70 Weeks Prophecy and the Restoration of Israel

Daniel and the Restoration of Israel

In the prophetic book of Daniel we are given a series of prophecies regarding the promised restoration of Israel. These prophetic visions tell readers that the fullness of Israel’s restoration will not be accomplished until the end of the age, and by the power of the coming Messiah.

12. The vision of the golden image - Daniel 2:26-45. Tells us Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome fall before Israel in finally and completely restored.
13. The vision of the 4 beasts - Daniel 7:1-28. We are introduced to the "little horn" rising out of the final empire. This is the "man of sin", "the lawless one"... a relentless persecutor of God's people... he is judged and destroyed by the Son of Man.
14. The vision of the ram and goat - Daniel 8:1-27. We learn about the troubled years of the Macabbeean years. We are told that Antiochus 4th is a type  of the "little horn"... his exploits give us insight into what persecution in the end time might look like. This detail is used by Jesus in Matthew 24 to predict a future desolation prior to His 2nd coming.
15. The vision of the 70 weeks - Daniel 9:20-27. We learn the Messiah's coming is 2-fold, first He comes to be put to death. Then, He will come a second time to pour out judgment on the Man of Sin.

Daniel's visions tell us that gentile kingdoms will dominate Israel in one form or another until the time of the end and the return of the Messiah. Only after the end of the present age will Israel’s restoration be completed.

The 70 Weeks Prophecy

Daniel is found praying and meditating about a prophecy of Jeremiah concerning Jerusalem's restoration after 70 years of Babylonian captivity Daniel 9:2-3. The year is 538 BC. The 70 years were complete and big events were happening. Darius was officially installed as the king over the conquered Babylonian territory... and the decree went forth allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem Ezra 1:1-4. THE PROMISED RESTORATION IS HAPPENING!

As he is praying Daniel receives  a new vision from Gabriel Daniel 9:20-23. The restoration of Israel prophesied by Jeremiah is not complete or final. The full and final restoration of Israel will come only after a countdown of seventy sevens, meaning 490 years Daniel 9:24.

Historic Fulfillment

Daniel 9:25-26a the 490 year countdown  begins with a proclamation to restore Jerusalem. This happened in 457 BC. with Artaxerxes proclamation as recorded in Ezra 7:12-26.  

[math chart] The 490 years is broken down into segments: seven ‘sevens’, then sixty-two sevens, then one final week verse 27. The first 2 segments add up to 483 years which is significant.

During those years the 2nd temple in Jerusalem was built. Then, 483 years after the proclamation by Artaxerxes 457 BC. Jesus began His ministry in 27 AD.  This is an amazing fulfillment of biblical prophecy.

Furthermore, beginning His 3.5 year ministry in 27 AD. then places the crucifixion in 31 AD. which is the date UCG teaches… and is the only date that places the Passover on a Wednesday which allows for the full 3 days and nights in the tomb as taught by UCG.

The Last Week - One Seven

Daniel 9:27after the 483 years there is still one final week needed to bring us to the full 490 years. This final week will be divided in half.

The first half of the week is the 3.5 year ministry of Jesus [half of 7 is 3.5]. At the end of His ministry, in th e middle of the final week, the Messiah is “cut off”, or “put to death”… not for himself but for the sake of others. Through His death He establishes the new covenant puts an end to all further need for blood sacrifice Hebrews 10:8-12.

Then the week stops and the second half of the final week has been postponed. Movement toward the full and final restoration of Israel comes to a grinding halt. Why?

The Messiah came from God with an offer of restoration ad reconciliation. Israel rejected and executed the  “Anointed One” and their restoration is put on hold.

As a result God’s  offer of reconciliation was then opened up to all the other nations of the earth  through the Church. This gathering in of the gentile is for a set period of time which the NT refers to as “these last days”. But, the second half of the week will come and Israel will be restored Romans 11:1-2a, 11-12, 15, 25-29.

The full restoration of Israel has been put off until the end of the age. Then, after great suffering and tribulation Israel will be prepared to accept their Messiah.

The duration of the postponement is unknown.... but, punishment upon Israel is not forever... only for the time decreed [the interval between the 1st and 2nd half of the final week]. During that time Jerusalem lies desolate and trampled under the feet of the gentile kingdoms Luke 21:24.

The Ruler Who Will Come

Daniel 9:26 the 70 Weeks prophecy foretells of the Messiah as prince sent by God to His people. But at the same time another prince rises up from among the people of the earth. This other prince is the “ruler who is to come”... a destroyer who's actions are geared toward the ruin of Jerusalem rather than it’s restoration. The followers of this "ruler to come" will destroy the city of Jerusalem and the temple.

And so it was... 40 years after Jesus execution the 2nd temple was destroyed [70 AD.]

12. By decree the site of the temple would remain a place of desolation until the time of the end. The site of the temple remains desolate to this day.
13. By decree battle will surround Jerusalem up to the time of the end

Obviously, the destruction of the temple in 70 AD was not the time of the end... it was the beginning of the desolation that is decreed for Jerusalem up to the time of the end. The time of postponement.

