Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Daniel 9 - The Seventy Weeks

Watch Chuck Missler's "Daniel's 70 Weeks DVD" or the YouTube videos:

Summary of Daniel 9:24-26:

  1. There would be a decree to rebuild Jerusalem.
  2. Jerusalem and the Temple would be rebuilt.
  3. Then Messiah would be "cut off" (an idiom for "rejected" or "killed").
  4. Then Jerusalem and the Temple would be destroyed again.
  5. All of these events later happened, in the same order in which they are described in Daniel 9:24-26
The “70 Weeks” of Daniel:
  • The Scope 9:24
  • The 69 Weeks 9:25
  • (The Interval) 9:26
  • The 70th Week 9:27

This Vision of the "Seventy Weeks" is the most important revelation in many respects made in the Scriptures. It set the date of the First Coming of Christ, and gives the length of the reign of Antichrist. Daniel Is The Key That Unlocks The Timeline Of Revelation!

Bible Studies in the Book of Daniel by Ray Stedman: www.raystedman.org/old-testament/daniel: "In the seventeenth century, a very learned Jew published a book in which he set forth the claims of Jesus Christ to be the Jewish Messiah. In the preface to the book, he told how he himself had been converted by listening to a debate between a knowledgeable Jew and a Christian convert from Judaism over the meaning of this passage in Daniel 9. The moderator of the debate was a learned rabbi, and as the Christian pressed the claims of this passage home it became so clear that the passage was pointing to Jesus Christ that the rabbi closed the debate with these words: "Let us shut up our books, for if we go on examining the prophecy we shall all become Christians."

Clarence Larkin in "The Book of Daniel": "From this we see that Daniel's seventieth week (Daniel 9:24-27), Jesus' Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24) and John's seals, trumpets, and vials (Revelation 6:1 to 18:24) cover the same period, and are Jewish and have no reference to the Christian Church. Daniel draws the outline in his seventieth week, Jesus roughs in the picture in His Olivet Discourse, and John fills in the details in the book of Revelation."

Matthew 24:15-22: "The time will come when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about: the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing in the Holy Place" - reader, pay attention! "Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. A person outside the house must not go inside to pack. A person in the field must not return even to get a coat. How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for mothers nursing their babies in those days. And pray that your flight will not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For that will be a time of greater horror than anything the world has ever seen or will ever see again. In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, the entire human race will be destroyed. But it will be shortened for the sake of God's chosen ones

Jesus in Matthew 24 highlighted this very passage in Daniel as THE KEY TO PROPHECY. He authenticates Daniel as a prophet, and the author of this book! He also holds us responsible to understand this passage. [Note its Jewishness: “In Judea… not on the Sabbath.”


Above image from The Glorious Battle - Roadmap to Armageddon"

Daniel
Above image from Daniel 9:The Prophetic Timeline

(1) It was the first year of the reign of *Darius the Mede, the son of Ahasuerus, who became king of the Babylonians.

  • *Darius: So, this vision, unlike the one in chapter 8, came to Daniel after the Babylonians had been conquered by the Medo-Persians.

(2) During the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, was studying the writings of the prophets. I learned from the *word of the LORD, as recorded by **Jeremiah the prophet, that Jerusalem must lie desolate for ***seventy years.

  • *word of the Lord: We don't know how many books of the Old Testament were in Daniel's possession, but we can assume he had the Torah in addition to Jeremiah's book. Daniel's statement confirms that Jeremiah's book is part of the "word of the Lord.
  • **Jeremiah:
    • Jeremiah 25:11-12: This entire land will become a desolate wasteland. Israel and her neighboring lands will serve the king of Babylon for SEVENTY YEARS. "Then, AFTER the SEVENTY YEARS of captivity are over, I will punish the king of Babylon and his people for their sins, says the LORD. I will make the country of the Babylonians an everlasting wasteland.
    • Jeremiah 29:10: "The truth is that you will be in Babylon for SEVENTY YEARS. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will BRING YOU HOME AGAIN.
  • ***seventy years:
    • Daniel must have gasped as he realized that the seventy years of desolation was nearly over and the realization sent him to his knees in prayer and fasting! Now that the seventy years is nearly up, Daniel is asking God "How much longer?" As it turns out, he had less than a year to wait until Cyrus II gave the decree allowing the people of Judah to return to Jerusalem. But, he's going to have revealed directly to him not only the 70 weeks, but another time period of seven times seventy (490) years in the future for the Messiah to present Himself as king to Jerusalem in verse 24!
    • The Lord stated through the prophet Jeremiah, as recorded in this passage, that Israel’s captivity would last 70 years to make up for all the land Sabbaths that she did not observe. Knowing that the land Sabbaths occurred every 7 years, this means that there was a span of 490 years of disobedience.

(3) So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in *prayer and fasting. I wore rough **sackcloth and sprinkled myself with ashes.

  • *prayer:
    • Before the significant 70 weeks prophecy was given to Daniel, he was in prayer and in the Word.
    • Prayer is not not talking God into doing what He does not want to do; it is finding the will of God and praying for God to do what (or according to what) he revealed. 
    • We did a study on prayer in 2006 and it's on our blog at: http://prayer-dt.blogspot.com/
  • **sackcloth and ashes: This is a representation of mourning. Biblically, there are four reasons that people mourned: their sin, the sin of others, death and because of the withdrawal of God’s presence. From the context of Daniel’s prayer, we know that he is mourning the sin of Israel.

(4) I *prayed to the LORD my God and **confessed: "O Lord, you are a great and awesome God! You always fulfill your promises of unfailing love to those who love you and keep your commands.

