Daniels Prophecy of the 70 Weeks

by Alva J. McClain

In this short but important work, McClain introduces the first 69 weeks and answers questions such as “What is the measure of time indicated by the ‘weeks’ of this prophecy?” and “When did the whole period of the seventy weeks begin?” Continuing with a discussion of the parenthesis of time between the 69th and the 70th weeks, he concludes with an exposition of the 70th week and the coming of the Roman Prince.

Genres: Theology

73 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1969

Reviews

[Jimmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t be fooled, this short little book surprisingly is a heavier weight of exegesis than what its size may look like. After seeing this work cited in various footnotes in Dispensational books and journal articles, I thought I go to the source and read this book myself. I was not disappointed. The book focuses on the Prophet Daniel’s oracle of the Seventy Weeks in Daniel chapter nine. In analyzing the passage the book is divided into three parts: The first sixty nine weeks which predicts the coming Messianic Prince; then the gap between the sixty ninth and Seventieth week; and finally the seventieth week and the coming of the Roman Prince. Daniel 9 has Messianic prophecies that have significance for apologetics which the introduction of the book rightly points out. It is a testimony of the power of the Scriptures and also stirs confidence for the believer that the remaining prophecies of the Seventieth week will no doubt also be fulfilled. I appreciate this book’s argument for why the “weeks” means groupings of seven years and also showing how prophecies up to the sixtieth ninth week have been fulfilled quite literally. This of course strongly suggests that details of the future Seventieth week will be fulfilled literally as well. I thought the author did a good job in carefully cross referencing other passages in order to illuminate Daniel 9 and he was able to do it such a way that one gets the sense he did justice to the text instead of merely “proof-texting” with disregard of the context and also lack of care in thinking through the passage’s inter-textuality. Originally written in 1940 (before the 1948 formation of Israel) and having gone through multiple printing, I find this book to be a classic and a must read.

[cal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spoiler alert: you should probs get saved cause you don’t wanna live through that 70th week✍🏽

[Josh John · Rating 4 out of 5]

A concise summary of a dispensational and pre-millennial view of Daniel’s 70 Weeks. Neatly organized arguments for every point made especially regarding the gap interpretation between Daniel’s sixty-ninth week and the seventieth.

[Todd Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great booklet on this subject. Well worth the time.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short book is one of the BEST books on likely the most significant prophecy of the end times... Daniel 9:24-27. This is an absolute must read for any believer of the Bible. This passage must be understood to understand the significance of the book of Revelation and Israel's yet to be fulfilled role in the plan of God.

[Matthew Loller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely terrific exegesis of Daniel 9:24-27. This passage in Daniel is at the center of the discussion on eschatology. Only if you understand the prophecy of the 70 weeks, will you then have the framework to understand New Testament prophecy in the Olivet Discourse, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, and the book of Revelation. This makes McClain's little booklet an essential read for the Bible student who wants to understand these New Testament passages. I may disagree with McClain on both his method of apologetics and exegesis of 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7; however, the goal of this book is mainly to guide the reader to a right understanding of Daniel 9:24-27, and McClain does exactly that with argumentation that is plain yet thoroughly convincing.

[Gary Fields · Rating 2 out of 5]

I struggled between 2 or 3 stars for this rating.

I agree with the content and theological framework of the book. But I was left disappointed by the lack of argument and support in some areas. There were times I felt the material was given by assertion rather than arrived at by argumentation.

I would still recommend the book as a primer for the dispensational understanding of the 70 weeks though.

[Caleb Lawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful, concise primer on a complex passage of Scripture. Clear, Biblical argument for why the "gap" between the 69th and 70th weeks makes sense. Also helpfully ties in NT passages such as Matt. 24 and 2 Thess. 2. Highly recommended for anyone confused by Dan. 9:24-27.

[Douglas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alva McClain's book "Daniel's Prophecy of the 70 Weeks" makes sense (for many) if the word of God is interpreted through the grid of dispensationalism, and forced to fit it. This model is popular in modern evangelical Christendom. Such exciting end-of-the-world and rapture paradigms are dearly held and difficult to change. So, as long as God's word is interpretively forced to fit man-made models like dispensationalism, the full-fledged futurist position may continue to hold sway for a little longer. But it is waning; more Christians are beginning to understand that God's word is best interpreted by God's word, and that audience relevance is to be taken into consideration. Audience relevance; what did the scriptures mean and how did the words apply to those who first heard them? For example; in Acts 1:11, men in white raiment told then-living disciples of Jesus, that this Jesus whom they had just seen ascend with clouds into heaven would so come in like manner as THEY saw Him go into heaven. How could it justly be said that THEY were told these words but these words did not then apply to THEM? Such problems abound in wrong interpretive systems.

[Russell Hayes · Rating 2 out of 5]

The most interesting part is the precise dating of Daniel's first 69 weeks. The decree to rebuild Jerusalem occurred "in the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king." This was March 14, 445 B.C. Using the Jewish year of 360 days, times 69 weeks, times 7 years per week, equals 173,880 days. From March 14, 445 BC, this corresponds to April 6, 32 A.D., the day on which the author says that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE book to read before attempting to understand Biblical prophecy. An excellent book, short, concise and clear.

[Jason · Rating 2 out of 5]

Presents a standard dispensational understanding of Daniel's prophecy.