Bible Prophecy part 6: Daniel's 70 weeks

[Starkherz199]

Bible Prophecy part 6: Daniel's 70 weeks​

This is a Bible Study on Daniel’s 70 weeks. This is part 6

The other Bible Prophecy studies are at these links.

Prophecy CFF links
Part 1

Bible Prophecy Part 1: introduction

Soon I'll begin posting threads about End times Bible prophecy. This post lists the loose order and subjects covered. I'm going to slowly roll this out. Hopefully this will reach the right readers, and some will benefit. My purpose? 1… to inform. I will first be posting a survey of the schools...

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Part 2

Bible Prophecy Part 2: schools of Eschatology

This is a small study on the different schools of Eschatology...or end times teaching. The Schools of Eschatology primarily deal with interpretation of the Revelation of Jesus by John. In this post, I'm trying to be as objective as possible and simply add information that helps illuminate...

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Part 3

Bible Prophecy Part 3: Eschatology in history

This is a series of lectures from a former lawyer/school professor on the changes of Eschatology in history. I'll post the whole series, and come back later to add more comments. This fella is a Presbyterian [ I am not ], but his biases are muted. He does an excellent job. T he 1st video...

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Part 4

Bible Prophecy Part 4: The Millennium

The Millennium -This thread deals with the different views of the Millennium. Discussions of the Millennium come from Revelation chapter 20. Many will list 3 views, but here in this study I list 4, as I break Traditional Premillennialism and Dispensational Premillennialism into different...

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Part 5

Bible Prophecy Part 5: Olivet discourse Part 1: Matthew 24

This is an exegesis of the Olivet discourse found in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. This is a very, very, very long post that will have to be broken up into smaller parts. Also I numbered the paragraphs for easier reference...I'm not infallible. If I get something historically wrong, let me...

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The Outline will be as follows.

Part 1. Introductory remarks
Timeline conundrum, and Higher criticism. Post #1

Part 2
Understanding the Covenant structure of The Bible, in relation to Daniel 9 Post #2

Part 3 Introduction and Background to Daniel 9. Post #3

Part 4
Notes on Daniel, and Interpretation. Post #4

Part 5
Daniel 9 covenant prayer. Post #5

Part 6, The Covenant Model in Daniel 9. Post #6

Part 7 Daniel 9: 24. Post #7

Part 8 Daniel 9:25. Post #9

Part 9 Daniel 9 and Hebrew poetry. Post #10

Part 10: Daniel 9:26. Post #12

Part 11 Daniel 9:27 Part 1. Post #13

Part 12 Daniel 9:27 Part 2. Post #16

Part 13 End of the 70 weeks

Part 14 Daniel 9 and Dispensational contrasts

Part 15 Books and resources




Part 1. Introductory remarks
Timeline conundrum, and Higher criticism.

The historical/prophetic book of Daniel is a giant among giants in regards to Old Testament Bible prophecy. The prophetic utterances in this book are so profound, the 3rd century Roman critic Porphyry argued that it is so exact, it must have been a forgery. Daniel's 70 weeks prophecy found in Daniel 9 is a Titan of Messianic foretelling. To understand the events of the 1st century, and the start of Christianity, this passage must be examined. I am adding this study of Daniel’s prophecy because there are a couple competing ideas of the fulfillment and events. Hopefully, you may find this stimulating, and it will cause you to examine the scriptures more carefully, and read the Bible more. I'll list the 2 main competing interpretations, and then tell why I believe the view I believe is correct. Ultimately you make up your own mind. I am no expert, I am just a collator of information.

A few ground rules to start.

• First, the Bible is the final authority on all matters of Christian faith and practice
• Second, scripture interprets scripture.
• Third, No scripture interpretation should be espoused as definitive that contains ambiguity; it must be backed up by scripture, or reasonably deduced from the contents of scripture that are backed up by known history.
• Fouth, Whatever information that is essential for the interpretation of this Bible passage, is to be found somewhere in the Bible itself.
• Fifth, Any prognostication or guess, must be labeled as a guess or opinion.

Daniel 9 contains a time signature; the length of time is a very specific 490 years. Part of that timing mechanism contains a historical mystery and great controversy that has existed for many centuries. The 490 years of time inside the prophecy has a uncertain beginning because of the lack of a definitive chronology of Persian kings and their exact reigns. Historians are very sure of historical dates from the time of Alexander the Great and forward, but the dates from King David thru the Persian monarchy are a battleground of opinion.


The prophecy itself ends with the coming of the Messiah, and therefore it is possibly the most important passage in the Old Testament with regards to apologetics.


This study of Daniel's 70 week prophecy is eschatological and not apologetical. Therefore, I will not be endeavoring to solve the chronological timeline conundrum. I have studied it intensely for 20 years; I have opinions, and I still haven't resolved the details definitively. I'll give a few opinions and a couple sources that you can read if you're interested.


First, every Persian Timeline is complete guess work. Most historians follow the Canon of Ptolemy to determine the dates of the Persian kings, and it is very suspect. Ptolemy's Canon was made up by an astronomer in the 2nd century AD, based on guesswork calculations by Eratosthenes (the mathematician that first calculated the circumference of the earth in 250 BC). Ptolemy's dating conflicts with both Biblical chronology and Josephus's chronology. Least we remember, Ptolemy (the 2nd century AD astronomer, not to be mixed up with the Ptolemy's of Egypt) was mainly interested in astronomical events. There are some researchers who posit that Ptolemy's Canon from Cyrus the great to Alexander the Great is 80 years too long. That is possible, but unprovable as of today, without some Rosetta Stone caliber archeological find.


Second, listing the correct dates is irrelevant, because the Jewish people of the time knew the dates for the Messiah were approaching. Scripture bears this out. Reference Luke Chapter 1 and chapter 2, the details of Zacharias the priest, and Simeon who were waiting for the birth of the Messiah. Also look to the Magi from Persia. These were the same group of learned men that held the positions that Daniel had while in Babylon. They would be very familiar with Daniel.

Notice, the wise men saw a star in the east, but went west toward Jerusalem [Matt chapter 2:2]. No doubt they would have been influenced by Daniel's prophecy, especially since Cyrus the great held him in such high regard.


If you're interested in reading up on this timeline conundrum, here are a few books you can read that give different answers to the question. But I repeat, I will not be discussing the correct starting date. These books do that in detail. None of this is provable without the invention of time travel.





Next, you may or may not be familiar with the field of Biblical criticism. This deals with the veracity of the Bible (source, text, form and authorship), historically speaking. It is separated by what is known as Higher and Lower criticism. Lower criticism is an attempt to find the original wording of the text, and Higher criticism deals with the genuineness of the text.

I will not be dealing with this issue because it is apologetical in nature. I will say this, and leave it as is; higher criticism is overwhelmingly dominated by openly hostile "scholars" who don't believe in the existence of the supernatural. The majority of these characters are long dead, but their "scholarship" remains. Either their suppositions lead them to spurious opinions, or they act in a nefarious manner with regards to Biblical text. It is rare to find objective minds in this field. No Old Testament writing is more attacked than the book of Daniel. I repeat, no OT book is attacked like Daniel. There is a Tsunami of hatred for this book, because it is the most important OT prophetic text. I have also studied this issue in detail for going on 20 years now and am appalled by some of the …so -called "scholarly" articles written about the dating and authorship of this book alone. The creative ways that some have used to cast doubt on the authenticity of Daniel's prophecy is incredible. Almost all of it has been answered, but for some reason, the questions remain on places like the History Channel, and the internet. It is exhausting to field a question/ accusation about Daniel that was made from one of these 19th century hostile critics, that was answered in the 20th either through scholarship or archeological discovery, only to be asked today in the 21st century by some "internet smart" "critic", as if it was relevant. So, for the purposes of this study, if you question the dating, authorship, or veracity of Daniel, do so in another thread. I'm only interested in exegesis here.
In all seriousness, the archeological finds of the last 20 years alone have Unmistakably upheld the book of Daniel and its historical veracity.

Here are a few sources to reference if you are interested. These books would be a merciful introduction to this field of study.




Daniel's 70 week
King James Bible
Daniel 9:24-27
Dan 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
Dan 9:25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
Dan 9:26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
Dan 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

ESV
Dan 9:24 “Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place.
Dan 9:25 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.
Dan 9:26 And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed.
Dan 9:27 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.”


Douay-Rhiems Bible -for our Catholic friends
Dan 9:24 Seventy weeks are shortened upon thy people, and upon thy holy city, that transgression may be finished, and sin may have an end, and iniquity may be abolished; and everlasting justice may be brought; and vision and prophecy may be fulfilled; and the Saint of saints may be anointed.
Dan 9:25 Know thou, therefore, and take notice: that from the going forth of the word, to build up Jerusalem again, unto Christ, the prince, there shall be seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks: and the street shall be built again, and the walls, in straitness of times.
Dan 9:26 And after sixty-two weeks Christ shall be slain: and the people that shall deny him shall not be his. And a people, with their leader, that shall come, shall destroy the city, and the sanctuary: and the end thereof shall be waste, and after the end of the war the appointed desolation.
Dan 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many, in one week: and in the half of the week the victim and the sacrifice shall fail: and there shall be in the temple the abomination of desolation: and the desolation shall continue even to the consummation, and to the end.

NET Bible (Dead Sea Scrolls)
Dan 9:24 “Seventy weeks have been determined concerning your people and your holy city to put an end to rebellion, to bring sin to completion, to atone for iniquity, to bring in perpetual righteousness, to seal up the prophetic vision, and to anoint a most holy place.
Dan 9:25 So know and understand: From the issuing of the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until an anointed one, a prince arrives, there will be a period of seven weeks and sixty-two weeks. It will again be built, with plaza and moat, but in distressful times.
Dan 9:26 Now after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one will be cut off and have nothing. As for the city and the sanctuary, the people of the coming prince will destroy them. But his end will come speedily like a flood. Until the end of the war that has been decreed there will be destruction.
Dan 9:27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one week. But in the middle of that week he will bring sacrifices and offerings to a halt. On the wing of abominations will come one who destroys, until the decreed end is poured out on the one who destroys.”

 

[Starkherz199]

Part 2
Understanding the Covenant structure of The Bible, in relation to Daniel 9

In the 1st part of the Prophecy studies I posted some basic information on the covenants in the Bible. That discussion is found here in post #4 https://carolinafirearmsforum.com/index.php?threads/bible-prophecy-part-1-introduction.131283/

In the Bible, a covenant is an oath-bound relationship between God and mankind that involves agreements and promises on the part of each.

God's relationship with Israel was always defined in terms of the covenant. This covenant was a legal arrangement, a binding "contract" imposed on Israel by her King, stipulating mutual obligations and promises.


The Israelites existed in relationship with God mainly through 3 covenants; the Abrahamic covenant, the Mosaic covenant, and the Davidic covenant. In the New Testament, all three were referred to together as the covenant between God and man. When you hear "the Law" referred to in the Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, and the Epistles it is the stipulations and requirements found in the covenant. Also, the Bible doesn't speak to "covenants" (plural), but to "covenant" (singular). Whereas the Abrahamic covenant is short and simple, the Mosaic covenant is detailed with numerous stipulations and requirements. The Abrahamic covenant is the foundation, and the Mosaic covenant is the building.


>Biblical covenants resemble peace treaties of the ancient Near East.

After a war, the winning King would impose a covenant on the defeated foe, making certain promises, and guaranteeing protection on condition that the vassal king and his people would obey their new Lord. Both Lord and Vassal would swear an oath, and they would henceforth be united in covenant.

Through archeological discovery, we know a lot more today about these ancient near-east peace treaties. The discovery of the extinct Hittite cities of Asia Minor have given us a glimpse into how the Mosaic covenant, and its reiteration found in Deuteronomy look like what is known as a Suzerain vassal treaty.

In the Suzerain Vassal treaty system, the more powerful lord party, or conqueror was the Suzerain. In Isreal's covenant with God, God was the Suzerain. The less powerful party, or conquered party of the covenant was the vassal. Abraham, the people of Israel, and their descendants were the vassals. The Lesser party must show submission to the suzerain. Some synonyms of suzerain are emperor, king, sovereign, Sultan.

An example of a vassal in this covenant system would be a Satrap ruler in Persia that ruled a part of the Persian empire under the Persian king. A modern day equivalent (although imperfect) would be the relationship between the US Federal government, and North Carolina.


Why did God use this system? Because it was already a normal thing during that time period, and the people of the Ancient Near East understood it; including the Israelites. God communicated His meaning and intentions of the covenant to the people of Israel, using this Suzerain Vassal treaty model, and by doing so, we can understand the Covenant between God and Israel better by studying this ancient covenant model.

The Covenant name of God is YHWH

This is the name God revealed to Moses in the burning bush. YHWH (the tetragrammaton) means "I AM". It is pronounced either as Yahweh, Jehovah, or Yahovah. Consequently, YHWH, the covenant name of God, is only found 1 time in Daniel's book, and it's in chapter 9.


YHWH was Israel's sovereign (Suzerain), who delivered them out of Egypt with miraculous power. He then issued covenant stipulations and requirements (The 10 commandments, ceremonial, civil Law). If Israel obeyed they would be blessed, but if they disobeyed they'd be cursed. To make this covenant clear, Deuteronomy 31:9-13 required a complete public reading every 7 years (Year of jubilee) during the Feast of Tabernacles



***The best preserved of all the suzerain treaties from the ancient Near East are the Hittite treaties

>Hittite Treaty Characteristics

The Suzerain Vassal treaty model roughly consisted of 5 parts: Preamble, Historical prologue, Ethical Stipulations, Sanctions, Succession Arrangements.


1- Preamble (Identification the lordship of the Great King)

2- Historical prologue (surveying the Lord’s previous relationship to the vassal, especially emphasizing the blessings bestowed. Historical events that led to the establishment of the covenant)

3 - Ethical Stipulations (terms) of the covenant. Expounding the vassals' obligations, his "guide to citizenship" in the covenant.

4 - Sanctions: A warning of judgment for disobedience, promise of blessings for obedience; outlining the blessings and cursing.

5 - Succession Arrangements (System of reconfirming the treaty at the death of the King or Vassal, and dealing with the continuity of the covenant relationship over future generations


This Suzerain Vassal treaty model is all over the Bible. The best known example is the book of Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy
1 - Preamble (1:1-5)
2 - Historical prologue (1:6-4:49)
3 - Ethical Stipulations (5:1-26:19)
4 - Sanctions (27:1-30:20)
5 - Succession Arrangements (31:1-34:12)

This treaty model is more or less unintelligible to modern audiences, but it made sense to ancient people's.


We read in the Bible that as Moses and the Israelites left Egypt, crossed the Red Sea, and camped at the foot of Mount Sinai, God gave the Ten Commandments. In due time all the stipulations and requirements of the Mosaic covenant were given. Because of the cowardice of the people (save Moses, Joshua and Caleb) the Israelites were made to wander the desert for 40 years. This is when Moses wrote Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and most of Deuteronomy (finished by Joshua). The people that left Egypt died in the wilderness during the 40 years, and it was their offspring, led by Joshua, that entered the promised land. After the 40 years, just before Moses dies, he reiterates, or recapitulates the covenant This is part 5 of the Suzerain treaty, the "Succession Arrangements". This is what Deuteronomy is…a recapitulation of the covenant to the successor of Moses; Joshua. Inside of Deuteronomy is the Law, prophecy, and a brief bit of historical narrative. After Deuteronomy closes, the narrative picks up with the book of Joshua. Joshua and the Israelites enter the promised land by crossing the Jordan river. Once on the other side, all the men born in the wilderness are circumcised. Circumcision is the sign of the covenant; in this way Joshua and the Israelites reconfirmed the covenant with God. As instructed, they establish a foothold in the land with victories in Jericho and Ai. Then the Israelites arrived at what would later be known as the city of Shechem, about 30 miles north of Jerusalem. That spot lies between Mount Ebal, and Mount Gerizim. They built an alter of sacrifice on Mount Ebal. There they celebrated the Passover. Half the people gathered on Mount Gerizim and shouted the blessings of the covenant at the other half. The other half, gathered on Mount Ebal at the altar, shouting the curses of the covenant at those on Mount Gerizim. This was the recapitulation of the covenant, in the promised land. This seems like a bizarre ritual to 21st century readers, but it was divinely carried out, and an extremely serious event. The altar on Mount Ebal is there to this day.


All this is pointed out to expound upon how important the Old Covenant was to Israel. This Suzerain Vassal model is how the prophetic books of the Old Testament are understood. You can overlay the 5 part model (Preamble, Historical prologue, Ethical Stipulations, Sanctions, Succession Arrangements) on most prophetic books, and you can tell the prophets wrote in a pattern that conformed to the model.

If a vassal ( in this case Israel) would violate the terms of the covenant, the Suzerain (YHWH) would send messengers to the vassal warning the offenders of coming judgment, in which the curse-sanctions of the covenant would be enforced. This turns out to be the function of the Biblical prophets. They were prosecuting attorneys, bringing messages of Covenant lawsuit to the offending nations of Israel and Judah.

The structure of the lawsuit was always patterned after the original structure of the covenant. Just as the Biblical covenants follow the standard 5 part treaty structure, so do the Biblical prophecies follow the treaty form as well.

As example
Hosea

1 - Preamble - chapter 1
2- Historical Prologue;- chapter 2-3
3- Ethical Stipulations - chapter 4-7
4- Sanctions - chapter 8-9
5- Succession Arrangements 10-14


The prophets were God's legal emissaries to Israel and the nations. If the nation should heed the prophets (prosecuting attorneys) with their "covenant lawsuits" and turn back to God, they would be restored.

Thus The words of Jeremiah:
Jeremiah 18:7-10
Jer 18:7 At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; Jer 18:8 If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. Jer 18:9 And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; Jer 18:10 If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.


