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Daniel Chapter 9
Verses 1-24 |
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Dan. 9:1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans;
2 In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah* the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. *Jer. 25:11,12; 27:7; 29:10
Introduction
Darius was the first of the foreign kings to rule over Babylon. The Babylonian Empire had fallen; the next prophesied empire, the Medo-Persian Empire, had now begun its world dominance.
This chapter begins with intercessory prayer of Daniel for the restoration of the people, Israel, the Temple and Jerusalem. Daniel had been studying the book of Jeremiah and came to understand the prophecy of 70 years of desolation being upon the people, the Temple and the city. He knew that the time of the restoration was close at hand and prayed fervently for those events to be accomplished.
His prayer is recorded in verses 3 through 19. While there is much to be absorbed in this prayer, we will pass over it in keeping with the subject of our study.
The messenger
| Verse | 20. |
| | | “And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God;” |
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| Verse | 21. |
| | | "Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.” |
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| Verse | 22. |
| | | “And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, 0 Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.” |
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| Verse | 23. |
| | | “At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to show thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.” |
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Several details at this appearing of Gabriel are prominent. For example, Gabriel's coming to Daniel doesn't seem to have any direct bearing on Daniel's prayer. Nothing is said to Daniel about the subject of the prayer for the near restoration of the Jews, the Temple, and Jerusalem. In verse 22 Gabriel talks to and informs Daniel of future events. This makes it a direct revelation as opposed to a vision.
Daniel's thoughts were on the 70 years of destruction. But the message from Gabriel was about 70 times 7 years concerning the Temple and Jerusalem. This is interesting because the 70 years of Jeremiah ends with the restoration while the 70 times 7 years ends with the destruction of, at the very least, the Temple service. More is introduced in the next verses. During the first period of 70 years God devastated their existence, but during the 70 times 7 years period He renews their existence. So we see a reversal of God's dealing and the fate of the Jews in these two periods of times.
The prophecies.
The italics give the more literal Hebrew.
Verse 24, “Seventy weeks are determined (divided or appointed) upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins (and fill up the measure of sin), and to make reconciliation for iniquity (and put a propitiatory - covering over iniquity), and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy (or affix a seal to vision and prophecy), and to anoint the most Holy (the Holy of Holies).”
Verse 25, “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah (The Anointed One) the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. (The broad-way and the -wall shall again be built, even in the end of the times.)”
Verse 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.” (Here is the Emphasized Bible translation of verse 26, it differs quite a bit from the King James.)
“And after the sixty-two weeks shall the Anointed One be cut off, and have nothing, - and the city and the sanctuary -will one destroy with the Prince, and so will his own end come with an overwhelming flood, howbeit up to the full end of the war are decreed astounding things.”[1]
Verse 27, “And he shall confirm the (a) covenant with many for one week: and in the midst (middle) of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for (in their place) the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate (or, shall be the horrid abomination that astoundeth), even until the consummation (till a full end), and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate (or, and that a decreed one shall be poured out on him that astoundeth).
Expository of the verses
Verse 24.
In this verse the 70 weeks of time (490 years) are spoken of as a whole, while the next verses divide the 70 weeks into 7 weeks (49 years), and 62 weeks (434 years), with the last week (7 years) further divided in two 3 1/2 year periods. The prophecy in this verse will occur at the end of the 490 years and not during the 69 weeks. Verses 25-26 tell of the events in the division of the 70 weeks. The people of Daniel are the Jews, and his Holy City is Jerusalem. Thus, 70 years have been appointed to the Jews and to Jerusalem to accomplish some purpose of God's. The revelation shows the purpose as follows:
1) To finish the transgression, or to put an end to the transgression,
When Christ came and made His atonement on the cross for sin, the practice of sin did not cease. Nor will His second coming put an end to the practice of sin, for during the millennium unregenerate men will live in their natural, carnal bodies with the full force of their Adamic nature. Also, at the end of the 1,000 year reign of Christ, Satan will be released from the bottomless pit and cause the last throes of sin and rebellion against God.
