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SUMMARY

Daniel 9:23-27 is given to be understood in Daniel's day, Jesus's day, and our day as an amazing prophesy of God's dealing with Israel and all who join them by repentance and faith in the promised Messiah. The prophesy reveals when the Messiah would come, what He would accomplish, and how His reign would bring redemption for many and judgment for those who reject Him and His instruction. Jesus's work on the cross is the climax of this prophesy, and the desolations and destruction of Jerusalem in AD 66-70 are the promised "consummation" that follow it.

Daniel 9:23–27

23 At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.

24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

FROM SUNDAY’S BULLETIN

Mark 13:14-16; Luke 21:16-24; Matthew 24:15; Daniel 9:1-27

Daniel 9:24–25

• The Hebrew word for “weeks” (šāvûa’) used here simply means “sevens” like the way we use “dozens.” The only way one can know whether it refers to seven days, months, years, or something else is the context. This context only makes sense as “sevens” of years. (Note: Daniel 10:2-3 “šāvûa’ yamim,” or “week of days” to distinguish.)

• Israel received 70 years of exile in connection to the 70 Sabbatical Years and 10 Jubilee Years (490 years) with which they did not honor God. (Daniel 9:2; Leviticus 24:8, 25:1-4; 26:43; Jeremiah 25:1-12; 29:1-23; Esp. 2 Chronicles 36:20-22)

• Daniel is now learning that after the decree(s) of the rebuilding of Jerusalem and its walls in the 6th century, another 490 years would be fulfilled for their Ultimate Jubilee and “acceptable year of the LORD” in the final “seven.”

(Daniel 9:24-27; Isaiah 61:1-2)

• Those 490 years will be divided by the first seven (7x7 = 49 yrs) of actual rebuilding of Jerusalem and its walls, the next sixty-two (7x62 = 434 yrs) of nothing significant, and the final seven (7x1 = 7 yrs) being the long-awaited year of release. (Daniel 9:24-27)

Daniel 9:26–27

• In the middle of that final “seven” (of years), the Messiah will confirm/establish the (promised new) Covenant and be “cut off.” In doing so, the Messiah will put an end to the sacrifices and offerings of animals to God, making desolate the holy place (signaled through the tearing of the veil) until its final desolation is fully poured out by “the people of the prince (leader) that shall come.” (Daniel 9:26-27)

• All of this finishes (completes) the transgressions of the people of Israel, makes an end of sins (brings forgiveness for sin), makes reconciliation for iniquity (atones for guiltiness), brings in the everlasting righteousness (of God’s reign in the Messiah), seals up (fulfills) the vision and prophesy, and anoints the most holy (Person/Place=Christ the new Temple). (Daniel 9:24)

INTERPRETIVE PRINCIPLES & EXPLANATIONS

1.

Daniel 9:24-27

was expected to be understood by Daniel (v23) and the early readers of Mark (

Mk 13:14

), so later letters should not alter the meaning of the plain prophesy. Proper exegesis starts with the text at hand.

2. The first destruction and exile in relation to sabbatical years sets the prophetic timeline within the context of sabbatical years, restoration to the land, and restoration to God.

3. Daniel’s chiastic structure, prophesies in chapters 2 & 7, and visions of other kingdoms all point to the need for a close-up vision of the coming of the Kingdom of God in Daniel 9:24-27.

4. “Seventy weeks” were given as one decree of three connected sections without any allusion to a gap. The context urges us to take the numbers and timeline literally.

5. “Messiah/Anointed One” (Hb. masiah) and “Prince/Ruler” (Hb. nagid) are two significantly connected terms that binds together the One singular person/noun throughout Daniel 9:24-27 as a Davidic Priest-King (1 Samuel 9:16; 10:1; 1 Chronicles 29:22).

6. In vs. 27, “he shall make it desolate even until the consummation and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate” makes clear that the full desolation of “the holy city” will take place later. The climax of the 70th Week is the Messiah being cut off in the middle of Him “confirming/establishing the covenant with many.” Though arguments could be given for the final half of the 70th Week being fulfilled until the conversion and commission of Saul, I do not believe that is necessary. The mid-point of the cross is the point of the 70th Week.

