SEVENTY WEEKS - Chapter Six

Quoting the opening paragraphs of Chapter One:

Shabuwa: a period of seven (7 years, 7 days, 7 periods)

Whether we are reading about a period of 7 years, as we do in Genesis 29:27-28 or whether we are reading about a period of 7 days as we do in Leviticus 12:1-5, can only be determined by examining the local context. In order to know which is in view, we have to read the local context.

This prophecy begins in Daniel 9:24, and that is where we learn that the overall time period is comprised of Seventy shabuwa. The rest of verse 24 details what God intended to accomplish during those seventy shabuwa. We are not told in verse 24 which interpretation of shabuwa to use.

To take a stand on whether a particular shabuwa is seven years or seven days is strictly a matter of interpretation, so when we make that interpretation, we need to be sure that there is a basis for our interpretation. As we move from verse 24 to verse 25 we are given more information.

"Know therefore and understand, [that] from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem until the Messiah the Prince [shall be] seven shabuwa, and sixty-two shabuwa: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times.” (verse 25)

I have taken the liberty of substituting the Hebrew word shabuwa in place of the English word weeks. I have also highlighted the words from and until.

This verse speaks of shabuwa again, but this time, we find context to help us determine the intended use of that word here. Sixty-nine shabuwa are in view; a summation of seven shabuwa and sixty-two shabuwa. A beginning point and an ending point for the sixty-nine shabuwa is part of the context.

Verse 25 discusses a period of sixty-nine shabuwa and it gives us two historical markers that let us know what time period will elapse during those sixty-nine shabuwa. We have an advantage over Daniel because we can calculate the time from history. He couldn't go by history. The decree hadn't even happened yet, much less "Messiah the Prince".

It's too late to make a long story short. Many people have done calculations to show that Palm Sunday was exactly 483 prophetic years after Cyrus issued the edict allowing the Jews to return to their homes in Canaan. At this point, a simple division of 483 years by 96 shabuwa gives us an answer. The shabuwa of this verse are periods of seven years each.

Summary: The first 69 shabuwa of the 70 total shabuwa were periods of seven years each.