John 1:11 He came unto His own (THE JEWISH NATION), and His own received Him not.

John 1:12 But as many as received Him (THE BELIEVING FORMERLY GENTILES), to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name:

The Time of the Gentiles is not as some assert a dispensation connected to the 70 weeks prophecy.  When the Sanhedrin rejected Jesus a second time in the person of His disciples, their 70 Weeks probation ended in 34 a.d.  It is at this time in history the times of the Gentiles began.

Jesus our Lord was annointed in the beginning of the Seventieth Week of Daniel 9:27 (after the 69th week had ended) and thus began the final week when He was baptized and annointed of the Holy Ghost for His ministry.

Matthew 3:16, 17 And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him. And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

This annointing was referred to by Peter in Acts 10:36-38 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (He is Lord of all:) That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: Who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him.

Jesus our Lord was referring to the prophecy of the Seventieth week when He said this in Mark 1:14, 15 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Clearly there would not be a future application since Jesus our Lord said the beginning of the Seventieth week was in direct conjunction to His baptism.

The prophecy also records, Daniel 9:27 "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.

Notice too how this is fulfilled by our Lord

Matthew 27:50, 51 Jesus, when He had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

The Lord caused sacrifice and oblations to be abolished when His Life was offered up for the sins of the world.

Hebrews 10:12-16 But this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. 

Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that He had said before, this is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

Remember that Jesus is titled Messiah the Prince and Prince of the Covenant in Daniel 9:25 ad Daniel 11:22

The Apostle Paul declares how our Lord seals the prophecy with his words in, Galatians 4:4-5 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman (His birth), made under the law (His death when He was made sin 2 Corinthians 5:21), to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

Jesus came to confirm the everlasting covenant to write His Law on the hearts and minds of His people. He also paid the penalty for their past sins at the cross.

There is nothing in the 70 weeks prophecy that has not been fulfilled, therefore dispensationlism is on unsettled ground with their proposals about any future application past 34 a.d when Stephen the deacon of the Jerusalem Church was stoned to death on order from the very Sanhedrin who delivered Jesus 3 1/2 years before to Pilate to be crucified.

So let's recap:

1. Our Lord was baptized in the fall of 27 a.d. beginning the 70th week. He was there annointed by the Holy Ghost.
2. In the midst of the 70th week, the spring of 31a.d. He was crucified (tasting death for everyman as the Lamb of God) forever abolishing the temple services, which included the animal sacrifices and oblations, and the priesthood of Levi.
3. In mercy the Lord God of Israel gave His people another 3 1/2 years to realize what they had done and repent.

Although seven thousand did repent in Jerusalem according to Acts 2 and 3, of the hundreds of thousands gathered in Jerusalem during the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread (Spring) 31a.d, ultimately the Sanhedrin condemned the preaching of Jesus Christ and sent men like Saul of Tarsus with letters to arrest the followers of Jesus and bring them to Jerusalem either to be threatened or slaughtered.

In the Fall of 34a.d their fate was sealed when they stoned Stephen who testified to them of what they had done to Messiah Yeheshua (Jesus the Christ).

When they heard Stephen's testimony that is recorded in Acts 6  and 7, they could not resist his wisdom and Spirit by which he spake, and so then came the same tactics that were used against the Lord.

False Witnesses claiming Stephen was a blasphemer against the temple and the Torah.

The glory of the Lord rested upon Stephen and even the Scripture records his face looked like that of an angel when he was arraigned before the Council. And the High Priest asked if the Words spoken against him were true, and Stephen began from Abraham and declared the history of his people and the Lord working through them to bring forth the Messiah.

He concluded by declaring that they, 

1. BETRAYED the JUST ONE
2. They (the Sanderin Council) were all MURDERERS
3. Have not kept TORAH.

Their response, being convicted grated their teeth in anger.

Stephen then received a vision and prophesied right in their midst declaring, "Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God."

Their respose, to this they closed their ears, ran upon him, dragged him outside Jerusalem, and then stoned him.

Stephen called upon His Messiah Yeheshua to receive his spirit, knelt down, and asked Yeheshua, "Lord! Lay not this sin to their charge!"

 And Stephen fell asleep.

 The same love that Jesus prayed to His Father, Stephen prayed to His Lord Jesus.

 Oh what love!

The time for Israel and Judah to fulfill Daniel 9:24 had now ended.

Seventy Weeks (490 Years 457b.c - 34a.d.) 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.

In Jesus Christ was wrapped up the destiny of the nation and its people. By receiving Him they would have been established forever, but in rejecting Him, they destroyed themselves forever God's Holy Nation.

It is written in the very book of Daniel that the man of sin who is the Pope of Rome would think to change the times and laws (Daniel 7:25; 2 Thessalonians 2:3,4) of God.

The Law of God in regard to worship has indeed been changed by Rome. Bowing down before the idols of baptized paganism is a daily rite of the roman church worldwide but when it comes to the times of God we then need to look to the prophecies the Lord has given to His people as waymarks, not to the PRIVATE INTERPRETATIONS of BABYLONISH PRIESTS AND MINISTERS IN FALLEN PROTESTANTISM.

From Genesis 3:15 onward there are thousands of prophecies that have directed us to Jesus and warned us from being deceived by anti-christian doctrine, that seek to change God's times and laws. May we hear the Faithful adn True Witness always and shun the fables of men like a 3rd Temple in earthly Jerusalem and a 7 year tribulation that follows a rapture.

The Seventy Weeks Prophecy of Daniel Chapter 9

I pray you are blessed by the study of these prophecies as it is confirmed in His Word that this is the end result.

2 Peter 1:19, "We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:"

Revelation 1:3, "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand."

Not only does one learn of the Truth as well as the character of this Mighty God we serve by studying His Word, we also are blessed by reading His Word with advance knowledge of the perilous days ahead of us. I must admit that studying Bible Prophecy has been such a blessing to me and my family. I also see the fruits of this wonderful Word of Prophecy in the eyes of even complete strangers when they hear such truths for this first time. I truly enjoy seeing that!

With that said, let us jump right into this Bible study of the 70 weeks of Daniel chapter 9.

