The Prophetic Calendar - Part 2 | Daniel 9:24-27

The things I am going to you today are things that would get you and me mocked and derided in certain evangelical churches and seminaries today.

In fact, outside of a handful of church traditions, but the position that I am going to teach today is part of a larger framework that has been blamed for the decline of the church in the west.

There are people who believe that the things I am going to teach today are the reason why America is in decline, religiously, socially, and politically, and if the position that we hold to would just die, the world would be in a better place.

What I am going to teach today is a foundational text providing foundational doctrine for what can be developed in the system of dispensational premillennialism. If you aren’t familiar with those terms, that’s okay. While that framework represents my position, I generally resist the idea that we need to have systems govern our approach to the Scriptures.

Systems ought to be the result of our study, not our starting place, and our systems must always be subservient to Scripture and not the other way around.

But I firmly believe that what I am about to teach you today is the intended meaning of this text.

Here at Pillar Fellowship follow what is known as the grammatical-historical-contextual, or sometimes called the literal or normal approach to studying the Scriptures. What that fundamentally means, is that our goal when we study a text is not to read meaning into the text, but to seek to understand and pull out the meaning that the original author intended to convey when he wrote that text. Thus, it is grammatical, we’re looking at the words and phrases that the author used to understand his meaning, it is historical, we are considering the meaning of those words in their historical context when they were used, and is it contextual, we consider the immediate overall context in which a text was written to understand how it fits into the larger picture and identify what thoughts were being developed through the text.

When we consistently follow that approach, it leads us to certain conclusions about a text.

When studying prophecy, there are many voices out there, many interpreters, that are trying to make claims about what a given text might mean.

Questions might pop into your mind as we study this text… “I’ve heard someone else teach this differently”

That’s okay. The reason for that likely has to do with the interpretive methodology.

Now, I’m claiming to be a perfect interpreter. I’m not here to tell you that I’ve got it all figured out and no one else who disagrees with me is to be trusted.

We all have an obligation to study the Scriptures and see if what is being taught aligns with what this book says. So please to hear me saying that I’ve got the definitely key.

I am however, very confident in this position, and it would take significant demonstration of error in my methodological approach to shake me from this.

Last week we began our study of the 70 weeks prophecy with the emphasis that God’s revelation here was an answer to Daniel’s prayer.

We talked about how it answered the prayer and how God wanted His people to be strengthened and prepared for what was coming through the giving of this prophecy.

We talked about how God was giving Daniel understanding. God hasn’t given this prophecy to obscure knowledge, but reveal it. He wasn’t trying to confuse but clarify.

In light of that it’s a shame that this text is looked upon as one of the most confusing texts in all the OT.

I’ve mentioned before that I’ve really appreciated the commentary by Dale Ralph Davis. I find his work to be excellent overall. But on this text, he proposed at least 24 interpretive questions that he considered to be challenging for understanding this text and then concluded by asking,

“What does this all mean? It means if you are driving home late at night and tune in to the Prophecy Hour on your radio and hear the preacher refer to “what is perfectly clear in Daniel’s seventy-weeks prophecy” you know he hasn’t read the text carefully”

Now this was the first time I’ve ever been unhappy with Dr. Davis. He seems to mock the idea that we can come away from this text with any kind of confidence about what it teaches. The irony about his statement is that it is precisely when you read the text carefully and consistently with a proper approach to the text, you absolutely CAN have confidence in the interpretation.

That doesn’t mean that it’s a piece of cake. But it does mean that it’s achievable. God gave this to aid understanding. So let’s understand it.

Daniel 9:24–27 LSB

“Seventy weeks have been determined for your people and for 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 Holy of Holies. “So you are to know and have insight that from the going out of a word to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be restored and rebuilt, 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 decreed. “And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will make sacrifice and grain offering cease; 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.”

As we consider this text and the interpretive issues at play, as I’ve studied this, there are really just a handful of things that we need to get right and the rest of the prophecy falls into place.

