©Kris Gerbrandt
Chapter 9:25 (ESV) - Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time.
Question to consider: Why does Gabriel break up the seventy weeks into parts?
Just as their seventy years of exile pointed to the fullness of Israel’s disobedience so the seventy sevens spoken by Gabriel pointed to the fullness of Israel’s redemption in the coming days. The key test of a prophet of God is the accuracy of the word given.
Despite being persecuted mercilessly by the kings of Judah, Jeremiah faithfully proclaimed the truth given to him by the LORD compared with the self-proclaimed prophets who preached what the kings wanted to hear— that Judah was at peace with the surrounding nations.
Jeremiah proved true while the others proved to be liars as Judah fell to the Chaldeans. In order to be able to test the word given to a prophet, there needed to be something fulfilled in the near-term. Gabriel gave Daniel prophetic insight that the LORD would provide an anointed One to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal both vision and prophet. While this was wonderfully good news to hear, it would not occur for 490 years.
The only way Daniel could test this message from Gabriel or feel comfortable in consoling Israel with the news was to have some way of verifying that this message was indeed from the LORD. The rest of this chapter provided the signs to verify this message.
People have done all kinds of literary gymnastics to separate these verses from the promises given in verse 24, but anything that is difficult to understand in these verses needs to be viewed in light of them.
I believe the first seven started at the decree that went out to Ezra in about 458/457 BC and was completed 49 years later. In this case, Ezra could be the anointed prince. However, if you look at the footnote in your bible for this verse, you’ll see the following alternate translation (note my italics):
25 Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks. It shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time.
Here the text was saying Jerusalem would be rebuilt in a troubled time which is exactly how it was described in Ezra and Nehemiah. The anointed one here was said to have come after seven weeks and sixty-two weeks (483 years). This puts us right around 26 AD at the time in which Jesus was baptized by John (and anointed by the Holy Spirit) in the river Jordan at the beginning of his ministry.
By taking this approach, we can consider Ezra and Nehemiah to be the LORD’s witnesses that the word given to Daniel by Gabriel was true. These witnesses would allow the people to have faith in the LORD to keep His promise 483 years later.
Dear heavenly Father, as we wait for the return of Christ in faith, thank You for giving us Your word which shows us Your faithfulness and gives us a sure foundation to believe. Please give us insight and understanding to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.