7 Years Tribulation in Daniel’s 70 Weeks End Time Prophecy
Seven years Tribulation is directly connected to Daniels 70 Weeks. This is the foundational and core passage why we know the Tribulation last for seven years. The Bible doesn’t contain a single verse that explicitly says, “Those left behind in the Rapture will enter a seven-year Tribulation.” However, this concept is derived from a synthesis of several prophetic passages. I will be explaining in this article how the view is constructed, how we arrived at the Tribulation lasting for seven years.
Daniel’s 70 Weeks is a foundational prophecy for understanding end-times. It was written in the Book of Daniel Chapter 9, Verses 24 to 27. The Bible passage is famous and notable that unpacks the seven years Tribulation that is associated with the reigning of the Antichrist. So let’s analyze it verse by verse in sequence:
(Verse 24) Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.
The word “week” means seven, it could be 7 days, 7 months, 7 years, but in this context, it is referring to years, and “seventy weeks” means seventy sets of seven or 70 X 7 = 490 years. The seven weeks (7 X 7 = 49 years) and sixty-two weeks (62 X 7 = 434 years) combine to form 483 years (434 + 49 = 483).
v24: Seventy weeks or 490 prophetical years are determined:
• For your people – people is referring to the Prophet Daniel’s people, the Jewish people, the nation of Israel
• For your holy city – holy city is Jerusalem
• To finish the transgression – When Israel recognizes Jesus as their Messiah, their rebellion against God will finish because Israel is God’s chosen people. When Jesus died and resurrected, He became savior and redeemer of the world, He became the Messiah; although even before the creation of the world, He was already the Messiah and will always be the Messiah, but His role as savior and redeemer of the world was fulfilled and confirmed through His death and resurrection.
• To make an end of sins – Christ’s death paid for sin’s presence; Jesus death atoned sins of humanity – sin ended temporarily, somehow sin is restrained. Sin’s presence will continue until the final judgment (Revelation 20:7-15). It will still exist even in Christ millennial reign, full eradication comes when God creates New Heaven and New Earth.
• To make reconciliation for iniquity – Christ death and resurrection reconciled humanity to God, it brings forth reconciliation for iniquity (2 Corinthians 5:18-19; Romans 5:10). Jesus atonement reconciles sinners to God. Reconciliation is spiritually complete in Christ, but iniquity still continues in the world until the final judgment.
• To bring in everlasting righteousness – Jesus death and resurrection brought everlasting righteousness to those who have faith and believe in His death and resurrection. To those who trust in Jesus, He imputes righteousness to believers eternally (Romans 3:21-26).
• To seal up vision and prophecy – Just like a letter is sealed up because its contents are finalized and completed ready for deliver, “to seal up vision and prophecy” means God’s entire redemptive plan that was revealed to the Prophet Daniel will reach its divinely appointed time for fulfillment and completion, nothing will be changed or added. This redemptive plan is especially for the nation of Israel as God’s chosen people, as well as for humanity (the world) in general.
• To anoint the Most Holy – Is referring to a person Jesus Christ when He is anointed at baptism by John the Baptist, initiating Jesus public ministry. It took place when He was “anointed” by the Holy Spirit” in the form of a dove” (Matthew 3:16). The whole context of the passage builds toward a personal Messiah. The succeeding verse 25 says: “until the Messiah the Prince”, directly identifies the personal Messiah, and the same verse identifies the countdown of 69 weeks (483 years) leads up to the public appearance of Jesus as Messiah. The anointing in verse 24 lines up perfectly as the anointing of personal Messiah. Surrounding verses so clearly speaks of a personal Messiah, His arrival, His anointing, His cut off. Furthermore, the six purposes mentioned earlier (to finish transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy) are all fulfilled by the work of the Messiah Jesus Christ. These points so clearly that the passage context “to anoint the Most Holy”, describes Lord Jesus Christ redemptive actions. The flow of prophecy, from the command to rebuild Jerusalem to the appearance of the Messiah, his anointing, His sacrificial death, and the subsequent destruction of Jerusalem, all points to a personal, Messianic fulfillment in the person of Jesus Christ.
