Daniel 9:24-27: Introductory Comments

Prophecy Primer - Why interpret Da 9:24-27 literally?
Daniel 9:24-27 One of Most Significant Passages in Scripture
Daniel Commentaries by interpretative approach to Da 9:24-27
Anecdotal Stories related to Daniel 9:24-27
Evidence Supporting Unit of Time in Daniel 9:24-27 as Years
Daniel Commentaries from a literal, usually futuristic perspective

Verse by Verse Commentary on Daniel 9:24-27

Daniel 9:24
Daniel 9:25
Daniel 9:26
Daniel 9:27

Summary Chart of Daniel's Seventieth Week
Daniel's Seventieth Week Charted Parallel with other Daniel prophecies
Kay Arthur on Daniel 9:24-27 Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

John Walvoord:  Daniel: The key to Prophetic Revelation (online)

Related Resource

1) When an OT prophet spoke, it generally is in reference to one of four time periods: (Click notes)

a)  The prophet's own time

b)  Israel's captivity in Babylon or their restoration to the land of Israel after Babylonian exile

c) The Messiah's first coming (see Messianic Prophecies)

d) The Messiah's second coming (see Messianic Prophecies)

2) A single prophecy may have more than one fulfillment

Partial fulfillment in the near future

Complete fulfillment in the distant future

3) A single prophecy may have a significant GAP in time between as to when different aspects are fulfilled.

For example,  Isaiah 61:1-2 records the following prophecy -- (See related resource The Incredible Prophecy of Isaiah 61:1-3)

"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and freedom to prisoners, ( 2a) to proclaim the favorable year of the LORD, ( 2b) and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn."

After His baptism, Jesus began His ministry in the Jewish synagogue in Nazareth with the following declaration from Isaiah 61:1-2a:

"THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE DOWNTRODDEN, 19 TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD." 20 And He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed upon Him. 21 And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." (Luke 4:18-21)

Jesus stated that the Messianic prophecy in Isaiah 61:1-2a  was fulfilled in His First Coming (literally "in your hearing". He will not fulfill "the day of vengeance" in Isaiah 61:2b  until His Second Coming. His first coming was primarily as Redeemer and Savior, whereas His second coming will be primarily as Righteous Judge. Thus Is 61:2 records prophecies that are separated by at least 2000 years.

4) This website advocates and practices a literal approach to the interpretation of prophetic Scripture.  (Click for discussion of interpretation in section on inductive study)

Succinctly and simply stated if the "plain sense makes good sense, then refrain from trying to make some other sense out of the passage or you may end up with nonsense." For example, if a text says "1000" and there is no clear reason from the context that would suggest it should be interpreted any other way, then it will be interpreted as literal "1000".

Listen to the sage advice of William Tyndale a man who was martyred for translating the Bible into English...

1) Daniel 9:24-27- Represents one of the key verses regarding "end times" prophecy

Daniel 9:24-27 holds the key to all prophetic interpretation and as such is the backbone of biblical prophecy.

Ray Pritchard writes that

If you understand what these verses mean, you will have a good framework for understanding all that the Bible says about the future. Miss this, and Revelation will be a mystery to you…. What is presented here in a condensed form is greatly expanded in the New Testament. This passage is the key that unlocks many other biblical prophecies." Pritchard goes on to add that "If you have wondered where certain popular writers get the concept of a future seven-year Tribulation period, you will find the answer in this passage. Jesus refers to it in Mt 24:15 as does Paul in 2Th 2:1, 2, 3, 4. And the amazing events of Rev 6-19 are simply an expansion of Da 9:27 (note). What is presented here in a condensed form is greatly expanded in the New Testament. This passage is the key that unlocks many other biblical prophecies."

Chuck Swindoll says that "the vision of the seventy weeks revealed in  Daniel 9:24, 25, 26, 27 (notes;) is undoubtedly "the backbone of Biblical prophecy" concerning Israel, Christ, and the Antichrist. It is also true that fewer predictions in Scripture have been interpreted in as many ways as have the seventy weeks of Daniel.

