SERMON NOTES

Subject:          “Prophetic Countdown”

Speaker:         Dr. A. Burge Troxel

Date:               March 18, 2007

Scripture:       Daniel 9:20-27

Introduction:

The Countdown to “Launch” is on Hold

The 70 “Weeks” Prophecy

I. Is Miraculously “Accurate” so the Bible must be Inspired

II. Reveals a Mysterious “Gap” which Helps Explain the Relationship between Israel and the Church

I.    Daniel’s “70 Weeks” Prophecy is Miraculously Accurate therefore the Bible must be Inspired

A.  The Countdown will last at total of 490 Years – Dan 9:24a

Daniel 9:24a

“Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city . . .”

Daniel 9:24a

“Seventy ‘sevens’ (70x7=490 years) are decreed (prophesied) for your people (The Jews) and your holy city (Jerusalem) . . .”

Daniel 9:24b

(1)        to finish transgression,

(2)        to put an end to sin,

(3)        to atone for wickedness

(4)        to bring in everlasting righteousness,

(5)        to seal up vision and prophecy,

(6)        to anoint the most holy.

B.  The Countdown started on March 5, 444BC – Dan 25a

Daniel 9:25a

“Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’”

Daniel 9:25a

“Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem (Neh. 2:5) until the Anointed One (Messiah), the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ (7x7=49 yrs) and sixty-two ‘sevens. (62x7=434 yrs)” (49 + 434 = 483 years)

C.  The Countdown Predicted Precisely the Arrival of Messiah after 483 Years – Dan 9:25a

483 Years

360 days per prophetic (lunar) year

483 x 360 = 173,880 days

“The Decree”

“The Decree” – Nehemiah 2

            March 5, 444 B.C.

            Add 173,880 days

            March 30, 33 A.D.

March 30, 33 A.D.

The Triumphal Entry

Luke 19:37

“When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:”

Luke 19:38

“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

Luke 19:39

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

Luke 19:40

“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

Luke 19:41-42

41As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace — but now it is hidden from your eyes.”

I. Miraculously “Accurate”

This prophecy is so accurate that the Bible must be “inspired.”

II.  Daniel’s “70 Weeks” Prophecy Reveals a Mysterious “Gap” which Helps Explain the Relationship between Israel and the Church

A.  The Countdown was put on hold after 483 Years on March 30, 33AD – Dan 9:26a

B.  Two events have occurred during the “Hold” (ie during the “Gap” – Dan 9:26a

1.   Jesus was Crucified on April 3, 33AD

2.   The Temple was Destroyed in 70 AD

Daniel 9:26a

“After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. . . .”

Daniel 9:26a

“After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ (after the 483 years) the Anointed One (Messiah) will be cut off (killed) and will have nothing. The people (Romans) of the ruler who will come (Antichrist) will destroy the city and the sanctuary. . . .”

After the 483 years

Messiah Comes - March 30, 33AD

Messiah Cut Off – April 3, 33AD

Temple Destroyed by Romans – August 9, 70 AD

Ephesians 3:6

“This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.”

Mark 12:1

He then began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey.”

Mark 12:2-3

2“At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. 3But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed.”

Mark 12:4-5

4“Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully. 5He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed.”

Mark 12:6

“He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’”

Mark 12:7-8

7“But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.”

Mark 12:9

“What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.”

C.  The Countdown will Resume when the Antichrist signs a Peace Treaty with Israel. – Dan 9:27

Daniel 9:27

“He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.”

Daniel 9:27

“He (the ‘ruler who will come – Antichrist) will confirm a covenant with many (Israel) for one ‘seven’ (seven years) In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him (second coming of Christ).”

Matthew 24:15-16

15“So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—
16then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.”

Matthew 24:21

“For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.”

Matthew 24:27

“For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”

Matthew 24:30

“At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory.”

Conclusion:

Daniel’s Prophecy proves the Bible is Inspired and outlines the prophetic future for Israel

God is Sovereign over time

Benediction

To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.                 Jude 24-25