>The purpose of prophecy is not prediction, but evaluation of man's ethical response to God's Word of command and promise.

-This is why Jonah's prophecy didn't come true. Nineveh repented, and judgment was averted.


With this in mind, reread the following
2 Chronicles 7:14-22 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. (15) Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. (16) For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually. (17) And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe my statutes and my judgments; (18) Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel. (19) But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them; (20) Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations. (21) And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and unto this house? (22) And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them


The Blessings/ Curses pattern is consistent throughout the life of Israel. If they are faithful, or repent then God is obligated to bless them as per the stipulations of the covenant. And if Israel strays, or is unfaithful, the God is obligated to curse, and/or destroy them.


This Suzerain 5 part model is even seen in the book of Revelation:

Revelation
1 - Preamble Vision of the Son of man-1
2 - Historical prologue: the Seven letters
3 - Ethical Stipulations: The 7 seals 4-7
4 - Sanctions: the 7 trumpets 8-14
5 - Succession Arrangements: The 7 chalice 15-22




Sources


Kline, Meredith. "Dynastic Covenant." . http://www.meredithkline.com/klines-works/articles-and-essays/dynastic-covenant/


Kline, Meredith . ""Suzerain Treaties & The Covenant Documents the Bible"." "Suzerain Treaties & The Covenant Documents the Bible". http://www.fivesolas.com/suzerain.htm).
Thompson, J. A.. The Ancient Near Eastern Treaties and the Old Testament. By J. A. Thompson


That you May Prosper
by Ray Sutton


Treaty of the Great King: The Covenant Structure of Deuteronomy: Studies and Commentary
by Meredith G. Kline

 

[Starkherz199]

Part 3 Introduction and Background to Daniel 9


The Bible illustrates the arc of the history of Israel from their enslavement in Egypt, their escape back to the promised land, their struggles with the Canaanites, their fidelity to and rebellion against their covenant God, and their national history all the way through their punishment of exile into Babylon.

The further the Israelites got from Moses and Joshua the more they dabbled and engaged in idolatry. God had issued His stipulations and requirements to Israel, and demanded obedience. Israel got entangled in a cycle of unfaithfulness and revival , and this is narrated in the historical accounts of the Kings and their reign. There were some Kings of Israel who genuinely tried to obey the covenant stipulations and remain faithful to God, but most were selfish and wicked, and then again some were absolute tyrants that willfully disobeyed God and shunned His commandments.

In response to the idolatry and disobedience, God sent forth his covenant lawyers, the Prophets, to Israel. Their job was to announce God's controversy, or covenant lawsuit, to Israel. They would list the sins, pronounce judgment, and show the way of repentance, because God stood ready to forgive sins and renew the covenant relationship. There was always a future hope of redemption and restoration.

Consider the prophet Nathan who stood to the face of David, and rebuked him. David, whom scripture describes as a man after God's own heart, was humbled to repentance. David's humble response was upheld by God. Consider also the Assyrians at Nineveh, who were not included in the Mosaic covenant, but responded to the call of Jonah for repentance, and were spared of certain destruction by God. Scriptures reveal that God responds to repentance of both individuals and nations of people. He stands ready to forgive and renew relationships; this is His nature; His long suffering personality is His most underrated attribute. Conversely, He stands ready to punish, and dispense wrath upon any who rightfully earn it.

Eventually God's long-suffering patience with Israel ran out. After many prophets were sent to the northern 10 tribes, and they persevered in their stubborn idolatry, God used the Assyrians to destroy and disperse them. Similarly, God also sent his covenant lawyers (prophets) to Judah, and they too exhausted God's patience. According to the covenant, God was obligated to punish them with the curses laid out in Leviticus 26, and Deuteronomy 28. For Him not to honor these stipulations of the covenant would make Him unjust. But there always remained a way for the nation (corporately) to repent, and it was laid out in 2 Chronicles 7:11-22; the rededication of the covenant with God at the ceremony blessing the Temple of Solomon.

After the reign of Solomon, Judah bathed in Idolatry. Occasionally they experienced a religious revival. One such revival happened during the reign of King Hezekiah. He cleansed and rededicated the temple; thereby reaffirming the covenant with God. He removed the high places where the pagans, and Idolatrous Israelites worshiped. The king of Assyria besieged Jerusalem, intent on conquering them, only to be thwarted by God when he sent an angel to kill 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in the night. It all looked good for Judah.

Despite Hezekiah's revival, God has made it known, the spiritual harlotry of Judah has earned them future destruction.
God sent 4 contemporary covenant lawyers (prophets) to foretell the doom of not only the 10 northern tribes, but Jerusalem also; the 4 prophets were Amos, Micah, Isaiah, and Hosea.

Amos began to speak God's intentions to Judah: Amo 2:4 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have despised the law of the LORD, and have not kept his commandments, and their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have walked: Amo 2:5 But I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem.

Micah prophecies: Mic 3:12 Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.

Isaiah tells King Hezekiah that 2Ki 20:16-18 And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD. 2Ki 2017) Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD. (18) And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.

And despite this prophecy of gloom and doom Isaiah also prophesied Cyrus by name as a deliverer: Isaiah 44:28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid

Isaiah 45:1 Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; Isa 45:2 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: Isa 45:3 And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel


Hezekiah's son Manasseh was the one utterly wicked king that would be the ultimate covenant betrayer in Israel's history. When he becomes King he reverses the good that his father did, and ushers in depths of depravity, heretofore yet seen in the land

Scripture says 2 Kings 21:9 But they hearkened not: and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil than did the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the children of Israel.

After Manasseh, God determined to destroy the nation of Israel as a people. The covenant was broken, the die was cast, God determined that this rebellious and stiffnecked people had descended into depths of spiritual harlotry that merited punishment. Amazingly, a young King would be born, and assume power in what some theologians would claim to be Judah's great awakening; that King is Josiah.

King Josiah is enthroned at the age of 8 years old. At 18 he orders that the Temple be cleaned and repaired. In doing so, a priest rediscovers the books of the Law, and the stipulations and requirements of the Covenant with God. Josiah leads Israel into their greatest revival, and an awakening of religious zeal happens when the people of Israel (Judah/ Benjamin/ Levites, and the remnant of the 10 northern tribes) renew/recapitulate the covenant of their Fathers with YHWH. Josiah directs his men to cleanse the land of idolatry. They broke all the idols to Baal, destroyed the high places and groves used to practice idolatry, smashed and removed the altars in the Valley of Hinnom uses to sacrifice children to Molech, put to death the priests that partook of these abominations, and removed the booths that stood outside the Temple that were used for homosexual practices. He even had the bones of the long dead evil high priests dug up, and smashed to powder. This was a movement that had action behind it. God's response was to say that the curses that lay ahead for Israel's disobedience were to be delayed because of the tenderness of Josiah's heart towards God.

This demonstration from Israel was blessed by God, but The fate of the nation had already been determined. In the midst of a genuine revival, God still sends his prophets. God's judgment will be delayed, but only for so long.

The next set of Covenant lawyers (prophets) that God sent were Zephaniah, Habakkuk, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. Their prophecies spell out the certain coming of the judgment of God. Jeremiah prophesied

Jer 25:8 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Because ye have not heard my words, Jer 25:9 Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations. Jer 25:10 Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle. Jer 25:11 And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. Jer 25:12 And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations. Jer 25:13 And I will bring upon that land all my words which I have pronounced against it, even all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah hath prophesied against all the nations. Jer 25:14 For many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of them also: and I will recompense them according to their deeds, and according to the works of their own hands.

In time, history informs us that all of Jeremiah’s prophecy here would come true.


During the reign of Manasseh and Josiah, the Assyrian empire was in rapid decline. The Neo-Babylonian kingdom was rising and taking land and possessions while opposing Assyria. The last remnants of the Assyrians were driven out of their land, and retreated to Carchemish. There they made their last stand against Babylon, led by Nebuchadnezzar. Assyrians vassal Egypt, led by Pharaoh Necho, came to the aid of Assyria; either to help them, or take advantage of the power vacuum left by their collapse. To get to Carchemish, Pharaoh Necho's pathway to battle required him to travel through Judea.

In the midst of King Josiah's reign, the Pharaoh of Egypt, Necho, came through Israel, warning Josiah not to oppose him, as he had no quarrel with Judah. Josiah went to battle with Necho in 609, on the plains of Megiddo, Josiah was killed, and the army of Josiah was defeated. Mystery surrounds the decision as to why Josiah entered into this battle. Some speculate that Josiah had some form of treaty with Nebuchadnezzar, but the definitive truth is lost to history. From this point, the path to judgment and destruction accelerates.

In the Battle of Carchemish in 605 BC, Nebuchadnezzar crushed Assyria, and Egypt, which led to the creation of the Babylonian empire. Shortly after this battle, Nebuchadnezzar becomes King of Babylon after his father dies.

After the Battle of Carchemish in 605 BC, the Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem, which resulted in tribute being paid by the Judean king Jehoiakim. In total, Babylon would oppose Jerusalem 3 times. This 1st opposition resulted in Daniel and his young countryman being deported to Babylon.

The 2nd time Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem came in 597 in the 7th year of his reign, when the King of Judah, Jehoiakim, quit paying his tribute to Babylon. In this encounter Jehoiakim (Josiah's son) was killed. Jehoiakim's son and successor Jeconiah (who was King only for a short time) was exiled to Babylon, along with his court, all of Judah's aristocracy, 10,000 of his officers, Judah's craftsmen, 7000 soldiers and many others including Ezekiel. Nebuchadnezzar left Zedekiah as the puppet king in Jerusalem.

In due time. Zedekiah made an alliance with Egypt, and rebelled against Babylon again. For the 3rd and final time, Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem, and in 586 BC, utterly destroyed them. The Temple of Solomon was destroyed, along with the walls around Jerusalem, and the city itself. A 3rd deportation of Jews to Babylon took place from 586-582 BC. Not all the Jews were exiled, but those that remained blended into the countryside and nations surrounding Judah.

With the exile, and the destruction of the Temple, the religion of Israel comes to an end and Judaism begins. In exile, they served the 70 year judgment that was prophesied to them. Toward the end of the 70 years, long after the death of Nebuchadnezzar, the Persians and Medes assault and defeat Babylon in one single night, in 539 BC. Roughly a year later Cyrus, as was prophesied nearly 200 years before, would release the Jews to go back to their land, and rebuild their Temple. Right before this declaration from Cyrus is when Daniel chapter 9 takes place.


Take notice! If you go through the curses that God laid out to his covenant people, should they disobey, not all of them were fulfilled with the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC. Read through Leviticus 26, and Deuteronomy 28, and you'll see only a partial fulfillment. Read what Micah prophesied in Micah 3:12, and note that that did not take place in 586 BC. Read the entirety of Jeremiah 19, and note that theologians agree that although all of the judgments spoken of in this chapter came to pass, only some of them took place in 586 BC; the rest of that chapter was fulfilled in 70 AD. The destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC, and 70 AD, are the beginning and end of God's covenant judgment on Israel.

Daniel 9 is the prophecy of hope for the people of Israel. Their hope would lie in their Messiah. Consequently this prophecy is also the completion of the covenant judgment upon the rebellious Israelites, their holy city, and Temple.

 

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Part 4
Notes on Daniel, and Interpretation.


It can be argued that Daniel was the 4th most important Old Covenant figure in the Bible after Abraham, Moses, and David.

*Daniel was like a 2nd Joseph, only more important. Joseph was made a slave and forced to relocate to a foreign country; so was Daniel. Joseph profoundly affected the King of the country he was enslaved in; so did Daniel. Joseph interpreted the King's (Pharaoh) prophetic dreams ; so did Daniel. Joseph rose from slavery to a position of great power ( 2nd only to the King) in this foreign country; so did Daniel. In his position of authority he paved a way for his people to dwell peacefully in this foreign country; so did Daniel. In fact, God's providence was on display with Daniel as he was in the first group of captives from Jerusalem, and his governing authority was paramount in the preservation of the people of Israel in the next two forcible relocation of the Jews. Without Daniel's overwatch, could the Jewish people have survived this exile and maintained their national and racial identity? Eventually, a new King (Pharaoh) arose who knew not Joseph, and his contributions to the country were forgotten; this also happened to Daniel and the King's name was Belshazzer.


Daniel 1-6 contains historical narratives that happened during his lifetime. In some of these narratives, prophetic interpretations of dreams take place that were significant to the late Old Testament period, the inter-testimal period, and the days and times of Jesus and the Apostolic age.


Daniel 7-12 are prophecies that primarily happen after Daniel's lifetime. Daniel 7 begins with the future of Empires (corporate bodies), chapter 8 narrows this predictive view, and chapters 9-12 predictions become very specific.


How you interpret the Bible, or your Hermeneutical approach, is critical to understanding the prophecy of chapter 9 and beyond. With that said, there are 5 major views of interpreting these chapters.


>5 views of these prophecies


1 - Historicist approach.
Also known as the Anti-papal approach, and the "Church Historical approach". This view blames the papacy for all the bad things in the prophetic portions of Daniel 7-12, and identifies the Pope's with the Little Horn of Daniel 7, the Abomination of Desolation, the Man of sin and Mark of the Beast, the Great Whore of Revelation, the Antichrist, and others.

This began with Joachim of Fiore, and colored all the commentaries of the Reformation era, who identified with this view.

This interpretation is held today by a few Protestants, Catholics, but mainly by Seventh-Day Adventists and Jehovah's Witnesses.

This view sees the "bad guy" characters in Daniel 7-12 as the Papacy of Roman Catholicism down through the centuries till the end of the world.


2 - The Futurist Anti-Christ Approach

This view holds the "bad guy" characters in Certain passages of Daniel 7-12 as being the Antichrist, whomever that will be, and interprets passages in these chapters to remain unfulfilled, and still lying in our future. This developed about the time of the French Revolution through today's age, and saw a greater evil than the Papacy coming to fruition, because of the events of the Reign of Terror and French Revolution. The spread of communism added to this view greatly.


3 - The Dispensational approach

The view takes the Futurist Antichrist, pumps it up on steroids, and sets it in a Formula one car toward the future.

Every possible passage in the entire book of Daniel is wrenched from any traditional church teaching, and placed in the future "end times". The Dispensational approach is a radical reimagining of the later prophecies of Daniel.


4 - The liberalized "Christian" approach. This is the view of the wing of Christianity that has been captured by "higher criticism". This view eschews the supernatural contained in Daniel, and replaces it with a hostile approach that believes in a very late date of Daniel, where his events are not prophetic, but written after the fact; therefore historical. This view believes Daniel was written roughly during or shortly after the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, and was written to inspire Jews during a time of national calamity.

This approach either purposefully or unwittingly attacks the divinity of Christ, as Jesus quoted Daniel directly, and upheld his status as prophet. This is the view of either unbelief in the divinity or supernatural elements of God, or unbelief in Daniel's historicity. Because 18th and 19th century Higher criticism had filtered into seminaries uncritically and without any pushback, some really good otherwise conservative theologians bought this theory and taught it. The phrase "seminaries are now cemeteries" arose from 20th century fundamentalists, precisely because seminaries were buying into false information like this. 100 years of research and archeological finding has proven this theory false, but it is still popular in many schools.




4. The Skeptical Approach.

The skeptical approach posits that Daniel is a work of fiction, written during the time of Antiochus Epiphanes to give hope to the Jews during a national calamity. Whereas the liberal view believes Daniel was historically written after the fact, the skeptical approach believes Daniel is a pious book of myths. This is the view of unbelief; unbelief in the claims of the text of Daniel. Most scholarly (i.e., massively footnoted) commentaries fall into this category.



Concerning view #3 and #4 I'll leave James B. A Jordan's comments about liberal and skeptical beliefs in Daniel:

"From a Christian standpoint, is it enough that Jesus Himself believed that
Daniel was shown the visions recounted in the book of Daniel, and that they were delivered to us by Daniel himself". "If Jesus was wrong about who wrote Daniel and when, then I am happy (indeed,compelled) to be wrong right along with Him. But certainly it is an abomination to suggest that the Father and the Spirit left Jesus Christ in the dark about the very Word of God that He believed He had come to fulfill! It is fine to suggest that in His earthly life, Jesus may have had erroneous opinions about the size of the globe, the vastness of the universe, etc. It is not acceptable to suggest that He did not correctly understand the written Word of God that He had come to fulfill. It is not acceptable to suggest that His Father
deceived Him about Daniel or anything else in the written scriptures. It is not acceptable to suggest that Jesus, as the very Incarnate Word, did not understand the Written Word. For the baptized Christian believer, the testimony of Jesus settles the matter. The man known in the Bible as Daniel the prophet
received visions from God, just as the text of the Bible says he did. Is there any evidence that Daniel was written much later than the time of the prophet? that Daniel’s prophecies are pious fiction
written to encourage Jews living under the rule of Antiochus Epiphanes? No, there is absolutely no evidence for this at all. No ancient writer records that the book of Daniel appeared at that time. Josephus, who gives us a blow-by-blow account of the time of Antiochus and later, says nothing about the appearance of the book of.Daniel at that time, and clearly believed that the book of Daniel appeared shortly after the death of Daniel himself."

"The fact that this fabulous notion is maintained in the face of all ancient testimony, and in the face of the total lack of any hint of it from the ancient world, is an indication of what the real reason for it is: the disbelief in predictive prophecy. The non-Christian does not believe in.a God who talks, and in a God who tells the prophets about the future."



Thus, this exegesis of Daniel's 70 weeks will be a contrast of the interpretive view that believes in the historicity and inspired origin of Daniel.




