September 23, 2025 • 31 mins
Prophecy unfolds with stunning precision in this exploration of Daniel 9, where we discover a divine timeline that maps humanity's journey from ancient Babylon to the Messiah's return.
The journey begins with Daniel deeply grieving over Jerusalem's destruction, wrapped in sackcloth and ashes as he confesses the sins of his people. His heartfelt prayer is dramatically interrupted when the angel Gabriel arrives with a revelation far exceeding Daniel's immediate concerns. Gabriel delivers the famous "70 weeks" prophecy—a 490-year timeline decreed specifically for the Jewish people and Jerusalem.
What makes this prophecy remarkable is its mathematical precision. Starting from Artaxerxes' decree to rebuild Jerusalem in 454 BC, the first 69 weeks (483 years) lead exactly to Jesus beginning His public ministry in 29 AD. Gabriel foretells that after this period, the Messiah would be "cut off"—fulfilled in Christ's crucifixion. The prophecy continues with the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 AD, creating a pattern that foreshadows the final Antichrist who will arise from a revived Roman Empire.
The most fascinating aspect is the final "70th week"—a seven-year period separated from the previous 69 by a gap spanning nearly two millennia. This final week begins when the Antichrist makes a covenant with Israel, only to break it halfway through, stopping the sacrificial system and setting up an "abomination of desolation" in the Temple. The prophecy culminates with Christ's triumphant return, defeating the Antichrist and establishing His eternal kingdom.
Whether you're a seasoned Bible student or new to prophecy, this passage reveals how God's sovereign plan unfolds with supernatural precision. The historically fulfilled portions give us confidence that the remaining prophecies will likewise come to pass. Listen now to discover how ancient words written over 2,500 years ago continue to illuminate our understanding of both history and the future.
Email: nathan@nathandietsche.com
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Speaker 1 (00:15):
Grace and peace to you from God, our Father and our
Lord and Savior, jesus Christ.
Today we are in Daniel, chapter9, starting at verse 1.
In the first year of Darius,the son of Ahasuerus, by descent
Amid, who was made king overthe realm of the Chaldeans, who
was made king over the realm ofthe Chaldeans In the first year
(00:40):
of his reign, I, daniel,perceived in the books the
number of years that, accordingto the word of the Lord to
Jeremiah the prophet, must passbefore the end of the
desolations of Jerusalem, namelyseventy years.
(01:03):
These first two verses ofDaniel, chapter 9, tell us that
this is the first year of Darius, son of Ahasuerus' reign.
This is in fact Darius the Mede, also known as Syaxares.
He again was appointed as kingover the Medo-Persian empire by
Cyrus for those first two yearsafter the fall of the Babylonian
(01:26):
empire.
And then Daniel tells us thathe understood, according to the
writings and the prophecies ofJeremiah the prophet, that the
time for Jerusalem's ruin,jerusalem's desolation and
Israel's exile into Babyloniancaptivity was over.
More specifically, jeremiah hadgiven a prophecy of 70 years,
(01:52):
and that prophecy is found inJeremiah 25, 11 through 13.
In Jeremiah 25, 11-13.
Jeremiah prophesied in greatdetail the judgment of all of
the nations in the Middle Eastunder the Babylonian captivity,
as well as Babylon's eventualfall, in Jeremiah 46-51.
(02:14):
And Daniel recognizes right nowthat this prophecy is coming to
conclusion, picking up in verse3,.
(02:36):
In verse 3, we see Danielprepare to seek God in prayer.
His example here of preparationto pray shows his humility, his
deep grief and his repentancethat Daniel wanted to express to
the Lord God.
Fasting, as well as sackclothand ashes, were a customary way
(03:01):
in the Old Testament ofexpressing sincere remorse,
humility and repentance.
Then, in verses 4 through 19,daniel prays for his people,
israel.
Because there's so much more inchapter 9 we want to focus on
today.
I'm not going to read thiswhole prayer, but I will
(03:22):
summarize it.
Throughout the prayer, danielconfesses his sin and the sin of
Israel.
He uses phrases like we havesinned, we have done wrong,
we've acted wickedly, we'verebelled, we have turned aside,
we have not listened to yourvoice, we have done treachery
(03:45):
against you, we have not obeyed,we have transgressed your law
and we have not obeyed yourvoice.
Right alongside this, whileDaniel is confessing the sins of
Israel, he's also proclaimingthe faithfulness of God.
Daniel declares that God is theone who keeps covenant and he
(04:08):
is the one who has steadfastlove.
Daniel says To you O Lord,belongs righteousness.
To the Lord, our God, belongsmercy and forgiveness.
And Daniel also acknowledgesthat God is right and righteous
to punish Israel because theyhave transgressed his law, and
(04:32):
God is right to bring shame uponIsrael and calamity upon them
because they have not sought God.
Finally, in Daniel's prayer, hepleads with the Lord to forgive
his people, israel, the peoplewho are called by God's name.
Now, picking up in verse 20,while I was speaking and praying
(04:56):
, confessing my sin and the sinof my people, israel, and
presenting my plea before theLord, my God, for the holy hill
of my God, while I was speakingin prayer, the man Gabriel, whom
I had seen in the vision at thefirst, came to me in swift
flight at the time of theevening sacrifice.
