Interpretation Of The Seventy Weeks Theology Religion Essay Example

Apparently, across the centuries Israel had ignored that divinely imposed ordinance. In their pre-captivity history, there seems to be no illustration of their of all time holding honored the Sabbath-year jurisprudence. So, harmonizing to the testimony of one scriptural author, the 70 old ages of the Babylonian imprisonment were assigned until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths ''.

If each of the 70 imprisonment old ages represented a misdemeanor of the sabbatical-year demand ( every 7th twelvemonth ), as 2 Histories appears to propose, this would bespeak that Israel had neglected the godly injunction for about 490 old ages. The imprisonment epoch, therefore, looked rearward upon five centuries of iniquitous disregard. At the same clip, Daniel's prognostication telescoped frontward to a clip, some 490 old ages into the hereafter, when the Anointed One '' would do a terminal of wickedness ''. Daniel's prognostication seems to tag a kind of midway point in the historical strategy of things.

In the first twelvemonth of Darius, who had been appointed male monarch over the kingdom of the Chaldeans, Daniel, reflecting upon the time-span suggested by Jeremiah's prognostications, calculated that the imprisonment period about was over. He, therefore, approached Jehovah in supplication. The prophesier confessed his wickedness and those of the state every bit good. He petitioned Jehovah to turn away his wrath from Jerusalem and allow the temple to be rebuilt. The Lord responded to Daniel's supplication in a message delivered by the angel Gabriel. The house of God would be rebuilt. A more important approval would come, nevertheless, in the Person of the Anointed One, who is greater than the temple. This prognostication was a delicious message of solace

to the despondent Hebrews in imprisonment.

The Messiah's Mission

Second, what was the Messiah's mission for coming to earth? This exciting context sets forth the primary intent of Christ's mission to Earth. First, the Messiah would come to cover with the job of human wickedness. He would complete evildoing, '' make a terminal of wickedness '' and consequence rapprochement for wickedness. '' That subject is developed throughout the New Testament transitions that are but a little sampling of the New Testament references to this of import subject.

The coming of Christ to this Earth did non set a terminal to transgress in the sense that evil was wiped from the face of the Earth. Rather, the work of the Savior was to present a system that could supply effectually and for good a solution to the human wickedness quandary. This is one of the subjects of the book of Hebrews. Jesus ' decease was a once-for-all '' event. The Lord ne'er will hold to return to the Earth to reiterate the Calvary experience.

It is interesting to observe that Daniel emphasized that the Anointed One would turn to the jobs of evildoing, '' wickedness, '' and wickedness '' as if to propose that the Lord is capable of covering with immoralities in all of its horrid signifiers. Similarly, the prophesier Isaiah, in the fifty-third chapter of his narrative, revealed that the Messiah would give himself for evildoing '',  wickedness ''and wickedness ''.

It besides is worthy of reference at this point that Isaiah 53 often is quoted in the New Testament in concurrence with the Lord's expiating work at the clip of his first coming. Since quite evidently has an

indistinguishable push, it, excessively, must concentrate upon the Savior's work at the cross, and non upon Jesus ' 2nd coming, as is alleged by premillennialists.

Second, in add-on to his redemptional work in connexion with wickedness, Daniel showed that the Messiah would usher in an epoch of everlasting righteousness. '' This evidently is a mention to the Gospel dispensation. In the pages of the New Testament, Paul forcefully argued that Heaven's program was accounting adult male at this clip his righteousness '' through the Gospel.

Third, the angel's message suggested that as a consequence of the Messiah's work, vision and prognostication '' would be sealed up. The Hebrew term denotes that which is brought to a decision or is finished

It should be emphasized that the major load of the Old Testament was to proclaim the coming of God's Son. Peter declared that the Prophetess of ancient times heralded the agonies of Christ and the glorification that should follow them. '' He affirmed that this message now is announced in the Gospel. Here is an important point. With the coming of the Savior to consequence human salvation and with the completion of the New Testament record which sets Forth that message, the demand for vision and prognostication became disused. As a consequence, prognostication ( and other indicative gifts ) have ceased''. There are no supernatural visions and prognostications being given by God in this age.

Fourth, Daniel stated that the holiest'' would be anointed. What is the significance of this look? Dispensational premillennialists interpret this as a mention of the rebuilding of the Judaic temple during the alleged millenary. '' But the premillennial construct is non-supported by the facts.

