From: portland!tom@tredysvr.tredydev.unisys.com (Tom Albrecht)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian
Subject: Re: End times near?
Date: 10 Apr 92 02:58:06 GMT
Organization: Unisys - Applied Technology

Forgive me, Mr. Moderator, for resubmitting this article, but it seems that
periodically statements such as the one below are made which give the
impression that such views are universal within the Christian community. 
My intent is to focus on the matter Daniel 9:24-27, and show that the
opinion expressed in the original message is certainly not the only (or
even a majority) opinion within the evangelical Christian community, and
that reasonable alternative explanations of the passage exist.

In article <Apr.9.04.07.05.1992.16834@dartagnan.rutgers.edu> bresson@cbnewse.att.com (Barney Resson) writes:
>
>There are however parts of Daniel that have NEVER been fulfilled to this day.
>i) Daniel's seventith week (Dan 9.37-38) where a treaty for 7 years between
>Rome (the people of the prince to come) and Israel.
>The fruit of the seventy weeks of years has not come to pass yet - this
>will occur in the millenium.  ...

I believe Barney meant Daniel 9:27, since there is no verse 37 or 38.  Let's
look at the passage and get the context:

  (24) Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city,
  to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make
  reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness,
  and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

This verse gives us the context for the passage.  Daniel is told that a
period of 70 weeks are determined for completing six things:

          1) to finish transgression
          2) to make an end of sins,
          3) to make reconciliation for iniquity,
          4) to bring in everlasting righteousness,
          5) to seal up the vision and prophecy,
          6) to anoint the most Holy.

The question we must answer is, have all these things taken place, i.e.,
have they all been fulfilled, or is something still left?  In short, from
the requirements in verse 24 is there any reason to posit an as-yet-future
70th week?

  (25) Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the
  commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince
  shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be
  built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

Messiah will come after the first 69 weeks.  During this time the Temple
will be rebuilt.  I think most folks are in agreement on that one.

  (26) And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not
  for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy
  the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood,
  and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

Again, after the 69 weeks Messiah will be "cut off," and the "people of the
prince who shall come" will cause destruction to some upon Jerusalem and
the Temple.  And it will be a total desolation!  How long after the 69th
week?  To answer your implied question, just because the reference is
immediate, that does not mean the timing is also immediate. Does the
structure of this verse require us to place the destruction of Jerusalem
and the Temple in the 70th week?  I don't believe it does.

  (27) And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the
  midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,
  and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even
  until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the
  desolate.

I believe this verse relates directly to everything that has gone before.
The "he" refers to Messiah the prince.  That is the natural relationship
between verses 26 and 27.  Jesus "confirms" the New Covenant in His blood
during this one week period.  Jesus was sacrificed as the basis for the
covenant in "the midst of the week."  Jesus caused the sacrifices to cease
by virtue of His sacrifice once-for-all.  The Temple veil was ripped in two
from top to bottom (Matt. 27:51).  We know that Jesus' ministry lasted
about 3-4 years. If we include the early apostolic ministry, especially the
ministry to the Jews in Judea (the early chapters of the book of Acts), we
have another 3-4 years.  You might note that the severe persecution which
arose in Judea against the church effectively ended the ability of the
early disciples to evangelize their Jewish brethren (cf. Acts 8:1; 11:19).
This was the end of the so-called 70th week.

It is not clear that the last portion of verse 27 is a reference to the
actual timing of the "abomination of desolation," or whether the prophecy
is simply claiming that during the 70th week the determination is made that
there will be an "abomination."  Certainly, we know the Jews sealed their
own fate, and hence brought on the "abomination of desolation," by the
actions against Messiah in AD33.  Note the last phrase of verse 27: "and
that determined shall be poured upon the desolate."  The determination was
made, but the actual "pouring" was delayed.  This delay gave the apostles
an opportunity to preach the good news to many Jews living in Jerusalem and
Judea prior to their destruction.

I believe it is an unnatural interpretation of Scripture to require a
future Temple be built so that a future "abomination" can occur.  Jesus
predicted the "abomination" in Matthew 24:15, and according the the
parallel passage in Luke 21 we know that that abomination referred to the
armies of Titus which surrounded the city in AD70 (at least that's the way
the Christians in Jerusalem before AD70 understood it).  It's plain from
Jesus' interpretation of Daniel 9 that He understood it to be speaking of
events that would fall upon "this generation," and He warned His disciples
to be prepared.

I believe it is incorrect interpretation to separate the first 69 weeks of
the Daniel 9 prophecy from the 70th week by an unknown period of time.
There is no reason to do so since all the conditions of the 70 weeks have
been fulfilled.

I believe all the conditions of Daniel 9:24 were satisfied in the
continuous time period, mostly during the 70th week.  Therefore, Daniel's
entire prophecy is a matter of history.


-- 
Tom Albrecht