Does a Gap Exist Between 69th and 70th Weeks or Not?

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective

I want to try to finish up this short series on Daniel’s 70 Weeks with this article. I didn’t intend to go beyond one article, but it’s difficult to adequately explain things in 900 words or so, which is what I try to keep things to with these posts. Unfortunately, this article will be longer because of what we have to cover, so please be aware of that.

The whole subject of whether there is a gap of indeterminate amount of time between the 69th and 70th “weeks” of Daniel is the main sticking point for most people. Either there IS a gap, which could then mean that we are still IN the gap, or there isn’t a gap. If there is NO gap, then obviously every week of Daniel’s 70 “weeks” has already taken place in history.

In the banner shown above, we can see that the folks who put it together have defined Daniel’s 70 “weeks” in such a way as to state that all 70 “weeks” or 490 years are now behind us. Notice that for those folks, the final or 70th “week” took place during the life of Jesus and ended with the stoning of Stephen in AD 34. While the timeline does add up, there are several huge problems with their timeline that doesn’t gel with the information revealed in Scripture. There are other versions of the 70 “weeks” that also reflect a poor understanding of Scripture, though the actual “weeks” does seem to add up. Can we know for certain? I believe we can, but it’s doubtful that what I say here in this article will convince anyone who holds their own viewpoint.

The crux of the issue is found in Daniel 9:24-27, a good portion of which we have already gone over in the previous two articles here and here. The information discussed here is also the subject of the next book I’m working on tentatively titled Rapture, Lawlessness, and the Tribulation. Let’s look at the text of Daniel 9:24 – 27 and see what we find.

“24 Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place. 25 So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. 26 Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. 27 And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”

I’ve left the numbering in to make it easier to find when I refer to a specific verse. Verse 24 tells Daniel that a total of 70 “weeks” (periods of seven years) has been decreed for “your” people (the Jews) and “your” holy city (Jerusalem). The 70 periods of seven years is being done for several reasons:

• to finish the transgression
• to make an end of sin
• to make atonement for iniquity
• to bring in everlasting righteousness
• to seal up the vision/prophecy
• to anoint the most holy place

The six items above are referring to Jews, not Gentiles, not Christians. Jews. The entire chapter of Daniel 9 is referencing JEWISH people and the city of JERUSALEM. Let me ask a few question. With respect to the Jewish people, have they FINISHED the transgression? Have they made an end to SIN? While some of these things MAY have occurred, it is (or should be) very clear that this is not the case, practically speaking for the Jews. But people tend to look at these verses purely from a spiritual or allegorical sense and in so doing, they miss the point entirely.

Today’s Jews continue to sin in UNBELIEF. This problem will not be fixed – according to Jesus – until His physical return (cf. Matthew 24). The Jewish people today – unless they are also Christian – are not righteous at all. There is nothing about the Jews or the Jewish nation that God is pleased with, yet He continues to work with them (as shown repeatedly throughout Ezekiel, as one example) because of His promises made to Abraham. He will fulfill those remaining promises for the sake of His holy Name, not because of the Jews.

Today’s Jew who dies in unbelief will spend an eternity without God, just as every Gentile today who dies in unbelief will do the same. However, God has a plan for the nation of Israel as whole, in which He will take for Himself a final remnant and that remnant will have their eyes opened (the way every individual Gentile has his/her eyes open, allowing them to see and embrace the truth). This final remnant will then go into the Millennial Kingdom and finally, fully inhabit/enjoy all the Land that was originally promised to Abraham.

Verse 25 tells us that restoration of Jerusalem will begin when a particular decree is issued and from that point, the timer for the 70 periods of seven years will begin. In all likelihood, though there were several decrees, the one that Gabriel was referring to was the one given by Artaxerxes, which was given in 445 BC (cf. Nehemiah 2:1-8). At that point, the wall and Jerusalem itself (including the Temple) began to be rebuilt.

Notice in the text – verse 25 – Gabriel tells Daniel that there will be 7 weeks and 62 weeks. These two sets of weeks run concurrently. There is nothing there that tells us any type of gap of time exists between them. Once the first 7 “weeks” was over, the 62 “weeks” began. In this case, the 62 “weeks” was the silence between the testaments.

Notice verse 26, which starts off by stating, “Then after the sixty-two weeks…”

Gabriel is telling Daniel that when the 62 periods of seven years ends, several things will happen. This also provides a major clue as to any possibility of a gap taking place here in the text. The 62 “weeks” ends and Gabriel says the following must happen:

• Messiah will be cut off and have nothing
• the city/sanctuary will be destroyed
• there will be war and desolations until the end

After the 62 “weeks” ends, the above three things are set to occur. The first one is easy. Almost everyone agrees that this is a reference to Jesus’ death on the cross – the Crucifixion – and when He died, He literally had nothing. His friends deserted Him, He had not even made arrangements to have His own grave. One was donated by a rich follower of Jesus. This death of Jesus took place nearly one week after the 62 “week” period ended. If we are going to follow a strict rule that one “week” equals 7 years, with reference to the 7 “weeks” and 62 “weeks,” then we have to follow it through with the final “week” as well, which means we are left to deal with a final 7 year period.

