Page 270 - Daniel

There is really no ground for dogmatism here. The suggestion that it
refers to the holy of holies in the New Jerusalem has much to commend
itself. On the other hand, the other items all seem to be fulfilled before
the second advent, and the seventieth week itself concludes at that time.
If fulfillment is necessary before the second advent, it would probably

rule out Keil, Leupold, and Gaebelein, although millennial fulfillment
could be regarded as part of the second advent. The six items are not in
chronological order, so it would not violate the text to have this
prophecy fulfilled at any time in relation to the consummation. If
complete fulfillment is found in Antiochus Epiphanes, as liberal critics

conclude, or in Christ’s first coming as characterizes amillenarians like
Young, this reduces the perspective. But if the final seven years is still
eschatologically future, it broadens the possibility of fulfillment to the
second advent of Christ and events related to it such as the millennial
temple.

THE FULFILLMENT OF THE SIXTY-NINE WEEKS (9:25)

9:25 “Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the
word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one,
a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty–two weeks it shall
be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time.”

The specific sequence of events begins with “the going out of the word
to restore and build Jerusalem.” Daniel was to “know” the main facts of

this prophecy, but it is questionable whether he actually understood it.
Daniel later confessed that he did not understand every aspect of what
had been revealed to him (Dan. 12:8), although the general assurance of
God’s divine purpose must have comforted him. The history of the
interpretation of these verses confirms the fact that this prophecy is
difficult and requires spiritual discernment.

The key to the interpretation of the entire passage is found in the
phrase “from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem.”
The question of the terminus a quo, the date on which the seventy sevens
begin, is obviously most important both in interpreting the prophecy and

in finding suitable fulfillment. The date is identified as being the one in