This post is well worth your time if you want to know exactly what the 70-week prophecy in Daniel is about. I don’t know whom to credit for this article because I saved it on Facebook a long time ago. Because the timing is perfect and, most importantly, the Bible must fit, this information is almost unquestionable. Anything, such as a 2,000-year gap, should be inserted into the Bible. Now that I understand, the 2,000-year gap doctrine appears to be absurd.
One of the most misunderstood and misinterpreted time periods to be found in scripture is the Seventy Weeks of Years, and the 70th Week itself, that was prophesied by Daniel during his captivity in Babylon. Another misunderstood and misinterpreted time period is learning how to rightly divide “time, times and half a time” which is mentioned in Daniel and Revelation. Many Christians around the earth believe that Daniel’s 70th Week — which equals out to seven years — is a future end times prophesy that points to a period of seven years of Tribulation (more commonly known as the Great Tribulation).
They believe that during this time — Satan will indwell the body of one man; this man who’s been labeled the Anti-Christ will initiate a peace treaty with the modern nation state of Israel, and in the middle of the seven-year peace treaty the one man Anti-Christ will break his agreement (or covenant) with Israel which will usher in the final 3 and a half years of Great Tribulation before Jesus Christ returns. But is this really what the bible teaches? Let’s find out, shall we, by starting off with the breakdown of what “time, times and half a time” really means.
And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
Daniel 7:25
And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
Daniel 12:7
And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
Revelation 12:14
The word time in this context refers to a period of one year. In the story of King Nebuchadnezzar, because of his pride, he went crazy for seven years and ate grass as an ox.
And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
Daniel 4:32
So on a literal level, time, times and half a time means time (1 year), times (2 years) and half a time (1/2 year) or 3 1/2 years. Most people who study Bible prophecy stop at this point and accept the 3 1/2 years only at face value. The period that this is generally attributed to by most people is the last half of the 70th week of Daniel and the reign of the AntiChrist, which is proposed to be fulfilled at some time in the future. But is that really the case?
A Day Equals One Year
The 70-week prophecy of Daniel 9:24, however, establishes a principle related to prophetic time that few thoroughly understand. Virtually everyone acknowledges that the 70 weeks are not literally 70 weeks, but rather 70 weeks of years, or 490 years. The principle is that in Bible prophecy, you must substitute a period of a year in place of a day. This is the day = year principle. This equation is clearly established in scripture:
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.
Numbers 14:34
In the above verse, a relationship between day and year is clear. Each day will equate to a literal year. On a side note: for forty literal days, Israel spied on Canaan — in unbelief I might add — which they would be punished by God and forced to wander the desert for forty years because of said unbelief. They were right there at the threshold of the Promised Land — before their forty-year journey began — but fear, doubt, and unbelief took hold. As a result of this; they were forced to wander for forty years until an entire generation had passed away, never reaching the Promised Land of what is now called Israel today.
Let that serve as a notice Christian. Any fear, doubt or unbelief that we harbor in hearts can and will keep us from eternal life with Jesus. As shocking as that may sound for many of you, it’s the truth. But I will cover that through another topic in the future, for now though… let’s pick up where we left off.
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.
Ezekiel 4:6
Here again — the equation is stated quite openly — a prophetic day represents a literal year. So to return to the 70 weeks of Daniel, you must first determine the number of days represented. Seventy weeks is 70 × 7 or 490 days, which will then equate to a literal 490 years in the fulfillment of the prophecy.
The Lunar Calendar
To apply this formula to the 3 1/2 years mentioned earlier, we must first establish exactly how many days this represents. The Jews did not use a solar calendar as we do today, they used instead a lunar calendar, as indicated in Psalms:
He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.
Psalm 104:19
The length of the lunar month can be determined from Genesis:
In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
Genesis 7:11
And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days.
Genesis 7:24
And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.
Genesis 8:4
Note that the there were exactly 5 months from the point where the flood began, and the ark came to rest on Ararat, and that this was a period of 150 days. This demonstrates that the lunar calendar set forth in the Bible has a 30-day month; therefore, the year is counted as 360 days. This 360 day lunar year also accounts for the reason that there are 360 degrees in the compass.
The 1260 Days
Returning to the 3 1/2 times — which we now know represents 3 1/2 lunar years of 360 days each — using the same methodology used for the 70 weeks of Daniel, we can calculate it to actually represent 1260 literal years. So, Time, Times and half a Time in prophecy is really 1260 years! To confirm this formula, we need only to look to the 12th chapter of the book of Revelation:
And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
Revelation 12:6
Here the woman represents the faithful church, who flees into the wilderness for 1260 days. Again using the day = year formula, this actually speaks of 1260 years that the church would be persecuted. Now look at this next verse from the same chapter:
And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
Revelation 12:14
Here the same time of persecution is referred to as 3 1/2 times, again meaning the same period of 1260 days/years as found in verse 6. In the book of Daniel, this same period of persecution in church history is found:
And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
Daniel 7:25
This verse in context is referring to a period of time that the little horn or AntiChrist will persecute the true believers or true church, again for 1260 years. The same is true for this next verse:
And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
Daniel 12:7
The Two Witnesses
The same 1260 years are found in Revelation chapter 11:
And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
Revelation 11:3
The commonly accepted misinterpretation of that verse is that the two witnesses are real prophets, perhaps Moses and Elijah. When you understand that the time does not represent 1260 literal days, but rather 1260 years, it cannot be referring to real people as witnesses. One clue is in the next verse:
These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
Rev 11:4
The two witnesses are also called two olive trees standing before God. This links us to the following:
And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof: And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof. So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord?
