Daniel Week 9
Daniel 8-12 Written in Hebrew The Nation of Israel is the focus How Israel will be impacted by the future events The exile in Babylon is nearing its end What does the future hold for Israel?
Daniel 9:1-3 The first year of Darius 539 BC The year Babylon was conquered Daniel was reading the writings of Jeremiah the prophet He observed that duration of the desolation of Jerusalem would be 70 years
Daniel 9:1-3 Jer 25:8-11, 12-14 Jer 29:10-14 Note Jer 29:13 Daniel knows that there is a major problem! Remember why they are in exile! Lev 26:14-45 Disobedience to God Particularly the Sabbath years
Daniel 9:1-3 Daniel recognizes that the exile is about to be over, but recognizes the problem so he humbly prays to God With fasting In sackcloth sitting in ashes Expression of humility Esth 4:1-3
Daniel 9:4-19 Daniel s prayer is of confession for the nation and for mercy from God Daniel s prayer is absolutely heartbreaking regarding Israel Daniel s prayer is a great model for us to study and to embrace for ourselves
Daniel 9:4-19 Note the number of times Daniel said, we We have: Sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly, rebelled, turned aside from your commandments and ordinance,
Daniel 9:4-19 We have (cont): Not listened to Your prophets who spoke in Your name, sinned against You, rebelled, not obeyed His voice, not walked in His teaching, transgressed the law, sinned against Him, etc
Daniel 9:4-19 God righteousness contrasted with the sinfulness of the Jews 9:4-16 - Adoration and Confession Daniel s plea for mercy based on God s righteousness 9:17-19 - Supplication
Daniel 9:20-23 While Daniel was praying Confessing his sin and that of the Jews, making supplication Gabriel arrives The messenger from God! Dan 8:16; 9:21: Luke 1:19, 26
Daniel 9:20-23 Gabriel comes to Daniel, and Daniel is exhausted Daniel is ~83 years old He has been pouring himself out in prayer Gabriel has come to give Daniel insight with understanding
Daniel 9:20-23 Gabriel was commanded at the beginning of Daniel s supplication Daniel is highly esteemed in heaven Daniel is to pay close attention to the vision he is about to see and to gain understanding from it
Seventy sevens or weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city This vision is about the Jews Not the Gentiles, not the Church God has not forgotten His people Lev 26:43-45
What are the seventy sevens The sevens could mean days, weeks, months, years, decades But, the exile was for 70 years, and Lev 26 tells us about the multiplier Lev 26:17-18; 19-21; 22-24; 27-28
What are the seventy sevens (Seventy years in exile) x 7 490 years
490 years are required: 1. To finish transgression 2. To make an end to sin 3. To make atonement for iniquity 4. To bring everlasting righteousness 5. To seal up the vision/prophecy 6. To anoint the Most Holy Place
When do the 490 years start? The issuing of the decree to rebuild Jerusalem The Messiah arrives after seven weeks and sixty two weeks Jerusalem will be rebuilt with plaza and mote, in times of distress
After the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off The Messiah will be killed He will have nothing
The people of the prince to come will destroy the city and sanctuary It s end will come with a flood Rapid, overwhelming military assault Even to the end war and desolations
He (the Antichrist) will make a firm covenant for one week This is the beginning of the seventieth week In the middle of the week he will stop sacrifices and offerings
On the wings of abomination will come one who makes desolate Even until complete destruction One that is decreed is poured out on the one who makes desolate
Note that the first 69 years are contiguous, then there is a gap v.26 after the sixty-two weeks, the Messiah will be cut off Starting date of the 490 years Neh 2:1-8 Artaxerxes Longimanus makes this decree on 5 Mar 444 BC
7 sevens + 62 sevens= 69 sevens 69 sevens to the arrival of Messiah! 69 x 7 years = 483 years Note these are lunar years 483 yr x 360 days/yr = 173,880 days 173,880 days/365 days/yr= 476.384 yr 476.384 Gregorian years
476.384 yr = 476 yr + 116 leap year days + 25 days 5 Mar 444 BC 30 March 33 AD The first day of the Passover week in 33 AD This would be the precise date of the Triumphal Entry
So, if 30 March 33 AD is the end of the first 69 sevens Christ is crucified, or cut off, a few days after the 69 th seven At this point, because Jesus Christ, the Messiah was rejected by the Jews, there is a gap before the 70 th seven
The gap between the 69 th and 70 th seven brings in a mystery something not mentioned in the Old Testament
The Church The body of Christ, made up of Jews and Gentiles together John 10:16 Start - Day of Pentecost Acts 2 End - Rapture of believers 1 Thes 4:16-17 Prior to the 70 th week
The 70 th week (the Tribulation) Begins with a firm covenant for seven years between the Antichrist and Israel 3-1/2 years into the covenant the Antichrist breaks this covenant, and stops sacrifices
The 70 th week (cont) The second 3-1/2 years are called the Great Tribulation It will be the worst time of history Antichrist will seek to destroy all of the Jews
The 70 th week (cont) As Antichrist pursues annihilating the Jews, but the decree against him is poured out on Him The 70 th week ends with Christ s return and crushing of Satan Rev 19:20-20:6
Daniel 9 What is the message for the Jews? 1. God remembers Israel and knows her future 2. Messiah is coming, so repent from sin and watch for Him 3. More wars and desolations are coming, including an anti-messiah 4. At the end, Messiah reigns eternally