Any

position that one adopts sing this wording must be consistent with other scriptural information. The look most sanctum '' likely is an allusion to Christ himself, and the anointment '' a mention of the Lord's gift with the Holy Spirit at the beginning of his ministry. See the undermentioned factors.

1. While it is possible that the grammar can reflect a holiest'' thing or topographic point ( such as, in a neuter signifier ), it besides can give a masculine sense, Most Holy One. '' The immediate context tips the graduated tables toward the masculine since the `` anointed one, the prince '' is mentioned in verse 25.
2. The anointment '' evidently belongs to the same clip frame as the events antecedently mentioned, hence is associated with the Lord's first coming, non the 2nd one.
3. Thompson has observed that the act of anointing ne'er was associated with the temple's most sanctum '' topographic point in the Old Testament.
4. Anointing was practiced in the Old Testament period as a rite of startup and consecration to the offices of prophesier, priest, and king. Significantly, Christ maps in each of these functions.
5. The anointment of Jesus was foretold elsewhere in the Old Testament and in fact, the real rubric, Jesus '' agencies anointed.

Fifth, the Anointed One was to corroborate the compact with many ''. A better rendering would be: Make a covenant house. '' The significance seems to be: the Messiah's compact certainly will stay steadfast, intending it will predominate, even though he is killed. The compact '' as Edward J. Young observed Is the compact of grace wherein the Messiah by His life and decease obtains redemption for

His people ''.

Sixth, as a consequence of Christ's decease, the forfeit and the offering '' would discontinue. This is an allusion to the surcease of the Judaic forfeits as an effect of Jesus ' ultimate sacrificial offering at Golgotha. When the Lord died, the Mosaic Law was nailed to the cross ''. That in-between wall of divider '' was abolished, and the first compact '' was replaced by the 2nd '' one. This was the new compact '' of Jeremiah's celebrated prognostication and was ratified by the blood of Jesus himself. This context is a rich depository of truth refering to the achievements of Christ by agencies of his redemptional work.

What Other Workforce Have To State about Daniel Chapter 9

Daniel chapter 9 is likely one of the most disagreed upon chapters in the full Bible. There is barely a word in it referring to the 70 hebdomad prognostication that is non disputed by a person on either side of the spectrum of trusters versus non-believers.

Millennialists interpret this chapter in support of their assorted philosophies. There is a figure of millennian positions to cover with, each holding their ain distinguishable belief construction all of which claim that Jesus Christ will return to earth some twenty-four hours and set up an actual thousand twelvemonth reign. A brief overview is in order for this survey in visible radiation of the overpowering maltreatment of Daniel chapter 9 in respect of millennian philosophy.

The Millennialists have got it all incorrect, so their apprehension of Daniel is wholly at odds with clear instructions of Jesus as recorded in the divine text. Their full templet for their beliefs is incorrect before they even

approach Daniel chapter 9. The lone manner they can acquire the elements of the 70 hebdomads prophecy to suit their theoretical account is to coerce it into a cast that the text doesn't back up. If millennialism were true, so many of the things Jesus and other divine authors taught can non be reconciled and are hence non the truth and we know that God's word is truth. Jesus Christ is perfectly returning to Earth, but it is non to put up an earthly land and He will non put pes on the Earth once more. Then we which are alive and stay shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to run into the Lord in the air: and so shall we of all time be with the Lord.''

Jesus rejected the offer of being an earthly male monarch when the Israelites tried to do Him one by force, But the twenty-four hours of the Lord will come as a stealer in the dark; in the which, the celestial spheres shall go through away with a great noise, and the elements shall run with ardent heat, the Earth besides and the plants that are therein shall be burned up. '' The following clip Jesus comes to earth will be the terminal of the being of Earth. There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the merely and unfair ''. The hr is coming, in the which all that are in the Graves shall hear his voice, And shall come Forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done immorality, unto the Resurrection of damnation

''.

The Prophetic Chronology of the Seventy Weeks

The clip component of this celebrated prognostication enabled the most studious of God's people to cognize when the promised Messiah would decease for the wickedness of humanity. The chronology of this prophetic context involves three things: a beginning point, a continuance period, and a final event.

The beginning point was to co-occur with a bid to reconstruct and reconstruct Jerusalem. '' The clip span between the get downing point and the reasoning event was specified as 70 hebdomads. '' This would be 70 hebdomads of seven years each-a a sum of 490 years. Every twenty-four hours was to stand for twelve months in prophetic history. Most conservative bookmen hold that the symbolism denotes a period of about 490 old ages. Finally, the terminal event would be the film editing off, ''of the Anointed One. Actually, the chronology is divided into three sections, the sum of which represents 486A? old ages. This would be the span between the bid to reconstruct Jerusalem, and the Messiah's decease. One is able to find the day of the month of the commencement point of this prognostication, it becomes a comparatively simple affair to add to that the time duration specified in the text, reasoning the precise clip when the Lord was to be slain. Let's narrow our focal point sing this affair.