Daniel 9:1, "In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans;"

The events spoken of in Daniel Chapter 9 took place in 538b.c., shortly after the Chaldeans (Babylon) were conquered by the Medes and the Persians.

Daniel studied the book of Jeremiah often and realized that the last 70 years of slavery for his people had now come to an end.

Daniel 9:2-3, "In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:"

Babylon had fallen. It was now time to concentrate on the reconstruction of Jerusalem. Daniel understood the prophecy declared that this was next. So, he went to the Creator God in intense prayer and fasting. By the way, this is something you don't seek too often in today's world. Many Christians today have totally forgotten about such powerful prayer and supplications as this. We ALL would see the hand of the Lord move far more frequent I am sure if we too would do as His prophets of old have done.

Daniel 9:4-5,18 "And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments; We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:

O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies."

All that Daniel saw was accurate. Even looking upon his people he saw that their sins have caused them this grief. However, he thought because of their rebellion, the construction of Jerusalem was being delayed. This is why his prayer is concentrating on forgiveness for his sins and the sins of his people.

Daniel 9:20-21, "And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God; Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation."

Right in the midst of prayer, the angel Gabriel once again appeared to Daniel. If you recall in the Word, it speaks of how thirteen years prior, the angel gave Daniel a vision describing a 2300 year period of time. However, because of Daniel being unable to handle to phsyically handle any interpretation of the vision at that time. (See Daniel 8:27) Gabriel left before explaining it. This 2300 year panoramic view of many prophetic events is extremely important and will be the topic of yet another study. For now, let's concentrate on the 70 weeks within it.

Daniel 9:22-23, "And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. 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."

Here we see Gabriel telling Daniel that he was going to explain a vision he had. However, Daniel did NOT have a vision during this prayer did he? In fact, the last vision he had was 13 years ago. So, using common sense we must conclude that Gabriel is about to share with Daniel that which he was too weak to hear before.

Daniel 9:24, "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city..."

The word "determined" here in this verses comes from the Hebrew word,  chathak {khaw-thak'}(See Strongs 02852) The word chathak literally means to "cut off" or to be "marked out." In other words, the angel is telling Daniel that 70 weeks had been cut of or marked out for the people of Israel.

How do you cut off or mark out 70 weeks? You would have to do so from a larger period of time. The 2300 prophecy is what the angel is referring to here. He is about to illustrate a period of time "cut out" of a longer period of time that is "marked" specifically for the people of Israel. (We will get back to the 2300 years later)

Daniel 9:25, "Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem..."

The angel also tells Daniel WHEN to start the prophetic period of time. Daniel will know that it will begin the very moment a king declares it is time for the people of Israel to go forth to build Jerusalem. When was this command given?

Ezra 7:8,11,13,20 "...in the seventh year of the king. ...this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe... I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee. And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure house."

 In the seventh year of king Artaxerxes' reign, he made a decree unto the people of Israel to go forth and rebuild the temple. The seventh year of this king was in fact 457b.c..

 Daniel 9:25, "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."

The prophecy then declares that there will be 69 weeks (7 + 60 + 2) until Messiah arrives. So, what does 69 weeks mean in prophecy?

Numbers 14:34, "After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise."

Ezekiel 4:5-6, "For I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days: so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year."

 In Bible prophecy a "day for a year" calculation has always been the norm.

Each day for a year. Literally, “a day for the year, a day for the year.” This expression may be compared with a similar statement in Num. 14:34, “After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years.” In these statements are found the first intimations of the prophetic scale which later was to figure so largely in the interpretation of the great time prophecies, such as the “time and times and the dividing of time” (Dan. 7:25), and the “two thousand and three hundred days” (Dan. 8:14).-SDA Bible Commentary Vol 4. p. 590

Daniel 9:25, "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:..."

By the way...
Don't make the same mistake I made when I first calculated this prophetic fact some years ago. I completely forgot about the fact that there is a YEAR 0 to contend with. I kept coming up with a calcualtion that was ONE YEAR OFF when trying to place Jesus Christ being baptized in 27a.d.. I kept seeing Him baptized in 26a.d. instead!

So... does the Word confirm that Jesus was baptized in that very year of 27a.d. or not?

John 4:25-26, "The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.  Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he."

Acts 10:38, "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him."

The word "Messiah" comes from the Hebrew word, "Mashiach," which in Greek is translated as "Christos" which means ANOINTED ONE. Here we see plainly that the New testament Word does in fact declare Jesus to be, the Messiah," "the Christ," "the Anointed One."

Does history confirm this as well? Remember? Prophecy tells us that in 27a.d. we will see Messiah annointed. Does this happen? First of all we need to answer an objestion that is bound to spring up in some minds. Scriptures declare...

Luke 3:21,23 "Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,"

Why is it the Bible says this occurred in 27a.d., and it also states Jesus was about 30 years of age when it happened? When the calendar time of this occurance was first calculated there was an error of 4 years made as many of us today are now aware. It's overwhelmingly obvious that Christ could not have been born in 1a.d., because that would NOT make Him to be "about 30 years of age" now would it? PLUS, Herod was still alive when Christ was born as everyone is aware. He did all he could to kill Jeuss at that time. But History records Herods death to be in 4b.c..

After the error was realized, historic fact became even clearer. Jesus was truly born in 4b.c., and then baptized in 27a.d., at the age of 20. Since there is no such thing as a phantom "zero year" we have the following accurate formula to bring about the correct year of the baptism of Christ.

Try that in your calculator and you WILL see it work out just fine. Jesus did in fact step into the river Jordan in the exact year the vision Daniel had prophecied! PLUS, Jesus even proved this confrmation when He declared that the time was "fulfilled" after He was baptized.

Mark 1:9,14,15 "And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,  And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel."

 Jesus understood Bible prophecy! He knew that the Autumn of the year 27a.d., was a fulfillment of the prophecy of Daniel.

 Daniel 9:26-27, "And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off... 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."

Getting back to the 70 weeks. Here we see that in the middle of the 70th week something is to occur. Prophecy is stating that the Messiah shall be "cut off." It also states that when this occurs, it will, "cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease."