  • *prayed: Notice the sequence of Daniel's prayer:
    1. Attitude of penitence and worship - in humility and contrition.
    2. Praise.
    3. Recognition that God keeps His promises.
    4. Repentance - admission of guilt.
    5. Presentation of the problem.
    6. Admission of not deserving of help.
    7. The petition for help.
  • **confessed: Instead of complaining, Daniel confessed.

(5) But *WE have sinned and done wrong. We have rebelled against you and scorned your commands and regulations.

  • *WE: Daniel is including himself in Israel's sin. To emphasize, I capitalized WE, OUR and US in the following verses - note the frequency.

(6) WE have refused to listen to your servants the prophets, who spoke your messages to OUR kings and princes and ancestors and to all the people of the land.

(7) "Lord, you are in the right; but OUR faces are covered with shame, just as you see US now. This is true of US all, including the people of Judah and Jerusalem and *all Israel, scattered near and far, wherever you have driven US because of our disloyalty to you.

  • *all Israel: Not just Judah, but ALL the tribes including the so-called lost ten tribes of Israel - who are now also returning to modern Israel.

(8) O LORD, WE and OUR kings, princes, and ancestors are covered with shame because WE have sinned against you.

(9) But the Lord OUR God is merciful and forgiving, even though WE have rebelled against him.

(10) WE have not obeyed the LORD OUR God, for WE have not followed the laws he gave US through his servants the prophets.

(11) All Israel has disobeyed your law and turned away, refusing to listen to your voice."So now the solemn curses and judgments written in the law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out against US because of our sin.

  • We find this oath in Leviticus 26:14-46. The Lord promised Israel exile for disobedience. In fact, the Lord even predicted the duration of Israel’s captivity in this passage.

(12) You have done exactly what you warned you would do against US and OUR rulers. Never in all history has there been a *disaster like the one that happened in Jerusalem.

  • *disaster: An even greater disaster came in 70 AD.

(13) Every curse written against US in the law of Moses has come true. All the troubles he predicted have taken place. But WE have refused to seek mercy from the LORD OUR God by turning from OUR sins and recognizing his truth

(14) The LORD has brought against US the disaster he prepared, for WE did not obey him, and the LORD OUR God is just in everything he does.

(15) "O Lord OUR God, you brought lasting honor to your name by rescuing your people from Egypt in a great display of power. But WE have sinned and are full of wickedness.

(16) In view of all your faithful mercies, Lord, please turn your furious anger away from *your city of Jerusalem, your holy mountain. All the neighboring nations mock Jerusalem and your people because of OUR sins and the sins of OUR ancestors.

  • *your city: The Hebrews were God’s people. The land of Canaan was God’s land. Jerusalem was God’s city. The Lord called the Hebrews “my people” and Jerusalem was the city of the Great King.

(17) "O our God, hear *your servant's prayer! Listen as I plead. For your own sake, Lord, smile again on your desolate sanctuary.

  • *your servant: Only now does Daniel refer to himself individually.

(18) "O my God, listen to me and hear my request. Open your eyes and see OUR wretchedness. See how your city lies in ruins -- for everyone knows that it is yours. WE do not ask because WE deserve help, but because you are so merciful.

(19) "O Lord, hear. O Lord, forgive. O Lord, listen and act! For your own sake, O my God, do not delay, for your people and your city bear your name."

  • He doesn’t say, "it's not our fault" or “we tried our best” or “we’ll do better next time” or “don’t you remember how great we were when we…”. He has one position that he consistently pleads to the Lord as a motivation for mercy. What is it and why does it turn the Lord’s heart? He begs the Lord to turn His hand for His sake and for the sake of His name. Israel, despite their sin, was called by the name of the Lord. They were His people. The nations looked at their plight and despised the name of their God, YHWH. Daniel begs the Lord for restoration so that the Lord would be shown as righteous and all powerful in the midst of the nations. There is no greater plea that a man can offer God, than that the Lord’s name be glorified. That was the sole purpose of Christ’s ministry and we know that He pleased the Father. If that becomes the true desire of our heart, we will see God move in a great way!

(20) I went on praying and *confessing my sin and the sins of my people, pleading with the LORD my God **for Jerusalem, his holy mountain.

  • *confessing: Proverbs 28:13: People who cover over their sins will not prosper. But if they confess and forsake them, they will receive mercy.
  • **for Jerusalem: His prayer was not for himself, but for God's Jerusalem.

(21) *As I was praying, **Gabriel, whom I had seen in the earlier vision, came swiftly to me ***at the time of the evening sacrifice.

  • *As I was praying: Isaiah 65:24: I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking to me about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!
    • Sometimes when we think that the Lord doesn’t hear us, He does. We just need to wait upon His timing for the answer. I don’t believe it was that Gabriel took that long to get to Daniel, but that the Lord had a purpose in the timing for the response. He wanted Gabriel to arrive at the time of the evening sacrifice.
  • **Gabriel: Angels inhabit every part of God’s universe - in another dimension.
    • There are evil angels, (Ephesians 6:12, Matthew 25:41, Revelation 9:11);
    • There are good angels (Luke 9:26, Acts 10:22, Revelation 14:10);
    • There are guardian angels (Matthew 18:10, Psalm 34:7);
    • There are chief angels, (here and in Daniel 10:13).
  • ***at the time of the evening sacrifice: As a young man in Jerusalem, Daniel often saw the smoke rising from the temple at the time of the evening sacrifice. This was the time of the evening sacrifice, but the Temple was destroyed and sacrifices had ceased.
    • Ezra 9:5: At the time of the sacrifice, I stood up from where I had sat in mourning with my clothes torn. I fell to my knees, lifted my hands to the LORD my God.
    • This would be between three and four o'clock in the afternoon (the "ninth hour" in Acts). It was at the hour when Old Testament sacrifices were offered.
    • This was the same hour when Old Testament sacrifices were offered and when Jesus died upon the cross on the hill of Calvary outside of Jerusalem, the same hour that the veil in the temple was ripped in two: the holy of holies was no longer confined to a building (Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34).

