Daniel’s 70 Weeks Challenge

The Futurist and the Historicist agree that all of the prophecies of the Messiah coming, of Jesus coming the first time are fulfilled. On that we agree because they’re fulfilled and verified in the history that followed the prophecy that was given, which was history in advance. So let’s take a look at the 70 weeks prophecy again: “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city.” Now the holy city was to be reconstructed at the time the prophecy indicated, so it was fulfilled, Daniel understood that the temple would be rebuilt, the 70 years were almost up, he writes about that in the very book that were reading from. So seventy weeks are determined, and here are the numbered things to be accomplished during the 70 weeks:

1. is to finish the transgression;
2. to make an end of sin;
3. to make reconciliation for iniquity;
4. to bring in everlasting righteousness;
5. to seal up the vision and the prophecy and;
6. to anoint the most holy.

These six things have to be accomplished in the 70 weeks. The seventy weeks are determined upon thy people upon the holy city, and then it lists these things that are going to be done in these seventy weeks. So we should expect these things to be done in 70 weeks if we believe in the prophecy. Are we all in agreement that those things actually must be accomplished within the 490 years? These are the only things listed in the prophecy that absolutely must be done in the 490 years. They have to be done otherwise the 70 weeks or 70 weeks of years are not fulfilled.

Did all of these things happen? Well I say they did! So I have a little exercise for the students of scripture out there. I want all of them to expect that all of those things did happen, and now look for their fulfillment in the scripture, because we have scripture following the contiguous 70 weeks to look into. Here’s another key for you: if something is fulfilled in the scripture, before the Canon of Scripture was closed, its fulfillment will usually be recorded in the scripture itself. Do you believe that? If a prophecy was to be fulfilled in history before the Canon of Scripture was closed, then it will be recorded in the following scripture, does that make sense? The contiguous 70 weeks prophecy was fulfilled before the canon of scripture was closed, so we should find evidence in the Bible that it actually happened. All of the Old Testament prophecies of the coming Messiah at His first advent, that were given beforehand, are fulfilled in the canon of scripture, and specifically recorded in the New Testament.

So, we should look for the fulfillment of these six tasks that were to be fulfilled within the 70 weeks prophecy, in the literal 490 years that followed, the contiguous 490 years. These should be recorded in the scripture, and I believe they are, so let’s pretend for a minute, futurists included, just pretend for a while that you’re a historicist, and you’re looking for the fulfillment of these six things that had to be done in the 70 weeks. Can you find them in the scripture? Well I can help you out, because I think I have found them:

1. to finish the transgression:

The ultimate transgression of the Hebrew people is expressed by Peter:

But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. (Acts 3:14-15)

And then Stephen immediately before being martyred proclaims:

Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: (Acts 7:51-52)

Thus, we see that the “thy people” of Daniel 9:24 included the very ones who were responsible for the death of their Messiah. The National transgression is complete.

2. and to make an end of sins:

This does not mean that men will never sin again as some of the futurist camp would argue, for the scripture confirms that men will even sin in the millennium after the “Great Tribulation” of the futurist interpretation, so this argument is against their own view as well. Our new testament writers confirm the true meaning:

…but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. (Heb 9:26)

Then again;

For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust…(1Pe 3:18)

So He did make an end of sin.

3. to make reconciliation for iniquity:

We find nothing so clear as the following:

For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only [so], but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. (Rom 5:10-11)

A second witness;

Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto [his] brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things [pertaining] to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. (Heb 2:17)

4. to bring in everlasting righteousness:

…but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation. (Isiah 51:8)

And Peter confirms the Messiah;

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: (1Pe 2:24)

Is there any doubt that He ushered in everlasting righteousness?

5. to seal up the vision and prophecy:

For this one I will insert here a letter I wrote to Pastor Steve after he patiently endured me for three of his weekly radio broadcasts, which will be self-explanatory:

Steve,

First, I want to thank you for your treatment of me as a brother in Christ. You are the first Futurist that has not resorted to ad hominem attacks when going this deep. I do understand the pressure on many of those, because others have lost their positions when they rejected Dispensational Futurism, but most simply find it hard to reject what they have been taught and believed for so long. I wish Futurism was true, if I could get over the problems it presents for me (which I have expressed openly), my life would be much easier, and certainly more profitable.

