The 70th Seven Of Daniel

We have stated in the previous article that biblical scholars have esterblished that there is a gap of time between the 69th and the 70th seven of Daniel’s prophecy of the Seventy Sevens(Dan.9:24-27). We also stated that the gap of time is variously referred to as the Church Age, the Mysterion, the Gentile interlude, or simply the Gap. We also enumerated some of the significant events that have occurred within the Mysterion, i.e., the establishment of the New Covenant in the Upper Room on Mount Zion, the crucifixion, burial, resurrection, ascension and session of The Messiah at the Right Hand of The Father in Heaven in AD 32(3), the inception of the Church on the day of Pentecost, the destruction of the Jewish Temple on mount Moriah by the Roman General Titus in 70 AD, the diaspora, the holocaust of the Jews by the Nazis(1938-1945), and the reestablishment of Israel as an independent Jewish state in their ancient homeland in 1948.

Although we do not know the exact length of the Gap of time between the 69th and the 70th seven of Daniels prophecy of 70 Sevens, however we do know the signs of its expiration and the terminus-a-quo of the 70th Seven. The signs of its expiration shall be the subject of another discourse.

At the expiry of the Gap, which is the starting point of the 70th Seven, the antiChrist shall sign a Seven-year peace treaty with the many from within Israel. Since the major prophetic events that point to the expiry of the 70th Seven, such as the reestablishment of the State of Israel(1948) and the Jewish regain of control of Jerusalem, the Holy City, from Jordan in 1967 have already occurred, no more significant prophetic event need to occur before the start of the 70th Seven other than the signing of the 7-year peace treaty by the antiChrist with the many from within Israel. “He shall confirm the covenant with the many for one seven: and in the midst of the seven, he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abormination, he shall make it desolate, even unto the consummation, and that determined shall be poured out upon the [one who makes ]desolate.”(Daniel 9:27).

Some students of eschatology are of the opinion that based on the technicality of the language employed by Daniel, the antiChrist shall “confirm” an existing convenient with Israel rather than cut a new one. In other words, the existing covenant may not be popular when it is signed but shall become prominent when given filip by the antiChrist. However, others demure.

The most important piece of real estate property on Earth today is the Temple Mount. It is the bone of contention between Jews and Arabs, Islam and Judaism. The three major religions of the World, Islam, Judaism and Christianity have stakes in Jerusalem, the holy city and the Temple Mount, and I dare say, the international community and the UN. The Lord said that a time cometh, when I shall make Jerusalem a burdensome stone: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut to pieces(Zech.12:3).

When Israel regained control of Jerasalem and The Temple Mount from Jordan in 1967, Moshe Dayan, the then defence minister of Israel gave the key to the The Temple Mount to The Muslim Waqf, as a gesture of good will. It was a costly mistake. They are not allowed to pray on the Temple Mount. They have access only to the western wall or “Kotel,” also called the wailing wall, which is western retaining wall of Jewish temple built by “the returning exiles of the Jews in Babylon and refurbished by Herod The Great. In the book of Revelation 11:1-2, it is written: “And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the worship of God and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the Temple, leave it out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they thread under foot forty and two months.” The Jews will never have complete control of the Temple Mount until the Messiah comes.

When the antiChrist signs the peace treaty, the Jewish people shall be permitted to rebuilt their Temple on the Temple Mount and to resume animal sacrifice and grain offering. The studies of Asher Kaufman have shown it is possible for the Jews to rebiuld their Temple without tampering with the Dome of the Rock(the Golden Dome) and the Al-Aqsa mosque. The antiChrist shall observe the 7-year peace treaty for only three and one-half years. Then in the midst of the seven, he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease. Three and one-half years into the 70th seven, the antiChrist shall take over the rebuilt Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount and put a stop to animal sacrifice, grain and drink offerings in the Temple by Jews. This would be the start of the Great Tribulation, or the time of Jacob’s trouble(Jere.30: 7).

The 70th Seven is packed full of events. It constitutes the major part of biblical eschatology and End time events. We shall do a sequential study of these events in the days ahead.

Avraham Shallom.