You will likely find some of this hard to understand.
As do all bible scholars
when it comes to the exact meaning of each Hebrew word in this passage.
Most bible scholars would agree the 7 x 70 weeks refers to 490 years.
Referencing how long it would be until the Messiah would come.
Namely after the 7 weeks + 62 weeks which works out to 483 years.
And that is He "cut off" sometime after the 62nd week.
Possibly in the middle of the last week ( the last 7 year period ).
The total period of time is 70 weeks ( 70 x 7 ) or 490 years.
I would add the fact
that the passage does not justify
the common "theory"
that a whole age,
meaning the "Church Age"
or the "Dispensation of Grace"
must be INSERTED between the 69th and 70th week.
But that is what you'll hear many people teaching.
Usually because that is what they were taught.
It's not because the scriptures teach it,
as can be seen when plainly reading the passage
without any preconceived notions.
One of the biggest "debates" in this passage,
is the question of WHO is the one making ( or confirming ) a covenant,
whether it is Christ
or the antichrist.
I believe it is Christ.
He put an end to the need for sacrifice and offering
because He was the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
And the veil in the temple to the holy of holies was torn in two when he died on the cross.
You can see this mentioned in Matthew 27:51
Many believe His ministry lasted 3 1/2 years.
That would put His crucifiction in the middle of the last week
Which is the last 7 years of the 490 year prophecy.
And it is proposed that the early church grew in Jerusalem
for 3 1/2 years after Christ's death and resurrection,
until the stoning of Stephen.
see Acts chapter 7.
And in Acts chapter 8 verse 1 we read,
On that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem,
and all except the apostles
were scattered throughout the land of Judea and Samaria.
It was after this dispersion of the early church
that you will see the sharing of the Gospel with the non-Jewish peoples of the world.
That is when some believe the 490 years ended,
and in less than 40 years later,
in 70 A.D,
the temple would be completely destroyed.
And this destruction is foretold in Daniel 9:26.
The exact date of the Decree
which is the starting point for counting the 490 years,
The exact years of Jesus ministry,
( When it began and how long it lasted )
And the exact year of the stoning of Stephen
are all facts you will find to be
highly debated by bible historians.
I've spent a lot of time researching these topics,
and I believe Satan has done a good job at confusing this issue.
The best research I've come across so far concerning these dates
can be found in the book
by Dr. Floyd Nolen Jones,
"The Chronology of the Old Testament"
see: pages 236 - 240 in the 2004 copyrighted text.
He references many of the great bible historians,
and provides lots of reasons for his
"best guess" dates.
The following is my current "best guess"
for the possible dates
as they relate to Daniel's 70 weeks prophecy,
That the "word" or "decree" was issued in
454 B.C. by Artaxerxes,
see Nehemiah Chapter 2 verses 1 - 8.
And 483 years later,
At the end of the 7 + 62 weeks of years,
we see the baptism of Jesus,
in what could be the Fall of 29 A.D.
Signifying when Jesus was identified as the Lamb of God
who takes away the sins of the world.
Luke 3:22 we read:
and the Holy Spirit descended on Him
in a physical appearance like a dove.
And a voice came from heaven:
You are My beloved Son.
I take delight in You!
3 1/2 years later the Messiah is Cut off
When Jesus is cruxified in the Spring of 33 A.D.
and it's possible the end of the 490 years expired
in the Fall of 37 A.D.
with the Stoning of Stephen
Again, if you do some research on these dates,
you will find others proposing slight different Years.
I've seen the years 30 A.D,
32 A.D,
33 A.D. and 34 A.D.
all asserted as being the year of Christ's Cruxification.
Again, Satan seems to have gone to great lengths to "muddy the waters"
on this issue.
And God has allowed the exact dates to be less than clear.
Possibly because He knows how man loves to Speculate and Predict
what God has planned.
For now...
Don't get too hung up on these historical dates,
What really matters for us
at this point and time,
is the future return of Christ.
Whether it be in our life time,
or some future generation.
AND there are plenty of clear scriptures that will help us
KNOW when the End Times are TRULY upon us.
Therefore, I'd like to close
with 1 Thessalonians chapter 5,
verses 5 - 11
5 For you are all children of light, children of the day.
We are not of the night
or of the darkness.
6 So then let us not sleep,
as others do,
but let us keep awake and be sober.
7 For those who sleep,
sleep at night,
and those who get drunk,
are drunk at night.
8 But since we belong to the day,
let us be sober,
having put on the breastplate of faith and love,
and for a helmet the hope of salvation.
9 For God has not destined us for wrath,
but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 who died for us
so that whether we are awake
or asleep we might live with him.
11 Therefore encourage one another
and build one another up,
just as you are doing.
( ESV)
