END TIMES

Weeks, Years & Days

WEEKS ARE YEARS 3½ YEARS DAYS ARE NOT YEARS LINKS

In the interpretation of the Seventy Weeks in Daniel 9:24-27, why do we say the “weeks” are “years”?

First of all, the word translated “weeks” is the Hebrew shabua, meaning literally sevened. The word appears 19 times in the Old Testament and is translated “week” or “weeks” in the KJV in all those instances. And although most of the uses refer to a “seven of days”, the uses in Genesis 29:27-28 (and Daniel 9:24-27) refer to a “seven of years”.

The overall context of Daniel Chapter 9 also points to years.

Dan 9:1-2 : 1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans; 2 In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.

Daniel had figured out from the book of Jeremiah the period of time for the desolation of Jerusalem.

Jer 25:11 : And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.

Jer 29:10-11 : 10 For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Daniel had years in mind, specifically seventy years, when he prayed for Jerusalem and his people (Daniel 9:3-19). And after Gabriel came to him (Daniel 9:20-23), it was a vision of Seventy Weeks, or “seventy times seven of years”, that he was given (Daniel 9:24-27).

3½ YEARS
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There are other time periods in Daniel (and in Revelation) that deserve attention and that allow the Seventy Weeks to be better understood, in particular the last half of the last week, the Seventieth Week.

First there is the odd matter of “time, times, and half a time”, an expression that appears in a similar way three times in the Bible, once in Revelation and twice in Daniel. “Time, times, and half a time” appears to refer to 3½ years — “time” is equivalent to one, “times” is equivalent to two, and “half a time” is equivalent to one-half — 1 plus 2 plus ½ is 3½. And what confirms this interpretation? The time-period context of the verses themselves.

Rev 12:14 : And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

The time-period context of Revelation 12:14, with the “serpent” or “dragon” persecuting the remnant of the seed of the women (believing Jews and Gentiles), parallels the last half of the Seventieth Week (or 3½ years).

Dan 7:25 : And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

In a similar way, the time-period context of Daniel 7:25, with the “another” (Daniel 7:24) arising from the ten kings, the Antichrist, who persecutes “the saints of the most High”, again parallels the last half of the Seventieth Week (or 3½ years).

Dan 12:7 : And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.

Finally, the time-period context of Daniel 12:7, during the “time of trouble” of Daniel 12:1, also points to the Great Tribulation, the last half of the Seventieth Week (or 3½ years).

And where is the further proof of the years? In the additional time periods listed in Daniel Chapter 12.

Dan 12:11-12 : 11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12 Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.

Here the verses clearly say the time period is days. In Daniel 12:11, 1,290 days is about 3½ years, and in Daniel 12:12, 1,345 days is also about 3½ years. From the context, both time periods refer again to the last half of the Seventieth Week.

DAYS ARE NOT YEARS
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There is one more time period to consider in Daniel, the 2,300 days.

Dan 8:13-14 : 13 Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? 14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

Clearly this time period is concerned with the Temple. But when does it take place? The end of the time period is given as the cleansing of the sanctuary, but the beginning is not stated. Some commentaries have the 2,300 days (about 6½ years) running across the Seventieth Week, overlapping some of the other time periods of the last seven years. Others have the time period situated from about 170 BC to 164 BC, preceding the Maccabaean revolt against Antiochus IV Epiphanes.

One notable commentator, however, decided the days were equivalent to years. He also decided the starting point was the same as the Seventy Weeks (which he determined to be 457 BC). Subsequent calculations brought him to a range of time between March 1843 and March 1844, which he declared would be when Christ returned. The man was William Miller, and the result, when Christ did not return (in October 1844, after some recalculations), is called the “Great Disappointment”.

William Miller made two key mistakes. First he arbitrarily decided that days represented years in Daniel 8:14. Sometimes the Bible does indicate that days are years (Ezekiel 4:6 is an example), but here there was no warrant for it. In fact, the word translated “days” in the verse is actually “evenings”, indicating a 24-hour time period. His second mistake was not being able to recognize the dispensations of the Bible. What kind of time period, a Jewish Temple time period, extends across the Church Age, the Age of Grace, and then ends there with no evidence of a Temple or sanctuary to be cleansed? One that is clearly incorrect.

LINKS
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Back to — Seventy Weeks — A quick look at the amazing time puzzle in the book of Daniel.

Next up — Doing the Math — Adding up the numbers of the Seventy Weeks.

Significance of Seventy — Why the Seventy Weeks are so important.

Companion Bible Appendix 90 — The “Times” and numbered “Days” of Daniel.

Great Disappointment — Wikipedia article about William Miller's calculation error.