Daniel’s 70th week is the final seven years of God’s 490-year prophetic timetable for Israel and Jerusalem. It is the seven-year Tribulation.

Israel’s 70-year Babylonian captivity resulted from its failure to observe the land’s seventh-year Sabbath:

“Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths.” — Leviticus 26:34, KJV

One land Sabbath occurred every seven years. Israel withheld 70 Sabbath years:

70×7=490 years

God therefore removed Israel from the land for 70 years so the land could receive its missed Sabbaths:

“Until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths.” — 2 Chronicles 36:21, KJV

Near the end of those 70 years, Daniel read Jeremiah’s prophecy and prayed for Israel and Jerusalem. Gabriel answered by revealing a greater period:

“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city.” — Daniel 9:24, KJV

“Seventy weeks” means seventy periods of seven years:

70×7=490 years

This prophecy concerns Daniel’s people, Israel, and Daniel’s holy city, Jerusalem.

The first 69 weeks equal 483 years:

69×7=483 years

They extend from the command to restore Jerusalem to the coming of Jesus Christ:

“Unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks.” — Daniel 9:25, KJV

After the 69th week, Christ was crucified:

“And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself.” — Daniel 9:26, KJV

Messiah was cut off for our sins. Jerusalem and the Temple were then destroyed by the Romans in AD 70, exactly as Daniel foretold.

The prophetic timetable stopped after the 69th week. The present Church Age occupies the interval between the 69th and 70th weeks. One seven-year period remains for Israel and Jerusalem.

Daniel’s 70th week begins when the Antichrist confirms a covenant with Israel:

“And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week.” — Daniel 9:27, KJV

That one week is seven years—the Tribulation.

At the midpoint, after 3½ years, the Antichrist breaks the covenant, stops the sacrifices, enters the holy place, and commits the abomination of desolation:

“And in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease.” — Daniel 9:27, KJV

Jesus confirmed this event:

“When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place…” — Matthew 24:15, KJV

The final 3½ years are the Great Tribulation:

“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world.” — Matthew 24:21, KJV

The 70th week ends with Christ’s return, the destruction of the Antichrist, Israel’s deliverance, and the establishment of Christ’s earthly kingdom.

The complete sequence is:

  1. Israel violated the land Sabbaths for 490 years.
  2. God judged Israel with 70 years in Babylon.
  3. Daniel prayed as the captivity ended.
  4. God revealed another 490-year timetable for Israel and Jerusalem.
  5. The first 483 years led to Jesus Christ.
  6. Christ was crucified after the 69th week.
  7. The Church Age fills the interval before the final week.
  8. The final seven years are the Tribulation.
  9. The last 3½ years are the Great Tribulation.
  10. Christ returns and completes God’s prophetic program for Israel.

The Book Opened at the Time of the End

God commanded Daniel to preserve and seal these prophecies until the end times:

“But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end.” — Daniel 12:4, KJV

God repeated the command:

“Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.” — Daniel 12:9, KJV

We believe the time of the end opened when Israel was restored as a nation on May 14, 1948. Israel’s national rebirth restored the central nation in Daniel’s prophecy and prepared the world for the fulfillment of the final prophetic events concerning Israel, Jerusalem, the Tribulation, the Antichrist, and the return of Jesus Christ.

“And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel.” — Isaiah 11:12, KJV

Daniel’s sealed prophecies are now being understood because the nation, city, people, and conditions required for their fulfillment are once again in place. Israel’s restoration marks the opening of the final prophetic era and prepares the way for Daniel’s 70th week.

For the Mathematicians:

A biblical prophetic year contains 360 days, while a Julian calendar year averages 365.25 days. Scripture establishes the 360-day year by equating 42 months, 1,260 days, and 3½ years (Daniel 7:25; Revelation 11:2–3; 12:6,14).

Daniel’s 70 weeks are therefore exact periods of seven prophetic years:

70×7=490 years

The first 69 weeks equal:

69×7×360=173,880 days

That exact day-count runs from the command to rebuild Jerusalem to the presentation and crucifixion of Messiah. The prophecy is calculated in biblical years and then converted into Julian calendar dates; it is not based on 365.25-day years. The final seven prophetic years—2,520 days—remain to be fulfilled during Daniel’s 70th week.