There are but three possible days of the month for the beginning of the seventy-week calendar. First, Zerubbabel led a group of Hebrews out of imprisonment in 536 B.C. This seems to be an improbable beginning point, nevertheless, because 486 old ages from 536 B.C. would stop at 50 B.C., which was 80

old ages prior to Jesus ' decease. Second, Nehemiah led a setback to Canaan in 444 B.C. Is this the beginning point for calculating the prognostication? Probably non, for 486 old ages after 444 B.C. ends at A.D. 42, a twelve old ages after the decease of Christ. However, in 457 B.C., Ezra took a company from Babylon back to Jerusalem. Does this day of the month work mathematically? It does so work out mathematically. If one starts at 457 B.C. and goes frontward for 486A? old ages, the ensuing day of the month is A.D. 30, the real twelvemonth of Christ's crucifixion! This is a common position.

The strongest expostulation to this statement is the claim that Ezra issued no charge to reconstruct the metropolis of Jerusalem, and so the get downing point of the prognostication could be nonday of the month from the clip of his return. Noted scholar Gleason Archer has responded to this allegation by confirming that Ezra's committee seemingly included authorization to reconstruct and construct the metropolis of Jerusalem ( as we may infer from Ezra 7:6, 7, and besides 9:9, which states, `` God hath extended lovingkindness unto us in the sight of the male monarchs of Persia, to give us a reviving, to put up the house of God, and to mend the ruins thereof, and to give us a wall in Judea and in Jerusalem, '' ASV ). Even though Ezra did non really win in carrying throughing the rebuilding of the walls till Nehemiah arrived 13 old ages subsequently, it is logical to understand 457 B.C. as the day of the month for the edict predicted.

In the

thick '' of the seventieth hebdomad, after the fulfillment of the 486A? old ages, the Anointed One was to be cut off. '' This is a mention to the decease of Jesus. Isaiah likewise foretold that Christ would be cut off out of the land of the life ''.

But why are the 70 hebdomads of Daniel 's prognostication divided into three segments-seven hebdomads, 62 hebdomads, and the thick '' of one hebdomad? There was intent in this dislocation.

1. The first division of seven hebdomads '' ( literally, 49 old ages ) covers that period of the clip during which the existent rebuilding of Jerusalem would be underway, following the Hebrews ' return to Palestine. This was the reply to Daniel's supplication. That Reconstruction epoch was to be one of troublous times. '' The Jews ' enemies had harassed them in earlier years, and they continued to make so in the clip of Ezra and Nehemiah ( Whitcomb 1962, 4435 ).
2. The 2nd section of 62 hebdomads ( 434 old ages ), when added to the old forty-nine, yields a sum of 483 old ages. When this figure is computed from 457 B.C., it terminates at A.D. 26. This was the twelvemonth of Jesus ' baptism and the beginning of his public ministry.
3. Finally, the thick of the hebdomad '' ( three and one-half old ages ) reflects the clip of the Lord's prophesying ministry. This section of the prognostication concludes in A.D. 30-the twelvemonth of the Savior's decease.

The Consequences of Rejecting Jesus

No historical revisionism can change the fact that the Lord Jesus was put to decease by his ain people, the Jews. This does not

approve any contemporary mistreatment of the Judaic people; it does, nevertheless, acknowledge that Israel, as a state, suffered a serious effect as a consequence of its function in the decease of the Messiah. If the Jews would hold what was traveling to go on at the decease of Jesus they would hold ne'er have crucified Him on the cross.

Daniel's prognostication depicted the Roman invasion of Jerusalem and the devastation of the Judaic Temple. The prophet radius of a certain prince that shall come, '' who would destruct the metropolis and the sanctuary '' like an overpowering inundation. All of this was determined '' by God because of the Jews ' rejection of his Son, Matthew and Matthew.

The reading of this part of the prognostication is beyond difference. Jesus in his Olivet discourse regarding the devastation of Jerusalem in Matthew, talked about the abomination of devastation, spoken of by Daniel the prophesier ''. The Lord was touching. The abomination that makes desolate '' was the Roman ground forces, under its commanding officer, Titus, who vanquished Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Note that the prince '' of verse 26 is non the same as the anointed prince ''. The prince of verse 26 comes after the anointed Prince has been cut off.

