What are the meanings of the 70 weeks and 2,300 days mentioned in Daniel 8 and 9?
The 70-week prophecy connected to the 2,300-day prophecy is found in the book of Daniel, chapters 8 and 9. This prophecy focuses on Jesus the Messiah. It highlights Christ’s baptism, His death, and mediation as the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world.
Daniel 9 is situated in the middle of four major parallel prophetic visions of which Jesus as Messiah is the central focus. Jesus is:
- The “Stone” of Daniel 2
- The “Son of man” in Daniel 7
- The “Prince of princes” in Daniel 8
- The “Prince of the covenant” in Daniel 11
Therefore, Daniel 9 is central to each one of these parallel prophecies since it highlights the covenant faithfulness of Jesus Christ. In Gabriel’s explanation of the relationship between the 2,300-day prophecy and the 70-week prophecy, he gives a point-by-point outline of when Messiah will come, be anointed, be cut-off, and confirm the covenant (Daniel 9:24–27).
Daniel 9 is Heaven’s response to Daniel’s difficulty with understanding the cleansing of the sanctuary at the end of 2,300 days in chapter 8 (Daniel 8:14). It doesn’t make sense to Daniel because, at this point, there is no sanctuary; so how can it be cleansed in 2,300 days?
At first, Daniel searches the Bible to understand how the 70-year Babylonian captivity might relate to the 2,300 days (Jeremiah 25:11–12; Daniel 8:26–27). Then Daniel sought God in prayer for understanding.
Let’s look at what he says:
“In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the lineage of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans—in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the Lord through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.” Daniel 9:1–3
Clarification
It was in answer to this earnest prayer that the angel Gabriel came to give Daniel further insight (Daniel 9:20–24). Gabriel then explains the 2,300-day prophecy in more detail in Daniel 9, breaking it down into two major sections:
“‘Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times. And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, and till the end of the war desolations are determined. Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate.’” Daniel 9:24–27
These four verses highlight the central message of Daniel’s book—and the entire Bible. They speak in prophetic language of the coming of the Messiah, the Covenant Prince. One thought shines out crystal clear: “And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself” (Daniel 9:26).
The English word “Messiah” in Daniel 9:25–26 comes from the Hebrew word mashiyach, meaning “anointed” (see Strong’s Concordance #4899), and here refers to Christ, the “anointed One” (Luke 4:18). This prophecy speaks to the birth of Christ and His anointing by the Holy Spirit and finally His ultimate death for the sins of the world (John 1:29). Christ died for us, and not for Himself. His death was for the iniquities of us all (Isaiah 53:6).
The four verses of Daniel 9:24–27 offer a prophetic picture of a series of events that relate to the Messiah and the temple. The outline looks like this:
Verse 24:
Messiah – “…finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.”
Jerusalem Temple – “Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city.”
Verse 25:
Messiah – “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks….”
Jerusalem Temple – “…the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times.”
Verse 26:
Messiah – “…Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself….”
Jerusalem Temple – “…And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, and till the end of the war desolations are determined.”
Verse 27:
Messiah – “Then He shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering….”
Jerusalem Temple – “…And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate.”
In Summary:
Messiah would take care of our sins, transgression, and iniquity, bring in everlasting righteousness, seal up the vision and prophecy, and anoint the Most Holy. He would be anointed with the Spirit at the end of 69 prophetic weeks. Then, in the middle of the 70th week, Messiah would be cut-off/crucified. Christ’s death would bring the ceremonial law of animal sacrifice for sin to an end.
The Jerusalem Temple would be rebuilt within 49 years, even in difficult times, then be destroyed by the Romans, bringing desolation and abominations, and would lay desolate until the very end of time, when desolations decreed are poured out on the lost.
The 70 Weeks
Gabriel breaks the 2,300-day prophecy into two major time frames. The first portion of time was 70 weeks allotted to the children of Israel to “finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.” Daniel 9:24. Then Gabriel breaks the 70-weeks into three basic pieces:
- 69 weeks – to the Messiah
- 7 weeks – of the 69 for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple
- 1 week – the final 70th week during which Messiah is cut off and the covenant is confirmed
It will be helpful to see the 70-weeks as days, so let’s outline them as such in the following equation:
70 prophetic weeks x 7 days in a week = 490 prophetic days.
Now let’s highlight the 490 prophetic days (70 weeks) of this prophecy as it directs us to “Messiah the Prince.”
The prophecy states that from the going forth of the decree to rebuild Jerusalem “until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks” (Daniel 9:25). This is 69 prophetic weeks or 483 prophetic days. It is a key time marker of the 70-week time period because it takes us to Messiah.
If we take this prophetic time literally, Daniel himself could have looked for Messiah to be born in his day, for He would have to appear 483 literal days from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem. We know now that this decree was made in Daniel’s time, but the Messiah was not. Therefore, we must look for an understanding of the 483 days that connects us to Messiah.
