The preterist view of apocalyptic prophecies and their time elements essentially leaves the whole Christian era, with the exception of a very small initial fraction, without any direct historical or prophetic evaluation by God upon the course of that history.

Such a perspective stands in marked contrast to the OT view of history in which the mighty acts of God on behalf o His people are recited through biblical history from Abraham to Ezra. Old Testament history involves both a recitation of those events and prophetic evaluations of their character. The same approach to the history of the Christian era is found prospectively in the apocalyptic books of Daniel and Revelation when they are interpreted along historicist lines, but not when they are interpreted along preterist lines.

The futurist interpretation of apocalyptic poses a similar problem. It also leaves most of the history of the Christian era unaddressed by God except in general spiritual terms. After this lengthy historical and prophetic vacuum, futurists then see the prophetic voice again taking up a concern for the last seven years of earth's history.

From the viewpoint of the "continuous" historical school of prophetic interpretation, the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation provide a divinely inspired, descriptive overview and evaluation of some of the most theologically significant events of this era. The Christian era is seen to stand in continuity with the historical description and prophetic evaluation of events in the OT era. The same God has been active in a similar way in both of these dispensations.

This larger view of God's more comprehensive interaction with human history carries with it the corollary that the statements about time found in these prophecies cover a more extensive sweep of history than can be accounted for on a purely literal basis." p. 56

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#2. Theology of Prophetic Time Periods

A dozen time prophecies occur in the historical narratives and classical prophets of the OT. More than a dozen also appear in Daniel and Revelation. The volume of material implies that this kind of prophetic view was important to the God who revealed these prophecies.

In order to determine what is particularly significant about time prophecies, it may be noted, generally speaking, that what happens during these periods can be evaluated as adverse, or bad, from the human point of view. At their end a more favourable turn of events occurs. Thus these time prophecies appear to delimit periods during which adverse circumstances, or evils, are permitted by God to prevail.

Examples of this kind of activity in the historical narratives and classical prophets of the OT can be found in the cases of the 120 years to which man's wickedness was limited before the Flood (Gen. 6:3), the 400 years prophesied for the oppression of Abraham's descendants in Egypt (Gen 15:13), the seven years of drought and famine prophesied through Joseph, the three and a half years of drought and famine prophesied through Elijah (1 Kings 17:1), and the 70 years of exile for God's people prophesied by Jeremiah (Jer. 25:11)

In apocalyptic prophecies we find the 3 1/2 time--42 months--1260 days-- for the persecution of God's people referred to twice in Daniel (7:25; 12:7) and five times in Revelation (11:2,3; 12:6,14: 13:5) Another period of persecution lasting 10 days is referred to in Revelation 2:10. Men were to be hurt for five months under Revelation's fifth trumpet (9:5), and men were to be killed for a longer period of time under its sixth trumpet (9:15). God's witnesses were to lie dead in the streets for three and a half days before their resurrection (Rev. 11:9), and the abomination of desolation was allowed to hold sway for 1290 days (Dan. 12:11). Again, at the conclusion of each of these time periods these adverse conditions for the people of God were to be reversed.

To recall these examples is not to say that ALL time prophecies refer to something bad or adverse as occurring with the epochs they delimit. The seven years of plenty in the time prophecy given Pharaoh is an example of a period of prosperity (Gen. 41). While certain dire events were forecast as transpiring during the 70 weeks prophecy (Dan. 9: 24-27), yet some very positive accomplishments would also take place during that era.

Nevertheless, even in these two instance the good is linked with the less beneficial. The seven good years were preparation for the seven years of famine to follow. The negative response to the Messiah by the people was seen as resulting in terrible consequences for the nation. Thus when the whole spectrum of time prophecies are taken into consideration, it may be seen that in general they delimit periods of adverse conditions.

This pattern is similar to the larger pattern of the whole economy of sin through the history of the human race. That too will finally be delimited and concluded when God brings to an end human history as we now know it. Thus human history can be looked upon as a probationary period during which evil has been allowed to work its way; but God will soon intervene and bring that probationary period to a close.

In the same way, but on a smaller scale, these time prophecies appear to have delimited similar experiences at various points through the course of human history. The fact that God brought these temporary episodes of evil's ascendancy to their conclusions at prophetically appointed times is an earnest or taken of the fact that He will also bring the whole economy of sin to its conclusion at the appointed time (Act 17:31)

The literal time periods present in the prophecies of the historical narratives and the classical prophets were ample for the outworking of evil's purposes. This holds true for the 120 years until the Flood, the 400 years for oppressing the Israelites in Egypt, and the 70 years they were swept off their land during the Babylonian exile, etc.

