The ninth chapter of the book of Daniel contains one of the most outstanding prophecies in the Bible, as it deals with both the first and second comings of Jesus Christ.

The chapter opens with Daniel praying fervently on behalf of his people, the Israelites, who at that time (about 538 BC) were relocated captives of the Persian Empire. The archangel Gabriel appears and informs Daniel that he has come to give Daniel "skill and understanding." Then Gabriel tells Daniel to "understand the matter, and consider the vision."

Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city [Jerusalem], to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up [fulfill] vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy [Jesus] (Daniel 9:24).

The Hebrew word translated "weeks" in the King James Bible and some other versions is shabuwa, which literally means "seven." Strong's Greek/Hebrew Dictionary gives this definition: "literal, sevened, i.e. a week (specifically, of years)." So these 70 weeks are actually 70 times 7 years. Some modern versions of the Bible state this "70 weeks" in simplest terms: 490 years. As we read the rest of the prophecy and understand its fulfillment, it becomes obvious that "7 years" is the correct interpretation of "week" in this passage.

Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince [Jesus], there shall be seven weeks [49 years] and sixty-two weeks [434 years]; 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" (Daniel 9:25-26a).

Eighty-five years after Daniel received this prophecy, in 453 BC, Artaxerxes I Longimanus, king of Persia, gave his trusted Jewish servant Nehemiah permission to go to Judah to restore the fortunes of his people. Artaxerxes appointed Nehemiah governor of the province and gave him authority to rebuild the city walls (Nehemiah 2:1-9). This was the "command to restore and build Jerusalem." Several other proclamations were made by Persian kings to release the Jews from captivity and let them return to Israel to rebuild the temple, but the principal proclamation to rebuild the city of Jerusalem itself was made by Artaxerxes I in 453 BC.

According to the prophecy, from the time of that proclamation until the Messiah would be "cut off" would be 69 times 7 years, or 483 years. Counting from 453 BC, this brings us to 30 AD--the exact year that Jesus Christ was crucified!

It is also significant that the total number of years is given in two figures: 7 "weeks" (49 years) and 62 "weeks" (434 years) because it took 49 years to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, and from the time that work was completed until Jesus was "cut off" was 434 years.

The prophet Isaiah, writing in about 700 BC, explains how it would be that the Messiah would be cut off [killed], but not for Himself: "For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people He was stricken. ... When You make His soul an offering for sin. ... My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities" (Isaiah 53:8,10-11). Jesus died for us, to atone for the sins of the whole world, not because He Himself was guilty of any sin or crime.

Returning to Daniel's revelation, the angel continues:

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 (Daniel 9:26b).

Forty years after Jesus was crucified, in 70 AD, the Roman legions under general (and future emperor) Titus--a "flood of ungodly men" (Psalm 18:4)--burned Jerusalem and took the Temple apart stone by stone to get the gold leaf that had melted and run into the cracks, just as Jesus had prophesied of the Temple in 30 AD: "Not one stone shall be left here upon another" (Matthew 24:1-2).

There seems to be a discrepancy, however, between the figures given in Daniel 9:24 (490 years) and the verse that immediately follows (483 years). Where are the missing 7 years?

One pivotal clause in verse 24 was not fulfilled when Jesus was crucified: "to bring in everlasting righteousness." One look at the world today and it is obvious that everlasting righteousness has not arrived. When Jesus died on the cross He made "an end to sin" for those who believe and receive Him as their Savior, but everlasting righteousness will not reign on earth until after Jesus returns, beginning with His initial 1,000-year reign known as the Millennium. The last of the 70 "weeks" of Daniel, the last 7 years (also known as the 70th week), is yet to be fulfilled, and will be soon. Don't be left in darkness or caught unprepared--find out when and how!

Continued in the next issue of Activated...