“Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem [King Cyrus of Persia issued this official decree in 537 BC – see Ezra 1:1]² until the Anointed One, the ruler [Jesus], comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ [49 years] and sixty-two ‘sevens‘ [434 years]. (Daniel 9:25a)

It should be noted that the prophet Isaiah mentions Cyrus by name in Isaiah 44:28, about 100 years before Cyrus was even born. 

The City and Temple are Built in the First 7 Weeks (49 Years):

It [the City of Jerusalem and the Temple] will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. (v9:25b)

Jerusalem was, in fact, rebuilt over a 49-year period by the Hebrew exiles who were released by King Cyrus’ decree to end the 70 years of Babylonian captivity. And there were fits and starts and a delay of up to 18 years in construction due to outside agitators (see Ezra 1-6). Additionally, the Book of Nehemiah certainly highlights the times of trouble and pressure that surrounded the rebuilding of Jerusalem.

Jesus, the Messiah, Arrives after 62 Weeks (483 Years):

After the sixty-two ‘sevens’ [62 x 7 = 434 years], the Anointed One [Jesus] will be cut off [excommunicated, condemned to death] and will have nothing [dispossessed, God desolated Him]. (v9:26a)

Jesus was anointed or baptized after the 62 weeks, not necessarily immediately after in sequential years, as we’ll see. The year was mostly likely AD 26 or 27, with His death by crucifixion 3 years later in AD 30.³ And Jesus being “cut off” refers not merely to be killed but to be made desolate or forsaken by God, as the incarnate Temple of God took upon Himself the sin of the world.⁴

The City and Temple are Destroyed in Judgment:

The people of the ruler [Jesus, the Commander, King, High Priest], will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary [Jerusalem and Temple]. The end will come like a flood [like an overflowing army sweeping into a land, or like Noah’s flood – total devastation]: War will continue until the end [it did; the Roman-Jewish Wars lasted from 66-70 AD], and desolations have been decreed [Jesus calls it out in Luke 13:35: “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.”] (v9:26b)

It is Jesus here, not the Roman General Titus, coming in real and spiritual judgment with orchestrated vengeance armies against Jerusalem in AD 70. After all, the Jewish leaders did murder the Messiah. Jesus says Himself: “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.” (Luke 13:35) 

The people of the ruler may very well be God’s use of the armies of Rome (as God used the armies of Assyria and Babylon to achieve His purposes with Israel in 722 BC and 586 BC). James Jordan, in his epic book The Handwriting on the Wall, points out, and I would agree, that the people may actually be referring to the Church, as the Book of Revelation shows that the prayers and martyrdom of the saints brought about the destruction of Babylon-Jerusalem.⁵

It should be noted that the early burgeoning Judeo-Christian Church survived the 70 AD destruction of Jerusalem. The first Christians would have escaped the city when first word came that Roman soldiers were marching to surround Jerusalem.

Actually, it was Jesus’ own words of warning they remembered:

“When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. (Luke 20:20-22)

The Final 1 Week (7 Years) When Jesus Ends Sacrifices and Offerings:

Finally, there is the last week or one ‘seven’ or final 7 years.

He will confirm a covenant [a New Covenant] with many [all mankind, Jews and Gentiles] for one ‘seven [7 years].’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ [in AD 30 Jesus was crucified] he will put an end to sacrifice and offering [Jesus was the last sacrifice, atoning death for all, thus ending the Old Covenant era of the Jewish sacrificial system. We now bring tribute via the meal of Godly fellowship – the bread and wine memorial symbolizing the body and blood of Jesus.] (v9:27a)

The final act of abomination is actually conducted by the Jewish Temple High Priest and other priests who reject Paul and plan to murder him (see Acts 21-23). By the way, only priests can desecrate the Temple, not Gentiles, so this is not referring to General Titus, or Roman soldiers, nor to one that many believe is referenced here – the Greek King Antiochus Epiphanes IV in 165 BC. (He’ll be coverered in later chapters.)

And one who causes desolation [Jewish Temple High Priest] will come upon the wing of the abominable temple, until the end that is decreed is poured out on the desolated city [until all is finally ended in AD 70]. (v9:27b)

And as for the final 3.5 years, it terminated in AD 33 when the Gospel became officially available to Gentiles as well. Gary DeMar notes that within the same year of Christ’s death, Stephen was martyred and it’s likely that Paul was converted the same year. Paul writes in Galatians 1:18 that he met with Peter “three years later” in Jerusalem “to become acquainted with Cephas.” It was at this same time that Peter was given instructions that the Gospel was to go to the Gentiles (Acts 10-11). This means that Paul’s meeting with Peter and Peter’s instructions concerning the Gentiles occurred 3.5 years after the crucifixion, marking the end of the 70 weeks “for Israel.” ⁶

But The Math Doesn’t Add Up!
By the way, there is no necessary connection of AD 70 with the end of the 70 weeks or 490-year period. Again, per Daniel 9:24, the prophecy objectives did not mention the destruction of Jerusalem, but only:

…to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal vision and prophet and to anoint the Most Holy One. (Daniel 9:24b)

But there is a problem with the math. Many Bible scholars and commentaries use the “decree” by Nehemiah’s King Artaxerxes in 457 BC as the beginning of the 70 weeks. I’ve used this date in the past myself. Although that date makes the numbers work (almost perfectly!), the only real decree was made by Cyrus. I will hold now to the starting date of 537 BC. Therefore, the first 7 weeks or 49 years are set. The final 1 week or 7 years are also set: AD 26-33. It is the 62 weeks or 483 years that are suspect, or merely delayed.

Hre is an intriguing explanation. James Jordan presents the 3 consecutive parables told by Jesus in Matthew 24 as people expecting someone who is delayed.⁷

• Parable of the Unfaithful Servant (24:45–51)
• Parable of the Ten Virgins (25:1–13)
• Parable of the Talents (25:14–30)

He suspects that most Jews would have known about the prophecy in Daniel 9 and would have expected the Messiah to come around 50 BC. Remember faithful, and old, Anna and Simeon in Luke 2? Remember the Maji (3 kings) researching the Scriptures at the time of Christ’s birth? 

But Jesus and His anointing came over 75 years later. He was delayed. Many people like the Pharisees and Jewish priests were not patient and waiting like those in Jesus’ parables.

In this light, the 62 weeks might be seen as a symbolic block of time. Perhaps a bit unsatisfactory, but certainly more reasonable and Scripturally supported than a 2000+ year gap between the 69th and 70th week purported by Englishman John Nelson Darby in the early 19th century. There’s no warrant for that and all the extraneous hoopla packaged in Dispensationalism.

More historical support and interpretative comparisons will come in the upcoming study of Daniel chapters 10-12.

Does the 70 Weeks prophecy in Daniel 9 now make more sense to you?_______________________________