John Walvoord writes that

The interpretation of the revelation given to Daniel concerning the seventy weeks (Daniel 9:24–27) constitutes one of the determining factors in the whole system of prophecy. The attention given to it by all schools of interpretation, and the attacks upon the authenticity of the book itself combine to focus the white light of investigation upon it. The interpretation of this passage inevitably colors all other prophetic views, and a proper understanding of it is the sine qua non of any student of prophecy." (Bolding added; Bibliotheca Sacra, volume 101, page 30, Jan-Mar, 1944)

2) Daniel 9:24-27 - Outlines the future history of Israel

As will be discussed below, Daniel 9:24-27 lays out in summary form a timetable of the events that will impact Israel. There is no reference whatsoever to "the church" in this passage, although some commentators still imagine some reference to "the church."

a) The Jews could have known the time of the Messiah's arrival.

b) The Jews will be able to know the time of the "Anti-Messiah's" ("Anti-christ") arrival (cf Mt 24:15, 2Th 2:1, 2, 3, 4).
 

3) Provides clear evidence that the Bible is inspired by God

The accuracy of the prediction of the coming of Messiah, Prince, is indisputable evidence of that the Bible is not a book inspired by man but could only have been inspired by God Who Alone knows the future.

Respected pastor and author Ray Stedman writes that Daniel 9:24-27 is

one of the strongest evidences to prove the divine inspiration of the Bible. Many (believers) are frequently asked why (they) believe the Bible to be the Word of God, and it is helpful to know certain passages which clearly set forth predictive elements that are unmistakable and which do indicate the ability of the Bible to predict events far in the distant future. This could only be by divine power....(Da 9:24, 25, 26, 27)  pinpoints the exact moment in history when the Jewish Messiah would present Himself to the Jewish people, and it does so over five hundred years before the event took place. It is so plain and detailed that it has always been an acute embarrassment to Jewish commentators.

4) Substantiates the truth that God is completely sovereign
 

The prophecy in Daniel 9:24-27 is so compellingly accurate, that it leaves no doubt that God is sovereign and in full control over time and the affairs of men. This grand truth should encourage the saint and frighten the sinner who is not yet saved to consider the claims. 
 

5) Has spurred many (Jews and Gentiles) to consider the claims of the Messiah

Although many of the stories are anecdotal (see below), the truth in Daniel 9:24-27 has caused many who seek to refute these prophecies find that they are confronted with indisputable evidence of the Messiah.

6) Refutes the attempt by many to question the date of writing of Daniel's prophecies

Liberal scholars, both Gentile and Jew, have tried to late-date Daniel in order to remove the onus of predictive prophecy. They say the book was written after the events occurred but in such a way as to appear that it was written beforehand. Daniel 9:24-27 is an irrefutable witness that the prophecy of the Messiah's coming and being cut off is true. Since, no one "late-dates" Daniel to the time of Christ, Daniel 9:24-27 is one clear case of predictive prophecy, which establishes the credibility of everything else. This observation also explains why the critics try so hard to debunk this passage.
 

Henry Morris adds that Daniel's

prophecy was given...well over half a millennium before its fulfillment. The probability that Daniel could guess the date of the manifestation and crucifixion of the Messiah is essentially zero. Only supernatural inspiration can account for fulfilled prophecies like this. In fact, these events were fulfilled almost two centuries even after the date assigned to Daniel by scholars who deny that such prophecies can valid!" (The Defender's Study Bible - an excellent resource from a conservative, literal viewpoint by one of the world's leading scholars on creationism)

7) Stimulates a heightened expectation of the imminent return of the Messiah

This statement applies to Daniel in general also, for no book in the Bible says more about the so called "end times" than Daniel. Many orthodox and conservative Jews believe the time is ripe for the coming of Messiah. They see Israel's return to her homeland after more than 1,900 years of national dispersion as having great prophetic significance. They believe the May, 1948 rebirth of Israel and waves of immigration (which is the meaning of the Hebrew word aliyah) from all over the world are converging with many other factors to set the stage for the predicted coming of a national Deliverer. They see the coming of this Messiah as being good not only for Israel but for the whole earth. According to the prophet Isaiah, He will cause the nations to "beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore" (Is 2:4).