The historical facts are these. In A.D. 66, the Jews, who were capable of Rome, revolted against the imperium. This plunged the Hebrews into several old ages of bloody struggle with the Romans. Titus, boy, and replacement of the celebrated Vespasian, overthrew the metropolis of Jerusalem ( after a five-month besieging ) in the summer of A.D. 70. The holy metropolis was burned, and the sanctuary ''was

demolished. Christ had informed his adherents that the twenty-four hours was coming when the Jews 'house '' would be left desolate; so, non one rock would be left upon another. Significantly, merely one rock from that temple, and parts of another, have been identified positively by archeologists. J. N. Geldenhuys summarized this state of affairs by observing that Titus overran the metropolis with his ground forces, destroyed and plundered the temple, and slew the Jews ( work forces, adult females, and kids ) by 10s of 1000s. When their lecherousness for blood had been sated, the Romans carried off into imprisonment all the able-bodied leftover of the Jews (for they had done off with all the doormats and the aged ), so that nonindividual Jew was left alive in the metropolis or its locality. Merely on one twenty-four hours in the twelvemonth, the twenty-four hours of recollection of the devastation of the temple, were they allowed to mourn over the metropolis from the adjacent hilltops.

This event was referred to by Daniel as the abomination of devastation '' because the metropolis of David was desolated by the Roman ground forces, a detestable force because of its idolatrous cloth. It is non without considerable involvement that seemingly even the Jews recognized that the devastation of the Hebrew state and Jerusalem was a fulfillment of Daniel's singular prognostication. Josephus, the Judaic historiographer, stated that Daniel besides wrote referring to the Roman authorities and that our state should be made desolate by them. '' This position of Daniel 's 70 hebdomads, '' normally called the traditional '' position, has been held with little fluctuation by most Biblical bookmen until

recent old ages ''.

Decision

Daniel's divine record sing the 70 hebdomads '' is a profound presentation of the cogency of biblical prognostication. It foretells the coming of the Messiah, and inside information his benevolent work. The prognostication pinpoints the very clip of Jesus ' crucifixion. Finally, it reveals the black effects of rejecting the Son of God. How grateful we should be to Jehovah for supplying us with this rich testimony. Such a brief-expression at this hard transition will of course raise many inquiries for some, but to supply all the replies to the inquiries that many may hold sing this hard transition is beyond the range of this paper. For a more elaborate survey, the mentions cited or one of the follower's commentaries which will supply some alternate positions

1. Comment on Daniel, Albert Barnes;
2. Comment on Revelation, Robert F. Harkrider ;
3. The Book Of Daniel, Jim McGuiggan;
4. Exposition Of Daniel, H. C. Leupold.

While the transition is truly hard, allow 's non lose sight of the fantastic promises referring to the Messiah's work related to transgress and righteousness. For Jesus through His decease has genuinely brought a terminal to the effects of wickedness. Jesus's decease on the cross provided a reply to a really of import inquiry in life, As a consequence of my wickedness, how can I be reconciled to God? '' In our ain power, we would ne'er bridge the gulf between us and God that was created when wickedness entered into the universe by Adam. God provided a manner to deliver adult males from the foundation of the universe and that was the forfeit of the impeccant Lamb of God on the cross

of Calvary.

Mentions Cited

Gesenius, William, 1979 Reprint, p315, Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker

Jackson, Wayne, 1990, Miracles, Giving a Reason for Our Hope, Winford Claiborne, erectile dysfunction. Henderson, TN: Freed-Hardeman University

Thompson, J. E. H. , 1950 Reprint, p268, Daniel, The Pulpit Commentary, H. D. M. Spence and Joseph Exell, eds. , Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans

Young, Edward J. , 1954, p679, Daniel, The New Bible Commentary, F. Davidson, ed. , Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans

Payne, J. Barton. 1973. The Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy. New York, NY: Harper & A ; Row.

Archer, Gleason L. 1964. A Survey of Old Testament Introduction. Chicago, IL: Moody.

Scott, J. B. 1975. Seventy Weeks. Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible. Merrill C. Tenney, erectile dysfunction. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Frank, Harry Thomas. 1972. An Archaeological Companion to the Bible. London, England: SCM Press.

Geldenhuys, J. Norval. 1960. Luke. The Biblical Expositor. Carl F. H. Henry, erectile dysfunction. Philadelphia, PA: Holman.