Daniel 9:24-27 Prophecy: Weeks or Sevens? :: By Randy Nettles
Many believe that Daniel 9:24-27 is the most important passage of prophecy in all of Scripture. No prophecy in the whole Bible is more critical to our understanding of the end times than these four verses. There are many different interpretations of the historical timing of the events that transpire within these four verses. This article examines several of them. We will also look at some of the Hebrew words and their English translations contained in these passages.
Throughout my twelve years of writing articles on biblical topics, I have changed my mind on several beliefs and views I had as a younger man. Most of these original beliefs were formed from my biblical studies, but when I couldn’t understand the meaning of certain scriptures, I would just accept known Bible scholars’ and eschatologists’ views regarding these matters without studying or researching them further.
I no longer rely on other opinions or interpretations so much as I have determined that by researching these interpretations further, I no longer always agree with the “experts.” Writing articles or books is the best way to learn (really learn), as it forces you to research the Bible scriptures instead of just reading them.
For instance, I used to just accept the most favored view held by most eschatologists that the 70 weeks of Daniel 9:24-27 were based on Shemitah (or Shmita) cycles or weeks (a heptad or seven years based on the Jewish calendar). 70 weeks would, therefore, amount to 490 years. I no longer believe this is the best interpretation. These weeks might not be referring to seven years but to the actual seventh year (the Shemitah year) themselves. If that is the case, then the 70 sevens would not necessarily amount to 490 years.
In some English translations of Daniel 24-27, the word sevens is used instead of weeks. The Hebrew word for seven or sevens is sebah (or sibah, sheba) and is spelled שֶׁבַע in Hebrew. This is the word used for the cardinal number seven in the Old Testament. The Hebrew word for weeks is sabua (or shabbua) and is spelled שָׁבוּעַ in Hebrew. This is the same word, except for weeks has one extra letter.
Sabua indicates a period of seven days, weeks, or years. It is a denominative of sebah and literally means sevened, seven, or week. I believe the English interpretive word “weeks” in Daniel 9:24-26 refers to the actual Shemitah year (year seven). However, I think the word “week” in Daniel 9:27 refers to the seven-year Shemitah cycle or week (although the last year of the week will be the 70th seven). See Sevens :: By Randy Nettles – Rapture Ready for more details.
I always believed the 69 sevens of Daniel 9:25-26 were from 444 BC to 33 AD. However, the reason I thought this was because of the largely uncontested view of Sir Robert Anderson and those who came after him that the 69 “weeks” were 483 years by way of the prophetic calendar of 360 days. I no longer believe this is the correct interpretation. How were the Jews supposed to use a 360-day calendar to determine Daniel’s prophecy of 70 Weeks (Daniel 9:24-27)? It looks good on paper, but it doesn’t hold water.
As I said in The Jewish Calendar in Daniel’s Seventieth Week :: By Randy Nettles – Rapture Ready, “The Jews should have known when their Messiah was to come as it was prophesied in Daniel’s prophecy (Daniel 9:25-26) of the 69 sevens, for Jesus said upon his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children with you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation” (Luke 19-42-44).
If the Jews should have known when their Messiah was to come, how would they have known to use a calendar that they had never used before? Even if they knew they were to use a prophetic calendar of 360 days, that means they would have to count 173,880 days (483 years of 360 days per year), or they would have to count 30 days per month for 5,769 months. Of course, this would be in addition to keeping up with their standard lunisolar calendar for their Feast of the Lord and related agricultural observances.
I find all this highly unlikely and believe the accurate calendar used in Daniel’s prophecy is the one the Jews have always used, which is the lunisolar calendar. The children of Israel already had a calendar in place for keeping up with large swaths of time, the Shemitah or Shmita (every seven years) and the Jubilee year (every 50 years) calendar.
“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” (Daniel 9:25).
