Missing Seventy Weeks
Despite its frequent use of the book of Daniel, Revelation does not apply Daniel’s “seventy weeks” prophecy to any of its visions.
Despite this omission, several passages from Revelation
are connected to the “seventy weeks” in popular teachings, and often, it
is used as the basis for end-time chronologies and event sequences. For
example:
- “No portion of the Old Testament scripture is as essential to unlocking the mysteries of the prophetic plan for God’s future program for Israel and the nations than the book of Daniel and, of all Daniel’s prophecies, the prophecy of the Seventy Weeks provides the indispensable chronological key to New Testament prophecy” (from The Seventy Weeks of Daniel by Randall Price).
- “The prophet Daniel gave the framework of the Tribulation era in Daniel 9:24-27” (Hal Lindsey, Vanished Into Thin Air [Beverly Hills: Western Front, 1999], p. 210).
To reiterate, not a single citation from or verbal
allusion to the “seventy weeks” is
found in Revelation, although the book utilizes several other passages
from Daniel, and in some cases, multiple times - (e.g., Daniel
7:21 in Revelation 11:7, 12:17 and 13:7).
If understanding the “seventy weeks”
is vital to a correct understanding of end-time prophecy, why is it missing
from the book of Revelation? John was certainly familiar with Daniel
as his frequent allusions demonstrate. Likewise, he certainly knew about the “seventy
weeks,” yet he never used it in his book.
For example, Daniel’s request
to the prince of the eunuchs to “prove us ten days” is applied to
the church at Smyrna. It would know “tribulation for ten days,” just as the Jewish exiles were tested for ten days on a diet that excluded any foods offered to idols - (Daniel
1:12-14, Revelation
2:8-11).
Yahweh showed King Nebuchadnezzar “what
things must come to pass in later days,” a phrase found four times in Revelation
to mark the start of literary sections, except in the book, “later days”
has been changed to “soon” - (Daniel 2:20-28, Revelation 1:1-3).
In Daniel, the vision of the four
beasts culminated with the “saints possessing
the kingdom forever.” In Revelation, the “four beasts”
become one beast that ascends from the sea. As in Daniel, this “beast”
wages war against the “saints” and prevails over them - (Daniel 7:1-22, Revelation 13:1-10).
The examples can be multiplied. John was well-versed with Daniel and did not hesitate to apply key passages from it. But he omitted any reference to the “seventy weeks.”
In fact, Revelation utilizes language
from every chapter of Daniel EXCEPT the ninth chapter with its “seventy
weeks” prophecy. This omission speaks volumes. It seems the prophecy is
not integral to the events portrayed in Revelation.
Furthermore, Revelation does not simply
restate prophecies from Daniel; instead, it reinterprets and
reapplies them. For example, the
“season, seasons and divided season” from Daniel becomes “forty-two months” and “a
thousand two hundred sixty days.” The “later days” and “season
of the end” are changed to “soon” and “at hand.”
And so on - (Revelation 11:2-3, 13:5).
Thus, Revelation reinterprets
prophetic pictures from Daniel and applies them in new ways.
However, it never uses the language or imagery from the “seventy weeks”
prophecy, modified or not.
The omission of this important prophecy from Revelation
should caution us not to read our assumptions about the “seventy
weeks” too quickly into the visions of Revelation.
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