The Importance of Daniel 9.24-27 to Biblical Prophecy and Important Factors of the Prophecy
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Tuesday December 10, 2013
Daniel: The Importance of Daniel 9:24-27 to Biblical Prophecy and Important Factors of the Prophecy
Lesson # 281
Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 9:24.
Daniel 9:24 “Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and 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 most holy place. 25 So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. 26 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 determined. 27 And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; 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.” (NASB95)
The prophecy of the seventy weeks in Daniel 9:24-27 constitutes the key to all prophetic interpretation and thus is the backbone of biblical prophecy and outlines the future of the nation of Israel.
John Walvoord writes “The interpretation of the revelation given to Daniel concerning the seventy weeks (Daniel 9:24–27) constitutes one of the determining factors in the whole system of prophecy. The attention given to it by all schools of interpretation, and the attacks upon the authenticity of the book itself combine to focus the white light of investigation upon it. The interpretation of this passage inevitably colors all other prophetic views, and a proper understanding of it is the sine qua non of any student of prophecy.”
The prophecy of the seventy weeks is extremely important because it affirms the literal, grammatical, and historical method of interpreting of prophecy.
It also clearly demonstrates the truth of the Scriptures.
It also supports the idea that the church is a mystery meaning she was not known to Old Testament prophets like Daniel.
The prophecy makes clear that this prophecy is directly related to the nation of Israel and its future.
It also makes clear that Israel has a future and refutes replacement theology which contends the church has replaced Israel.
Furthermore, the prophecy of the seventy weeks presents the chronology of prophecy.
John Walvoord comments on the importance of the prophecy of the seventy weeks in Daniel 9:24-27, he writes “The importance of the revelation of Daniel nine lies first of all in the chronology which it establishes. Properly understood, we have here the major outline of the period from Daniel to Christ and from the rapture of the Church to the second coming of Christ in glory. Certainly, no other Old Testament passage does as much for ordering events future from Daniel’s point of view as does the passage under consideration. Properly interpreted, the prophecy of Daniel furnishes an excellent example of the principle that prophecy is subject to literal interpretation. Practically all expositors, however opposed to prophecy per se, agree that at least part of the seventy weeks of Daniel is to be interpreted literally. In fact, such is the force of the literal interpretation that those who deny the possibility of accurate prophecy are compelled to move the date of the writing of Daniel until after the events which they believe fulfilled it. From the standpoint of this article, if the first sixty-nine weeks of Daniel were subject to literal fulfillment, it is a powerful argument that the final seventieth week will have a similar fulfillment. Another important aspect of the passage is frequently overlooked by expositors. The seventy weeks of Daniel, properly interpreted, demonstrate the distinct place of the Christian church and Israel in the purposes of God. The seventy weeks of Daniel are totally in reference to Israel and her relation to Gentile powers and the rejection of Israel’s Messiah. The peculiar purpose of God in calling out a people from every nation to form the church and the program of the present age are nowhere in view in this prophecy.”
The prophecy of the seventy weeks in Daniel 9:24-27 also refutes the attempt of liberal scholars to question the date of writing for Daniel’s prophecies.
Liberal scholars have assigned a second century B.C. date for the book of Daniel since they don’t believe in predictive prophecy.
They say Daniel wrote after the events recorded in the book that bears his name.
Bob Bolender writes “Daniel 9:24-27 is an irrefutable witness that the prophecy of the Messiah's coming and being cut off is true. Since, no one ‘late-dates’ Daniel to the time of Christ, Daniel 9:24-27 is one clear case of predictive prophecy, which establishes the credibility of everything else. This observation also explains why the critics try so hard to debunk this passage.”
Henry Morris writes “The probability that Daniel could guess the date of the manifestation and crucifixion of the Messiah is essentially zero. Only supernatural inspiration can account for fulfilled prophecies like this. In fact, these events were fulfilled almost two centuries even after the date assigned to Daniel by scholars who deny that such prophecies can valid!”
The prophecy of the seventy weeks in Daniel 9:24-27 further supports the biblical doctrine that God is sovereign.
It also demonstrates that God is omnipotent in that He can bring to pass that which He declares will take place in history.
It also demonstrates the fact that He is omniscient and knows what will take place in history before it happens.
There are several important factors regarding this prophecy.
First of all, it is directly related to the nation of Israel and not the church.
It also has to do with the city of Jerusalem.
Secondly, there are two different princes mentioned in the prophecy.
They are distinct from each other and should not be taken as referring to the same individual.
In verse 25, the first prince is mentioned who is called “Messiah the prince.”
The second appears in verse 26 and he is called the “prince who is to come.”
Thirdly, the prophecy has a specific time period, namely 70 weeks or in other words 490 prophetic years.
Another important factor regarding the prophecy of the seventy weeks is that it is divided into three parts.
The first contains 7 weeks or 49 prophetic years.
The second is 62 weeks or 434 prophetic years.
The third is one week or 7 prophetic years.
The seventy weeks begins at a specific point in history, namely “from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem” (verse 25).
At the end of the 69 weeks or 483 prophetic years the Messiah is said to appear (verse 25).
After the 69th week, the Messiah is said to be “cut off’ and Jerusalem and the temple will once again be destroyed but this time by the people of the prince who is to come.
The seventieth week also has a fixed point.
It begins with the prince who is to come forging a seven-year treaty with the nation of Israel.
In the middle of this seven year period, this prince of the people who destroyed Jerusalem and the temple will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering in the temple.
Culver lists five propositions regarding the prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27, he writes “(1) The seventy weeks are 490 years, which relate wholly to the then future of Israel. (2) The seventy weeks are divided into three periods of seven, sixty-two, and one, which follow one another and run successively. (3) The first sixty-nine weeks ran out during the lifetime of Messiah and before His crucifixion. (4) The death of Christ and the destruction of Jerusalem, both mentioned in the prophecy, are events which follow the close of the sixty-ninth week and precede the beginning of the seventieth week. (5) The seventieth week pertains to a seven-year relationship between the Antichrist and Daniel’s people Israel, in eschatological times, and concludes with the second advent of Christ.”