Such a connection can be found in understanding a biblical principle of prophetic interpretation simply called the day-for-a-year principle. The Bible says that God appointed “each day for a year.” Ezekiel 4:6 (KJV); Numbers 14:34 (KJV). Applying this day-for-a-year principle helps us understand the application of this prophecy to Messiah, who was to be born over 400 years later.
Let’s apply this “one prophetic day = one literal year” principle to Daniel’s prophecy
483 prophetic days = 483 literal years.
When understood in the context of the day-for-a-year principle, this time prophecy predicted Messiah some 483 years, (rather than literal days), from Daniel’s time. He would appear and be anointed in the early first century AD.
The Two Caesars
The historical data we need to confirm the application of this biblical principle to the 70-week prophecy is found in the New Testament book of Luke. First Luke records the birth of Christ under Augustus Caesar. Then Luke records the baptism of Christ under Tiberius Caesar. Two very significant Roman rulers are identified by name to establish Daniel’s prophetic date.
The first historical record that will affirm beyond a shadow of a doubt the day-for-year application of Daniel’s prophetic timeline is found in Luke’s account of the birth of Christ:
“And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.” Luke 2:1–5
This account connects Christ’s birth to the reign of Augustus Caesar, 27 BC to AD 14, which is over 400 years from Daniel’s time. So far so good. Remember we are looking for Messiah to be anointed 483 years from Daniel’s day.
The next Scripture reference gives us a historical year for the baptism of Jesus:
“Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying: ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight”’” Luke 3:1–4
Luke’s detailed historical account of not only Augustus and Tiberius, but also of the local governor, rulers, and high priests, is intentional and unique to his gospel. Luke’s purpose was to connect history first to Christ’s birth, and then to His baptism recorded just a few verses later:
“When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, ‘You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.’ Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age….” Luke 3:21–23
Luke confirms Daniel’s Messianic time prophecy by pinpointing the very year that Christ was baptized. The fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar is the biblical marker for the baptism of Jesus. Then Luke connects the account of Christ’s baptism to the anointing of the Holy Spirit:
“The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all—that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” Acts 10:36–38
The word “Messiah” in Daniel means the “anointed,” so Luke’s intention was to establish the historicity of Messiah by pinpointing the very year of Christ’s baptism/anointing by the Holy Spirit, beyond any doubt. (Right after His baptism, John also recorded Jesus as “‘…the Messiah,’ which is translated, the Christ.” John 1:41.)
The book of Daniel predicted the event over 400 years before it happened.
The book of Luke confirmed the event as it happened, over 400 years later.
Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit in AD 27—483 years from the beginning of the 70-week prophecy in Daniel 9.
The Fifteenth Year of Tiberius Caesar
Historical accounts of the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar take us to the year AD 27. The following references pinpoint the beginning reign of Tiberius to AD 13:
“In AD 13 Tiberius’ constitutional powers were renewed on equal terms with those of Augustus, making his succession inevitable, as the elderly Augustus died in AD 14.” (The Roman Empire – Peole & the Early Emperors, www.roman-empire.net/emperors/tiberius.html)
“From A.D. 4 to 14 Tiberius was clearly Augustus’s successor. When he was adopted, he also received grants of proconsular power and tribunician power; and in A.D. 13 his proconsular power was made co-extensive with that of Augustus. In effect, Tiberius was now co-princeps with Augustus so that when the latter finally died on 19 August A.D. 14, Tiberius’s position was unassailable and the continuation of the Principate a foregone conclusion. After 55 years living at the behest of his stepfather, Tiberius finally assumed the mantle of sole power.” (De Imperatoribus Romanis – An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Emperors, www.roman-emperors.sites.luc.edu/tiberius.htm)
“The last year of his life, Augustus shared the rule with Tiberius and when he died, Tiberius was voted emperor by the senate.” (N. S. Gill, “A Look at the Lives of the First 12 Roman Emperors,” https://www.thoughtco.com/coins-of-the-12-caesars-4126834).
Tiberius began his reign as “co-princeps” with Augustus Caesar in AD 13, the year before the death of Augustus in AD 14. This then was the first year of the rule of Tiberius Caesar.
Counting 15 years forward from AD 13 takes us to AD 27 as noted in the following outline:
AD 13 = 1st year
AD 14 = 2nd year
AD 15 = 3rd year
AD 16 = 4th year
AD 17 = 5th year
AD 18 = 6th year
AD 19 = 7th year
AD 20 = 8th year
AD 21 = 9th year
AD 22 =10th year
AD 23 = 11th year
AD 24 = 12th year
AD 25 = 13th year
AD 26 = 14th year
AD 27 = 15th year
According to Luke’s inspired account of biblical history, Jesus was anointed in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar. The historical account of Luke establishes the prophetic reckoning made by Daniel:
“…from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks….” Daniel 9:25. The 69 prophetic weeks translate into 483 literal years. (Applying the day-for-a-year principle of prophetic interpretation, 69 weeks = 483 prophetic days/literal years).
So from AD 27, the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, we simply count back 483 literal years to find the beginning date for the 70-week prophecy:
483 years
– 27 (AD)
= 456 BC
– 1 (for zero year)
= 457 BC
This is not complicated math. If we start counting back 483 years from AD 27, we arrive at 457 BC.
