Since it is evident that there are many conflicting views on this Prophecy we would like to break it down so that those weak in faith (those not very knowledgeable in prophecy) might properly understand it.
“UNDERSTAND the matter, and consider the vision. 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. 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 [7 and 60 and 2 = 69 weeks]: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
“And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself. And the people of the prince that shall come [the Roman prince, Titus’ army] 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. And he [Messiah] shall confirm the covenant with many for one week [the seventieth, or last week of the covenant of favor]. And in the midst of the week he [Messiah] shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for [or because of] the overspreading [prevailing] of abominations, he [Messiah] shall make it desolate, even until the consummation [or completion] and that [which is] determined [in God’s plan] shall be poured upon the desolate” [people, represented by Jerusalem].” Dan 9:23-27
Many would remove the last week of Daniel’s prophecy from the First Advent and place it at the Second Advent. This gap between the 69 prophetic weeks and the last week, however, is not warranted nor is it scripturally authorized. The last week, or 7 literal years, was clearly fulfilled at the time Jesus Christ presented himself as Messiah to the House of Israel.
While many prophecies combine to fix and confirm the date of the second coming of Christ, this one alone marked the date of the first advent. If its fulfillment is clearly established, it will aid in the calculating and judging of those prophecies relating to the Second Advent. The DATES established in this, Daniel’s fulfilled prophecy are needful in the understanding of other prophecies relating to the Second Advent.
Let us first note to whom this prophecy is addressed.
“Understand the matter, and consider the vision. Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city…”
Whose people, whose city? Why Daniel’s people the Jewish nation.
So then the seventy weeks apply to the Jewish nation, and not to any others.
Daniel had been shown many visions, as recorded in Chapters 2, 4, 7 and 8 of this prophecy, all of which showed great prosperity and exaltation to heathen or gentile kingdoms; but his special interest was in Israel, and he had not been informed concerning Israel’s future. He knew, however, from Jeremiah’s prophecy (Jer 29:10; 2 Chron 36:20-23), that the desolation of Judea would continue seventy years; and knowing that period to be nearly complete (Dan 9:2), he prayed earnestly for the return of God’s favor to Israel (Verses 17-19), and the foregoing was God’s answer to him (concerning Israel) through an angel.
The marked off (“cut off,” or “determined”) period of Israel’s history here shown is “seventy weeks” from a given starting point, viz., from the going forth of a decree “to restore and to build Jerusalem.” (Mark! NOT the Temple.)
During this period great things were to be accomplished:
1) The city would be rebuilt under unfavorable circumstances (See Nehemiah Chapter 4), in troublous times;
2) Sin would be finished by a reconciliation being made for iniquity; and
3) Righteousness (justification) would be established, not like that accomplished year by year with the blood of bulls and goats, but the true and “everlasting righteousness,” brought about by the sacrifice of Christ.
Daniel was also informed that he would introduce the better sacrifice and would thereby cause the typical sacrifices and oblations of the Law to cease.
In this period, Messiah, the long-looked-for Savior of Israel, would come, and seven weeks and threescore and two weeks, or sixty-nine weeks, are stated as the measure of the time to Messiah’s Presence. And AFTER THAT he would be cut off, but not for himself. There would therefore remain, after Messiah’s coming, one week, the last, the seventieth of this promised favor; and in the midst or middle of that week it was foretold that he would cause the typical sacrifices to cease, by making “his soul an offering for sin.” Isa 53:10-12
Continued with next post.
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“UNDERSTAND the matter, and consider the vision. 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. 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 [7 and 60 and 2 = 69 weeks]: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
“And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself. And the people of the prince that shall come [the Roman prince, Titus’ army] 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. And he [Messiah] shall confirm the covenant with many for one week [the seventieth, or last week of the covenant of favor]. And in the midst of the week he [Messiah] shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for [or because of] the overspreading [prevailing] of abominations, he [Messiah] shall make it desolate, even until the consummation [or completion] and that [which is] determined [in God’s plan] shall be poured upon the desolate” [people, represented by Jerusalem].” Dan 9:23-27
Many would remove the last week of Daniel’s prophecy from the First Advent and place it at the Second Advent. This gap between the 69 prophetic weeks and the last week, however, is not warranted nor is it scripturally authorized. The last week, or 7 literal years, was clearly fulfilled at the time Jesus Christ presented himself as Messiah to the House of Israel.
While many prophecies combine to fix and confirm the date of the second coming of Christ, this one alone marked the date of the first advent. If its fulfillment is clearly established, it will aid in the calculating and judging of those prophecies relating to the Second Advent. The DATES established in this, Daniel’s fulfilled prophecy are needful in the understanding of other prophecies relating to the Second Advent.
Let us first note to whom this prophecy is addressed.
“Understand the matter, and consider the vision. Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city…”
Whose people, whose city? Why Daniel’s people the Jewish nation.
So then the seventy weeks apply to the Jewish nation, and not to any others.
Daniel had been shown many visions, as recorded in Chapters 2, 4, 7 and 8 of this prophecy, all of which showed great prosperity and exaltation to heathen or gentile kingdoms; but his special interest was in Israel, and he had not been informed concerning Israel’s future. He knew, however, from Jeremiah’s prophecy (Jer 29:10; 2 Chron 36:20-23), that the desolation of Judea would continue seventy years; and knowing that period to be nearly complete (Dan 9:2), he prayed earnestly for the return of God’s favor to Israel (Verses 17-19), and the foregoing was God’s answer to him (concerning Israel) through an angel.
The marked off (“cut off,” or “determined”) period of Israel’s history here shown is “seventy weeks” from a given starting point, viz., from the going forth of a decree “to restore and to build Jerusalem.” (Mark! NOT the Temple.)
During this period great things were to be accomplished:
1) The city would be rebuilt under unfavorable circumstances (See Nehemiah Chapter 4), in troublous times;
2) Sin would be finished by a reconciliation being made for iniquity; and
3) Righteousness (justification) would be established, not like that accomplished year by year with the blood of bulls and goats, but the true and “everlasting righteousness,” brought about by the sacrifice of Christ.
Daniel was also informed that he would introduce the better sacrifice and would thereby cause the typical sacrifices and oblations of the Law to cease.
In this period, Messiah, the long-looked-for Savior of Israel, would come, and seven weeks and threescore and two weeks, or sixty-nine weeks, are stated as the measure of the time to Messiah’s Presence. And AFTER THAT he would be cut off, but not for himself. There would therefore remain, after Messiah’s coming, one week, the last, the seventieth of this promised favor; and in the midst or middle of that week it was foretold that he would cause the typical sacrifices to cease, by making “his soul an offering for sin.” Isa 53:10-12
Continued with next post.
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