The 70 Weeks of Daniel

In past entries, we have covered what the scriptures tells us about the End Times. We have looked at clear signs of the end times, such as the invention of the atom bomb, the Rebirth of Israel in 1948, the invention of Cars and Planes, an explosion of travel, the list goes on and on. See entries: The End Times (Part One, Part Two, Part Three) - For more on the Tribulation and the Signs of the End Times. (Picture credit: The Last Days Timeline)

To look at these clear signs that were predicted literally thousands of years ago, and can be proven to have been written thousands of years ago, and ignore that the Bible has 100% predicted this current age, and all that has come to pass, would be a foolish thing to do.

Daniel 9:20-27 speaks about the "Seventy 'Sevens'," or the 70 Weeks of Daniel. What are the Seventy Weeks of Daniel? Some misinterpret or don't investigate and merely assume that the 70 Weeks of Daniel are the 7 Years of Tribulation.

Let us look at what the scriptures tell us. Gabriel, Archangel and brother to Michael and Lucifer, comes to Daniel, "about the time of evening sacrifice." (Daniel 9:21) Gabriel tells Daniel that he will give him insight and understanding. He gives him a vision:

"Seventy 'sevens' are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place." (Daniel 9:24)

In Daniel 9:25-26, Gabriel continues, "Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One [Jesus], the ruler, comes, there will be seven 'sevens,' and sixty-two 'sevens.' It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. After sixty-two 'sevens,' the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed."

This next part is the part of the vision that refers to The Seven Year Tribulation. "He [The Antichrist] will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' [For Seven Years] In the middle of the 'seven' [3.5 Years In] he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him."

In other words, referring to the last part of the vision, The Antichrist will sign a 7-Year Peace Treaty with many, including Israel, and 3 and 1/2 Years in, he will desecrate the Re-Built Solomon's Temple. At the third temple he will set up an "Abomination of Desolation," a Statue of Himself that will be indwelt by a demon and thus given the power of speech.

I will tell you what the numbers mean, and how they fit into our time, but Daniel 9 is not the only Chapter to reference the Antichrist desolating the Temple. 2nd Thessalonians 2:4 says, "He [The Antichrist] will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God." Again, we are told that the Antichrist will desecrate the temple and will proclaim himself as God.

Understand that when he does so, it will be after his assassination - the Antichrist will be killed, and 3 and a Half Days later, will rise and be indwelt by Satan - Lucifer himself, so that Satan is truly the one who proclaims himself to be "God." Revelation 13:14-15 also gives us another glimpse into this event.

"Because of the signs it [The False Prophet] was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast [The Antichrist], it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. It ordered them to set up an image [statue] in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. [Assassination/Resurrection, See Rev. 13:3-7] It was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed." The image, or statue, as described previously, is the "Abomination of Desolation."

Now, the Seventy Weeks of Daniel. 70 7's refers to 70 Weeks. "Seven" in Hebrew also can mean week, or years. 70 x's 7=490. So, the Seventy weeks of Daniel are equal to 490 Years. The "seven" mentioned, when the Antichrist confirms a covenant for one "seven," or Seven Years, has not happened yet. This is still to come.

But there were 483 years between the decree in 445 BC, just as Gabriel had said, and the time when the Anointed One, Jesus Christ, came incarnate, and died around 32/33 AD. Jerusalem, just as Gabriel said to Daniel, was destroyed in 70, which was 70 AD. "War will continue until the end, desolations have been decreed."

Wars have not stopped, instead, there has been an increase in wars in the last two hundred years alone: even amassing to Two World Wars, a third threatening to arise. War has continued until the end, for the signs show that end is near. Does that mean it will happen today, tomorrow, or even next year? We do not know, for "the day and the hour are unknown," one of the many reasons that December 21, 2012 cannot be the last day, for it is too widely known.

There were 483 Years in between the decree and the death/resurrection of Jesus. There remains one seven, but we are told that the renaming "seven" would hold out unto the end: The Seven Years of Tribulation. One can spend hours, days, years studying Bible prophecy and attempting to understand each term and meaning, whether something is symbolic or metaphorical.

Thankfully, most Bible Scholars agree that the "70 Weeks of Daniel" have a specific meaning, that the first 483 years have passed, and while almost two thousand years passed, the last seven still remains, and is coming quickly, so be ready, dear readers. Jesus promises a soon return when he says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Soon may not be today, it may not be tomorrow. But we are closer to his return than we were yesterday, or even 1,000 years ago.

If you have not accepted Jesus as the only one who can save you in this life, understand what he said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through me." (John 14:6) That is truth. Mary cannot save you, to those who believe she can. A false god cannot save you, time and time again, everyday, God proves to me and to millions of others that he is very real. He has already paid for your gift, all you have to do is accept it.

If you confess that "Jesus is Lord," believe that he died, and is risen again, (Romans 10:9) that he is the only way to enter Heaven, for he holds the keys to Heaven, and have asked for forgiveness of your sins, you will be saved. Jesus is the Messiah who was promised to the Jews thousands of years ago, but when he came, they did not recognize him, for they believed that, based on prophecy, that he would come and reign as King.

I tell you, Jesus will come and Reign as King, after the 7 Years of Tribulation, and the true followers of Christ will be taken from the earth in the "twinkling of an eye," (1st Corinthians 15:52) so that they do not suffer the Tribulation, Jesus promised this himself. He will fulfill Bible Prophecy, and the Messiah that many Jews still do not recognize will come again.

The Seventy Weeks of Daniel are almost over, folks. Will you be ready? Troy Hillman (vexx801@yahoo.com, facebook)