Posted on 09/05/2008 5:43:26 AM PDT by John Leland 1789
THE SEVENTY WEEKS
BY THE REV. DR. E. BULLINGER
(At the Glasgow Conference, June, 1894.)
This is one of the Scriptures written a foretime for our learning. It is a part of the "more sure word of prophecy."
It is commonly said today that prophecy is a dark place, and that you will do well to avoid it. But the Holy Spirit says that this world is a dark place, and that the "sure word of prophecy" is the only light in it, "and you'd do well to take heed unto it."
This prophecy of the seventy weeks is the key to all prophecy. We need not take up any time by looking at Daniel in his personal character, except to say this, that he was like David, and he could say, with David, "Oh, how I love Thy law," for David and Daniel knew, from the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy, God's purposes concerning Israel.
There is one thing certain—that Daniel knew with God had written in the book of Leviticus (26:40),
"If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespasses which they trespass against Me, and that also they have walked contrary unto Me; and I have also walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity, then will I remember My covenant with Jacob, and also My covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember, and I will remember the land. The land also shall be left of them, and shall enjoy her Sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them, and they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity; because, even because they despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred My statutes. And yet, for all that, when they shall be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast to them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break My covenant with them, for I am the Lord their God."
Daniel did remember the iniquities of his people and his own iniquities, and poured out his heart in prayer unto God, showing us that our resources, not only with regard to the time in which we live, but also with regard to these very subjects which are before our hearts at this time, are the same as Daniel’s, and that his resource is our resource; viz., the throne of grace.
If you read this prayer, in Daniel 9, you will find that his heart is bowed down with the desolations of the land. For not only had he read the book of Leviticus, but we are distinctly told that he read the prophecies of Jeremiah also, (verse 2).
"In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications with fasting, and sackcloth and ashes."
And his prayer is taken up with these desolations. In the 17th verse we read,
"Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of Thy servant, and his supplications, and cause Thy face to shine upon Thy SANCTUARY that is desolate, for the Lord's sake."
Read also the 18th and 19th verses,
"Oh my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open Thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and THE CITY which is called by Thy name; for we do not present our supplications before Thee for our righteousness but for Thy great mercies. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for Thine own sake, O my God, for THY CITY and THY PEOPLE are called by Thy name."
So you see that he was occupied with one thought, the city of Jerusalem and the people of God. And this special prophecy was sent in direct answer, a special answer from heaven to this special prayer concerning these special subjects.
We are dealing here not with a vision that was shown to any seer, not with a dream that came to one in the night, but with the direct statement of the Spirit of God.
Daniel had been praying about Israel's restoration at the end of the seventy years; but the answer comes as to the final and everlasting blessing, and that will be, not at the end of seventy years, but of seventy sevens of years. We read in the 24th verse,
"Seventy weeks are determined upon Thy people and upon Thy holy city."
We have no English expression for the word translated "weeks." If it had been twelve we could have said 70 dozens, or, if it had to do with twenty, we could have said seventy score, or, if eight, we could have said seventy octaves, but it is merely seventy sevens. We might say seventy septenaries; or we might, as some have done, take the Greek word for seven, and call it "seventy hebdomads."
[In the Septuagint it is [Greek] (hebdomads), which means a septenary, and is used of a septenary of years. (Plut. 2. 909 E. and Arist. Pol. 7. 16, 17) as well as of days (Hipp. Aph. 1245, Arist. Pol. 6. 17. 2).]
But the matter is perfectly clear. It is "seventy sevens" of something.
In the opening of the next chapter there might be some doubt. It might be seven of days, or of months, or of years. In chapter 10:2 we read
"I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks," i.e., three full sevens.
This must have been three full sevens of days, or a seven of months. It could hardly have been a seven of years, though illnesses have lasted such a length of time. As the "seven" in this case is doubtful, it is necessary to make it quite clear. Therefore the Hebrew is added (see margin) "three full sevens of days," in order that we may make no mistake.
But there can be no such doubts with regard to this prophecy in the 9th chapter.
