This book challenges the traditional interpretations of the prophecies in the Book of Daniel, showing how the traditional interpretations are flawed due to using forced chronologies, incorrect calendrical manipulations, and misinterpretations of key prophetic terms. The author offers a historically grounded alternative, one that agrees with both the biblical text and documented history exactly. For example, the following flaws in the interpretation of Daniel 9:24-27 (The Seventy Weeks) are discussed in this book's chapter 6 and chapter 7:
1.
Starting Point of the Prophecy:
Traditional interpretations begin the 70 weeks with a Persian decree. This book criticizes that choice, instead proposing a decree by Julius Caesar in 44 BCE, cited in Josephus as historical evidence. The traditional start date of Persian decrees does not align with the prophecy's requirements, while Caesar's decree fits precisely.
2.
Duration of the 'Weeks':
Traditional interpretations assume that the term "week" refers to a period of seven years, totaling 490 years for the Seventy Weeks. This book argues against that interpretation, stating that the Hebrew word shavuot (weeks) refers to the Festival of Weeks, meaning the prophecy covers seventy annual Pentecosts rather than 490 years. That reading aligns the prophecy with a 70-year period, dramatically altering the traditional timeframe.
3.
The Seven Weeks of Verse 25:
This book notes that traditional expositors often combine the 7 weeks and 62 weeks into one block of 69 weeks. The author points out that the 7 weeks have a distinct chronological meaning that is essential for historical accuracy. He shows how the 7 weeks correspond to seven Pentecosts within a seven-year sabbatical cycle from 42 BCE to 36 BCE. That reconfiguration locates the start of Jesus' public ministry in time, providing a historically grounded interpretation of the prophecy.
4.
Prophetic Year Calculations:
Traditional interpretations use the concept of "prophetic years" of 360 days to resolve the 483-year calculation. The author dismisses that manipulation as unscriptural and without historical or astronomical basis, emphasizing that Genesis 1:14 defines a year as the time it takes the Earth to go around the Sun, which is 3651/4 days. That critique highlights a common pitfall in traditional chronologies-adjusting timeframes to force alignment with historical events.
5.
The Gap Theory:
This book addresses the error of the "gap theory," which places the 70th week in the distant future. The author argues that the "gap theory" is unfounded and disrupts the prophecy's intended flow. He proposes that the 70th week occurred immediately after the 69th, marking the time between the Pentecosts of 27 CE and 28 CE, thereby locating the ministry and baptism of Jesus within the prophetic framework. Note that this book is
not a rehash
of traditional interpretations of the Daniel prophecies. It points out chronological errors found in the older traditional approaches. In the fourteen years that this commentary has been available for scrutiny by thousands of Bible scholars, not one has been able to show that the author has incorrectly applied the biblical text or documented history. They may still disagree, something not uncommon in theological circles, but none have shown error by the author using only the Bible and documented history.
The interpretations in this book are the result of original research by the author, and are not based on, derivative of, or associated in any way with The Watchtower Society, The Seventh-day Adventist Church and its Biblical Research Institute, any form of Millerism, Donovan Courville, Rolf Furuli, David Rohl, Peter James, Immanuel Velikovsky, et al.