The Symbolic Interpretation
Daniel’s prophecies are symbolic. For example, Daniel 7 and 8 use animals to symbolize empires. In contrast, Daniel 9 seems to be literal. For example, the “city” is Jerusalem. However, in the Consistent Symbolic Interpretation of Daniel 9, it is also symbolic. Jerusalem, for example, symbolizes the church.
In this view, Daniel is divinely inspired, the anointed one, who is “cut off” (v26), is Jesus Christ, and the purposes of the 70 weeks, as listed in Daniel 9:24, are fulfilled in Him. However, in this view, the time periods are not literal:
The first 7 weeks symbolize the time before Christ.
The 62 weeks symbolize the entire Christian Age.
The final one week is the end-time tribulation. Then the Antichrist will attempt to destroy “the city and the sanctuary,” interpreted as the church. The visible church will disappear for a time. The final one week ends with the defeat of the Antichrist, when Christ returns.
Other aspects are also interpreted very generically. For example:
The “strong covenant,” which “he” will make with many for one week, is the New Covenant, which Jesus instituted with his death and resurrection.
The last words of verse 27, “until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator,” describe the final destruction of evil.
Problems
This interpretation has some serious shortcomings:
Periods overlap.
The third division, the final one week, is the last part of the second division.
Daniel did not receive an answer.
Daniel’s prayed because he wanted to know when the desolation of Jerusalem would end. The prophecy gave him a very specific answer:
“From the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks.” (Daniel 9:25)
However, in the Symbolic interpretation, the periods of time are vague symbols of future dispensations. Consequently, Daniel did not receive an answer to his prayer.
The weeks are literal.
As discussed, Israel had literal weeks of years in which the land had to rest every seventh year. In that seventh year, Israel was not allowed to work the land. The 70 weeks in Daniel 9 were 70 literal weeks of years, equal to 490 years.
Jerusalem is the literal city.
There is no exegetical evidence anywhere in the book of Daniel to support the view that Jerusalem should stand for anything other than the actual city of Jerusalem. The Jerusalem of Daniel 9:2, 16, and 18 is the literal city. Given this immediate context, the “holy city” and the “Jerusalem” of Daniel 9:24-25 must be the literal Jerusalem.
Why no eternal kingdom?
If the 70 weeks end with the defeat of the Antichrist when Christ returns, why does the prophecy not say anything about the eternal kingdom, as the other prophecies in Daniel do (Dan 7:13-14, 27; 12:1-3)? Why does Daniel 9 rather end in the multiplication of desolation?
Fulfilled in the church.
The prophecy allocates the 490 years and the goals in verse 24 to Israel, but, in the symbolic interpretation, the period and the goals are fulfilled in the church.
Conclusion
Given these weighty objections, few interpreters in recent years have adopted this interpretation.
Other Articles
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For general theology, I recommend Graham Maxwell.