| (Copyright) by Dwight Fleming (Oroville, California) |
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| Daniel nine contains what is known as the “Seventy Weeks Prophecy.” By the time most Bible scholars and Eschatology students finish dissecting it, we, for some strange reason, end up with 490 years rather than 70 literal weeks. There are various explanations out there concerning the historical event that began the counting of the 490 years until Christ’s earthly ministry. His ministry only lasted three and a half years which is not a full “prophetic” week. Some believe that He still has to finish another three and half years of ministry perhaps after His return. There may be some merit to this prophetic and historical explanation, but let’s not bet the farm until cows actually do produce chocolate milk. Where in Daniel nine does it say to count each day as a year? It doesn’t! This is an assumption made by Eschatology students wanting to fit prophecy with history. The actual expression used in Daniel nine is 70 sevens. Does it mean a week of days, or a week of years is uncertain, thus, the confusion? There are problems with reckoning the 490 years of this misunderstood prophecy to get to the time of Christ’s ministry. A 490-year period is not the contention of this article. You can find that traditional explanation espoused by others elsewhere. Perhaps I’m a little harsh but we want clarity not confusion. The basic prophecy is found in verses 24 to 27. Read it for yourself. I won’t quote it because it is poorly translated which has added to the confusion. Rather than thinking that it has largely been fulfilled as most prophecy teachers proclaim, let’s try a different approach. What if the 70 Weeks Prophecy has yet to occur? And what if it is a literal 70 weeks rather than 490 years? Advocating my approach will be out of tune with the group consensus on Daniel nine, but the crowd has been wrong before. Just ask Einstein. Notice how the 70 weeks are broken up into sections. This is a key. So, we need to understand the clues or reasons for doing so. Seven weeks. Sixty-two weeks. One week. Add them up to get 70 weeks. It may appear that the sixty-two weeks follow the seven-week period. To put things in proper perspective, we must understand a prophetic Timeline found in the Book of Revelation. This Timeline will give us the insight needed to understand Daniel’s 70 Weeks Prophecy. In brief, the seven trumpets depicted in the Book of Revelation will begin to sound on a future Feast of Trumpets. These seven trumpets will sound in a four-three pattern as also formed by the Seven Annual Sabbaths according to the Civil or Regnal year that begins on Trumpets. This means that the seventh and last trump will sound on Pentecost marking the Resurrection. This is KEY! See my chart. What is another name for Pentecost? Turn to Exodus 34:22: “And you shall observe the Feast of Weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest.” Why was Pentecost called “The Feast of Weeks”? Recall the instructions found in Leviticus 23. “And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. Count fifty [Pentecost] days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the LORD” (Leviticus 23:15-16). This is quite clear. If Pentecost had a set date as the other Holy Days, then there would be no need to count. Furthermore, Pentecost, the Feast of Weeks, should always fall on a Sunday, the first day of the week. Understanding this will help us to see how The Seventy Weeks Prophecy ties into the Timeline. How many Sabbaths or Weeks had to be counted to determine Pentecost? Seven! Is there a seven-week period found in the 70 Weeks Prophecy? Do you suppose it is the same seven-week period for counting Pentecost? Now, do you see why Daniel’s 70 Weeks Prophecy is a literal 70 weeks? If the seven-week period brings us to Christ’s return and resurrection at the last trump, then the 62-week period must precede the seven-week period. That leaves the one-week period when He shall confirm the covenant with many. Christ will come for His Bride on Pentecost day at the Resurrection. We shall be taken to heaven to be presented before the Father for the Marriage of the Lamb. Remember when Jacob was fooled by Laban who had switched the brides? Instead of finding Rachel, Jacob found her sister Leah and felt cheated. What did Laban say to Jacob about Leah? “Fulfill her week!” Will Jesus Christ do the same with His Bride? And what better place for a honeymoon than heaven itself. After the honeymoon, time to get prepared for the task ahead of establishing God’s kingdom upon the earth when Trumpets arrives in a few short weeks and the battle for taking Jerusalem begins. Who is cut off in the midst of the week? Won’t the Two Witnesses be killed just prior to the Resurrection? See Revelation 11:7-15. In Zechariah 4:14, they are referred to as the “anointed ones” or the “two olive trees.” The Two Wave-loaves are baked with leaven. The leaven causes them to be filled with air which pictures the Resurrection and those born of the Spirit. They are waved which pictures them ascending to heaven. Study the following chart. Seventy Weeks Prophecy Chart The Woman (Jerusalem) of Revelation 12 flees into wilderness for 1,260 Days. This may be the result of an attack against Jerusalem causing thousands to flee. At the same time, the Two Witnesses will begin to prophesy for 1,260 Days. The 1,260 Days will end just prior to Passover when the 5th Trumpet will sound. 62 Weeks prior to the Passover when the 5th Trumpet will sound, efforts are launched to rebuild Jerusalem which allows Jerusalem to be repopulated. But then the King of the North (Beast or Antichrist) invades at Passover when the 5th Trumpet will sound causing the Woman to flee again for a time, times, and half a time which is the short time between Passover and Pentecost. A “time” or “appointed time” refers to a holy day not a year. See Galatians 4:10. Thus, Time – Passover. Times – Days of Unleavened Bread. Half a Time – Pentecost when the Resurrection occurs. This chart is a little crude but should show how the 7 Trumpets, Revelation 12, and the 70 Weeks overlap: 1 2 3 4 Trumpets 5th Trump 6th Trump 7 Sabbaths 7th Trump Fall Holy Days 1st ULB Last ULB x x x x x x x Resurrection Satan cast out —– X —- Woman flees time, times, half a time — X . . . x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 62 Weeks end — X — Seven Weeks to Pentecost —- X – 70th Week X After the Resurrection and Marriage of the Lamb on Pentecost, Christ confirms the covenant with many for one week. After this, the seven vials of God’s Wrath are poured out which will cause the nations to gather at Megiddo to march against Jerusalem which will be taken captive by Christ and the 144,000 on the Feast of Trumpets following Resurrection Pentecost. |
| Iron Sharpening Iron In regard to: Seventy Weeks Prophecy Article by Dwight Fleming Comments by Laura Lee (Bismarck, North Dakota) |
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| Dwight writes: This is quite clear. If Pentecost had a set date as the other Holy Days, then there would be no need to count. Furthermore, Pentecost, the Feast of Weeks, should always fall on a Sunday, the first day of the week. (Found in paragraph 10 of Dwight’s article.) Laura writes: Do you know of anything that people count to that does not have a set date? The main reason why most people count to anything is generally in anticipation of and most of the days people count to actually have a set date, for example weddings, birthdays, Christmas, Vacations etc. So, it is a lame argument to say that we only count to Pentecost because it has no set date. Pentecost has always been on Sivan 6, and it can be proven from scripture as well as from history. Where exactly does it say in scripture that Pentecost should always fall on a Sunday? Also, on your chart you seem to have Satan being cast out of heaven again. I know it says that in Revelation but in Revelation could that just be a reflection or a relating back in history rather that something in the future? The thing is that God does not allow evil in heaven so that means Satan isn’t in heaven to be cast out at this time. We know Satan was in the Garden of Eden, so that means he was cast out of heaven before he showed up in the Garden of Eden. So, could part of the book of Revelation be a relating of history? |
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