Here’s the problem though. After Jesus died (and rose again), the city of Jerusalem and Temple were not destroyed until some 40 years later by the Romans (AD 70). If the second item above refers to the city of Jerusalem and the Temple physically being destroyed as we believe it does, then that event alone overshot the whole thing by approximately 33 years! It does not follow the template presented by Gabriel regarding the length of time for each “week.”

The third item above – there will be war and desolations until the end – also presents a problem. What does “until the end” mean? It clearly can only mean the end of man-led human history. In other words, the “end” is referring to Jesus’ 2nd coming. The old rabbinical sages believed there are only two ages. There is this age in which we live and the coming age of the Messiah. If this is true, then we’ve already gone 2,000 since Jesus’ time on earth and we need to continue until He comes. The only way this can be is that we are currently IN the gap between the 69th and 70th verses of Daniel 9, otherwise this makes no sense at all. If a “week” means a period of seven years for “weeks” 1 – 69, the same amount of time MUST apply to the 70th “week” as well. We’ve seen that if God has not called a “time out,” then the 70th “week” occurred long ago. But that doesn’t make sense either given the details provided by Gabriel.

When this age ends, the new age starts. This current age will end when Jesus returns.

Is there a gap of indeterminate time? There has to be, because look at verse 27, which tells us when the final or 70th “week” will start. It will start AFTER (or during) the three items above occur and the event that will start that 70th “week” is the event where Antichrist brokers/confirms a covenant with Israel for peace for “one week” (seven years). Where was there a time in history where this deal was brokered? The Oslo accord was on its way, but it fell through completely. Will that be the basis for a future agreement? It’s possible.

After the end of the 62nd “week,” the three items in the above list must occur – according to Gabriel. We know Jesus was crucified. We also know the city of Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed by the Romans in AD 70 (some 40 years later), and there have been WARS and continuing DESOLATIONS in that area of the world – remember, the entirety of Daniel 9 is referring to Jews and Jerusalem, along with the Temple.

To this very day, at least two desolations sit atop the Temple Mount – the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa mosques – both an affront to God. This is the same “hill” where Isaac was nearly sacrificed by Abraham and where Jesus was crucified. Now, the Temple Mount is a huge disgrace! It remains desolate and that won’t change until Jesus returns.

The third item in the list is ongoing even after the 70 “week” starts! The Tribulation period – the final “week” of Daniel 9 is still in front of it. One day, a man will walk onto the world’s stage and be able to confirm a covenant of peace with Israel and surrounding nations. The covenant will be said to last for seven years (the final/70th “week” of Daniel 9:27), but Daniel tells us that in the middle of the “week” (3 and a half years in), this same man will desolate the Temple. But the Temple isn’t there on the Temple Mount! For this to happen, the Temple must be rebuilt or enough of it needs to be rebuilt so that sacrifices can once again start.

But how will the Temple be built with two mosques currently existing on the same piece of land? Does Ezekiel 38 – 39 hold the answer? There, a coalition of countries led by Gog (of Magog) will attack Israel out of the blue. Before Israel even gets a chance to defend herself, God will do it. Why, because Israel is so wonderful? Hardly. He will do it for the sake of His holy Name, period! How? First, God will use a tremendous earthquake that destroys everything in. Walls, mountains and everything else will fall. This earthquake will be so huge that even the birds will notice! I cannot imagine these two mosques remaining, can you? Once they are gone, the world may – for a moment or two – look differently at Israel. They may try to placate them and even say “Go ahead, rebuild your Temple!”

At that point, I can imagine the Temple being rebuilt and the Antichrist coming alongside Jewish leaders in an effort to make a pact of peace. In fact, because of what God will have done, surrounding nations may actually be fearful that if they do not come to some terms of peace with Israel, Israel might decide to wipe them off the map! Entering into a covenant of peace with Israel will give Antichrist and Arab nations time to come up with a plan.

I hope this short series has been instructive. It seems obvious to me for the reasons mentioned that there is a gap of indeterminate amount of time between the end of the 62nd “week” and the start of the 70th “week.” I fully realize that those who reject this idea will not be convinced. I’m fine with that. Anyone who disagrees is entitled to their opinion.

Please understand that I have no interest in debating anyone about this. Debating serves no purpose. I will also not allow people to use this blog to promote what I believe to be false narratives. They can to that on their own blogs. At the same time, if someone has a question or two or comments, or if I can offer additional explanation, then feel free to post a comment or question. I will not enter into debates and if your comment is vitriolic, it won’t be approved.

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective