The Seventy Sevens

THE SEVENTY SEVENS

____________

A Research Paper

Submitted to

Dr. Brian K. Moulton

Liberty University

____________

In Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements for

[Bible 405-B07]

____________

By

Barnabas Duberry

August 12, 2012

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Overview of Prophecy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Weeks or Years

Six Goals of the Seventy Weeks

Seven Sevens plus Sixty-two . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Beginning of Seventy Sevens

Messiah's Triumph Entrance

The Interval . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

The Messiah Cut Off

The Church Age

The Temple and City Destroyed

The 70th Seven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

The Peace Covenant

Abomination of Desolation

Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

The Seventy Sevens

Introduction

The debate over the authorship of the book of Daniel has affected how some has interpreted the prophecy of the Seventy Weeks. Those who take the view of the book being written by Daniel, who lived in Babylon in the sixth century B.C., believe that the last portion of the prophecy deals with the end times. While those who view the book written by an anonymous Jew during the second century B.C., believe the entire prophecy has been fulfilled.

This article focuses on the view that the Book of Daniel was written in the sixth century and week seventy has not been fulfilled. The world still awaits the coming of the kingdom of God that will rule for ever.

To understand this prophecy means, to have a good understanding of what the Bible says about the future. It is one of the most remarkable and important prophecies in the Bible. This prophecy is the key that unlocks many other biblical prophecies. It is where the many get the concept of a future seven-year Great Tribulation period.

Overview of the Prophecy

Daniel 9:24 is an introduction into the seventy weeks prophecy. It is the key to everything. Gabriel spells out God's plan for Israel and their future into eternity.

Weeks or Years

The King James translation states, "Seventy weeks are determined..." Weeks are symbolic periods, but this idea is both hopelessly confusing and contrary to the normal and easiest usage of the terms. In Hebrew "weeks" is translated shabua which means "sevens" and many times refers to a periods of sevens. These periods are often time not specified by what entity they may pertain to. With that said, it could actually mean weeks; however, as Boice explains, "If literal weeks are involved, the prophecy is meaningless, since nothing important occurred within that time framework."

If the same approach is taken of days or of months there is still no room for the fulfillment of the events of the prophecy. The only time period that would allow enough time to embrace all the events of the prophecy is that of years. Thus, the "seventy sevens" prophecy would take 490 years to be fulfilled.

Six Goals of the Seventy Sevens

The purpose of the events in the seventy weeks is for the fulfillment of six goals God established. According to Richison, "The first three have to do with the sin of Israel and the last three with the kingdom." He goes on to define each of the goals as following:

" 1. 'To finish the transgression' - this will bring to end the rebellion and apostasy that sent Israel into captivity. 2. 'To make an end of sins' - Israel as a nation will go back into fellowship with God after the divine discipline of captivity. 3. 'To make reconciliation for iniquity' - restoration will bring expiation or covering of past sins through the Messiah. 4. "To bring in everlasting righteousness' - God will cause the restoration of Israel in the Millennium and will launch new norms where righteousness reigns. 5. "To seal up vision and prophecy" - God will seal this prophecy until the restoration at the Second Coming will fulfill God's covenant for Israel. 6. 'To anoint the Most Holy' - God will restore the Messiah in the restored temple."

These six goals have yet to be fulfilled in their entirety. From these goals it is determined what God has set for His people Israel and for the holy city of Jerusalem, that there remains a time of future fulfillment. David Cooper notes, "Therefore, this twenty-fourth verse of (Daniel) chapter 9, read in the light of the various predictions of the prophets, is obviously a forecast of the establishment