A Necessary Detour
The Seventy Weeks of Daniel • Sermon • Submitted
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Detours are unavoidable. Most often they aggravate me, especially when I am driving in an unfamiliar area. Back a few years ago, when one of our foster daughters was attending Deerfield Middle School, we had an unexpected detour because they were repaving Holloway Road. I only knew of one way to get to the village of Deerfield, and yet I couldn’t get there that way. My “daughter” was going to be late for school, and I had to find a different route. Oh yeah, I wasn’t very smart with smart phones and GPS at that point in time. But this necessary detour caused me to find a much better route to the school, for which I was eventually thankful. Of course, some detours just get you really lost!
I know that we just began a new sermon series this past week, but this week we are going to take a necessary, and preemptive detour. This is because of a statement which Jesus made in the midst of His final discourse:
“Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),
This reference to the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION is taken from an angelic message to Daniel concerning end times. And so I invite you to turn in your Bible to as we consider what is commonly referred to as The Seventy Weeks of Daniel. As we go through this passage we will look at the setting for this vision, and then we will take a crash course on the seventy week period that is told to Daniel by Gabriel the angel.
First let’s read the passage together.
The Setting
The Setting
We will not take the time this morning to make a full-blown introduction to the book of Daniel. But a little information will help.
Daniel was taken to Babylon in the first wave of captivity around B.C. 605
Daniel was trained “In every branch of wisdom, endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge...”
Daniel was devoted to God
Daniel rose to prominence in the government of Nebuchadnezzar and remained prominent in the government of the Medes and Persians who conquered Babylon
Daniel was gifted in interpreting dreams and visions
Much of the Book of Daniel deals with end times
Now for the setting of this vision:
Daniel was reading and contemplating this statement in
This whole land will be a desolation and a horror, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years.
This passage provoked Daniel to pray
Confession of national sin
Petition for God to turn His anger away
While still praying Gabriel approached him with a message from God — Vs. 20-23
A Crash Course on
A Crash Course on
Nine Things to Note:
Nine Things to Note:
The prophecy is about Daniel’s people and Daniel’s city
Who are Daniel’s people?
Where is Daniel’s city?
Two distinct princes are mentioned
Messiah or Anointed One
The prince who is to come
Time-period is 70 weeks (or 70 sevens) – divided into three groups:
7 weeks (of years – 49 yrs.)
62 weeks (of years – 434 yrs.)
1 week (of years – 7 yrs.)
490 years altogether
Time period begins with the issuing of a decree:
´Time period begins with the issuing of a decree:
To rebuild Jerusalem
The Decree of Cyrus in 538/37 BC ()
A decree to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem
“Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! Let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem.
Every survivor, at whatever place he may live, let the men of that place support him with silver and gold, with goods and cattle, together with a freewill offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.’ ”
The Decree of Artaxerxes in 458 BC ()
A decree for people to return to Jerusalem
Now this is the copy of the decree which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, learned in the words of the commandments of the Lord and His statutes to Israel:
“Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace. And now
I have issued a decree that any of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my kingdom who are willing to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.
The Decree of Artaxerxes in 445 BC ( )
A decree to rebuild the walls in Jerusalem
And it came about in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, that wine was before him, and I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence.
So the king said to me, “Why is your face sad though you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart.” Then I was very much afraid.
I said to the king, “Let the king live forever. Why should my face not be sad when the city, the place of my fathers’ tombs, lies desolate and its gates have been consumed by fire?”
Then the king said to me, “What would you request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven.
I said to the king, “If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it.”
Then the king said to me, the queen sitting beside him, “How long will your journey be, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me, and I gave him a definite time.
And I said to the king, “If it please the king, let letters be given me for the governors of the provinces beyond the River, that they may allow me to pass through until I come to Judah,
and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress which is by the temple, for the wall of the city and for the house to which I will go.” And the king granted them to me because the good hand of my God was on me.
March 14, 445 BC
The end of the 69 weeks will be marked by the appearance of Messiah
Messiah will be killed after the 69 weeks
´Messiah will be cut off after the 69 weeks
The 70th week will begin with the making of a treaty with Israel
In the middle of the 70th week the coming prince will break the treaty which will usher in a time of wrath
´In the middle of the 70th week the coming prince will break the treaty which will usher in a time of wrath
After the completion of the 70 weeks there will be a time of unparalleled blessing for Israel
Three Negative Achievements:
Three Negative Achievements:
Finish the transgression
Sin in an all-inclusive sense
Make an end of sin
Missing the mark – sins of daily life
Make atonement for iniquity
Perverse action – willful disobedience?
Three Positive Achievements:
Three Positive Achievements:
Bring in everlasting righteousness
Refers to a period of time when righteousness will rule; i.e. the Millennium
Seal up vision & prophecy
Final fulfillment of prophecy
Anoint the most holy place
The Millennial Temple
I don’t know if you have recognized this or not, but this verse is very gospel oriented. The first four of these six things were accomplished at the cross of Jesus. “It was on that old cross Jesus suffered and died to pardon and sanctify me!”
