What Will It Take?

We all know individuals that “just don’t seem to get it.” They’ve had opportunity thrown at them from every direction and they usually waste it. Second chances are given, only to be trampled on and unappreciated.

This is the picture of many people throughout the ages as to how they respond to God’s offer of salvation. Even though they have experienced God’s rich blessings, they waste it on themselves as if they deserve it; often not recognizing that it is from God’s hand. Even though when they are given multiple chances for “redo’s,” they seize it greedily, repeating the same, tired failures they practiced so many times.

You and I find ourselves throwing our hands up in the air, asking ourselves with a resigned sigh, “What will it take for them to get it?”

We look at Israel’s history and we scratch our collective puzzled heads, wondering what will it take. We look at our own nation, collapsing all around us, wondering silently, and sometimes out loud, as to what will it take for people to turn to God.

If we were honest with ourselves, we would do well to reflect on our own lives. Exactly what was it that took hold of you when you finally got it and surrendered your life to Jesus Christ?

Can you imagine the mind-boggling patience and love which God has for His chosen people, the Jews, as well as you and me?

I am so grateful that the answer to “What will it take?” is found in what we see God doing. It’s as if God is saying “I will do whatever it takes for you to accept my love and follow me.” How sad for those who refuse to see this and accept His love.

Today, I believe that we should find ourselves grateful, even as we look at a very troublesome passage; thankful that God will do whatever it takes to bring His children back to Him.

Speedy Delivery - 9:20-23

Now while 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 in behalf of the holy mountain of my God, while I was still speaking in prayer, then the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision previously, came to me in my extreme weariness about the time of the evening offering. He gave me instruction and talked with me and said, “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you insight with understanding. At the beginning of your supplications the command was issued, and I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed; so give heed to the message and gain understanding of the vision.”

As we begin to read through this, we see that Daniel hadn’t even finished praying before God sent the angel Gabriel to engage Daniel. Yet, don’t overlook the reality that we discussed last time; Daniel was confessing his own sins, as well as those of the Jewish people. What a challenge this is to me, and I hope to you, as well. If a godly man like Daniel needed to confess sins before the Lord, then, even we, as Christians, needs to confess any sins that we’ve committed.

As we look at verse 21, we may wonder why Gabriel is described as a man. Obviously, it would be that he appeared to Daniel in human form. Many scholars suggest that Gabriel is the angel who is the messenger to humanity. This is seen in all the instances in which a man or woman receives a verbal message in what appears to be a personal encounter, in that it comes through Gabriel. We see this in the New Testament, as well, with Zechariah and Mary.

The time of Gabriel’s appearance to Daniel was about the time of the evening offering. This would be around 3-4 PM. We understand that since they were in a foreign land, they would not be offering sacrifices of animals, but rather of prayer. This would have been the normal time for prayer.

There is also a phrase used here, in my extreme weariness, that would refer to Daniel’s exhaustion, and not Gabriel. This is a bit different from the KJV and the NIV, which uses the phrase in swift flight; being caused to fly swiftly. Here is where the NASB is a more accurate translation. There is a different type of verb needed that is not found here if Daniel is talking about flying. In addition, the Bible does not show that angels have wings, but appear in human form. Even earlier, Daniel speaks of Gabriel as the man. In addition, angels are spirit beings and would not get tired. However, it makes more sense to assume this is Daniel who was exhausted. This is seen especially when we look at verse 3 which speaks of Daniel being involved in a longer period of fasting and praying. In fact, if we jump ahead to 10:2, 8, we see this was for a 3-week period or longer and he had no strength left.

Now in verse 22, we see the purpose of Gabriel coming to Daniel; it was to give insight and understanding to him. Verse 23 lets us know that within the timeframe, with God knowing our hearts completely, Gabriel was given the information to give to Daniel. This is not a vision, but rather a unique time in which God chose to send one of the most important of the angels to give the information in person. And, did you catch the reasoning? Because Daniel was highly esteemed. The Hebrew word describes someone who is desired or considered precious. One commentator suggested that Daniel would have been considered a very precious treasure to the Lord. Do you realize that you and I, as God’s children through Jesus Christ, are also very precious treasurers?

Daniel is told to pay close attention to what is about to be said: give heed to the message and gain understanding of the vision. What we’re about to read in the next verses is the substance of a prophetic revelation given to Daniel.

Even though this next section is loaded with a lot of information, keep in mind the theme for the sermon this morning: God will do whatever it takes to bring His children back to Him.

Sevens Described - 9:24-27

“Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place. So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”

These verses appear to provide additional revelation to explain further Daniel’s earlier vision, which continued to trouble him.

Scholars suggest that these four verses are the most difficult and controversial verses in the Bible. Many translations refer to this as the section of the seventy sevens. Let’s take some time and deal with this specifically, so as to gain a better understanding.

Verse 24 refers specifically to the Jews and Jerusalem. It is also helpful to know that a calendar year used to be 360 days, each month being 30 days. These weeks or sevens are seven years each. Traditionally, the Hebrew word normally means weeks. In prophetic writing, it is imperative that we look at the context. There is no specific word here to tell us what the unit is meaning; years, days, months, etc. Thus, we have to look at what fits the context the best. Because the Jewish people would have been familiar with the idea of years, thinking particularly of the Sabbatical Year, years seems to fit the best. The others don’t fit at all into this scenario. The only other type of weeks mentioned is that of days. Obviously, that doesn’t work at all. In addition, other passages in the Bible speak of the Tribulation Period as being a literal seven years.