5. The Covenant view.

This view upholds the historicity and inspired origin of Daniel; It upholds Daniel's 6th century authorship, and divinely inspired prophecy. This view posits that Daniel 7-12 primarily deal with the last days of the Old Covenant economy, events following the 1st destruction of Jerusalem flowing through the times between the Old and New Testaments, and terminating roughly with the 2nd destruction of Jerusalem. Some who use this interpretation see a couple of unfulfilled passages left, while others believe Daniel's prophecy is finished, sealed, and only to be unsealed by John's Apocalypse. This view allows for no time gaps of thousands of years, or historical "parentheses".

As opposed to the "historicist" interpretation, it does not focus on European history, or predictive events that follow the Apostolic age of the church.

Although most Reformation era Protestants followed the Historicist view, John Calvin taught the Covenant view and wrote commentaries on it.



With respect to Daniel chapter 9, the Covenant view and the Historicist view agree. Its with chapters 10-12 that they depart. Also the Futurist view has many adherents to the interpretation of Daniel 9 that Covenant and Historicists follow. It's the subset of Futurists known as Dispensationalists that strongly disagree.


This exegesis of Daniel's 70 weeks upholds the shared interpretation of the Covenant view, the Historicist view, and some Futurists. Therefore this study is a contrast between a more "traditional" interpretation vs Dispensational belief.


A few book recommendations;

*James B Jordan: The Handwriting on the wall: A Commentary on the Book of Daniel

This is the covenant model interpretation. Highly recommended.



SEVENTY WEEKS: The Historical Alternative by ROBERT CARINGOLA

This is the Historicist model

 

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Part 5
Daniel 9 covenant prayer

Background

Daniel 9 starts with a introduction that includes location, time, and a recognition of when this took place with respect to the identification of the ruling king.

-The introduction begins in verses 1-3.

-Verses 4-19 include the covenant prayer of Daniel.

-Gabriel's interlude because of the prayer of Daniel occurs in verses 20-23.

-The 70 weeks prophecy runs from verse 24-27


What are the Main Points of David’s Prayer?
1. God, here’s how you’ve moved in the past
2. God, here’s how I (or we) have messed up
3. God, you warned me about the consequences of our sin
4. God, as I’m experiencing these consequences, I call upon your mercy

A key part of Daniel’s prayer is confession.


Daniel's Prayer for His People

Daniel 9:1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans;
Dan 9:2 In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.


Historical Context

The 9th chapter occurs during the first year of the reign of Median King Darius, just after the fall of Babylon, and is one of the four chapters of Daniel that is written entirely in Hebrew as opposed to Aramaic. It begins with Daniel in study of Jeremiah’s prophecy of the desolations of Jerusalem and the 70 years captivity of the Jews as prophesied in Jeremiah 25:1-14, and of Jeremiah’s letter to the exiles as recorded in Jeremiah 29. He knew through study that the time of the 70 years of captivity was nearlyfinished. Also, Daniel would well know the prophecy of Isaiah 44:28 that named Cyrus as the person that would decree that the ruins of Jerusalem would be rebuilt.

The historicity of Darius, King of the Medes is highly debated. Since we are focusing only on Daniel’s 70 “weeks”, to aid in understanding I will add the competing theories held by some scholars that Darius was either the uncle of Cyrus from his mother’s side, and was a Satrap King appointed by Cyrus to rule over Babylon, or Darius and Cyrus were one in the same; Cyrus’s mother was a Mede, and Darius could have been a title and not a name. This explains why Daniel would be so distressed; Jeremiah’s prophesied 70 years were about up, and the new King was named Cyrus, just as Isaiah identified. Either way, Darius was a historical person



Daniel 9:3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:

○○○Daniel then humbles himself in fervent prayer of repentance for Israel and Jerusalem. The content of the prayer is often overlooked, as the 70 “weeks” portion of the chapter is almost always the focus of study. It is patterned after Leviticus chapter 26, and the covenant between God and Israel is what gives this prayer structure. Daniel cries out to YHWH [Jehovah/Yahweh/Yahovah], the covenant name of God (the only chapter that YHWH occurs in the book of Daniel), and identifies God as “keeping the covenant”. Daniel identifies Israel as breaking the covenant and praises God for fulfilling it by punishing their disobedience with exile, as outlined in Leviticus chapter 26:14-39. Then Daniel pleads to God to fulfill Leviticus 26:42-46 for restoration and to renew the covenant. While still praying, Gabriel comes to Daniel, and gives him the prophecy of the 70 “weeks”, which points to the coming Messiah, the confirmation of the Mosaic covenant, and the fate of Jerusalem

The focus of Daniel's angst is for the people of Israel, and their holy city. What Gabriel informs Daniel of, is that their hope is found in the coming Messiah, not in Jerusalem. Furthermore, the Messiah will be their focal point of worship, not a holy Temple.

-Daniel’s confession is a corporate confession on the behalf of his people. At this point in history Daniel held high positions within the Babylonian and Persian government. He would be the highest ranking Jew at the time of this prophecy; especially considering the absence of the priesthood. Therefore Daniel is Israel's representative before God on this occasion.

-This prayer amounts to a Purification offering. The covenant name of God YHWH occurs 7 times in the Hebrew text. The proper word for God, or Master, "Adonai" occurs 10 times. The word for God "El" and "Elohim" occur 14 times. God is named a total of 32 times. All of these numbers are significant.

God is identified in this prayer as faithful, righteous, and merciful. Israel is guilty of sin, and deserves punishment. The central part of the prayer, verse 11-14, Is God’s act of inspection and judgment. This is an allusion to the ritual found in Numbers 5: 18-24.



*Daniel's covenant prayer to God, found in verse 4-19 is an intricately constructed Jewish Chiasm that begins and ends with God's loving kindness, and has death and resurrection as its center point. This structure is foreign to our western minds, but it is a very important aspect of Jewish creativity. The same craftsmanship that went into the writing of this prayer, is the same type of care and detail that Beethoven put into the making of his 9th symphony.

A chiasm is a literary technique that writers use, where an idea or set of ideas are presented, and then the order of thought is reversed. A simple chiasm would be "When the going gets tough, the tough get going". This Chiasm has an ABBA pattern, and would be structured thusly:



Another was uttered by Jesus when he said "The Sabbath was made for Man. Man was not made for the Sabbath." Again, the ABBA pattern emerges:




Most often, these Chiasms would have a central stand alone idea that would be stated in the middle of the chiasm, and not be repeated. The pattern would be something akin to ABXBA, or



An example is found in Joel 3:17–21. This one has seven parts, diagrammed this way: ABCXCBA. Here is the passage:

Joel 3:17 So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more. [18] And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim. [19] Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land. [20] But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. [21] For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion.


The ideas presented in this prophecy follow this arrangement:


Some of these Chiasms are exceptionally long, and are found over several chapters. Some researchers have found hundreds of large and small chiasms all throughout the Bible. One theologian has demonstrated that the entire book of Revelation is one long chiasm.

For more information on Chiasms in the Bible here is a video and a link.





https://www.bible-discernments.com/joshua/whatisachiasm.html

One thing to consider about this Chiasm. The chapter designations that are found in the Bible were not found in scripture until Stephen Langton added them in the 14th century. Also, the verse number designations weren't added into the text until the 16th century with the publication of the Geneva Bible. The Chiasms found in Hebrew often don't align with the verse numbers. Therefore, I am including the Chiasm diagram found in James B Jordan's commentary on Daniel entitled Handwriting on the wall. The English translation is his own.
Here are 2 pics of his diagram



-Does God respond?

Absolutely.

God, the being that creates and moves galaxies with a word, is moved by Daniel's Prayer.

Gabriel's response is immediate.

Daniel 9:20 And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God;
Daniel 9:21 Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.
Daniel 9:22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.
Daniel 9:23 At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.

What follows next is the Titan of all Messianic prophecy.


The central theme of Daniel's Prayer is the God who keeps his covenant.

-This aspect of God is where Daniel derives the confidence to utter this prayer, and it is the subject of his plea.

-Daniel looks back at the Covenant stipulations, it's blessing, and it's curses, realizes that God has kept His promises to punish Israel for not obeying their covenant obligations, but also realizes that God is obligated to show mercy and redeem Israel [Leviticus 26:42-45, Deuteronomy 30:3-10].

And Gabriel's reply from God is that he wood indeed keep the covenant with Israel, and fulfil the promise if restoration. Gabriel further reveals that God not only will fulfill his covenant, but through His Messiah He will consummate it.




Lev 26:42 Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land.
Lev 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.
Lev 26:44 And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the LORD their God.
Lev 26:45 But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the heathen, that I might be their God: I am the LORD.

-

Deu 30:3 That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee.
Deu 30:4 If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee:
Deu 30:5 And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.
Deu 30:6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.
Deu 30:7 And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee.
Deu 30:8 And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the LORD, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day.
Deu 30:9 And the LORD thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the LORD will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers:
Deu 30:10 If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.

 

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Part 6, The Covenant Model in Daniel 9



As listed in part #2 above, the Covenant between God and man was closely modeled after ancient Near East peace treaties.
This was a 5 point model:

1- Preamble (Identification of the lordship of the Great King). In other words, who is the sovereign?

2- Historical prologue (surveying the Lord’s previous relationship to the vassal, especially emphasizing the blessings bestowed. Historical events that led to the establishment of the covenant). This section identifies the leadership of the vassal. It identifies Hierarchy. In other words: Who do you report to?

3 - Ethical Stipulations (terms) of the covenant. Expounding the vassals' obligations, his "guide to citizenship" in the covenant. In other words; What are the rules?

4 - Sanctions: A warning of judgment for disobedience, promise of blessings for obedience; outlining the blessings and cursing. In other words what do I get if I obey, and what do I get if I disobey?

5 - Succession Arrangements (System of reconfirming the treaty at the death of the King or Vassal, and dealing with the continuity of the covenant relationship over future generations. In other words: Is there any future in this outfit? Legacy.


To scale it down to more understandable terms, use this 5 point model.
1. Who's in charge?
2. Who do you report to (hierarchy)?
3. What's the rules?
4 What do I get if I obey or disobey?
5. Does this outfit have any future/legacy?

This 5 point covenant model pervades the Bible. A great resource for understanding this is a book by Ray Sutton entitled That You May Prosper. This model shows up in many places in antiquity. One researcher even claims it is present in the Declaration of Independence.


You can look into our own political reality in the United States, and see who this 5 point model has sway in the minds of men and women. For example, point number 1 “Who’s in charge”. Every time this point is not clear there is major political disruption. For instance, When Abraham Lincoln was elected, the south would not have him to be president, and seceded. When the 2000 election was in doubt because of hanging “chads” the democrats went apoplectic for the entirety of George W. Bush’s presidency. When the status of Barack Obama’s citizenship was in question (which could disqualify him as a candidate), the republican voters rejected him, and still do to this day. When Donald Trump won, and the MSM claimed he was a “Russian Agent” the Democrat voters went to near insanity in their opposition to him. And today, when Republicans believe Biden won the presidency because of election and voter fraud, a sizable portion of the population believe Biden is illegitimate, and should be immediately removed from office. When the 1st point of the covenant model (who’s in charge) is in doubt, the political stability, health, and future of a nation is in doubt. It’s the 1st sign of a nation soon to collapse.

This same is true for all the 5 point covenant model aspects as well. The decline and fall of Rome can be charted in this 5 point model. In today’s terms, you can see our nation in distress because this model between our government and the ordinary citizens is in doubt. Look to point # 2 (hierarchy); the “who do I report to” has never been more in doubt. Many millions of people in California reject their far left governors and legislatures. They have rejected the hierarchy by moving to states like Texas and Tennessee. Similar occurrences from the right and left political spectrum are present all over the United States. The #3 “what are the rules”' ' is also in doubt, as there appears to be a separate set of rules for the elites and for the regular people; the people are rejecting this en masse. Look to the Jeffrey Epstein debacle of our Intelligence apparatus as an example. The #4 (what happens if I obey, or disobey) is also in doubt; the 2020 summer of riots proved in the minds of many that there are separate sets of consequences for different groups of people. And also, the people are rejecting the idea that Washington DC does not hold Washington DC accountable. And then, nothing is more in doubt than #5 (is there a future), as national divorce and civil war are a daily part of national discourse. The 5 point model is a great tool to analyze historical data, and current political realities. It could well be said that our current nation is in imminent peril, based on this model.

***For the purposes of this present study, know that the Prophets that God sent, came with a message that followed this 5 point covenant model. They came as covenant lawyers from God (Point #1 Sovereign). They called the leaders of Israel (Point #2 Hierarchy) to repent, and lead their people to repent. Their message from God always listed the sins of the people (Point #3 Rules), as sin is the breaking of God’s rules. The prophets then informed the people of God’s judgment if they didn’t repent (point #4 Sanctions). One aspect of every Old Testament prophet is that, although they brought accusations of sin, and prophecy of sure destruction, they always included at the end a message of sure future hope and redemption (Point #5 Is there a Future).


God has been faithful to uphold His end of the covenant with Israel. Daniel, as the representative of Israel (Point #2 Hierarchy) was praying for repentance and purification, and asking God to redeem them (Point #5 Future). God’s response was quick. The 70 weeks prophecy followed.

Daniel was looking for YHWY to repatriate His purified holy people back in the holy city of Jerusalem. Daniel made no mention of the coming messiah, but God made it clear that His plan to redeem Israel was through the Messiah. In historical context, and looking back through the history of the New Covenant era and early Church, it would be proper to read this prophecy and conclude that God was not done with His people in relation to punishment and redemption, and frightening as it may sound, He was not done destroying Jerusalem.

Look in the Bible, this model is everywhere, especially Revelation.

 

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Part 7 Daniel 9: 24


DanIel 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.


The 70 Weeks prophecy occurs in Daniel.9:24-27. This portion is separated into 2 parts. Verse 24 is the capstone; it describes what occurs in this prophetic pronouncement. This foundational verse has 6 phrases that contain prophetic events that will be fulfilled in the "70 weeks" time determination. Verses 25-27 elaborate events surrounding the content of verse 24, and the eventual desolation of Jerusalem and the Temple for a 2nd time.


This verse is separated into the following clauses:

DanIel 9:24 [a]Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city,

to finish the transgression,

[c] and to make an end of sins,

[d] and to make reconciliation for iniquity,

[e] and to bring in everlasting righteousness,

[f] and to seal up the vision and prophecy,

[g] and to anoint the most Holy.



Like Daniel’s prayer, verse 24 is framed in a chiasm. James B. Jordan lists it into this chiastic diagram:


A_Perfect apostasy, which is against the Most Holy

___B-Seal Purifications.

______C-Cover Liability, the great transition to

______C-Establish righteousness.

___B-Seal the promises.

A-Annoint the Most Holy.


It could be said that the 1st 3 clauses [1st half of the chiasm] complete one thought, and the last 3 clauses [ 2nd half of the chiasm], contain a second complete thought; therefore the 6 prophetic declarations in this verse are 2 sentences with 3 members each.

The 1st half of the chiasm [with 3 statements] are interrelated, and deals with the taking away of sin; thus are of the negative side of deliverance. The 2nd half of the chiasm [with 3 statements] are interrelated, and deals with the bringing in of everlasting righteousness and its consequences; thus are of the positive side of deliverance .



The number 7

To the Israelites, the number 7 was a divine number; Notice the number 7 and 70 are extremely important in prophecy.

The 7th day was a day of rest. There were 7 special feast days during a calendar year: during these feast days, they were declared as days of rest. According to Leviticus 25 every 7 years there would be a year of Sabbath rest in which the land would lie fallow and not be tilled, and no harvests would be reaped; the land received sabbath rest. God’s covenantal stipulations held that at the end of 7 sabbath years (7X7 or 49 years), a year of Jubilee would be declared. During this special year a trumpet would be sounded, and a proclamation of liberty would be sounded throughout the land. During this Jubilee all debts were canceled, all slaves would be released from servitude, and all land would revert back to its original owner. This is a year of joy and redemption. The Jubilee was in effect a “great reset” issued by the Lord; it was a decree of liberty. Refer back to Jesus’ recitation of Isaiah 61 in his hometown in Luke 4, and this passage makes sense. All the Old Testament feasts, and rest days were a foreshadowing of Jesus Chirst. Jesus was the ultimate and final Sabbath rest for Israel. That is why this entire prophecy is so hyper focused on the coming Messiah.

The 70 years of punishment and exile in Babylon was brought on by Israel's failure to observe levitical sabbath-rests for the land (Lev. 26:43; 2 Chron. 36:21). This was God's faithfulness to the "cursing" stipulations part of the covenant, that required Him to repay Israel seven fold for their sins (Lev. 26:18, 21, 24, 28). The number of years in exile (70) were determined by the number of Sabbath rests (jubilee’s) that Israel did not heed as part of God’s stipulations. Because of their failure to honor the stipulations of the Covenant, God gave them to captivity.

-God’s answer to Daniel’s prayer is to present a new period of seventy that issues forth in six primary results (Dan. 9:24). In this prophecy God gives Israel a renewed time period framed by the number seventy: a period of “seventy weeks” , or 70 blocks of weeks. This is the Ultimate, and perhaps the final Jubilee. Have no doubt about this, this prophecy is the covenant answer to Daniel's covenant prayer. His prayer is for the people of Israel and their holy City, and God’s answer is Jesus, the coming messiah. Any exegesis that does not keep this in mind, is flawed from the outset.


The key idea in Daniel's 70 weeks is that Daniel, as the chief leader of Israel at that point [Covenant point #2 hierarchy] cried out to YHWH [covenant point #1 Sovereign], admitting their guilt for breaking the law [covenant point #3 ethics/law], pleading that their punishment and exile would end [covenant point #4 blessing/curses], and God's response, through the messenger of Gabriel, was Jesus, the Messiah [covenant point #5 legacy/future].