(05:18):
Came to me in swift flight atthe time of the evening
sacrifice.
He made me understand, speakingwith me and saying O Daniel, I
have now come out to give youinsight and understanding.
At the beginning of your pleasfor mercy, a word went out and I
have come to tell it to you,for you are greatly loved.
(05:39):
Therefore, consider the wordand understand the vision.
In verses 20 through 22, welearn that as Daniel is in the
middle of his prayer, as he'sstill confessing and still
pleading with God over the sinsof Israel and that they might
return to Jerusalem, the angelGabriel comes to him and we're
(06:04):
told that Gabriel arrives at thetime of the evening sacrifice.
The angel Gabriel tells Danielthat at the very beginning of
his pleas to God, the Lord hadsent out a.
(06:30):
Daniel is greatly loved by God.
Picking up in verse 24,.
Picking up in verse 24, 70weeks are decreed about your
people and your holy city.
To finish the transgression, toput an end to sin and to atone
for iniquity, to bring ineverlasting righteousness, to
(06:53):
seal both vision and profit, toanoint a most holy place.
Now, verse 24 is packed withimportant and complex ideas.
This begins God's answer toDaniel's prayer and his plea for
(07:13):
his people.
Therefore, it's important forus to take some time and unpack
this verse.
It begins by telling us about70 weeks.
The phrase 70 weeks could justas well be translated 77s.
The Hebrew word for what istranslated.
(07:35):
Week here literally means sevenconsecutive periods, seven
consecutive periods of time, andthe context always determines
the value, because this caneither mean days, or it can mean
years, and the context that wefind this in is the context of
(07:56):
years.
This in is the context of years.
Since Daniel, in his prayer,was thinking in terms of years,
namely the 70 years Israel hasbeen in exile into Babylon, it
would be very natural for him tounderstand these 77s also as
years.
Another important considerationas we think about this, in
(08:19):
modern Western thought we thinkin units of tens, ten, twenty,
thirty or ten, one hundred onethousand, but in Hebrew thought
they thought in units of seven,which are known as heptads.
For them there were sevenconsecutive days in a week.
There were seven years.
(08:39):
Until the Sabbath rest, therewere seven, sevens or 49 years.
Until the year of Jubilee,seventy sevens, as spoken of
here, equates to 490 years.
While some have wronglyinterpreted these 70 weeks as
(09:00):
symbolic, there is overwhelmingevidence, both historical and
scriptural, to recognize theseweeks as 70 literal periods of
seven consecutive years.
One of the most notable ways inwhich we know that these are
years rather than weeks is inverse 27 of this very chapter,
(09:24):
where we are told about half aweek, and we know from that
passage that that half a week isthree and a half years.
And there are many parallelpassages that confirm that.
Now Daniel is told that these77s are decreed about his people
and his holy city.
(09:45):
In contrast to other propheticscriptures that designate the
saints which would be believersin the Messiah, here Gabriel
tells Daniel that this prophecyis for his people and his holy
city.
Just as Daniel has been prayingabout his people, israel, so
(10:07):
God has answered regarding hispeople, israel.
Daniel's tribe was the tribe ofJudah and his people are the
Jewish people.
There's no doubt that the holycity spoken of here in this
prophecy is Jerusalem.
When we begin to understandthere's a distinction in
(10:29):
scripture between Israel asbelievers and Israel as a nation
, we begin to see the fullpicture.
While God's eternal plan hasalways been about the elect who
believe in the Messiah, we mustalso recognize that God has
(10:49):
elected a physical nation tostand as a physical example of
his faithfulness on earth Israel.
The nation is a typology.
Earth.
Israel.
The nation is a typology.
It declares to the world God'srelationship with true Israel,
those who believe in the Messiah.
(11:11):
Recognizing these 77s as atimeline specific to the
physical nation of Israel opensup a treasure of prophetic
understanding on how Israel as anation plays a key role, both
in Jesus Christ's first comingand in his second coming.
(11:32):
Then Daniel is given a list ofsix specific accomplishments
that the Messiah will bringabout To finish transgression,
to put an end to sin, to atonefor iniquity, to bring in
everlasting righteousness, toseal up both vision and prophet,
(11:55):
and to anoint a most holy place.
And to anoint a most holy place.
These accomplishments cansometimes be seen as sets of
three, the first three happeningat Jesus' first coming and the
second three at Jesus' secondcoming.
However, I believe theseaccomplishments are not split so
(12:19):
perfectly, but rather, as agroup of six, they declare the
faithfulness of what the Messiahwill accomplish in these 70
weeks.
First of all, to finishtransgression.
Some see this as putting an endto the continued apostasy of
(12:41):
Israel against God, becauseIsrael as a nation has rejected
God.
They've rejected the message ofthe coming Messiah and as such,
they will lose their positionas the protector of God's
message and of God's kingdom andof God's kingdom.
(13:04):
However, the Hebrew phrase tofinish transgression implies
this is a conclusion of Israel'srebellion against God.
It's not just the conclusion ofthe Mosaic covenant.
