Who are Daniel’s people in Daniel 9:24?

Dispensationalists say that the 70 weeks prophecy in Daniel 9:24-27 applies to Jews, not the church, because the prophecy says “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city,” in Daniel 9:24.

The 70 weeks and 2,300 days

The chart below shows the relation between the 70 weeks, and the 2,300 days, and “this generation,” which is the generation Jesus represents. It runs off the chart at the right, because it continues forever.

The 70 weeks unsealed

The following chart identifies ten time periods from the prophecies of Daniel, and Revelation, and the words of Jesus. These prophetic periods are all connected to one another. Three of them began in the lifetime of Daniel, and two were associated with the king Belshazzar. The duration of another is given in terms of units corresponding to the age of Darius when he was made king of Babylon. One key period, illustrated in bright yellow in the chart, is “this generation,” a period that extends from the birth of Jesus, to the end of time, because Jesus was raised from his grave, and lives and reigns forever, and he represents his generation.

The time, times, and a half, and Christian unity

One of the most contentious issues in prophecy has been understanding the prophetic time periods, which are important, but widely misunderstood. Since there are many interpretations that tend to scatter and separate Christian believers from one another, an interpretation is required that will tend to unify, and bring together the saints who are scattered.

The seven year covenant

The land of Canaan was a type and a shadow of better land, to which Christians have come, as taught in the New Testament. [Heb. 11:16; 12:22] Paul said that the experiences of the Israelites recorded in the Old Testament were written for our examples, and for our admonition. Peter said the prophets ministered, not to themselves, but unto us, that is, the saints, or the New Testament church. The prophets, he said, wrote about the gospel, (they “prophesied of the grace that should come unto you”) and they wrote by the spirit of Christ which was in them. [1 Peter 1:9-12]

The continuity of Daniel’s time prophecies

The continuity of Daniel’s time prophecies is illustrated when the prophecies of Daniel 2, 7 and 9 are compared. The image representing successive kingdoms in the prophecy of chapter 2 is continuous. The four periods of seven times mentioned in Leviticus 26 also represent a continuous time of punishment for Israel. In the table below Daniel’s prophecies are compared with the four periods of seven times of Leviticus 26.

Prophetic mountains and time

How prophetic mountains are perceived

Commentators have long claimed that mountains in prophecy represent nations or kingdoms, and it is true that God’s kingdom is often represented by a mountain. However, scripture supports a more fundamental interpretation of the mountains; they represent God’s blessings, and covenants, and promises.

Natural mountains may appear differently, when viewed from various directions, and prophecy is similar. Promises of blessing, and covenants, may be represented by mountains, which are prominent parts of the promised land. The kingdom of God is a prophecy, and a promise of blessing, and so it can be represented by a mountain.

Natural and spiritual light and time

Scripture refers to light metaphorically, to represent spiritual knowledge and understanding. Darkness represents misinformation, superstition, delusion, or ignorance. Belief in the gospel is light, and unbelief is darkness.

John said, “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” [1 John 1:5] Knowing the truth corresponds to day, and ignorance to darkness or night. Christ “lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” [John 1:9] He said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” [Matthew 5:16]

Kenneth Gentry and the seventy weeks

Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr. has discussed the dispensational interpretation of Daniel’s 70 weeks prophecy in a series of blog posts. In Dispensationalism’s difficulty with Daniel he points out that dispensational theology is dependent upon its position on the 70 weeks, which introduces uncertainty because Daniel’s 70 weeks prophecy is notoriously difficult to interpret.

Exploring the mountains of prophecy

Isaiah wrote about making a highway in the wilderness, and mountains being made low.

Isaiah 40:3-5
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

Interpreting the encoded message of prophecy correctly reveals the glory of God. In Isaiah’s prophecy the mountains are symbols of the prophecies and promises of scripture. Those who investigate Bible prophecy are a lot like explorers or mountaineers seeking a way through unexplored, rugged country.

Daniel’s time, times and a half and the river metaphor

Daniel 12:5-6 describes two angels, one on each side of a river, and another one, clothed in linen, who stood upon the waters of the river. In the New Testament, Jesus is described walking upon the water of the sea of Galilee. Linen clothing is connected with the righteousness of the saints, given to them by Christ, in Revelation 19:8. Perhaps, Christ is the one who Daniel saw standing on the water, clothed in linen.