Zechariah 4:2-4
Zechariah sees a candlestick and two olive trees and asks what they are. Note the answer:
Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
Zechariah 4:5-6
The candlestick and two olive trees are the word of the Lord! So, the language used in Revelation 11:4 is prophetic and symbolic, the two witnesses actually representing the word of God, the Old, and New Testament, that would “prophesy in sackcloth” or be suppressed during the very same 1260 years of persecution we are considering.
The 42 Months
This same period of persecution is found in the following verses:
But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
Revelation 11:2
Again, as in Rev 12, we have a strong relationship between these 42 months of verse 2 and the 1260 days of Rev 11: 3. Forty-two months calculates as 42 × 30 (30 days in a lunar month) which equals 1260 days/years. This verse is saying that the Gentiles or unbelievers would trample the people of God (the holy city) for 1260 years. Again, this same period of 42 months is found in Revelation 13:
And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. This passage speaks of the great and terrible beast from the sea, which actually is the same as the little horn of Daniel, which is to say the AntiChrist power that would persecute the people of God for 1260 years.
Revelation 13:5-7
So, here is a complete listing of the passages that deal with the same 1260-year time of persecution:
- 3 1/2 Times — Rev 12:14, Dan 7:25, Dan 12:7
- 1260 days — Rev 11:3, Rev 12:6
- 42 Months — Rev 11:2, Rev 13:5
If you know much about what is called the Dark Ages, then you probably know who this persecuting power is already. So now, to find out exactly when these 1260 years are fulfilled, and the real identity of the little horn and beast from the sea in Revelation that persecuted God’s people for those 1260 years was the Roman Catholic Church.
The 70th Week Of Daniel Deception
Understanding the seven years of the 70th week of Daniel is critical, because of the truth about their fulfillment, and the deceptions which are based on them.
The truth is that the 70th week of Daniel started when Messiah was baptized at age 30, and anointed by the Spirit. Messiah’s ministry took place during the first half of the 7 years; so it’s not possible that it is yet future.
The truth is that the covenant of Daniel 9:27 is not just a 7-year covenant, as we’ve been led to believe.
It is the everlasting covenant, the same one that Abraham was saved by, as he believed by faith that the Father would provide a Lamb to atone for his sins.
The truth is that Messiah and His Disciples fulfilled the 70th week of Daniel, from 27-34 A.D., when they confirmed with the Jews for 7 years that He is the promised Messiah, who ratified the everlasting covenant with His blood as the Passover Lamb.
Messiah confirmed that He was the promised Messiah through His miracles, His wisdom, His knowledge of the Hebrew letters, His fulfillment of prophecy, and by His resurrection.
After Messiah’s ascension, the Apostles continued to confirm to the Jews that He is the promised Messiah, by proclaiming how He fulfilled prophecy and how He rose again.
On Pentecost, 3,000 Jews were saved from the witness of the Apostles being filled with the Spirit, and preaching the Gospel in their languages. The Church of Messiah is built on a foundation of Jews, who accepted Messiah as their Savior.
Paul proclaimed Jew first, and so it was. The seven years ended when the Jewish leaders stoned the Apostle Stephen to death, when he proclaimed that they had killed their promised Messiah.
Immediately after Stephen’s death, the Gospel was also shared with the Gentiles. The disciples were scattered throughout Judea and preached the Gospel. Philip was led to the Ethiopian Eunuch, who was saved. Saul was converted to be the Apostle to the Gentiles. Peter was given the vision of the unclean animals, which represented that the everlasting covenant was to be preached to the Gentile nations. The Samaritans received salvation and the Spirit of the Father.
Scripture clearly shows us how the 70th week of Daniel was fulfilled, as Messiah and His Apostles confirmed with the Jews that He is their promised Messiah.
Some accepted Him and were saved, but most rejected Him and were condemned.
The deception is that the 70th week of Daniel hasn’t been fulfilled yet.
We’ve been told that it is about an end-times antichrist who makes a 7-year peace agreement with Israel, which starts a 7-year tribulation period.
The Jesuits created this deception in the 16th century to deflect blame away from the Popes of Rome, as the Protestant Reformers had rightly identified them as the Little Horn of Daniel, Son of Perdition of 2 Thessalonians 2, and antichrist beast of Revelation 13.
