The 70th Week of Daniel
A Time of Great Tribulation and Distress - Daniel 9:27
At that time shall Michael arise, the great prince who watches over the children of your people. And there shall be a time of distress unparalleled since the beginning of the nation until that time. (Daniel 12:1a)*
In Daniel chapter 9, the angel Gabriel provides a timeline of future events that cover a period of “70 weeks”. These weeks are 7 years long, so the prophecy actually covers 490 years. After 69 weeks, an anointed one is cut off and the temple destroyed. Then there appears to be a gap of unknown duration between week 69 and 70 when there shall be war. The 70th week is what people generally think of as the “end times” or the “tribulation” period. This is what Gabriel has to say about the 70th week of his prophesy.
He shall make a firm covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who destroys, and even until a complete destruction, until the decreed end is poured out on the one who destroys." (Daniel 9:27)*1
The Basic Timeline
In this verse, the angel Gabriel provides a concise summary of key milestones in this final seven year period of the prophesy.
It begins with a firm covenant made with many.
In the middle of the week, the sacrifice and offering will cease.
One who destroys will rise to power on the wing of abominations.
The one who destroys will come to his end at the close of the week.
There are more timelines revealed in chapters 8 and 12 which seem to begin at the mid-point of this final week of tribulation. The vision in chapter 8 reveals a time of 2300 days when the sanctuary and the host are trampled. At the end of this time the sanctuary will be restored.
[13] Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who spoke, "How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression that makes desolate, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled?"
[14] He said to me, "To two thousand and three hundred evenings and mornings; then shall the sanctuary be restored to its rightful state."
(Daniel 8:13-14)*
In the final chapter, Daniel learns that there will be 1290 days from the time the daily sacrifice is cut off and the abomination that causes desolation is set up. These events happen at the mid-point of the 7 year tribulation period so this timeline will extend from the middle of the tribulation until 30 days past the end of the seven years. Then it adds a blessing to those who wait until 1335 days have elapsed.
[11] From the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred ninety days.
[12] Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred thirty-five days.
(Daniel 12:11-12)*
It will take time to fully establish the kingdom. It seems as if the worst of the tribulation is over at the end of the 7 years, but it will take another 2 years to restore things to their proper state.
The Holy Covenant
“He shall make a firm covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease.”
The 70th week begins with a holy covenant being made with many. Not much is said about this covenant, so it is difficult to discern exactly what it means. The text doesn’t specify exactly who the “many” are and the same goes for the person making the covenant. Is “He” in reference to the “anointed one”, or is it the “prince who shall come”, or perhaps someone completely different?
The covenant is mentioned several times in Daniel chapter 11. Beginning in verse 21, Daniel describes the rise and fall of a despicable person who becomes a powerful ruler in the last days. This would be the same as the “prince who shall come” mentioned in Daniel 9:26. It is said that this despicable person will profane the sanctuary and the fortress and will take away the daily burnt offering.
Forces shall come at his order, and they shall profane the sanctuary and the fortress, and shall take away the daily burnt offering, and they shall set up the abomination that causes desolation. (Daniel 11:31)*
Most believe that this is the person who makes the firm covenant for one week. He then forsakes the covenant at the middle of the week when he profanes the sanctuary. The problem is that this same despicable person will sweep away and defeat the “prince of the covenant”.
[21] In his place shall arise a despicable person, to whom the honor of kingship had not been given, but he shall come in a time of prosperity, and shall obtain the kingdom through deceit. [22] And large armies shall be swept away and shattered before him, as well as the prince of the covenant. (Daniel 11:21-22)*
What is very clear from the last half of this chapter is that this despicable ruler hates the covenant, fights against the covenant, rewards people who forsake the covenant and will flatter those who oppose it. Every time the covenant is mentioned in chapter 11, this despicable ruler is always against the covenant, against the prince of the covenant and against the people who know their God.
Then shall he return into his land with great property; and his mind shall be against the holy covenant. And he shall take action, and then return to his own land. (Daniel 11:28)*
[30] For ships from Kittim shall come against him; therefore he shall be intimidated, and shall turn back, and be enraged against the holy covenant, and shall take action. He shall turn back, and show regard to those who forsake the holy covenant. [31] Forces shall come at his order, and they shall profane the sanctuary and the fortress, and shall take away the daily burnt offering, and they shall set up the abomination that causes desolation. [32] And those who act wickedly toward the covenant he shall corrupt by smooth words; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and take action. (Daniel 11:30-32)*
Since the despicable ruler is said to shatter the prince of the covenant, these must be two separate people. There is a mystery here which is difficult to understand. Who actually makes this covenant?
The Sacrifice and Offering Cease
“and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease.”
The sacrifice and offering is mentioned several times in Daniel with slight variations. In chapter 9 it’s called the sacrifice and offering, in chapter 11 it is the daily burnt offering, in chapters 8 and 12 it is the daily sacrifice. In each case the daily sacrifice is taken away or halted.
[11] And it magnified itself, even against the Prince of the host; and it took away from him the daily sacrifice, and the place of his sanctuary was thrown down. [12] The host was given over to it together with the daily sacrifice because of transgression. And it cast down truth to the ground, and kept prospering. [13] Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who spoke, "How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression that makes desolate, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled?" [14] He said to me, "To two thousand and three hundred evenings and mornings; then shall the sanctuary be restored to its rightful state." (Daniel 8:11-14)*Forces shall come at his order, and they shall profane the sanctuary and the fortress, and shall take away the daily burnt offering, and they shall set up the abomination that causes desolation. (Daniel 11:31)*
From the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred ninety days. (Daniel 12:11)*
Many people ignore the symbolism and assume this is talking about the sacrificial system of the old covenant under the law of Moses. Therefore, in order for this prophecy to be fulfilled, the temple must be rebuilt and the system of animal sacrifice would have to be reinstated. However, it seems like a step backward for Israel to return to the old covenant when a new covenant has already been established through the body and blood of Christ. Why would Israel not come to God through Christ who has fulfilled the law of Moses in his suffering, death and resurrection?
The prophet Joel wrote about this as part of the suffering during the last days. He said the priests and ministers would mourn because the grain offerings and drink offerings are cut off from the Lord’s house.
[8] Mourn like a virgin dressed in sackcloth for the husband of her youth! [9] The meal offering and the drink offering are cut off from the LORD's house. The priests, the LORD's ministers, mourn. (Joel 1:8-9)*
Put on sackcloth and mourn, you priests! Wail, you ministers of the altar. Come, lie all night in sackcloth, you ministers of my God, for the meal offering and the drink offering are withheld from your God's house. (Joel 1:13)*
The grain offering2 consisted of fine flour, oil, and frankincense. It could be baked into unleavened bread and it was frequently offered with a drink offering of wine.
"'When anyone offers a grain offering to the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil on it, and put frankincense on it. (Leviticus 2:1)*
Jesus initiated the new covenant3 with a form of this grain and drink offering. He told his disciples to do this in his memory until the time of his return.
[19] He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and gave to them, saying, "This is my body which is given for you. Do this in memory of me." [20] Likewise, he took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the New Covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. (Luke 22:19-20)*
The grain and drink offering is the bridge to connect the culture of Joel and Daniel with our own. It represented public worship to the ancient Jews. In the same way, celebrating communion with bread and wine is a key symbol of public worship in modern Christian culture.
Causing the sacrifice and offering to cease is the same as cutting off the grain and drink offering, which is the same as forbidding public worship with bread and wine in our day. This prophesy may not be saying that the Antichrist will stop animal sacrifices in a temple in Jerusalem. It could mean that public worship will be forbidden as the enemy attempts to force God’s people to become isolated from God and from each other.
The seven year tribulation period begins with a firm covenant made with the people. In the middle of that time the daily sacrifice and offering will be stopped. All religious observation and public worship will be forbidden. The final marker in the 70th week of Daniel is the abomination of desolation which will be covered in the next chapter.
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Biblical Reverences
*All Scripture quotations are from the New Heart English Bible unless specifically designated otherwise. The New Heart English Bible [NHEB] is in the public domain. https://nheb.net/
Grain and Drink offering: see Leviticus chapter 2
The Last Supper: see Luke chapter 22