It could not be days here, for seventy sevens of days would be only a year and a quarter.
It could not have been seventy sevens of months, for that would have been only 40 years, and there was no decree that went forth from Jerusalem until 83 years after this.
There is no choice therefore in the matter. It can only be seventy sevens of years—that is 490 years, and it was about years that Daniel was exercised. He was reading, and thinking and praying about years (9:2), and the answer was sent to him concerning years.
He was praying concerning the end of the seventy years, but the heavenly messenger told him that not until the end of seventy sevens should Israel's final blessing be reached.
THE WHOLE PERIOD OF THE SEVENTY SEVENS.
Now you must notice very carefully that the 24th verse covers the whole of the seventy sevens. If you are clear about that it will help you greatly in understanding the rest.
The whole seventy sevens are determined upon the people and the city with regard to six things, and they are arranged in two sets of three each. The first of the first three corresponds with the first of the second three, and the second of the first three with the second of the second three, and so on.
Further it will be observed that "BLESSING" for Daniels city and people is the very same blessing of the justified man. (Psalm 32:1.) "Blessed it is the man whose TRANSGRESSION is forgiven, whose SIN is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not INIQUITY."
The full and final blessing which is to be brought to Israel at the completion of the seventy sevens of years embraces exactly those three things; for it is "to finish the TRANSGRESSION, to make an end of SINS, and to make reconciliation for INIQUITY," etc. (Daniel 9:24.)
This blessing is summed up and announced in six particulars, and these are so arranged that the first three answer to the second three in this manner----
Now note the meaning of these three pairs of statements and their correlation.
In the first pair (A and [italicized] A) we see the whole of Israel's transgression restrained, and everlasting Righteousness brought in as a necessary consequence.
But not yet do we see Israel's transgression restrained. Not yet can the city and people rejoice in a Righteousness which shall be for everlasting.
In the second pair (B and [italicized] B) we see Israel's sins sealed up, and when this is done, then vision and prophecy (Prophet, margin.) will also be sealed up, for Prophets were raised up as God's witnesses and spokesmen in connection with Israel's sins.
But not yet are those sins sealed up; not yet is the testimony of the Prophets closed. At Calvary those "sins" burst forth anew in a flood which has continued ever since to flow; and so far from Prophet and prophecy being then sealed up, we have all the prophecies in the Epistles and Apocalypse subsequently revealed.
In the third pair (C and [italicized] C) we see iniquity covered or atoned for. This is the common word for atone all through the Old Testament, and it points to that blessed time for Daniels City and People, when God shall say "Comfort ye, comfort ye My people . . . Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned" (Isaiah 40:1, 2).
Not yet has this cry gone forth, not yet has Jerusalem's iniquity been purged away, and her sanctuary cleansed.
Thus is set forth the wondrous blessing into which Jehovah's People and City shall enter on the completion of these seventy sevens.
This is the interpretation of the words of that blessing. Of course we can and may enter into this blessing now by anticipation; we may and do enjoy the application of these words; but in doing so there is no occasion for us to rob the "City" and "People" of the true interpretation of the words, or to desire to deprive them of that blessing which is yet in store for them.
Let us bear in mind then (1) that this 24th verse relates to, and covers the whole period of the seventy-sevens; and (2) that it concerns only Israel: the people of Israel and the city of Jerusalem.
It is not possible, therefore, that the prophecy could be fulfilled at the first coming of Christ, for when He was "cut off" the nation was scattered, instead of entering upon "everlasting righteousness" and peace. The city itself was destroyed and the temple was burnt instead of being anointed.
Instead of realizing the "end of their transgression" their transgression was intensified by the rejection of their Messiah. Instead of receiving "everlasting righteousness" the guilt of His blood was added to their sins.
Whereas at the second coming all this will be literally fulfilled: "they shall look upon him whom they have pierced," their sin will be pardoned, and "all Israel shall be saved." [Romans 11:25, 26] Then there will be that glorious restitution concerning the people and the land.
