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TOPIC: Gordon, Samuel Dickey - Quiet Talks About Our Lord's Return (Other Topics in this Collection)
SUBJECT: 28. Seventy Sevens
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Seventy Sevens
We want to look now a little more closely at the three in which occurs the phrase "the abomination of desolation," which our Lord wants us to understand. The phrase occurs three times in the last two of these, and in another form in the second also. These passages are of intense interest, and take much prayerful, meditative study to get a broad grasp of just what is meant to be told to us. But a few of the simpler surface things may be noted here.
In the third vision, the ninth chapter, Daniel had been brooding over his Jeremiah roll, especially its prophesy of a restoration in seventy years. [Note: Dan_9:2.] This sets him to a bit of special praying. The prayer is a remarkable bit of confession and pleading. It runs through verses three to nineteen. Then Gabriel gives the answer. Note his opening sentence, after explaining why he had come. Remember Daniel is thinking about two things, a restoration of the Jewish Kingdom, and "seventy years" as the time set before that restoration would take place.
In his reply Gabriel goes back to the Jeremiah promise about seventy years. He says "seventy weeks are decreed upon thy people" and so on. We must stop a moment to look at the translation here. Both the old version and the revisions use the translation "seventy weeks." The word "weeks" is not inaccurate in itself. But in translation as in interpretation there is frequently a choice of words which may accurately be used in one language for a given word in another language. And so it is always needful for good work that the general sense of the whole passage be gotten, to decide which one of two or more words will more accurately express that sense. Here the word underneath "weeks" means literally "seven" or the plural "sevens." It is accurately translated "week" where a week of seven days is the plain meaning of the general text. Here the word stands in contrast with the word "years" in verse two of the chapter. The general sense of the passage, with other related passages, seems to indicate that it means seven years rather than seven days.
Gabriel says "seventy sevens are decreed upon thy people," and so on. That is to say his answer goes beyond Daniel's thought, and Jeremiah's phrase, of "seventy years," to something beyond, still dealing however with the. same general subject of the restoration of the Jewish Kingdom. This period of seventy sevens is "to finish (or put a restraint upon) transgression, and to make an end of sins (or to put an end to its power for a time), and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy one." It is a remarkable sentence;—transgression and sin are to be restrained, reconciliation made for iniquity, everlasting righteousness brought to the front, all prophetic vision and utterance fulfilled, and the most Holy One anointed to reign. Daniel must have listened with throbbing heart as he is told of such a climax for his dearly-loved race.
Then Gabriel gives some general details. This period called seventy sevens of years is broken up into three parts, a seven, a sixty-two, and a final seven. These first two periods, covering sixty-nine sevens of years, come to a close at the time when the "Anointed One" is cut off. This would seem plainly to refer to the crucifixion of Christ. [Note: "the anointed one," as the Hebrew word, "Messiah," and the later Greek word, "Christ," signify.] At this point there comes a break in the reckoning; and then after this break, there is a final seven of years.
This final seven years is marked by several things. There is an agreement, or compact, by the Jewish national leaders with the leader, or prince, of the people through whom the city of Jerusalem was later destroyed. This compact is to be for seven years. During that period the old-time sacrifices are being offered in the temple at Jerusalem. It is in the midst of this period of seven years that this compact is broken, the sacrifices are stopped, and the event of which Jesus speaks takes place, namely, the abomination of desolation is set up in the holy place.
Going back for a moment to our Lord's Olivet Talk, we remember that this is the opening event of the time of great tribulation, that this time was connected there with His coming, which would occur at the close of the period of tribulation, and be for the purpose of setting up the Kingdom. That Coming not having yet taken place, all this group of events is thus placed somewhere still future.
Thus there would be a re-setting up of the Jewish nation at Jerusalem, and a rebuilding of the temple. But this Jewish movement would not be in dependence upon God, or by faith in Him, for the nation thus re-made, or its leader, makes a compact with an ungodly leader who proves to be a treacherous enemy, and through whom the abomination which begins the time of tribulation is set up. Here, then, is a period of Jewish nationalization, on a worldly, unbelieving basis, before the real Kingdom is set up.
One interesting thing about this passage is that it fixes a date, that is, not an absolute calendar date, but a date in relation to the Coming, and so of the Kingdom. The abomination that maketh desolate is set up here in the middle of the period called a seven of years. There will be an additional item to note on this in the last part of the last vision. [Note: Daniel 11.]