We have all heard the term, but many do not thoroughly understand the seventieth week of Daniel. Paralleling this event with a time-bomb detonator, a simple message and a new understanding in regard to the second coming of Christ can be gleaned. From The Beginner's Guide to Bible Prophecy

Those who run in the circles of understanding Bible prophecy have a bothersome habit of coming up with terminology that confuses the average person. A good example of this would be what is termed the Seventieth Week of Daniel. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard this phrase without knowing the first thing about it. To keep from looking foolish, I would smile, nod my head and say in a scholarly tone, "Interesting point of view, I find no contention in that hypothesis." It usually worked, but I would much rather have entered into the conversation, even on a surface level.

THE EXTRATERRESTRIAL MESSAGE
In the book of Daniel, the prophet was interceding for his people and desolate homeland. Daniel's prayer was interrupted by a high ranking angel named Gabriel. Gabriel opens to Daniel one of the most incredible passages of Bible prophecy.

Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times. And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. the end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined. Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. and on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate." Daniel 9:24-27

This prophecy is important for two major reasons. First, it tells us on what day the Hebrew Messiah was to arrive and that He would ultimately be executed. If we were to know the day (or even the year) these things were to occur and the location of their process, we could then pin-down the identification of this person.

To clarify this point, imagine if you will that I had located an ancient document that read,

Eighty five years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, a great man would be elected as President of the United States. He would seek to liberate a minority people and would eventually be killed by an assassin's bullet.

If we were to assume an answer too quickly without thorough examination, we could err by suggesting this document is describing John F. Kennedy. The clarification of this president's identity is found in the amount of time given. If this great man were to come one hundred and eighty five years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, then we would be correct in suggesting this document to be speaking of President Kennedy. However, the document above stated that the actual number of years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence is eighty five. Looking to our history book to 1776 + 85 (or 1861) we find the answer to our document's riddle to actually be referring to President Abraham Lincoln. The description of the mystery man, in this case, did not reveal as much as the timing of his presidency. So to with the coming of the Messiah.

The second reason this prophecy of Daniel is important is to foresee the future of Israel and how it corresponds with related text. With this prophecy as our foundation, many other prophetic portions of scripture will fall into place; like a nearly completed jigsaw puzzle.

In the first verse of the prophecy, we are given a list of goals that are to be accomplished and how long it was going to take.¹

Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.

Since the Seventy Week prophecy to Daniel is so complex and specific, we will need to examine each passage individually. To aid in comprehension, allow me the indulgence to use a rather unorthodox visual model.

THE TIME BOMB
Imagine, if you will, a nuclear bomb with a timer attached (see Fig. 1). The timer has been set to seventy [Seventy weeks are determined] and continues to run as long as Israel is living as a nation and inhabiting Jerusalem [for your people and for your holy city]. The nation of Israel is the battery for the clock, so to speak.

The clock is a very precise instrument measured in seventy increments. Does the seventy mean seventy seconds? Perhaps it means hours or minutes. No, the clock on this bomb is measured in weeks; but how long is a week? In todays vernacular, a week means seven days. In biblical days, however, a week is regarded as seven years. This was demonstrated best by Laban when he swindled Jacob to work for him seven more years to gain Rachel as his wife.

"Fulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you will serve with me still another seven years." Genesis 29:27

With the time bomb as our visual image, observe that our clock has been set for seventy weeks, or 490 years. What will happen when the timer hits zero and sets off the bomb? The earth in its present capacity of lawlessness and Godless living will be destroyed [finish the transgression... end of sins]. The everlasting reign of the Messiah will come and placate God toward the wrong doing of man [make reconciliation for iniquity... bring in everlasting righteousness]. The bomb's explosion will also put to a close the need for visions and prophecy and complete the dedication and purification of the final temple [seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy].

THE START BUTTON
On the right side of the time-bomb there is a small start button (see Fig. 2). At a certain point in time, this button is to be pushed and the timer will begin to count down to the final detonation mark. The next verse tells us the starting point.

Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall...

So, the start button is to be pressed when a command is given; the command to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem [from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem... and the wall]. History tells us that the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem was given on March 14th, 445 B.C.

