Although there have been critics of Scripture in general and the book of Daniel in particular since the earliest times, the attacks became more frequent and vocal with the emphasis on science, which blossomed and grew during and after the Enlightenment of the 18th century. Only that which could be observed and experienced through one's natural senses was of importance; the supernatural was to be doubted. Consequently, in view of the accuracy of the specific events foretold to Daniel regarding the 70 weeks (490 years) determined upon his people and the holy city, many commentators claimed the book was really written centuries after Daniel's time. In other words, they considered the book an historical account, clothed in the garb of prophecy. Yet Christ attributed the authorship of Daniel to the person whose name it bears (cf. Matt. 24:15; Mark 13:14).The prophecy of the 70 weeks has engaged the attention of the wisest and the best of commentators for many centuries, yet the exact dates of the events foretold have never met with any consensus. Although it contains what no other prophecy contains--a prediction of the time when the Messiah was to be crucified--the date has never been exactly computed to the satisfaction of all concerned. As such this book presents three typical interpretations of the 70 weeks: (1) an amillennial explanation, (2) a prophetic or lunar year interpretation, and (3) a common or solar year analysis.The main difference of opinion lies in the nature of the 70th week (the last seven years) of the prophecy. The amillennialist is convinced that God has no future plans for the Jewish nation, apart from a future judgment, and consequently sees the entire prophecy fulfilled at the time of Christ or at least no later than the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. The dispensationalist, on the other hand, believing God is not finished with His chosen people, sees the final week as yet in the future--the fulfillment of which will take place during the Great Tribulation, as described in the book of Revelation.