Daniel Chapter 9:
             THE PROPHECY OF THE SEVENTY WEEKS
 
    DANIELS PRAYER: Daniel 1-19:  The date of the prophecy, given as a
result fo Daniel's deep pentitential prayer, is "the first year of
Darius" (538 B.C.), "son of Ahasuerus" (Xerxes).  Daniel was stirred to
intercession for the restoration of his people by reading Jeremiah's
prophecies of the 70 years (Jer 25:11-12;29:10
 
    THE ANSWER -- THE PROPHECY OF THE SEVENTY WEEKS Daniel 20-27:
 
  Jeremiah's prophecy of the 70-year Babylonian captivity is made the
basis of a newly revealed panoramic prediction of the entire history of
Daniel's people, the Jews, from the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls
until the ultimate establishment of Messiah's earthly kingdom.
   The figure of 70 weeks is employed.  The weeks (Hebrew 'heptads',
"sevens") are 'heptads' of years.  The total given is 70 heptads, or 490
years.  It is a historically complete answer to Daniel's prayer,
(verses 1-19), when Israel's national chastisement will be ended,
prophetic vision sealed (closed) because it will be fulfilled (cf.
Acts 3:21), and everlasting righteousness brought to Israel when
she accepts her Messiah at His second advent, v24.
 
   The total of 70 weeks ("sevens") is first divided into seven weeks or
49 years, v25.  At the beginning of this time "the commandment to
restore and to build Jerusalem" was issued in the decree of Artaxerxes I
to rebuild Jerusalem's walls (Nisan, Mar.-Apr., 445 B.C.., Neh 2).
During this period (445-396 B.C.) "the street shall be build again, and
teh wall, even in troublous times."
 
   The next division is 62 weeks or 434 years, v26.  After this period
(plus the first seven weeks, cf. v25) " Messiah shall be cut off"
(396 BC. to Mar-Apr A.D. 30).  The 62 week period ended and Christ the
"Messiah-Prince" was cut off in death and had nothing,  i.e., nothing
which was rightly His, no kingdom.
 
   Following  the 62 weeks an unreckoned period is prophesied, a time of
Israel's national rejection, during which "the people of the prince that
shll come [the Beast, world ruler of the Gentile end time, cf 7-8; Rev
19:20] shall destroy the city and sanctuary," 26b.  The Romans under
Titus destroyed Jerusalem in A.D., 70, the city has since been trodden
down by the Gentiles (Lk 21:24), the Jews have been scattered, and "wars
and desolations" have characterized the age.
 
   The final week of seven years constitutes the climax of Jewish
history prior to the establishment of the messianic kingdom, v27.  It is
divided into two half periods (three and a half years each).  During the
first half the "prince" (world ruler, "little horn" of Daniel 7:8, 24-25)
will make a covenant with the Jews, who are restored in Palestine with a
resumption of temple worship.  In the middle of the week the covenant is
broken, worship for the Jews ceases (2 Thess 2:3-4), and the time of
Great Tribulation ensues.  The advent of Christ the Messiah consummates
this period of desolation, bringing everlasting righteousness to Israel,
v24, and judgment upon the "desolator," the prince, and his hosts
(Rev 19:20)
 
 
 
Taken from:   UNGERS BIBLE HANDBOOK by Merrill F. Unger, TH.D., PH.D.
              Moody Press 1967