Any exegesis…any interpretation of Daniel's 70 weeks prophecy must conform to the reality that Jesus was the focus. Anything else is error or eisegesis.


-Daniel 9:24a: Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city. "70 weeks" is a puzzling phrase to the non-scholar. It is rendered from the Hebrew word שׁבעות [shâbu‛ôth].
There is not an English equivalent to the Hebrew word. Scholars fight over the clear interpretation, but at the end of the day they all agree on the total amount of time this entails. It is "70 weeks of years", that would be 70 × 7 or 490 years. Perhaps, a better way to say it is "70 blocks of years". The contents of this prophecy, as listed in Verse 24, would be fulfilled within this 490 period of years.


The six predictions:


1-to finish the transgression

Another way of phrasing this is “to complete the apostasy”. Daniel spoke to Israel’s sin in verse 11: All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice. And the curse and oath that are written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out upon us, because we have sinned against him.

God’s voice was communicated by his covenant lawyers, the prophets. The kings and officials of Israel had killed these prophets. Killing the messengers of God was a rejection of God.

As said earlier, God is not done judging Israel’s sin. That is because Israel has not yet filled up the cup of her iniquity.

Daniel’s prayer was for the sin of Israel, and yet here, the angel tells the distressing news that Israel’s sin is not yet full. Israel’s transgression against God will be completed in 490 years.

Application

Jesus would confront Jeish leaders in Matthew 23:32: “Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers”. Christ referenced this completion in his parable of the Tenants to the Jewish leaders found in Matthew 21:33. Here Christ identifies the prophets God had sent to his people with the servants on this parable. And, the son of the Vineyard’s master is Jesus, who is killed in the parable and in real life. And in Jesus’ final judgment upon Israel and Jerusalem he clearly tells them: "Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation (Matthew 23:34-36)."

To finish the transgression, or apostasy, means to murder the Son of God. This fills the cup of Israel’s sin to the brim, as the crucifixion of Jesus was the masterstroke of rebellion; it was the capstone of sin.



2-and to make an end of sins,


There are alternate ways of phrasing this; “To seal up sins”; “To seal Purifications' '; to seal sin offerings. You have to understand the Old Testament sacrificial system to get this reference. Leviticus 4 and 5 detailed the stipulations that God laid out to the people and priests on how to sacrifice for sins. This sin offering was done to cover sin and the liabilities incurred for an individual, even for sins done in ignorance. These sacrifices were done as a remembrance. Also look to Leviticus 16, which spoke to the Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur (the day of purifications). On this day, which occurs once a year in Sept-Oct, the priest would sacrifice a bull to cover his sins, and then choose 2 goats. One would be sacrificed for the sins of the nation, and his blood would be sprinkled on the mercy seat of the Ark of the covenant. The other one would have the sins of the nation ceremonially placed on the “scapegoat”, and it would be allowed to “escape” into the wilderness. Many times the scapegoat would be placed in such a way ⁹so that it would run off a cliff and die, with the sins of the nation. This Day of Atonement (or day of purifications) was to be done perpetually once a year, so these purifications were never finished.

Hebrews 10:4 explicitly informs us that the blood of bulls and goats could not take away sins. These sacrifices were a sign of faith in God.

Therefore this 2nd pronouncement informs the reader that in this 490 year period, something would be done to finish, or seal up sins, or purifications, or make an end of sin offerings forever. The sin that started in the Garden of Eden by the first father Adam, would be made to be purified forever. This would stop the need for the yearly sacrifice on the Day of Atonement.

Application

Jesus’ death was the sacrifice that ended all sacrifices, as his death actually took away sin forever. Hebrews 1:3 informs us that Jesus purged our sins. This passage informs us that not only is our sin purified, but the sin offering is done away with forever. The proof of this is found in the accounts of the crucifixion, when the veil was supernaturally torn in half.

Practically all of Hebrews 9 and 10 are proof text for thus fulfillment.



3-and to make reconciliation for iniquity,

-A straight literal translation of "make reconciliation" would be "to cover" as in to cover over or coat a board with paint or pitch. This word is not meant to be a physical covering, it is a moral covering. Think of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, after they had sinned and gotten caught; God covered them with new garments. Also think of the high priest on the day of Atonement…clothed, or covered in a new garment of white linen ready to offer the yearly sacrifice.

The Hebrew word here speaks "to atone", "atonement" to "pacify" "propitiate", and "pardon". The Spirit of the word implies, according to Strong's Concordance, a covering that reconciles. This fits the reality of Israel's relationship with YHWH at that time. They were enemies of God, as are we are all [Romans 5: 8-10 details how we were enemies of God, yet reconciled through Christ]. The Israel of God had to be reconciled to Him before they could be admitted to the Kingdom of God.


-This is directed at the forgiveness of sin in a way that the sin is covered forever, never to be remembered. It means that in this time of 490 years, something would happen that would "wipe out iniquity."

-***The negative side of the chiasm in verse 24 deals with sin, Here are three things specified, therefore, in regard to sin, which would be done.

Sin would be
1-Restrained,
2-Sealed up,
3-Covered over.



4-and to bring in everlasting righteousness,


*The negative side of Atonement from sin secures the fourth result, everlasting righteousness, which speaks of the objective accomplishment of righteousness, before God, and not its subjective appropriation. In the place of the absolutely removed transgression is the positive supplement of perfected righteousness.

*Everlasting righteousness leads the second group of three statements, which speak of the positive unfolding of salvation accompanying the taking away and the setting aside of sin. The first expression of this group, or the fourth in the whole number, is “to bring in everlasting righteousness"; that is, “the righteousness, or righteous One, of ages — namely, the restoration of the normal state between God and man (Jeremiah 23:6); to continue eternally (Heb 9:12; Rev 14:6).

*The hope and promises of a future Messiah always pointed to the establishment of the Messianic kingdom (Jeremiah 23:5). The requirement for citizenship in this kingdom is righteousness. During the 490 years time period, something would bring in righteousness that would be perpetual and everlasting, and from the rest of the prophecy we know that the Messiah will be the vehicle.

This was he who was the object of faith and hope of mankind; the subject of a thousand prophecies and predictions through all the ages of the world since the Garden of Eden.

For the 1st time in history, God communicated a timeline where this messianic figure would appear.

*In the bible Righteousness is either judicial or moral. Either one is morally righteous (in perfect obedience to God’s law), or one is adjudicated righteous by God in some way. God had already judged Israel to be unrighteous; their exile in Babylon was part of that punishment; therefore their ability to be morally righteous was impossible. Daniel had prayed on behalf of his people, that God provide a way to reconcile to the Father. The promised Messiah would be the way Daniel and Israel could finally, and forever be brought back to righteousness, and be accepted into God’s kingdom. This would come from some judicial procedure provided by God.

Application.

Christ secured the reconciliation with the father, during the 70 week period. Jesus was perfectly obedient unto death to the Law, and was thus morally righteous. Because he was righteous, he was the perfect sacrifice. Jesus’ crucifixion was a sacrifice that appeased the wrath of God (propitiation), once and for all [Romans 3:25, Hebrews 10:10]. God therefore provided a legal transaction that imputed our sin onto Jesus (on the cross), in exchange for his righteousness. This legal transaction is known as justification [Romans 4:23-25]. Jesus’ righteousness was and is the grounds for our imputed righteousness. God finds believers in Jesus judicially righteous. Jesus’ everlasting righteousness make us righteous by our faith [Romans 5:17-19]



5-and to seal up the vision and prophecy,

In the Chiasm of verse 24, the second passage 24b [make or seal up sins], and the fifth passage 24f [seal up vision and prophecy] are in the same slot and therefore connected. 24b seals up sin, and here in 24f another sealing takes place, on the positive side of righteousness. In fact, the same Hebrew word for sealing is used in both phrases.

The plain sense of the word “seal” in this phrase is the same as found in 1 Kings 21:8, and Jeremiah 32:10-11, 32:44. It is to seal as in setting a mark on it so that it would be known. In ancient times, documents or letters would be sealed with wax and a stamp, or signet ring. It is akin to how we lock things with a padlock in present days. The prophet and prophecies would be settled and confirmed as applied; in the 490 years, the prophecies concerning the messianic figure would be settled and accomplished. There would be no more prophecies concerning the messiah, because in this period of time, with the sealing of sin, everything that had been previously prophesied would come to pass. There would be nothing left to accomplish by the coming anointed one. There would be no further prophecies added to scripture concerning messianic redemption. This doesn’t speak to other kinds of prophecy, just those belonging to the Messiah.

The sealing of transgressions are forever linked to the sealing of vision and prophecy. The act that finishes one, finishes both. When the sins are sealed, prophecy is also sealed.

Application

-Jesus fulfilled every vision and every prophecy ever written or spoken by any prophet concerning the coming Messiah [Luke 18:31, Luke 24:44; Acts 3:18]. His death on the cross, was the same kind of confirmation as sealing with a signet ring; it made it official. The messianic prophecies end with him [Revelation 19:10]. The matter is closed…just as it would be if a book was closed and sealed.

“The prophets were until John, and then to cease, and have ceased ever since the times of Jesus; there has been no prophet among the Jews, they themselves do not deny it; Christ is come, the last and great Prophet of all, with a full revelation of the divine will, and no other is to be expected; all that pretend to set up a new scheme of things, either as to doctrine or worship, through pretended vision or prophecy, are to be disregarded.”



6-and to anoint the most Holy.

Many newer versions translate this as “And to anoint the most holy place”. Both this and the AV translation of “the most holy” are fine; they point to the same thing. Some commentators force this sixth couplet to speak to the anointing of the holy of holies; the portion of the temple where the ark of the covenant was located, and was set apart and blocked by a massive veil. This is a mistake.

It is true that when the 1st, 2nd, and Herodian temple were first consecrated, they were anointed with oil. But after the first time, it would not have been done again, and Daniel would definitely have known this. But the idea that this refers to an anointing of a “most holy place” is right.

The plain meaning is to anoint the most holy, or holy place

Application.

This speaks to the anointing of Jesus Christ at his initial baptism by John the Baptist. At this event (recorded in Mark 1:9-11, we read that the Spirit of God descended on him like a dove; thus he was anointed for his ministry. thereafter, he began to preach the Gospel of the kingdom; The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

After that event, In Luke 4:17-21, Jesus quotes Isaiah 61: 1-2a. Here Isaiah says “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD” He then tells everyone that this day this scripture was fulfilled.

The word “Messiah” literally means “anointed one”, and scripture verifies that.

Jesus made clear to the Jews in the Gospels, that his body was a Temple. Jesus is the living incarnate Holy of Hollies. He tabernacles among us as said in the 1st chapter of John’s Gospel.

Scripture confirms that when one is saved, he/she is anointed by the Spirit of God [2Corintians 1:21]. Furthermore 2Corintians 6:16 declares that “for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”




In hindsight, when Jesus ascended to heaven before Pentecost, all 6 elements in this verse were 100% fulfilled. To see why, we now turn to he next verse for the details.

 

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I'm thoroughly enjoying this; thanks !

 

[Starkherz199]

Part 8 Daniel 9:25

Daniel 9:25
Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.


Now we arrive at what Dr. Michael Heiser calls "The Pit of Despair" of Bible prophecy.

He and other theologians agree that figuring out Daniel's 70 weeks prophecy is the most difficult passage in the Bible, and this is due largely to the timing element found in verse 25. As discussed earlier, this is due in part to the uncertainty of the exact starting point of the 70 Weeks, because of the chronological ambiguity of the Persian king's dates. Refer to part 1 of this study for notes on the timeline conundrum.



To break this verse into components, it will be discussed thusly:


9:25a Know therefore and understand,


9:25b that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem


9:25c unto the Messiah the Prince


9:25d shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks:


9:25e the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.



***Daniel 9:25a Know therefore and understand

This statement assures Daniel that the prophecy was understandable, and something that he could grasp based on the explanation soon to follow. Although the exact timing mechanism is unclear to us, in Daniel's day he had the necessary information to understand. Therefore the meaning can also be found by study in our present age.



***Daniel 9:25b that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem

-Here is a time marker for where, chronologically, the 70 Weeks (490 years) begins. A command would be given to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. It seems simple enough, however there are 4 possible royal decrees listed in scripture that are argued for the fulfillment in this passage, and therefore 4 different potential dates. Herein is the pit of despair.

One problem that presents itself, is the reality that many expositors arrive at this passage with a series of presuppositions. They let their presuppositions steer them towards a time signature starting point, and make the text conform to their pre-established beliefs.

Here is a hour-long lecture that Dr. Michael S. Heiser (RIP) presented discussing this reality.




The problem with this, in regards to understanding this passage, is that once you choose one chronology, a series of eschatological realities are preselected for you, and your interpretation is funneled into something the text might have no relation to.

And, as discussed In Part 1 of the study, the 4 chronologies are based on Ptolemy's Canon, and therefore flawed.




***The Two Avenues

There are two avenues for explaining the starting point and time. The 1st avenue is that the starting point, and beginning of the 70th week are chronologically precise, and the dates will line up perfectly with history. The 2nd avenue is that the 70 weeks are not chronological, but theological in nature, and chronological precision is irrelevant.


70 chronological weeks

This view maintains that the starting time and duration for the 70 weeks of years is chronologically precise, and can be known definitively. If you believe this, then you are left with only four starting points from scripture.

Four edicts of the kings of Persia, in favor of the Jews, mentioned in Scripture, are, 1st, that of Cyrus in 538 BC (found in Ezra 1:1. 2d),; 2nd, that of Darius from 522 BC (found in Ezra 4:6; Haggai 1:1; Haggai 2:3 d); 3rd that of Artaxerxes found in the seventh year of his reign in 457 BC (Ezra 7.; Ezra 8:4); and 4th that was recorded in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes in 445 BC (found in Nehemiah 2:1).

The 1st two choices stretch over 500 years in time, and cannot possibly be chronologically correct, if Ptolemy's Canon is correct. Some Chronologies (Antsley/ Mauro) claim that Ptolemy's cannon is wrong by 80 years, and if corrected, then Cyrus’s command is the starting point. They claim that this correction, which matches Josephus's historical account, would make Cyrus’s decree set to 457 BC . This cannot be proven unless something is dug up from the dirt of modern archeological digs that clarify, definitively, the dates of the Persian kings.

-Rarely has anyone picked the 2nd choice with Darius.

-The argument over the last two scriptural references are where you find distinctions arise among Dispensational adherents. If the 3rd choice (457 BC) is correct, that would place the beginning of Jesus’s ministry at 27 AD, his birth around 3-4 BC, and his crucifixion at 30 AD. This selection actually fits nicely, but as discussed, cannot currently be proven true.

The 4th choice (444-445 BC) is the near universal choice of Dispensational interpretation. This places the beginning of the 70th week sometime around 33 AD. Dispensational adherents claim Jesus was killed before the beginning of the 70th week, and we currently live in a prophetic gap, awaiting the 70th week to begin at the Rapture.

Josephus with great probability, supposes the famous Esther to have been the queen of Artaxerxes. By her influence both the edicts of the seventh and twentieth of his reign (3rd and 4th possibly) were obtained: which is almost demonstrable from Nehemiah’s prayer, Neh 1:5-11; and relation, Neh 2:1-11. Thus the providence of God raised a Jewish heroine to the throne of Persia, first to preserve his people from massacre and extermination, and afterward to facilitate and complete their resettlement. Josephus's account of this entire historical era gives much needed details. Many commentators obsess over the details in each decree, and rather or not they could have fulfilled prophecy. Josephus makes it clear, that each decree is implied to fully fulfill the stipulations of building the city, Temple, and wall.



-70 Theological Weeks

This avenue believes that the 70 weeks are Theological in nature and are not chronologically precise. In other words, it's the "70" number that is important, and not the precise amount of days.

Of note, the 70 years prophecy of Jeremiah may not have been exactly 70 years. The starting point for Jeremiah's prophesied punishment is not exactly known. Some point to the fall of Nineveh in 612 BC for the starting date, as this is when Babylon began to reign as a world power, and Jeremiah says Judah will serve them for 70 years. But this is 73 years. Some claim the start date was 605 BC when Nebuchadnezzar won the Battle of Carchemish and Israel truly came under Babylon's thumb; but this was only 66 years. The beginning of the first captivity (in which Daniel was a part of) was in 597 BC; only 58 years. And lastly, the 1st destruction of Jerusalem and Solomon's Temple was in 586; only 47 years. The only possible date that matches up with 70 years is the death of King Josiah, in 609 BC; to 539, makes this exactly 70 years. But, Josiah was killed in 609 BC, and Jeremiah’s prophecy of exile and servitude to Babylon was in 605 BC just after the Battle of Carchemish. This could be the date, but not likely.

The point is that 70 was an approximate date, not a precise date. The number 7 and 70 again bear their importance to the reader of scripture. 7 has been the number symbolically linked to God ever since the 7 days of creation (Genesis). In the minds of ancient Near East men, 10 was the number of completeness, standing for the number of fingers on a man's hands. And 7 multiplied by 10…equaling 70 was seen as the number of perfection. Zechariah 1:12 intimates that 70 is "the fixed term of divine wrath". 7 is the number of the Sabbath, 49 (7×7) is the number of the Jubilee, and 70 ×7 (490) is the symbolic number of the ultimate Jubilee.

Where modern readers see a precise number, and expect the dates to line up precisely, the readers of Daniel's time would see the symbolic and covenantal significance of the number 70×7. Seventy sevens is perhaps the symbol of divine work brought to perfection.