However, just as the Messiah comes once and then a second coming… so too armies will once again surround Jerusalem for battle Zechariah 14:2-5, Joel 3:12, Revelation 16:16.

The Second Half of the Final Week

Daniel 9:27after the middle of the week two additional events are indicated:

1. An abomination which makes desolate
2. Complete destruction poured out upon the desolator: “man of sin”, “beast”

These events are off in the future...which is where the 70 weeks prophecy  get fuzzy.

Answers are elsewhere in the bible, But, fully discussing the abomination of desolation that comes at the end time, or the "man of sin" would each need an entire sermon. Those are subjects for another day. Today, I am going to limit myself to the question of "the weeks" leading up to the restoration of Israel.

Recap: after 483 years [69 weeks] the anointed one comes... then for 3.5 years He extends God's offer of reconciliation to the remnant of Judah... they refuse Him and kill Him. Restoration is postponed until the end time.

Some believe that the second half of the week comes after the return of the Messiah and the destruction of the “ruler who will come”. In this scenario Christ will complete His week of ministry in person.

A second possibility is that the second half of the final week corresponds to the 3.5 years [42 months, 1260 days] commonly referred to as the time of the tribulation. In this scenario Christ comes at the end of the second half of the week.

In either scenario when Christ returns Israel comes under the protection of their Messiah and the final restoration of Israel that Daniel was wondering about begins.

The Spiritual Side of Israel’s Restoration

Daniel 9:24 the 70 weeks prophecy also addresses the spiritual side of what God's full restoration of Israel looks like. These 6 points correspond to the 6 points of Daniel’s confession of the sins of Israel:

12. Finish transgression - Israel had violated the covenant  9:11
13. Put and end to sin - National sins 9:16,18
14. Atone for wickedness - national iniquity 9:16
15. Bring in everlasting righteousness - lack of righteousness 9:18
16. Seal up the vision and the prophecy - punishment as foretold by Moses 9:11-13
17. Anoint the most holy place - desecration of sanctuary 9:17,20

In the millennial setting Israel will accept their Messiah and take back their role as flesh and blood representative of the rule of God on earth. But they will need some work.

These 6 points of spiritual restoration are off in the future for Israel… but during this time of postponement all these points of spiritual restoration are available to the Church… NOW.

Finish transgression - finish can mean 1) end  2) restrain or hold back. Transgression refers to rebellion and disobedience toward YHWH and His authority and covenant. For example, rejection of the Sabbath is rejection of God's authority [a requirement we know only through revelation]... Sabbath breaking is a transgression.

Put an end to sin - an end means 1) to stop + seal up. Sin is more general term than transgression. Can refer to moral behavior which is self evident rather than that which is stipulated in a covenant... also refers to not doing the good we know we should be doing Romans 1:18-19, 2:14.

Atone for wickedness - atone = kipper/cover over, which has 2 applications 1) it is covered over by the blood of Christ 2) Satan is thrown into the abyss and "covered over". Wickedness is generally translated iniquity... think of it as injustice.

• Christ will judge the wickedness of the nations and make atonement for it
• Satan must be overcome
• these happen on a geopolitical level but also personal

Bring everlasting righteousness - establishment of the rule of God on earth. Israel will have an important role to play in the realm of the flesh during the millennium. But the saints resurrected to incorruptible spirit life will have even more! The Church prepares for that now by establishing the rule of God in hearts and minds today.

Seal up the vision & prophecy - 1) understanding would be sealed up and closed but will become known and understood as the day and hour approaches 2) they are marked with God's personal seal of authenticity such that they are sure and will indeed come to pass.

For example, the record of history would prove Daniel's visions to be true. Yet unfulfilled prophecies are equally true. The Church must teach on prophetic matters, how history intersects with prophecy, provide sound interpretation… this is part of our job.

Anoint the most holy - annoying means to set apart for religious service.

1. Israel has been set apart for special service in the millennial period. The saints also have been anointed by God with the power of the holy spirit… anointed for service now... and designated for service later.

2) "most holy" usually refers to the holy of holies behind the curtain in the tabernacle and later the temple. This can refer to:

• The future temple described in Ezekiel chapters 40-49.
• Believers who make up the Church since they are recognized as "the living temple of God". So, you are tasked with becoming holy [IE. like the Father]

Conclusion

The 70 weeks prophecy is the essential prophecy of the bible:

• It ties into Persian history with the proclamation which allows us to figure out the start of the countdown
• It provides numbers that allow us to predict when events would happen
• These numbers correspond to the time of the crucifixion which then mesh with the 3 days and 3 nights, the holy day sequence, and the lunar solar calendar
• It provides a quick summary of God’s goals for both Israel and the Church

All these details of the 70 weeks prophecy validate our trust in the bible as God's word.

Why do you allow bible to speak to you on moral, behavioral, and ethical topics… because its provides ways for you to verify its reliability. That has been the purpose of today’s sermon.