Courage in the Midst of Captivity (7)

Daniel 9

This is one of the greatest chapters in all of the Bible with twin themes of Prayer and Prophesy. It contains one of the greatest prophesies in all of Scripture. Daniel was about 85 years of age at this time, probably around 539 B.C., and had been in exile for about 66 years. From reading the book of Jeremiah, we are reminded that Jerusalem was to be exiled for 70 years. Jeremiah 25:11 “And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.” Jeremiah 29:10 “For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.” As Daniel begins an intense prayer of confession and repentance for himself, and on behalf of his people, he is reminding God of His covenants, contrasting God’s grace and goodness with Israel’s sinfulness, agreeing Israel deserved their punishment, and throwing himself and his people on the mercy of God.

In answer to Daniel’s prayer, God sends His archangel, Gabriel, with the most amazing and profound prophesy in the entire Word of God. The object of the 70 weeks is the nation of Israel, because thus far, all of the great prophesies of Daniel had concerned the Gentile Nation, but now at the end of the exile, God tells Daniel what will happen to “thy people” and “thy Holy City.” So what is the meaning behind the prophesy of the 70 weeks? “Weeks” here just simply mean 7’s. But 7 of what? Both the context and past fulfillment of part of this prophesy reveal these are seventy sets of seven years. Daniel was praying about the end of the seventy years of captivity, a length of time determined by Israel’s sin of ignoring the Sabbath year for seventy times over 490 years, or seventy sets of seven years. Since Israel had refused to let the land rest for seventy consecutive 7th year Sabbath years over this 490 year period, God had forced them to let the land rest 70 years during their exile. Leviticus 26:43 “The land also shall be left of them, and shall enjoy her sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them: and they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity: because, even because they despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred my statutes.” Now God tells Daniel about a parallel 490 year future time period (another 70 sets of 7 years) determined upon his people. The beginning of the seventy weeks began on March 14, 445 B.C., when the command was given to rebuild Jerusalem. These seventy weeks are divided into three sections. The first division is seven weeks, which is 49 years, starting in 445 B.C. and ending in 396 B.C. The key events that took place during this time was the building of the streets and walls of Jerusalem. The second division was the longest period. It was 62 additional weeks, or 434 years, from 396 B.C. until A.D. 32. The key events in this period of time was at the end of this time period the Messiah was to be ‘cut off’ or crucified.

The brilliant British scholar and Bible student, Sir Robert Anderson, has reduced the first two periods into their exact number of days multiplying the years by 360 (the days in a biblical year.) Anderson then points out that if one begins counting on March 14, 445 B.C. and goes forward in history, these days would run out on April 6, A.D. 32. It was on this very day that Jesus made His triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem. Thus, Daniel writing some five and a half centuries earlier correctly predicted the very day of Christ’s presentation and rejection.

After the Messiah was cut off, Jerusalem and the Temple were to be destroyed by ‘the people of the prince that shall come.’ This was literally fulfilled in A.D. 70 when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem. This prophesy makes it clear that the Antichrist will rule over a revived Roman Empire. This prophesy so clearly points to Jesus was the Jewish Messiah that many Jews are actually taught not to read this chapter. Now the third division is interesting as it hasn’t been fulfilled yet. It is one week, or seven years. It is the time from the Rapture until the Millennium. It literally represents the seven years of Tribulation. An approximately 2,000 year gap apparently separate this last week, during which the entire Church Age takes place. On the first day of this final seven year period, the Antichrist, (as the head of a revived Roman Empire, a United Europe) will confirm a seven year covenant or peace treaty with Israel. This event begins the seven year clock of the Tribulation. Notice how the stage is already set for this event to be fulfilled in this generation. Israel came into existence as a nation in 1948. Europe began an economic union in 1948 and achieved political union on January 1, 1993. Peace negotiations with Israel and her Arab neighbors (with European representatives involved began after the Gulf War and saw an initial treaty signed in September of 1993. This opened the way for additional treaties and negotiations. Israel and the Arabs will never be able to settle the issues of the final status of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount without outside help. That help is exactly what the Antichrist, as the coming European leader will claim to provide. The need for peace in the Middle East has never been more important in light of the global war on terror and the expansion of the nuclear and biological weapons of mass destruction threats. Exactly three and a half years later, the Antichrist will break this treaty and defile the Temple with the “abomination of desolation.” From this point on, the Antichrist will launch an insane and intense war against Jews and Christians who refuse to worship him as God. Exactly at the end of the seven year period, the true Christ will return and defeat the Antichrist, then establishing His perfect Millennial Kingdom. While weeks 1-69 run consecutively, there is a gap between weeks 69 and 70. The 70 weeks describe God’s dealings with Israel. What is the purpose of the 70 weeks which is completed at the Return of Christ? 1.) To bring an end to all human sin 2.) To make reconciliation for iniquity 3.) To vindicate by fulfillment all true prophets and their prophesies 4.) To prove the inability of the devil to rightfully rule this world 5.) To destroy the devil and his accomplice the Antichrist 6.) To usher in the Millennium.