NIV – seventy sevens
NLT – seventy sets of sevens
Each “seven” represents a year
70 x 7 = 490 years
Prophetic Year
Prophetic Year
360 days (12 months of 30 days)
When did this period begin?
When did this period begin?
And it came about in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, that wine was before him, and I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence.
March 14, 445 BC
The Decree of Cyrus in 538/37 BC ()
A decree to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem
“Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him! Let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem.
Every survivor, at whatever place he may live, let the men of that place support him with silver and gold, with goods and cattle, together with a freewill offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.’ ”
The Decree of Artaxerxes in 458 BC ()
A decree for people to return to Jerusalem
Now this is the copy of the decree which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, learned in the words of the commandments of the Lord and His statutes to Israel:
“Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace. And now
I have issued a decree that any of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my kingdom who are willing to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.
Now this is the copy of the decree which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, learned in the words of the commandments of the Lord and His statutes to Israel:
“Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace. And now
I have issued a decree that any of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my kingdom who are willing to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.
Forasmuch as you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God which is in your hand,
Now this is the copy of the decree which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, learned in the words of the commandments of the Lord and His statutes to Israel:
“Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace. And now
I have issued a decree that any of the people of Israel and their priests and the Levites in my kingdom who are willing to go to Jerusalem, may go with you.
Forasmuch as you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God which is in your hand,
and to bring the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem,
with all the silver and gold which you find in the whole province of Babylon, along with the freewill offering of the people and of the priests, who offered willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem;
with this money, therefore, you shall diligently buy bulls, rams and lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings and offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.
Whatever seems good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and gold, you may do according to the will of your God.
Also the utensils which are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver in full before the God of Jerusalem.
The rest of the needs for the house of your God, for which you may have occasion to provide, provide for it from the royal treasury.
“I, even I, King Artaxerxes, issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the provinces beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, may require of you, it shall be done diligently,
even up to 100 talents of silver, 100 kors of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of oil, and salt as needed.
Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done with zeal for the house of the God of heaven, so that there will not be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons.
We also inform you that it is not allowed to impose tax, tribute or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, Nethinim or servants of this house of God.
“You, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God which is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges that they may judge all the people who are in the province beyond the River, even all those who know the laws of your God; and you may teach anyone who is ignorant of them.
Whoever will not observe the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed upon him strictly, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of goods or for imprisonment.”
The Decree of Artaxerxes in 445 BC ( )
A decree to rebuild the walls in Jerusalem
I said to the king, “If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it.”
Then the king said to me, the queen sitting beside him, “How long will your journey be, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me, and I gave him a definite time.
And I said to the king, “If it please the king, let letters be given me for the governors of the provinces beyond the River, that they may allow me to pass through until I come to Judah,
and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress which is by the temple, for the wall of the city and for the house to which I will go.” And the king granted them to me because the good hand of my God was on me.
And it came about in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, that wine was before him, and I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence.
So the king said to me, “Why is your face sad though you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart.” Then I was very much afraid.
I said to the king, “Let the king live forever. Why should my face not be sad when the city, the place of my fathers’ tombs, lies desolate and its gates have been consumed by fire?”
Then the king said to me, “What would you request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven.
I said to the king, “If it please the king, and if your servant has found favor before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it.”
Then the king said to me, the queen sitting beside him, “How long will your journey be, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me, and I gave him a definite time.
And I said to the king, “If it please the king, let letters be given me for the governors of the provinces beyond the River, that they may allow me to pass through until I come to Judah,
and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress which is by the temple, for the wall of the city and for the house to which I will go.” And the king granted them to me because the good hand of my God was on me.
Then I said to them, “You see the bad situation we are in, that Jerusalem is desolate and its gates burned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be a reproach.”
I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me and also about the king’s words which he had spoken to me. Then they said, “Let us arise and build.” So they put their hands to the good work.
March 14, 445 BC
When did the first 69 weeks end?
When did the first 69 weeks end?
Prophetic Year
Prophetic Year
360 days (12 months of 30 days)
69 x 7 x 360 = 173,880 days
March 14, 445 BC
to
April 6, 32 AD
When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it,
saying, “If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes.
For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side,
and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”
When He approached Bethphage and Bethany, near the mount that is called Olivet, He sent two of the disciples,
saying, “Go into the village ahead of you; there, as you enter, you will find a colt tied on which no one yet has ever sat; untie it and bring it here.
If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of it.’ ”
So those who were sent went away and found it just as He had told them.
As they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?”
They said, “The Lord has need of it.”
They brought it to Jesus, and they threw their coats on the colt and put Jesus on it.
As He was going, they were spreading their coats on the road.
As soon as He was approaching, near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles which they had seen,
shouting: “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.”
But Jesus answered, “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!”
When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it,
saying, “If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes.
For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side,
and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”