Let’s double-check with a different approach.
Instead of subtracting 27 from 483, we can add 27 and 457, like this: 27 + 457 = 484. Then we subtract one year for the transition from AD to BC. (Since there is no “zero-year” between AD and BC, AD 1 becomes 1 BC in one year). So 484 minus 1 = 483. Both of these equations lead to the same simple conclusion:
In AD 27, Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit—precisely 483 years from 457 BC.
Either way we do the math, we arrive at the same simple conclusion: based on Luke’s gospel account of Jesus’ birth and baptism and His being “anointed” with the Holy Spirit, we have the fulfillment of the prophecy of Daniel. It pinpoints the anointing of Jesus as Messiah 483 years after the decree to build Jerusalem. Historical data confirms that the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar was the year AD 27. Jesus was anointed that year, according to biblical New Testament records. Tracing back from AD 27 takes us back to 457 BC. This would be the starting point of the 2,300-day prophecy—and the ending point would be 1844.
This date marks the prophetic prediction of the cleansing of the sanctuary, also understood to be the Day of Atonement or Final Judgment for God’s people (Daniel 8:14; Leviticus 16; Revelation 11:1). Based on Messiah, this 2,300 day-for-a-year prophecy pinpoints our salvation in Jesus Christ, our Advocate in the Judgment. The Bible directs us to the hour of God’s judgment, during which believers have an Advocate with the Father, “Jesus Christ, the righteous” (1 John 2:1–2, Revelation 14:7).
The Messiah
Mark’s gospel account records these words of Jesus just after His baptism:
“…’The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.’” Mark 1:15
The “time” Jesus referred to was the fulfillment of the 483-year portion of the 2,300-day-for-a-year prophecy pointing to the very year of His baptism/anointing and the start of His public ministry as Messiah.
This confirmation by Jesus left one prophetic week (7 prophetic days) or 7 literal years for the fulfillment of this last week in the 70-week prophecy. According to the context of Daniel’s prophecy, this 70th week was to include the death of Messiah the prince:
“‘And after [seven weeks from verse 25 and] the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself….’” Daniel 9:26
“…But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering….” Daniel 9:27
It was after the 69 weeks (483 literal years), in the “middle of the week” (3½ years into the 70th week), that Christ was to be “cut-off” (Daniel 9:26–27). That is, three-and-a-half years after His baptism, in the middle of the 70th week, Christ would give His life as the ultimate sacrifice for the sin of the world. This sacrifice is the capstone of the 70-week prophetic timeline.
The prophecy allotted 70 weeks or 490 years “to finish the transgression,” “make an end of sins,” “make reconciliation for iniquity,” and “bring in everlasting righteousness.” This had to happen before the 70 weeks ended.
Christ and only Christ could accomplish these tasks. This is why Daniel was told:
“Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks….” Daniel 9:25
Daniel was to “know and understand” that Messiah was to come in 483 years, because only He could finish transgressions, make an end of sin, and make reconciliation for iniquity before the allotted 490 years (70-weeks) were to end!
This is a second biblical affirmation that Jesus is Messiah. The two foundational biblical facts are as follows:
- The historical data and dates outlined by the day-for-a-year prophecies of Daniel and confirmed by the historical accounts of Luke lead directly to Jesus being anointed as Christ.
- Jesus Christ alone accomplished every specification of the prophecy as it applies to salvation. Only Jesus Christ has atoned for the transgression, sin, and iniquity, bringing in the gift of His everlasting righteousness, sealing up the vision and prophecy, and anointing the heavenly sanctuary at His ascension.
Jesus is the only one who can meet every specification of Daniel’s prophecy—He is the only One who can be Messiah!
This is a key point of prophetic interpretation. Jesus came at the right time, historically and prophetically. He did what no human being ever has done or ever will do—He single-handedly saved the world. The 70-week prophecy cannot be applied to any other place or person, because only Jesus meets all of its specifications and fulfills all its predictions. Applying this prophecy to somebody else means rejecting Christ and finding another Messiah!
Summary
The gospel of Luke records the reign of Augustus and Tiberius Caesar, giving us the birth date and the exact year of Jesus’ baptism and His anointing as Messiah in AD 27. Tracing the prophetic prophecy of Daniel back from this date 483 prophetic days/literal years brings us to 457 BC. This is the beginning date of the 70-week/2,300-day prophecy pointing to Messiah the Prince, who would come to:
- Finish the transgression
- and make an end of sins
- and make reconciliation for iniquity
- and bring in everlasting righteousness
- and seal up the vision
- and prophecy
- and anoint the most Holy (Daniel 9:24).
Only Christ could have fulfilled this prophecy to the letter. Messiah accomplished the tasks that none other could ever do. The application to Jesus Christ is profound, accurate, and sure. It announces the greatest act of self-sacrificing love ever manifested in the Universe. Time prophecy is no longer boring mathematics. In Christ, prophecy becomes the last great hope for humanity. Amen.