(22) He explained to me, "Daniel, I have come here to give you insight and understanding.

(23) The moment you began praying, a command was given. I am here to tell you what it was, *for God loves you very much. Now listen, so you can understand the meaning of your vision.

  • *for God loves you very much (greatly beloved by God in the KJV): It should be our desire to be greatly loved by God and to please Him.

(24) "A period of *seventy sets of even has been decreed for **your people and your holy city to put down rebellion, to ***bring an end to sin, to atone for guilt, to bring in ****everlasting righteousness, to confirm the prophetic vision, and to anoint the Most Holy Place.

  • *seventy sets of seven: 7 X 70 = 490 years. Hebrew shib`iym shabuwa` (Genesis 29:27, et al.). Sabbath for the land ordained and failure to keep the sabbath of the land was the very basis for 70 years captivity (2 Chronicles 36:19-21).
  • **your people and your holy city:
    • The focus of the passage is on the Jews. It discloses the fact that the "Seventy Weeks" have nothing to do with the Gentiles or the Church. It also discloses another fact that the "Seventy Weeks, " or 490 years, only cover the period when the Jews are, by God's permission, dwelling as a people in their own land. It does not cover the present period of their Dispersion.
  • "In 1656, a dispute occurred in Poland between some distinguished Jewish rabbis and Catholics respecting the 70 weeks. The rabbis were so hard pushed by the argument that proved Jesus to be the messiah, the time of his sufferings being at the end of the 70 weeks that they broke up the discussion. The rabbis then held a meeting and pronounced a curse upon any Jew who should attempt to ascertain the chronology of this prophetic period. Their anathema was this: 'May his bones and his memory rot who should attempt to number the 70 weeks'." THE MIDNIGHT CRY August 10, 1843.
  • ***bring an end to sin: Literally means to make an end to sin offerings! The Lord made one offer for all of man’s sin, ending the need for any additional sacrifices. The purpose of the Old Testament sacrifices was to point the way to Jesus Christ. Once He died, they were no longer necessary. Men were to look to Jesus Himself for the forgiveness of sins. This is why the veil in the temple was torn in two by God at the death of Jesus.
  • ****everlasting righteousness: The life and death of Jesus Christ confirmed the righteousness of God for all time. It also made possible the eternal righteousness of others.

(25) Now listen and understand! *Seven sets of seven plus **sixty-two sets of seven will pass from the time the command is given to rebuild Jerusalem until ***the Anointed One comes. Jerusalem will be rebuilt with streets and strong defenses, despite the perilous times.

  • *Seven sets of seven = 49 years to the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
  • **sixty-two sets of seven (62 x 7) = 434 years.
  • 7 + 62  = 69 weeks of years = 483 years (49 + 434) until Messiah comes. Then another 7 weeks (years) yet to come in verse 27 for a total of 490 years.
  • The Trigger (terminus ad quo): The Decrees to “Rebuild Jerusalem”:
    • 1) Issued by Cyrus, 537 B.C. Recorded in Ezra 1:2-4; 5:13-17; Isaiah 44:28, 45:1-4; 2 Chronicles 36:22-33. This decree was limited to the rebuilding of the Temple, the completion of which is recorded in Ezra 6. No mention is made of restoring and building the city and the wall.
    • 2) Issued by Darius 517 B.C. Recorded in Ezra 6:1-5, 8, 12. Here, Darius merely reaffirmed the proclamation of Cyrus with reference to the building of the Temple. Again, no mention is made of restoring and building the city and the wall.
    • 3) Issued by Artaxerxes, 458 B.C. Recorded in Ezra 7:11-26. This decree was just to send funds and goods for the rebuilding of the Temple, etc. Again, no mention is made of restoring and building the city and the wall.
    • 4) Issued by Artaxerxes, 445 B.C. Recorded in Nehemiah 2:5-8, 17, 18. This is the correct beginning point of the counting because here Artaxerxes gave Nehemiah permission to build "the wall of the city" and we learn in Nehemiah 6:15 that the wall was finished. From the time of the decree of Artaxerxes to the close of the Old Testament canon, which concluded with the prophecy of Malachi, covers "seven weeks," or seven sevens of years which total 49 years. Note: rehob, “street”; haruts, moat, fortification, defenses.
    • If it began in 445 B.C., and you add to that four hundred and eighty-three years, to the exact month (because we know that the month in which the edict to rebuild Jerusalem was issued was the Hebrew month Nisan, which corresponds about to our April), then it brings us down to April, 32 A.D. It is necessary to allow for a four-year error in dating the birth of Christ (4 B.C. rather than 1 A.D.), and to use, as the ancients did, a year of 360 days rather than 365. If we work this out carefully, as certain chronologers have done, we find that the four hundred and eighty-three years (seven years short of the full four hundred and ninety), was fulfilled on the very day the Lord Jesus entered into Jerusalem riding on a donkey, with the multitude of disciples bearing palm branches in their hands going before him crying, "your king is coming to you." Thus he fulfilled Zechariah's prophecy
  • ***The Anointed One: The Meshiach Nagid: “The Messiah the King.” The prediction is to the presentation of the Messiah the King (Nagid is first used of King Saul). On several occasions in the New Testament when they attempted to take Jesus as a King, He invariably declined, “Mine hour is not yet come.” (John 6:15; 7:30, 44; etc. [KJV]) Then one day, He arranges it (Luke 19:39).
  • The Triumphal Entry:
    • Zechariah 9:9: Rejoice greatly, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey -- even on a donkey's colt.
    • All four Gospels, Matthew 21:1-9; Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:29-39; John 12:12-16. Nisan 10: “take to everyone a lamb.” Jesus deliberately arranges to fulfill Zechariah 9:9. This is the only day He allows them to proclaim Him King in Luke 19:38: Saying, "Bless the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in highest heaven!" …quoting Psalm 118.
    • Luke 19:39: But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, "Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!"
      • Why? The Pharisees assure our noticing the significance! And He answered and said unto them, “He replied, "If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!” But as they came closer to Jerusalem and Jesus saw the city ahead, he began to cry. "I wish that even today you would find the way of peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from you. Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you. They will crush you to the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you have rejected the opportunity God offered you." Luke 19:41-44.
      • Jesus held them accountable to recognize this very day (Luke 19:41-44). This was the 10th of Nisan, prior to the Passover on the 14th of Nisan, A.D. 32.