Our blessing comes to us through the cutting off of the Messiah, not through His coming; through their rejection of the Messiah blessing is come to the Gentiles and the Church of God, which is taken from both Jew and Gentile. But that cutting off was after the 69th seven, and not after the 70th. Therefore it can have nothing to do with the apostolic ministry.
THE COMPONENT PARTS OF THE SEVENTY SEVENS (verses 25-27).
The commencement of the seventy sevens is marked for us by the "going forth of the decree to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem."
If you look into the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, you will see that there are four decrees given altogether, and you will have no difficulty in settling in your own minds which of these four it must have been. If you read the three decrees and Ezra, you will find that they all relate to the Temple, to the house of God, and not to the city at all.
True, the Jews sent a letter to the King of Persia, bringing wicked charges against them, that they were rebuilding the City. But though the accusation succeeded, it was false, and when the Holy Spirit records the truth of the fact He says, "Then ceased to the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it's ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius, King of Persia." (4:24.).
It was not the City that was being built, but "the House of God," and it was a lying report that was sent to the King of Persia in order to cause this work to be stopped.
There are three decrees recorded in the book of Ezra.—
(1) Cyrus to Ezra, (1:1-2). (2) Darius to Ezra, (7th year), 6:1-12. (3) Artaxerxes to Ezra, (7th year), 7:11-26.
And if you will note all the passages in Ezra with regard to these, you will find that they have entirely to do with "the House of God." There is nothing there about the City.
Now, when you come to the decree in Nehemiah 2, you will find that it, and it alone, has to do with the "the City." Read verse 5,
"And I said unto the King, If it please the King, and if thy servant have found favor in thy sight, that thou wouldest sent me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers’ sepulchers, that I may build it."
This 4th degree refers entirely to the City and not to the Temple. What is more, this is the only decree that is dated, and it is dated, most remarkably from the seventh of Nisan.
The completion of the 69th week therefore took place at the entering of Christ into Jerusalem, four days before the Feast of the Passover, in that very same month of Nisan. We have nothing to do with the dates. There is nothing about dates here. It is about duration of time, not dates.
We know that the Messiah was cut off "after the 69th week, and before the 70th week." The words imply that it was shortly after, so that three or four days after would satisfy the prophecy in a most remarkable manner.
That would leave the last week yet to be fulfilled—between the 69th in the 70th week—therefore, we have the great gap of this present interval in which our lot is cast.
We have to ask "Is such a gap a strange thing in the dealings of God with His people Israel?" The answer is "No!” It is not at all a strange thing." We shall find that all along the ages God has dealt with His people according to great divisions of seventy sevens of years, (or 490 years), and in each of these divisions there has been a similar gap.
There were at least three such periods before this, each with its own gap, in which a certain portion of time was not reckoned for some special reason as being a part of the time making up the seventy-sevens, or 490 years.
(1.) FROM ABRAHAM'S BIRTH TO THE EXODUS. Abraham was 75 years old when the promise (Genesis 12:4) was made to him. The Law was given 430 years after (Exodus 12:40; Galatians 3:17). But 430 and 75 make 505 years, or 15 years over the 490.
How are we to account for this gap of 15 years as forming part of the 505 years? The answer is that at Abraham's departure into Canaan (12:4) he was 75 years old, Ishmael was born 10 years after (16:3), therefore Abraham was 85 years old at Ishmael's birth. But he was 100 years old when Isaac was born (21:5).
Therefore it follows that there were 15 years (100—85=15) during which Ishmael was occupying and usurping the place of the promised seed; and 15 from 505 leaves 490. Here then we have the first of the seventy-sevens connected with Daniel's people, and a the first "gap" of 15 years.
(2.) FROM THE EXODUS TO THE DEDICATION OF SOLOMON'S TEMPLE.—The actual number of years in this period was 573 years made up from the history and Acts 13:18-21. As follows:----
But Israel was sold into the hand of the enemy for exactly this period, during which they were Lo Ammi (not my people) and the time was not reckoned, namely.----
Now, 93 years from 573 leaves 480 for the foundation of the Temple. To this ad the 7 years of building (1 Kings 6:38), and 3 for furnishing, and we have this second of the seventy-sevens, or 490 years.
