70 Weeks: The Messiah and the Anti-Christ
The Sovereignty of God | A Study Through the Book of Daniel • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 5 viewsDaniel, after being in intense anguish over his vision and prayer of repentance for his and his people's sin, finally gets an answer.
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction |
Opening Passage | Daniel 9:20-23
20 While I was still speaking and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my plea before the Lord my God in behalf of the holy mountain of my God, 21 while I was still speaking in prayer, 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. 22 And he instructed me and talked with me and said, “Daniel, I have come now to give you insight with understanding. 23 At the beginning of your pleas the command was issued, and I have come to tell you, because you are highly esteemed; so pay attention to the message and gain understanding of the vision.
Focus Passage | Daniel 9:20-27
Outline |
An Answer to Prayer (vv. 20-23)
Prayer is the most powerful weapon we have outside of the Word of God
Prayer was Daniel’s offering to the Lord
No evening offering was be offered in Jerusalem, but Daniel was offering something of utmost importance to the Lord that night, his prayers. As he offered his self, his heart, his mind as an offering God sent his answer, while I was still speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel…came to me.
Prayer is always answered in time - ‘…came to me in my weariness…’
God still answers prayer - ‘…I have come now to give you insight with understanding…’
Some details about God answering prayers…
The answer did not come immediately - ‘…At the beginning of your please the command was issued…’
The answer came because Daniel had a right relationship with God - ‘…I have come to tell you, because you are highly esteemed…’
The answer brought with it a lesson - ‘…I have come now to give you insight with understanding…’
70 Weeks: The Messiah and the anti-Christ (vv. 24-27)
The 70 Weeks
The 70 weeks represent a time between the temple being rebuilt and the coming of the anti-Christ
Each week symbolizes 7 years totaling 490 years
70 weeks/490 years is divided into three periods of time
A period of 7 weeks or 49 years (v. 25)
A period of 62 weeks or 434 years (vv. 25-26)
A period of 1 week or 7 years (v. 27)
The beginning and ending of the 70 weeks begins with a decree
A decree was established at the beginning of the 70 weeks - ‘…from issuing of a decree to restore the and rebuild Jerusalem…’
A decree broken will bring an end to the 70 weeks (v. 27a)
The Messiah
The 70 weeks began with the decree by Artaxerxes to rebuild the temple began the 70 weeks
5 Then I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor before you, I request that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it.”
The time table that God set in motion was to bring forgiveness and restoration of His people
As we look at our text, and we identify the breaks within the time table, what happens at each stage? Why 49 years and then 434 years, and finally, why 7 years. As we look through the time table that God set in motion, we will see that 49 years takes place between the decree to the rebuild the temple and the temple coming to full restoration. God’s time table was purposeful.
The coming Messiah, God’s plan for forgiveness and restoration of His people
434 years would come to pass between the finality of the restoration process of the temple and Jesus riding on the fold of a colt on Palm Sunday - The exact time Gabriel declared would take place when God brings forgiveness to His people (vv. 24-25a).
It was after 434 years that Christ Jesus would face the cross of Calvary - ‘…Then after the sixty-two weeks, the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing…’ (v. 26a)
This time table does not end with the coming Messiah or the second temple being rebuilt. It mentions another temple being rebuilt, it will be built again, with streets and moat, even in times of distress. There is also another figure that God reveals to his people, that will once again attack and destroy God’s people…
The anti-Christ
There is an unknown time span that comes between the 434 years of the coming Messiah and His vicarious death, burial, and resurrection, and the last 7 years. However, there truly will coming a times of distress.
The last 7 years are known as the Tribulation
At the beginning of this 7 years, a decree of peace will be issued by the anti-Christ (v. 27a)
Half-way through the 7 years, the decree will be broken, signifying the closing of God’s time line (v. 27b)
This son of lawlessness (2 Thess 2:1-12) will put a stop to all sacrifice and offerings once again to God - ‘…will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering…’
This son of lawlessness will wage war against God’s people and even God Himself
This son of lawlessness will bring about the true Abomination of Desolation, of which the the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. was just a glimpse of
Conclusion |
Although one does not know when the Lord will return or when this 70 weeks come to a close, we do know that we are in the midst of a time line, God’s time line and time is running out. 63 of the 70 weeks have already happened. Are you ready for the last 7 weeks? There is but one way to be ready, that is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.