(26) "After this period of *sixty-two sets of seven, the Anointed One will be **killed, appearing to have accomplished nothing, and a ***ruler will arise whose armies will ****destroy the city and the Temple. The end will come with a flood, and war and its miseries are decreed from that time to the very end.

  • The 69 Weeks Judgment Declared:
    • 69 weeks times seven years, times 360 days of their calendar year will give us the number of days in the prophecy: 173,880 days. So Daniel is saying after the decree of March 5, 444 B.C., there are 173,880 days until Messiah is cut off.
    • Now, this can be verified with our calendar system. The difference between 444 B.C. and 33 A.D. is 476 solar years. But how many days is that? By multiplying 476 by  365.24219879 (or by 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, 45.975 seconds), one gets 173,855 days, 6 hours, 52 minutes, 44 seconds–or 173,855 days. Now there is a difference of 25 days. But remember, the solar reckoning is from March 5, 444 to March 5, 32 A.D., calculating on exact years. If we add the difference of the 25 days to March 5, we come to March 30 (of A.D. 33). In the year 33 A.D. that was Nisan 10, the Monday of the Passion Week, the probable day of the Triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.4 Jesus died Nisan 14, 33 A.D., or April 3, 33 A.D. So Daniel is saying that from March 5, 444 B.C., there will be 173,880 days and then after that (by 4 days) the Messiah will be cut off. No wonder there was an increase in Messianic expectation in the days of Jesus; groups like the Essenes knew and loved the Book of Daniel.
    • Jesus was born in the winter of 5/4 B.C. just prior to the death of Herod, who died between March 29 and April 11, 4 B.C. He began His public ministry in the fall of 29, just after John began his that summer, the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberias. Jesus' ministry included at least three, most likely four trips to Jerusalem for Passover, the last being his death (the narratives mention three different Passovers, but a fourth fits in the chronology as well). So that rules out a 30 A.D. death, which would have given him a ministry of a few months. Passover fell on Friday in 30, 33, and 36. The year 36 is too late, for Pilate was only there through 35 A.D. So 33 A.D. fits all the evidence the best.
  • *sixty-two sets of seven (62X7) = 434 years.
  • **killed (cut off in the KJV): karat, to cut off, eliminate, kill, execute; death penalty (Leviticus 7:20; Psalm 37:9; Proverbs 2:22).
    • karat means to cut down or kill and is the same word used in Leviticus 7:27 for the death penalty. There is no doubt that this prophecy tells us that the Messiah would be executed. Secondly, the Bible says that He ‘will have accomplished nothing’. The Hebrew can also mean ‘but not for Himself’ and that is how it is translated in many Bibles. The Messiah would die… but He wouldn’t die for Himself. He would die for others. Amazing prophecy!
    • Isaiah 53:8: From prison and trial they led him away to his death. But who among the people realized that he was dying for their sins - that he was suffering their punishment?
  • ***ruler: the people of the prince that shall come in the KJV - the Roman general Titus who will become emperor.
  • ****destroy the city and the Temple: Matthew 24:1-2: As Jesus was leaving the Temple grounds, his disciples pointed out to him the various Temple buildings. But he told them, "Do you see all these buildings? I assure you,they will be so completely demolished that not one stone will be left on top of another!" Josephus records this in great detail. There are many reports that Christians fled before then.
  • Rabbinical Confirmations: Messianic; prior to the Temple destroyed [Yalkut, Vol II, 32b, p.79 Nazir edition.] Messiah to exit prior to A.D. 33. [Midrash Berishit, p.243 Warsaw edition; re: Yakov Prasch.]
  • How Long will the gap between the 69th week and the 70th week occur? Romans 11:25: I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud and start bragging. Some of the Jews have hard hearts, but this will last only until the complete number of Gentiles comes to Christ.
    • This interval is the period of the Church, an era kept secret in Old Testament: Mt 13:34,35; Ephesians 3:5,9.
  • Interval also implied: Daniel 9:26; Isaiah 61:1,2 (re: Luke 4:18-20); Revelation 12:5,6. Also: Isaiah 54:7; Hosea 3:4,5; Amos 9:10,11 (Acts 15:13-18); Micah 5:2,3; Zechariah 9:9,10; Luke 1:31,32; 21:24.

(27) *He will make a **treaty with ***the people for a period of one set of seven, but ****after half this time, he will put an end to the sacrifices and offerings. Then as a climax to all his terrible deeds, he will set up a *****sacrilegious object that causes desecration, until the end that has been decreed is poured out on this defiler."