Comment: If you are a born again believer who loves Israel and would like to watch a stirring account of the birth of Israel in May, 1948 (albeit from a secular perspective), I highly recommend the 6 hour epic on DVD narrated by the legendary Israeli Abba Eban (you will be mesmerized as you see the sovereign hand of the Almighty God at work "behind the scenes") - Israel: Nation Is Born

To quote from an email received February 4, 2004 from "The Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement" (an Orthodox Jewish group based in Jerusalem)

"The Hand of G_d appears again and again in Jerusalem and the Temple Mount...to purify the Temple Mount and immediately rebuild the house of G_d as the climax of the exciting redemptional times in which we are now living in Israel which will open the Eastern Gate for the coming of Mashiach ben David", this latter name of course referring to the expected Messiah Son of David. Interestingly, both Jews and Christians share the belief that a period of turmoil and distress will precede the coming of Messiah. The Jewish document called "Talmudic Sages" draws a dark picture of this time. Accordingly, one of these Jewish sages wrote, "Let Him [Messiah] come, but let me not see Him" (Sanh. 98b).

One of the most respected names in the study of Bible prophecy, Dr. John Walvoord, writes some wise remarks regarding the interpretative difficulties of Daniel 9:24-27:

In the concluding four verses of Daniel 9, one of the most important prophecies of the Old Testament is contained...Although many divergent interpretations have been advanced in explanation of this prophecy, they may first be divided into two major divisions, namely, the Christological and the non‑Christological views. The non‑Christological approach may be subdivided into the liberal critical view and the conservative amillennial view.

The Christological camp interprets the first sixty-nine weeks of Daniel as culminating in Christ while the non‑Christological  camp finds fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy in events before or after Christ.

The non-Christological group attempts to find fulfillment of the Daniel's 70 Weeks in the events leading up to the persecution of Antiochus Epiphanes (see Daniel notes and additional discussion). In 168 B.C., a pagan altar was constructed on top of the great altar of burnt sacrifices, and a pagan sacrifice was offered under the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes. This act precipitated the Maccabean revolt which Antiochus attempted unsuccessfully to put down with great cruelty (167-164 B.C.).

John Walvoord (See his excellent online book at Daniel: The key to Prophetic Revelation) writes that the

"Liberal critics, assuming that Daniel is a forgery written in the second century B.C., find in this chapter that the pseudo‑Daniel confuses the seventy years of Israel's captivity with the seventy sevens of Gabriel's vision...Montgomery (representative of the Liberal Critical school for example says)... that this is not prophecy at all but is presented by the pseudo‑Daniel as if it were. Whatever fulfillment there is, is a fulfillment in history already accomplished at the time this Scripture was written. In his extended note on the interpretation of the seventy weeks, Montgomery in general attempts to support the idea that the details of the prophecy are to a large extent fulfilled in the life and persecutions of Antiochus Epiphanes... Montgomery, for all of his scholarship and knowledge of the history of interpretation, ends up with no reasonable interpretation at all. Some conservative scholars have done no better, however, as illustrated in the commentary of Edward Young (Conservative Amillennial  and not seeing a gap between Daniel's 69th and 70th weeks). Although treating the Scriptures with reverence, he finds no satisfactory conclusion for the seventy sevens of the prophecy and leaves it more or less like Montgomery without a satisfactory explanation."

