Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, 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. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. 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 9:24-27

The Starting Point of the Seventy Weeks

In the interpretation of this important and well - known prophecy, Gabriel gave Daniel not only the starting point, but the stopping place as well. The starting point dates from the giving of the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem, and from then unto "Messiah the Prince" shall be 69 sevens - or, 69 weeks - divided in the twenty - fourth verse as 7 weeks and 62 weeks. Bible scholars have not agreed as to the date that marks the starting point of the "seventy weeks."

There were four decrees given concerning the restoration of Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the temple, and all four decrees were issued after the Babylonian captivity.

Go to Part 2 - The First Decree