The middle of the week means 3.5 years. (7 years divided by 2) By adding 3.5 years to the autumn of 27a.d., we come to the Spring of 31a.d.. What happened in the Spring of 31a.d.?

Prophecy says...

Daniel 9:27, "And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week:"

Matthew 26:27-28, "And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;  For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."

The "covenant with many" is what actually happened when Jesus Christ sealed the covenant when He shed His blood on that cross and died. He died for all those that sinned even though He Himself knew no sin. He did this for the salvation of all those that would ACCEPT His sacrifice for the remission of sins.

Daniel 9:26-27, "And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself:... 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..."

Matthew 26:27-28, "And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;  For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."

In the middle of the week of Daniel we see that Jesus Christ prophetically, accurately, hung on the cross but 'NOT FOR HIMSELF." He died for the sins of you and I. He was sinless, and a perfect sacrifice for sin. Just like of old when the Jewish nation brought forth a lamb to be slaughtered for their sins, it could NOT have any "blemish" upon it (see Exodus 12:5) because the Lord to come would not have any sin in Him.

To further confirm that this occured. At the very moment "The Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world" died on that cross. The temple veil ripped from top to bottom therefore siginifying that the "lamb sacrifice" for sins of the nation of Israel was at an END! The "oblation ceased!"

Matthew 27:50-51, "Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.  And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;"

Exactly 3.5 years AFTER Jesus stepped into the river Jordan the Messiah was cut off but not for any sins He committed. He died for those that had sins and needed to have them "atoned" for by bringing a lamb for sacrifice. In the exact year 31a.d., this occured.

There is another way of finding that Messiah was "cut off" 3.5 years after He begins His ministry. Directly after Jesus is anointed by God in the river Jordan, Luke 3:23 tells us accurately that "Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was [the son] of Heli," This tells us when Jesus "began" His ministry, now all one needs do is "COUNT" the amount of Passovers that follow from this verse until Jesus is "cut off" or "crucified" and you will see 3.5 years have passed by.

Read John chapter 2 through chapter 13. Specifically John 2:13,23...6:3,4...13:1 (passover, 1-2-3)

Daniel 9:24, "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." 

After the death and resurrection of Christ, which in turn was to "make an end of sins", there was still 3.5 years left in the prophecied 490 years allotted to the Jews to accept Jesus Christ as Messiah.

Did they do that? Did they finally accept Him?

Luke 24:46-47, "And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:  And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."

To finish off the week of Daniel, as well as finish the final years left in the 490 years of probation for the Jews, the Apostles were specifically targeting the Jewish nation in their Gospel preachign campaign. Prophecy said that after Messiah would be "cut off" for sins He did NOT commit there would still be 3.5 years left for the Jews to hear the message of the Gospel. The Apostles did exactly that. They preached exclusively to the Jewish nation.

When did the "week of Daniel" end?

Acts 7:56-58, "And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.  Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,  And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul."

 In the Autumn of the year 34a.d., the Jewish people openly rejected the Gospel message. They made an open declaration of that rejection by the stoning of Stephen. A stoning that was wholly approved by the leaders of Israel. Sad historic fact is, Stephan is the first Christian martyr killed by the hands of the Jewish nation itself.

Further biblical fact can be found in a prophetic utterance, and then a prophetic confirmation...

Sadly, the prophecy also speaks of a tragic event.

Daniel 9:26-27, "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."

Was Jerusalem destroyed after the Jewish nation rejected the Gospel message?

In A.D.66 when Cestius came against the city, but unaccountably withdrew, the Christians discerned in this the sign foretold by Christ, and fled while 1,100,000 Jews are said to have been killed in the terrible siege in A.D. 70. -Eusebius, Church History, book 3, chap. 5

Notice this...

Daniel 9:22-23, "And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. 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."

One last thought brethren, have you ever considered the time when Peter asked his Lord, "Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?"  Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven."  Matthew 18:21, 22.

The amazing agape' love of God was manifested not only in Jesus Christ's teachings, but also in this grand prophecy of Himself, our Messiah, who came according to the time and events of Daniel 9:24-27, to the houses of Israel and Judah.  Unto seventy times seven, equalling 490 years, the Great God of heaven alloted a space for them to repent and receive His Son as their righteousness, by faith, but they rejected Him.  "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.  But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name:  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."  John 1:11-13

The 1,290 and 1,335 Days of Daniel 12
Alberto R. Timm, Ph.D.
Professor of Historical Theology
Brazil Adventist University College - Campus 2
Director of the Brazilian Ellen G. White Research Center

            The interpretation of the 1,290 days and 1,335 days of Daniel 12: 11, 12 as 1,290 years and 1,335 years respectively can be found already among the Jewish expositors of the eighth century A.D. This interpretation, based on the year-day principle (see Num 14:34; Ezek 4:6, 7), continued to be advocated by the followers of Joachim of Floris (1130-1202), as well as by several other expositors during the pre-Reformation, the Reformation, and the subsequent Protestant tradition.[1][1]

       William Miller (1782-1849), on his turn, believed (1) that both the 1,290 years and the 1,335 years had began in A.D. 508, with Clovis's victory over the Arian Visigoths, which was a decisive step in uniting both political and ecclesiastic powers for Medieval Catholicism to be able to punish the "heretics"; (2) that the 1,290 years were fulfilled in 1798, with the imprisonment of Pope Pius VI by the French army; and (3) that the 1,335 years would extend for 45 years more, until the end of the 2300 years of Daniel 8:14 in 1843/1844.[1][2] This interpretation was kept by early Sabbatarian Adventists,[1] [3] becoming the historical position of the Seventh-day Adventist Churchup to our own days.[1] [4]

      But in more recent years some independent preachers started to propagate a "new light" on the 1,290 and 1,335 days of Daniel 12. Rejecting the traditional Adventist understanding, such individuals claim that both time-periods comprise "literal" days (and not days which represent "years") to be fulfilled still in the future. Some of them suggest that both periods will begin with the future national Sunday law; that the 1,290 "literal" days are the time-period reserved for God's people to leave the cities; and that at the end of the 1,335 "literal" days the voice of God will announce the "day and hour" of Christ's second coming.[1][5]
      As interesting as this theory might be, there are at least five basic reasons which do not allow us to accept it.