This prophecy speaks of the anointed one to come, Jesus shows up and is anointed by the Holy Spirit at his baptism, and then he quotes Isaiah 61, speaking of being anointed, in language reminiscent of the Jubilee. 490 is the Jubilee (49 years) multiplied by 10 (the number of completeness), all of this is symbolically significant. As one commentator writes: "When Jesus declares that in himself the jubilee of God has come he is saying, in effect, that the seventy weeks of Daniel have reached their climax. The new age of jubilee, of which all previous jubilees were prefigurements, has now dawned on the person and ministry of Jesus. THE GOAL OF THE SEVENTY-WEEKS PROPHECY IS THE CONSUMMATE JUBILARY SALVATION OF GOD!"

The number 70 + 7 is a theological symbol meant to evoke emotion, and identity with the covenant of God. To the Jewish reader, reared under the Mosaic covenant, this would have been successful.





9:25c unto the Messiah the Prince

This speaks to the coming of the Messiah, as tied to the decree to rebuild Jerusalem by the time signature.

What we do know is that the Jews were expecting their Messiah around the time that Jesus was born. This is important because it means the Jews of that day understood this prophecy, and believed it to be true. The Bible references a group known as the Herodians. These were those who followed Herod, believed He was the Messiah, and wanted Him to be King of Judea, out from under the yoke of Rome. His rule preceded Jesus but by 34 years. They followed Herod and his sons in error because they were familiar with the timing of the Messiah from Daniel’s passage.

Add to this people like Anna and Simeon (Luke 2:26), who did the math, and understood it was time for the birth of the Messiah. This computation was 490 years from Daniel’s prophetic trigger, subtracting 7 years (the last week, as the Messiah comes at the beginning of the last week), and subtracting an additional 30 years. The additional 30 years comes from the well known fact that Jewish males would not start their ministry office until they were 30 years of age; therefore the birth of the Messiah should be 30 years before 483 years.

-Specifically, the English word here "Messiah" is translated from the Hebrew word ""מָשִׁיחַ" [mâshı̂yach] maw-shee'-akh, which was a consecrated king, priest, or prophet. This Hebrew word occurs 39 times in the Old Testament.

This English word “Messiah” is only translated from the Hebrew word mâshı̂yach 2 times in the complete Bible. In all other instances it is translated as anointed. IT literally means "anointed one". The word "Messiah" has come down to us in the Greek equivalent "Christ" or “Christos”, and is now virtually synonymous with Jesus. But at the time this prophecy was given, "anointed" could have referred to any above office "prophet, priest, or King. Jesus combines them all in his person

What we need to grasp is how the Jews understood the coming Messiah at the time of the authorship of Daniel. The prophecies of a Messiah were bits and pieces from different books of the Old Testament, at different times, that gave an incomplete picture of what the "anointed" one would be. The 1st piece of information on the Messiah is found in Genesis 3:5 referring to the seed of the woman bruising the head of the serpent that deceived her (Satan). Daniel's book adds many pieces of information to get that incomplete picture. Theologians call this "progressive revelation."

Part of the confusion comes from this incomplete picture that the Jews had, and in place of a clear view most Jews filled in the details themselves. The English word "prince" in this verse, can easily be translated as "commander", or "leader". Therefore, when Jesus arrived, the Jews were awaiting a temporal king and leader that would overthrow all the empires of the earth. This was evident in all the apocalyptic literature that existed in Judea in the century before Jesus's ministry.

The 1st century saw a degree of Messianic emotionalism never seen before or after. The Jews were not expecting a Messiah to come that claimed divinity, and Godhood. This is why Caiaphas reacted so emotionally in Matthew 26:65 when Jesus equated himself with "Son of Man" from Daniel 7:13, and "coming in the clouds of heaven", which was prophetic symbolic language that only applied to God coming in judgment. In short, the Jews view of the Messiah from Daniel’s time through the time of Christ was very different from how he is viewed today.

-With that being said, does the New Testament identify Jesus as a prince? Indeed it does. On 4 passages Jesus is clearly listed as a prince:
-Acts 3:15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses
-Acts 5:30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.
-Acts 5:31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
-Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.

"Messiah the Prince" is the term to denote and distinguish between Jesus and the Prince from the next verse.


-9:25d shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks:

The 70 weeks are now divided into 3 periods of time; 7 weeks (49 years), 62 weeks (434 years), and 1 week of time (7 years) is left at the end.

The 1st block of time, 7 weeks or 49 years, pertained to the rebuilding of Jerusalem, the wall around it, and the Temple. The 2nd block of time, 62 weeks or 434 years, deals with the time between the Old Testament and the start of the New Testament. This 2nd block of time is the focus of Daniel chapter 11. The last block of time, 1 week or 7 years, is the focus of the 4 Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.



9:25e the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

The word "street" here implies, according to Hebrew scholars, a wide street, and probably a market place, forum, or plaza. Many believe this was a reference to the massive courtyard that surrounded the Temple complex.

The phrase "the wall" here is debatable to most commentators. It refers to 1 of 3 possible choices. First, it speaks of rebuilding the protective wall around Jerusalem and the temple. The second opinion in the translation of this word claims that it should be a ditch, or moat, and this shows up in more modern translations. The third possible translation is to the fount, or pool that had to do with baptismal cleansing rites of Purification, as required by Leviticus, which people needed to undergo before entering Jerusalem if they were unclean.

The last phrase "built in troublous times" sheds light on the fact that the construction of the temple and walls would be a tenuous event. Indeed history showed that many built the wall with a trowel in one hand to spread mortar for the bricks, and a weapon in the other hand. In fact, it could be said the entire history of post-exile Jerusalem until Rome wiped it off the map in 70 AD was a troublesome times.






****


The natural reading of the text demands that the six goals of verse 24 be finished during the remaining time after the 62 week period is through, as it is the only time remaining, and the six points from verse 24 were not accomplished in the 7 and 62 weeks spoken of in this verse, 25.

 

[Starkherz199]

Part 9 Daniel 9 and Hebrew poetry.

This information is crucial to grasp before interpreting verses 26-27 of Daniel 9.



In Bible prophecy series part 1, I wrote briefly on the subject of hermeneutics; the science of interpreting the Bible. There are different genres of literature in the Bible. When we are trying to study a passage, understanding the genre gives us guidance to find its true meaning. Prophecy as a genre contains massive amounts of another genre: poetry. One major element of Old Testament Prophecy is figure-of-speech. Oftentimes figure-of-speech is used to evoke an emotional response.

Some Prophecy contains Hebrew parallelism, and liberal amounts of figure-of-speech. Daniel 9 is unique in that it uses Hebrew parallelism, but keeps figure of speech to a minimum.

Daniel's 9th chapter is essentially a large piece of prophetic poetry. As a reminder, Daniel painstakingly crafted this chapter in the same way Mozart wrote a symphony; with great thought and care. His prayer in verse 4-19 is Hebrew Chiastic parallelism. Verse 24 is a poetic chiastic parallelism self contained in 1 verse. Verse 25-27 is also a type of Hebrew parallelism known as antithetical, or contrasting, parallelism.

Instead of the ABCCBA type structure as was displayed in the 2 Chiastic sections, verse 25-27 takes an A1,B1,A2,B2 format. The "A1" section of verse 25-26 is related to the "A2" section of verse 27. The "B1" section of 26 is related to the "B2" section of 27. However the "A1" section of 25-26 contrasts with the "B1" section of verse 26. And, the "A2" section of verse 27 contrasts the "B2" section of verse 27. This contrast is an attempt to evoke an emotional or introspective response.

Other scripture examples of this form of Hebrew poetry are:
Ecclesiastes 10:2 The heart of the wise is at his right hand, And the heart of a fool at his left
Proverbs 19:16 Whoso is keeping the command is keeping his soul, Whoso is despising His ways dieth
Psalms 34:10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.
Psalms 1:6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Proverbs 10 is basically one who chapter of repeating antithetical parallelism.


Dispensational interpretation of verse 26-27 tries to interpret it as chronological prose, or an ABCD format. This is incorrect, and will cause faulty interpretation

Here is the format

A-1 Daniel 9:25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. Dan 9:26a And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself:

B-1 Daniel 9:26b and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.



A-2 Dan 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,

B-2 and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.


Here's a link with brief information on Hebrew Parallelism.

Parallelism in Hebrew Writing

The book Grasping God's Word has more detailed Information on this.

 

[tanstaafl72555]

Thanks for this. I plan to read later today. I am thanking you in advance because your prior stuff has deserved acknowledgement and I have no reason to anticipate anything different here.

 

[Starkherz199]

Part 10: Daniel 9:26

Daniel 9:26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined
Daniel 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.


-The verses will be examined as follows:

Daniel 9:26a And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself:

Daniel 9:26b and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined

Daniel 9:27a And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,

Daniel 9:27b. and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.


According to the information in the previous post, verse 26 and 27 are part of contrasting [antithetical] Hebrew parallelism. To evoke an emotional and/or introspective reaction, the first part of both verses [26a and 27a] will contrast with the second [26b and 27b]. And, verse 26a will relate to verse 27a. Conversely the last part of each verse [26b and 27b] will relate to one another. Therefore the exegesis of both verses is closely related.

__________

***Daniel 9:26a

And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself:

-"threescore and two weeks" this phrase identifies that the events of this verse happen after the 62 week period, which happens after the first 7 week period. One week, or 7 years, is all the time remaining in Daniel's prophecy. The exact time of the last 7 years is unspecified. Traditionally, most commentators place this time break at 3 ½ years, but the exact date is nit specified.

-"Messiah"" " משׁיח" [mâshı̂yach] in the Hebrew means "anointed", or "Anointed One". This Hebrew word is found in 39 places in the Old Testament. In many Bible versions, in all occurrences this word is translated as "anointed" or " anointed one". Still, in many other versions, this word is translated as "anointed" in all 37 occasions, but in the 2 occasions found in Daniel chapter 9, it is rendered "Messiah". There are multiple people in the Old Testament who are anointed for certain things; all of Israel’s kings and priests were set aside and anointed. There is, however, only one Messiah, and this is clearly a Messianic prophecy.

-The Messianic prophecies had been building since the protevangelium of Genesis 3:15. This prophecy differed from the rest in that it gave a time when the Messiah appeared.

-The reading of this verse anticipates the Messiah to appear at the beginning of the last week.

***The beginning of verse 26 refers to the Messiah, therefore we need to start when the Messiah was presented as the Messiah. The starting point of Jesus’s ministry was when he was anointed at his baptism by John The Baptist as found in Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11, John 1:33, and Luke 3:21-22, and upheld by Peter in Acts 10:38.
Jesus declared himself to be anointed in Luke 4:16-21, and in John 4:25,26. The account of his Baptism, and the voice from heaven identified Jesus with the Messiah spoken of in Psalm 2:7.
Therefore the end of the 69th week (483 years), and the start of the 70th week is the Baptism of Jesus which is either 27 or 30 AD.

***Therefore, item number 6 from verse 24 (anoint the most holy) is fulfilled at the beginning of the 70th week.

Add this to the account of John:
Luke 3:1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, Luke 3:2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. Luke 3:3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins

- It was customary to begin historical narratives by dating them according to the years of rulers and officials, both in Greco-Roman and Old Testament historiography, and often in introducing prophetic oracles or books. Luke thus shows that John began preaching somewhere between September of A.D. 27 and October of A.D. 28 (or, less likely, the following year). Tiberius reigned from A.D. 14 to 37; Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great (see comment on Joh 1:5), was tetrarch (governor) of Galilee from 4 B.C. to A.D. 39; Pontius Pilate was in office from A.D. 26 to 36.


***It appears at this juncture, that 27-28 AD is the start of Jesus's ministry, and therefore the beginning of the 70th week.


***be cut off

__This is from the Hebrew word כּרת" [kârath], this is a very interesting word choice, and points to the contrasting parallel construction of verse 26 & 27. "To cut off" is translated correctly, but it is the association with the word "karath" that is purposeful. "Karath" means to cut off, cut down, cut a covenant, cut off–destroy, The Ancient Hebrew Lexicon says: "A cutting off or down of anything. Often used as a cutting of the covenant in the sense that the sacrificial animal is cut in half." It is a violent undertaking.

-This word is linked to how a covenant is made in the ancient Near East. The phrase "make a covenant" is an English phrase, and has no relation to the Old Testament. The Hebrew and ancient Near East phrase would be "to cut a covenant" ( kārat berît). This is part of a custom that pervaded Asia Minor and surrounding area for thousands of years. In our day a contract becomes legally binding when the parties sign a document or some kind of paperwork, stipulating the terms of the agreement. In the NearEast, ancient covenants became binding, or sealed, by killing and cutting an animal into. Then the parties involved would pass between the dead divided animals, sealing the covenant.

The type of covenant would govern how the 2 parties interacted during this ritual. For a joint peace treaty, or two party covenant" the 2 parties would walk between the divided animal parts together, or they would meet in the middle, signifying that the 2 were 1. In a Suzerain vassal treaty, as discussed In Part 2 of the Daniel study, the Vassal would divide the animals and then pass through between the parts while the Suzerain watched. And the vassals had to follow a long list of stipulations/rules, while the Suzerain's list was short.

These ancient covenant rituals are where we get out English ideas to "seal the deal" “cut a deal”, and “strike a bargain”.

The symbolism behind walking between the divided animals was linked to the "cursings" part of the treaty. It symbolically said " this is what will happen to you if you disobey this treaty!" There was one historical example of a Persian Suzerain who took an opposing commander, split his body in half, and then made all his men walk between the body parts, and was allowed to leave; symbolizing what would happen to them if they disobeyed.


The best Biblical example would be found in Genesis 15. In this passage we read how God instituted His covenant with Abram and his people. God told Abraham to separate out 5 animals: a heifer, a she-goat, a ram [all these 3 years of age], a turtledove, and a pigeon. Then Abram cut them in half and laid the halves apart from one another…more or less in a line; except for the birds. God caused Abram to be in a deep sleep, and when it was dark, the presence of God in the form of a burning lamp and a furnace passed between the 2 lines of cut and divided animal halves.
Notice that this covenant closely modeled the Suzerain/Vassal covenant, except one thing was different: Abram did not pass between the animals, God did. God was in essence swearing on Himself that he would fulfill this covenant, or his own "body" would be torn asunder. This signified the covenant. God took on the part of the one in the covenant that had to carry out the stipulations.


God cut a covenant with Abram, and later in Genesis chapter 17, God institutes circumcision as the seal of the covenant with Abraham and his people. The seal of the covenant with God involved the cutting and shedding of blood. This was a type of foreshadowing of Jesus; he was cut off when he was crucified. This was an echo of Hebrews 9:22 "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission".

--The early Church fathers meant this phrase “be cut off” to be a violent cutting down…or death.
He was cut off by violence; by a judicial decree: by a mob; in the midst of his way, etc. If it should be admitted that the angel meant to describe the manner of his death, he could not have found a single word that would have better expressed it. In effect, it is a death penalty.

-The same language that is used to describe cutting a covenant with God, is the same language that is used to express what would happen to the Messiah in the midst of the last week of the prophecy.
The central event of this prophecy was the cutting off of the Messiah, and that was on the cross. This “cutting off” is the event that fulfilled the Old Covenant (Jesus was perfect, having perfectly followed the Old Covenant), it is how 5 of the six items in verse 24 are finally fulfilled, and it is the event that inaugurates the New Covenant. In cutting off the Messiah, a new Covenant was cut.
The language points to, and history shows that Christ is here made to be a sacrifice.
New Testament scripture bears this out:
Matthew 26:26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” Mat 26:27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, Mat 26:28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Mat 26:29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.”

This cutting off action by God, was God fulfilling the stipulations part of the New Covenant. Like with Abraham, He did all the work.


-but not for himself:

The Hebrew language for this phrase identifies that the Messiah was to be cut off, and have nothing. He was to have no people, no earthly throne, no place on earth. It would convey the meaning of dying without posterity, without a generation; with none to perpetuate his name.
Isaiah predicted this: He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken {Isaiah 53:8}.

-The Jewish people had expectations for the coming Messiah. He was to come as a conquering King, and set up a temporal rule. He would vanquish, physically, all who oppose the Jews. This expectation was cherished and fervently expected. All of that came to nothing with the violent death of the Messiah. The Messianic dreams of the people would seemingly come to naught. But these were only the expectations of the people that were thwarted. The real object of his coming was not to set up a worldly kingdom that would be temporary, but to set up an eternal kingdom. And the cutting off that seemed to destroy the hope of the Jews was actually the very thing that would set them free.
-One glaring omission not found in this portion of the text; who is responsible for the cutting off of the Messiah.

All this is violently contrasted with the 2nd part of verse 26.


Daniel 9:26b–
and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.


"and the people"
-the Hebrew word עם [AM], for "people" points to a large number of people such as a tribe, a race in general, kinsmen, nation, or army.


"Of the prince"
-"Prince here in verse 26 is the same Hebrew word used in 25; therefore the same definition applies; from Browns-Driver-Griggs, it is a leader, captain, prince, ruler, and commander.

-The word turned out to be a perfect description. This "prince" was Roman general Titus. During the Judean campaign, that lasted from 67 AD through the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD and Masada in 73 AD, Titus accompanied his famous father General Vespasian to deal decisively with the rebellion in Judea. Vespasian began in Galilee, and conquered the major cities and strongholds on the way to Judea, hoping to push the rebels into Jerusalem, and finish them all off there. As the campaign was headed in the direction of Jerusalem, Emperor Nero died, chaos ensued as the year of 4 emperor's erupted, which ultimately led to Vespasian leaving Judea and becoming Emperor of Rome. Titus, as a general in his own right, was left to finish Jerusalem. As his father was now Emperor, Titus was a Prince himself ( later to be Emperor) and commander of Rome's legions. And as a pagan temporal leader, Titus demonstrated.


"that shall come"

-The people of verse 26b, and the commander/prince of verse 26b are contemporaries. The people belong to the commander/prince; they are his to lead.
-The people and the Prince will come after the Messiah, but at an indeterminate time. It is clear that the Messiah comes in the last week, but not so for the prince of verse 26b.

