Daniel’s prophecy of the seventy weeks in Daniel 9:24-27 concerns three time periods dealing with the nation of Israel. The first two time periods begin with a proclamation to return to and restore Jerusalem, and they end with the coming of Messiah the Prince to the faithful ones looking for his coming. The first time Messiah the Prince came was to the shepherds abiding or working in the fields at night. They were wide-awake tending the flock of sheep. The second group was the wise men looking for the coming of Messiah the Prince.

The first decree or proclamation that went out to return to and restore Jerusalem was in 444 B.C. and this decree was issued by the Persian king Artaxerxes who gave the Jews permission in Nisan 1, 444 B.C. to rebuild Jerusalem. A week is a specific seven-year period ending with a Sabbath year. Since 443BC was a Sabbath year ending with Rosh Hashanah 443BC, the sixty-two weeks ended on Rosh Hashanah 9 BC. The prophecy is clear that the coming of Messiah the Prince would be after the sixty-two weeks.

Jesus Christ did come to earth in 4 BC, according to Ussher’s Chronology. This was actually 6 years into the sixty-third week, but it was after the sixty-two weeks just as the prophecy states. Thus, the first period ended with the coming of Messiah the Prince after the sixty-two weeks, and Messiah was cut-off or killed, just as the prophecy states. The second time period began with the Jerusalem Proclamation on January 23, 1950, but the start of the first of the seven weeks began Rosh Hashanah 1952,  or maybe even a few years later, since the Sabbath Year is not certain . The seven weeks ended on Rosh Hashanah 2002 or maybe even a few years later.

In order for the prophecy to be accurately and completely fulfilled, Messiah the Prince must return in the Firstfruits Rapture of the faithful and wise before Rosh Hashanah 2009 or maybe even a few years later, depending upon the timing of the Sabbath Year . Just as Messiah the Prince came the first time after sixty-two weeks plus six years, it seems highly probably that He will return in the Firstfruits Rapture after the seven weeks plus six years. This would place the Firstfruits Rapture in the spring of 2009, but no later than 2013.

It would also allow for Antichrist to appear in the spring and establish himself in power in order to confirm the “Covenant with Many” at the beginning of the last week on Rosh Hashanah 2011, but no later than 2013. Of course, these dates and time periods are based on the common belief by many Rabbis and Bible scholars that Rosh Hashanah 2009 was the beginning of a Sabbath Year. 

The following chart depicts the three time periods in Daniel’s Seventy Weeks in accordance with the prophecy in Daniel 9:24-26, if Rosh Hashanah 2009 was the beginning of a Sabbath year:

It must be remembered that a week in Scripture is an exact seven-year period of time that begins at the New Year on Tishri the 1st and ends on the same date at the end of a Sabbath year. The last of the seven weeks ended on Rosh Hashanah 2001 or maybe a few years later, depending upon the Sabbath Year. Only sixty-two weeks elapsed after the Decree of Artaxerxes until the birth of Jesus Christ, and it seems certain that only seven weeks will elapse after the Jerusalem Proclamation until the Firstfruits Rapture of the Faithful and Wise.