As discussed earlier to misunderstand Daniel 9:24-27 is to misunderstand the backbone of all Bible prophecy and God's future dealing with Israel as a nation, the details of which are described in the the Revelation. Little wonder than that there is so much confusion and frustration by various commentaries (especially those that don't accept a time gap between Daniel's 69th and 70th Weeks or a literal 1000 year reign of Christ on earth in Revelation 20.)

John Walvoord adds that
 

There are few passages of Scripture which have occasioned a greater variety of interpretation than Daniel 9:24–27. A comparison of commentaries reveals that seldom can two be found with exactly the same exegesis. (Bibliotheca Sacra, volume 101, page 31, 1944).

Albert Barnes, although not accepting a time gap between Daniel's 69th and 70th Weeks, has an insightful comment writing that
 

It is undeniable that, whichever reckoning be correct, or whatever computation we may suppose to have been employed by the Jews, the expectation would have been excited in the public mind that the Messiah was about to appear at that time. Perhaps the real truth may be seen in a stronger light still by supposing that if a sagacious impostor had resolved to take upon himself the office of the Messiah, and had so shaped his plans as to meet the national expectations growing out of this prediction of Daniel, he would have undoubtedly set up his claims at about the time when the Lord Jesus publicly appeared as the Messiah. (Barnes)

As one of the leading voices against a Messianic interpretation of Daniel 9:24-27, Montgomery writes that
 

 The history of the exegesis of the 70 Weeks is the Dismal Swamp of 0T criticism. The difficulties that beset any "rationalistic" treatment of the figures are great enough, but the critics on this side of the fence do not agree among themselves; but the trackless wilderness of assumptions and theories and efforts to obtain an exact chronology fitting into the history of Salvation, after these 2,000 years of infinitely varied interpretations, would seem to preclude any use of the 70 Weeks for the determination of a definite prophetic chronology."  

Comment: How tragic that Montgomery, despite showing considerable knowledge of the history of interpretation, ends up with no reasonable interpretation at all!

Young for example concludes after some discussion that Keil is correct in his interpretation that the word "7's" is not a literal "7's" of years, but refers to
 

an intentionally indefinite designation of a period of time measured by the number seven, which chronological duration must be determined on other grounds.

And so in refusing to interpret the time phrases literally, the only recourse is to interpret them symbolically, which logically leads to a diversity of opinions depending on one's symbolic approach. The resulting morass of interpretative schemes once again indicates that the most logical way to interpret Scripture in general and prophecy in particular is to interpret literally if that is at all possible. 

Leupold who takes an approach similar to Young explains his "symbolic" approach writing that
 

"Since the week of creation, 'seven' has always been the mark of divine work in the symbolism of numbers. 'Seventy' contains seven multiplied by ten, which being a round number, signifies perfection, completion. Therefore, seventy heptads'‑ 7 x 7 x 10 ‑ is the period in which the divine work of greatest moment is brought to perfection. There is nothing fantastic...about this to the interpreter who has seen how frequently the symbolism of numbers plays a significant part in the Scriptures."

 In the seventeenth century a very learned Jew published a book in which he set forth the claims of Jesus Christ to be the Jewish Messiah. In the preface to the book he told how he himself had been converted by listening to a debate between a knowledgeable Jew and a Christian convert from Judaism over the meaning of Daniel 9:24-27. The moderator of the debate was a learned rabbi, and as the Christian pressed the claims of this passage home it became so clear that the passage was pointing to Jesus Christ that the rabbi closed the debate with these words

Leopold Cohn (pictured below - click for additional notes on his life) was born into an Orthodox Jewish community in Berezna, a small town in eastern Hungary in 1862. At age 18 he graduated with high marks from the Talmudic academy and became a rabbi. One of his rituals was to daily repeat the 12th article of the Jewish creed:

I believe with a perfect faith in the coming of the Messiah, and though he tarry, yet will I wait daily for his coming.

