DUAL FULFILLMENT PUZZLE- These six prophecies for the nation Israel are still unfulfilled. The Jews are still in rebellion against God, they are still caught up in their sins, they are still refusing to accept the atonement for their iniquity, everlasting righteousness has not come upon the earth, all prophecy concerning the Messiah has not yet been fulfilled, and the most holy has not yet been anointed. Therefore, the 490 years are not consecutive and there MUST be a gap in the prophecy of the 70 sevens.
The Babylonians began the destruction of Jerusalem in 606 and completed it in 586 BC. Daniel received this revelation almost 40 years later in 538 BC. However, the decree of Artaxerxes King of Persia, to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem did not occur until 457 BC. The starting point of the 490 years probably began when this decree to Ezra was issued in 457 BC and is recorded in Ezra 7:11-26 and Ezra 9:9. The Jews were authorized to launch a general rebuilding campaign, that included the temple, the city and the walls. An additional decree was also issued to Nehemiah, by Darius, to rebuild the walls in Jerusalem in 445 BC as recorded in Nehemiah 2:1-8.
Since the crucifixion in 32 AD and the destruction of the temple in 70 AD, there has been a ~2000 year gap, commonly called the church age, between the 69th and the 70th week. During this time the gospel is going out to the gentiles, until the gospel has reached every nation. The prophets of old did not know that there would be this prolonged intervening gap between the 69th and the 70th week. The prophets were like a person who looked down the corridor of history and saw two mountain peaks, seemingly pressed up against one another. The first mountain peak was the First Coming. The second mountain peak is the Second Coming. In reality, these mountain peaks were separated by a great valley which could not be seen. The valley represents the time of the Gentiles. In the future, this valley, this gap of time between the 69th and 70th week will be completed and Daniel’s 70th week will begin. At that time God’s prophetic clock will re-start and Daniel’s 70th week will begin.