Therefore, it would follow thatthis is only going to be
accomplished when Christ returnsthe second time and he sets up
his final kingdom.
The second accomplishment tomake an end of sin.
(13:27):
Hebrews 9.26 does tell us thatJesus Christ, in his first
coming, put away sin.
He judged it once and for allat the cross.
However, just as with thisfirst accomplishment, this
phrase implies something greater.
(13:48):
What this phrase is implying isthat sin is sealed up.
In other words, it's pointingto the end of this cursed system
on earth.
It's pointing to a restoredearth where righteousness
dominates.
The third accomplishment toatone for iniquity.
(14:11):
The third accomplishmentcertainly points to the
crucifixion of Jesus Christ inhis first coming.
It declares how he will make afinal atonement for sin.
The fourth accomplishment tobring in everlasting
righteousness.
This phrase could moreliterally be translated to bring
(14:34):
in the righteousness of ages.
This is a prophecy of a new age, a new age in which a
restoration of the earth in asociety characterized by
righteousness will endure.
This is certainly describingthe millennial kingdom.
(14:54):
The fifth accomplishment toseal both vision and prophet.
We know that the Scriptureteaches that in the last days,
god says I will pour out mySpirit on all people.
Your sons and your daughterswill prophesy, your young men
will see visions and your oldmen will dream dreams.
(15:15):
Therefore, the sealing of bothvision and prophet is a
description of Jesus' secondcoming, when we see the Lord
face to face and there is nolonger any need for vision or
prophet.
The sixth accomplishment toanoint a most holy place is
(15:37):
likely describing how the entiretopography of the earth will be
changed in the final days ofthis earth.
The mountains will melt, theislands will flee at the coming
of our Lord, jesus Christ.
The cities of the earth willcrumble as everything is
prepared for a new age, isprepared for a new age.
(16:05):
This anointing may also pointtowards the Millennial Temple
that's described in Ezekiel,chapter 40 through 44.
These six accomplishments,described in verse 24,
anticipate how Israel as anation will play a part during
this 70-week prophecy, as theMessiah establishes an eternal
(16:25):
kingdom and an earthly reign.
This is a summary of God's plan, both to bless the nation of
Israel, as he has promised inhis covenants, and to bring in
an everlasting kingdom to trueIsrael, those who believe in the
(16:46):
Messiah, picking up in verse 25.
Know, therefore, and understandthat from the going out of the
word to restore and buildjerusalem to the coming of an
anointed one, a prince, thereshall be seven weeks then, for
(17:08):
sixty-two weeks.
It shall be built again withsquares and a moat, but in a
troubled time.
In verse 25, gabriel reaffirmshow this message from God is not
given to confuse, but it'sgiven to bring clarity.
This message is to help Danielunderstand and to know what is
(17:31):
to come.
In the following passages,gabriel describes the
restoration of God's kingdom bythe Messiah in three stages.
Then Gabriel clarifies that thestart of this 70 weeks will
begin at the decree of the wordto restore and build Jerusalem.
(17:52):
Now, this decree to rebuildJerusalem went out from
Artaxerxes in 454 BC.
That can be found in Nehemiah 2, 1-6.
So the first stage, the firstseven weeks or 434 years, which
(18:25):
occurs right after the buildingof Jerusalem, it signals a time
of the coming anointed one.
Stages one and stages two are atotal of 69 weeks or 483 years.
The coming anointed one is theprophecy of the Messiah.
(18:47):
It prophesies the beginning ofJesus' public ministry and his
anointing by the Holy Spirit athis baptism in 29 AD.
In 29 AD, that was precisely483 years from the word that
went out to restore and buildJerusalem, picking up in verse
(19:10):
26,.
And after the sixty-two weeks,an anointed one shall be cut off
and shall have nothing and thepeople of the prince who is to
come shall destroy the city andthe sanctuary.
Its end shall come with a floodand to the end there shall be
(19:31):
war.
Desolations are decreed.
Now verse 26 really is packedwith a lot of information.
Not only information, but a lotof time.
It begins by saying after the62 weeks.
This describes the second partof the second stage in this
(19:55):
prophecy.
It describes events that willfollow the 62 weeks or the 434
years.
Again, this now is a total of69 weeks or 483 years.
This signals an intermissionperiod.
(20:16):
Verse 26 lists events that willoccur after the 69th week, but
before the final 70th week.
The first event listed afterthe 69th week is an anointed one
will be cut off.
Now, this certainly is aprophecy of Jesus Christ's death
(20:39):
.
This was fulfilled in 33 AD,when Jesus Christ was crucified
on the cross, thus fulfillingthe perfect, predestined plan of
God atoning for the sin ofmankind.
The Hebrew word for anointedhere is mashah, which means
(21:02):
Messiah.
The Greek equivalent isChristos or, in English, christ.
The second event that willhappen after the 62 weeks is
that the people of the princewho is to come shall destroy the
city and the sanctuary.
Now, the prince who is to comehere in verse 26, is distinct
(21:27):
from the anointed Messiah prince.
This future prince or futureruler who will come after the
Messiah, is known in Daniel alsoas the little horn or the
Antichrist.
We're told that his people willcome and destroy the city and
the sanctuary.
(21:47):
We have seen in Daniel thatthere are more than one
typologies of the Antichrist tocome.
In Daniel, chapter 8, welearned about Antiochus
Epiphanes, who destroyed God'speople and he set up an
abomination in the temple of Godin 170 BC.
(22:09):
Here now in Daniel, chapter 9,verse 26, we learn of another
typology.
We learn that the people of theprince will destroy the city
and the sanctuary.
The destruction of the city andthe sanctuary will be the
destruction of Jerusalem and itstemple in 70 AD.
(22:33):
The people of the prince arethe Roman Empire, who were led
by General Titus, and this RomanEmpire's attack on Jerusalem
and the temple in 70 AD would bea turning point in Jewish
history.
It would end the sacrificialsystem.
(22:53):
In Luke, chapter 19, verses 41through 44, jesus tells us that
God was going to bring ajudgment upon the Jews because
they rejected their time ofsalvation when he was here.
As we have been learningthroughout all of the book of
(23:16):
Daniel the final Antichrist willarise out of a revived Roman
Empire in the last days.
This attack on Jerusalem in 70AD by General Titus is an attack
by the people of the Antichrist, the Roman Empire.
This prophecy is yet anotherdouble prophecy in the book of
(23:40):
Daniel.
It again gives us a typology ofhow, one day, the final
Antichrist will again shut downthe sacrificial system of the
Jews.
However, unlike General Titus,the final Antichrist in the end
days will not destroy the temple.
The final Antichrist in the enddays will not destroy the
(24:00):
temple, but instead he will sethimself up in the temple
proclaiming himself to be God.
There are two more events thatare described in verse 26.
These final two events are thatthere will be war and there
will be desolations, are thatthere will be war and there will
(24:22):
be desolations.
Desolations, in this context,describe a state of ruin or a
state of abandonment that comesas a result of sin.
Therefore, these two eventsdescribe how both war and ruin
will define the state of theworld up until the very last
days of earth, picking up inverse 27,.
(24:43):
And he shall make a strongcovenant with many for one week
and for half of the week heshall put an end to sacrifice
and offering, and on the wing ofabominations shall come one who
makes desolate until thedecreed end is poured out on the
desolator.
(25:04):
In our final verse we're toldabout how this Antichrist will
make a strong covenant with manyfor one week.
This one week is the third andfinal stage of Daniel's 70 weeks
.
This is commonly known asDaniel's 70th week and it
(25:28):
signals a very distinct stage inthe 70 weeks.
Verse 27 begins a future and endtimes section of this double
prophecy.
This final week signals thelast seven years of earth when
God will once again openIsrael's eyes and bring
(25:50):
salvation during a time that isknown as Jacob's Trouble.
The end of this seven yearswill be the end of the cursed
age.
It will be the beginning of theMessiah's kingdom.
Many people often refer to thisseven years as the tribulation
period.
(26:11):
However, I believe that labelhas led to some confusion in the
church.
Many people, particularly inWestern culture, have come to
believe that God protectsChristians from tribulation.
However, that is far from thecase.
Jesus told his disciples thatin this world you would have
(26:35):
tribulation.
But take heart, I have overcomethe world.
Believers should not expect tobe exempt from the tribulations
of war, natural disasters,pestilence or famine.
(26:56):
These are all birth pains.
They are all a result of sin.
Daniel's 70th week, spoken ofhere in Daniel 9.27, is the only
place in Scripture thatdescribes this distinct
seven-year period at the end ofthe age.
Everywhere else in Scripture theend of the age, often known as
(27:18):
the Great Tribulation, the Dayof the Lord or the Time of the
Antichrist, is spoken of in acontext of three and a half
years.
And this is seen in this versein Daniel, because Daniel tells
us that for half a week he shallput an end to sacrifice and
(27:40):
offering.
This half a week is three and ahalf years and it's mentioned
everywhere else in scripture,for example Daniel 7, 25,
revelation 12.6, revelation 13.5.
We're told that this three anda half years begins when he, or
(28:09):
the Antichrist puts an end tosacrifice and offering, and this
implies that the Jewish templewill be rebuilt and sacrifices
and offerings will have beenreinstituted until stopped here
by the Antichrist.
And verse 27 continues On thewing of abominations shall come
(28:33):
one who makes desolate.
This description of one comingwith abominations who makes
desolate points back to Daniel'svision in chapter 8, verse 13,
where the little horn puts anend to sacrifice and has a
transgression that makesdesolate the sanctuary.
(28:54):
There are also other scripturesthat teach us that the future
Antichrist will set himself upin the temple of God.
He will proclaim himself to beGod.
2 Thessalonians 2, 3 and 4 readLet no one deceive you in any
(29:14):
way, for that day will not comeunless the rebellion comes first
and the man of lawlessness isrevealed, the son of destruction
, who opposes and exalts himselfagainst every so-called god or
object of worship, so that hetakes his seat in the temple of
(29:37):
God, proclaiming himself to beGod.
Additionally, in Revelationwe're told that a false prophet
will have the people set up animage of the Antichrist to be
worshipped.
In Revelation it reads, by thesigns, that it is allowed to
(29:58):
work in the presence of thebeast.