Thus, these numbers would come to 490 years. This comes from the decree found in Jeremiah’s prophecy from chapter 25. Here, this seventy sevens is divided into three different groups; a group of 7, a group of 62, and then a final group that stands alone.

It would seem that the event that begins the 490 years is the decree which gave the Jews permission to go back to Jerusalem around 445 BC. It is this decree which Artaxerxes made for Nehemiah to go back and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Remember, Gabriel states that this is a total of 69 weeks (7 plus 62). This is the time frame between Artaxerxes decree and the anointing of the Messiah, Jesus, around AD 26. This is often the date given for when Christ was baptized and began his public ministry. Scholars who have dedicated themselves to figuring out this stuff have calculated that there were 483 years between those 2 events.

Again, remember Gabriel split this up into a group of 7 and 62. That would equal 49 years for the first part and 434 years for the second part. Interestingly, when we look through Nehemiah and read other historical documents, it did take 49 years to rebuild Jerusalem during very difficult conditions. Interestingly, 434 years later, the Messiah begins his ministry. Then, He is cut off, as verse 26 states, when He died on the cross. This crucifixion event is what actually fulfills Daniel 9:24: to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness.

Sadly, Israel rejected the Christ. Shortly after, Rome came and destroyed the city and once again demolished the temple. Historically, you know that Israel was not a free nation again, until May 14, 1948.

We see also in verse 26, a reference to people of the prince who is to come. One might think that this would refer to Rome in AD 70. Indeed, it is not the prince, for he will come later. It is the people of the prince. Remember, the destruction of Jerusalem at that time was merely a type or an illustration of what was to come. This prince which is referred to in verses 26-27 is most likely the Antichrist. He will rule the restored/revived Roman Empire. This prince will actually make a deal with the Jews to protect them from other nations who would want to destroy them. This agreement will be for a period of 7 years; thus the last of the sevens or weeks.

Some may wonder why I would just randomly skip over 2 millennia or more and not let that be part of the time period of which Daniel spoke. I’m glad you’re scratching your heads over this. Quite often, in prophecy we will find gaps in the timeline, which is normal. There is also something which we often overlook as part of an amazing and wonderful aspect of biblical history. You see, during the time period between the death of Christ and the signing of this terrible agreement which Antichrist will make is a glorious time of history which is known as the Church Age.

Listen to how Warren Wiersbe describes this: the entire Age of the Church, a “great parenthesis” in God’s program. The 490 years are in operation only when Israel is in God’s will as God’s people. When Israel crucified Christ, she was set aside and the “prophetic clock” stopped ticking. But when the Antichrist signs his pact with Israel, then the last seven years of Daniel’s “seventy weeks” will start being fulfilled. This seven-year period is known as the Tribulation, or the time of Jacob’s trouble. It is described in Rev. 6–19.

Then as we look at the last part of this section, we see that even this last period of 7 years is broken. In the middle of the week is the 3 1/2 year mark. That’s where the Antichrist breaks his promise and things get even worse. Ezekiel 38-39 shows us that after the 3 1/2 year period, Gog and her allies will invade Palestine and God will judge them. Antichrist himself will invade, breaking his covenant and make himself the ruler of the whole world. 2 Thessalonians 2 shows how Antichrist will stop all Jewish worship at the temple and require that the whole world worship him and the image of himself which he sets up. This is what is referred to in Matthew 24, John 5, and Revelation 13, as the abominations of desolation. This takes place just before Jesus’ second coming.

Because of the forbidding of Jewish worship, the Antichrist will make the temple desolate or empty. His wickedness with the horrible acts which he commits are the abominations which when combined, bring God’s judgment upon him.

Summary

Though this seems like a very troublesome time, God is still going to use this for His glory. Throughout history and in the future, God is doing what must be done to give Israel and all the world opportunity to turn to Him for salvation.

We also know from many places in our Bible that the horrific time under the Antichrist is limited by the factor that God will judge him at the end of the period.

Regardless of how one interprets this passage or the explanations on time, it is obvious that the Messiah would come. He is Jesus of Nazareth. It is obvious that the Messiah would die. It is obvious that Jerusalem and the temple would be destroyed. It is obvious that at the end of the age, an evil leader will spring up who will persecute God’s people; the Jews and all those who choose to follow Christ. It is gloriously obvious that this will cease, because the Messiah who died and rose again will come again. The Messiah will judge the Antichrist and all who are in allegiance with him.

Let me remind you, we don’t need to get caught up in the minutiae and the details. Daniel was being given hope by Gabriel about God’s chosen people, the Jews. Daniel knew the history of his people. In fact, he, himself, was displaced because of their rebellious nature. Daniel also knew that God was a patient, compassionate God who would go to any means to get the people to repent and come back to Him.

I believe that is an encouragement we can hold, as well. It would certainly be easier to not have to go through a parched desert or the flood waters of life. Yet, God’s love reaches as far as necessary to get ahold of us. Yet, for the one who continues to rebel and defy God, there will be the ultimate judgment day. However, it will not have been without warning and opportunity.

For those of us who are already children of God, who are born again, if we have chosen to wander off, He will do whatever is necessary to restore us. Sometimes, that can mean some pretty serious discipline.

For those of us who are born again and in a right relationship with God, this is a challenge to be a part of what God is doing to present Jesus Christ. We must do whatever is necessary to impact as many people as possible for Christ, in order that they might be saved.

So be encouraged. God will do whatever it takes to bring His children back to Him.