JOSEPH W. TKACH
December 1987
Dear Friend:
Thank you for your recent question concerning the 70 weeks
prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27.
To explain this prophecy, I will quote from "Halley's Bible
Handbook":
"The Captivity, which was then drawing to a close, had
lasted 70 years. Daniel is here told by the angel that it would
yet be '70 weeks' till the coming of the Messiah [see verse 24].
"The '70 weeks' is generally understood to mean 70 weeks of
years, that is, 70 sevens of years, or seven times 70 years, that
is 490 years. As if the angel were saying, The Captivity has been
70 years; the period between the Captivity and the Coming of the
Messiah will be seven times that long.
"Seven, and cycles of seven, sometimes have symbolic
meanings; yet the actual facts of this prophecy are most amazing,
as follows:
"The date from which the 70 weeks was to be counted was the
decree to re-build Jerusalem [see verse 25]. There were three
decrees issued by Persian kings for this purpose ... The
principal one of these was 457 B C [the one given by Artaxerxes].
"The 70 weeks is subdivided into 7 weeks, 62 weeks, and 1
week [see verses 25 and 27]. It is difficult to see the
application of the '7 weeks'; but the 69 weeks (including the 7)
equal 483 days, that is, on the year-day theory, Ezek 4:6, which
is the commonly accepted interpretation, 483 years.
"This 483 years is the period between the decree to re-build
Jerusalem and the coming of the 'Anointed One,' [see verse 25].
The decree to re-build Jerusalem, as noted above, was 457 B C.
Adding 483 years to 457 B C brings us to 26 A D, the very year
that Jesus was baptized and began his public ministry. A most
remarkable fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy, even to the year.
"Further, within 3 1/2 years Jesus was crucified, that is,
'in the midst of the one week' 'the Anointed One' was 'cut off,'
'purged away sin and brought in everlasting righteousness,' [see
verses 24, 26, and 27]."
We must make one slight correction in Mr. Halley's figures.
His overall calculations are correct, but he did not account for
the ONE YEAR which is gained in making the transition from B.C.
to A.D. dates. Because there is no year 0, one year is gained and
must be added to the A.D. date. It was A.D. 27 when Jesus was
baptized and began His ministry -- not A.D. 26.
The following statement is found in our booklet THE
RESURRECTION WAS NOT ON SUNDAY: "It is significant that in
Daniel's prophecy of the 'seventy weeks' (Dan. 9:24-27), Jesus
was to be cut off 'in the midst of the week.' While this prophecy
has the application of a day for a year, so that this 70th week
became a literal seven years, Christ being 'cut off' after
three-and-a-half years' ministry, as He was, yet it is
significant that He was also 'cut off' on the middle day
[Wednesday] of a literal week" (page 9).
We hope you will let us know whenever we can be of
additional assistance in your study of the Bible. It is our
pleasure to serve you.
PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE DEPARTMENT
PASTOR GENERAL