It deceives those who dwell onthe earth, telling them to make
an image for the beast that waswounded by the sword and yet
lived, and it was allowed togive breath to the image of the
beast so that the image of thebeast might speak and might
cause those who would notworship the image of the beast
(30:21):
to be slain.
From this verse in Revelation,it seems very likely that this
image set up by the falseprophet and the people may be
how the Antichrist will take hisseat in the temple of God,
making an abomination in theholy of holies.
(30:41):
And all this will take placeuntil the decreed end is poured
out on that desolator, until thewrath of God is poured out upon
the Antichrist, until Christagain comes at the battle of
Armageddon, sets his feet on theMount of Olives, and when the
(31:04):
kingdom of this world becomesthe kingdom of our Lord and of
his Christ, and he shall reignforever and ever.
Hallelujah, hallelujah.
Thank you for joining me forDaniel, chapter 9.
God bless you this week.
Grace and peace to you from God, our Father and our
Lord and Savior, jesus Christ.
Today we are in Daniel, chapter9, starting at verse 1.
In the first year of Darius,the son of Ahasuerus, by descent
Amid, who was made king overthe realm of the Chaldeans, who
was made king over the realm ofthe Chaldeans In the first year
(00:40):
of his reign, I, daniel,perceived in the books the
number of years that, accordingto the word of the Lord to
Jeremiah the prophet, must passbefore the end of the
desolations of Jerusalem, namelyseventy years.
(01:03):
These first two verses ofDaniel, chapter 9, tell us that
this is the first year of Darius, son of Ahasuerus' reign.
This is in fact Darius the Mede, also known as Syaxares.
He again was appointed as kingover the Medo-Persian empire by
Cyrus for those first two yearsafter the fall of the Babylonian
(01:26):
empire.
And then Daniel tells us thathe understood, according to the
writings and the prophecies ofJeremiah the prophet, that the
time for Jerusalem's ruin,jerusalem's desolation and
Israel's exile into Babyloniancaptivity was over.
More specifically, jeremiah hadgiven a prophecy of 70 years,
(01:52):
and that prophecy is found inJeremiah 25, 11 through 13.
In Jeremiah 25, 11-13.
Jeremiah prophesied in greatdetail the judgment of all of
the nations in the Middle Eastunder the Babylonian captivity,
as well as Babylon's eventualfall, in Jeremiah 46-51.
(02:14):
And Daniel recognizes right nowthat this prophecy is coming to
conclusion, picking up in verse3,.
(02:36):
In verse 3, we see Danielprepare to seek God in prayer.
His example here of preparationto pray shows his humility, his
deep grief and his repentancethat Daniel wanted to express to
the Lord God.
Fasting, as well as sackclothand ashes, were a customary way
(03:01):
in the Old Testament ofexpressing sincere remorse,
humility and repentance.
Then, in verses 4 through 19,daniel prays for his people,
israel.
Because there's so much more inchapter 9 we want to focus on
today.
I'm not going to read thiswhole prayer, but I will
(03:22):
summarize it.
Throughout the prayer, danielconfesses his sin and the sin of
Israel.
He uses phrases like we havesinned, we have done wrong,
we've acted wickedly, we'verebelled, we have turned aside,
we have not listened to yourvoice, we have done treachery
(03:45):
against you, we have not obeyed,we have transgressed your law
and we have not obeyed yourvoice.
Right alongside this, whileDaniel is confessing the sins of
Israel, he's also proclaimingthe faithfulness of God.
Daniel declares that God is theone who keeps covenant and he
(04:08):
is the one who has steadfastlove.
Daniel says To you O Lord,belongs righteousness.
To the Lord, our God, belongsmercy and forgiveness.
And Daniel also acknowledgesthat God is right and righteous
to punish Israel because theyhave transgressed his law, and
(04:32):
God is right to bring shame uponIsrael and calamity upon them
because they have not sought God.
Finally, in Daniel's prayer, hepleads with the Lord to forgive
his people, israel, the peoplewho are called by God's name.
Now, picking up in verse 20,while I was speaking and praying
(04:56):
, confessing my sin and the sinof my people, israel, and
presenting my plea before theLord, my God, for the holy hill
of my God, while I was speakingin prayer, the man Gabriel, whom
I had seen in the vision at thefirst, came to me in swift
flight at the time of theevening sacrifice.
(05:18):
Came to me in swift flight atthe time of the evening
sacrifice.
He made me understand, speakingwith me and saying O Daniel, I
have now come out to give youinsight and understanding.
At the beginning of your pleasfor mercy, a word went out and I
have come to tell it to you,for you are greatly loved.
(05:39):
Therefore, consider the wordand understand the vision.
In verses 20 through 22, welearn that as Daniel is in the
middle of his prayer, as he'sstill confessing and still
pleading with God over the sinsof Israel and that they might
return to Jerusalem, the angelGabriel comes to him and we're
(06:04):
told that Gabriel arrives at thetime of the evening sacrifice.
The angel Gabriel tells Danielthat at the very beginning of
his pleas to God, the Lord hadsent out a.
(06:30):
Daniel is greatly loved by God.
Picking up in verse 24,.
