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The seventy sevens of Daniel 9:
A case for discerning things that differ.
pp. 165 - ???
In connection with a question raised by a correspondent as to whether the church age
began at Pentecost or after Acts 28:, to whom the common interpretation of the
70 weeks of Dan. 9:, viz.,
That the 69th week ended just before the crucifixion of Christ, and that
therefore the final seven years are all that remain to complete the number, and
that these are entirely future and are found in the Book of Revelation.
presented a difficulty, we would draw special attention to an interpretation (we believe
the true one) in which a certain principle is enunciated, viz., that prophetic times do not
take into account the periods when Israel are "Lo-ammi" (not My people, Hosea 1: 9). In
Part I of the Companion Bible, page 70 of Appendixes, will be found a table showing the
various "Lo-ammi" times that must be deducted from the number of years before we can
arrive at God's time periods. At the conclusion of this table the note runs, "By noting the
LO-AMMI periods, many other important details will come to light".
We believe the following investigation is directly in line with this suggestion. First,
let us establish from the Scriptures the principle that God's prophetic times take no
account of their recognition. The classic example is that which arises out of the
comparison of I Kings. 6: 1 with Acts 13: 20. According to I Kings 6: 1 the temple
was commenced in the 480th year after the children of Israel were come out of the land
of Egypt, while Paul in Acts 13: 17-22 gives the period as 573 years, a difference of
93 years. We find by examination and the recognition of the principle referred to above,
that there is no discrepancy, and that both accounts are exactly right, the one in
I Kings 6: omitting the periods when Israel were "Lo-ammi", the other in Acts 13:
giving the entire period without reference to the position occupied by Israel. The
93 years are made up as follows. Israel were captive under:--
Chushan
(Judges 3: 8) . . . . .
8 years.
Eglon
(Judges 3: 14) . . . . .
18
Jabin
(Judges 4: 3) . . . . .
20
Midianites
(Judges 6: 1) . . . . .
7
Philistines
(Judges 13: 1) . . . . .
40
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Total.
93 years.
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We learn therefore that to obtain the number of years as from God's standpoint when
dealing with Israel, we must subtract the periods when Israel was not recognized by the
Lord as a people.