The meaning of “finish the transgression” must apply to the “ending of the transgressions” of the Gentiles against the Jews, Judea, and Jerusalem (all signifying the land granted to Abraham). When Jesus returns and sits upon the throne of David, He will rule from Jerusalem, and the Promised Land will be His possession. Never again will this nation be subjugated by others, nor distress be put on her King, or her people. It will be the end of the transgressions against Israel by those prophesied Gentile Empires in chapters 2, 7, and 8.
2) and to make an end of sins (and fill up the measure of sin),
Some scholars believe that the proper wording of this verse is to “seal” or “seal up” sins, meaning to hide them or put them out of sight. But this doesn't make Biblical sense. When Christ died, the sins of redeemed people were put out of sight of God's vision, but this happened at His first coming and is not in the future. It could be that at that time God will seal up the sins of Israel and put them out of His vision, hence to making an end of Israel's sins. Another possible meaning is that or the full measure of the sin of the Gentiles has reached its saturation point. That the Gentiles (these Empires) will have run their course, culminating with the “antichrist,” and God thus bringing His judgment and terminating their power of iniquity.
3) and to make reconciliation for iniquity (and put a propitiatory - covering over iniquity),
Reconciliation is often used in the general sense to pardon or forgive. This could easily refer to the Jews and their current blindness, or it might have reference to the curse upon creation caused by the iniquity of Adam. Both of these possibilities can be substantiated in Scripture. The Jews will be saved nationally upon the return of Christ when they look upon Him whom they have pierced (Zech 12:10,11), and all creation will be delivered from the bondage of corruption (Rom 8:19-21).
4) and to bring in everlasting righteousness,
God's righteousness has never been seen in its fullness upon the earth during man's existence. Yes, it is true that when Jesus was here God's righteousness was with man, but it was limited to Him (Jesus) and only experienced by those closest to Him. The world knew not of everlasting righteousness. To understand this we contrast the first and second coming of Christ. When He was first here He was not in the stead of the King of Kings, Lord of Lords but as the lamb of God to be sacrificed. When He next appears, He is a mighty ruler causing His righteousness to be pressed on all nations of the world. God's righteousness will be established in the world and specifically with the Jews and the holy city. Couple this with the previous point (3 above) we see the curtailment of the sinning ways of the world supplanted by the righteousness of God.
5) and to seal up the vision and prophecy (or affix a seal to vision and prophecy),
As with all the other points presented, this sealing of the vision and prophecy happens at the end of the 70 weeks. It would be then, at that time, it is fulfilled, completed, finished, have come to pass. When they (the vision and prophecy) are sealed they are no longer open matters but will be forever closed, accomplished.
6) and to anoint the most Holy (the Holy of Holies).
To anoint is to consecrate or to set apart unto God the object, which is being or has been anointed. This puts in force that it is for His exclusive use, dedicated to Him, made to be sacred, or holy (sanctified). In Scripture, people, things and places have all been anointed to God at times.
The phrase “the most Holy” is not so clear. Nowhere in the Scriptures can it be found that any person or individual is identified with this term. It is always applied to things or places. In this verse it literally says “the Holy of Holies.” In its strictest sense this would be limited to the most sacred inner chamber of the Temple, which contained the Ark of the Covenant. In its broadest sense it would encompass, not only the whole of the Temple, Jerusalem, and even extend to the Promised Land. It indeed seems to apply to something greater than just the inner chamber of the Temple. But how much more we cannot know at this time.
Joining these together we can conclude the following: at the end of the 70 weeks, when Christ has returned, He consecrates unto Himself the Temple, Jerusalem, or the entire land as Holy, Sacred. This means that it would be for His exclusive possession. It is a setting apart for Himself all these things for His exclusive use, and purpose. The highest form of anointing, which could ever be bestowed, would be the very presence of God with that which is consecrated. It would be eminently Holy by the presence of God.
Matt. 12:6 “But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.”
[1] The Emphasized Bible, by Rotherham is an excellent study bible. It is not in smooth English and takes slow reading, but the translation is one of the best in English. For example, this is the only translation I have seen where the words baptize and church are correctly rendered. I highly recommend it for students of The Word.
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Next: Daniel Chapter 9:25
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This page last updated September 14, 2004 at 10:21am
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