Picking up in verse 24, 70weeks are decreed about your
people and your holy city.
To finish the transgression, toput an end to sin and to atone
for iniquity, to bring ineverlasting righteousness, to
(06:53):
seal both vision and profit, toanoint a most holy place.
Now, verse 24 is packed withimportant and complex ideas.
This begins God's answer toDaniel's prayer and his plea for
(07:13):
his people.
Therefore, it's important forus to take some time and unpack
this verse.
It begins by telling us about70 weeks.
The phrase 70 weeks could justas well be translated 77s.
The Hebrew word for what istranslated.
(07:35):
Week here literally means sevenconsecutive periods, seven
consecutive periods of time, andthe context always determines
the value, because this caneither mean days, or it can mean
years, and the context that wefind this in is the context of
(07:56):
years.
This in is the context of years.
Since Daniel, in his prayer,was thinking in terms of years,
namely the 70 years Israel hasbeen in exile into Babylon, it
would be very natural for him tounderstand these 77s also as
years.
Another important considerationas we think about this, in
(08:19):
modern Western thought we thinkin units of tens, ten, twenty,
thirty or ten, one hundred onethousand, but in Hebrew thought
they thought in units of seven,which are known as heptads.
For them there were sevenconsecutive days in a week.
There were seven years.
(08:39):
Until the Sabbath rest, therewere seven, sevens or 49 years.
Until the year of Jubilee,seventy sevens, as spoken of
here, equates to 490 years.
While some have wronglyinterpreted these 70 weeks as
(09:00):
symbolic, there is overwhelmingevidence, both historical and
scriptural, to recognize theseweeks as 70 literal periods of
seven consecutive years.
One of the most notable ways inwhich we know that these are
years rather than weeks is inverse 27 of this very chapter,
(09:24):
where we are told about half aweek, and we know from that
passage that that half a week isthree and a half years.
And there are many parallelpassages that confirm that.
Now Daniel is told that these77s are decreed about his people
and his holy city.
(09:45):
In contrast to other propheticscriptures that designate the
saints which would be believersin the Messiah, here Gabriel
tells Daniel that this prophecyis for his people and his holy
city.
Just as Daniel has been prayingabout his people, israel, so
(10:07):
God has answered regarding hispeople, israel.
Daniel's tribe was the tribe ofJudah and his people are the
Jewish people.
There's no doubt that the holycity spoken of here in this
prophecy is Jerusalem.
When we begin to understandthere's a distinction in
(10:29):
scripture between Israel asbelievers and Israel as a nation
, we begin to see the fullpicture.
While God's eternal plan hasalways been about the elect who
believe in the Messiah, we mustalso recognize that God has
(10:49):
elected a physical nation tostand as a physical example of
his faithfulness on earth Israel.
The nation is a typology.
Earth.
Israel.
The nation is a typology.
It declares to the world God'srelationship with true Israel,
those who believe in the Messiah.
(11:11):
Recognizing these 77s as atimeline specific to the
physical nation of Israel opensup a treasure of prophetic
understanding on how Israel as anation plays a key role, both
in Jesus Christ's first comingand in his second coming.
(11:32):
Then Daniel is given a list ofsix specific accomplishments
that the Messiah will bringabout To finish transgression,
to put an end to sin, to atonefor iniquity, to bring in
everlasting righteousness, toseal up both vision and prophet,
(11:55):
and to anoint a most holy place.
And to anoint a most holy place.
These accomplishments cansometimes be seen as sets of
three, the first three happeningat Jesus' first coming and the
second three at Jesus' secondcoming.
However, I believe theseaccomplishments are not split so
(12:19):
perfectly, but rather, as agroup of six, they declare the
faithfulness of what the Messiahwill accomplish in these 70
weeks.
First of all, to finishtransgression.
Some see this as putting an endto the continued apostasy of
(12:41):
Israel against God, becauseIsrael as a nation has rejected
God.
They've rejected the message ofthe coming Messiah and as such,
they will lose their positionas the protector of God's
message and of God's kingdom andof God's kingdom.
(13:04):
However, the Hebrew phrase tofinish transgression implies
this is a conclusion of Israel'srebellion against God.
It's not just the conclusion ofthe Mosaic covenant.
Therefore, it would follow thatthis is only going to be
accomplished when Christ returnsthe second time and he sets up
his final kingdom.
The second accomplishment tomake an end of sin.
(13:27):
Hebrews 9.26 does tell us thatJesus Christ, in his first
coming, put away sin.
He judged it once and for allat the cross.
However, just as with thisfirst accomplishment, this
phrase implies something greater.
(13:48):
What this phrase is implying isthat sin is sealed up.
In other words, it's pointingto the end of this cursed system
on earth.
It's pointing to a restoredearth where righteousness
dominates.
The third accomplishment toatone for iniquity.
(14:11):
The third accomplishmentcertainly points to the
crucifixion of Jesus Christ inhis first coming.
It declares how he will make afinal atonement for sin.
The fourth accomplishment tobring in everlasting
righteousness.
This phrase could moreliterally be translated to bring
(14:34):
in the righteousness of ages.
