Daniel (16)

Introduction: Our focused text of Scripture today comes from Daniel 9:24-27 (Read)

Something about God answering prayer. Bringing new life. Hunger for His word.

Focusing on the book of Daniel, which as we will notice today, contains truths about the future. For some, this may be your first encounter with some of the terms and language that we will discover. Fort others, you have maybe studied out Bible prophecy for years and years and have already made conclusion about what you believe will happen in the last days. For all of us, we need to approach the Scripture, no matter where we are studying, with prayerful humility. (Pray)

Start with a brief review. The Book of Daniel is like a two sided coin. On one side we have chapters 1-6 describing the narrative of Daniel and his companions during their exile in Babylon. On the other side we have chapters 7-12 describing Daniel’s dreams and visions while exiled in Babylon. Both sides of the book are revealing key truths about God and His sovereign decrees for His people. For example, track with me as we are reminded of the themes of chapters 1-9.

Chapter 1= God gives.

God gives the 4 Jewish boys into the hand of the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar. However, upon their arrival God also gives the Hebrew youths a better in diet, and better wisdom and understanding than their Babylonian contemporaries.

Chapter 2= God reveals.

King Nebuchadnezzar has a troubling dream. After a prayer meting with his companions, God reveals the dream and it’s interpretation to Daniel. Daniel then goes to the Kings and explains the kingdoms represented in the statue of gold, silver, bronze, and iron mixed with clay.

Chapter 3 = God is able.

Nebuchadnezzar makes a golden statute of himself and demands that everyone bow down and worship it. The three Hebrews boys infuriate the king because they would not bow down. They are threatened with the fiery furnace, but declare to the king that God is able to deliver them, but even if He doesn’t they will not bow down. God again reveals His superior ability by delivering Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

Chapter 4= God rules.

This chapter records Nebuchadnezzar's last will and testament. he retells the account of God humbling his pride and restoring his kingdom. Kings and kingdoms rise and fall because God rules forever.

Chapter 5= God humbles the proud.

We read of another example of God humbling the proud when Belshazzar (Neb’s son) sees the writing on the wall. Because he defiled the vessels from God’s temple in Jerusalem, that very night he lost his life and the kingdom.

Chapter 6= God rescues.

The new king, Darius the Mead, was deceived by those jealous of Daniel to throw him into the lions den. But God sent an angel to shut the mouths of the lions, rescued Daniel and brought retribution upon his enemies.

Chapter 7= God of hope.

God gives Daniel hope through a prophetic dream about the future Son of Man ; who would bring about an everlasting dominion. Which we know was Jesus the Messiah.

Chapter 8= God disciplines.

Then, God gives Daniel a vision that reveals, God has utilized kings and kingdoms to discipline His people. Those who belong to God will be disciplined because He loves them, and they will be ultimately delivered.

Chapter 9= God answers.

In response to his study of the writings of Jeremiah, Daniel prays, and God gives him an answer. The answer arrives in the form of a vision in which the angel Gabriel explains the purpose for 70 years of desolation as well as details for about the future of God’s people.

Transition: The reason I begin with that brief review is because the substance of truth we have already discovered in the book of Daniel will guide us to our interpretation of these 70 weeks referred to in 9:24-27.

Main Theme of 9:24-27

The main theme of this entire text is that of, “Decreed Desolations”.

We can conclude this because of the repeated usage of these verbs in chapter 9. But we also notice the plain summary statement at the end of verse 26… “Desolations are decreed.” The original Hebrew word translated decreed in verses 24, 26 & 27 means that something has been ordained or determined. When something is decreed, it has the strong connotation of being fixed, or being decided with authority. Which means, God has purposed a determined and unchangeable plan.

The word Desolations means that something is placed in a state of ruin or destruction.

If you recall, 9:24 contains six purpose for why God has made this decree about Daniel’s people, and the temple in Jerusalem. (READ) These six purpose statements provide a kind of outline of what follows, and answers to Daniel’s prayer in the verses above.

Transition: So we can see God’s Decreed People. Decreed Place. Decreed Purpose and now in verses 25-27 Decreed Periods.

Decreed Periods

Note: Some reminder of the Hebrew word translated (weeks) in verse 24, meaning periods of sevens. 7 times 7 periods of time. Is this a period of day, weeks, months, years?? Since, the immediate literary context of Daniel’s prayer refers to years, it is right to conclude this is 7 periods of years. Hence, 490 years; because 70x7=490.