Cohn however wondered why Messiah tarried, but was unsettled by the "answers" he able to find. While reading the Talmud (collected writings of rabbis commenting on the Torah or Old Testament), he discovered that other rabbis had also wrestled with this question. But as he continued to study he discovered that the Messiah should have come long ago. This prompted him to study the Hebrew prophets for himself, and as he studied Daniel’s prophecy of the "70 weeks" in Daniel 9:24-27, it became clear that Daniel had predicted the coming of Messiah some 400-500 years after the prophecy was given. But that was 2500 years ago and the rabbis said that Messiah had not yet come. How could he resolve this contradiction? An older rabbi who served as Cohn's mentor advised him to drop the subject altogether or he might lose his rabbinical career because such questions were not to be asked. The rabbi further explained that he could not discuss the matter without losing his own job. He even advised Cohn to go to America where, he said, people knew more about the Messiah. Later, Leopold Cohn recalled this incident and felt that the rabbi knew something about the Messiah, Jesus. And so in 1892 Cohn left Hungary for New York City in search of the truth about the Messiah prompted by his study of Daniel's "Seventy weeks".  On one providential day, Cohn happened to pass by  a church in the Jewish section of the city and noticed a small sign advertising "Meetings for Jews." It was at that meeting that Cohn met another Jewish an also trained in the Talmud. It was there that Leopold Cohn was given a copy of the New Testament which he read straight though beginning at 11:00 one morning and finishing at 1:00 AM the next day, upon which he concluded that Yeshua (Jesus) was indeed the promised Messiah prophesied by Daniel to come and be cut off.  Soon thereafter he received Yeshua, Jesus, as his Messiah, Savior and Lord.  With his new found faith, he begin to go to his people, the Jews, and in Cohn's words

I showed them from the Scriptures that to believe in Yeshua was Jewish faith, real Jewish faith.

Donald Campbell former president of Dallas Theological Seminary has an interesting anecdotal story:
 

"Two Christians, observing the model of first-century Jerusalem at the Holy Land Hotel in that city, were discussing in particular the future rebuilding of the temple. A stranger stood nearby listening to their conversation and then introduced himself as a New York rabbi. He asked in amazement,

"Do Christians really believe in the rebuilding of a temple in Jerusalem?"

"Haven't you read your prophets, Ezekiel and Daniel? one of the Christians replied.

"No," the rabbi admitted, "because when I was studying to be a rabbi I was told not to read Daniel and was particularly forbidden to compute the prophecy of the seventy weeks in Daniel, chapter 9!"

The reason for such a prohibition? Because the prophetic books, especially Daniel 9, show that Messiah has already come.

An ancient rabbi said,

"Let the bones of those who reckon the times tremble."

(To which Campbell responds)

"Rather may it be said, "let the hearts of those who reckon the times rejoice! For Messiah has come and provided salvation for all who believe."

Summary of the Evidence
to Support Interpretation
Of the unit of Time in Daniel 9:24-27 as "Years"? 

1) Using Context: (see note on "context")

Context is always "king" in regard to accurate interpretation and thus this is the single most important piece of evidence for the "seventy units of sevens" being a reference to "years". From the context of chapter 9, Daniel had been thinking in terms of seventy years having just read in Jeremiah about the "seventy years" of punishment (Da 9:2), Here God's answer to Daniel's prayer is in terms of seventy "sevens" of years. (Click here for discussion by Thomas Ice)

The Theological Wordbook of the OT adds that the 6 uses of shabua' in Daniel 9:24-27 all refer to years as
 

"is proven by the context wherein Daniel recognizes that the seventy-year period of captivity is almost over. The land had been fallow for seventy years and thus repaid the Lord the seventy sabbatical years owed to Him for the prior seventy periods of seven years (Da 9:2; Jer 25:12; cf. 2Chr 36:21). Just as Daniel is in prayer concerning this matter, the angel Gabriel appears and informs him that Israel’s restoration will not be complete until she goes through another seventy periods-of-seven, shabua' (Da 9:24-27)! ... Thus here it means years."

