Daniel
Daniel 9-10
Daniel 9 is considered to be a monumental portion of Scripture. It is so important for a number of reasons.
First- It is considered to be the backbone of biblical prophecy.
Second– It is the first time that the term messiah is used, which is significant.
Third– It helps us understand what God is doing and is planning to do in the future.
The primary focus this morning is on verses 24-27.
Daniel 9:24-27- “Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place.
25 Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time.
26 And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed.
27 And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”
We need to back up the very first line of verse 24. Understanding this line is key to how we interpret and understand everything else.
First, we have to understand what is meant by 70 weeks.
The Jewish people thought in groups of 7. The Hebrew for this phrase refers to 70 sets of 7. Each of the weeks represents 7 years. This meansthat these 70 weeks refer to 70 weeks of years or 490 years.
The second thing we need to notice in the first phrase is that this prophecy is for and about a specific people. “Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city.”
Now, the rest of verse 24 outlines 6 things that God will do during the 490 years. I want to mention this, but they are not our focus this morning.
Verse 24– “Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place.”
6 things God will do during the 490 years.
This prophecy is divided into 3 sections.
Vs. 25- “Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time.
This whole prophetic timeline begins with a mandate or a decree to rebuild and restore Jerusalem. And it says that it will take seven periods of seven years which is 49 years.
Notice verse 25 again- “Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time.
After the completion of rebuilding Jerusalem and the end of Nehemiah’s life, there is a period of 434 years that led to something spectacular. The coming of the Messiah or the Anointed One.
From the time that the decree is given to rebuild Jerusalem to the messiah would be 483 years.
When you use the historical date that the decree was given to rebuild the city of Jerusalem and you do the math, you do indeed come to the life of Jesus, and many scholars believe that you actually come to the time that Jesus is riding into Jerusalem on a donkey and the day we refer to as Palm Sunday.
The prophecy so far has accounted for 69 of the 70 weeks. It’s not over.
Notice verse 26- “After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary.”
It is clear that there are some events that happen after the 69 weeks but before the 70th week.
What are the events that happen in this gap? First, the messiah is cut off. Literally put to death.
Second, the city of Jerusalem is destroyed, the temple is ransacked, which happened in AD 70. The prince that is referred to is Titus who led the Romans to destroy the temple.
We are still in this gap. This gap is what we refer to as the Church Age. It is where we are today.
This last week or this last 7 years is what we refer to as the Great Tribulation.
Verse 27- “And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”
We know from studying the book of Revelation that the first 3 ½ years will be a time of peace and the last 3 ½ years will be a time of intense tribulation and war culminating with the second coming of Jesus and the Battle of Armageddon.