The Basics of Bible - Herald of Hope

The Basics of Bible Prophecy
Israel’s Amazing “70 Weeks” Prophecy
The most amazing prophecy of God’s plan for the nation of Israel
is given in just four verses of Daniel chapter 9. It is called
“The 70 Weeks Prophecy”.
“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.
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.
And after (the) 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 (idolatry) he shall make it
desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured
upon the desolate (desolator)” (Dan.9:24-27).
The prophecy begins with the words,
“Seventy weeks (sevens) are determined upon thy people, and upon thy
holy city”, ie 70 x 7, or 490 years, are determined upon the Jews and
Jerusalem...to do six things for them.
The word “week” is literally “sevens” in the Hebrew language and
does not refer to a “week” of days. In Dan.10:2 the expression “three
full weeks,” ie 21 days, is literally “three sevens of days” in the Hebrew
text. In Dan 9:24-27 it is simply “sevens”, and we know that they refer
to “sevens of years” because much of the prophecy is already fulfilled.
Therefore 70 x 7 = 490 years are determined on Daniel’s people (the Jews)
and on Daniel’s holy city (Jerusalem) in order to achieve the following:
1) “to finish the transgression 4) to bring in everlasting righteousness
2) to make an end of sins 5) to seal up the vision and prophecy
3) to make reconciliation for iniquity 6) to anoint the most Holy” (place).
Please notice that these six things only relate to the Jews and
Jerusalem, and obviously have not yet been fulfilled for the 490 years
conclude with “everlasting rightousness” experienced by Israel in
Christ’s millennial kingdom!
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