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 vi sion and the prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy. Daniel 9:24

Seventy weeks are used as one unit of time or as a total amount of time that is divided off to the people of Daniel. Daniel was hopeful that the Messiah's First Advent would be in his lifetime. The Angel of God came to this great beloved man and gave him skill and understanding in these matters. We all need skill and understanding in these days as we are near the Second Advent of our Lord.

Almost all agree that the time element in this pass age is according to the day representing a year according to Ezekiel 4.6 and Numbers 14:34. When Daniel had understanding he knew it would be about 500 years from his lifetime until the advent of the Messiah the first time. The seventy weeks are listed as, seven weeks, sixty-two weeks and one week. The 'seventy weeks' is plural in that there are more than one week and yet the Hebrew verb translated 'determined' is singular. Seventy weeks is determined, shows that the construction here denotes, ONE COMPLETE PERIOD OF TIME WITHOUT ANY STOP-GAP, or else the verb would be plural. NO STOP-GAP IS MENTIONED!

The Prophecy had to do with the Messiah and the rebuilding of Jerusalem-even the street and the walls. It is contended a week after the seven and the sixty-two or total of sixty-nine weeks is cut off by itself, with at least two thousand years in between the sixty-ninth and the seventieth week. It is assumed that God will count no more time for Daniel's people in this stop gap time but will start the clock up again when we reach the last seven years of time. THIS HAS TO BE ASSUMED. THERE IS NO STOP-GAP IN ALL OF THIS SCRIPTURE. TO ASSUME IS DANGEROUS.

Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem UNTO the Messiah shall be seven weeks, threescore and two weeks. The street shall be built again and the wall, even in troublous times. Daniel 9:25.

We can see at once this prophecy has not one thing to do with our modern times in use of atomic weapons, for no walls today could stop rockets, airplanes or modern warfare. This wall was to be built after the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem. The wall would be built again with workers holding weapon in one hand and tool in the other, even in troublous times. From the time that commandment went forth UNTO the Messiah (anointed one) would be 483 years, lacking 7 years of all the 490. Note the Seventieth week of 7 years would come AFTER the sixty-ninth. How long unto the Messiah? Sixty-nine week-UNTO . What ever the Messiah shall do after he is anointed when he is baptized in Jordon of John, will have to be accomplished AFTER the 69 weeks, or in the 70th week.

Since Salvation is of the Jews, Salvation will have to be made effective in the seventieth week. Since NOW is the accepted TIME and 'TODAY' is the day of salvation, and since Jesus is the Author of Eternal Salvation, it stands to reason of common sense and logic that it will have to be purchased in the seventieth week in following the sixty-ninth ending with the anointing of the Messiah. If we wait until the last seven years of time, we are now without salvation.

After threescore and two weeks [plus the previous seven (or sixty-nine weeks)] shall the Messiah be cut off, but not for himself. Dan. 9-26a. Note the Messiah being cut off, but not for himself, indicates he will not die a natural death but will die a violent death and for sins of others. When shall he be cut off? Look at it! Search! You will find he is cut off AFTER the sixty-ninth week, and very plainly in the Seventieth. All reason of logic demand that if he be the Author of Eternal Salvation, he had to be cut off in the midst of the Seventieth week and he did just that.

TRANSGRESSION OF DANIEL'S PEOPLE FINISHED: THEY DENIED THE HOLY ONE AND KILLED THE PRINCE OF LIFE.

The parable of the vineyard, Luke 20:13- should shew forth this fact very plainly to all. He came to his own and His own received him not. John 1:11. But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you, and killed the Prince of Life. Acts. 2:14-15.

TO MAKE AN END OF SINS:

Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the World. John 1:29

But now once in the end of the world both he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. Hebrews 9:26

For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sin. Hebrews 10:4

Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, 0 God. He taketh away the first that he may establish the second. By which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Hebrews 10:9-10

But this man after he had offered one Sacrifice FOR SINS FOREVER, sat down on the right hand of God. Hebrews 10:12

For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are Sanctified. Hebrews 10:14

Christ died for our sin. I Corinthians 15:3

He was manifested TO TAKE AWAY OUR SINS. I John 3:5

He bare our sins in his own body on the tree. I Peter 2:24

The cure: To take away and make an end of sins was founded at Calvary in the seventieth week in the midst of the week, When Jesus died for us!

TO MAKE RECONCILIATION FOR INIQUITY:

That he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. Hebrews 2:17

And having made peace through the blood of his cross by him to reconcile all things unto himself.... and you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now both he reconciled. In the body of his flesh, through death, to present you holy and unblameable in his sight. Colossians 1:20-22

That he might reconcile- both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby. Ephesians 2: 16

This was done by Christ at Calvary in the Midst of the seventieth week!