Keys to understanding the 70 weeks of Daniel 9.

Key #1: Context

We talked about this last week, but this is an absolutely crucial step that we must take if we are going to walk away with the proper understanding of this text.

Daniel has read the prophecy of Jeremiah that Israel was to be in exile for 70 years. He see that time is coming to an end so he goes to the Lord in prayer that God would see the desolation of His city and keep his promise to his people.

The Lord answers with this prophecy.

This is crucial to understand, because this was a prophecy given to Israel. This was a prophecy given specifically to answer Daniel’s prayer about Jerusalem being in ruins.

The reason that is important is because there are so many people out there who have taken this prophecy and have spiritualized it in one way or another and have concluded that aspects of it are fulfilled spiritually in the church.

When we start with the context, right off the bat we know we are talking about God’s plans for ethnic, national Israel.

In verse 24, the Angel also tells Daniel that 70 weeks have been determined for your people and for your holy city.

Daniel is concerned about the 70 years. Now God reveals that before His purposes are complete, there is another 70 to be fulfilled. This time 70 weeks.

Key #2: One Week = Seven Years

This is actually not a point that is debated much. Even among liberal scholars, there is practically universal agreement that seventy weeks refers to seventy seven-year periods of time.

There is precedent for this. In Hebrew it literally just says “70 sevens” and context usually helps determine seven whats? Considering the context and what is happening, it makes the most sense to conclude that it refers to years.

In chapter 10 there is similar phrase, but there Daniel specifies that he is referring to days and not weeks and so the Hebrew in 10:2 literally reads “weeks of days”, which is another clue that Daniel is not referring to just days in chapter 9.

This means that we have a total of 490 years, and those are broken down into 49 years, 424 years, and 7 years.

Key #3: Six Purposes that MUST be Fulfilled

The rest of verse 24 contains a string of six infinitives that express six purposes of the 70 weeks.

However we calculate the 70 weeks, if all 6 purposes have not bee fully fulfilled, we likely have the wrong calculation.

What are the purposes?

To finish the transgression. This likely refers to Israel’s transgression. the Word for transgression here is often translated as “rebellion”. Israel was in rebellion against God and what he had commanded her. These 70 weeks will see this rebellion come to an end. By the way, is Israel in rebellion? Good to keep that in mind when understanding the chronology.

To make an end of sin. The meaning here is plain enough. Sin will one day be finished. It is atoned for in Christ’s death, but not seriously curtailed and eventually eliminated until the eternal kingdom. By the way, is there still sin? good to keep that in mind.

To make atonement for iniquity. The word for atone is the word “כִּפֶּר” which you may be familiar with in the Jewish holy day “Yom Kipper” or literally, the day of atonement. In order to sin to be finished and the transgression or rebellion ended, it must be atonement must be made. Has this happened? Yes! The crucifixion of Christ.

To being in everlasting righteousness. When the King of king reigns, there will be righteousness on the earth. Do we see everlasting righteousness right now? No? Must be something coming.

To seal up vision and prophecy. This might be the first of the difficult purposes to understand. Sealing can carry the ideas of authenticating, like an official seal, to conceal or hide something, or to secure and preserve it. Because this was given to aid understanding, I don’t think concealment is in view. I also don’t see how the 70 weeks serve to authenticate all vision and prophecy. Thus it seems that the idea of preservation and securing are in view. Prophecies are being given now, but they shall be preserved and find their fulfillment in the coming kingdom after the 70 weeks are concluded.

To anoint the Holy of Hollies. It should be noted that the Hebrew here simply says “to anoint the most holy” and it could be referring to a person or a place. I think the LSB, and most other translations, get it right by translating it as referring to the most holy place, or the Holy of Hollies. Where is this? this is in the temple. This is where the Ark of Covenant would rest. This is where the priest could only enter once a year. This anointing process took place in the previous temples after the temples were constructed and the anointing was the consecration for service. A few questions are sparked by this:

Which temple? The rebuilt temple of Ezra? Or is there a still-future temple to be anointed? I think this is most likely. Ezekiel speaks of a day when the temple will be rebuilt and used during the millennial kingdom. I think that is most likely what is in view here.