1.    This theory is based on a partial and biased reading of the Spirit of Prophecy. 

       One of the arguments used to justify the theory of the future fulfillment of the 1,290 and 1,335 days is the false claim that Ellen White regarded as erroneous the notion that the 1,335 days were already fulfilled in the past. Allusions are made to Mrs. White letter "to the Church in Bro. Hastings house," dated as November 7, 1850, in which are mentioned some problems related to Brother O. Hewit, of Dead River. In the original text of this letter appears the following statement, "We told him of some of his errors in the past, that the 1,335 days were ended and numerous errors of his."[1] [6]

      Some advocates of the "new prophetic light" argue that the conjunction "that" should be understood in the above-quoted statement as bearing the meaning of "such as.'' So they are able to make the sentence say that among the errors Hewit held was the idea "that the 1335 days were ended."

       If Ellen White's intention was really to correct Brother Hewit for believing that the 1,335 days were already fulfilled, then we are left with the following questions: Why did Ellen White limit herself to correct, in 1850, in a partial and biased form, only the personal position of that brother, without any rebuke to other Adventist leaders who also believed that this prophetic period was already fulfilled in 1844?[1][7] Why did she not reprove her own husband (James White) who stated in the Review, still in 1857, that "the 1,335 days ended with the 2,300, with the Midnight Cry in 1844"? Why did she not reprove him for continuing to publish in the Review several articles of other authors advocating the very same idea?[1] [8] And more, how could Ellen White declare in 1891 that "there will never again be a message for the people of God that will be based on time"[1] [9] if the fulfillment of the 1,290 and 1,335 days were still in the future?

      Evidences that Ellen White believed that those prophetic periods were already fulfilled in her own days can be found also in her statements saying that Daniel was already being vindicated in his lot (see Dan 12:13) since the beginning of the time of the end.[1] [10] Thus, it seems evident that P. Gerard Damsteegt, Professor of Church History at the Theological Seminary of Andrews University, was correct when he declared that "already in 1850 E. G. White had written that 'the 1,335 days were ended,' without specifying the time of their completion."[1] [11]

2.      This theory breaks the prophetic-literary parallelism of the book of Daniel.

       In order to justify the alleged future fulfillment of the 1,290 and 1,335 days, the advocates of this "new prophetic light" claim without any constraint that the content of Daniel 12:5-13, where those time-periods are mentioned, is not part of the prophetic chain of Daniel 11. Yet, a more careful analysis of the literary structure of the book of Daniel does not confirm this theory. 

      William H. Shea explains that in the book of Daniel each prophetic period (1,260, 1,290, 1,335, and 2,300 days) appears as a calibrating appendix to the basic body of the respective prophecy to which it is related. For instance, the vision of chapter 7 is described in verses 1-14, but the time related to it appears only in verse 25. In chapter 8, the body of the vision is related in verses 1-12, but the time appears only in verse 14. In a similar way, the prophetic time-periods related to the vision of chapter 11 are only mentioned in chapter 12.[1][12] 

      Such parallelism confirms that the 1,290 days and the 1,335 days of Daniel 12:11, 12 share the same prophetic-apocalyptic nature of "a time, two times, and half a time" of Daniel 7:25 (RSV), and of the 2,300 "evenings and mornings" of Daniel 8:14(RSV). So, if we apply the year-day principle to the prophetic periods of Daniel 7 and 8, we should also apply it to the time-periods of Daniel 12, for all these time-periods are in someway interrelated between themselves, and the description of each vision points only to a single fulfillment of the prophetic time-period related to it.

      Besides this, the allusion in Daniel 12:11 (NIV) to the "daily sacrifice" and the "abomination that causes desolation" connects the 1,290 and 1,335 days not only with the content of the vision of Daniel 11 (see v. 31) but also with the 2,300 evenings and mornings of Daniel 8:14 (see 8:13; 9:27). The very same apostate power that would establish the "abomination that causes desolation" in replacement to the "daily sacrifice" is described in Daniel 7 and 8 as the "little horn," and in Daniel 11 as the "king of the North."  

                Therefore, the attempt to interpret some of the prophetic periods of Daniel (70 weeks, 2,300 evenings and mornings) as days that symbolize years and others (1,260 days, 1,335 days) as mere literal days is completely inconsistent with the prophetic-literary parallelism of the book of Daniel.

3.        This theory rests on a non-biblical interpretation of the Hebrew term tamid ("daily," "continuous").

       The theory that both the 1,290 days and the 1,335 days begin with the future Sunday law is based on the assumption that in Daniel 12:11 the expressions "daily sacrifice" and "abomination that causes desolation" mean Sabbath and Sunday respectively. But also this assumption lacks biblical foundation. 

      The expression "daily sacrifice" is the translation of the Hebrew term tamid, which means "daily" or "continuous," to which was added the word "sacrifice," which does not appear in the original text of Daniel 8:13 and 12:11 . This term (tamid) is used in the Scriptures in regard not only to the daily sacrifice of the earthly sanctuary (see Exod 29:38, 42) but also to several other aspects of the continuous ministration of that sanctuary (see Exod 25:30; 27:20; 28:29, 38; 30:8; 1 Chr 16:6). In the book of Daniel the term refers obviously to the continuous priestly ministry of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary/temple (see Dan 8:9-14). The expression "abomination that causes desolation" implies the whole counterfeit system to that ministry, built upon the anti-biblical theories of the natural immortality of the soul, the mediation of the saints, the auricular confession, the sacrifice of the mass, etc.
     

 We cannot agree with the theory that in Daniel 12 the "daily" represent simply the Sabbath and that the "abomination that causes desolation" represents only Sunday. To believe in this way we would need to empty those expressions from the broad meaning attributed to them by the biblical context in which they appear and by the overall consensus of the Scriptures.

4.  This theory reflects the Jesuit futuristic interpretation of the Roman Catholic Counter-Reformation.

      The defenders of the literal-futuristic interpretation of the 1,290 and 1,335 days pretend that their position is genuinely Adventist and plainly endorsed by the Spirit of Prophecy. But if we analyze the subject more carefully in the light of History we will perceive that this theory actually rejects the Historicism and the year-day principle of the Protestant tradition, aligning itself openly with the literalistic Futurism of the Roman Catholic Counter-Reformation. 
      

The Protestant Reformers of sixteenth century identified the "little horn" as the Papacy, from which would originate the "abomination that causes desolation" mentioned by Daniel.[1][13] With the intention of freeing the Papacy from such accusations, the Italian Cardinal Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621), the most able and renown of all Jesuit polemicists, suggested that the "little horn" was a mere king and that the 1,260 and 1,335 days were only literal days to be fulfilled only in the time-period just prior to the end of the world.[1] [14] So contemporary Papacy could no longer be identified with the "little horn" or the "king of the North" and, consequently, could no longer be made responsible for the "abomination that causes desolation." 

      Many contemporary advocates of the futurist interpretation of the 1,290 and 1,335 days do not acknowledge the indebtedness of this theory to the Futurism of the Roman Catholic Counter-Reformation. But even so such individuals should at least recognize that "these futurist proposals rest essentially on a misunderstanding of the thought patterns of Hebrew prophecy," and that "they represent a reading of the Hebrew idiom through Western eyeglasses."[1] [15]

 5.  This theory disregards the warnings of the Spirit of Prophecy against the attempt of extending the fulfillment of any time-prophecy beyond 1844.

       If this theory would be correct then, as soon as the Sunday law would be promulgated, we would already know in advance when probation would end and when Christ's Second Coming would take place. This is, therefore, another subtle and tricky way of setting the time for the final events. As original and creative as these attempts might seem, they are nothing else than speculative proposals that ignore and/or despise, in the name of the Spirit of Prophecy, the proper warnings of the Spirit of Prophecy on this matter. 
     

 As early as 1850 Ellen White warned, "The Lord showed me that TIME had not been a test since 1844, and that time will never again be a test."[1][16] Later on she added that "there will never again be a message for the people of God that will be based on time." "The Lord showed me that the message must go, and that it must not be hung on time; for time will never be a test again." "God has not revealed to us the time when this message will close, or when probation will have an end."[1] [17] It will be only after the close of probation and shortly before the Second Coming that God will declare to the saints "the day and hour of Jesus' coming."[1] [18]

      Commenting the expression "there should be time no longer" (Rev 10:6, KJV), Ellen White stated in 1900 that "this time, which the angel declares with a solemn oath, is not the end of this world's history, neither of probationary time, but of prophetic time, which should precede the advent of our Lord. That is, the people will not have another message upon definite time. After this period of time, reaching from 1842 to 1844, there can be no definite tracing of the prophetic time."[1][19]

      Being this the case, why then some professed Adventists still continue to insist on reapplying the 1,290 days and the 1,335 days of Daniel 12 to the future? Only God can judge the degree of sincerity of such people. But one thing is certain, "Faith in a lie will not have a sanctifying influence upon the life or character. No error is truth, or can be made truth by repetition, or by faith in it. . . . I may be perfectly sincere in following a wrong road, but that will not make it the right road, or bring me to the place I wished to reach."[1][20]

Conclusion:

 It is therefore evident that the theory of a future fulfillment of the 1,290 and 1,335 days

(1) is based on a partial and biased reading of the Spirit of Prophecy;

(2) breaks the prophetic-literary parallelism of the book of Daniel;

(3) rests on a non-biblical interpretation of the Hebrew term tamid ("daily," "continuous");

(4) reflects the Jesuit futurist interpretation of the Roman Catholic Counter-Reformation; and

(5) disregards the warnings of the Spirit of Prophecy against the attempt of extending the fulfillment of any time-prophecy beyond 1844. 
      

In a time when the winds of false doctrines will be blowing with strong intensity (see Eph 4:14 ) "to deceive, if possible, even the elect" (Matt 24:24, NKJV), we will be secure only if we are grounded on the clear and unmovable Word of God. All "new lights," to be true, need to be in perfect harmony with the overall consensus of the Scriptures and of the inspired writings of Ellen White.[1][21] The watchmen of God's people should never allow human conjectures and speculations to hinder them from giving the trumpet the right sound (see Ezek 33:1-9; 1 Cor 14:8).1][1]. LeRoy Froom, The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1954), 4:205-6.