All we know about the time frame for these people and their prince coming is that it is after the 62 week period.
-The people of God–Israel are the direct contrast to the people of the coming prince–the Roman Legionnaires and their auxiliaries. The people of God are Israel(Jews), and the people of the commander/prince are gentiles.

-"shall destroy the city and the sanctuary"
-This undoubtedly is the holy city Jerusalem and the Temple of God.
-As with the people of the commander/prince that will come in 26b, the time that the city of Jerusalem and the Temple would be destroyed are not fixed and listed; all we know is that it will be in the future after the 62 week period, and after the Messiah is cut off.
-Many theologians insist that the language for the destruction of the city and sanctuary are an addendum to the 6 points of prophecy in verse 24, and not the focus of the prophecy at all.

[NOTE, the term "Theologian" usually is in reference to people who have divinity degrees with a similar Masters or Doctorate level degree, and can speak and write in Hebrew and Greek. I don't yet have a M-div ir doctorate, and have only taken a little bit of Greek in school.
I am just a commentator who collates information that Theologians produce. I stress that…the information I include in these studies is not my creation, or is original to me. I am not intellectually equipped to produce this type of high quality information. I am equipped to research and assemble puzzle pieces of history and Biblical truths in a way that might be somewhat digestible, and thats about all.]

-Many have said that it is plainly implied that this coming commander/prince destroys Jerusalem and the Temple because the Messiah is cut off, and it is implied that it would be some time relatively soon after He is executed. Although we know through the lens of the New Testament that this is actually true, I don’t believe the prophecy here has enough information to imply the former statement; only the latter statement. I could see how Jews could have read this and not understood it completely.

-This would be the Temple Herod began building, which took 90 years to complete, and was only finished a handful of years before it was destroyed. The people of the prince–the Roman armies, and Titus besieged the city from April 70 AD till September AD and destroyed the city and the Temple. In fact, the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed on the anniversary of the destruction of Soloman’s Temple by Necuchadnezzar. If you look into the history of the Jewish people during this time period, especially in the Wars of the Jews by Josephus, you understand completely that although there were about 40 years between the crucifixion of Jesus and the destruction of Jerusalem, the events that led to the Jewish rebellion began close to the time of the Messiah being cut off. It simply took 40 years of history to work itself out. But, Jesus predicted this destruction within the space of a generation (40 years), and that came true spectacularly.
- Still yet, many commentators opine and wonder why the destruction didn't occur immediately after Jesus was murdered. One bit of speculation pops up, and seems plausible. Jesus said in
Luke 23:34 "Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." The speculation believes that this pleading of Jesus bought the unbelieving Jews 40 more years to repent. But this essential is just speculation.


and the end thereof shall be with a flood,
-”and the end thereof” refers to the city and the sanctuary. The commander/prince and his people will overspread the city and Temple, with irresistible force and devastate it like the waters of a flood. It would be like a sudden inundation, carrying everything before it, almost in the same way a Tsunami wipes away everything in its path.

-Reading the destruction of Jerusalem history by Josephus (an eye-witness), the day the temple was destroyed is exactly described as if a flood of soldiers swept into the Temple complex and destroyed and killed everything in their path. When the war was over in September, and the soldiers began to rip up the foundation blocks of the Temple and Jerusalem wall, it did appear as if the floodwaters of a tsunami wiped the city from the face of the earth.


and unto the end of the war desolations are determined
-The key word in this phrase is “determined”; which in the Hebrew means decreed or determined. The key idea is that God decreed the city and sanctuary to be destroyed again, as a result of the Jews filling up the transgressions of sin (verse 24). The final transgression that filled up the cup of their sin was the execution of the Messiah.
-God determines the city and the Temple were to be desolated, when it would happen, and who would carry it out. God ultimately sends the Roman armies to do the job.

-The word “war” proves that this commander/prince that would come with his people are foreign to Jerusalem and Judea. You fight wars with foreign countries.

-The word “desolations” implies that the destruction would be remarkable in character. This would be reminiscent of how Nebbudchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC; something that would still be in the memory of Daniel.



Bottom Line: this verse contrasts the work of the Messiah with the work of the coming commander/prince.


The Contrast of Messiah the Prince and the prince to come
-As stated previously in Part 9 of this study, 26a contrasts with 26b
-there is a stark disparity between the Messiah the Prince and the commander/Prince to come.
-The Messiah the Prince was promised to save Israel.
The Commander/Prince to come would destroy it.
-The Messiah the Prince would come after the 62 weeks in the midst of the last week of time.
The commander/Prince to come would come after the 62 weeks, but at an indefinite period of time.
-The Messiah was the epitome of righteousness.
The Commander/prince to come is a pagan who does not worship the most high God.
-The Messiah the Prince was a Jew from the line of Judah, and direct descendent of King David.
The Commander/prince to come is a foreign gentile.
-The Messiah the Prince is a man of peace.
The Commander/prince to come is a man of war.
-The Messiah the Prince raise up his holy Temple (his body on the 3rd day)
The Commander/prince to come destroyed the holy Temple.
-The Messiah the Prince came to set people free.
The Commander/prince to come enslaved 97,000 Jews.
-The Messiah the Prince came to forgive sins and give new life to believers.
The Commander/prince to come came and killed 1.1 million Jews.

This contrast is reminiscent of the Blessings/Cursings part of the 5 point covenant. This contrast carries on to verse 27.

 

[Starkherz199]

Part 11 Daniel 9:27 Part 1


Dan 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate


***

This verse will be separated into the following parts:


Part 1

Dan 9:27a And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,


Part 2

Dan 9:27b and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate



***Verse 27 is where the controversy over Daniel’s 70 weeks presents itself en masse. If all you have ever been exposed to, in your church experience, has been Dispensationalism [The "Left Behind" book and movie type end times teaching] then the exegesis for this verse will be completely new to you. Dispensational teaching is the newest of all eschatological ideas. This exegesis will present the more traditional Church Messianic teaching of this verse. Even if you choose to disagree with the older interpretation, I encourage you to research your own view and see why there are disagreements.


Dispensational teaching believes that 26a, 26b, 27a, and 27b are to be interpreted chronologically; meaning they are events that happened one after the other. This would mean that 26a comes first, 26b comes 2nd, 27a comes third, and 27b comes fourth.

However, that is at odds with the language and the poetry woven into the 2 verses. Verse 26a and 27a are parallel. Verse 26b and 27b are also parallel, and come after 26a And 27a.


-Because of this difference in Dispensational thought, the identity of the person in 27a (the indefinite pronoun "he") is diametrically opposed to the exegesis in traditional Church interpretation. I will deal with the traditional Church exegesis here in this post, and deal with the difference in Dispensational interpretation in the next post.


-Also note, these interpretations are inherently messianic. There are other theologians In the past who believe the 70 weeks belong to the Jews of the inter-testament period, and the "coming prince" of verse 26, and 27 is Antiochus Epiphanes. I fervently disagree with them, but have no interest in discussing why in this study.

Part 1

Dan 9:27a And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,


*** And he

-Because the verse 26 and 27 are Hebrew Antithetical-Parallel poetry, Verse 27a will contrast with 27b, and 27a will compliment 26a as they are parallel. The subject of 26a was Messiah the Prince, and the "he" of 27a is the same person.


-shall confirm the covenant with many for one week

-"confirm" here is the Hebrew word "gâbar" which means: to prevail, have strength, be strong, be powerful, be mighty, be great, to confirm in strength. The Messiah shall make strong the covenant…or confirm it by putting it in effect. So this covenant was not new as it had already been spoken of in the past (Jeremiah 31:31), but His action empowers it. Albert Barnes put it this way: "The idea is that of giving strength, or stability; of making firm and sure."


-Under the Old Covenant, the Hebrews were to be God's special people. Time and time again they rebelled, but God always left a hope of redemption.

-Jesus in His ministry put the covenant into full force; as He said in Matthew 5:17–20, He came to fill up fully the meaning of the “law” until the passing away of heaven and earth with the coming of the New Covenant. Thus, Jesus causes the covenant to be mighty, with the many, the Jews, by preaching to them, healing them and cleansing them, thereby fitting them for service, etc.


-We read in Jeremiah 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Jer 31:32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:
Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Jer 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

-This is the New covenant that God prophesied through Jeremiah. This was the great purpose that the Messiah would come into this world. [Hebrews 8:6-13, 10:1-18]. This is the covenant that the Messiah came to make mighty.


-On the cross, the Old Covenant collided with the New.

-Under the Mosaic covenant, perfect obedience made one righteous. Jesus is the only person to have perfectly obeyed the law in all of its stipulations. Therefore he was righteous, without sin, and could be the one and only sacrifice that was our substitutionary atonement for sins. In fulfilling every jot and tittle of the Old Covenant, he brought forth the New Covenant and made it strong. On the cross the Messianic prophecies collided with the Covenant of God, bringing forth (figuratively) a new heavens and a new earth.


***Interestingly, this is the only time in the Bible that a covenant is said to be mighty.


-"with many"

- Matthew 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

-In this one passage we find four things which agree with this prophecy. 1st, "the One" (Messiah) was to confirm the covenant; 2nd, the covenant itself; 3rd, that which confirms the covenant, the blood of Christ; 4th, those (many) who received the benefits of the covenant.


-The word "many" is prominent in other prophecies and scripture.

*Isaiah 53:11 "by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many."

*Luke 2:34 this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel

*Matthew 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

*Luke 1:16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.


-One important part to not overlook is that the Messiah does not save "all" the Jews, but only "many". Not all of Israel entered into the New Covenant salvation. Only those Jews that believed in Jesus. This is prophesied by Moses (Deuteronomy 18:19), and quoted by the Apostles (Acts 3:23, Hebrews 10:39, John 3:18-20). The unbelieving Jews were as Paul described in Romans 11, branches that were broken off the tree of life. As with the Israelites in the wilderness, to be God's chosen people, you must abide in faith (Galatians 3:26).


-for one week

-The preposition "for" is not in the Hebrew text. It is a word the translators added, which is often done to help English sentence structure. This phrase doesn't pertain to the duration, but to the time it was confirmed; it was confirmed the last week of the prophecy. The covenant is confirmed in the last week, not before the beginning of the last week.



***and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease

-"in the midst of the week" is in the middle of the last remaining 7 years. An exact time is not given, but from the Gospels, especially John's Gospel, it is apparent that Jesus celebrated 3 Passover Sabbaths during his ministry. That puts his crucifixion in the spring of either 30 AD, or 33 AD (I believe the early date).


-"he shall cause" is again parallel to 26a, so the subject is Messiah the Prince. Jesus is the cause for the next phrase: cessation of the sacrifice and oblation.


*"the sacrifice and the oblation to cease"

-To understand this phrase, you again need a healthy knowledge of the entire Levitical sacrificial system. And you need to be aware of the difference between purification offerings, sacrifices, and Tributes oblations.


-Sacrifices and offerings in the Old Testament symbolized giving thanks to God and were intended to mend the relationship between people and God. This experience of sacrifice and offering gets fully realized in the New Testament, through the Crucifixion of Jesus.

-Oblation is “an offering of ourselves, our lives and labors, in union with Christ, for the purposes of God

-There are five main types of sacrifices, or offerings, in the Old Testament.Three are voluntary [The burnt offering (Leviticus 1; 6:8–13; 8:18-21; 16:24), the grain offering (Leviticus 2; 6:14–23), the peace offering (Leviticus 3; 7:11–34)], and two are mandatory [the sin/purification offering (Leviticus 4; 5:1–13; 6:24–30; 8:14–17; 16:3–22), and the trespass/guilt/reparations offering (Leviticus 5:14–19; 6:1–7; 7:1–6)].

-In this phrase, the "sacrifices" refer to the mandatory sacrifices (sin and Trespass-offerings), and the "oblations" refer to the voluntary offerings (burnt, grain, and Peace-offering).

-Animal sacrifice from the Old Covenant could never take away sin permanently; they were designed to be a memorial offered up to YHWH. This memorial said that they (Israelites) deserved to die for their sins (disobeying the stipulations of the covenant), but they believed in Him and were grateful for his provision of a method to substitute death to the sacrificed animals in their place (Hebrews 10:1-4). Jesus’s sacrifice actually did expiate sin, and was a propitiation that satisfied the wrath of God permanently (Hebrews 9:11-14). Jesus’s sacrifice differed from animal sacrifice in that it was once and for all times complete (Hebrews 10:10-18). Once the Messiah died, and completed item #4 of Daniel 9:24 (cover for iniquities/liabilities), there was no longer any need to continue to bring animals for sacrifice. The legal cessation of the need for animal sacrifice was item #2 (put an end to sins, or sin offerings..a.k.a. seal Purifications).

-In the framework of the 5 point covenant model, point #3 [Stipulations] changed as a result of what the Messiah did.


***To be clear, part of the work on the cross covered sins permanently, and legally ended the sacrifice of animals for purification. That is covered under Daniel 9:24. In this verse, "sacrifice and oblations" are covered separately. Jesus’s atonement ended the sacrifice and tribute offerings. The phrase here is not about ending the Old work of covering sin; it was about ending the Old system of tribute and fellowship with God.


***Jamee B. Jordan explains:
-"The word “sacrifice” means specifically the Peace-offering, described in Leviticus 3. It is never used for any of the other rituals in which animals were brought near to God. Similarly, the word “tribute” [oblation] means the Tribute-offering of Leviticus 2."

-"Now the fact is that Peace-offerings and Tributes did not stop with the cross. God accepted worship through animals for the time being until Jesus came, after which all worship has to be offered in union with Him and thus through Him."

-"If the meaning of Daniel 9:27 was that Jesus’ death was the last sacrifice for sin, then it would say that he put a stop to Purifications (“sin offerings”) and Trespass-offerings. What are mentioned, however, are Peace-offerings and Tributes, both of which have worship rather than covering for sin as their primary focus. The Purifications and Trespass-offerings focus on the death of the animal and the display of its blood. The Sacrifices of Peace and Tributes focus on the ascent of the believer to God with tribute, and our reception by Him at His table for a meal with Him. Putting a stop to these two sacrifices in particular means that God would no longer accept tribute offered through grain built upon animal rites and would no longer fellowship at a meal built upon an animal’s death.

Now tribute has to be brought to God in union with Christ, who brings us as His tribute. Now the fellowship meal, the bread-and-wine memorial Tribute which is now also the Peace-offering, consists of the body and blood of Jesus Christ, based on His finished sacrifice. The focus is on these two fellowship-oriented rites because the theme of this passage, and of so much of Daniel, is God’s desolation and judgment of His house."

-"Sacrificial (communion meal) fellowship between God and the Jews was definitively cut off at the cross. From that time on, there would be no fellowship with God through animals; only through the man Christ Jesus. Thus, any Jew continuing to seek fellowship with God through animals was engaged in futility. When the veil of the Temple was rent the Temple was desolated, but in a sense it was restored for a short while. This we gather from the fact that Paul and the other Christians did offer animals there, though only as memorials pointing back to Jesus’ finished work, not as ways of finding fellowship with God, which was through the Lord’s Supper. Another desolation, the final one, would come in ad 64, when throughout the Oikumene and in the Land a great attack was mounted against God’s holy people (His true Temple)." [NOTE Jordan here is talking about the persecution of the Church began by Nero against the Temple of God–the Christian people].


***In short, fellowship with God through the Levitical system was done away with by the Messiah, and replaced with fellowship with God through Jesus (Hebrews 8:13). No more will priests stand between us and God. The rending of the view in the Temple signified that There is no more a separation between God and man (Hebrews 10:19-23).


****Summation

*In the midst of the 70th week, the Messiah’s execution empowers the New Covenant, and abrogates fellowship with God through sacrifice and tribute offerings

 

[xtp308]

Part 5
Daniel 9 covenant prayer

Background

Daniel 9 starts with a introduction that includes location, time, and a recognition of when this took place with respect to the identification of the ruling king.

-The introduction begins in verses 1-3.

-Verses 4-19 include the covenant prayer of Daniel.

-Gabriel's interlude because of the prayer of Daniel occurs in verses 20-23.

-The 70 weeks prophecy runs from verse 24-27


What are the Main Points of David’s Prayer?
1. God, here’s how you’ve moved in the past
2. God, here’s how I (or we) have messed up
3. God, you warned me about the consequences of our sin
4. God, as I’m experiencing these consequences, I call upon your mercy

A key part of Daniel’s prayer is confession.


Daniel's Prayer for His People

Daniel 9:1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans;
Dan 9:2 In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.


Historical Context

The 9th chapter occurs during the first year of the reign of Median King Darius, just after the fall of Babylon, and is one of the four chapters of Daniel that is written entirely in Hebrew as opposed to Aramaic. It begins with Daniel in study of Jeremiah’s prophecy of the desolations of Jerusalem and the 70 years captivity of the Jews as prophesied in Jeremiah 25:1-14, and of Jeremiah’s letter to the exiles as recorded in Jeremiah 29. He knew through study that the time of the 70 years of captivity was nearlyfinished. Also, Daniel would well know the prophecy of Isaiah 44:28 that named Cyrus as the person that would decree that the ruins of Jerusalem would be rebuilt.

