Sometime ago, as I was meditating on several scriptures, the Lord led me to Daniel Chapter 9. Even though I had read this passage many times before, this time was different. After reading these scriptures, the Lord deposited in my heart a new found fervor to reach the Jews with the Gospel.
Let me begin with Daniel chapter 9, verse 24.
V.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.
To begin with, six things in this passage should be looked at singled out.
1) To finish the transgression
2) To make an end of sins
3) Make reconciliation for iniquity
4) Bring in everlasting righteousness
5) Seal up the vision and prophecy
6) To anoint the most Holy
Through these six parts of the text, God is showing us how He plans to deal with Israel from the very beginning to the very end. Just as creation was completed in six days, so God will complete His plan with Israel through these six truths.
The 70 seventy weeks mentioned, is a prophetic time frame in which the whole plan of God will be completed. As we study this passage, you will understand the meaning behind this time frame keeping in mind, that the seventy weeks will cover thousands of years of history.
V.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.
As the Holy Spirit says "Know therefore and understand", we need to know and understand that the "going forth of the commandment" was directed to Ezra and Nehemiah who received this command in order to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and the temple. There are two time periods mentioned: seven weeks and three score and two weeks (62 weeks). Thus two events must take place corresponding to the two time frames. The seven weeks correspond to the time when the Jewish people left Babylon until the completion of the walls and temple in Jerusalem. This is the seven week period which is calculated as 49 years. Let me explain. Each day of the week is understood as a single year. Therefore, 7 weeks equals to 49 years. The second part of this verse concerns the 62 weeks which refers to the time of the first coming of the Messiah. This passage continues in the first part of verse 26.
V.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.
The ‘62 weeks’ period began from the completion of the walls and temple in Jerusalem to the resurrection and ascension of the Messiah which is calculated at 434 years (62 weeks). Can you see how precise God’s Word deals with His preset timing. Verse 26 ends with the destruction of the temple and the flood of Jewish blood in Jerusalem due to the Roman onslaught led by Vaspasian and then General Titus. This resulted in the global scattering of the Jewish people. |
