
I took it up with the Jews themselves if they had been observing the commemorative reading, a couple of different sources.
They both told me the same thing, and that is "no" because the place of God's choosing, they take to be the temple mount. Which of course the muslims are never going to allow a ceremony which confirms that God gave the land of Israel to the Jews forever.
The cycle itself has been lost because it has not be done for such a long time. The Antichrist, who will be perceived by the Jews (for a short time) as their messiah, following Gog/Magog, end of Islam, will oversee the commemorative reading from the temple mount resetting that cycle. Which is he confirms the Mt. Sinai covenant for one week (7 years), the 7 year cycle of Deuteronomy 31:10-11.
In Judaism, the new covenant in Jeremiah 31, which we know to be in Christ Jesus, the Jews claim no that "new" is not exactly what that verse means, but a "renewal" of the existing Mt. Sinai covenant.
So you can see where what the Antichrist does in confirming the Mt. Sinai covenant for 7 years, resetting the cycle, fits right in with the Jewish (Judaism) view of a "renewal" of the Mt. Sinai covenant. Of course the Antichrist himself will be a Jew, and his religion will be Judaism of sorts.
In Judaism, they teach that every Jew of every generation has the potential to be the messiah. That teaching will serve to plant a seed in the Antichrist that he is the guy. He will have a huge ego to think of himself in that manner.
In Jewish mysticism, the Kabbalah, the adepts, that is, those who are expert practitioners in it, as part of their belief think that they can harness the power of the angels to carry out their (the adept's) agenda. The Antichrist will be into that heavily and will have success because Satan and his angels will cater to him. Daniel 8 calls it "craft", and understanding dark sentences.
In Judaism, they don't view Satan as Christians do. They view Satan as the obedient servant to God carrying out a job assigned to him as being the adversary. It is a perverted view for sure. But we are trying to figure out what will make the Antichrist tick.
Also, in Judaism, as I have been told many times by the Jews, that the Antichrist concept has no place in Judaism. Well, you can see their point because the term and concept comes from Christianity. So the Antichrist in that environment is not even going to be thinking that he is the Antichrist (a Christian concept), but that he is the long awaited messiah, fancying himself in that manner.
Being into craft for his success is what makes him the man of sin, because he will be relying on the father of sin, Satan, for his success. Which will ultimately come out, when Satan puts it in his heart that he has achieved God-hood.
So what we have in Daniel 7, then Daniel 8, then Daniel 9 is the path of the Antichrist's rise to becoming thought of by the Jews (for a short time) as the messiah, the promise great King of Israel, son of David.
Then later in 2thessalonians2, his fall - when he reveals himself as the man of sin. And goes on to becoming the beast in Revelation for that last 42 months leading up to Jesus's glorious return to save the world from complete annihilation.