2) Interpreting Literally: (Click note)

This line of evidence obviously overlaps somewhat with (#1) but is still important to emphasize. If Daniel 9:24-27 is interpreted literally, it is impossible to fit the events, specifically the cutting off of the Messiah,  into periods of days, weeks or months. It is a historic fact that Messiah was not present in Israel within 490 days (about one and one-third years), 490 weeks (about nine and one-half years) or 490 months (about 41 years) after the decree to rebuild the city (assuming as the most likely date 444/445 BC - see explanation elsewhere). The literal interpretation of this passage and the historical fulfillment of the first part of the prophecy demands that one interpret the "70 units of seven" in terms of years.

3) Seven Times More:

Leviticus 26 helps understand Daniel's "seventy units of sevens" as referring to years . In Lev 26:14, 15, 16, 17 God had warned Israel she would be punished from breaking the Mosaic covenant. Although there were many "lesser" punishments for Israel over the centuries the prime example of punishment was the destruction of Jerusalem, the Holy Temple and the 70 years of exile. In Lev 26:18 God had warned them that "if also after these things, you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins." How long would seven times more be? Seven times seventy years more would be 490 years. God through his messenger Gabriel was explaining to Daniel that although the Jews would return to Jerusalem after the 70 years, the full restoration of the nation would not be realized until 490 more years had passed.

This line of reasoning is also suggested in "The Nelson Study Bible" where we read that the note that
 

Leviticus 25:8 speaks of “seven sabbaths of years”; Lev 26:18, 21 (which) implies that Israel’s punishment would be multiplied sevenfold. Therefore, a seventy “week” exile would be expected to last for seven times seventy years. (The Nelson study Bible : NKJV: T. Nelson Publishers. 1997).
 

4) Other Prophetic Time Phrases:

In Da 9:27 there is a separate "seven" or "week" during which time a covenant is made and broken in the middle. If one accepts the "seven" as seven years, this would mean that the covenant would be broken at the three and one-half year point, and this description correlates with Jesus' warning in Mt24:15,21  that when the Jews
 

see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place( let the reader understand)...then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall.

This midpoint then marks a time of great distress for the Jews and correlates with the variations of this same time period, referred to as "time, times, half a time" (Da 7:25, 12:7), "forty two months" (Rev 13:5-note and "one thousand two hundred and sixty days" (Rev 12:6-note), all of these in context referring to what Jesus termed the "great tribulation."

5) The Law of Moses and Israel's Failure to Keep Past "Sabbath rests":

The following makes several assumptions, so you may find it to be a weaker argument for "years" as the appropriate unit of time. Read it critically and accept it if you will, but if not, do not let it detract from the merits of the other lines of logic, especially the argument from context.  Daniel was a man of the Book, and would likely have had access to the "Pentateuch", the first five books of Moses. Daniel as a student of the Scriptures was surely familiar with the law relating to the required rest for the land. For example, notice in his prayer he says

"Indeed all Israel has transgressed Thy law and turned aside, not obeying Thy voice; so the curse (e.g., see Lev 26:14, 15, 16, 17) has been poured out on us, along with the oath which is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we have sinned against Him. Thus He has confirmed His words which He had spoken against us and against our rulers who ruled us, to bring on us great calamity; for under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what was done to Jerusalem. As it is written in the law of Moses, all this calamity has come on us; yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our iniquity and giving attention to Thy truth. "Therefore, the LORD has kept the calamity in store and brought it on us; for the LORD our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done, but we have not obeyed His voice." (Da 9:11-14)

Specifically Daniel knew from reading the "law of Moses" that
 

"Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its crop, but during the seventh year the land (of Israel) shall have a sabbath rest, a sabbath to the Lord; you shall not sow your field nor prune your vineyard." (Lev 25:3-4)

In the following chapter (Leviticus 26) Daniel knew the blessings of obedience but the punishment for breaking the sabbath rest, for God declared
 