Add this extra 10 years to the 573 and we have the whole period of 583 years, with its gap of 93 years of the captivities in the book of Judges, leaving exactly the 490 years or the second of the seventy sevens.
With regard to 1 Kings 6:1, it will be noted that it does not say there were only 480 years from the Exodus to the foundation of the Temple. The number is the ordinal, not cardinal, and it says it was the 480TH year:—the 480th year of what? The only answer is, of God's dealings with His people after they left Egypt, and this crux of chronologists vanishes.
(3.) FROM THE DEDICATION OF TEMPLE TO THE DECREE of Nehemiah 2 was 560 years, but the details are too many and intricate to be given here. This is 70 years beyond the 490. But these are the years of the Babylonian Captivity, which form a third gap of 70 years.
(4.) FROM THE DECREE TO FINAL BLESSING (Daniel 9.)
Therefore the 70th week must be future, and what we call the present dispensation must be taken out from the reckoning, just as those other gaps are taken out from the reckoning of the other periods of seventy sevens.
Now, let us go back to Daniel 9 and read the 26th and 27th verses, "And after threescore end 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 desolation's are determined.
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."
What the Roman people destroyed was "the city and the sanctuary," and therefore "the prince that shall come" must be the head of this "people," or the head of the fourth great empire.
Who is meant by the pronoun "he" in verse 27? "And he shall confirm," &c. Is it the Messiah? Well, "the prince that shall come" is the last person spoken of, and, by all laws of grammar, this pronoun must refer to Him.
"He shall confirm the covenant for one week, and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease."
Did the Messiah make any covenant with Daniel's people? What covenant did the Messiah make for seven years with Daniel's people? With whom did he make it? When did he break it?
When did he "cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease," because the sacrifices went on until the Temple was destroyed some forty years after. Besides this verse there are three other passages which you must very carefully note, in which this coming Prince is said to "cause the sacrifice to cease."
There is Daniel 8, [the] 11th verse, "Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down." Then there is Daniel 11:31, "And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate."
Then there is Daniel 12:11, "And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days." What sacrifice did the Lord take away in that manner? In what way was the abomination of desolation set up at the same time?
The Lord speaks of this "abomination of desolation" in Matthew 24 as being still in the future at that time, and as taking place in the midst of the great tribulation, therefore verses 25 and 26 bring us only to the First Advent; unlike verse 24, which covers the whole period and embraces the Second Advent.
It is clear therefore that the Jews in our Lord's Day might have known that He was the Messiah. They did know and yet they did not know. If you turn to John 7 you have a solemn commentary upon this great and important point.
The people said, "We know this man whence he is; but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is." (John 7:27.) Why did they not know? The Lord told them why, in Matthew 22:29, "Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures." That is why they erred!
In the Greek there are two words for "not." One denies absolutely, and the other hypothetically or subjectively. This is the word for "not" in Matthew 22:29, and it really implies Ye will not. "You do err because ye will not to know the Scriptures, because you are not willing to know them."
All were not ignorant, there were some who did know. You read of those who "waited for the consolation of Israel." (Luke 1:25.) You read again of those who looked “for redemption in Jerusalem." (Luke 1:38.) You read of those disciples journeying to Emmaus, "We trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel." (Luke 24:21.)
But the masses of the people erred because they would not know the Scriptures, and "so there was a division among the people because of Him." (John 7:43.) Yes, and there is "a division among the people now, and it is because of Him;" and if you are determined "to live godly in this present world" (2 Timothy 3:12), there will be a division among the people "because of Him" in your case.
And, thank God, at His speedy coming again there will be another division among the people. This will be the most solemn of all, when He takes His people to meet Him in the air and to be forever with the Lord. This division among the people will likewise be BECAUSE ALL OF HIM, and because of the relation in which they stand with reference to Him now.
ping fo’ later
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Ping!
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Looks good.
Thx.
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