[1][2]. W[illia]m Miller, Evidences from Scripture and History of the Second Coming of Christ about the Year A.D. 1843, and of His Personal Reign of 1000 Years (Brandon, [VT]: Vermont Telegraph Office, 1833), 31; idem, Evidence from Scripture and History of the Second Coming of Christ, about the Year 1843; Exhibited in a Course of Lectures (Boston: Joshua V. Himes, 1842), 95-104, 296-97; idem, "Synopsis of Miller's Views," Signs of the Times, Jan. 25, 1843, 148-49. [1][3]. See P. Gerard Damsteegt, Foundations of the Seventh-day Adventist Message and (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1977), 168-70. [1][4]. See, for example, [Uriah Smith], "Synopsis of the Present Truth. No.12," Advent Review, and Sabbath Herald, Jan. 28, 1858, 92-93; Stephen N. Haskell, The Story of Daniel the Prophet (Berrien Springs, MI: Advocate Publishing Company, 1903), 263-65; J. N. Loughborough, "The Thirteen Hundred and Thirty-Five Days," Advent Review, and Sabbath Herald, Apr. 4, 1907, 9-10; Uriah Smith, The Prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation, rev. ed. (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1944), 330-31; George M. Price, The Greatest of the Prophets: A New Commentary on the Book of Daniel (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press, 1955), 337-42; Araceli S. Melo, Testemunhos Históricos das Profecias de Daniel (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: [Laemmert], 1968), 727- 29; Francis D. Nichol, ed., The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, rev. ed. (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1977), 4, 880-81; Vilmar E. González, "Os 1290 e 1335 dias em Daniel 12," Revista Adventista (Brazil), Sept. 1982, 43-45; Jacques B. Doukhan, Daniel: The Vision of the End, rev. ed. (Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press, 1989), 153; William H. Shea, "Time Prophecies of Daniel 12 and Revelation 12-13," in Frank B. Holbrook, ed., Symposium on Revelation -Book I, Daniel and Revelation Committee Series, vol. 6 (Silver Spring, MD: Biblical Research Institute of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 1992), 327-60; William H. Shea, Daniel 7-12: Prophecies of the End Time, The Abundant Life Bible Amplifier (Boise, ID: Pacific Press, 1996), 217-23; Reinaldo W. Siqueira, "Daniel 12: Interpretação a Partir do Contexto do Livro," Parousia (Brazil) 1, no.2 (2nd Semester 2000): 61-66. [1][5]. A helpful critical analysis of several more recent theories about the fulfillment of the 1260, 1290, and 1335 days is provided in Victor Michaelson, Delayed Time-Setting Heresies Exposed (Payson, AZ: Leaves-Of-Autumn, 1989). [1][6]. E. G. White, "To the Church in Bro. Hastings house," Nov. 7, 1850 (Letter H-28, 1850). Published in idem, Manuscript Releases (Silver Spring, MD: Ellen G. White Estate, 1990), 5:203; ibid., 6:251; ibid., 16:208. [1][7]. J[ W[hite], "The Judgment," Advent Review, and Sabbath Herald, Jan. 29, 1857, 100. [1][8]. See, for example, J. N. Loughborough, "The Hour of His Judgment Come," Advent Review, and Sabbath Herald, Feb. 14, 1854, 30; U[riah] S[mith], "Short Interviews with Correspondents," Advent Review, and Sabbath Herald, Feb. 24, 1863, 100; [idem], "The Sanctuary ," Advent Review, and Sabbath Herald, Sept. 8, 1863, 116. [1][9]. E. G. White, "'It Is Not for You to Know the Times and the Seasons,'" Advent Review, and Sabbath Herald, Mar. 22, 1892, 177-78; republished in idem, in Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, 6: 1052; idem, Selected Messages (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1958), 1:188. [1][10]. [ldem], "Temperance," Ms 50, 1893 (published in idem, Sermons and Talks [Silver Spring, MD: E. G. White Estate, 1990], 1:225-26); idem, to "Dr. J. H. Kellogg," Letter K-59, Nov. 22, 1896 (published in idem, Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers [Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press, 1923], 115); idem, "Diary ," Ms 176, Nov. 4, 1899 (published in Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, 4:1174); idem, "Help to Be Given to Our Schools," Ms 10, 1900 (published in Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, 7:949); idem, "To Our Church Members in Australasia," Letter 8-6, Jan. 17, 1907 (published in [Australasian] Union Conference Record, Mar. 11, 1907, 1-2).
[1][11]. Damsteegt, 169.
[1][12]. Shea, Daniel 7-12, 217-18.
[1][13]. See Froom, 2:241-463, passim.
[1][14]. See ibid., 495-502.
[1][15]. [Frank B. Holbrook], "Editorial Synopsis" to W. H. Shea's article, "Time Prophecies of Daniel 12 and Revelation 12-13," in Holbrook, ed., Symposium on Revelation - Book I, 327.
[1][16]. E. G. White, "Dear Brethren and Sisters," Present Truth, Nov. 1850, 87.See also idem, Early Writings (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1945), 75.
[1][17]. Idem, Selected Messages, 1:188, 191.
[1][18]. ldem, The Great Controversy between Christ and Satan (Washington, DC: Review and Herald, 1911 ), 640. See also idem, Early Writings, 15, 296-97.
[1][19]. Ellen G. White's commentaries in Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, 7:971.
[1][20]. Idem, Selected Messages, 2:56.
[1][21]. See idem, Counsels to Writers and Editors (Nashville, TN: Southern Publishing Association, 1946), 33-51.

THE 70 WEEK PROPHECY OF DANIEL

Daniel 9:24-27 is one of the most misinterpreted passages in Bible prophecy today. Virtually all your hear today about end time events hinges on the correct interpretation of these few verses. I will present what I believe to be the correct interpretation, which is quite different from what you generally hear.

Dan 9:24

This verse sets the goals of the 70 week prophecy of Daniel.

(A) "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city,"

- This sets the time period at 70 weeks. It is generally accepted here that you must use the day = year prophecy formula, yielding a time period of 490 years from start to completion.

- The word determined here actually means "cut off". This 70 weeks are cut off from, or begin at the same time as, the larger 2300 day (year) prophecy of Dan 8:14, which has as it's focus the cleansing of the sanctuary in heaven, the beginning of Judgment. So both the 70 week (490 year) and the 2300 day (year) prophecy begin at the same date. Note that you can not arbitrarily apply the year for a day principle in one case and not another, you must remain consistent. Dan 8:26 strongly hints that the 2300 day prophecy in verse 14 is not just 2300 days, but many days more than it literally indicates. This would also support using year instead of day.

(B) "to finish the transgression (rebellion),"

- Meaning to the Jews: end your transgression of (rebellion against) God's Law and return to obedience.
- Alludes to the victory of Jesus Christ over transgression at the cross.

(C) "and to make an end of sins,"

- Meaning to the Jews: repent from sin.
- Alludes to the victory of Jesus Christ over sin at the cross.

(D) "and to make reconciliation for iniquity,"

- Meaning to the Jews: Atonement for sins through sacrificial temple ceremonies (symbolic of Jesus).
- Alludes to the reconciliation for iniquity by Jesus Christ at the cross.

(E) "and to bring in everlasting righteousness,"

- Alludes to the death of Jesus the Messiah at the cross making everlasting righteousness available to all with faith. Without His death at the cross we are all condemned to the second death. By His death on the cross, the requirement of the Law was met and His everlasting righteousness established. Psa 119:142

(F) "and to seal up the vision and prophecy,"

- To complete Jesus' divine mission according to the prophecy, at the exact appointed times. The exact date of Jesus' baptism was predicted by Daniel and every prophecy about the crucifixion, including Daniel's which gave the exact date, was sealed (fulfilled) during the 70 weeks.

- Included in this is the 2300 day (year) prophecy of Dan 8:14, which is the longest prophetic period in the Bible. At it's conclusion, it will be the last specific prophetic date that can be calculated with accuracy, hence there is a finishing (sealing) of this vision of Daniel and an end to all prophetic dates. Because Daniel predicted the historical events of the 70 weeks with complete accuracy, we can also trust that the 2300 day (year) prophecy is just as accurate.

(G) "and to anoint the most Holy."

- As the earthly temple was anointed in Lev 8:10-11, so the heavenly temple was anointed by Jesus as he assumed the role of our High Priest, on his return to heaven. Also, Jesus himself was anointed as the Messiah at His Baptism (Mat 3:16, Mark 1:9, Luke 3:21).

So verse 24 has set the goals of the 70 week prophecy of Daniel. The twofold focus of the prophecy: first on the Jews reconciling themselves with God within the appointed time (490 years), and second, Jesus being baptized and paying the price of sin at the cross for us and becoming our High Priest. Note that there is nothing in verse 24 referring to the millennial kingdom, or the antichrist, or a seven year tribulation and there is nothing to indicate the 490 years are anything but a continuous period of time that ended in 34 A.D.

Dan 9:25

(A) "Know therefore and understand, that"

(B) "from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem"

- There were actually four commands issued that can be located in scripture and must be considered:

(1) Ezra 1:1-14, 1st year of Cyrus, dated to 537 B.C.
(2) Ezra 6:1-12, 2nd year of Darius dated to 520 B.C.
(3) Ezra 7:1-27, 7th year of Artaxerxes dated to 457 B.C.
(4) Neh 2:1-8, 20th year of Artaxerxes dated to 444 B.C.

Given the generally accepted age of 30 for Jesus (Luke 3:23) at His baptism in the 15th year of Tiberius (Luke 3:1) which can be established as 27 A.D., only one of the decrees fits, that being the 3rd given in 457 B.C. The others are either too early or too late to be the command referred to. So starting at 457 B.C. would place the year of the crucifixion, (which happened 3 1/2 years after His baptism), at 31 A.D., and the end of the 70 weeks, or 490 years, at 34 A.D.

- Using this same starting date of 457 B.C. for the 2300 day (year) prophecy of Dan 8:14, you arrive at the date 1844 A.D. as the date for the start of Judgment in heaven (the cleansing of the sanctuary). In the Temple ceremonies of the Jews, this event occurred only once each year, at Yom Kippur, a type for judgment day. It has been underway in heaven since 1844 and continues at this moment. This is why at the second coming there appears to be no judgment - the Saints both living and dead meet Jesus in air (the rapture) and accompany him to the New Jerusalem in heaven, there to reign with Jesus for the 1000 years (John 14:2-3). For more information on the timing of the second advent rapture, see The truth about the rapture.

(C) "unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks:"

- After 69 weeks the Messiah will be anointed by God as such. This happened at the Baptism of Jesus by John when the Holy Spirit descended as a dove and God the father announced Jesus as his Son. Counting down 69 weeks of years (483) you arrive at 27 A.D. Futurists generally try to tie this event to the triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Yet Jesus entry into Jerusalem was NOT when He was first recognized as the Messiah, except perhaps by the people of Jerusalem. God the Father and the Holy Spirit anointed him as the Messiah at his Baptism - the entry into Jerusalem pales in comparison to this holy event.

(D) "the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times."

- The rebuilding of Jerusalem would be rebuilt despite opposition. (Ezra 4:4,5 and Neh 4 + 6)

Dan 9:26

(A) "And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself:"

- Following the 62 weeks, the Messiah would be crucified for our sins. The 62 weeks, as we saw in verse 25 above, ended in His baptism. The exact time of the crucifixion is not specified here, but it is in verse 27. In effect, this is saying that the crucifixion will follow the anointing.

(B) "and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary;"

- First, the prince that shall come can apply to Titus, who tried to protect the Temple, but his soldiers destroyed it anyway against his explicit orders. This does fit the historical evidence.

- Alternately, this can be interpreted as Jesus being the prince that shall come. Following this logic, the unbelieving Jews through their rebellion against God and Roman rule, brought about the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem. The city and sanctuary were destroyed in 70 A.D. by the Roman general Titus, crushing the Jewish rebellion, fulfilling this prophecy. The unbelieving Jews had rejected the ultimatum contained in the 70 week prophecy, and their destruction and scattering in 70 A.D. was the result. Both interpretations appear to fit.

(C) "and the end thereof shall be with a flood,"

- According to contemporary historians, the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple was swift like a flood.

(D) "and unto the end of the war desolations are determined."

- One interpretation continues to apply this to the war with Rome and the destruction of 70 A.D.

- It may also mean that until the end of the war with Satan and sin, Jerusalem and the Temple will be desolate (lack the presence of God), their house being desolate - Mat 23:38 and Luke 13:35. To date this appears to be the case. See also verse 27(C).

Dan 9:27

(A) "And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week:"

- Some would claim that the "he" could not refer to Jesus since his ministry on earth was only 3 1/2 years in length. They try to apply this to the antichrist (the prince who shall come in verse 26) and a 7 year peace treaty (covenant) with the Jews. Note the following, verses in red were spoken by Jesus-

(NIV) Mat 26:28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

(KJV) Mark 10:45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

(NIV) Mark 14:24 "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many," he said to them.

(KJV) Rom 15:8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:

- During this 70th week, the Gospel was preached only to the Jews to confirm the 70 week prophecy (Matt 10:5, 6 and Acts 11:19).

- The event that ends the 70 weeks is the stoning of Stephen as found in Acts 7:59. At that point (Acts 22:20-21) the Gospel was no longer preached exclusively to the Jews. (See also Acts 10:45, 11:18, 13:46, 14:27, 15:9, 18:6). The Jews are no longer the exclusively chosen people of God (Gal 3:28). See also the parable of Mark 12:1 and Luke 20:9. The original husbandmen (the Jews) of the vineyard are rejected, and replaced, never to tend the vineyard again. This does not mean they have been rejected as individuals. They can still be saved by faith in Jesus like anyone else. Promises made to the Jewish nation have been rejected by the Jews due to their unbelief, so the fulfillment of those promises will be made to those of faith, regardless of national origin (Gal 3:29).

- So the final week of the 70 week period left to the Jews continues unbroken from the baptism of Jesus in 27 A.D. thru to 34 A.D., to confirm and fulfill (seal up) the prophecy of Daniel.

(B) "and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,"

- In the middle of the week, in 31 A.D., Jesus is crucified, bringing an end to the meaning of the temple sacrifices, which were a type (shadow) of his sacrifice at the cross. This is confirmed by the tearing of the veil in the Temple at the instant of his death, exposing the most holy place (Mat 27:51, Mark 15:38, Luke 23:45). The fact that Temple ceremonies continued until 70 A.D. is irrelevant. There was no longer any meaning in what they were doing-

(C) "and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation,"

- The temple in Jerusalem will remain desolate, lacking the presence of God, until the end of time. (Mat 23:38-39, Luke 13:35)

- Whether the Jews rebuilt the temple or not is irrelevant. It will remain in desolation. In fact, rebuilding the Temple and a resumption of Temple sacrifices would be the ultimate manifestation of unbelief and a complete rejection of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. It would be an abomination.

(D) "and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate."

- This has an initial application with the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 A.D. The Roman armies first surrounded Jerusalem in 66 A.D. and then withdrew for some unexplained reason. The believing Jews understood Mat 24:15 to apply to them and they fled the city at this opportunity. The Roman armies soon returned and laid siege to Jerusalem, resulting in it's fall in 70 A.D. At that time thousand of Jews were slaughtered, not one of them was Christian. So this part of verse 27 finds fulfillment in 70 A.D. It may also be interpreted that Jerusalem and the temple will remain desolate of God until the execution of Judgment on the wicked, beginning with the last 7 plagues. That is to say Jesus will not dwell with His people until He does so after the second coming when the righteous dead are raised and the living are transformed, and they all join Him in the clouds (Rev 21:22).

Chiasm of Daniel 9:25-27

CONCLUSION

The focus of Dan 9:24-27 is the fulfillment of prophecy with regard to Jesus as Messiah, His baptism and death on the cross. It is also an ultimatum to the Jews to repent and accept the Gospel message of Jesus the Christ (something they failed to do).

Note that unlike futurists, the interpretation I offer does not find any reference to the Antichrist, or a 7 year peace treaty signed with the Jews, or a broken peace treaty / desecration of the Temple by the antichrist, or a 7 year tribulation. I think the evidence presented here shows that the focus of the 70 weeks of Daniel is a fixed 490 year ultimatum to the Jews and a prediction of the baptism and crucifixion of Jesus, as well as pointing to the start of judgment at the end of the 2300 years. Since the Jews did not repent of their transgressions, and rejected the Christ, their Temple and city were destroyed and the survivors scattered. So now the Gospel is preached to one and all, which began at the end of the 70th week, in 34 A.D.

Note this excerpt from the respected Presbyterian minister Matthew Henry's Commentary, dated 1708-1710:

The book of Daniel, Verses 20-27

An answer was immediately sent to Daniel's prayer, and it is a very memorable one. We cannot now expect that God should send answers to our prayers by angels, but if we pray with fervency for that which God has promised, we may by faith take the promise as an immediate answer to the prayer; for He is faithful that has promised. Daniel had a far greater and more glorious redemption discovered to him, which God would work out for his church in the latter days. Those who would be acquainted with Christ and his grace, must be much in prayer. The evening offering was a type of the great sacrifice Christ was to offer in the evening of the world: in virtue of that sacrifice Daniel's prayer was accepted; and for the sake of that, this glorious discovery of redeeming love was made to him. We have, in verses ( 24-27 ), one of the most remarkable prophecies of Christ, of his coming and his salvation. It shows that the Jews are guilty of most obstinate unbelief, in expecting another Messiah, so long after the time expressly fixed for his coming. The seventy weeks mean a day for a year, or 490 years. About the end of this period a sacrifice would be offered, making full atonement for sin, and bringing in everlasting righteousness for the complete justification of every believer. Then the Jews, in the crucifixion of Jesus, would commit that crime by which the measure of their guilt would be filled up, and troubles would come upon their nation. All blessings bestowed on sinful man come through Christ's atoning sacrifice, who suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. Here is our way of access to the throne of grace, and of our entrance to heaven. This seals the sum of prophecy, and confirms the covenant with many; and while we rejoice in the blessings of salvation, we should remember what they cost the Redeemer. How can those escape who neglect so great salvation!

As you can see from the above quote, Matthew Henry, a Protestant writing in the early 18th century, knew nothing of a gap between the 69th and 70th week, and he knew nothing of a 7 year peace treaty with the antichrist in verse 27.

The futurist interpretation of this passage denies the prophecy of Jesus' baptism in verse 24. It also denies His crucifixion in verse 27 and applies it instead to the antichrist, in an astounding twisting of scripture. I submit the futurist's house is built on sand and will not stand scrutiny. They do not have a case, they have a relatively recent fairy tale designed to obscure the truth and spread confusion, whether they know it or not. The author of that futurist fairy tale is the Catholic Church, specifically a Spanish Jesuit priest by the name of Francisco Ribera (1537-1591). During the counterreformation he concocted the futurist interpretation to deflect reformist claims that the Papacy was the Antichrist of scripture. There is apparently no evidence that the futurist interpretation predates the Catholic counterreformation. It was intended as a smoke screen, and it still works today to a large degree.

See The Catholic Origins of Futurism and Preterism.

It is interesting to note that, generally speaking, the same people that advocate the pretribulation rapture also hold to the futurist interpretation of Dan 9:24-27. Both are spurious interpretations, fables, that only confuse and deceive. Again, I do not wish to offend anyone, I am simply trying to let you see through the smoke, and see the truth.