I don’t adhere to the 458/457 BC terminus a quo date (the decree given to Ezra by Artaxerxes) for Daniel’s 69 weeks prophecy and the 26/27 AD date for the terminus ad quem 69th week. The adherents to these dates believe the end date of the 69 weeks was when Jesus was baptized by John. His ministry began shortly afterward. Those who hold to this timeline for Daniel 9:25 believe that the first 69 weeks (483 years) of Daniel’s prophecy was from the issuing of the decree in the seventh year of Artaxerxes until the baptismal anointing (Acts 10:37-38) of Jesus Christ. Messiah (or Christ) means “anointed one,” so they believe this event marked the 69th week or 483rd year of Daniel’s prophecy.
“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” (Daniel 9:26).
The adherents to the 458/457 BC – 26/27 AD timeline for Daniel 9:25 believe the first part of Daniel 9:26, “And after threescore and two weeks (69 weeks) shall Messiah be cut off,” is when Jesus was crucified in 30 AD (on a Friday). They believe the 2.5 – 3.5 years of Jesus’ ministry (depending on if they think Jesus was baptized in 26 or 27 AD) and his death, resurrection, and ascension all occurred several years after the 69th week.
One problem with this view is there is no terminus ad quem (endpoint) date for the 69 weeks that can be determined for the start of Jesus’ ministry. Most scholars of this timeline believe the start of Daniel’s prophecy was Tishri 1, 457 BC, which is the start of the civil calendar as well as the start of the Shemitah year (I believe it is Tishri 10 according to Leviticus 25:1-9). So, that means the end of the 69 weeks would have been Tishri 1, 27 AD (approximately 483 years). They, therefore, reason that the start of Jesus’ ministry was Tishri 1 (Trumpets), 27 AD. If that is the case, and Jesus was crucified on Nisan 14, 30 AD, then Jesus would have had a 2.5-year ministry.
However, just because Tishri 1, 27 AD is the start of a Shemitah year (and supposedly the 69th one) doesn’t mean this was the date of Jesus’ baptism. With this reckoning, we don’t know the actual terminus a quo date or the terminus ad quem date. We only have the dates for the beginning and ending Shemitah years of the 69 “weeks.”
Another problem I have with this view and timeline is the idea that the baptism and anointing (by the Holy Spirit) of Jesus is the event that causes the angel Gabriel to call Jesus the “Messiah the Prince.” If he had just called him the “Messiah,” I would not have a problem with it so much, but he also called him the “Prince.” A prince is a royal person who is next in line to be king. Before Jesus’ crucifixion, he rode into Jerusalem with his entourage on a donkey to shouts of “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Luke 19:38). It was the only day in Jesus’ life that he permitted His followers to proclaim him as Israel’s King, fulfilling Daniel’s prophecy to the day!
The Hebrew in Daniel 9:25 calls Him Messiah the Prince, denoting the fact that He was coming as the Anointed Son of the King and was not yet crowned King Himself. Jesus’ riding into Jerusalem on Sunday (Palm Sunday), Nisan 10 fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.” I believe this is the event mentioned in Daniel 9:25 that occurred during the 69th seven. More on this later.
THE DUAL REFERENCE PROPHECY OF DANIEL 9:24-27
If the Jews and the leaders of Jerusalem had accepted Jesus as their Messiah and King, the 70th seven would have begun soon afterward. Daniel 9:24-27 is a dual reference prophecy (with passages relating to both comings of Christ). In my article The Resumption of Daniel’s 70th Week :: By Randy Nettles – Rapture Ready, I described these prophecies and how they work. “The dual reference prophecies were written in such a way that if the Jews had accepted Jesus as their King and Messiah, He could have fulfilled them without a vast gap of time between the 69th and 70th weeks.