They had Jesuit Priest Francisco Ribera, a brilliant man with a doctorate in theology, write a 500-page commentary with an opposing view, where he manipulated prophecies in the books of Daniel and Revelation, to create the narrative of a one-man antichrist in an end-time 7-year tribulation.
This idea, called Futurism, was quickly adopted as the Roman Catholic Church’s official position on the Antichrist. The true Church effectively rejected these futuristic concepts until the 19th century, when the Jesuits caused several people to promote these concepts; including Pastor Edward Irving, John Nelson Darby and Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, which led to these deceptions being taught at Dallas Theological Seminary, where the leaven of the Jesuits’ deceptions have spread around the world.
The historical witness of the many persecuted believers and theologians of the past have been pushed aside, and futurism is now taught by most pastors.
I understand that this explanation of the 70th week of Daniel may be new to you, so I want to step back and take a child-like, logical view of the prophecy.
Simply ask yourself:
How long does it take the Father to fulfill His own 70-week prophecy?
The obvious and correct answer is 70 weeks. If a 70-week prophecy is given, and it is not fulfilled in 70 consecutive weeks, then the prophecy is not valid.
What week follows the 69th week?
The obvious answer is the 70th week, but the enemy would have you believe that there is a 1,990+ year time gap between the 69th and 70th week, even though there is no such time gap defined in Daniel 9.
Daniel 9:25 mentions the arrival of the promised Messiah, and then Daniel 9:27 mentions a ‘covenant‘. Whose covenant do you suppose that it is referring to? Isn’t it logical to assume that it is Messiah’s covenant, as the reason that He came was to die to ratify the everlasting covenant with His blood as the Passover Lamb?
The text even proclaims that He was cut off, meaning that He was killed, in the middle of the seven years, which matches Isaiah’s prophecy about the promised Messiah, in
He was taken from prison and from judgment. And as for His generation, who considered that He shall be cut off from the land of the living? For the transgression of My people He was stricken.
Isaiah 53:8
The consequences of the 70 Weeks of Daniel deception are grand!
The enemy’s end times deception is based on the concept of a futuristic 70th week of Daniel.
It causes people to look for an end times one-man Antichrist, instead of identifying the office of the papacy as the beast of Revelation, the Little Horn of Daniel and the Son of Perdition.
This is the very reason that the end times 7 year tribulation deception was created by the Roman Catholic Church. They were being accused by the Protestant Reformers of being the Antichrist system who persecuted the saints.
The Protestant Reformers told people to ‘come out of her‘, which caused millions of people to leave the Roman Catholic Church and be saved by the pure Gospel of Messiah.
The enemy has programmed our minds to view the 70th week of Daniel as futuristic. He has used Pastors, Left Behind movies, books, etc.
The truth about Daniel’s 70th Week prophecy wrapped up with a bow:
If the 70th week is supposed to equal seven years (one week), then how many years are in 70 weeks?
The answer to the first question is simple, in fact, it’s a simple math equation:
(1 week = 7 years) x 70 years = 490 years
Now let’s take a close look at the scriptures, shall we?
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 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.
Daniel 9:24-27
In 457 BC… the Jews, who had been held in captivity in Babylon, were allowed to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple under the decree of Persian King — Cyrus:
And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia 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. Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up. 2 Chronicles 36:20-23 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,
Ezra 1:1-3
Thus saith Cyrus, king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
Who is there among you of all his people? His God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem.
In AD 27, Jesus Christ was baptized and began His earthly ministry. A total of 483 years had passed from the time the decree was issued for the Jews to rebuild the temple to when Jesus began preaching.
Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbade him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. 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.
Matthew 3:13-17
In AD 31; Jesus was arrested, put on trial, and executed for speaking truth. As it states in Matthew 27:33-37, this is the exact midway point of Daniel’s 70th Week (3 1/2 years). This is where Messiah would be cut off — or to make it more clear — where Jesus would be crucified (cut off from His people).
And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. And sitting down they watched him there; And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Matthew 27:33-37
In AD 34 — the apostle Stephen was stoned to death. It was shortly after this that Jesus appeared to Saul (who became Paul) on the road to Damascus — thus paving the way to bring the Gospel of Salvation to the Gentile nations — and bringing to fulfillment the end of Daniel’s 70th Week prophecy:
When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 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. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
Acts 7:54-60
Between 457 BC when King Cyrus issued the decree to have the temple rebuilt in Jerusalem; and 27 AD before Jesus Christ was baptized and began His ministry, a total of 483 consecutive years (69 weeks) had passed. The 70th week spoken of in Daniel 9:24-27 started the moment that Jesus began His earthly ministry. In the middle of that 70th week; Messiah (Jesus) was cut off (crucified), and exactly 3 1/2 years later, Stephen was put to death ending the 7 years of Daniel’s 70th Week exactly 490 years later from when King Cyrus issued the decree to have the temple rebuilt and allowed the Jews to return home after their 70-year exile in Babylon.
Special thanks to David Nikao because I included some of his work in this post.
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