The vision is explained to Daniel by the angel Gabriel, in verses 25-27 with a three fold division of these 490 years.; The first 7 weeks or (49 years), then the following 62 weeks (434 years), and finally the last week (7 years). If my math is correct then 49+434+7=490.

We are going to move our way through this passage by looking at each one of these time periods.

First 7 weeks

9:25 (READ AGAIN)

Explanation: First of all, notice the emphasis on “know and understand”. This tells us that Gabriel’s explanation was knowable and understandable. This is important because the specific details of the time frame spoken of here by has caused much conversation among Bible readers. However, the main point to keep in mind as we look at the details is that God has decreed His plan. The culmination of God’s decrees are coming to pass in an ordered fashion. God’s plan is not chaotic and confusing, but rather progressively being fulfilled in due process according to His will.

Now notice, the beginning of these first 7 weeks is the “going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem.”

In the same way that history teaches us there were phases of people being exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon, so too there were a few different layers/phases/announcements to rebuild and return to Jerusalem. The announcement in Daniel’s day during time of Cyrus. However, this proclamation certainly refers to King Artaxerxes announcement to Nehemiah in 445 B.C.

Transition: Which takes us to the next division of time referred to as 62 weeks.

62 Weeks

Daniel is told… (READ) 9:25b -26

Explanation: Keep in mind, At the time of this vision, Jerusalem remained in rubble. However, it wasn’t long until Daniel’s people started going home. We are told that for 7 weeks and 62 weeks or as we have concluded; 483 years...the city will be under reconstruction.

Again, historically, we know that under the leadership of men like Ezra and Nehemiah the city and temple was eventually rebuilt and re-fortified. These same accounts also tell us that this 483 year rebuilding processes happened with a lot of trouble. Both inward from among their own people, and outward trouble from among surrounding nations.

The explanation continues in verse 26, stating… that After 62 weeks, the same anointed one who was coming verse 25, will “be cut off and have nothing.” The Hebrew word for anointed one is messiah. Some of your Bibles may translate it that way. Because of what the Old Testament says about a coming anointed one, a coming redeemer, a coming messiah who will rescue His people, we can easily conclude with many other Bible teachers who have gone before us that this is in fact referring to Jesus of Nazareth, who arrived as God incarnate in Bethlehem 483 years after the return and Reconstruction of Jerusalem.

Daniel is not only told that the messiah would arrive, but also that He would be cut off. Again, this prophecy was fulfilled for the purpose of atoning for iniquity, in verse 24, when Jesus was crucified on the cross, totally cut off and alone, dying in the place of sinners. Why, so that our sins may be atoned for.. and in this we discover this part of Daniel’s prophecy fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

However, notice that Gabriel goes on to explain, that “the people who belong to the prince (ruler, chief, commander) WHO IS TO COME… will destroy the city and the sanctuary.” The end of Jerusalem and the temple will come with overflowing and to the (END) there shall be war.

We know with certainty, that after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, His apostles started proclaiming the gospel. The church was expanded to the far reaches of the world. Jerusalem however was still a major focus of the new world power that Nebuchadnezzar dreamed about as the feet of iron mixed with clay. One of those princes of Rome, named Titus, lead his army against jerusalem in 70AD. It was at this point that the city and the temple were decimated.

Transition: However, notice that it was the people of of the prince who was to come that Daniel records would destroy the city. So if the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple have been fulfilled, we are left with the question… Who is this commander who is to come? This takes us to verse 27… and if I may pause to say, It is at this point that many Godly and clear minded students of Scripture have made different conclusions. So we must proceed with grace and humility as we make our conclusions about the, Final Week. Or final seven years.

Final Week

9:27 (READ)

Explanation: The “he” in verse 27 is referring to the “prince of the people who destroy Jerusalem.”

How do we come to this conclusion? First, Because of the immediate flow of the text. “He” is a reference to the last individual mentioned, “Prince who is to come”.

Also because of what “he” will do. Not only does he make a strong covenant with many, but for half the week he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. This sounds much like the little horn coming out of Greece in chapter 8:25, as well as one mentioned at the end of Daniel 12. Keep in mind that the activity of the little horn of Greece in chapter 8 was fulfilled between 171-165BC by the Seleucid king, Antiochus Epiphanes. However, the similarities between the little ruler in Daniel 7 and 8 and this desolator in chapter 9 point out the obvious similarities to an antichrist figure.