(Verse 25) "Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times.
• From the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem – This is from the time the command is given by Persian king Artaxerxes I Longimanus to restore and build Jerusalem which falls on 445 BC. Nehemiah 2:1,5 states the specific time and purpose of the decree that says: “In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes…and I said to the king…I ask you to send me to Judah…that I may rebuid it”. The month Nisan is the first month of Jewish calendar, it also mentions the regnal year of Artaxerxes in his 20th year as stated above. Artaxerxes began his reign in 465 BC. From this established date, we can calculate his 20th regnal year. Artaxerses regnal years were counted from Nisan (spring), and he became king in 465 BC mid-year due to the assassination of Xerxes. To calculate his 20th regnal year that begins in Nisan 464 BC: We count 20 years from Nisan 464 BC brings us to Nisan 445 BC as the start of his 20th year regnal year, which is the year Persian king Artaxerxes I Longimanus issued the decree to restore and build Jerusalem.
• Until the Messiah the Prince – The term “Messiah the Prince” or “Anointed One, the Ruler” refers to Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem where He publicly presented Himself as the Anointed King, marking the fulfillment of Daniel’s 69 “weeks” of Daniel’s prophecy. It specifically refers to the exact time of the Lord Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem on 30 AD, on Palm Sunday, in a manner that publicly signals His messianic claim, just days before His crucifixion on Good Friday (5 days later).
• There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks – The seven weeks (7 X 7 = 49 years) and sixty-two weeks (62 X 7 = 434 years) combine to form 483 years (434 + 49 = 483). 483 years is the period of the time of Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem counting from the start when the decree was given. This specifies that from the time Artaxerxes ordered the decree to restore and build Jerusalem in 445 BC up to Jesus triumphal entry would be 483 years, and Jesus triumphal entry falls to the year 30 AD. This period of 483 prophetic years using 360-day prophetic year starts with Artaxerxes decree to restore and build Jerusalem in 445 BC, specifically the city and its walls as described in Nehemiah Chapter 2. This prophetic clock then runs “until Messiah the Prince”, which is to culminate precisely at the Lord Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and shortly after his death five days later on Good Friday. Detailed calculations converting these 483 prophetic years of 360 days each into our modern solar calendar years leads to AD 30. The year 30 AD is widely accepted interpretation; majority of scholars says that the year of Jesus triumphal entry and crucifixion would be AD 30. The concept of a 360-day year is derived from other prophetic passages in Revelation 11:3, 12:6, 13:5, (42 months x 30 days = 1,260 days; 1260 days = 3.5 years, indicating 360 days/year).
• The street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times – The street and wall that shall be built again refers to the city of Jerusalem. The decree by Artaxerxes in 445 BC does not include rebuilding the First Temple in Jerusalem, often referred to as Solomon’s Temple, it was built under King Solomon’s reign, the son of King David. The First Temple were decisively destroyed by the Neo-Babylonian Empire under King Nebuchadnezzar II in 587/586 BC. The First Temple was already reconstructed earlier in 516 BC during the reign of Persian King Darius I. After the First Temple was already rebuilt, it was no longer referred to as the First Temple. It became known as the Second Temple to distinguish it from the original temple built by King Solomon that was destroyed by the Babylonians. The Kingdom of Judah (southern kingdom) with its capital Jerusalem was conquered and exiled to Babylon by king Nebuchadnezzar II in 587/586 BC; while the Kingdom of Israel (northern kingdom) was conquered with the great majority of people transferred and exiled to Assyria by kings Tiglath-Pileser III and Shalmaneser V/Sargon II primarily in 732 BC and in 722 BC; both events are extensively recorded in the Old Testament. The conquest of Judah by King Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and the First Temple in 587/566 BC, and King Nebuchadnezzar ordered the Jewish people to be transferred to the Babylonian Empire. And it came to pass, afterwards Cyrus the Great king of Persia conquered the Babylonian empire in 539 BC. Upon conquering Babylon, when the Jews was still in Babylon, Cyrus issued a decree granting permission to the Jews to return to their homeland Judah/Jerusalem and to rebuilt the First Temple destroyed by the Babylonians which eventually will be called the Second Temple upon completion. But the reconstruction was put into a halt due to opposition. But later on in 516 BC it was completely rebuild under King Darius monarchy. The decree was primarily found in Ezra 1. Many of the Jews who chose to return did so from the region of Babylon. The word “even in troublesome times” refers to significant challenge faced by the Jews returning to their homeland to rebuilt the Second Temple. The Jews face difficult, perilous times, and times of distress during the reconstruction of the Second Temple. When the Jewish people began returning from exile after the Persian conquest of Babylon under Cyrus the Great, they faced significant challenges. In the long run, the Second Temple was rebuilt not in 539 BC during the reign of Cyrus the Great, but it was rebuilt in 516 BC during the reign of King Darius I. But prior to its reconstruction, the city walls remained in ruins for a long time before it was eventually rebuilt. This exposed the returning Jewish exiles to attack and left them in a state of shame and vulnerability as depicted in the Book of Nehemiah. The Jews encountered external opposition. They faced constant ridicule, threats, and plots from neighboring peoples and governors. The adversaries actively tried to stop the rebuilding efforts through mockery, intimidation, and even physical attack (Nehemiah 4, 6). They also experienced internal strife. Internal issues arises, such as economic hardship and social injustice among the Jewish people themselves (Nehemiah 5). The work itself was arduous. The people had to clear massive amounts of rubble, acquire materials, and labor tirelessly. They even has to work with one hand and hold a weapon in the other, ready to defend against sudden attack (Nehemiah 4:16-18). The Jews returning from exile indeed face difficulties and opposition in undertaking the monumental task of rebuilding Jerusalem’s street, including its public squares, infrastructure and walls.
As a brief synopsis:
o 587/586 BC - Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II destroyed Jerusalem and the First Temple built by King Solomon but the First Temple since then has never been rebuilt.
o 539 BC - Cyrus the Great king of Persia conquered the Babylonian empire and issued a decree granting permission to the Jews to return to their homeland Judah/Jerusalem to rebuilt the temple only which will eventually called the second temple, but this second temple was put into a halt due to opposition.
o 516 BC - construction of the Second Temple was completed under the reign of King Darius I as recorded in Ezra 6:15
o 445 BC - Persian King Artaxerxes issued a decree to restore and rebuild the city of Jerusalem specifically the city streets, walls and its gates despite the fact that the second temple was already constructed in 516 BC through the decree of King Darius I, the rest of the city remained in a dilapidated and unprotected state.
o The First and Second Temples were built on the exact same location.
o The Second Temple was a reconstruction on the same sacred site as the First Temple, which is known as the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
o 30 AD – Lord Jesus Christ triumphal entry into Jerusalem
(Verse 26) And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, and till the end of the war desolations are determined.
• And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself – Verse 26 is in reference to previous verse 25 “until the Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks” (7 + 62 = 69 weeks), as discussed earlier, week is a set of seven years, so 69 x 7 = 483 years until Jesus Christ comes. “And after sixty-two weeks”, meaning after 69 weeks or after 483 years, “Messiah shall be cut off”. 483 years countdown starts from the time the decree was given by king Artaxerxes to restore and build Jerusalem in 445 BC and ends up to Jesus triumphal entry in Jerusalem; it would be a total of 483 years. Counting 483 years starting from 445 BC will result in the year 30 AD as Jesus triumphal entry and also the year Messiah the Prince Jesus Christ will be cut off or put to death by crucifixion five days later. The word “but not for Himself” means that the Lord Jesus death was not for His own sins (He was sinless) but was a sacrificial death for the benefit of mankind, for the salvation and redemption of humanity.
• And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary – The "people" here are the armies who carried out the destruction of the Second Temple. This is led by the leader of the people under the Roman General Titus. The armies under the leadership of Titus led the destruction of the city of Jerusalem and the “sanctuary” or the Second Temple which occurred in AD 70. He was the son of Emperor Vespasian and later became emperor himself. This was a pivotal historical event, and the prophecy correctly foretold that it would happen after the Messiah's death.
• The end of it shall be with a flood – The word "flood" here is not literal water. It's a symbolic term representing an overwhelming, unstoppable, and destructive force that accurately describes the Roman siege of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Second Temple under Titus. The Roman armies, like an irresistible flood, completely overwhelmed the city's defenses, crushed the opposition, and ultimately destroyed everything in their path. The destruction was total and devastating, leaving the city and the Temple in ruins.
• And till the end of the war – The word “till the end of war” is referring to the end of the Roman-Jewish war, which culminated in the destructive siege of Jerusalem and the Second Temple by the Roman general Titus.
• Desolations are determined – This phrase speaks to the long-term consequences of that destruction. The desolation would not be a temporary event but would persist; that Jerusalem would remain under constant strife until a future event, possibly the end times. The Hebrew word for
for "determined" (charats) carries the weight of a divine decree or a firm, unchangeable decision. It
means this event was not an accident of history but a consequence that God had decided would
happen. This destruction and desolation were not a random accident of history but were
predetermined by God as a consequence of Israel's actions of rejecting the Messiah Jesus Christ.
God had decreed this judgment and its enduring impact. It signifies a divine decree of war and
desolation that would have a lasting effect. This event was revealed to the Prophet Daniel centuries
in advance. The prophecy is not just a prediction; it is a clear statement that God had predetermined
this devastating outcome, which would serve as a form of divine judgment and fulfill the prophetic
timeline.
(Verse 27) Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate."
• Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week – “He” refers to the Antichrist , The "many" is understood to refer to the Jewish people, and possibly other nations, who will enter into a treaty brokered by the Antichrist, possibly as a peace agreement regarding the status of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount, eventually allowing the construction of the Third Temple as well as allowing the sacrifice and offerings to continue. This is seen as the start of the seven-year tribulation period, a foundational concept in eschatology. "One week" means seven years, and seven years is the final "week" of Daniel's 70-week prophecy, separated by a gap or a prophetic pause known as “Church Age” from the previous 69 weeks as discussed earlier. This is the basis for the seven-year Tribulation period. We are currently in the Church Age – the period between Christ first coming and the Rapture that happens ahead of seven years Tribulation. In short, this is yet to come, this is a future event when the Antichrist will enter into a peace treaty with the nation of Israel for seven years, and this seven years peace treaty is known as the seven years Tribulation. So we will know if the seven years Tribulation have started when the Antichrist reveals himself. Right now the antichrist is not in existence. But the notable sign to look is the event when the nation of Israel begins to sign a peace treaty with the Antichrist. The signing of the peace treaty will commence the seven years Tribulation. Currently, no treaty existed, that is the reason why we know that this is a future event.
• But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering – “Middle of the week” is
halfway through the seven years or after 3.5 years. “He” the Antichrist will stop the sacrifice and
offering at the third temple to be rebuild in the future. Antichrist appears as a peacemaker in the first
3.5 years. He will initially seem to be a helpful ally to Israel, allowing the temple worship to resume.
The remaining 3.5 years will be a period of intense persecution. The second half of the seven-year
period is identified with the "Great Tribulation" (Matthew 24:21), where the Antichrist will persecute
the Jewish people and all who refuse to worship him.