  • *He: “the prince that shall come” in verse 26 in the KJV:
    • Seed of the Serpent Genesis 3:15
    • Idol Shepherd Zechariah 11:16, 17
    • Little Horn Daniel 7:8-11,21-26, Daniel 8:9-12, 23-25
    • Prince that shall come Daniel 9:26
    • Willful King Daniel 11:36
    • Beast Revelation 11:7; 13
    • False Prophet Revlation 13
    • Anti/pseudo-Christ 1 John 2:22
    • Lawless One 2 Thessalonians 2:8
    • Man of Sin 2 Thessalonians 2:3
    • Comes in his own name John 5:43
    • Son of Perdition 2 Thessalonians 2:3
    • He will be:
      • An intellectual genius: Daniel 7:20; 8:23; Ezekiel 28:3
      • An persuasive orator: Daniel 7:20; Revelation 13:2
      • A political manipulator: Daniel 11:21
      • A commercial genius: Daniel 8:25; Rev 13:17; Ps 52:7; Daniel 11:38, 43; Ezekiel 28:4,5
      • A military leader: Daniel 8:24; Revelation 6:2; Revelation 13:4; Isaiah 4:16
      • A powerful organizer: Revelation 13:1,2; 17:17
      • A religious guru: 2 Thessalonians 2:4 (“Allah”?); Revelation 13:3, 14, 15
    • Zechariah 11:17: Doom is certain for this worthless shepherd who abandons the flock! The sword will cut his arm and pierce his right eye! His arm will become useless, and his right eye completely blind!"
  • **treaty:
    • With this treaty, Israel will embrace the Antichrist as a political messiah, if not the literal Messiah. Jesus predicted this in John 5:43 (KJV): I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive.
    • We don’t know who the antichrist is - but we do know that the covenant the antichrist confirms is based on the formula of “land for peace” - the formula upon which the Oslo Agreement (September 13, 1993 –September 13, 2000) was based. So the treaty exists, but collapsed before it was fully implemented. The principle of land for peace remains at the heart of every peace proposal. The antichrist is said to ‘confirm’ the covenant, not write it, or negotiate it or sign it. He ‘confirms’ it.
  • ***the people: The Covenant enforced with “the people” : “The people” is an idiom for Israel. This is the “Covenant with Hell,” Isaiah 28:15; Zechariah 11:15-17 etc.
  • ****after half this time: “midst of the week” in the KJV: The most documented period of time in the Bible. Time, times and the dividing of time (Daniel 7:25; 4:16, 23, 25).
  • 3½ years Daniel 12:7
    42 months Revelation 11:2; 13:5
    1260 days Revelation 11:3; Daniel 12:6
    ½ “week” Daniel 9:27
  • ****sacrilegious object: The “Abomination of Desolation” Antiochus IV (“Epiphanes”) 175-164 B.C. Antiochus IV was the 8th king of the Syrian dynasty and infamous brother of Cleopatra. “Epiphanes” = “Illustrious.” [Called “Epimanes,” the mad man by the Jews.] He made Torah reading punishable by death; slaughtered a sow on the Altar and erected an idol to Zeus in the Holy of Holies; incited the Maccabbean Revolt, which succeeded in rededicating the Temple, 25th Kislev, 165 B.C. This is still commemorated at Hanukkah. (Authenticated by the Holy Spirit: John 10:22.) The sacrifices and oblations cease; 2 Thessalonians 2:4. These require a Temple previously consecrated in Jerusalem. (Preparations have begun!)
  • Matthew 24:21-22: the great tribulation: For that will be a time of greater horror than anything the world has ever seen or will ever see again. In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, the entire human race will be destroyed. But it will be shortened for the sake of God's chosen ones.
  • This “Time of Jacob’s Trouble” climaxes in the “Day of the Lord”: Isaiah 61:2; Zechariah 12, 14; Revelation 19:19; et al. (Note that this is 3½ years, not 7, as is so often assumed.) Revelation 6 - 19 is essentially an elaboration of the events during the “70th Week” of Daniel 9.
  • Jeremiah 30:7: In all history there has never been such a time of terror. It will be a time of trouble for my people Israel. Yet in the end, they will be saved!
  • Daniel 12:1: "At that time Michael, the archangel who stands guard over your nation, will arise. Then there will be a time of anguish greater than any since nations first came into existence. But at that time every one of your people whose name is written in the book will be rescued.

EXCERPT FROM The Precision of Prophecy -
Daniel's 70 Weeks by Chuck Missler:
www.khouse.org/articles/2004/552/:

To fully appreciate the remarkable significance of the following article, it is essential to realize that the Book of Daniel, as part of the Old Testament, was translated into Greek prior to 270 B.C., almost three centuries before Christ was born. This is a well-established fact of secular history.

The Septuagint

After his conquest of the Babylonian Empire, Alexander the Great promoted the Greek language throughout the known world, and thus almost everyone - including the Jews - spoke Greek. Hebrew fell into disuse, being reserved primarily for ceremonial purposes (somewhat analogous to the use of Latin among Roman Catholics).

In order to make the Jewish Scriptures (what we call the Old Testament) available to the average Jewish reader, a project was undertaken under the sponsorship of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285-246 B.C.) to translate the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek. Seventy scholars were commissioned to complete this work and their result is known as the "Septuagint" ("70") translation. (This is often abbreviated "LXX" and is so shown on the diagram.)

The Book of Daniel is actually one of the most authenticated books of the Old Testament, historically and archaeologically, but this is a convenient shortcut for our purposes here. It is critical to realize that the Book of Daniel existed in documented form almost three centuries before Christ was born.

Gabriel's Zinger

Daniel, originally deported as a teenager (now near the end of the Babylonian captivity), was reading in the Book of Jeremiah. He understood that the seventy years of servitude were almost over and he began to pray for his people.

The Angel Gabriel interrupted Daniel's prayer and gave him a four-verse prophecy that is unquestionably the most remarkable passage in the entire Bible: Daniel 9:24-27.

These four verses include the following segments:

9:24 The Scope of the Entire Prophecy;
9:25 The 69 Weeks;
9:26 An Interval between the 69th and 70th Week;
9:27 The 70th Week.