If the time periods in apocalyptic are also interpreted as literal, however, the same principle of fairness in the great controversy would not appear to operate. The great sponsor of these evils could reasonably complain that he was not given sufficient time to demonstrated the superiority of his program if the 3 1/2 days, 10 days, 3 1/2 time-years, etc., in apocalyptic were only literal time units.

The best way to resolve this theological disparity between the significance of literal time in classical prophecy and interpreting time in apocalyptic as literal is to interpret the time units in the latter as symbolic rather than literal." p. 57-58

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#3, End-Point of Prophecies

The time periods that occur in the two types of prophecies discussed above contrast in general with regard to their length, if they are all interpreted as literal time. The time prophecies encountered in historical narratives and classical prophets of the OT run as long as 400 years (Gen. 15:13)
The other extreme is encountered in apocalyptic prophecies where one time prophecy extends for only three and a half days (Re. 11:9).

The longest of the time periods in apocalyptic extends for only 6 1/2 years when the 2300 evenings and mornings of Dan 8:14 are evaluated as literal time; and some commentators would (incorrectly) cut this period in half. Two of these contrasting long and short time prophecies occur in the same chapter of Dan 9. In this chapter Daniel's prayer for the fulfillment of Jeremiah's 70 years is answered with another prophecy about 70 weeks, or only a year and a half, if literal time is involved.

An important point to note here involves the END POINT IN VIEW in these two different kinds of time prophecy. In the prophecies found in historical narratives or classical prophets of the OT the time periods are connected generally with people who are either contemporaneous or immediately successive to the time of the prophet.

Apocalyptic prophecies, on the other hand, not only speak to the immediate historical context of the prophet, but also to more distant times--even down to the end of time when the ultimate kingdom of God will be set up. Thus a difference in focus--in terms of time-- is involved here. Classical prophecy concentrates on the short-range time view while apocalyptic includes the long-range view.

These differences pose a paradox. The time periods in classical prophecy which concentrates on the short-range view are longer than those occurring in apocalyptic which focus on the long-range view (that is, if the time elements in apocalyptic are interpreted as literal).

The most reasonable way to resolve the paradox and restore parallelism, and balance to this equation is to interpret the time periods in apocalyptic as symbolic (day for a year) thus standing for considerably longer periods of actual historical time.

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William Shea's Points on Day/Year Principle #19

All commentators on Daniel agree that the events prophesied in Daniel 9:24-27 could not have been completed within a literal 70 weeks or one year and five months. Since this prophetic time period stands symbolically for a longer period of actual historical time, it is important to decide just how the length of that longer period should be determined.

Crucial here is the word (sabua) which occurs six times in its singular and plural forms in these four verses. Since this word provides the basic periods of the prophecy, its translation plays an important part in the way in which the interpreter derives them.

Two main but significantly different approaches have been taken toward this matter. The first is to translate the word as “weeks” and to derive the prophecy’s time periods from the “days” which compose them. The calculation is done on the basis of the year-day principle. Thus each day of these “weeks” is viewed as a prophetic day standing for a historical year. This is the approach taken by the historicist school of thought.

The second approach is to translate this word as “sevens, besevened, heptads, hebdomads” or the like. From this purely numerical kind of translation it is then held that (sabua) carries with it directly implied “years,” that is, it is taken to mean “seven (of years)” literal and not symbolic time. In this manner the intervening step through which those “years” would have been derived from the “days” of the prophetic “weeks” has been avoided by the interpreter. This is the approach taken by the preterist and futurist schools of thought.

One reason for this approach in translation is to separate the 70 week prophecy of Dan 9 from the other time prophecies of the book and to place it in a distinct class by itself. The effect of this is to blunt the implications of the year-day principle advocated by the historicist system of interpretation.

If the year-day principle is thus denied its function in the interpretation of Dan 9:24-27, then preterists and futurists alike are at liberty to deny its application to the other time prophecies. On the other hand, if it is valid to apply the year-day principle to the “days” of the “weeks” in Dan 9, then it is logical to apply the same principle to the “days” in the time prophecies found elsewhere in Daniel as well as to the apocalyptic writings of Revelation.

Thus a prominent way in which the attempt has been made to parry the thrust of this logical conclusion has been to translate (sabua) as “sevens” instead of “weeks”. An examination of the way this word should be translated is of importance, therefore, in any discussion of the year-day principle of Daniel’s time prophecies.

The Hebrew word for “week,” (sabua) was derived from the word for “seven" (seba). However, it was drived as a specialized term to be applied only to the unit of time consisting of seven days, that is, the “week”. A different vocalization was utilized for this specialization. This difference is evident even in unpointed Hebrew texts (Hebrew consonants written without vowels) since the Hebrew letter (waw) was consistently written as the u-vowel letter in this particular word (cf Dan. 9:27).

