Bible Study........................................................................Pages

Page 20 His Grace Magazine! May 2022

Daniel 9

"The Seventy Weeks of Daniel"

Daniel 9:24: "A period of seventy sets of seven has been decreed for your people and your holy city to finish their rebellion, to put an end to their sin, to atone for their guilt, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to confirm the prophetic vision, and to anoint the Most Holy Place."

To break down Daniel's seventy weeks in Daniel 9:24, the passage refers to seventy periods of seven years totaling 490 years, required to bring in the ultimate jubilee: the release from sin, the establishment of everlasting righteousness and consecration of the temple.

Even though Daniel was a high government official, he was a diligent student of Scripture who built his prayer life on the Word of God. When he prayed, he approached God with fasting, sackcloth and ashes. He began his prayer by recognizing the goodness and righteousness of God. As he confessed Israel's sin on behalf of his entire nation, he prayed as if he were as bad as the rest of Israel, for he realized that Israel was rebellious and wicked and did not make their prayer of confession before the Lord, even though the Lord delivered them out of Egypt. He begged for mercy and simply asked God to turn to His people and shine His face upon them.

Daniel's prayer was

answered when the angel Gabriel swiftly came to him while he was still praying during the time of the evening offering. Gabriel announced that he came to bring an answer to Daniel's prayer. Because Daniel was dearly loved by God, God revealed many things to him through the angel Gabriel's visit. Gabriel told him of the prophecy of the Seventy Weeks, which focused upon Daniel's people, the Jews, and his holy city of Jerusalem and it mapped out a series of events that began in Daniel's lifetime, and will continue until the Second Coming of Christ.

Daniel chapter 9 is one of the most significant prophetic books in the

Bible and Daniel's study in prophecies of Jeremiah showed him the seventy years described in Jeremiah 25:11-13: "This whole country will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years." Daniel's knowledge of the times revealed that his people's captivity would be limited to seventy years, and that this seventy year period was almost over and that God was about to set His people free.

Gabriel explained to Daniel that from the time Jerusalem would be restored and rebuilt, which happened in 445 B.C., when Artaxerxes gave Nehemiah permission to return to Jerusalem with safe passage and supplies to rebuild the city and the walls (Nehemiah 2:1-8), until Jesus made His triumphal entry to Jerusalem, presenting Himself as Messiah the Prince to Israel (Mark 11:1-10), there would be seven weeks and sixty two weeks, or 69 weeks, totaling 483 years.

So, the first seven periods of seven years (49 years): the city of Jerusalem is rebuilt (445 B.C. - 396 B.C.). Daniel 9:25 says, "From the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times."

Daniel 9

The next 62 periods of seven years (434 years): Awaiting the Messiah- Zechariah 9:9 says, "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!"

From the time of Jesus' birth to when He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey (Palm Sunday), was from 396 B.C. - 32 A.D., totaling 434 years.

Daniel 9:26 reads, "And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off." The Jews called for Jesus' execution five days after He rode into Jerusalem as the promised Prince. Because the Jews did not receive Jesus as their Messiah, but instead crucified Him, this rejection from Israel of Jesus as the Messiah marked the beginning of a gap in Daniel's 70th week prophecy. This indefinite period of time is referred to as "Unreckoned time" and we are still living in it today.

During the last period of 7 years, the Church will be raptured without notice and the Tribulation period will begin: Antichrist comes, ratifies an agreement with the nation of Israel providing military protection and religious freedom for Israel.

Daniel 9:27 says, "Then he (the prince who is to come) shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate." This means that for the first 3 1/2 years of the tribulation, the antichrist will even help the Jews rebuild the temple and reestablish the sacrificial system. During the second 3 1/2 year period however, the antichrist breaks the treaty with Israel, ends the sacrificial system and begins a reign of terror, claiming to be God and demanding all to worship him or else be put to death.

These seventy weeks, or seventy sets of seven years totaling 490 years, focuses on Israel, not the gentile nations or the church. It was to bring an end to transgression by establishing a new order on earth, bringing an end to man's rebellion against God and bringing an end to sin itself through a new, redeemed world which Jesus will set up at His second coming.

For all who have accepted Jesus as the Messiah, sin was reconciled to God's justice and holiness by the work that was accomplished at the cross. But for Israel, the consummation of His redeeming work will not occur until the end of the Tribulation, at the end of the Seventy Weeks - that's when Israel will finally recognize the atoning effect of Jesus as Messiah.

Once Christ returns and establishes His kingdom, prophecy will be fulfilled, vision and prophecy will be sealed up because there will be no more sin and the Son of God will reign in the Holy of Holies, the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.

This is what the Lord says: "When seventy years are complete for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile." (Jeremiah 29:10-14)

In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.