This is a prophecy of a new age, a new age in which a
restoration of the earth in asociety characterized by
righteousness will endure.
This is certainly describingthe millennial kingdom.
(14:54):
The fifth accomplishment toseal both vision and prophet.
We know that the Scriptureteaches that in the last days,
god says I will pour out mySpirit on all people.
Your sons and your daughterswill prophesy, your young men
will see visions and your oldmen will dream dreams.
(15:15):
Therefore, the sealing of bothvision and prophet is a
description of Jesus' secondcoming, when we see the Lord
face to face and there is nolonger any need for vision or
prophet.
The sixth accomplishment toanoint a most holy place is
(15:37):
likely describing how the entiretopography of the earth will be
changed in the final days ofthis earth.
The mountains will melt, theislands will flee at the coming
of our Lord, jesus Christ.
The cities of the earth willcrumble as everything is
prepared for a new age, isprepared for a new age.
(16:05):
This anointing may also pointtowards the Millennial Temple
that's described in Ezekiel,chapter 40 through 44.
These six accomplishments,described in verse 24,
anticipate how Israel as anation will play a part during
this 70-week prophecy, as theMessiah establishes an eternal
(16:25):
kingdom and an earthly reign.
This is a summary of God's plan, both to bless the nation of
Israel, as he has promised inhis covenants, and to bring in
an everlasting kingdom to trueIsrael, those who believe in the
(16:46):
Messiah, picking up in verse 25.
Know, therefore, and understandthat from the going out of the
word to restore and buildjerusalem to the coming of an
anointed one, a prince, thereshall be seven weeks then, for
(17:08):
sixty-two weeks.
It shall be built again withsquares and a moat, but in a
troubled time.
In verse 25, gabriel reaffirmshow this message from God is not
given to confuse, but it'sgiven to bring clarity.
This message is to help Danielunderstand and to know what is
(17:31):
to come.
In the following passages,gabriel describes the
restoration of God's kingdom bythe Messiah in three stages.
Then Gabriel clarifies that thestart of this 70 weeks will
begin at the decree of the wordto restore and build Jerusalem.
(17:52):
Now, this decree to rebuildJerusalem went out from
Artaxerxes in 454 BC.
That can be found in Nehemiah 2, 1-6.
So the first stage, the firstseven weeks or 434 years, which
(18:25):
occurs right after the buildingof Jerusalem, it signals a time
of the coming anointed one.
Stages one and stages two are atotal of 69 weeks or 483 years.
The coming anointed one is theprophecy of the Messiah.
(18:47):
It prophesies the beginning ofJesus' public ministry and his
anointing by the Holy Spirit athis baptism in 29 AD.
In 29 AD, that was precisely483 years from the word that
went out to restore and buildJerusalem, picking up in verse
(19:10):
26,.
And after the sixty-two weeks,an anointed one shall be cut off
and shall have nothing and thepeople of the prince who is to
come shall destroy the city andthe sanctuary.
Its end shall come with a floodand to the end there shall be
(19:31):
war.
Desolations are decreed.
Now verse 26 really is packedwith a lot of information.
Not only information, but a lotof time.
It begins by saying after the62 weeks.
This describes the second partof the second stage in this
(19:55):
prophecy.
It describes events that willfollow the 62 weeks or the 434
years.
Again, this now is a total of69 weeks or 483 years.
This signals an intermissionperiod.
(20:16):
Verse 26 lists events that willoccur after the 69th week, but
before the final 70th week.
The first event listed afterthe 69th week is an anointed one
will be cut off.
Now, this certainly is aprophecy of Jesus Christ's death
(20:39):
.
This was fulfilled in 33 AD,when Jesus Christ was crucified
on the cross, thus fulfillingthe perfect, predestined plan of
God atoning for the sin ofmankind.
The Hebrew word for anointedhere is mashah, which means
(21:02):
Messiah.
The Greek equivalent isChristos or, in English, christ.
The second event that willhappen after the 62 weeks is
that the people of the princewho is to come shall destroy the
city and the sanctuary.
Now, the prince who is to comehere in verse 26, is distinct
(21:27):
from the anointed Messiah prince.
This future prince or futureruler who will come after the
Messiah, is known in Daniel alsoas the little horn or the
Antichrist.
We're told that his people willcome and destroy the city and
the sanctuary.
(21:47):
We have seen in Daniel thatthere are more than one
typologies of the Antichrist tocome.
In Daniel, chapter 8, welearned about Antiochus
Epiphanes, who destroyed God'speople and he set up an
abomination in the temple of Godin 170 BC.
(22:09):
Here now in Daniel, chapter 9,verse 26, we learn of another
typology.
We learn that the people of theprince will destroy the city
and the sanctuary.
The destruction of the city andthe sanctuary will be the
destruction of Jerusalem and itstemple in 70 AD.
(22:33):
The people of the prince arethe Roman Empire, who were led
by General Titus, and this RomanEmpire's attack on Jerusalem
and the temple in 70 AD would bea turning point in Jewish
history.
It would end the sacrificialsystem.
(22:53):
In Luke, chapter 19, verses 41through 44, jesus tells us that
God was going to bring ajudgment upon the Jews because
they rejected their time ofsalvation when he was here.