7. Regarding the six accomplishments of the 70 weeks in verse 24:

a. Daniel 9 places the “finished transgression” into the context of Israel’s ongoing unrepentance and disobedience.

b. The New Testament testifies that Christ did in fact make an end to sins being remembered of those being sanctified—once and for all through His death and resurrection (Hebrews 10:1-22).

c. Most Christians agree with Scripture’s witness that Jesus fulfilled “making reconciliation/atonement for iniquity” through His death and resurrection.

d. The New Testament testifies to the dream and vision of Daniel 2 & 7 that Christ is presently reigning in heaven and earth according to His everlasting righteous rule (Mark 1:14-15; 1 Corinthians 15:25-26). God has given us four Gospel accounts to testify of the long-awaited prophesies of Christ coming to establish a new covenant and to newly commission His redeemed people throughout the earth.

e. If the “seventy weeks” are a consecutive 490 years, then the (singular) vision and prophecy of Israel’s exile and redemption was fulfilled through Jesus’s ministry.

f. In vs. 24, the “most Holy” (Hb. qodes) is usually used for a consecrated place, but “to anoint” (Hb. mesoah) is a verb that usually refers to anointing a king (1 Samuel 2:35) or a holy object (Exodus 29:36). I believe this points to the Gospel accounts that the King and Temple of the New Covenant are one in the same—Christ.

Hebrews 10:1–22

1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. 5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: 6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. 7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. 8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; 9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. 15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, 16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. 18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. 19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

21 And having an high priest over the house of God; 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

ISRAEL’S DISOBEDIENCE & GOD’S SOLUTION

• 70 Sabbaticals Disobeyed (Prior 490 yrs)

• 70 Years of Exile & Land Sabbaths (Daniel’s day)

• 70 Sabbaticals Until The Prophesy Is Sealed/Confirmed (Prophesied 490 yrs)

DECREE TO REBUILD JERUSALEM EXPLAINED

There is debate between:

• 586 BC—God’s Promise (Jeremiah 25:11-12; 29:10)

• 537 BC—Cyrus’s Decree for Exiles to Return (2 Chronicles 36:23; Ezra 1:1-4; Isaiah 44:28-45:4/prophesied 150 yrs prior)

• 457 BC—Artaxerxes’s Decree to Ezra (Ezra 7:11-26)*

• 444 BC—Artaxerxes’s Decree to Nehemiah (Nehemiah 2:1-6)

*The Fall of 457 B.C. is adopted in Peter J Gentry’s journal based upon the chronological work of Bob Pickle, “An Examination of Anderson’s Chronological Errors Regarding Daniel 9’s First 69 Weeks.”

Cyrus’s decree plus two extensions are identified as one in Ezra 6:14, therefore it seems most reasonable to begin the timeline at 457 BC with the last of those extensions identified as one with the previous decrees. This is the only date that corresponds with the Jewish Sabbatical Years: 457 BC - 27 AD.

Ezra 6:14

And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

“70 WEEKS” EXPLAINED BY SABBATICAL YEARS*

• 1st Sabbatical Year: Rebuilding of Jerusalem (457-407 BC)

• Next 62 Sabbatical Years: No Related Prophesy (407 BC-27 AD)

• 70th Sabbatical Year: Earthly Ministry of Christ (27 AD-34 AD**)

*The calculation of sabbatical years is based on Peter J. Gentry’s theological journal and evidence from Maccabees, Josephus, inscriptions, the Talmud, and Maimonides as treated by Benedict Zuckerman in 1866.

**Luke 3:1-3

70TH WEEK SIMPLIFIED

• Baptism of Jesus is His Anointing As the Priest-King-Temple

• Ministry of Jesus is the New Exodus Invitation

• Death & Resurrection of Jesus Establishes the New Covenant

• Jerusalem’s Destruction Demonstrates Both God’s Redemption and Wrath to Save His People from “Egypt.”