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April 1927
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
Prophetic Study—The Seventy Weeks B y D avid L. C ooper
D ANIEL was carried to Babylon in the first deputation^ of captives in the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king, of Judah, which was the year 605 B. G, or counting from Adam onward, in the year of Man 3520. This third year of Jehoiakim was the first year pf the 70 years of captivity mentioned by Jeremiah. Jer. 25:11; 29:10. In the 68th year of the captivity, the first year of Darius the Mede, Daniel was reading the prophet Jeremiah concerning the captivity and its completion. Dan. 9: 1, 2. Believing that "one jot or one tittle shall' in no wise pass away from the law till all be accomplished,” and that the Word of God means what it says, and knowing that within two years the restoration should begin, Daniel,began to confess his sins- and the Sins of his fathers and to pray earnestly to God for mercy. Daniel 9 :3-19. While Daniel was thus “praying and confessing my sins' and the sins of my people Israel,” the angel Gabriel came Jo him, having been dispatched by the Lord in answer to his ser vant’s prayer. . ' ' ' Daniel, being a devoted, true.servant and prophet of God,' doubtless was familiar with the Contents of the Book of Jeremiah together with the works of his predecessors.^: in which writings^ there are numerous promises of a final and- glorious restoration of Israel to the promised land, when Israel shall no longer be the "tail of the nations” but shall be the “head” of the same.. It is but fair and logical to assume that Daniel, being familiar with these prophecies of restoration and blessing, concluded that they would be fulfilled at the conclusion of the 70 years of captivity in Babylon. This is the necessary conclusion to which we come when we remember the fact that Gabriel came in answer to his prayer and that the message which he brought to Daniel was concerning this glorious restoration; or in other words, Gabriel, understanding that Daniel had arrived at the wrong conclusion concerning the glorious restoration, namely, that it would be within two years, disabused his mind; of the error Jjy telling him that it would not be at the end of this 70 years of Babylonish Captivity, but that there were to be 7 periods of 70 years before their fulfillment (the number 70 being an echo of Daniel’s thinking). Daniel 9:24. There can be no doubt in the mind of any as to Gabriel’s speaking of the time when God’s kingdom shall be established upon the earth and God’s will shall be done on earth as it is done in heaven when the six things mentioned in verse 24 are understood. T he B eginning of the S eventy Y ears The important thing for the understanding of this passage is -to know the date of the beginning of these 7 periods of 70 years. Though there is some discussion among scholars as to the initial date of this period of 70 “weeks” I am of the opinion that it began with the issuing of the decree by Cyrus to Zerubabbel and Joshua to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. Ezra 1:1-4; Isa. 44:24-45:7 and Daniel 9:25. The year of this decree was 536, B. C. or 3589 Year of, Man. The -word which is translated “weeks” (shavu’im) is but the word which means a period of 7. From the context one has to learn the objects or things concerning which the account is made. As an illustration of this fact we may notice the English word “dozen.” In the midst of a conversation one may' say, "There are a dozen here.” The one with whom he is talking under stands perfectly what is meant. If th e ' conversation is con cerning cattle, then the word “dozen” means “a dozen cattle;” if, however, the conversation is concerning eggs, then the word
“dozen” means “a dozen1eggs.” Thus it is with the expression “70 weeks (sevens).” From verse 2 we learn that Daniel had been reading and thinking about years and believing that the' restoration would be àt the end of 70 years of Babylonish Cap tivity,- as stated above. Since he was thinking in terms of years, when Gabriel wished to correct him he simply said that the kingdom was not to be at the end of that'jgeriod of 70 years, . but that there would be another period of 7 times 70 years before its accomplishment. Having understood that the expression 70 weeks of verse 24 means,; when properly understood, a period of- 490 years, and having learned that the initial date of this-period is the year 3589 (Year of Man), one may assert with confidence that after the lapse of 490 years the Kingdom would be restored to Dan iel’S;,:people. “Tjÿisfinish .transgressions and to make an end of sing, and-to’-make reconciliation for iniquity and-to bring in ever lasting righteousness, and to seal up -vision and' prophecy and to anoint the .Most Holy.” U ncertainty of S ecular C hronology The, Persian period began with the accession of Cyrus The Great to the1 throne of the then’newly-establis’hed Medo-Persian Empire, and is one of the darkest périods :of history for the Chronologists. There is to be found no help in the chronolog ical data among the Jews, Persians, Greeks or Egyptians. What ‘little data ..is'available is so very fragmentary that it is'impos sible to compute the time. There are two chief positions held, by chronologists of this period,—those favoring the short duration of the Persian Empire—52 years,—while others assume that it covered a period of 205 years. Hence there is great Confusion and debate among historians of this period. T he B iblical D ata the O nly S ure F oundation Since the secular chronology is in such confusion and since the Word of God is proven to be absolutely Correct on every point where it has been possible to test the same by scientific research and investigation, one can be certain in affirming that God on schedule time fulfills each item. F rom C yrus ’ D ecree to M essiah Ignoring the fact for the moment, that secular chronology is in such hopeless confusion, and remembering that the period of 490 years began with the decree issued by Cyrus; one may note the different statements of the prophecy. In the first place, note the statement, that from the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem unto the anointed one (Messiah) the Prince, there are “7 weeks, and three score and two weeks.” This statement translated into every day .English states that there would be 483 years from the time when Cyrus issued the decree unto the Messiah. In the second place, note the fact that the rebuilding of the City was to be in turbulent times. In the third, place, consider ,the prediction'that “after the three score and two weeks shall the anointed one be cut off and have nothing.” From thé statement in verse 25 one sees that the three score and two weeks follow the seven weeks ; hence, according to this predic tion the Messiah was to be cut off at the end Of the tljree score and two weeks, or the end of the 483rd year after the decree of Cyrus. It seems quite obvious that the expression “the anointed one be cut off and shall have nothing” refers to the crucifixion of Christ, at the end of the 69th week or the end of the 483rd year. Hence, according to this interpretation there were 483
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