This spelling is consistent in the Bible as well as in all six of the texts from Qumran in which this word has appeared. To give this word only a numerical value in Dan 9, therefore, confuses its etymological origin with its derived form and function.

The masculine plural ending on this word in Dan 9, in contrast to its feminine plural ending elsewhere in the OT, is of significance only in indcating that it is one of many Hebrew nouns with dual gender. (1)

The same phenomenon can be demonstrated for the occurrence of this word in Mishnaic Hebrew, Qumran Hebrew, Qumran Aramaic, and also later Syriac and Ethiopic texts. Furthermore, if the masculine plural in Dan 9:24 was intended to be understood numerically, the consonantal phrase of (sb'ym sb'ym) should be translated as “seventy seventies” not as “seventy sevens.”

The word (sabua) occurs 13 times in the OT outside of Dan 9. Virtually all versions fo the Bible are in agreement in translating these instances as “weeks.” If it is “weeks” everywhere else in the OT, then, on the basis of comparative linguistic evidence, it should be rendered “weeks” in Dan. 9.

Seven of these occurrences outside of Dan. 9 are connected with the “Feast of Weeks” or “Pentecost.” Clearly, this is the “Feast of Weeks” not the "Feast of Sevens.”

The same point can be made from Dan. 10:2-3 where the word occurs twice as a reference to a period of three “weeks,” during which Daniel mourned and fasted for the fate of his people. The word is modified in this passage by the qualifying word “days.” Because of this some have argued that the expression should be rendered as “weeks of days,” implying thereby that the prophecy of Dan. 9:24 should be understood to mean “weeks (of years)". But the argument misunderstands the Hebrew idiom present in this expression.

When a time unit such as a week, month, or year is followed by the word for “days” in the plural, the idiom is to be understood to signify “full” or “complete” units. Thus the expression “a full month” or “a whole month,” reads literally in the Hebrew, “month days,” or “month of days,” See Gen 29:14; Num 11:20-21; Judg. 19:2 (in this latter instance the word for “days” precedes the term for “month”) The expression , “full years,” reads literally, “years days.” See Gen 41:1; Lev. 25:29; 2 Sam. 13:23; 14:28.

Thus the Hebrew expression in Dan. 10:2-3 namely, “three weeks days,” means, according to this idiom, “three full weeks,” or “three whole weeks,” Linguistically this idiom prevents the conclusion from being drawn that “weeks of days” in contrast to “weeks (of years)” is implied in this passage.

It is quite arbitrary, therefore, to translate (sabua) as “seven” or “sevens” in Dan 9:24-27 and to translate it as “weeks” three verses later in Dan 10:2,3, as the New International Version renders it in the body of its text. Usages elsewhere in Daniel, elsewhere in the OT, in extra-biblical Hebrew, and in cognate Semitic languages all indicate that this word should be translated as “weeks”. No support can be obtained from any of these sources for translating this word any other way than as “weeks”.

A similar point can be made from the Greek of the Septuagint (commonly designated LXX, a translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek during the latter part of the intertestamental period before Christ).

The cardinal numeral “seven” occurs more than 300 time in the LXX and is consistently represented by (hepta) and its derived forms. (2)
The ordinal numeral “seventh” occurs some 110 times in the LXX and is consistently represented by (hebdomos) and its derived forms. (3)

In 17 of the 19 instance in which (sabua) occurs in the Hebrew OT, the LXX translates it with the feminine collective (hebdomas) and its derived forms. (The other two instances give no insight on the use of this term, inasmuch as the “two weeks” of Lev. 12:5 are rendered “twice seven days” and the Greek of Jer. 5:24 is rather remote from the Hebrew text.)

There is no overlap in the LXX usage between (hebdomas) for “weeks” on the one hand and (hebdomads and hepta) for “seventh” and “seven” on the other. If 11 references to (hebdomas) outside of Dan 9 should be translated as “weeks” instead of “sevens” then again, on the basis of comparative LXX usage, they should also be translated that way in Dan. 9.

From both Semitic sources and the LXX it may be concluded, therefore, that the best linguistic evidence currently available supports translating (sabua) as “weeks” in Dan 9:24-27. This word thus carries the year-day principle along with it in the 70 weeks prophecy. Furthermore, its application there may be reasonably extended to the other time prophecies of Daniel.

