As a teenager in the 1960s, I remember visiting prophecy teachers who came with their charts and graphics. A favorite topic was Daniel’s 70th week (from Daniel 9). As part of the message, a most certain declaration was, “Israel is God’s calendar!” But is this accurate?
Daniel 9
24 Seventy weeks are decreed concerning your people and your holy city. —TLV
The first question is, Who were Daniel’s people?
Daniel 2
25 “I have found a man among the sons of the exiles from Judah, who can make known the interpretation to the king.” —TLV
Judah was one of the 12 sons of Jacob. Judah was also the tribe of David, and the predicted tribe of the Messiah. When David became king of all Israel, Jerusalem was conquered by his army. Jerusalem was declared “the City of David.”
David ruled all 12 tribes, after which Solomon, his son, ruled the entire nation of Israel, again, all 12 tribes. But, upon the death of Solomon, as a judgment upon Solomon, the nation was split. Ten tribes were given to Jeroboam, named Israel, the Northern Kingdom, and one tribe, Judah, was left to the heirs of David. Jerusalem remained the capital of Judah and was forever linked to Judah, the future tribe of the Messiah.
The divided kingdom of Israel and Judah remained at war with one another for most of the time of their coexistence. Then, between 732–720 BCE, Israel was led into captivity by Assyria and would cease to be a nation again until 1948.
Judah survived though it was in subjugation to Babylon, Greece and finally Rome. Following the life and crucifixion of Messiah, Yeshua, Judah was disbursed by the Romans after the second Temple was destroyed in 70 CE.
Back to Daniel. Daniel was of Judah, the tribe of David, and of the future Messiah. Daniel lived about 100 years after the exile of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, a nation which would not be reborn until 1948.
When the prophecy comes forth from Gabriel (Daniel 9), it is introduced with, “Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city.”
- The clock of this well-known prophecy runs completely independent and apart from the existence of Israel, which had already been in exile for 100-plus years and
- would not exist again until 1948.
- This very specific prophecy—which almost all Bible scholars accept as a prediction of 483 years (fulfilled) plus one remaining (unfulfilled) seven-year period—was able to be clearly started and completed, all without the emergence of the modern state of Israel, which came into existence in 1948.
- Since Gabriel states, “Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people,” and all of the first 69 weeks were able to be completed without a modern state and sovereign nation of Israel, who are the “your people” of Daniel, referred to by Gabriel, if not Judah?
- Although Israel was reborn in 1948, it is irrelevant to this Daniel 9 prophecy.
- Judah, however, also known today as “the occupied territories,” is subjugated to Israel and, to this day, does not know independence.
I maintain this final seven years run concurrently with the real estate deal which will permit the reconstruction of the Third Temple and the institution of the daily sacrifices once again; seven years ending with the Return of Messiah and the beginning of the earthly Messianic Kingdom, based in Jerusalem.
Daniel 9
24 Seventy weeks are decreed concerning your people and your holy city,
to put an end to transgression
to bring sin to an end,
to atone for iniquity,
to bring in everlasting righteousness,
to seal up vision and prophecy,
and to anoint the Holy of Holies.
Jack Wasson has studied the Bible since his teens, earning degrees from Southwestern Assemblies of God College and, magna cum laude, from the University of Texas, Arlington. He served as an Army officer in military intelligence. Since 1965 he has been active in evangelistic and mission work, and for over 54 years has been a key figure in the international Messianic Jewish movement.