As we have been learningthroughout all of the book of
(23:16):
Daniel the final Antichrist willarise out of a revived Roman
Empire in the last days.
This attack on Jerusalem in 70AD by General Titus is an attack
by the people of the Antichrist, the Roman Empire.
This prophecy is yet anotherdouble prophecy in the book of
(23:40):
Daniel.
It again gives us a typology ofhow, one day, the final
Antichrist will again shut downthe sacrificial system of the
Jews.
However, unlike General Titus,the final Antichrist in the end
days will not destroy the temple.
The final Antichrist in the enddays will not destroy the
(24:00):
temple, but instead he will sethimself up in the temple
proclaiming himself to be God.
There are two more events thatare described in verse 26.
These final two events are thatthere will be war and there
will be desolations, are thatthere will be war and there will
(24:22):
be desolations.
Desolations, in this context,describe a state of ruin or a
state of abandonment that comesas a result of sin.
Therefore, these two eventsdescribe how both war and ruin
will define the state of theworld up until the very last
days of earth, picking up inverse 27,.
(24:43):
And he shall make a strongcovenant with many for one week
and for half of the week heshall put an end to sacrifice
and offering, and on the wing ofabominations shall come one who
makes desolate until thedecreed end is poured out on the
desolator.
(25:04):
In our final verse we're toldabout how this Antichrist will
make a strong covenant with manyfor one week.
This one week is the third andfinal stage of Daniel's 70 weeks
.
This is commonly known asDaniel's 70th week and it
(25:28):
signals a very distinct stage inthe 70 weeks.
Verse 27 begins a future and endtimes section of this double
prophecy.
This final week signals thelast seven years of earth when
God will once again openIsrael's eyes and bring
(25:50):
salvation during a time that isknown as Jacob's Trouble.
The end of this seven yearswill be the end of the cursed
age.
It will be the beginning of theMessiah's kingdom.
Many people often refer to thisseven years as the tribulation
period.
(26:11):
However, I believe that labelhas led to some confusion in the
church.
Many people, particularly inWestern culture, have come to
believe that God protectsChristians from tribulation.
However, that is far from thecase.
Jesus told his disciples thatin this world you would have
(26:35):
tribulation.
But take heart, I have overcomethe world.
Believers should not expect tobe exempt from the tribulations
of war, natural disasters,pestilence or famine.
(26:56):
These are all birth pains.
They are all a result of sin.
Daniel's 70th week, spoken ofhere in Daniel 9.27, is the only
place in Scripture thatdescribes this distinct
seven-year period at the end ofthe age.
Everywhere else in Scripture theend of the age, often known as
(27:18):
the Great Tribulation, the Dayof the Lord or the Time of the
Antichrist, is spoken of in acontext of three and a half
years.
And this is seen in this versein Daniel, because Daniel tells
us that for half a week he shallput an end to sacrifice and
(27:40):
offering.
This half a week is three and ahalf years and it's mentioned
everywhere else in scripture,for example Daniel 7, 25,
revelation 12.6, revelation 13.5.
We're told that this three anda half years begins when he, or
(28:09):
the Antichrist puts an end tosacrifice and offering, and this
implies that the Jewish templewill be rebuilt and sacrifices
and offerings will have beenreinstituted until stopped here
by the Antichrist.
And verse 27 continues On thewing of abominations shall come
(28:33):
one who makes desolate.
This description of one comingwith abominations who makes
desolate points back to Daniel'svision in chapter 8, verse 13,
where the little horn puts anend to sacrifice and has a
transgression that makesdesolate the sanctuary.
(28:54):
There are also other scripturesthat teach us that the future
Antichrist will set himself upin the temple of God.
He will proclaim himself to beGod.
2 Thessalonians 2, 3 and 4 readLet no one deceive you in any
(29:14):
way, for that day will not comeunless the rebellion comes first
and the man of lawlessness isrevealed, the son of destruction
, who opposes and exalts himselfagainst every so-called god or
object of worship, so that hetakes his seat in the temple of
(29:37):
God, proclaiming himself to beGod.
Additionally, in Revelationwe're told that a false prophet
will have the people set up animage of the Antichrist to be
worshipped.
In Revelation it reads, by thesigns, that it is allowed to
(29:58):
work in the presence of thebeast.
It deceives those who dwell onthe earth, telling them to make
an image for the beast that waswounded by the sword and yet
lived, and it was allowed togive breath to the image of the
beast so that the image of thebeast might speak and might
cause those who would notworship the image of the beast
(30:21):
to be slain.
From this verse in Revelation,it seems very likely that this
image set up by the falseprophet and the people may be
how the Antichrist will take hisseat in the temple of God,
making an abomination in theholy of holies.
(30:41):
And all this will take placeuntil the decreed end is poured
out on that desolator, until thewrath of God is poured out upon
the Antichrist, until Christagain comes at the battle of
Armageddon, sets his feet on theMount of Olives, and when the
(31:04):
kingdom of this world becomesthe kingdom of our Lord and of
his Christ, and he shall reignforever and ever.
Hallelujah, hallelujah.
Thank you for joining me forDaniel, chapter 9.
God bless you this week.
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