And it came to pass in the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes... a letter [was delivered] to Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he must give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel which pertains to the temple, for the city wall, and for the house that I will occupy." And the king granted them to me according to the good hand of my God upon me. Nehemiah 2:1 & 8

March 14th, 445 B.C. started the clock. Forty nine years later (or seven increments of our timer), the streets and the wall are completed even with great opposition experienced and recorded by Nehemiah [there shall be seven weeks.. the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times]. We now have 62 clicks to go before the arrival of the Messiah.

THE WHITE LAMP
Our time bomb has another feature on it; a white indicator lamp. To the right of the lamp is written an unusual caution:

The white lamp, addressed by the small warning sticker, represents the Hebrew Messiah; the one prophesied to come and save us from our sins. In our second verse we read that there was to be a seven week building process of the city of Jerusalem from 445-396 B.C. In another 62 weeks (increment 69) the white lamp will flash a warning of the coming explosion and be confirmed by the coming of the Messiah. This brings us to our next verse.

And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined.

The clock clicks 7 then 62 week increments. The lamp turns on, alerting us that the Messiah has come (see Fig. 3).

If the start button was pressed on March 14th, 445 B.C., then on what date was the Messiah to arrive? Looking at our clock we see that we are on increment number 69. Since we are talking weeks of years per increment; multiplying 69 times 7 gives us a total of 483 years. In the next section, I will attempt to layout the math used to discover when the Messiah was supposed to arrive.

COUNTING THE DAYS
As we saw in the previous section, 69 weeks of years gives us a total of 483 years. Daniel was in Babylon at the time this prophecy was given, so we need to convert our number to Babylonian years. The number of days in a Babylonian year was 360 instead of our 365. So multiplying our 483 years on our timer by 360 days gives us the sum of 173,880 days.²

Starting at March 14, 445 B.C., let us go forward in time 173,880 days and see where we end up. Take the 173,880 Babylonian days and divide it by 365; this will convert the Babylonian years into our own Gregorian calendar. The result of this equation is 476 years which would bring us to 32 A.D.

We now have 140 days left to countdown. Don't let me lose you here. According to the world almanac, you will have to add 1 day for every 4 years for "leap year" and subtract 3 days for every "leap century". The resulting sum would be the subtraction of 116 days from the 140; leaving us with 24 days left to count. Now look at the calendar and count 24 days from our March 14th starting day. You will find that it comes out to be April 6. Our math now proves that 69 weeks of years from March 14, 445 B.C. brings us to April 6, 32 A.D.

THE LAMP TURNS ON
So, 173,880 days from March 14, 445 B.C. is the date of April 6, 32 A.D. Did the Messiah come as Gabriel revealed? The following event took place at this exact day:

Then, as [Jesus] was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying: "'Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!' Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" Luke 19:35-37

Later that day, knowing that the Jewish leaders would reject Him as their Messiah, Jesus stood and wept over Jerusalem crying,

"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... because you did not know the time of your visitation." Luke 19: 41-44

In the passage above, Jesus laments over Jerusalem. Why? The Messiah had come to free the Jews and bring an end to sins. However, Jesus knew that He would not be recognized as the Christ and would be handed over to the Romans to be "cut-off", as Daniel prophesied. He made the observation that because the Jewish hierarchy did not know the time of the Messiahs arrival, this would leave them vulnerable to the coming destruction by Rome.

How were the people of Jerusalem supposed to know the time of visitation from their Messiah? They were to count the days, just as we have done here.

THE LAMP TURNS OFF
For 33 years the Messiah walked upon the earth and taught that the kingdom of heaven was near. He knew that there was but one more seven-year increment to go before the bomb would go off. However, something more was to happen according Daniel 9:26; it says that the Messiah was to be killed [And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off].

The word "cut off" in the original Hebrew is Karath. This word has two important meanings. The first meaning is to be put to death for a capital crime. Jesus of Nazareth was put to death for claiming to be King of the Jews.

The word Karath is also the word used for making a covenant. In the days of the Hebrew fathers, one would make a covenant by cutting a sacrifice in two and walk between the pieces. During the Passover meal, Jesus of Nazareth made a covenant and linked it to His being "cut off".

Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." Matthew 26:27-28

Jesus of Nazareth fulfilled the day that the Messiah was to come as well as the role of being the substitute death for our sins [Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself]. When the Messiah came, the white lamp turned on for 33 years. When Messiah was executed for the sins of the world, the lamp turned off (see Fig. 4).