The Scope (Daniel 9:24)

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 Place. Daniel 9:24

The idiom of a "week" of years was common in Israel as a "sabbath for the land," in which the land was to lie fallow every seventh year. It was their failure to obey these laws that led to God sending them into captivity under the Babylonians.

Note that the focus of this passage is upon "thy people and upon thy holy city," that is, upon Israel and Jerusalem. (It is not directed to the Church.)

The scope of this prophecy includes a broad list of things which clearly have yet to be completed.

The First 69 Weeks (Daniel 9:25)

A very specific prediction occurs in verse 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. Daniel 9:25

This includes a mathematical prophecy. As we have noted in previous articles, the Jewish (and Babylonian) calendars used a 360-day year; 69 weeks of 360-day years totals 173,880 days. In effect, Gabriel told Daniel that the interval between the commandment to rebuild Jerusalem until the presentation of the Messiah as King would be 173,880 days.

The "Messiah the Prince" in the King James translation is actually the Meshiach Nagid, "The Messiah the King." (Nagid is first used of King Saul.)

Bull's-Eye!

The commandment to restore and build Jerusalem was given by Artaxerxes Longimanus on March 14, 445 B.C. (The emphasis in the verse on "the street" and "the wall" was to avoid confusion with other earlier mandates confined to rebuilding the Temple.)

During the ministry of Jesus Christ there were several occasions in which the people attempted to promote Him as king, but He carefully avoided it: "Mine hour is not yet come".

The Triumphal Entry

Then, one day, He meticulously arranges it. On this particular day he rode into the city of Jerusalem riding on a donkey, deliberately fulfilling a prophecy by Zechariah that the Messiah would present Himself as king in just that way:

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. Zechariah 9:9

Whenever we might easily miss the significance of what was going on, the Pharisees come to our rescue. They felt that the overzealous crowd was blaspheming, proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah the King. However, Jesus endorsed it!

I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out. Luke 19:40

This is the only occasion that Jesus presented Himself as King. It occurred on April 6, 32 A.D.

The Precision of Prophecy

When we examine the period between March 14, 445 B.C. and April 6, 32 A.D., and correct for leap years, we discover that it is 173,880 days exactly, to the very day!

How could Daniel have known this in advance? How could anyone have contrived to have this detailed prediction documented over three centuries in advance? But there's more.

The Interval (Daniel 9:26)

There appears to be a gap between the 69th week (verse 25) and the 70th week (verse 27):

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. Daniel 9:26

The sixty-two "weeks" follow the initial seven, so verse 26 deals with events after 69th week, but before the 70th. These events include the Messiah being killed and the city and sanctuary being destroyed.

As Jesus approached the city on the donkey, He also predicted the destruction of Jerusalem:

For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. Luke 19:43-44

The Messiah was, of course, executed at the Crucifixion..."but not for Himself."

The city and the sanctuary were destroyed 38 years later when the Roman legions under Titus Vespasian leveled the city of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, precisely as Daniel and Jesus had predicted. In fact, as one carefully examines Jesus' specific words, it appears that He held them accountable to know this astonishing prophecy in Daniel 9! "Because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation."

The 70th Week

There is a remaining seven-year period to be fulfilled. This period is the most documented period in the entire Bible. The Book of Revelation, Chapters 6 through 19, is essentially a detailing of that climactic period.

The interval between the 69th and 70th week continues, but it is increasingly apparent that it may soon be over.

The more one is familiar with the numerous climactic themes of "end-time" prophecy, the more it seems that Daniel's 70th Week is on our horizon.

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Daniel 10 - Spiritual Warfare

What is the secret to understanding prophecy? It is in Daniel 2:20-22 (ESV):  Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.

The last vision which God gave to Daniel is recorded in the three closing chapters of Daniel. To get a comprehensive view of the entire vision, I suggest we read chapters 10-12 as a unit at one sitting. The prophecy of chapters 10-12 covers the same period as that of chapter eight, taking us from the time of the Persian and Grecian empires, even unto the end of the age. Historians have proven that the predictions of 11:1-35 have already been fulfilled, in the deeds of actual men who lived on earth many centuries ago. But from 11:36-12:13, the vision takes us on to yet future events, all of which will be literally fulfilled after the church has been raptured to be with the Lord.

Basically Daniel receives a revelation of the future that 1) involves the nation of Israel, 2) the last days and 3) a great war. Daniel 11 contains an amazing revelation of Israel’s history, culminating in the rise of Antichrist in the final days before the return of Christ.

The second half of Daniel contains four visions:

  1. Daniel 7:1-28: The vision of the four beasts.
  2. Daniel 8:1-27: The vision of the ram and the goat.
  3. Daniel 9:1-27: The vision of the seventy weeks.
  4. Daniel 10:1-12:13: The vision of the time of the end.
In the tenth chapter, therefore, we find the beginning of the final vision recorded by Daniel.

(1) In the *third year of the reign of King **Cyrus of Persia, Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar) had another ***vision. It concerned events certain to happen in the ****future -- times of *****war and great hardship -- and Daniel understood what the vision meant.