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# 20 WEEKS AND YEARS in DANIEL 9

Daniel’s prayer in ch 9 begins with an appeal to God for the return of His people to their land on the basis of the 70 years Jeremiah prophesied they would be exiled in Babylon (v. 2; cf Jer. 25:12; 29:10) In answer to his prayer, Gabriel assured Daniel they would return and rebuild the temple and captial city. In doing so, Gabriel also delimited another period of prophetic time: 70 weeks. During that period other events, beyond the previously mentioned ones, would take place (Dan. 9:24-27)

Since these events could not have been accomplished in 70 literal weeks, it is evident that this later time period was intended to be understood symbolically. The seven-day week provided the model upon which the symbolic units of that time period were based. Thus we find two prophetic time periods in this narrative of Dan 9--the 70 years at its beginning and the 70 weeks at its end; the one literal, the other symbolic. What is the relationship between these two time periods?

A relationship between them can be seen from the fact that both are prophetic in nature, and the latter is given in answer to the prayer about the former.

A relationship between them can also be suggested on the basis of their location in similar positions in the literary structure of the narrative. This structure may be outlined as A:B:C::A’:B’:C’, in which A and A’ represent the introductory vs. 1 and 20-23; B and B’ represent the 70 years and the 70 weeks; and C and C’ represent the rest of Daniel’s prayer and the rest of Gabriel’s prophecy respectively.

The fact that the prophecy of vs 24-27 begins with a time element (70 weeks) instead of ending with it ( as is more common in the other prophecies of Daniel 7:25; 8:14; 12:7,11-12) has the effect of juxtaposing the 70 week period with what precedes it; namely, Daniel’s prayer and the 70 year period he mentions as prompting his prayer.

Another way these two time periods are linked is through their common use of the number 70. This is no random selection of numbers. The latter has been directly modeled after the former. The latter time period (the 70 weeks) is symbolic.
The former (the 70 year period) is literal. When literal time unit is sought with which to interpret the symbolic “days” of the “weeks” therefore, the direct relations between these two time periods reasonably suggest that the “years” of the former may be selected to serve that function.

These two time prophecies are also related by the fact that both are multiples of seven. When the 70 weeks are multiplied by their individual units, they are found to contain seven times more symbolic units than the literal units of the 70 years (70 years: 490 day-years).

Furthermore, when the symbolic units of the 70 years are interpreted according to the literal units of the 70 years, a relationship is produced which parallels the relationship between the jubilee period and sabbatical year period (Lev. 25:1-19).
It may be recalled (cf #15) that the years of the jubilee were also measured off in terms of "weeks" in the legislation given about them in Lev. 25:8. The relaitonship between Lev. 25 and Dan 9 can be outlined as followers:

A SABBATICAL PERIOD Lev. 25:1-7   = 7 years Dan 9:2         = 7 years x 10 (70)

A JUBILEE PERIOD Lev. 25:8-17   =  7 weeks of years x 7 (49) Dan. 9:24        =   7 weeks of days x 7 x 10 (490) (Apply Day/Year Principle)

Sabbatical year terminology was applied to Jeremiah’s 70-year prediction of Babylonian captivity by the chronicler: “to fulfil the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. All the days that it lay desolate it kept sabbath, to fulfil seventy years” (2 Chr. 26:21). Since the land rested every seventh year, it is evident that the inspired writer viewed the 70 years of captivity as the sum of ten sabbatical-year periods.

Inasmuch as the 70 year period (referred to by Daniel in vs. 2 just prior to his prayer) was understood to relate to the sabbatical-year legislation (Lev. 25:1-7) it may be expected that the 70 week period (at the close of his prayer) would be related to the jubilee period. This is the sequence in Lev. 25:1-17 (sabbatical year-jubilee). Thus the 70 weeks, or 490 years (on the year-day principle) may be seen as ten jubilee periods even as the 70 years were seen as ten sabbatical-year periods.

This relationship was already evident to the Essenes at Qumran in the first century B.C. When writers among them came to interpret Daniel’s 70 weeks, they more commonly referred to them as ten jubilees. But jubilees can only consist of years. It is evident, therefore, that they applied the year-day principle to this time prophecy even though all occurrences of the word (sabua) which have appeared in the Dead Sea Scrolls published thus far indicate that word ONLY MEANT “WEEKS” for them.

Supplementary support for these sabbatical year-jubilee relationships to Daniel’s 70 weeks can be found in the fact that they were fulfilled historically through events that occurred in post-exilic sabbatical years. The years 457 B.C. and A.D. 27 and 34 were sabbatical years. (4)

SUMMARY

Internally, the 70 years and the 70 weeks of Dan 9 relate t each other in five ways: (1) both are prophetic; (2) both are linked in a sequence of question and answer; (3) both are located in similar positions in the literary structure of the chapter; (4) both are specifically for the Jews; and (5) both use the #70 and its base of seven.

These relations are strengthened by the external parallels between the 70-year and the 70-week couplet in Dan 9 and the sabbatical year and jubilee couplet in Lev 26: