Our home here has been a progressive process, as I read back on threads written in the past, the further I go back the less I understood. Through our conversations I have been able to grow in knowledge and understanding, which includes compromise and listening to others like yourself, (of which you have been an incalculable help, and friend). I use to be so definite and sure of myself, but what I realize as I actually start to understand more, I realize how much I actually do not know. The more I learn, the more I realize I don't know.

While we are in this current system, none of us will ever be able to say we understand the truth, and there is never a reason to be so confident to say we are right about anything. The only thing I should ever say is "In my opinion", and what a lesson that can be for men like us... We want so much to serve him and to understand his work, and that takes great confidence, yet in our imperfection we fall gravely short, more often then not.

So now I tend to pray to soak up as much as possible, to be granted understanding (among other things) so that one day when he calls on us, I'll be ready to serve him, we will be ready to serve him... Jehovah willing...

I've done extensive work on Dan 9, and I'll share that with you now;

I believe the original fulfillment was that for a Messiah, from captivity to Babylon, till the Messiah's appearance, and it was fulfilled to the "many" (Israel). I believe that word "many" is used to define "Israel" (Physically) as it is many times in the OT.

I believe the 70th week started the day Jesus was baptized, even the Jewish leaders new this and were looking for the Messiah because of the prophecies in Dan 9.

Then I believe that 70th week ended when Cornelius was baptized, also ending the covenant promised to the "many" (Israel), and at which point making Israel spiritual, when that covenant was opened up to everyone. Because, once Cornelius was baptized, that fulfilled Peter's vision of the sheet coming down with the unclean animals when God told him they are now clean. Peter's vision, along with Cornelius's baptism tells us that Israel, after that point was anyone who was baptized in truth, including the Gentile.

Let's look at the details;

Take a look at the prophetic fulfillment's of the prophecies found in the 9th chapter of Daniel from versus 24-27.

"There are 70 weeks that have been determined for your people and your holy city, in order to terminate the transgression, to finish off sin, to make atonement for error, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up the vision and the prophecy, and to anoint the Holy of Holies."(Dan 9:24)

In the first verse we are to cover we see a complete overview of what may be looked forward to in the process of those 70 weeks. Included is the termination of transgression which of course refers to the "transgression causing desolation" within Jehovah's temple here on earth. We see as well a decree that sin itself will end, as well an atonement of error in that of Jesus sacrifice. We will see the bringing in of everlasting righteousness in that of the new world, and to complete the visions of prophecy as mentioned at Rev 10:7.

"You should know and understand that from the issuing of the word to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem until Mes·si′ah the Leader, there will be 7 weeks, also 62 weeks. She will be restored and rebuilt, with a public square and moat, but in times of distress." (Dan 9:25)

Now, here we have a starting point for our 70 weeks in that of the word going fourth to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. I'm not going to get into dates here, because there are many schools of thought on exactly what day this occurred, but in all reality it's absolutely irrelevant as it pertains to the prophecies contained and their future fulfillment. We also find in this verse a "she". No doubt this refers to that bride of Christ, the very same "city" that is devastated in the end. We have an initial fulfillment from Artaxerxes to rebuild the Temple that leads us to our next verse.

"And after the 62 weeks, Mes·si′ah will be cut off, with nothing for himself." (Dan 9:26a)

This scripture says that after 62 weeks the Messiah would be cut off, in the reading and structure of the last verses of Dan 9 we find that this scripture doesn't say specifically right when these 62 weeks end he would be cut off but rather sometime there after.

"And the people of a leader who is coming will destroy the city and the holy place. And its end will be by the flood. And until the end there will be war; what is decided upon is desolations." (Dan 9:26b)

The city and Holy place that is destroyed is the Temple spoken about that was to be rebuilt earlier in the verses. That same Temple in Jerusalem that we know was destroyed in the year 70CE. We also know that Jehovah's current Temple is destined to have a similar fate when it is destroyed during the time of great tribulation. (2Th 2, Rev 11)

"And he will keep the covenant in force for the many for one week;" (Dan 9:27a)

Here we get into that 70th week, and some very interesting prophetic significance. What is this "Covenant" that is held in force for the many for one week? Let's brake it down. Another way to render this scripture is as such; "when he shall confirm the covenant during many weeks." Also, "And in the end of the week." Agreeing with the Septuagint we read, "the covenant shall prevail for the many during one week".

So basically this scripture is saying that Jehovah confirms his covenant to Israel by bringing in the Messiah. This is basically a confirmation that this is the moment of the coming Prince, which of course would have been seen the moment Jesus was baptized. It is the covenant to Israel that is completed and held in place for one week. This 70th week began at Jesus baptism and continues it's discussion in the remaining part of the verse.

"and at the half of the week, he will cause sacrifice and gift offering to cease." (Dan 9:27a)

This "sacrifice and gift offering" that was to cease was the sacrifices and offerings in the Temple. This would have been symbolic of Jehovah's will because Jesus blood once and for ever atoned for human sin and he became that perfect sacrifice at the end of the three and a half years of his ministry. No longer were animal sacrifices needed in order to atone for sin. The end of this week as pointed out by the "Insight Volumes" occurred when the covenant was extended outside the "many" to include the rest of the world when Cornelius become a Christian, three and a half years after Jesus's sacrifice.

"And on the wing of disgusting things there will be the one causing desolation; and until an extermination, what was decided on will be poured out also on the one lying desolate." (Dan 9:27b)

What would be the end result of the prophecy in Dan 9? Of course the destruction of the Temple.

All of this information would have helped the first century Christians to avoid becoming part of the destruction of the Temple, including the warnings from Jesus at Mat 24:15, as well the warnings in Daniel 12, but how does this effect us today? These prophecies in Dan 9 were recorded to assist the bride class to recognize his coming and to avoid the destruction that was destined on the Temple in the first century and as well in the time of the end.

I believe in the time of the end these weeks will be literally 7 days of weeks, literal weeks. In the end the 69th week ends the moment the Holy of Holies is anointed when Jesus is enthroned as king at the completion of the 1260 days of captivity. This will be the start of the promised covenant in the time of the end that will be held in place for one week.

I believe this is Dan 9's second fulfillment, when the covenant for a king is fulfilled when Christ is enthroned, while 69 weeks before the call to rebuild the spiritual Jerusalem is made.

Then that last seventieth week will be action packed, from the Holy Spirit being poured out and the sons of God transfigured, to the two witnesses being killed three days later, to their resurrection fulfilling the final sign of Jonah, and then the message of everlasting good new to the world...

Rev 14:6 "And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, and he had everlasting good news to declare to those who dwell on the earth, to every nation and tribe and tongue and people."

Phewwwwww, guess I'll stop there....