TO BRING IN EVERLASTING RIGHTEOUSNESS:

For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Romans 5:10

But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe. Romans 3:21 & 22

For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 2 Corinthians 5:21

Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness. Christ by his obedience-to God in death and resurrection, has established and brought in everlasting righteousness in the Midst of the 70th Week!

HE SHALL CONFIRM THE COVENANT:

The whole idea here is the confirmation of a covenant, not the making or breaking of one. And this I say, that the covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ...... 19. Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions---till the seed should come to whom the promise was made. Galatians 3:17-19

He is the Mediator of the New Covenant. Hebrews 8:6

Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead, Our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant. Hebrews 13:20

The first covenant was dedicated by the blood of animals; the everlasting covenant by blood of Christ. So then, Christ CONFIRMED THE COVENANT THAT GOD MADE WITH ABRAHAM. It is an everlasting covenant!

HE SHALL CAUSE THE SACRIFICE AND THE OBLATIONS TO CEASE:

There is not one word said in this Scripture about the making of offerings and sacrifices, but just the opposite- a making of Sacrifices and oblations to cease. This was accomplished at Calvary by the death of Christ in the Midst of the seventieth week.

HIS SACRIFICE OF SELF ENDED ALL SACRIFICES TO GOD FOR SINS!

He is the final, supreme and eternal sacrifice that puts and end to all sacrifices to God for sins. If after we have come to Christ and then sin wilfully, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins. Hebrews 10:24. In the midst of the 70th week, following-the 69th week, Jesus caused all these to-end by Sacrifice of himself thereby bringing in Eternal Salvation.

TO SEAL UP THE VISION AND THE PROPHECY AND TO ANOINT THE MOST HOLY.

To anoint the Most Holy, would be to anoint Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit at his baptism.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me\'85 Luke 4:18

Jesus sealed up the vision by fulfilling those things which were written in t he law and prophecy concerning him and also this vision shewed to Daniel. A sure facts is that if Jesus had not served in the seventieth week as he did, the Holy One would not have been anointed nor the vision made sure by his sealing it.

From the going forth of the commandment-by Artaxerxes, 457 B. C. to 27 A. D. is 483 years or sixty nine weeks unto the Baptism, Anointing of the Messiah. After Sixty-nine weeks, the Messiah shall be cut off. This was fulfilled in the midst of the seventieth week.

HE SHALL CONFIRM THE COVENANT WITH MANY FOR ONE WEEK:

This is speaking of Christ, It cannot be speaking of the Prince mentioned, for it is "THE PEOPLE OF THE PRINCE' and prince is the object of the Preposition "of" and is a modifying clause. The pronoun 'he' cannot refer or have as its antecedent a noun which is the object of a preposition in a modifying clause. The word 'he' has to then refer to Christ. He DID CONFIRM THE COVENANT WITH HIS BLOOD WHEN HE DIED AND DURING 3 1/2 YEARS OF MINISTRY CONFIRMING AFTER HIS RESURRECTION BY THE CHURCH!

THE PEOPLE OF THE PRINCE THAT SHALL COME SHALL DESTROY THE CITY AND THE SANCTUARY.

There is nothing said about building a Temple, but rather the destruction of the Sanctuary. There is nothing said about a Man of Sin in this whole account. There is nothing said about making or break-a covenant but rather the confirming of THE COVENANT. There is nothing said about offering sacrifices, but rather we do find a making of sacrifices and ablations to CEASE. The people “of the Prince” who came and fulfilled this was the Romans- under Titus who fulfilled it in 70 A. D.

OUR CONCLUSION IS THAT THE GREATEST WEEK IN THE HISTORY OF ALL TIMES IS THE 70th WEEK OF DANIEL'S PEOPLE.

It was the week which followed the 69th-UNTO the Messiah: and it was the week when offerings and oblations were made to cease. It was the week when Jesus Christ DIED FOR OUR SINS, AND NOT OURS ONLY BUT FOR THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD! IT WAS THE WEEK WHEN OUR GOD RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD, CONFIRMED THE EVERLASTING COVENANT AND CAUSED THE SACRIFICES AND OBLATIONS TO CEASE.

There IS NOT ONE WORD SAID ABOUT A STOP-GAP. If I add a STOP-GAP, A REBUILT TEMPLE AND A MAN OF SIN WITH THE MAKING AND BREAKING OF A COVENANT, THEN WOE IS ME FOR ADDING AND ASSUMING SOMETHING THAT IS OUT OF HARMONY WITH THE REST OF THE SCRIPTURES!

Jesus makes it plain in the sixth chapter of John that he will raise his people up "AT THE LAST DAY". Not seven years before the last day. He will destroy the MAN OF SIN WITH THE BRIGHTNESS OF HIS COMING!

Pastor Z. B. Duncan