Understanding these six purposes help us stay on the right track to understand the prophecy. Some say the events are fulfilled in Antiochus Epiphanes, or in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD. But all these purposes were not fulfilled with those events.

Key #4: The Identity of the Anointed One

This is where there begins to not only be significantly divergent opinions, but also differences in translation.

Consider the LSB

Daniel 9:25 (LSB)

“So you are to know and have insight that from the going out of a word to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be restored and rebuilt, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress.

and the ESV, for example

Daniel 9:25 (ESV)

Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time.

Let’s work through this.

First, the what is the word, or decree? Some say it’s Cyrus to rebuild the temple. Others suggest the authorization of Artexerxes to Ezra to return and adorn the temple. I personally that the decree of Artexerxes to Nehemiah makes the most sense, primarily because that’s when the city is actually rebuilt and the fact that the math works for that decree better than it does the other decrees.

From the decree to rebuilt until the anointed one. In Hebrew the word is מָשִׁ֣יחַ Meshiach, from which we get Messiah. Many people served as anointed individuals, including prophets, priests, and kings, throughout the OT, and anyone who was to assume these offices were to be anointed and were refereed as anointed ones. However, by the time of Daniel’s prophecy, the concept of Meshiach had taken on a very technical meaning and was anticipating the one who would sit on David’s throne.

Now, why are there are translation differences on the chronology here.

This is a place where I’ve become convinced that the ESV has some theological translation bias in the text. They are the only major translation to go this direction. All the others are similar to the LSB. Look at two issues here. The chronology and the identity of the anointed one.

If the ESV is correct, then that would mean the anointed one cannot be the Messiah, but some other ruler, because this ruler would come after 49 years.

If the LSB and literally every other major translation is correct, then the anointed one doesn’t come until after the 62 weeks, for a total of 69 weeks. During the first 7 weeks, or 49 years, the city is rebuilt. Historically, we see this is the case, and the book of Nehemiah provides corroboration to that. Then there is anther 434 year before the anointed one comes.

Now, here the neat thing. Are you ready for this.

When you account for all the details of how these years would have been calculated in that Jewish context, which is not according to our 365 day year, but rather a 360 day year, if you calculate from the decree of Artexerxes to rebuild the city and go forward 483 years, you wind up exactly at the time of the crucifixion of Christ.

Years ago I read a book by Sir Robert Anderson, who argued that if he was correct on the dating of the decree, it calculates TO THE DAY, the day that Jesus rose into Jerusalem on the donkey.

Some quibble about the methodology a little, and I think there are some fair questions about that, but there is no question whatsoever that the chronology lines up from those two points.

So of course the anointed one is the Messiah. And of course the time frame so far is 483 years. When you understand words literally according to their intended meaning, you should expect the calculations to work out, and they do!

It’s absolutely amazing! The ESV gets this so wrong, and its such a shame because of how amazing this prophecy really is!

Verse 26 says after the 62 weeks the Messiah will be cut off. This is a clear reference to the crucifixion of Christ. He will have nothing. The city will not belong to the Messiah at that time.

The people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. Desolations are decreed.

Here I do believe we have a reference to 70AD with the destruction of Jerusalem under emperor Titus. Notice it says “the people of the prince who is to come”. This refers to the Roman soldiers, but notice that the prince was still to come. This prince makes the most sense to identify with the coming Anti-Christ, which I think vs 27 makes clear.

That leads us to the final key to understanding this prophecy.

