Understanding Daniel 9:27: The Seventy Weeks Prophecy Explained

Daniel 9:27

27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the middle 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 on the desolate.

Daniel 9:27 describes the final seven-year period of a longer prophecy where the Messiah confirms the new covenant, brings an end to the sacrificial system through His death, and predicts the eventual desolation of Jerusalem. 🕊️ Daniel 9:27STTHD 65.3+1.

Confirming the Covenant

The "one week" mentioned represents the final seven years of the seventy-week prophecy, which is calculated using the day-for-a-year principle Numbers 14:34+1STTHD 65.3+2. During this specific week, the Messiah confirms the new covenant with many, specifically His disciples and those among the Hebrews who believed in HimSTTHD 65.3+1. This week began in the autumn of A.D. 27 with the baptism of Christ and His manifestation as the Anointed OneDAR1909 227.3+2.

The Midst of the Week

In the "midst" or middle of this week—exactly three and a half years after His ministry began—the Messiah was "cut off," which refers to His crucifixionSTTHD 65.3+2.

• The Timeframe: Since His ministry began in the autumn of A.D. 27, the middle of the week occurred in the spring of A.D. 31DAR1909 227.3+1.

• Ending the Sacrifices: By offering Himself as the perfect sacrifice on the cross, He caused the Jewish sacrifice and oblation to virtually ceaseSBBS 524.3+3.

• The Temple Veil: At the moment of His Passion, the veil of the temple was rent from top to bottom, signaling that the earthly ritual services were no longer recognized by God Matthew 27:51SBBS 524.3+1.

The Abomination of Desolation

The latter part of the verse addresses the "overspreading of abominations" and the resulting desolation of the city and sanctuarySTTHD 65.3+2.

• The Roman Army: The "abomination of desolation" refers to the Roman power and its armiesEMTF 28.1+2.

• The Signal for Flight: Jesus warned His followers that when they saw the idolatrous standards of the Roman armies standing on holy ground around Jerusalem, it was the signal to flee to the mountains for safety Matthew 24:15-16+1GC 25.4+2.

• The Destruction: Because the nation rejected the Messiah, the "tutelary power" that guarded the temple left them desolate, leading to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in A.D. 70 Daniel 9:26SBBS 524.3+2.

The Full Timeline

While the first half of the week (three and a half years) was filled by Christ’s personal ministry, the remaining three and a half years reached to the autumn of A.D. 34ASC 175.1+2. At this point, the martyrdom of Stephen and the formal rejection of the gospel by the Jewish Sanhedrin marked the end of the seventy weeks allotted to the Jewish people, and the apostles turned their efforts toward the Gentiles Acts 9:1-18ARSH December 23, 1852, page 123.6+1.