Purpose
Daniel 9 first mentions the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 (v26) and then the covenant of the 70th week (v27). If that means that the 70th week follows after AD 70, then there must be a gap between the first 483 years and the last 7, for the first 483 years ended some 40 years before AD 70, at the time of Christ.
However, this article shows that the prophecy does not list events chronologically. The main purpose here is to explain what the real chronological sequence of those events is.
Events are not Chronological.
Firstly, note that Daniel 9 does not describe events in chronological sequence. For example:
(1) Verse 25 first mentions the Messiah’s appearance and then the rebuilding of the city. In reality, the city was rebuilt four centuries before the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
(2) The temple is destroyed in verse 26. Then, in verse 27, sacrifices end. But after the temple has been destroyed, there are no sacrifices to cease.
(3) The city is destroyed in verse 26, then follows the final week in verse 27. However, since the full 70 weeks have been determined for the city (v24), the city will only be destroyed AFTER the end of all 70 weeks.
Poetic Pattern
To determine the real sequence of events, note that the prophecy alternates between two foci: Jerusalem and the Messiah:
| JERUSALEM | MESSIAH |
| 25 … from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem | until Messiah the Prince |
| There will be seven weeks | and sixty-two weeks; |
| It will be built again … | 26 Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off … |
| and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city … | 27 And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week, he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; |
| … complete destruction, one that is decreed … |
Jerusalem Events
The Jerusalem events are in chronological sequence: Daniel prayed for Jerusalem (Dan 9:18). Gabriel told him that seventy weeks were decreed for the city, beginning with “the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem” (Dan 9:25). It is “built again” (v25), but Daniel also had to hear that people “will destroy the city” (v26).
In this pattern, the “seven weeks” (49 years) are the period during which Jerusalem was rebuilt.
This pattern also means that the complete destruction of verse 27 is the destruction of Jerusalem. In other words, verse 27 repeats the destruction of Jerusalem in verse 26. A later article will provide more evidence for this conclusion.
Messiah Events
The Messiah events are also in chronological sequence: The Messiah will appear at the end of the 7+62 weeks (483 years) (v25), but he will be “cut off” (v26), which means to be killed. In this pattern, the “he,” who confirms the covenant and puts a stop to sacrifice (v27), is the Messiah (Jesus Christ).
Relationship between Jerusalem and the Messiah
However, overall, the sequence of events is not chronological. The question is, in what sequence are events listed?
Verse 25 mentions the Messiah immediately after the rebuilding of Jerusalem:
“From the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince …”
This implies that the city was rebuilt to receive the Messiah.
Verse 26 mentions the destruction of Jerusalem immediately after the killing of the Messiah:
“After the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary …”
Verse 27 again mentions the destruction of Jerusalem after an end was made of sacrifices, which refers to Christ’s death.
Therefore, verses 26 and 27 imply that the city was again destroyed because it did not receive its Messiah. Jesus confirmed this when He said:
“They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you” (Luke 19:44; cf. Luke 21:20-24).
Therefore, the sequence of the events in the prophecy is not chronological but logical.
Chiasm
Perhaps a better way of structuring the events in the prophecy is as a chiasm. A chiasm is a literary device, used by Bible writers, in which the first item corresponds to the last, the second to the second last, etc., and the statement at the center is the core. Verses 25-27 form the following chiasm:
25a From the decree to restore Jerusalem
25b Until Messiah the Prince
25c It will be built again
26a Messiah will be cut off
26b People will destroy the city and the sanctuary
27a He will make a firm covenant / put a stop to sacrifice
27b A complete destruction
In this chiasm, the central point and main focus is the death of the Messiah. In other words, His death is the great focus of the entire prophecy. We see this also in the goals stated in verse 24. He would “make atonement for iniquity … bring in everlasting righteousness.” For this reason, we must reject any interpretation of this prophecy that does not put the main focus on Christ.
This chiasm confirms the following:
The “he” in 27a, who confirms the covenant for one week and who puts a stop to sacrifice, is the Messiah, Jesus Christ, 2000 years ago, for the chiasm links him to the Messiah in 25b. (This is discussed further in the next article.)
The destruction in 27b is the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, for it corresponds to the decree to rebuild Jerusalem in 25a.
In other words, verse 27 repeats verse 26. Both verses first describe Christ and then the destruction of Jerusalem.
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