THE PEG
The clock is still running and is about to proceed to the last seven year increment. At this point, an external influence interrupts the steady operation of the clock. A peg is put in the way of the clock hand. This peg now hinders the clock hand from advancing to the next clock pulse. Looking closely at the peg, we see a very small title inscribed on the side that reads THE CHURCH. (see Fig. 5)

It should be noted at this point that the peg is not part of the timer; it is an external influence that interrupts the timers operating procedure. The peg does not provide the electrical current to the timer, nor does it apply any mechanics to further the clock hand to the next increment. The peg has only one purpose, and that is to act as a block or hindrance to hold back the advancing hand.

The hinderance peg came into being at the feast of Pentecost, forty days after the resurrection of the Messiah.³ It was looked upon by the Jews as something very external from that which incorporated Judaism. They were not wrong. The birth of the Gentile church was created by God as an outward hinderance, or holding peg, until the end of the age.

For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that hardening in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. Romans 11:25

Paul understood that the Gentiles were to be part of the equation until God's timing was complete. Unfortunately, the Jews (because they rejected their Messiah) were vulnerable to removal from the land.⁴

THE BATTERY DISCONNECTED
As long as Israel is in the land as a nation, it acts as a battery to the clock of the time bomb. After His triumphant entry (the fulfillment of the 69th week) Jesus looked out over Jerusalem and continued His lament,

"For the 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 within 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: 41-42 & 44

Jesus was describing the destruction of Jerusalem that was to happen less than 40 years later under the Roman leader, Titus Caesar. The next portion of the prophecy given to Daniel begins to unfold [and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined].

The "prince who is to come" was Titus the son of Vespasian. His Roman army virtually leveled both Jerusalem and the temple just as the Messiah had said.⁵ The flood of troops caused Israel to scatter to other nations, thus eliminating their national identity. The disconnection of the battery stopped the strain of the clock hand against the hinderance peg. (see Fig. 6)

THE BATTERY RECONNECTED
In the year of 1948, an event occurred that has never happened in the history of the world. A nation that was once destroyed and violently dispersed (like so many others) suddenly becomes a nation once again. The date of May 14, 1948 marked the day when Israel declared itself a nation. At this historic point, the battery has been reconnected and the clock motor begins to hum as before. The peg, however, still hinders the hand of the timer. (see Fig. 7)

In regard to Israel fulfilling prophecy, all too often, Bible expositors have taken literal passages and allegorized them to represent all sorts of confusing scenarios. It is always a dangerous move to try and allegorize scripture to fi t your own agenda or to bend unbelievable scripture to become more palatable. In time, God honors His Word, and these teachers end up looking foolish.

Sometimes, even the most gifted teachers can make such erroneous commentaries. Sir Robert Anderson, a brilliant detective in Scotland Yard during the late 1800s, wrote a book titles The Coming Prince. It is from his careful research that made the understanding of the Seventy-Weeks of Daniel possible; and gained him subsequent knighthood. However, he did not translate that faith toward coming prophecy. He read some far-fetched scriptures about the Jews returning to the land of occupied Palestine and establishing their own independence.⁶ To his brilliant mind, a future event of such magnitude would be ludicrous. He recorded such doubts in his book, "... though eighteen centuries have since elapsed, the restoration of the Jews seems still but a chimera of sanguine fanatics." ⁷

Had Sir Robert Anderson lived to see May 14th, 1948, he would have been taken back by the news that a new state of Israel had been formally announced. In this case, it looks as though the sanguine fanatics were correct and the knowledgeable scholar in error.

THE PEG IS REMOVED
As of today, the motor of the clock has been humming for a little more than 40 years; unable to advance to the last increment. The motor has begun to get hot under the strain. The hand of the clock pushes at the peg in great demand. This will not continue long. For a time will come when God will remove the hinderance peg, and the countdown will resume.

There is a strange term used within the body of the church called the Rapture. It is from the latin word rapturos which is a translation of the Greek verb "caught-up". Scriptures using this verb point to a day when the watching and waiting church of Jesus Christ will be suddenly taken from the earth.

The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. I Thess. 4:16-17

For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now hinders will do so until He is taken out of the way. II Thess. 2:7

When the hinderance peg is removed (the rapture), the hand will again start to move and trigger the events of the 70th increment or the last 7 year period called the Seventieth Week of Daniel.⁸ (see Fig. 8)

THE GREEN LIGHT
At the removal of the peg, the clock hand begins its delayed countdown of the last increment which is the final seven year period.

Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.

Immediately, a green indicator light turns on. Written across the light is the word COVENANT (see Fig. 9). This light tells us that a man of peace has come and will make a covenant with Israel. This covenant is designed to bring peace in the Middle East and is drafted to last a duration of seven years [Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week].

With peace finally come to the volatile Middle East, this treaty will allow Israel the opportunity to rebuild their sacred temple. With the rebuilding of the temple also comes the reestablishment of temple sacrifice that has not been performed for more than 1900 years.

In the book The Coming Temple, specifics of this event are given in detailed proportion. In one of the summaries, the authors make this observation: "Today the Temple Mount remains in turmoil. As certain groups are preparing to build a Third Temple, government forces in Israel as well as the Moslem powers that be, are keeping this from occurring. The secular Jews do not care and many of the Orthodox Jews believe that the Third Temple will have to await the arrival of the Messiah. The Temple will be built--the Bible says so. The Jews will receive a Messiah but will he be the real one?" ⁹

THE GREEN LIGHT FLASHES RED
Our clock hand counts down to the middle of the last increment. The click of a relay inside the timer triggers a warning buzzer and the green covenant light now flashes a red alert indicating a breach of contract (see Fig. 10). Half way through the last increment, the man of peace breaks the covenant made to Israel [but in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering].

This warning indicates not only a breach of contract, but also marks what is termed the Abomination of Desolation. This event has happened before by a man with the self-proclaimed title, Antiochus Epiphanes.

On December 25, 167 B.C., Antiochus erected a pagan god upon the altar of the temple. He then proceeded to sacrifice unclean pigs upon it, thus desecrating the holy temple courtyard and its sanctuary.¹⁰

This event will happen again, only by the man who promised peace to Israel [on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate]. Prophecy in other passages reveal that it will not be a pagan god that will demand worship; but the false messiah himself.¹¹

The flashing red indicator is the last warning before the explosion of the bomb. Jesus gave instructions on what to do when this red indicator sounds.

"But when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains... for in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be." Mark 13:14 & 19

THE BOMB DETONATES
The Messiah's instructions were very clear; Run for the hills! The bomb is ready to explode! And when it does, it will destroy everything that this man of betrayal has built for himself! [even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolator].

The timer hand reaches the detonation mark, the white lamp flashes a second time alerting the second coming of the Messiah, a click is heard then...

IN CONCLUSION
All bombs must be approached with severe caution. This bomb, called Jacob's Trouble, is no exception. Only one group will be secure from its destructive force, and that is the nation of Israel.

Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it; and it is the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it. Jeremiah 30:7

Remember, the only way to escape this coming explosion is to become part of the peg that will be removed. This is the great escape spoken of by Jesus:

"But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and [Jacob's trouble] come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man." Luke 21:34-36

This treatise was written by Rick Schneblin as a study stimulator for the body of Christ.
No changes will be made or excerpts used without the express permission of the author.
Copies allowed with donation - All rights reserved, Copyright © 1996

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¹ Please note that we will be examining Daniel 9:24-27 verse by verse. Do not let the absence of scripture reference numbers confuse you.
² Note that all we are doing is taking a magnifying glass and looking at the smaller divisions of our increments.
³ Ref. Acts 2
⁴ This removal was prophesied by Jesus in Luke 21:24
⁵ Ref. Josephus, "Wars of the Jews" Book V Chapters XII to XII and Book VI Chapters I to VI
⁶ Ref. Ezekiel 36:24 & 38:8, Isaiah 11:11-12, Jeremiah 16:15, Deuteronomy 30:5 and many others
⁷ The Coming Prince by Sir Richard Anderson, Chapt. 7
⁸ A detailed analysis of this seven year period is documented in Revelation chapters 6 through 18.
⁹ The Coming Temple by Don Stewart and Chuck Missler
¹⁰ Ref. Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews Book XII Chapter V
¹¹ Ref. II Thessalonians 2:4, Daniel 8:11, 8:25 & 11:37