  • *third year: Daniel must have been at least ninety years old when God gave him this remarkable revelation. By this time, the first wave of exiles had returned under the leadership of Ezra (Ezra 1-2), but most had stayed back in Babylon because they were doing well there.
  • **Cyrus: Cyrus had begun his reign in the Medo Persian Empire 558BC, however, he wasn't reigning over the City of Babylon until 538/537 BC. The "3rd year of Cyrus" would have been the year 535 or 534 BC. (Source Bible Expositor's Encyclopedia)
  • ***vision: Hebrew, mareh, means revelation. What vision? At the end of this chapter in verse 21, Gabriel says he will explain the "book of truth" which we take here to be the thing that was true. So, the vision is the one running through chapter 11 to the middle of chapter 12. It carries us through the centuries until Michael stands at the resolution of the problem which was the focus of the 2300-day vision. In fact, all the visions of Daniel cover the conflict of the ages, each taking a different viewpoint.
  • ****future: While the vision itself refers mostly to the next 200-300 years after the death of Daniel, there are also hints that it also refers to some end-time events as well.
  • *****war and great hardship: "The revelation in the vision given to Daniel on this occasion shattered any hope the prophet might have had that Israel would enjoy her new freedom and peace for long." - Pentecost, "Daniel," p. 1365.

(2) When this vision came to me, I, Daniel, had been in *mourning for three weeks.

  • *mourning: Why was Daniel in mourning? Some think it was because so few Jews had returned with Ezra from exile. Others believe it was because Ezra faced severe opposition in rebuilding the temple.

(3) All that time I had eaten no rich food or meat, had drunk no wine, and had used no fragrant oils.

(4) On *April 23, as I was standing beside the great Tigris River,

  • *April 23: This date reveals that Daniel fasted through the Feast of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

(5) I looked up and saw a man dressed in linen clothing, with a belt of pure gold around his waist.

  • Ray Stedman (www.raystedman.org/old-testament/daniel/the-other-side-of-prayer): "To Daniel, alongside the Tigris river and to John on the island of Patmos, many centuries later, as they were praying, the curtain dropped that separated them from the invisible spiritual kingdom and they were able to see the very One to whom they had been speaking in prayer. Now that Person was there all the time -- it was not that he suddenly appeared -- but Daniel and his friends could not see him until the curtain suddenly dropped and their eyes were opened. They then saw the invisible world of spiritual beings around them and especially this great figure whose eyes were like flaming torches and whose face shone like the sun in its strength. Actually, if we can equate this figure as one whom Daniel and John both saw, it was the Lord Jesus Christ revealed to them in this marvelous way, unveiling the glory and majesty of his being. There is a similar story in Second Kings, Chapter 6, concerning Elisha the prophet. Elisha and his servant were in the little city of Dothan in Palestine, and the king of Syria was angry with Elisha. He sent down a great army by night, when Elisha was asleep, and surrounded the city. In the morning when the servant of Elisha woke and saw the armies of the Syrians all around the city, he came running in to his master and cried, "Elisha! Elisha! Look out there!" Elisha saw the armies of the Syrians surrounding the city. The servant cried, "What will we do? What will we do?" Elisha said, "Don't worry. Those who are with us are far more than those who are with them." The servant said, "What do you mean? There's no one here with us. We're all alone in the city." Then Elisha prayed, "Lord, open this young man's eyes." And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man and he saw that the mountains were full of horses and chariots of fire. Then he realized what Elisha meant when he said, "They who are with us are more than they who are with them..." (2 Kings 6:15-17). This is what the New Testament means when it says, "Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world..." (1 John 4:4 RSV). There are greater forces on behalf of those who know God and are servants of his, than there are against us. What had happened to Daniel was simply that the curtain had dropped and he saw the One to whom prayer was being addressed."
  • It's time for the next great debate question of Chapter 10: Who is this guy Daniel sees? There are two views. One is that it is "just" an angel. The other is this is Jesus.

(6) His body looked like a dazzling gem. From his face came flashes like lightning, and his eyes were like flaming torches. His arms and feet shone like polished bronze, and his voice was like the roaring of a vast multitude of people.

  • Revelation 1:12-16: When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. And standing in the middle of the lampstands was the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were bright like flames of fire. His feet were as bright as bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was as bright as the sun in all its brilliance.
  • If you read the text carefully, I believe that you can see that there are actually two people talking to Daniel.

(7) I, Daniel, am the only one who saw this vision. The men with me *saw nothing, but they were suddenly terrified and ran away to hide.

  • *saw nothing:
    • Acts 9:7: The men with Saul stood speechless with surprise, for they heard the sound of someone's voice, but they saw no one!

(8) So I was left there all alone to watch this amazing vision. My strength left me, my face grew deathly pale, and I felt very weak.

(9) When I heard him speak, I fainted and lay there with my face to the ground.

  • Ezekiel 1:28: All around him was a glowing halo, like a rainbow shining through the clouds. This was the way the glory of the LORD appeared to me. When I saw it, I fell face down in the dust, and I heard someone's voice speaking to me.
  • Isaiah 6:5: Then I said, "My destruction is sealed, for I am a sinful man and a member of a sinful race. Yet I have seen the King, the LORD Almighty!
  • Revelation 1:17: When I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, "Don't be afraid! I am the First and the Last.

(10) Just then a hand touched me and lifted me, still trembling, to my hands and knees.

  • A second being now appears, an angel sent to help Daniel. It does not seem likely that it is the same person he first saw, the man clothed in linen with eyes like flaming torches.
  • God strengthens us when we are weak.

(11) And the man said to me, "O Daniel, *greatly loved of God, listen carefully to what I have to say to you. Stand up, for I have been sent to you." When he said this to me, I stood up, still trembling with fear.

  • *greatly loved of God:
    • A literal translation of greatly loved would be “man of preciousness.”
    • Daniel was the beloved prophet as John later was the beloved apostle (John 13:23).
    • Three times in Daniel, God calls Daniel "highly esteemed" or "greatly loved" - Daniel 9:23, 10:11 and 10:19.

(12) Then he said, "Don't be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer.

(13) But for *twenty-one days the **spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then **Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia.

  • *twenty-one days: Same as the three weeks of mourning in verse 2!
  • **spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia was not Cyrus; he was an evil, fallen angel, evidently appointed by Satan to seek to influence Cyrus against the people of God. Had this king not issued a decree, permitting Israel to return to their land, and to rebuild the city and the walls? Satan did not like that! He has ever fought against God's ancient people, as well as against Gentiles who love Him. Undoubtedly, there is today an evil angel assigned to the United States to stir up all kinds of trouble and to influence leaders. There is one also assigned to Russia and to China, and to all the other countries of the world with other evil angels under them. These evil angels somehow relate to the countries of earth. There are also angels who are ministers of good, of justice and truth, and they are in conflict, the one with the other.
  • **Michael - means “Who is like God?”:
    • Michael is the prince who watches over the affairs and safeguards the interests of Israel. Gabriel is the prince who is especially and peculiarly interested in the good government of God in this world and is the strong supporter and contender for righteousness in the earth.
    • Michael is described as an "archangel" in Jude 1:9 (KJV):
      • Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said , The Lord rebuke thee.
    • Whenever we read of Michael in the Bible, it is always in the role of fighting for Israel. Does that mean there is another archangel assigned to the United States?
    • Revelation 12:7-12: Then there was war in heaven. Michael and the angels under his command fought the dragon and his angels. And the dragon lost the battle and was forced out of heaven. This great dragon -- the ancient serpent called the Devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world -- was thrown down to the earth with all his angels. Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, "It has happened at last -- the salvation and power and kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ! For the Accuser has been thrown down to earth -- the one who accused our brothers and sisters a before our God day and night. And they have defeated him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of their testimony. And they were not afraid to die. Rejoice, O heavens! And you who live in the heavens, rejoice! But terror will come on the earth and the sea. For the Devil has come down to you in great anger, and he knows that he has little time."
  • If the answer to Daniel's prayer was delayed by three full weeks, and GOD had to send Michael the archangel to defeat the enemy, and get His message through to Daniel, we do not need to wonder if some of our own prayers are not answered as soon as we would like for them to be. We recognize, therefore, that while there is a conflict going on here upon earth between the powers of righteousness and the forces of evil, a similar conflict is going on in the heavens above us, between the angels of GOD and the angels of Satan who are both struggling to influence the hearts and the actions of men.
  • Ephesians 6:11-13:  Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms. Use every piece of God's armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm.
  • Surely this is one of the most amazing passages of the Bible, for it helps us understand what is going on as reported in our daily newspapers. Why are we going through such a worldwide outbreak of murder, riot, violence, demonstration and unrest? It is not simply because students are not taught certain things in school, or that they are different from those in previous generations. Such explanations that are being offered today are superficial. They do not get at the heart of the matter. The explanation is right here: Men are not the final issue; their actions are not the final explanation of what goes on. Behind men are invisible powers at work, controlling the minds and thoughts of men. That is why things happen in the world the way they do.
  • Is there a demonic "prince" of the United States? I would argue yes, based on these verses.
  • If we could see the invisible, we would be amazed at the forces of good and evil all around us. My wife had such an incident not long after the death of our daughter where she encountered an evil, dark presence in the dark while praying.

(14) Now I am here to explain what will happen to YOUR PEOPLE IN THE FUTURE, for this vision concerns a TIME YET TO COME."

(15) While he was speaking to me, I looked down at the ground, unable to say a word.

(16) Then the one who looked like a man touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began to speak. I said to the one standing in front of me, "I am terrified by the vision I have seen, my lord, and I am very weak.

(17) How can someone like me, your servant, talk to you, my lord? My strength is gone, and I can hardly breathe."

(18) Then the one who looked like a man touched me again, and I felt my strength returning.

(19) "Don't be afraid," he said, "for you are deeply loved by God. Be at peace; take heart and be strong!" As he spoke these words, I suddenly felt stronger and said to him, "Now you may speak, my lord, for you have strengthened me."

(20) He replied, "Do you know why I have come? Soon I must return to fight against the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia, and then against the spirit prince of the kingdom of Greece.

  • The empires of earth and governments of the world are controlled and their activities governed by satanic forces. Satan is the god of this age. He is also the PRINCE of the power of the air. Over each kingdom, empire, nation and republic, there is an evil-ruling prince.
  • Bible critics have a difficult time with this. Daniel died long before the Grecian Empire and Alexander the Great rose to power. It appears that angels can be dispatched to go anywhere, at anytime in history.
  • The coming rise of the Grecian Empire under Alexander the Great (still 200 years in the future) will be overseen by the ‘prince of Greece’ as well.
  • The curtain is being lifted on the “great machine” whirling in the background that makes this world turn. We are getting a glimpse into what is going on behind the scenes.

(21) But before I do that, I will tell you what is written in the *Book of Truth. (There is no one to help me against these spirit princes except Michael, your spirit prince.

  • *Book of Truth: We learn from these verses that there is in God’s library a book called The Book of Truth. We know of at least two other books; there is the scroll on which the events of the end time are recorded, which the Lamb takes from the hand of God, the Father, (Revelation 5:1,7) and there is The Book of Life (Luke 10:20; Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12,15; 21:27) in which the names of those who believe in Jesus Christ for salvation are written. Somehow, these books are played out on earth, chapter by chapter in the lives of God’s creatures. What confuses us is that, in a way, we also write our own script as we playthe role God has assigned to us.
  • Chapter 11 begins the prophetic portion of this last vision which God gave to Daniel, presenting a foreview of Gentile dominion from the “first year of Darius” unto the battle of Armageddon and the return of Christ in glory. The chapter closes with the prediction that this “wilful king” “shall come to his end, and none shall help him.” And we know that it is the return of the Lord Jesus that will bring this to pass.
Daniel 11:1: I have been standing beside Michael as his support and defense since the first year of the reign of Darius the Mede.)

NOTES:

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