Expert: LEBoyd - 10/17/2008

Question
Hi I was wondering if you could explain to me the theory that we still await Daniels 70th week. In the book of Daniel 9 it states about the coming of the messiah Jesus and I was wondering about Daniel 9:24-27.Why are there still seven years left to be fulfilled and what was fulfilled in the first 69 weeks. Thank you and God bless.24 “ Seventy weeks[a] are determined
     For your people and for your holy city,
     To finish the transgression,
     To make an end of[b] sins,
     To make reconciliation for iniquity,
     To bring in everlasting righteousness,
     To seal up vision and prophecy,
     And to anoint the Most Holy.
      25 “ Know therefore and understand,
     That from the going forth of the command
     To restore and build Jerusalem
     Until Messiah the Prince,
     There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks;
     The street[c] shall be built again, and the wall,[d]
     Even in troublesome times.
      26 “ And after the sixty-two weeks
     Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself;
     And the people of the prince who is to come
     Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary.
     The end of it shall be with a flood,
     And till the end of the war desolations are determined.
      27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;
     But in the middle of the week
     He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
     And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate,
     Even until the consummation, which is determined,
     Is poured out on the desolate.”

Answer
John,

I'm not the best person to answer this because I do not believe we are still waiting for the 70th week.  I believe the New Testament teaches that Daniel is prophesying the fall of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70AD.  The new Jerusalem is Christ's church/body/bride.

Just a specific example of why is from Heb (I think chapter 10 - as I don't have my Bible with me).  There it says that the sacrifice of bulls and goats could not cleanse us from sin and therefore Christ was the sacrifice "once for all".

Hope this helps.