• And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate – This phrase refers to the ultimate act of defilement in the future Third Temple in Jerusalem. The "one who makes desolate" is indeed widely identified as the Antichrist . The "abomination of desolation" is understood to be his specific act of desecrating the sanctuary. The Antichrist will sit at the temple of God (the Third Temple) and declare himself to be God. This interpretation is directly supported by 2 Thessalonians 2:4, which says of the "man of lawlessness": "He opposes and exalts himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God." Refusal to worship leads to death. This is also a correct conclusion drawn from other prophecies. The book of Revelation, in its description of the persecution during the Tribulation, states that those who refuse to worship the "beast" (the Antichrist) or receive his mark will be killed (Revelation 13:15).
• Even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate – A future divine destructive judgment is what awaits the Antichrist. In the long run, God’s judgment on the Antichrist will be executed, for the Antichrist will be destroyed and totally annihilated in the end:
*** “Consumation” means a decisive and complete end.
*** "Determined” means it is a preordained decree of God
*** “Poured out” is a common biblical metaphor for God’s wrath and final judgment.
*** “On the desolate” refers to the one who makes desolate – the Antichrist and his followers
This is a brief summary of Daniel 9:24-27 – Daniel’s Seventy Weeks. And to conceptualize the timeline of Daniel's 70 Weeks prophecy, it is outlined in three parts namely:
*** First Part: The 69 Weeks (483 years) – This period starts with the decree to rebuild Jerusalem (445 BC) and ends with the Triumphal Entry of Messiah the Prince Jesus Christ (around 30 AD). Messiah's "cutting off" (Jesus death) and the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD are incorporated in the 69 weeks.
*** Second Part: The Gap (or Prophetic Pause / Church Age) – This is the gap between the 69th Week and the 70th Week. The Gap that commences at the end of 69th Week is a God initiated Prophetic Pause. The gap, known as the “Church Age”, is the period between Christ First coming and the Rapture. Church Age begins at Pentecost. Pentecost occurred 10 days after Jesus ascension into heaven or 50 days after Jesus resurrection. The death, burial, resurrection of Jesus and the Pentecost falls on the same year 30 AD; and 30 AD is also the year “Church Age” began. We are currently living in the “Church Age”. Church Age ends at the Rapture of the Church.
*** Third Part: The 70th Week (The Seven-Year Tribulation) – This final "week" (seven years) is commonly known as the seven year Tribulation. It begins when the Antichrist confirms a covenant with Israel. It culminates in God's final judgments of total annihilation of the Antichrist as well as the eventual return of Christ, the Second Advent or His Second Coming.
So it is summarize as: 69 weeks -> Gap -> 70th week is a clear and accurate representation of this specific interpretation of Daniel's prophecy.
General synopsis – Daniel 9:24-27 (Daniel’s Seventy Weeks):
There will be seventy weeks, equivalent to 490 prophetic years. This countdown is understood to begin with Artaxerxes' decree in 445 BC to restore and build Jerusalem (specifically the city's streets and walls).
The first 69 weeks, totaling 483 prophetic years, begins in 445 BC and extend precisely until Messiah the Prince (Jesus Christ). This period culminates with our Lord Jesus Christ's Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, which is commonly calculated to be around 30 AD. Shortly after this (approximately 5 days later), the Messiah is "cut off" (crucified and died), fulfilling the prophecy that His death occurs after the 69th week. During this broader period, the city of Jerusalem's streets and walls were indeed rebuilt in perilous, troublesome times (as seen in the Book of Nehemiah). The Second Temple had already been completed much earlier in 516 BC under King Darius I. Christ's Mission as Prophesied in Daniel 9:24, specifically Jesus accomplishment after His death and resurrection resulted in the completion of the 69 weeks, Messiah's subsequent "cutting off" (death on the cross) accomplished pivotal aspects of His mission:
*** To finish the transgression: Jesus' death addressed and provided atonement for humanity's rebellion against God halting transgression, making a way for sins to be definitively dealt with for those who believe.
*** To make an end of sins: Through His sacrifice, the power of sin was broken, and its ultimate dominion over humanity was brought to an end for those reconciled to God.
*** To make reconciliation for iniquity: Christ's death and resurrection perfectly reconciled humanity to God, bridging the gap created by sin.