I began our 3rd broadcast together outlining the 6 things that must happen within the 70 weeks from v. 24.

You agreed with me that 5 of the 6 things listed there did happen during the 3½ year ministry of Jesus. You however did not accept that the 5th of the six things listed was fulfilled: “to seal up the vision and the prophecy.” Notice that if the 6th thing did happen, but the 5th thing in the list did not, this would be an admission that chronological order is not required by the text for the order of fulfillment, which has been one of your main objections for v.26-27 for the Historic interpretation. So I hope that argument is dead.

Because the futurist does not believe “to seal up the vision and the prophecy” was fulfilled, it becomes necessary for them to insert a gap into the text. This is a huge problem for me. But, somehow thousands of other Bible expositors believe that somewhere the text of these four verses gives them license to insert a gap between the 69^th and the 70^th week of the prophecy. They must certainly see something that eludes me. Personally, I would be afraid to go there, and it is this fear that has caused me to reject the End-time Antichrist interpretation that requires a juxtaposition of the 70^th week. Neither can I fathom how they cannot understand that this could be a problem for anyone else, that someone like me might actually fear violating the prohibition against “adding to” the Word of God by teaching that there is a gap there.

Therefore, when God said 70 weeks, I have to believe that everything listed in v.24 did happen before the 70 contiguous weeks ended. So, what about the objection that “to seal up the vision and the prophecy” was not fulfilled? For me the text does not require it to be fulfilled within the 70 weeks. It only requires that “the vision and the prophecy” be “sealed up” — not fulfilled. And I believe that this would pertain to “the overspreading of abominations” that led to the things that were fulfilled within a generation, specifically, the destruction of “the city and the sanctuary” by the Roman prince Titus about 70 AD.

What does it mean to be sealed up? The Hebrew 2856 refers mainly to laws that once sealed by the king, were irrevocable. Remember when Daniel was thrown into the lions den? Even the King who sealed the proposed law could not save Daniel. Likewise, when the National transgression was complete, and National Israel rejected their Messiah, had Him crucified, and then resumed abominable animal sacrifices instead – the judgment announced upon Israel became irrevocable, it was sealed up! They were beyond the point of no return. Jesus saw it plainly, when He pronounced that very judgment himself, upon His entry into Jerusalem.

For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. (Luke 19:43-44)

Perhaps it was the King Himself, Jesus, who sealed it with this very proclamation. As surely as God wielded Babylon as his sword in judgment against Judah when the First Temple was desolated, Jesus proclaimed the judgment that He afterward would execute as the resurrected and glorified Messiah. He wielded Rome as His sword in judgment against National Israel, and that determined (decreed or sealed up), was poured upon the desolate, in 70 AD.

I hope this helps you understand my position.

peace be upon your house, Nicklas

6. to anoint the most Holy:

Stephen calls Jesus: “the Holy One and the Just” (Act 3:14)

and Peter testifies;

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. (Act 10:38)

In summary: All six of these decrees were accomplished during the seven year period immediately following the appearance of the Messiah, the seventieth week of Daniel did immediately follow the sixty-ninth. Should we be surprised? NO — there is nothing in the text to move the final week off to some undetermined future fulfillment. In the words of the Messiah, “it is finished” (John 19:30). 

Quote from the book, Reformed Prophecy Interpretation

play hr.1 —right click to download— play hr.2

Join us live Wed @ 9am PT, noon ET ProphecyRealityTV for interview email me@nicklasarthur.info

I challenge any one to show me anything in this illustration that is inconsistent with the complete text of the Seventy Weeks Prophecy. If you cannot exclude this view by the text then it must be seriously considered. Next, does history exclude it? To the contrary, history confirms it. The prophecy is completely fulfilled. That’s the evidence.

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. (25) Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. (26) And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. (27) And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. Daniel 9:24-27

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