Key #5: The Gap in the Weeks

This point is likely the most controversial of all the points. people who come to different conclusions that I do will argue we are being arbitrary with the text by seeing a gap. Most non-dispensationalists want to see vs 27 as also being connected to the destruction of Jerusalem by Rome, but the irony of that is if its true they must also see a gap of time between the 69 and 70th weeks.

vs 26 begins with “after the sixty-two weeks”. There is ambiguity in this text that suggests that these events are taking place sometime after the conclusion of the previous time indicators, but there is no reason to argue that they must have taken place IMMEDIATELY after the 62 weeks. In fact, if you don’t allow for a gap here at all, these prophecies make little sense in ANY system, not to mention our own.

The fact that it says “after” the sixty-two weeks and not “during” the seventieth week is also significant. Randall Price wrote concerning this: This language implies that these events precede the seventieth week, but do not immediately follow the sixty-ninth. Therefore, a temporal interval separates the two.”

If there is no gap, then it become impossible to know to what vs 27 refers. The covenant mentioned clearly takes place AFTER the destruction of Jerusalem, so without a gap we are left wonderful what the fulfillment was.

If there is no gap, we have to wonder how all the purposes of vs 24 have been fulfilled.

Thus there HAS to be some time interval between the 69th and 70 week.

What occurs during the 70th week? The prince who is to come will make a covenant with Israel. Half way through he breaks that covenant and ends the sacrificial system. But rest assured. He will receive his own destruction in the end.

I have to point out another issue with the ESV here.

Daniel 9:27 (LSB)

“And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will make sacrifice and grain offering cease; 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.”

Daniel 9:27 (ESV)

And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”

Again, I think they allow their anti-dispensational bias to impact that translation. The ESV makes it sound like the end of sacrifice could be on the front end middle, or anywhere else, whereas the LSB and everyone other major translation renders it the same: in the middle of the week.

As an aside this text was heavily influential to me to shift away from the ESV in my preaching and teaching. While I still have great regard and appreciation for the ESV, I prefer to have a a translation that isn’t going to be so blatantly against our theological convictions. They don’t have to embrace our theological conclusions, but I would argue they should at least translate the Hebrew fairly.

As for the text Daniel 9, this is the prophecy of the 70 weeks. From Daniel’s perspective, it was all future. From where we stand, the 69 weeks have passed, and the 70th is yet to come.

This will be the tribualtion period on the earth. Daniel 7 spoke of this reality. Jesus quoted Daniel to speak of things that would happen on the earth in the end. Find our sermons on Mark 13 online to check that out. Paul seems to allude to Dan 7 and Dan 9 when he talks about the man of lawlessness in 2 Thess 2. And finally, the book of Revelation uses the same chronology when speaking of this period of time.

At some point God is going to call his church home, which we read about in 1 Thess 4. Some time after that happens, the clock restarts, and the 7-year tribulation begins, kicking off the 70th week. The anti-Christ will make a covenant with Israel, likely to secure their protection. Half-way through he breaks the covenant and commits the true abomination of desolation.

2 Thessalonians 2:3–4 LSB

Let no one in any way deceive you, for it has not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the sanctuary of God, exhibiting himself as being God.

This is what is to come.

Now. Let’s bring it back in.

What’s the point?

Why all this detail?

In many ways, this is like the ultimate roller coaster prophecy.

Yes, the people will come back to the land and rebuild the city. … oh. in times of distress.

Yes, but the Messiah will come! We’ve waited so long! … oh. and he will be cut off and the city will again be destroyed.

Ah, but someone will make a covenant with us! … oh. only to break it and do abominable things.

But in the end, such a person will be destroyed.

So what’s going on?

Again, this was to answer Daniel’s prayer. God was going to bring them back into their land, but they must not get confused into thinking that the Kingdom was going to be restored at that point. Yes, the city will be rebuilt, but in distressing times. Yes the Messiah comes, but he will be executed. Nevertheles, the future is secure for Israel. God has said it, he will also do it.

Now, what does this have to do with us, outside of satisfying our curiosity of prophetic events?

Again, prophecy was given, not just to provide a calendar, but to shape our character.

It seems God still had some disciplinary work to do on Israel. They needed to remember that kingdom was going to come eventually. But in the mean time, we must persevere.