The 70 Weeks Prophecy: Was Jesus the Prophesied Messiah?

There is no figure in history more controversial or significant than Jesus. Some claim He was simply a moral teacher, others believe He was a prophet, while many accept Him as the long-awaited Messiah. But is there any way to know for sure?

Surprisingly, the Bible provides a detailed prophecy that foretells not only the mission of the Messiah but also the exact timing of His arrival. Found in Daniel 9, this prophecy was given centuries before Jesus was born and offers compelling evidence for who He truly is.

By carefully examining these ancient predictions and their historical fulfilment, we can discover whether Jesus was, in fact, the prophesied Messiah—and why that still matters today.

UNDERSTANDING THE MESSIAH

Before exploring the timeline, it is essential to understand who the Messiah is and what His role entails. The term Messiah literally means “the Anointed One.” To be anointed signifies being consecrated by the Holy Spirit for a special purpose.

In Isaiah 61:1, we read:

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.”

The Messiah came to reveal the true character and nature of God to a world that had largely forgotten Him. He came to free us from the bondage of destructive habits and passions, to heal our inner wounds and guilt, and to offer hope and a future. However, His mission extended far beyond this.

Isaiah 53 speaks with remarkable clarity about the central purpose of the Messiah’s first coming:

“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (verses 5–6)

The Messiah came to serve as a sacrifice for sin. Why was this necessary? Because sin carries a penalty—death (1 John 3:4). Without the Messiah’s atoning sacrifice, every individual would have to bear the penalty for their own sins, resulting in eternal death and hopelessness in a world plagued by sin.

But God, in His infinite love, had a different plan for humanity. He takes no pleasure in the death of sinners and desires that none should perish. Instead, He gave Heaven’s most precious gift—His own Son—to die in our place.

Isaiah 53:11 says:

“He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities.”

This passage emphasizes the voluntary nature of the Messiah’s sacrifice. No force was involved; He willingly gave His life as a ransom for many.

The fact that the Messiah had to die to satisfy the requirements of a broken law demonstrates the eternal nature of that law. If God could simply abolish it, no sacrifice would have been necessary. Yet, by upholding His law and its just penalty, God confirms its enduring authority. A law loses its power if it is not upheld.

God did not make a mistake in creating the law, nor will He err in sustaining it. The Ten Commandments, which define sin (Romans 7:7; 1 John 3:4), will remain the foundation of God’s government for all eternity (Psalm 111:7–8). God’s people are identified as those who keep His commandments and have the faith of Jesus (Revelation 14:12). We should be eternally grateful that the One who knew no sin chose to become sin for us and die in our place. What incredible love!

Regarding the Messiah’s nature, Micah 5:2 declares:

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.”

This prophecy not only foretells the Messiah’s birthplace but also points to His eternal existence. When speaking of one who has existed from everlasting, the only possible reference is to God Himself. Scripture clearly states that only God possesses immortality (1 Timothy 6:16) and that He alone existed before all things (Psalm 90:2).

Jeremiah 23:5–6 provides further evidence of the Messiah’s divinity:

“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely. Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

The title THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS contains the divine name Jehovah, used in the Old Testament exclusively for God. This unmistakably reveals the Messiah’s divinity. He is indeed the Son of God, the second member of the Godhead.

As Isaiah 9:6 proclaims:

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

THE SEVENTY WEEKS

Having established who the Messiah is and why He came, we can now turn our attention to when the prophet Daniel predicted His arrival. For this, we must study the prophecy of the 70 weeks found in Daniel 9:24–27.

“Seventy weeks are determined for your people [Israel] and for your holy city [Jerusalem], 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.” (Daniel 9:24)

According to verse 25, this prophetic period begins with the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. When Babylon conquered Israel, Jerusalem and the temple were left in ruins, and Israel lost both its national independence and its religious temple services. The command referenced here was intended to repair that damage and re-establish what had been lost.

