The Seventy Weeks of Daniel
Or, The Wisdom of God in All of the Seventy Weeks
"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 vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy" (Daniel 9:24).
by Tom Stewart
Preface
Daniel's Seventieth Week (Daniel 9:27)-- known also as the Tribulation Week-- is the present focus of prophetic interest, because it still remains to be fulfilled. However, The Ancient of Days (7:9) has wisely outlined a much broader program of Seventy Weeks-- from 445 BC to 2005 AD-- that includes Christ's Atonement on Calvary, the Church's evangelization of the world, the judgment of the world, and the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom of the LORD Jesus Christ on Earth. The following is an exposition of Daniel 9:24, and is intended to emphasize some foundational aspects of "things to come" (John 16:13).
All discussion and appreciation of the "things which must shortly come to pass" (Revelation 1:1) must first grapple with this revelation by the Angel Gabriel to the prophet Daniel, the "greatly beloved" (Daniel 9:23).
When the Redeemed of the LORD arrive at their Heavenly destination, much of their rejoicing will be centered upon how wise God was in planning the events of Daniel's Seventy Weeks.
The Apostle Paul epitomized this very desire to make known God's Wisdom. "8 That I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; 9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, Who created all things by Jesus Christ: 10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold Wisdom of God" (Ephesians 3:8-10).