Jesus was cut off, resurrected, and ascended into heaven at the end of the 69th seven. Seven more years were still needed to complete Daniel’s prophecy of 70 sevens before the Messiah Jesus could establish His Millennial Kingdom. These last seven years would (still) unfold into what the Old Testament prophets called the time of Jacob’s Trouble or the Day of the Lord. I am uncertain as to how all this would be accomplished by the Lord, and one can only speculate what these last seven years would have been like. I’m sure it would have been different from what is described in Revelation because this book and all of the books of the New Testament would never have been written.
One thing is certain in this scenario: all of the prophecies in the Old Testament (including the Day of the Lord and Daniel’s prophecies) and Jesus’ prophecies would still be fulfilled in these last 7 years. God’s will is always accomplished, and His word is always fulfilled.
As I mentioned before, even if the Jews had accepted Jesus as their King and Messiah, He would still need to die on the cross to fulfill prophecy. The Romans would not accept a Jewish king in their midst, so they would see to it that he was crucified. They would then punish and persecute the Jews who were now revolting against the Roman Empire. Jesus would still be resurrected on the third day and appear to many. I believe Jesus would also have remained on the earth for 40 days before ascending to heaven and the Father’s house, where He would remain until He returned (Second Coming) seven years later (in 40 AD). I believe the Holy Spirit would still have been sent at Pentecost 50 days after Jesus’ resurrection.
For Daniel’s prophecy to be fulfilled (in this scenario), I believe the Jews would agree to a seven-year peace treaty with the Romans to avoid further persecution or war. This event would anger God greatly, and the time of Jacob’s trouble would commence. The Roman ruler would break this covenant with the Jews and commit the abomination of desolation (Daniel 9:27) midway through this “covenant with death,” as described by the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 28:15-16). Instead of the temple being destroyed in AD 70 (for in this scenario, there is no AD 70), its destruction would occur after the abomination of desolation by the Romans.
The desolations of Daniel 9:27 would continue until the Jews repented and called on the Lord to return, thus fulfilling the prophecies of Hosea 5:15 and 6:1-2. In this scenario, Jesus would return to the earth 3.5 years after the abomination of desolation at the battle of Armageddon and destroy the Roman Antichrist and his army and all the other forces arrayed against Him. I believe in this scenario, Jesus would have returned on the Feast of Trumpets (as I believe he will in the future Second Coming) in the year 40 AD.
As you may know, the Feast of Trumpets occurs on Tishri 1, which occurs on or shortly after the new moon conjunction of fall. The new moon conjunction for the fall of 40 AD occurred on September 25 on the Julian calendar (at 00.09 Universal time). This would have been September 23 on the proleptic Gregorian calendar. Amazingly (or ironically), the fall new moon conjunction for 2033 AD occurs on September 23 (at 13:40 Universal time) on the Gregorian calendar. This is a difference of 13:31 hours, separated by 1,993 years, of course.
Of course, God knew Israel would reject His Son as the Messiah during His First Advent, and the scenario I just described never took place. However, He gave them every opportunity to do so, including Jesus remaining on the earth for 40 days after His resurrection. The Holy Spirit also gave the prophets of old dual reference prophecies so that Jesus could have fulfilled them completely during His First Advent.
In between the gaps in these prophecies, the Church was conceived and the covenant of God’s grace through faith has temporarily suspended the covenant of the Law for Israel, just as He always planned. After the Rapture and the removal of the Holy Spirit indwelt Church, the covenant of the Law will resume for Israel (after a short gap of time) until it comes to an end seven years later, when Jesus returns to the Earth.
THE TIMELINE OF DANIEL’S 69 SEVENS
Now, back to our timelines. Regarding the 27 AD baptism for Jesus fulfilling Daniel 9:25 as the Messiah the Prince and the terminus ad quem for the 69th week, that leaves all of Jesus’ ministry, his death, resurrection, ascension, and the birth of the Church (and giving of the Holy Spirit) outside of the 69th week by 2.5 (or 3.5) years. It leaves all of the most important events in Jesus’ life in the gap period (the time of the Gentiles) between the 69th and 70th week, which has lasted for 1997 years now (according to this timeline).
I believe the 69 sevens period should be from the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem (not the temple) to the life of Christ. His entire life, including his birth, ministry, death, resurrection, ascension, and sending of the Holy Spirit (conception of the Church), should be included within the 69 sevens. After the 69 sevens were concluded, God turned His attention to the Church, and this remains so to this day until the 70th week (the last seven years) begins, and then God will turn His attention back to Israel again, as the Rapture will have already taken the Church to heaven.
There are other reasons that I don’t like 458/457 for the start of Daniel’s 70th week or 26/27 AD for the end of Daniel’s 69th week (and 30 AD for Jesus’ crucifixion), which I have covered in other articles, so I won’t rehash it here. See Dabar Matters (rev310.net), The Season of the Lord’s Return :: By Randy Nettles – Rapture Ready, The Jewish Calendar in Daniel’s Seventieth Week :: By Randy Nettles – Rapture Ready , and In The Midst of Daniel’s Seventy Weeks Prophecy :: By Randy Nettles – Rapture Ready.
After reading these articles (I know you did, right?), you know I am a proponent of the 445/444 BC to 32/33 AD dates for the 69 sevens of Daniel 9:25-26. Let’s look at Daniel 9:25 again. “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.” If these “weeks” are not cycles of seven years but are instead “seventh years” (or Sabbatical years), then the Messiah the Prince would come during the 69th seven.
The word or dabar (some translations say decree) given to Nehemiah by Artaxerxes (during the 20th year of his reign) to rebuild Jerusalem occurred in the month of Nisan in the year 444 BC. So, the first “seven” or Shemitah year (sabbatical year) would have been Tishri 10, 3317 AM (445 BC) – Tishri 9, 3318 AM (444 BC), and the 69th “seven” would have been Tishri 10, 3792 AM (32 AD) – Tishri 9, 3793 AM (33 AD). The anointed Prince was prophesied to come sometime within that timeframe. It just so happens that Jesus (the Messiah Prince) rode into Jerusalem on Nisan 10, 33 AD, fulfilling Daniel 9:25.
Author’s note: Nehemiah 8:13-18 mentions Nehemiah and the Jews reading the Law during the Feast of Tabernacles during the year they returned to Jerusalem (444 BC), thus obeying the commandment to do so according to Deuteronomy 9-13. “And Moses commanded them, saying: ‘At the end of every seven years, at the appointed time in the year of release, at the Feast of Tabernacles, when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing’” (Deut. 31:10-11). These verses in Nehemiah indicate the year they returned to Jerusalem (444 BC) was a Shemitah year. 69 Shemitah years later would be 33 AD. See the Sevens article.
The first part of Daniel 9:26 says, “And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself.” Of course, we know the term “cut off” means killed. So, the Messiah would be killed after the event of verse 25 (Palm Sunday), which would be four days after Nisan 10. Jesus was crucified on Nisan 14, 33 AD (IMO). If you prefer to connect the word “after” with the sabbatical years, the 1st Shemitah year began in 445 BC, and the 69th Shemitah year began in 32 AD. Therefore, Jesus’ death occurred after 32 AD. From 445 BC to 33 AD is 477 years. Daniel never mentioned 483 years, only 69 sevens. The number 477 is significant as I wrote about in Shavuot, Pentecost, and the Rapture :: By Randy Nettles – Rapture Ready.
With this timeline, you have the entire life of Jesus, including his baptism, ministry, death, resurrection, the ascension of Jesus, the sending of the Holy Spirit, and the conception of the Church within the 69 sevens. The 69th seven continued until Tishri 10 (the Day of Atonement), 33 AD. Since Jesus wasn’t crowned King of the Jews at this time, God turned his attention to the newly conceived Church and away from the Jews. This is the time known as the Church age and the fullness of the Gentiles. It will continue through the Rapture of the Church (which will end the Church age) and keep on continuing until the last seven years (the Tribulation), which will culminate with the 70th seven. Jesus will return at this time to set up His Millennium Kingdom. The six conditions or objectives of Daniel 9:24 will, at this time, be accomplished for Jerusalem and the Jewish people.
I believe the crucifixion of Jesus occurred on Thursday, Nisan 14, as I have written about many times. Here is what the late Jack Kelley wrote regarding the chronology of Holy Week. “Thursday is really the only day that works for the crucifixion. The Lord rode into Jerusalem on Sunday and allowed Himself to be hailed as Israel’s King for the first and only time in His ministry. This fulfilled the Passover prophecy that the lamb had to be selected on the 10th day of the first month and then had to be minutely inspected for 3 days (Monday the 11th, Tuesday the 12th, and Wednesday the 13th) until the 14th (Exodus 12:3-6). Jesus was thoroughly inspected and questioned by the religious leaders in Jerusalem during this time.
He was crucified on Thursday, Nisan 14, which was Passover, the day the lamb had to be sacrificed. It was also called Preparation Day (in all four Gospels) because it was the day before the Feast of Unleavened Bread began when no work could be done. The first day of U.B. is the special Sabbath (a high day) that John referred to in John 19:31. It began on the 15th which was Friday that year.
The next day was Saturday, the weekly Sabbath on which no work could be done. Finally, the women came to the tomb at sunrise on Sunday, the first day on which they could do the work of attending to His body (Matt. 28:1). It was the Feast of First Fruits, the day after the first weekly Sabbath after Passover. (Lev. 23:9-11)
If Jesus had been crucified on Wednesday there wouldn’t have been time to meet the 3-day inspection rule, and if the special Sabbath (the 1st day of Unleavened Bread) was on Thursday, the women could have come on Friday to anoint the body. Jesus couldn’t have been crucified on Friday (Good Friday), as there is no way you can get three days and three nights from Friday to Sunday morning.
Jesus died on Thursday, day one, then Friday was night one and day two, Saturday was night 2 and day three, Sunday was night 3, and He was out of the tomb before sunrise when the women got there. Remember, the Jew’s 24-hour day begins at 6:00 pm.” {1} Holy Week Chronology – Grace thru faith
If you go by the Nisan 1 dates by reckoning from the Biblical Jewish Calendar as outlined in Calculated Jewish Calendar vs. Biblical Jewish Calendar:: By Randy Nettles – Rapture Ready, here are the Julian calendar dates and days of the week for Nisan 14 from 29 – 34 AD. Most scholars don’t believe Jesus could have been crucified earlier or later than these years. As you can see, 33 AD is the only date that Nisan 14 occurs on a Thursday. I don’t see a Good Friday in the bunch.
Nisan 14 – Saturday, April 16, 29 AD
Nisan 14 – Wednesday, April 5, 30 AD
Nisan 14 – Monday, March 26, 31 AD
Nisan 14 – Saturday, April 12, 32 AD
Nisan 14 – Thursday, April 2, 33 AD
Nisan 14 – Tuesday, March 23, 34 AD
THE 70TH WEEK OF DANIEL 9:24,27
Finally, regarding the 70th week of Daniel 9:27, since I no longer believe in a prophetic year of 360 days for the calculation of the duration of a calendar year, I don’t think these last seven years will be divided into two halves of 1,260 days as most eschatologists do.
The Jewish Sabbath “weeks” (seven years) are approximately 2,540 or 2,570 days in duration (give or take a few days) for both the Calculated Jewish calendar and the Biblical Jewish calendar. I believe the last seven years of Daniel’s prophecy will contain 2,569 days. One reason why I think the last “week” of Daniel’s 70th week will be for 2,569 days is because that is what is required to get 1,290 days from two very significant Feast of the Lord days on the Jewish calendar (see below). The last 3.5 years need to have two intercalary months added for this to be possible.