The message given in Daniel 12:7 is connected with the river mentioned in the previous two verses. Perhaps there is a connection between this river and other rivers that are mentioned in other prophecies. The river in Ezekiel 47 is spiritual in nature, and represents the message of the gospel, and the Spirit, that flows from the temple of God into the desert towards the sea throughout the present age. Daniel’s prophecy is about the duration of the present age.

On the times of the antichrist in Daniel 7

In every generation since the first century, Jesus confirms the covenant, and the promise of God to Abraham, that in his seed all nations will be blessed. Paul called this promise the gospel, in Galatians 3:8. Throughout all the time since he ascended to heaven, after the crucifixion, and his resurrection from the grave, Jesus has been building his church, which is the heavenly Jerusalem. It is the subject of many prophecies, including the prophecy of Daniel 7, where Christians are referred to as the saints of the most high.

Preterism and Daniel’s 70th week

In his article on Daniel’s Seventy Weeks, preterist Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr. refers to the statement in Daniel 9:27, “he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week.”

The church and Leviticus 26

William D. Barrick, Professor of Old Testament at The Master’s Seminary, is the author of an article on The Eschatological Significance of Leviticus 26. [1] He says in the abstract, “Though the NT has only one direct reference to Leviticus 26, application of the chapter to believers of every era is obvious: faith is the binding requirement for anyone to have a relationship to the God of Abraham.”

Is the promised land a symbol of paradise?

In his book “The Christ of the Covenants,” O. Palmer Robertson argues that the land promise to Abraham was meant to typify the traditional Christian hope of entering paradise. But the typology of Israel’s entry into the land of promise under the leadership of Joshua, and their conquest of the seven nations of the Canaanites dwelling there seems to discredit that interpretation. Similarly the return of the Jews after the exile in Babylon, to a province of the Persian kings, seems to have little in common with a future paradise. Robertson wrote: [1]

A. A. Bevan on the 70 weeks

Anthony Ashley Bevan (1859-1933) was the last person appointed to Lord Almoner’s Professorship of Arabic at the University of Cambridge. He was the author of a critical commentary on Daniel, which he  assumed was composed in the Maccabean period. On the 70 weeks prophecy of Daniel 9 Bevan wrote: [1]

The 70 weeks obviously stand in connection with the 70 years of v. 2. Elsewhere in the Bible the word “week” always means a week of days (Dan. x. 2), but that this cannot be the case here is evident, and the idea of weeks of years therefore naturally presents itself.

The seventieth week and the sabbath

Both the creation week in Genesis, and the seventieth week of Daniel 9, end in a sabbath of “rest.”

The sabbath day of creation week followed the completion of the creation in six days. The seventieth week also concludes with “rest,” which is the promised inheritance of the saints.

William Kelly and the mount of Olives

William Kelly (1820-1906) was an early dispensationalist and a friend of John N. Darby. He published many books on prophecy promoting dispensationalism. He viewed the Israel of prophecy as meaning the Jews, rather than the Church. Jerusalem meant the earthly city. In centuries of scholarly investigation, no plausible figurative interpretation of the cleaving of the mount of Olives, and the displacement of the two halves of the mountain towards the north and towards the south, as described in Zechariah 14:4-5, had appeared. Perhaps Kelly was comforted by this. He assumed that surely, that prophecy must be a literal one, and could only refer to literal earth movements yet to occur, at Christ’s coming.

Babylonian astronomy and the 70 weeks

The wise men of ancient Babylon made very accurate observations of the positions of the sun and the moon over several centuries. Their observations revealed that the motions of the sun and moon relative to the earth followed a cycle of 19 years.

It is likely that this would have been known to Daniel, as according to Daniel 2:48, king Nebuchadnezzar made Daniel “chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.”

When will Jerusalem be a praise in the earth?

Jesus referred to the heavenly Jerusalem, when he said to his disciples, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.” [Matthew 5:14]  The earthly Jerusalem is not a light to the world, but the gospel is a light. Jesus called Jerusalem “the city of the great King.” [Matthew 5:35] These statements apply to the heavenly city, where Jesus is the king. Isaiah said: