Present happenings in the Middle East have once again focused the attention of Bible scholars on the book of Daniel, especially to the time prophecy relating to the 70 weeks. These constitute a suitable basis for placing events concerning Israel in accordance with Bible prophecy. It is necessary to know both, what happened in history and what is occurring at present, in order to understand how matters will wind up in the immediate future.

The prophet Daniel was in Babylon together with his people. In searching the writings of the prophet Jeremiah, he received understanding concerning the end of the 70 years of their captivity (Dan. 9). Then he prayed with all his heart to God and made intercession for Israel before the Lord. After his long prayer of repentance and supplication he received the answer from God. This answer, however, did not concern the captivity, but rather pertained to future events involving Israel right up to the coming of the Messiah and to the very end.

“And while 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, while 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.

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 show thee; for thou art greatly beloved. Therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.

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 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 of it 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” (Dan. 9: 20-27).

We need to note that the revelation spoken of here was dealing with the seventy weeks which were in the future, and not with the seventy years of the Babylonian captivity, which was nearing its end. At that time 68 years had already elapsed. For better understanding it should be mentioned that the original text properly renders the terminology “weeks of years” and not just weeks, as stated in English translations. The thought is that, as we know the week of seven days, God in particular in this prophecy speaks about “weeks of years.” That is important for understanding the time-span correctly.

The prophet Jeremiah had prophesied about the 70 years of the Babylonian captivity in which the Jews were to suffer for their many disobediences, including not having kept the “sabbatic year”. God did not only demand the seventh day in a week to be kept as the rest day, He also demanded the seventh year always to be kept as a sabbatic year: “… But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the Lord: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard …” (Lev. 25: 1-7; Lev. 26: 33-35). Because God’s people did not keep God’s commandments, this great time of suffering came upon them. “… To fulfil the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths; for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.” (2 Chr. 36: 21).

God had ordained in connection with the “sabbatic year” the year of jubilee which was introduced on the day of atonement with the sound of trumpets:

“And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years …

And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you …” (Lev. 25: 8-13).

After returning from the Babylonian captivity the people of God were put under an oath to keep the “sabbatic year” before the Lord: “… And if the people of the land bring wares or any grain on the sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the sabbath, or on the holy day: and that we would forego the crops the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt …” (Neh. 10: 29-32).

The prophecy of Jeremiah was as follows: “And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the Lord, for their iniquity …” (25: 12).

“For thus saith the Lord, After seventy years be accomplished at Babylon, I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return even unto this place” (29: 10). The false prophet Hananiah prophesied that those who were taken into captivity would return within two years (28: 3+11). After this the prophet Jeremiah told him that he would die in the same year, and so it happened (Jer. 28: 15-17).

Present happenings in the Middle East have once again focused the attention of Bible scholars on the book of Daniel, especially to the time prophecy relating to the 70 weeks. These constitute a suitable basis for placing events concerning Israel in accordance with Bible prophecy. It is necessary to know both, what happened in history and what is occurring at present, in order to understand how matters will wind up in the immediate future.

The prophet Daniel was in Babylon together with his people. In searching the writings of the prophet Jeremiah, he received understanding concerning the end of the 70 years of their captivity (Dan. 9). Then he prayed with all his heart to God and made intercession for Israel before the Lord. After his long prayer of repentance and supplication he received the answer from God. This answer, however, did not concern the captivity, but rather pertained to future events involving Israel right up to the coming of the Messiah and to the very end.

“And while 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, while 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.

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 show thee; for thou art greatly beloved. Therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.

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 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 of it 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” (Dan. 9: 20-27).

We need to note that the revelation spoken of here was dealing with the seventy weeks which were in the future, and not with the seventy years of the Babylonian captivity, which was nearing its end. At that time 68 years had already elapsed. For better understanding it should be mentioned that the original text properly renders the terminology “weeks of years” and not just weeks, as stated in English translations. The thought is that, as we know the week of seven days, God in particular in this prophecy speaks about “weeks of years.” That is important for understanding the time-span correctly.

The prophet Jeremiah had prophesied about the 70 years of the Babylonian captivity in which the Jews were to suffer for their many disobediences, including not having kept the “sabbatic year”. God did not only demand the seventh day in a week to be kept as the rest day, He also demanded the seventh year always to be kept as a sabbatic year: “… But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the Lord: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard …” (Lev. 25: 1-7; Lev. 26: 33-35). Because God’s people did not keep God’s commandments, this great time of suffering came upon them. “… To fulfil the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths; for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.” (2 Chr. 36: 21).

God had ordained in connection with the “sabbatic year” the year of jubilee which was introduced on the day of atonement with the sound of trumpets:

“And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years …

And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you …” (Lev. 25: 8-13).

After returning from the Babylonian captivity the people of God were put under an oath to keep the “sabbatic year” before the Lord: “… And if the people of the land bring wares or any grain on the sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the sabbath, or on the holy day: and that we would forego the crops the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt …” (Neh. 10: 29-32).

The prophecy of Jeremiah was as follows: “And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the Lord, for their iniquity …” (25: 12).

“For thus saith the Lord, After seventy years be accomplished at Babylon, I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return even unto this place” (29: 10). The false prophet Hananiah prophesied that those who were taken into captivity would return within two years (28: 3+11). After this the prophet Jeremiah told him that he would die in the same year, and so it happened (Jer. 28: 15-17).