Daniel’s 69 sevens prophecy began and ended in the month of Nisan (Nisan 10). I believe the 70th week will begin and end on Tishri 10, the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). The two witnesses of Revelation 11 may begin their ministry on this same date, which is the holiest day of the year for Jews. 3.5 years, or 1,260 days later, the two witnesses will be killed by the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit. This fulfills Revelation 11:3 and Revelation 11:7. The date on the Biblical Jewish calendar will be Nisan 1.
Nine (the number for judgment) days later, the Antichrist will ride into Jerusalem on a white horse, declaring himself king of Israel and the entire world. This is Nisan 10 on the Biblical Jewish calendar, the same day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey as the Jews’ king (Messiah, the Prince) but was rejected as such.
Five days later, the Jews’ Passover will begin on Nisan 15. I think the Antichrist will be killed during the Feast of Unleavened Bread and be resurrected on the Sabbath after Passover, which is the original Feast of First fruits. This is the same day Jesus was resurrected. The Antichrist will stop all sacrifices on this day, and his false prophet will set up the abomination of desolation as described in Daniel 9:27 and Matthew 24:15. This is day 1,279 from the start of the Tribulation. It is the “in the midst” event of Daniel’s 70th week (Daniel 9:27), which is 2,569 days in duration. There are exactly 1,290 days left that constitute the “Great Tribulation.”
Jesus will return to the earth (Second Coming) on Tishri 1, on the Feast of Trumpets. It will have been 1,290 days from Nisan 10 when the Antichrist first rode into Jerusalem as the king of the world. The true King of Kings and LORD of Lords, Jesus Christ, will return as the “Man of War” and destroy the Antichrist, false prophet, and their evil forces, as described in Revelation 19:11-21.
Also, from the Feast of First Fruits, when the Antichrist stopped the sacrifices and set up the abomination of desolation in the temple in Jerusalem, to 3.5 year later on the Day of Atonement, will be exactly 1,290 days in duration. This fulfills the prophecy of Daniel 12:11, “And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that makes desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.”
I believe the events of Revelation 20:1-4 will occupy the remaining ten days “of Awe or Repentance” between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The end of the Tribulation will occur on Tishri 10, the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). It will have been exactly 2,569 days (7 Jewish calendar years) from the start of Daniel’s 70th week on the Feast of Yom Kippur.
Most scholars believe there will be a 45-day gap between the end of Daniel’s 70th week and the beginning of the Millennium Kingdom because of Daniel 12:12 (1,335 days). Five days after the Day of Atonement, the remaining Jews will celebrate Tabernacles (Sukkot) with Jesus. During this 45-day gap period, many necessary events will be accomplished such as the judgments of the tribulation survivors (Matthew 24:45-51; 25:31-46), appointing judges and officers (Isaiah 1:26), and preparing the Millennial Temple as described in Ezekiel 40-48.
Exactly 1,335 days from the Antichrist’s abomination of desolation, the Millennium Kingdom will begin. “Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days” (Daniel 12:12). Interestingly, this chapter and verse is 12, as 12 is the biblical number that represents Israel. For a hypothetical example (with Gregorian dates) of this timeline, see The 1290th and 1335th Day of Daniel 12:11-12 :: By Randy Nettles – Rapture Ready. Regardless of the correctness of this timeline, we know with 100% accuracy that Jesus will return to the Earth at the end of the 70th week and seven of Daniel’s prophecy.
Incidentally, the Greek word for seven is Strong’s G2033 – hepta. The words, seven, seventh, and seven times occur 88 times in the New Testament (as does the “Son of man”). Eight is the number for new beginnings. The Greek isopsephy value for Jesus Ἰησοῦ (Iēsou) is 888. The Greek word hepta (seven) occurs 33 times in the Book of Revelation, pointing to the perfect Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.
Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Randy Nettles
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