Furthermore, this figure is also mentioned by Jesus. Turn briefly to Matthew 24:15. Jesus taught that this desolator recorded in Daniel was still a person coming in the future. The way Jesus spoke of the “abomination of desolation” is that he would stand in the the holy place. Which directly corresponds to the prince commander who is causing abomination by stopping sacrifice and offerings. POINT ?: At the very least, we can conclude that the “he” in verse 27 is referring to the prince in verse 26, and that his coming is finalized sometime after Jesus.

Back to Daniel 9:27: This coming leading commander will make strong alliances for 7 years. For 3.5 years he puts stop to sacrifice and offering. On the wings of this abomination, or along with this terrible, detestable act, there shall come one who makes desolate or one who causes astounding wretchedness.

Finally, Gabriel explains that this desolation continues until.. the decreed end is poured out. Which means this abomination will stop.

By way of transparency, you should know that there are many faithful Bible expositors who believe that all of these 490 years have been completed and fulfilled. They point to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD as the final blow of the final week.

However, I am not inclined to think that. there may be several reasons but here is one reason why I believe this 7 year period is still in our future. The New Testament book of Revelation directly quotes from the book of Daniel more than any other Old testament Book. Many of the quotes and allusions that the Apostle John makes as He receives a vision from heaven are in relationship to both the time periods and people referred to in Daniel. For example: Revelation 13:5.

John was writing His inspired revelation around 80-90 AD. He was an old man in exile on the Island of Patmos when he was writing. Which would have made his future prophecies about this anti christ figure well past the destruction of Jerusalem. Now, that doesn’t answer everything you may want to know at this point… but it at least given us enough to make a summary statement about Daniel 9:24-27.

Summary: Taken together… Gabriel's message explains some of the future details of God’s decreed plan for His people and His city. Clearly, the purpose of God’s decrees pushes us to focus upon the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. And the time periods of God’s decree tells us that at least the first 483 years of this prophecy of been fulfilled, and whatever is to occur with this final week is something in our future.

Transition: So how should the reality of this truth impact us? To offer some application we must consider how tis truth would have impacted Daniel’s original audience? What would have this angelic message, meant to those whom first received the book? Gabriel’s explanation refers first to Daniel’s immediate situation. Daniel’s people going home and rebuilding the temple and city, all while faced with ongoing trouble. This would have been a prophecy of Humility and Hope.

Application

HUMILITY: Daniel’s Prayerful humility before God was a needful reminder to his people of their own need for God’s mercy. We need to be in humble submission to God’s decrees. Especially as He has determined to future.

Beware of thinking we have His agenda for periods of time all figured out. Read Jesus’ sermon in Matthew 24 and pay special attention to his instruction about not being led astray, about not being afraid, about being ready and working until He comes. Point: Jesus’ teaching focuses on the condition of those days, not the amount of those days. (Matt 24:36) He is describing the plain and clear signs of the times, and so even though we may have some firm conclusions about the number of days, we must be alert about the condition of our days. Are you ready for Christ’s return? Have you humbled yourself to Him by turning from sin and trusting in Him alone for salvation? And if you are a Christian today, are we humbly working for Him until He arrives.

This is a strong warning against the notions of convenient Christianity that we are plagued with today. The false ideas that belonging to the church is only a religious idea that helps you get through your temporary struggles in this life. No, following Jesus is a humble path to eternal life with Him in heaven. Let us live this way!!!

HOPE: When God’s people were being threatened with much trouble and perhaps they were wondering if their return to Jerusalem was worth it. Daniel's prophecy encouraged them to hope in God. God had determined a specific period of time for desolations, and promised to bring the desolator to an end.

Maybe your faced with some significant problems today. Maybe your aware of the wars, and rumors of wars going on in our world. Maybe you hear of the continual natural disasters going across our globe? Maybe you see the political turmoil in our country and the countries throughout the earth and are wondering, how long Oh Lord? Christian, Hope in God.

The Bible’s true reality about God is our foundation for understanding and navigating the signs of our times. Beware .. be very cautious of letting the circumstances of our times determine our view of God.

There is an end to desolation. Theres is a purpose to desolation. Look to Christ! Truth Christ! Because in Him, There is an end to these troubles. (PRAY)

Other Passages to Study:

c. 2 Thessalonians 2

d. Revelation 11-13

Revelation 11:2-3, 12:6;14, 13:5 also give reference to a seven year period of tribulation.

??It seems to me that verse 27 is referring to two different people. The prince commander who starts havoc of abomination, and one who rides in on those abominations to make desolate. See 2 Thess 2:3-4