*** To bring in everlasting righteousness: Through faith in Him, believers are granted an eternal, perfect righteousness before God.
*** To seal up vision and prophecy: Jesus' first coming and His fulfillment of specific prophecies confirmed the truthfulness and certainty of God's revealed plan, ensuring that in the future all remaining prophecies will eventually be fulfilled and completed including those given to Prophet Daniel.
*** To anoint the Most Holy or the anointing of Jesus (the Messiah, the Most Holy One) at His baptism by John the Baptist, initiating His public ministry through the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
Following the completion of the 69 weeks (around 30 AD) and the subsequent destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple by Roman General Titus and his armies in 70 AD (an event that occurs in the gap period), there is a prophetic pause initiated by God. This pause occurs between the 69th week and the final 70th week. The remaining "one week" (seven years) is yet to be fulfilled. This period is commonly known as the seven-year Tribulation.
This period will begin when the Antichrist reveals himself and signs a peace treaty with the nation of Israel. This marks the start of his global reign. The first 3.5 years of the Antichrist's rule will appear favorable to Israel. During this time, the Antichrist will allow (and potentially facilitate) the rebuilding of a Third Temple in Jerusalem that is yet to be rebuild in the future, enabling the Jews to resume their worship and sacrifices in this sanctuary. However, in the middle of the week (after 3.5 years), the Antichrist will break his covenant. He will turn against the Jews, stopping the offerings and sacrifices and declaring himself to be God (the "abomination of desolation") within the rebuilt Third Temple.
The remaining 3.5 years will be a time of intense persecution, where the Antichrist will attempt to destroy the Jewish people. However, he will ultimately not succeed because God has predestined to rescue a remnant of the Jews. The prophecy culminates with God's determined judgment being "poured out" on the Antichrist, leading to his complete destruction and annihilation, fulfilling the "consummation... determined" spoken of by the Prophet Daniel.
Daniel 9:24-27 is the foundational chronological verse for the seven-year period. The full theological concept of the "seven years tribulation" is built by synthesizing prophecies from several other books of the Bible particularly Daniel 9:27 gives us the structure—the "one week" of seven years (seven years Tribulation)
Other scriptural contents fill in and provide more details about the events, the duration, and the key players. Here are the other essential biblical passages that are used to build the complete picture of the seven years of tribulation:
Daniel 7:25 and 12:7: These verses speak of a period of "a time, times, and half a time" where a powerful king (identified with the Antichrist) will persecute God's people. This phrase is widely interpreted to mean 3.5 years (a time = 1 year, times = 2 years, half a time = 0.5 years), which perfectly corresponds to the "middle of the week" in Daniel 9:27. This provides a strong structural element for the seven-year period.
The Olivet Discourse of Jesus in Matthew 24:15-22 is also a famous end-times prophecy, where Jesus directly references Daniel's prophecy of the "abomination of desolation" standing in the holy place. He then describes a period of unprecedented suffering called the "great tribulation," which many interpret as the second half of the seven-year period (the final 3.5 years).
The Book of Revelation provides the most extensive details about the events of the Tribulation. It uses three key phrases that are all interpreted as referring to the same 3.5-year period – 1,260 days (Revelation 11:3; 12:6) and 42 months (Revelation 11:2; 13:5) and a time, times, and half a time (Revelation 12:14).
Revelation describes the specific judgments (the seals, trumpets, and bowls), the rise of the Antichrist ("the beast"), and the events that will take place during this time, from the beginning to the end.
Thus, Daniel 9:27 is the foundational verse because it gives us the seven-year timeline. Full knowledge and understanding of the Tribulation period comes from a synthesis of the verse mentioned here with other key prophetic passages, and also from the Book of Revelation, which provides the rich detail and event sequence for that time.
I will be writing another article on the seven years Tribulation regarding the main core of the Tribulation and regarding the precedent of the Rapture over Tribulation.