In Ezra 7:12–28, we find the decree issued by King Artaxerxes. This royal command allowed the Jewish people to restore temple services and re-establish their civil and religious autonomy. It was the last of three commands and the only one to fulfil all that was required of the prophecy in Daniel 9. It was given in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes’ reign (Ezra 7:7), which, according to historical records, corresponds to 457 B.C. This gives us the starting point for the 70-week prophecy.

The next question is: What does “70 weeks” actually represent in prophetic terms?

In biblical prophecy, a day symbolizes a year. This principle is established in Ezekiel 4:6:

“And when you have completed them, lie again on your right side; then you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days. I have laid on you a day for each year.”

Applying this principle, the 70 weeks become 490 literal years.

Returning to Daniel 9:25, we are told:

“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.”

Seven weeks plus sixty-two weeks equals 69 weeks, or 483 prophetic days, which translates to 483 literal years.

Now, if we begin at 457 B.C. and count 483 years forward, and account for the fact that there is no year zero, we arrive at 27 A.D.

This is the precise time we should expect to see the Messiah anointed and begin His public ministry.

The Bible confirms that Jesus was about 30 years old when He was baptized and anointed by the Holy Spirit:

“And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, ‘You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.’ Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, the son of Heli.” (Luke 3:22–23)

If this occurred in 27 A.D., then subtracting 30 years places Jesus' birth around 4 B.C. This aligns with modern historical research, which shows Jesus was born before the death of King Herod in 4 B.C. Earlier calculations mistakenly placed His birth at 1 A.D., but the corrected timeline fits the historical and biblical record more accurately.

In light of this, Jesus’ appearance as the Messiah occurred exactly on schedule. He fulfilled the prophecy down to the very year—a remarkable confirmation of His identity as the promised Messiah.

Jesus was fully aware of His identity and mission, which is why He declared, “The time is fulfilled” (Mark 1:15). He understood that He had arrived precisely on time, in accordance with the prophecy found in Daniel 9.

THE FINAL WEEK

Up to this point, we have accounted for 69 of the 70 prophetic weeks. According to Daniel 9:27, the final, 70th week contains a significant event:

“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.”

The middle of the final week would occur three and a half years after the start of that week. Jesus began His public ministry in 27 A.D., and He was crucified in 31 A.D.—exactly three and a half years later. His death fulfilled the prophetic statement that He would “bring an end to sacrifice and offering.”

Why did His death bring an end to these offerings? Because the entire Old Testament sacrificial system was symbolic. The sacrifices of animals pointed forward to the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus would make for humanity. When Jesus died, these types and symbols were fulfilled and were no longer necessary. As Colossians 2:14 says, they were “nailed to His cross.”

Jesus is now our true offering, the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Through Him, we have direct access to the Father for the forgiveness of sins. The role once held by the earthly priesthood has now been taken up by Jesus, our Mediator with the Father. The temple rituals, priests, and sacrifices were no longer needed.

The 490-year prophetic period ends in 34 A.D. This year marked a critical turning point: the Jewish nation formally rejected the gospel message with the stoning of Stephen and the intensified persecution of Christ’s disciples (Acts 7). Following this, the gospel message began to be preached to the Gentiles (non-Jews), and the Apostle Paul was especially chosen to carry this message far and wide.

The prophecy of the 70 weeks is just one among many that Jesus fulfilled with remarkable precision. Daniel received this vision over 500 years before its fulfillment—yet every detail unfolded exactly as foretold. This powerful accuracy gives us every reason to trust in who Jesus is and what He means for us today.

Jesus gave His life willingly—for you. He now stands at the door of your heart, waiting to be received. Will you open that door? Even a single step toward Him is met with grace, mercy, and arms ready to welcome you home.

Turn your eyes to Jesus—the prophesied Messiah, the Son of God, the only One who can save. Through Him, we can receive the full gift of His grace and find peace that this world cannot offer.

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