"I will scatter among the nations (fulfilled the first time in the exile to Babylon) and will draw out a sword after you, as your land becomes desolate and your cities become waste (which is what happened to Judah, Jerusalem and the Temple). Then the land will enjoy (Hebrew can mean satisfy a debt) its sabbaths all the days of the desolation, (11x in Jeremiah 23x in Ezekiel both prophesying of the Babylonian captivity) while you are in your enemies’ land; then the land will rest and enjoy (satisfy the debt of) its sabbaths. All the days of its desolation it will observe the rest which it did not observe on your sabbaths, while you were living on it." (Lev 26:33-35)

How many "sabbath rests" were to be "paid back"?  Seventy years, the time specified in Jeremiah (Jer 25:11, 12, 29:10) and explained in Second Chronicles where we read that

"those who had escaped from the sword he (Nebuchadnezzar) carried away to Babylon and they were servants to him and to his sons until the rule of the kingdom of Persia, to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed (satisfy the debt of) its sabbaths. All the days of its desolation it kept sabbath until seventy years were complete." (2Chr 36:20-21)

The 70 years in captivity was not chosen arbitrarily but was directly related to the number of "Sabbath Years"   Israel had not kept. So for how many years had Israel not kept the 70 cycles of "sabbath rests"?

One answer might be 70 years but in fact their disobedience covers seventy cycles of seven years or 490 years. Each year of captivity represented one seven-year cycle. So for a total of 490 years of Israel's approximately 800 year history (to 605BC when the 70 years exile began), the nation had failed to keep the "sabbath rest" for the land! Now look at the diagram below.

As Gabriel revealed Israel's future to Daniel, it would reasonable for Daniel to conclude that the future prophesy of "seventy units of seven" most logically also be in terms of years. There would be 490 years before Gods people would experience restoration reconciliation with their God as outlined in Ro 11:25, 26, 27 (see notes) and Zechariah 13:8, 9.  

6) Use in Rabbinic Literature:

Although shabua' (unit of seven) does not refer to years anywhere else in Scripture, shabua' does have this meaning in the Mishnah (Baba Metzia ix. 10; Sanhedrin v1), a collection of rabbinic laws compiled about 200AD.

The following discussion presents a number of points (some points overlap) that favor interpretation of a time "gap" between weeks 69 and 70. The church age, which is a mystery—that is, something not specifically foreseen in the OT, but now fully revealed in the NT (see Eph 3:2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)—fills that gap perfectly.

The detractors go to great lengths to try to disparage or denigrate these points, the sum total of which forms the basis of strong substantiation of a time gap. Those who do so seem to be primarily those who take the approach that God is finished with Israel, having "transferred" the promises from Israel to the church (which some go so far as to call "spiritual Israel"), and that the 1000 year reign of Messiah (Millennial Reign) on earth is a figment of an overactive theological imagination.
 

1) The six conditions in Daniel 9:24 must be fulfilled within the 70 "7's" and have not been accomplished historically.

For example, "to anoint the most holy", as discussed uses a Hebrew word for holy that is most often used of a place or thing and not of a person. The holy place therefore appears to most reasonably refer to the Jewish Temple, which was not anointed within 490 years. In fact the "holy place" was destroyed after, not during, the 490 years if one interprets them as literal years. So for this condition to be fulfilled, there has to be a rebuilt holy place or Temple  and that does not exist during this "gap" or "parenthesis" in time.

Kenneth Baker points out that...

All the remaining unfulfilled prophecies become unintelligible unless the present church age is regarded as a distinct period of time of unknown duration in God’s prophetic program (e.g., Israel’s great unconditional covenants; Matthew 24-25; 2 Thessalonians 2; Revelation 6-20; etc) (The Master's Journal. 1998. Sun Valley, CA: Master's Seminary)

2) The text specifies that Messiah will be cut off AFTER the 69 weeks.

It does not state that He is cut off DURING or IN THE MIDST of the 70th week. (Click for events of 70th week in chart format). In fact it should be noted that at least three events occur after the 69 weeks and before the 70th week...

(a) the cutting off of the Messiah (A.D. 30 or 33)

(b) the destruction of the city and temple of Jerusalem (A.D. 70)

(c) war and desolation until the decreed end (cf. Matt 24:6-30; Revelation 6-20).

3) Although not agreed upon by everyone, the "he" in Daniel 9:27 appears to best parallel the nearest antecedent "the prince who is to come" in Daniel 9:26.

This person parallels the description of a similar personage ("little horn") in Daniel 7:25, the individual described in Daniel 11:36ff, the beast in Revelation 11 and 13, the man of lawlessness in 2Thessalonians 2:3,4, and the description by Jesus in Matthew 24:15.

Clearly the Lord Jesus Himself placed the seventieth seven, with its reference to “the abomination of desolation,” at the end of the age just before His second advent to earth and identified it as the Great tribulation period (Matthew 24:21).

4) Daniel 9:27 describes the fact that the "he" will "put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering".

But if the "he" is Christ as some detractors to the time gap interpretation propose, the fact is that the Crucifixion of Messiah, although certainly putting an end to the NEED for Temple sacrifices (as shown by the veil of the Temple being torn in two and the statement, among others, in Hebrews that "we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh" Hebrews 10:19, 20), it is a fact that the sacrifices continued for over 30 years after the crucifixion, up to the time of the Roman destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. 

5) The scenario pictured in the last 3.5 years of Da 9:27 fits well with the events described in Revelation.

6) One of the strongest arguments for the literal fulfillment of the events in the 70th "seven" is that the events in the first 69 weeks were fulfilled literally. 

If the 70th week is taken as literal and one does not accept a gap of time, it is very difficult to virtually impossible to explain the events and the specific time break at the midpoint of the 7 years in terms of known past historical event. By "default" a literal interpretation most logically favors a 7 year period the events of which have not yet occurred.

7) There is ample precedent from Scripture and other passages in Daniel to support a   TIME GAP  between prophecies which are grammatically contiguous. Here are a few examples:

A) Isaiah 61:1-2: (See also study on Is 61:1,2, 3 - The Incredible Prophecy of Isaiah 61:1-3)
 

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and freedom to prisoners 2 To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God

In Luke 4:18,19 Jesus opened His ministry in the Jewish synagogue in Nazareth quoting from Isaiah but stopping after "to proclaim the favorable year of the LORD" The first portion of Isaiah's prophecy was fulfilled in Messiah's first coming. "The day of vengeance of our God" summarizes the the end time outpouring of God's righteous wrath as described for example in Revelation 6-19, and which culminates with His Second Coming.

Paul sums up this time, writing of the "day of vengeance"

"when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution ("vengeance" NKJV) to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed-- for our testimony to you was believed." (2Th1:7, 8, 9, 10)

B) Zechariah 9:9-10:

"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, humble, and mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 10 And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; and the bow of war will be cut off. And He will speak peace to the nations; and His dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

Zechariah 9:9 is quoted in part by Matthew and was fulfilled when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on "Palm Sunday". Matthew records

Now this took place that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, SAY TO THE DAUGHTER OF ZION, 'BEHOLD YOUR KING IS COMING TO YOU, GENTLE, AND MOUNTED ON A DONKEY, EVEN ON A COLT, THE FOAL OF A BEAST OF BURDEN. (Mt 21:4, 5, see also John 12:14,15.)

Zechariah 9:10 refers a time yet future when at the Second Coming the King of kings will establish peace and will rule from "sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth".

Note that the "time gap" or "parenthesis" separating the fulfillment of these prophecies has been almost 2000 years, the same time gap that a logical literal interpretation of Daniel 9:27 calls for.

C) See the chart below for time gaps in Daniel 2, 7 and 11, which furnish ample evidence that the a  TIME GAP  between Daniel's 69th and 70th week is not at all unreasonable.

R. Gundry observes: