Daniel 9:24-27 is the famous “Seventy weeks” prophecy of the Book of Daniel. Most contemporary theologians and Bible scholars agree that verses 24 to 26 are talking about the Messiah, Jesus Christ, but they say the final “week” or seven years has not happened yet but will be the last seven years just before the return of Christ. They also say that the “he” of verse 27 is the future Antichrist and the “covenant with many for one week” is some kind of religious pact or treaty that the Antichrist will make with the Jews which will permit the rebuilding of the Temple of Solomon so that the Antichrist will set up the Abomination of Desolation inside it and proclaim himself to be God. Would you consider that a fair assessment of current fundamentalist eschatology? It’s what I believed most of my Christian life up to the end of 2014. Since then, I believe reading all that from Daniel 9:27 is pure speculation!

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. — Daniel 9:27 KVJ

The fact is, most Protestant leaders up to sometime in the 19th century did not hold the view that Daniel 9:27 will be fulfilled by a future Antichrist, but that it was already fulfilled by Jesus Christ! The “covenant with many” is the new covenant of grace, and the 7 years is the time from when Jesus started His ministry till the time Stephen was stoned by the Pharisees. Don’t believe it? Please read what the Protestant Reformers had to say about it:

Martin Luther on the 70th Week of Daniel

The Prophet Daniel desired to know the definite time when this should come to pass, but he could not learn it, and although the angel pointed out a definite time, it was nevertheless too dark for the prophet to understand, hence he said before: But at last, at the last time, you shall see everything, that is, your prophecy, that is to be revealed to you, shall transpire at the end of time. For when Christ sent out the Gospel through the ministry of himself and of the Apostles, it lasted three or three and a half years, that it almost amounts to the calculation of Daniel, namely the 490 years. Hence he also says, Christ shall take a half a week, in which the daily offerings shall cease; that is, the priesthood and reign of the Jews shall have an end; which all took place in the three and a half years in which Christ preached, and was almost completed in four years after Christ, in which the Gospel prospered the most, especially in Palestine through the Apostles (that when they opened their mouth, the Holy Ghost fell as it were, from heaven, as we see in the Acts of the Apostles), so that a whole week, or seven years, established the covenant, as Daniel says; that is, the Gospel was preached to the Jews, of which we spoke before. Now, when the time came that a new message or sermon began, there must also begin a new kingdom, that is, where Christ rules spiritually in our hearts through the Word and faith.

Source: Martin Luther. Sermon for the Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Trinity; Matthew 24:15-28. The Sermons of Martin Luther, published by Baker Book House (Grand Rapids, MI, 1983). Volume V., pp. 365-366.

As you can see, Martin Luther called the 70th Week of Daniel the ministry of Christ and His apostles to the house of Israel.

John Calvin on the 70th Week of Daniel

Now, therefore, we understand why the angel says, Christ should confirm the covenant for one week, and why that week was placed last in order. In this week will he confirm the covenant with many.

Source: http://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/calcom25.iv.xxxvi.html?bcb=right

Isaac Newton on the 70th Week of Daniel

If with some you reckon that Christ was born three or four years before the vulgar account, yet his birth will fall in the latter part of the last week, which is enough. How after these weeks Christ was cut off and the city and sanctuary destroyed by the Romans, is well known.

Yet shall he confirm the covenant with many for one week. He kept it, notwithstanding his death, till the rejection of the Jews, and calling of Cornelius and the Gentiles in the seventh year after his passion.

Source: Observations upon the Prophecies of Daniel, by Isaac Newton

Geneva Bible notes about Daniel 9:27

9:27 And he (a) 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 (b) cease, (c) and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make [it] desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

(a) By the preaching of the Gospel he affirmed his promise, first to the Jews, and after to the Gentiles.

(b) Christ accomplished this by his death and resurrection.

(c) Meaning that Jerusalem and the sanctuary would be utterly destroyed because of their rebellion against God, and their idolatry: or as some read, that the plague will be so great, that they will all be astonished at them.

The Timeline of Daniel 9:24-27 Illustrated

This meme is courtesy of David Nikao Wilcoxson 70thweekofdaniel.com

Further study:

1. The 70th Week Of Daniel Covenant Deception
2. Daniel’s Prophecy of 70 Weeks

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