The historicity of Darius, King of the Medes is highly debated. Since we are focusing only on Daniel’s 70 “weeks”, to aid in understanding I will add the competing theories held by some scholars that Darius was either the uncle of Cyrus from his mother’s side, and was a Satrap King appointed by Cyrus to rule over Babylon, or Darius and Cyrus were one in the same; Cyrus’s mother was a Mede, and Darius could have been a title and not a name. This explains why Daniel would be so distressed; Jeremiah’s prophesied 70 years were about up, and the new King was named Cyrus, just as Isaiah identified. Either way, Darius was a historical person



Daniel 9:3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:

○○○Daniel then humbles himself in fervent prayer of repentance for Israel and Jerusalem. The content of the prayer is often overlooked, as the 70 “weeks” portion of the chapter is almost always the focus of study. It is patterned after Leviticus chapter 26, and the covenant between God and Israel is what gives this prayer structure. Daniel cries out to YHWH [Jehovah/Yahweh/Yahovah], the covenant name of God (the only chapter that YHWH occurs in the book of Daniel), and identifies God as “keeping the covenant”. Daniel identifies Israel as breaking the covenant and praises God for fulfilling it by punishing their disobedience with exile, as outlined in Leviticus chapter 26:14-39. Then Daniel pleads to God to fulfill Leviticus 26:42-46 for restoration and to renew the covenant. While still praying, Gabriel comes to Daniel, and gives him the prophecy of the 70 “weeks”, which points to the coming Messiah, the confirmation of the Mosaic covenant, and the fate of Jerusalem

The focus of Daniel's angst is for the people of Israel, and their holy city. What Gabriel informs Daniel of, is that their hope is found in the coming Messiah, not in Jerusalem. Furthermore, the Messiah will be their focal point of worship, not a holy Temple.

-Daniel’s confession is a corporate confession on the behalf of his people. At this point in history Daniel held high positions within the Babylonian and Persian government. He would be the highest ranking Jew at the time of this prophecy; especially considering the absence of the priesthood. Therefore Daniel is Israel's representative before God on this occasion.

-This prayer amounts to a Purification offering. The covenant name of God YHWH occurs 7 times in the Hebrew text. The proper word for God, or Master, "Adonai" occurs 10 times. The word for God "El" and "Elohim" occur 14 times. God is named a total of 32 times. All of these numbers are significant.

God is identified in this prayer as faithful, righteous, and merciful. Israel is guilty of sin, and deserves punishment. The central part of the prayer, verse 11-14, Is God’s act of inspection and judgment. This is an allusion to the ritual found in Numbers 5: 18-24.



*Daniel's covenant prayer to God, found in verse 4-19 is an intricately constructed Jewish Chiasm that begins and ends with God's loving kindness, and has death and resurrection as its center point. This structure is foreign to our western minds, but it is a very important aspect of Jewish creativity. The same craftsmanship that went into the writing of this prayer, is the same type of care and detail that Beethoven put into the making of his 9th symphony.

A chiasm is a literary technique that writers use, where an idea or set of ideas are presented, and then the order of thought is reversed. A simple chiasm would be "When the going gets tough, the tough get going". This Chiasm has an ABBA pattern, and would be structured thusly:

View attachment 635859

Another was uttered by Jesus when he said "The Sabbath was made for Man. Man was not made for the Sabbath." Again, the ABBA pattern emerges:

View attachment 635860


Most often, these Chiasms would have a central stand alone idea that would be stated in the middle of the chiasm, and not be repeated. The pattern would be something akin to ABXBA, or

View attachment 635854

An example is found in Joel 3:17–21. This one has seven parts, diagrammed this way: ABCXCBA. Here is the passage:

Joel 3:17 So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more. [18] And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim. [19] Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land. [20] But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. [21] For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion.


The ideas presented in this prophecy follow this arrangement:

View attachment 635853
Some of these Chiasms are exceptionally long, and are found over several chapters. Some researchers have found hundreds of large and small chiasms all throughout the Bible. One theologian has demonstrated that the entire book of Revelation is one long chiasm.

For more information on Chiasms in the Bible here is a video and a link.





https://www.bible-discernments.com/joshua/whatisachiasm.html

One thing to consider about this Chiasm. The chapter designations that are found in the Bible were not found in scripture until Stephen Langton added them in the 14th century. Also, the verse number designations weren't added into the text until the 16th century with the publication of the Geneva Bible. The Chiasms found in Hebrew often don't align with the verse numbers. Therefore, I am including the Chiasm diagram found in James B Jordan's commentary on Daniel entitled Handwriting on the wall. The English translation is his own.
Here are 2 pics of his diagram

View attachment 635837View attachment 635838

-Does God respond?

Absolutely.

God, the being that creates and moves galaxies with a word, is moved by Daniel's Prayer.

Gabriel's response is immediate.

Daniel 9:20 And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God;
Daniel 9:21 Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.
Daniel 9:22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.
Daniel 9:23 At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.

What follows next is the Titan of all Messianic prophecy.

Thanks for this; seeing it structured like this makes it so much more interesting.

 

[tanstaafl72555]

Part 5
Daniel 9 covenant prayer

Background

Daniel 9 starts with a introduction that includes location, time, and a recognition of when this took place with respect to the identification of the ruling king.

-The introduction begins in verses 1-3.

-Verses 4-19 include the covenant prayer of Daniel.

-Gabriel's interlude because of the prayer of Daniel occurs in verses 20-23.

-The 70 weeks prophecy runs from verse 24-27


What are the Main Points of David’s Prayer?
1. God, here’s how you’ve moved in the past
2. God, here’s how I (or we) have messed up
3. God, you warned me about the consequences of our sin
4. God, as I’m experiencing these consequences, I call upon your mercy

A key part of Daniel’s prayer is confession.


Daniel's Prayer for His People

Daniel 9:1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans;
Dan 9:2 In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.


Historical Context

The 9th chapter occurs during the first year of the reign of Median King Darius, just after the fall of Babylon, and is one of the four chapters of Daniel that is written entirely in Hebrew as opposed to Aramaic. It begins with Daniel in study of Jeremiah’s prophecy of the desolations of Jerusalem and the 70 years captivity of the Jews as prophesied in Jeremiah 25:1-14, and of Jeremiah’s letter to the exiles as recorded in Jeremiah 29. He knew through study that the time of the 70 years of captivity was nearlyfinished. Also, Daniel would well know the prophecy of Isaiah 44:28 that named Cyrus as the person that would decree that the ruins of Jerusalem would be rebuilt.

The historicity of Darius, King of the Medes is highly debated. Since we are focusing only on Daniel’s 70 “weeks”, to aid in understanding I will add the competing theories held by some scholars that Darius was either the uncle of Cyrus from his mother’s side, and was a Satrap King appointed by Cyrus to rule over Babylon, or Darius and Cyrus were one in the same; Cyrus’s mother was a Mede, and Darius could have been a title and not a name. This explains why Daniel would be so distressed; Jeremiah’s prophesied 70 years were about up, and the new King was named Cyrus, just as Isaiah identified. Either way, Darius was a historical person



Daniel 9:3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:

○○○Daniel then humbles himself in fervent prayer of repentance for Israel and Jerusalem. The content of the prayer is often overlooked, as the 70 “weeks” portion of the chapter is almost always the focus of study. It is patterned after Leviticus chapter 26, and the covenant between God and Israel is what gives this prayer structure. Daniel cries out to YHWH [Jehovah/Yahweh/Yahovah], the covenant name of God (the only chapter that YHWH occurs in the book of Daniel), and identifies God as “keeping the covenant”. Daniel identifies Israel as breaking the covenant and praises God for fulfilling it by punishing their disobedience with exile, as outlined in Leviticus chapter 26:14-39. Then Daniel pleads to God to fulfill Leviticus 26:42-46 for restoration and to renew the covenant. While still praying, Gabriel comes to Daniel, and gives him the prophecy of the 70 “weeks”, which points to the coming Messiah, the confirmation of the Mosaic covenant, and the fate of Jerusalem

The focus of Daniel's angst is for the people of Israel, and their holy city. What Gabriel informs Daniel of, is that their hope is found in the coming Messiah, not in Jerusalem. Furthermore, the Messiah will be their focal point of worship, not a holy Temple.

-Daniel’s confession is a corporate confession on the behalf of his people. At this point in history Daniel held high positions within the Babylonian and Persian government. He would be the highest ranking Jew at the time of this prophecy; especially considering the absence of the priesthood. Therefore Daniel is Israel's representative before God on this occasion.

-This prayer amounts to a Purification offering. The covenant name of God YHWH occurs 7 times in the Hebrew text. The proper word for God, or Master, "Adonai" occurs 10 times. The word for God "El" and "Elohim" occur 14 times. God is named a total of 32 times. All of these numbers are significant.

God is identified in this prayer as faithful, righteous, and merciful. Israel is guilty of sin, and deserves punishment. The central part of the prayer, verse 11-14, Is God’s act of inspection and judgment. This is an allusion to the ritual found in Numbers 5: 18-24.



*Daniel's covenant prayer to God, found in verse 4-19 is an intricately constructed Jewish Chiasm that begins and ends with God's loving kindness, and has death and resurrection as its center point. This structure is foreign to our western minds, but it is a very important aspect of Jewish creativity. The same craftsmanship that went into the writing of this prayer, is the same type of care and detail that Beethoven put into the making of his 9th symphony.

A chiasm is a literary technique that writers use, where an idea or set of ideas are presented, and then the order of thought is reversed. A simple chiasm would be "When the going gets tough, the tough get going". This Chiasm has an ABBA pattern, and would be structured thusly:

View attachment 635859

Another was uttered by Jesus when he said "The Sabbath was made for Man. Man was not made for the Sabbath." Again, the ABBA pattern emerges:

View attachment 635860


Most often, these Chiasms would have a central stand alone idea that would be stated in the middle of the chiasm, and not be repeated. The pattern would be something akin to ABXBA, or

View attachment 635854

An example is found in Joel 3:17–21. This one has seven parts, diagrammed this way: ABCXCBA. Here is the passage:

Joel 3:17 So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more. [18] And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim. [19] Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land. [20] But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. [21] For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion.


The ideas presented in this prophecy follow this arrangement:

View attachment 635853
Some of these Chiasms are exceptionally long, and are found over several chapters. Some researchers have found hundreds of large and small chiasms all throughout the Bible. One theologian has demonstrated that the entire book of Revelation is one long chiasm.

For more information on Chiasms in the Bible here is a video and a link.





https://www.bible-discernments.com/joshua/whatisachiasm.html

One thing to consider about this Chiasm. The chapter designations that are found in the Bible were not found in scripture until Stephen Langton added them in the 14th century. Also, the verse number designations weren't added into the text until the 16th century with the publication of the Geneva Bible. The Chiasms found in Hebrew often don't align with the verse numbers. Therefore, I am including the Chiasm diagram found in James B Jordan's commentary on Daniel entitled Handwriting on the wall. The English translation is his own.
Here are 2 pics of his diagram

View attachment 635837View attachment 635838

-Does God respond?

Absolutely.

God, the being that creates and moves galaxies with a word, is moved by Daniel's Prayer.

Gabriel's response is immediate.

Daniel 9:20 And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God;
Daniel 9:21 Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.
Daniel 9:22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.
Daniel 9:23 At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.

What follows next is the Titan of all Messianic prophecy.

My NT prof was so into Chiasms we called him the "Chiastic Spastic".... that is, he saw chiasms where none of us could . It is a definite literary device in that era, though. Thanks for this.

 

[Starkherz199]

Part 12 Daniel 9:27 Part 2

Daniel 9:27b and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate

***
Verse 27b begins the contrast to 27a, and 26a, and is parallel with 26b. Therefore Daniel 9:27b will communicate language about either the coming Prince of 26b, or the destruction that he brings.

-Much earlier I shared the remark of Hebrew scholar Dr Michael Heiser (RIP), about how Daniel’s 70 weeks prophecy was the pit of despair when it comes to exegesis of Old Testament prophetic literature. If that is true, then verse 26 & 27 are the bottom depths of the pit of despair. And the last half of verse 27(b) is the Hades/Tartarus/Sheol of the whole matter.


***and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate

-The trouble with this verse begins in translation. Most translators cannot agree with each other on how to parse the words to give it plain meaning. Some translations of this verse even carry obvious bias that has to be overcome.
-The plain reading of how the original meaning of the original writer meant for the original audience should be the goal of every translator, but this verse shows that even this is sometimes thrown out the window when "scholars" bring their presuppositions into the text.

-Below are some of the translations of this section per Bible version. Notice how different they are. Translation is often not an exact science, but this is truly bizarre:

*King James Bible: "and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate."
*English Standard Version: "And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”
*Douay-Rhiems: "and there shall be in the temple the abomination of desolation: and the desolation shall continue even to the consummation, and to the end."
*North American Standard Bible: "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."
* New English Translation: "On the wing of abominations will come one who destroys, until the decreed end is poured out on the one who destroys.”
*Amplified: "and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until the complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who causes the horror Then the "Horrible Thing" that destruction will be put there."
*Youngs Literal Translation: "and by the wing of abominations he is making desolate, even till the consummation, and that which is determined is poured on the desolate one.' Destructive people will cause desolation on the pinnacle until it is complete."
*Common English Version: "Then the "Horrible Thing" that causes destruction will be put there. And it will stay there until the time God has decided to destroy this one who destroys. On the wing of abominations will come one who destroys."
*International Standard Version: "Destructive people will cause desolation on the pinnacle until it is complete and what has been decreed is poured out on the desolator."
*“LITV:"And on a corner of the altar will be abominations that desolate, even until the end. And that which was decreed shall pour out on the desolator."
And in the temple there shall be abomination.”
*Revised Version: "and upon the wing of abominations shall come one that maketh desolate; and even unto the consummation, and that determined, shall wrath be poured out upon the desolator."

How does anybody make any sense of this?

To understand 27b, it is necessary to break down the main words and concepts first.

-Smith's Bible Dictionary, Fausset's Bible Dictionary, and the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia all say that this passage is referring to "the abomination of desolation". I'll examine the parts and then put them together.
The questions presented are:

1. What is it?
2. Who does it?
3. When does it happen?
4. Why did this happen?

1–What is it?

~The abomination of desolation, and the derivative terms, are found in six places in scripture. Daniel 9:27 is the first place, and the following are the other 5:
*Daniel 11:31 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate
*Daniel 12:11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days
*Matthew 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:
*Mark 13:14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:
*Luke 21:20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

-Daniel 11:31 pertained to the actions of Antiochus Epiphanes in 167 BC, his capture of Jerusalem, and the defilement of the sanctuary and altar. Daniel 12:11, a highly debated portion of scripture, will be dealt with in a later post. Matthew 24:15, Mark 13:14, and Luke 21:20 all are linked to Daniel 9:27, and foretell the Abomination of Desolation in Jerusalem in 66-70 AD. We know this because Jesus said as much in scripture.
Therefore, surrounding information from those NT passages will help flesh this out.
Jesus also communicated that this could be grasped by reading the scripture.

-For some reason, many modern prophecy teachers speak of the abomination of desolation as some single event. It is not an event; it is a combination of things; but mainly it's a description, and it happens at least twice, maybe even three times. It happened in 167 BC, as mentioned earlier. It almost happened a century later when Pompey Magnus invaded Jerusalem, but stopped short of desecrating the Temple. The fulfillment of this event happened in conjunction to the events surrounding the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, and coincides with the Temple and the city being laid waste.

*abominations
-The word "abominations" is translated from the Hebrew word " שׁקּוּץ" [shiqqûts] meaning detestable thing or idol; abominable thing; abomination, idol; detested thing; filth; filthy things; an object of disgust; a detestable act; a ceremonial pollution. It could even be filthy garments.

-This word is in many cases used to describe an idol, but in the New Testament this is largely a secondary meaning. In Luke 16:15 it is applied to the covetousness of the Pharisees; In Titus 1:16 it is applied to those who deny God in their works; in Revelation 21:8, 27 it is applied to persons who do wickedly. Hence, it could refer to an idol, idolatry, or some horrendous act that is considered filthy; in other words this is a thing, action, or behavior. Therefore, the abomination in this passage is either an idol, an idolatrous act, a behavior, or a combination of the three.

-It could refer to a polluted person, place or action. When Antiochus defiled the Temple, he had a pagan priest set up a small altar on top of the altar of God, and began sacrificing pigs to Zeus. This was the "abomination of desolation" predicted in Daniel 11:31.
In a similar manner this is speaking to something that defiles and desecrates the Temple and altar.

--Whatever the true meaning is, the spirit of the phrase emphasizes that this abomination is outrageous in its character.


*desolate:
from the Hebrew word " שׁמם" shâmêm.
Vine's Expository Dictionary of OT Words renders this as: to be desolate, astonished, appalled, devastated, ravaged, stupefy, destroyed.

*overspreading.
-from the Hebrew word " כּנף" [kânâph] meaning: "wing, extremity, edge, winged, border, corner, shirt". This word causes complications because the translators guess at its use. So you see it translated as "wing" [as in the thing on a bird], or as wing [like a porch on a large building]
or as "overspreading" [as in covered like the wings of a bird covers],
-The Geneva and King James Bible translations use the idea that the abomination spreads defilement over the Temple; therefore they use the word "Overspreading".
-Modern Bible versions tend to use the literal rendering "on the wing". This causes a lot of guessing to fix a stable meaning too. Some take it as a part of the Temple or altar. Some just use a dynamic equivalent phrase [For instance, the original Wycliff translation was "and the abomination that maketh desolation shall be placed in the Temple.", which is very understandable but is guesswork].

Some take it metaphorically. Joseph Benson puts it this way: "Overspreading Or, more literally, And he shall be a desolator by the wing of abominations. Or, And being a desolator, he shall command over a wing of abominations. The desolator is the Roman army of sixty thousand men:. The wing, as well as the flood, is the Hebrew metaphor for great armies. Abominations, in the Jewish style, are idols. In this prophecy, it denotes the standards of the Roman legions."


-This abomination is so great that it desecrates, or contaminates God’s holy place.
-The emphasis needs to be given to the idea of ceremonial pollution of the Temple and altar. This abomination is contaminating the sacred space that belongs to God. And the method of this contamination is totally outrageous.
-This outrageous detestable act is so pervasive and complete, it leaves the sacred space of God devastated.

-A proper understanding of how important this defilement is to God is needed. It is beyond the scope of this study, but I will leave a few links by a Hebrew scholar to explain the Levitical system of cleansing the Temple/Tabernacle/priests, and how meticulous it was.
Book by Michael S Heiser
Notes on the Book of Leviticus
Also, here is a podcast by the same author, on the same subject.

Naked Bible 63: Introducing Leviticus

Leviticus is a fascinating but neglected book. In this episode Dr. Heiser introduces the flow of the book and important concepts that will reoccur throughout the book: sacred space, holiness, and ritual impurity vs. moral impurity. Facebook Twitter Gmail Digg LinkedIn Pinterest reddit Like 21

nakedbiblepodcast.com

-Bottom line:
-The abomination of desolation is when someone or some people commit an act, or do something that desecrates the most holy area of God in an outrageous manner that leaves God's sacred space contaminated and totally defiled.


2-Who does it?
-Who commits the abomination of desolation? There are two possible answers that this passage allows; 1-the people of the Prince to come, 2-or the Jews themselves.

- The first view is that it would be an invading army or power that commits an act of sacrilege in the Temple or on the altar. This fits the previous verse reference to a coming foreign Prince that invades and destroys the city and Temple. We know from the structure of contrasting Hebrew parallelism that the "coming Prince" is paralleled in this passage, so that he has some part to play. It is quite easy to see that this person would be the one to desecrate Temple and altar, especially since this coming commander/prince will destroy the city and sanctuary. This would be Titus and the Roman Legions. This is also the overwhelmingly preferred opinion by commentators.
-The mere presence of a gentile in the Holy Sanctuary was a defilement, and we know from Josephus's eyewitness account that Titus, and his troops entered the Temple all the way to the Holy of Holies, while it was on fire. When the Roman soldiers set fire to the Temple, they took their standards, set them inside against the east gate of the Temple (the entire Temple complex was holy), sacrificed to their pagan gods and rejoiced.

-In this interpretation, it views the standards of the Roman legions as being the detestable idol. Every legion was given a golden eagle with expanded wings, grasping a thunder-bolt. The eagles, with the standards of the cohorts, ten in each legion, adorned with the image of the reigning Cesar, were deified, adored, and sworn by; each eagle was placed in a little temple, or shrine; and there was a chapel in the camp where all the eagles were adored. At Rome they were deposited in the temple of Mars. Such deified ensigns were an abomination to the Jews:

-To many, this is the detestable act; to proclaim false gods and idols in God's holy Temple.
The allusion to the Roman standards is observable in that prediction of Moses.
-We know from Daniel’s prayer that he speaks of the blessings and cursing of the covenant (Covenant point #4) found in Leviticus 26, and Deuteronomy 28. Moses reiterated the Law from Leviticus in Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy means 2nd law), but he also mixed in prophecy. Moses said in Deuteronomy 28:49 "The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand; [50] A nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor shew favour to the young: [51] And he shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and the fruit of thy land, until thou be destroyed: which also shall not leave thee either corn, wine, or oil, or the increase of thy kine, or flocks of thy sheep, until he have destroyed thee. [52] And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high and fenced walls come down, wherein thou trustedst, throughout all thy land: and he shall besiege thee in all thy gates throughout all thy land, which the LORD thy God hath given thee.

-The eagles, and the language, and the distance from Rome, discriminate the Romans from the Chaldeans, whose tongue was only a dialect of the Hebrew. This identification with the Eagle is why so many people fervently believe the ensign was the idol.

***
-The second view would be that the Jews themselves did this abomination. In fact, several Hebrew scholars insist that this type of religious defilement can only come from the Jews themselves. James B Jordan explains: " The detestable wing is the polluted garment of the Israelite as priest, most pointedly the garments of the High Priest; it is the corruption of the “holy wing” (Numbers 15:37–41; Haggai 2:12–14). Only Israelites could commit detestable acts, for by definition such acts are priestly. Israel’s sins, particularly the sins of the priests who maintained the Temple, caused God to desolate His sanctuary and leave it for destruction at the hands of the Romans.”
-”The sacrilege, however, is never committed by Gentiles. In fact, since Gentiles do not have any position in the Temple, which symbolized Israel as the priestly people, it is impossible for Gentiles to desecrate the Temple. They can march through it all day long, put up as many idols as they wish, and sacrifice as many pigs as they please, and it does not count. Like mice in the Temple, they are “neutral” in the system God established. What counts as desecration is idolatry and sacrilege on the part of the priests.”
-”God is not interested in pieces of wood, gold, and bronze. The Temple and its objects were always symbols of the priestly people. A person can only defile himself; no one else can make him detestable. Thus, it was only Jews who could defile the Temple and make it detestable.”


-Josephus wrote in support of this view. He relates in his history how the rebels that started the civil war inside Jerusalem directly before the siege, led by John of Gischala, defiled the entire Temple complex when they began killing fellow Jews indiscriminately, spilling their blood all over the altar. They killed 8000 men at one time, such that there were standing pools of blood in the Temple.

-Others have observed: Jesus disowned the Temple in Matthew 23:38, and henceforth it is not recognized as the house of God. When Jesus entered Jerusalem triumphantly, he first went to the Temple and threw out the money changers.
He said in Matthew 21:13 "It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves".
But one day later he showed back up to the Temple, and assumed the role of a covenant lawyer (prophet), and in painstaking detail reminded the Jews of their sin, and the sin of their fathers. In Matthew chapter 22-23, Jesus systematically rebuked the Sadducees, the Pharisees, the scribes, and the leaders of the Jews for their many sins. He started with parables, and proceeded to outright rebuke in front of the multitudes of people at the Temple. The Old Testament prophets always followed a familiar pattern to their prophecies; They revealed that they spoke for God (Covenant Point #1 Sovereign), revealed who they were prophesying against (Covenant Point #2 Hierarchy/leadership), states in clear terms why God has a controversy, or covenant lawsuit, with them (Covenant Point #3), tells them certain judgment is coming if they don’t repent (Covenant Point #4), but they always leave them with hope of a future redemption. With Jesus’s seven-fold “Woe to you” rebuke, Jesus changes the pattern of the Old Testament prophets. He lays the sin of all Israel, of all time, on the shoulders of the Jewish leaders. He tells them: Matthew 23:33-36 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
Then he finishes his closing argument, as a covenant lawyer representing the covenant God of Israel, and he says: Matthew 23:37
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
Matthew 23:38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
In the last verse, Jesus identified that the Temple was no longer his.
More than one commentator mentions that this rebuke by Jesus reads like a divorce decree from God to the unbelieving Jews. Only here, God is not only taking their house (Temple), He’s taking their city with it.

-This line of thinking says that every sacrifice offered in the Temple after Jesus was crucified was detestable in the eyes of God, but wanton murder by the Zealots and Idumeans in the Temple was the most outrageous and filthy pollution imaginable. Spilling blood by murder left the sacredness of the Temple desolate.

-This view also posits that it is because of this abomination that God sends Titus and his armies to annihilate the Temple and city. So Titus, like Nebuchadnezzar, is a tool of God, and is the weapon of God's wrath.

******Bottom Line: Either the Roman Legions led by Titus, or the Jews themselves desecrated and defiled the Temple and altar in a totally outrageous matter. Scholars may be split on this matter, but we know through eye-witness testimony that it did in fact happen.

3-When does it happen?
-In contrast to 27a definitely happening in the midst of the 70th week, the timeframe of this abomination of desolation in 27b is not given. It is tied to the cutting off of the Messiah, but no time frame can be determined from Daniel's verse. The best you can say from the Old Testament perspective is after the Messiah is executed.

-From the three New Testament passages listed above that are connected to this, we learn that it will take place in the temple ["stand in the holy place", "standing where it ought not"]. Therefore it must happen while the Temple is still standing.
-To those who claim this will be in a 3rd rebuilt Temple, there is not one passage in the New or Old Testament that indicates in any form whatsoever that a 3rd Temple in Jerusalem will be rebuilt as part of God’s redemptive plan.

-The Temple is the Holy place. It can also be said that this could apply to Jerusalem, the city, as well, because it is known as the holy city after the Jews return from Babylon. Being that this prophecy was written before this time, the "holy place" would need to be the sanctuary of the Temple.

-We also learn that this desolation occurs near after Jerusalem is surrounded by armies. This gives us a timeframe to center on when this occurs. At the start of the rebellion, the Roman commander Cestius Gallus surrounded Jerusalem in 66 AD, but for unknown reasons, he pulled out his soldiers and left. This is the recognized beginning of the Wars of the Jews, according to Josephus. Historically, we know that the Christians in Jerusalem, understanding this to be the fulfillment of Jesus’ words in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21, left Jerusalem for the Mountains of Pella. Not one single Christian is recorded to have perished in the destruction of Jerusalem.
-The final siege of Jerusalem began in earnest in April of 70 AD on the Passover. This gives a multiple year window of time for this to happen.

*Bottom line
-The abomination of desolation occurs between Jesus’s crucifixion, and Sept 70 AD; more likely it happened between November 66 AD -August 9th 70 AD.


4-Why did this happen?
-The predicted abomination of desolation occurred because Israel broke covenant with God. Time and time again, they played the part of a Harlot and cheated on the one true God. The Temple and the altar of God is where they went to meet and commune with Him. Because of their sin, God took that place away from them.
The whole affair was communicated to them by Jesus in his parable of the Tenants.
**Bottom Line: The people of Israel broke covenant with the one true God. God obeyed the stipulations of the Covenant and carried out the Cursings part of the covenant (Covenant point #4)


***even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate

-This last series of phrases is also a mess in translation. Depending on the translation, this section communicates that this desolation will be completed, and then the city will be desolated, or the person/people who commit the abomination of desolation will be left desolated. If you favor the part that places the abomination as being Titus and the Roman Legions, then you would translate this as they desolate the city. If you favor the Jews themselves setting up the abomination, then you favor them as being desolated. Many translators just use a dynamic equivalent translation (less literal, but tends to communicate what they think was meant to be said), and say that the city is left desolate.

*even until the consummation,
-This Hebrew phrase “ועד־כלה [ye‛ad-kâlâh] means “until the completion”. That is, the series of events in the prophecy shall in fact reach to the completion of everything pertaining to the city and temple. The whole purpose in regard to that shall be completed. The design for which it is rebuilt shall be consummated; the sacrifices to be offered there shall be finished, and they shall be no longer efficacious or proper; the whole civil and religious polity connected with the city and temple shall pass away.
-In other words, the Old Covenant economy will end when the Temple is destroyed.

* and that determined
-This is the same word found in verse 24, and 26. There seems to be an allusion in the word here to its former use, as denoting that this is the fulfillment of the determination in regard to the city and temple. The idea is, that what was determined, or decided on, to wit, with reference to the closing scenes of the city and temple, would be accomplished. What is determined, is done so by God, ahead of time, and will be accomplished.

* shall be poured
- The word used here means to pour, to pour out, to overflow - as rain, water, curses, anger, etc. It may be properly applied to calamity or desolation, as these things may be represented as “poured down” upon a people, in the manner of a storm. Compare 2Sa 21:10; Exo 9:33; Psa 11:6; Ezk 38:22; 2Ch 34:21; 2Ch 12:7; Jer 7:20; Jer 42:18; Jer 44:6.

*upon the desolate
-The Masoretes (the Hebrew scribes who standardized the Old Testament in the 6th-10th century AD) put a margin note here that desolate referred to the desolator. This brings the confusion of translation.
-The reference is to Jerusalem viewed as desolate or reduced to ruins. The language of the angel implies this also as the termination of the entire series of predictions, and, in view of the whole, speaks of Jerusalem appropriately as “the desolate.”

-Albert Barnes sums it up poetically:
“Though it would be rebuilt, yet it would be again reduced to desolation, for the purpose of the rebuilding - the coming of the Messiah - would be accomplished. As the prophecy finds Jerusalem a scene of ruins, so it leaves it, and the last word in the prophecy, therefore, is appropriately the word “desolate.” The intermediate state indeed between the condition of the city as seen at first and at the close is glorious - for it embraces the whole work of the Messiah; but the beginning is a scene of ruins, and so is the close. The sum of the whole in the latter part of the verse may be expressed in a free paraphrase: “He, the Messiah, shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease,” by having fulfilled in his own death the design of the ancient offerings, thus rendering them now useless, and upon the outspreading - upon the temple regarded as spread out, or some wing or portico, there are seen abominable things - idolatrous ensigns, and the worship of foreigners. A desolator is there, also, come to spread destruction - a foreign army or leader. And this shall continue even to the end of the whole matter - the end of the events contemplated by the prophecy - the end of the city and the temple. And what is determined on - the destruction decreed - shall be poured out like a tempest on the city doomed to desolation - desolate as surveyed at the beginning of the prophecy - desolate at the close, and therefore appropriately called “the desolate.”



Summation of 27b:

On account of the abominations committed by the unholy people against the Holy One, God sends the “coming Prince” who shall not only destroy the city and sanctuary (Dan 9:25), but shall continue its desolation until the city is laid waste, as “determined” by God





Daniel had prayed for the restoration of the Jerusalem temple, the paramount sacramental symbol of Israel’s covenant relation to Yahweh. The prophecy of the seventy weeks assured him that his prayer would begin to be answered at once and that the restoration of the covenant community would be completed in what is portrayed as a jubilee period. Then the prophecy went on to disclose the ultimate unfolding of the covenant and the paradoxical prospects that lay in store for the temple at that later time. After being restored, the Jerusalem temple would again be made a den of abomination, evoking another and final desolation. Israel’s Lord would pour out on the rebellious vassal-nation the full vengeance of His broken covenant. But though the curse would be executed to the uttermost, the blessing of the covenant would be secured for the many who were the elect and true Israel. Before the curse terminated the old Mosaic order, Messiah would institute the new covenant order, in which the old people and city and temple would find continuity and consummation. Before the Jerusalem temple was leveled, the foundations of the everlasting temple of the Spirit, which is Christ and His church, would be laid. This new, anti typical restoration of God’s temple would be the achievement of what is portrayed as ten jubilee periods.
The final and everlasting Temple of God is the Church, with Jesus Christ as the head. If you are a Christian, then you are the Temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells within you.
1 Corinthians 3:16 Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?
1 Corinthians 3:17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.

 

[Starkherz199]

Part 13 The End of the 70 weeks


***If Jesus is killed at the halfway mark of the 70th week, what about the last half of the 70th week [3 ½ years]?

This question is answered in scripture.

-What we do know is that the prophecy in Daniel does not give a marker or sign that tells us when the 70 weeks end. The New Testament history, however, clues us in to the answer.

Consider the following:

Jesus Begins His Ministry

Mark 1:14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
Mark 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

-What is meant by "The time is fulfilled"? He was referring to "the time" measured out or "determined" in Daniel's 70 weeks prophecy. The "time" of the first coming of Jesus was "determined" and foretold, and therefore it is written that "when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, Jesus, to redeem them that were under the law" [Galatians 4:4-5]; but the "time" of His second coming is kept secret in the unrevealed counsels of the father. This "fulfillment" of the time element is important to show that this prophecy is sealed and finished, and cannot be spoken of by the Jews at a later date for another "Messiah".

We read In Matthew 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
Matthew 10:6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of IsraelJesus instructs His disciples: Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not. Christ also told His disciples to “go into all the world.”

-This is not a contradiction. The apostles understood that they were restricted by Daniel’s prophecy for three and a half years after Jesus’ death. At the end of that period they would be free to preach salvation to the Gentiles. How do we know this? After His resurrection, Jesus met with two men walking on the road to Emmaus. They didn’t recognize Him at first. He rebuked them for not believing all that the prophets had spoken concerning Him. But in chapter 24, verse 27, Luke makes this remarkable statement: And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. We are told that the apostles were instructed in all prophecies pertaining to Christ. They knew they were not released to preach to the Gentiles. That's why they remained and preached exclusively to the Jews after receiving the “great commission"; they were following orders.

-After the Messiah is cut off, there remains 3 ½ years to confirm the covenant with many Jews (Daniel 9 verse 27), and close out Daniel's 70 weeks. Before He ascended into Heaven Christ commanded His disciples: Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations… (Matthew 28:19).This commission authorized the disciples to go out into the whole world and preach the good news of the Kingdom. However, they did not do this immediately. They remained and preached to the Jews, and to the Jews alone. The more they preached, the more they were persecuted. This persecution came to a dramatic head with the death of the martyr Stephen.

- Immediately after the stoning of Stephen, we see the Apostle Philip giving the Gospel to an Ethiopian Eunuch. Some point to this as the sign that the 70 weeks are over. To that I say …perhaps. It is very possible that the Ethiopian belonged to a long established sect of Ethiopian Jewish converts. If this were true, and some scholars are very certain of this, the event would not be the end. Also, the date of Stephen's murder is disputed; some believe it could be 3-4 years after the crucifixion and then again some believe it could be as few as four months after the crucifixion. Therefore, at best the murder of Stephen is potentially the end of the 70 weeks.

A more reasonable scripture marker to confirm that the 70 weeks had already ended would be found in Acts chapter 10; the vision to Peter allowing him to preach to the gentile Cornelius. Peter has a vision that bids him to go, and he goes to Cornelius and his people. He gives them the Gospel message, and then we read:
Act 10:44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
Act 10:45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Act 10:46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
Act 10:47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
Act 10:48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.

Then Peter goes back to Jerusalem and tells them the whole story. And Acts relates the Christians in Jerusalem’s reaction.
Act 11:18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

The exact timing of this account is not definitively known. Some say it is 3 years after the crucifixion, some say it is 7. What we know from this account is that the Church now pursues the gentiles with the Gospel, telling us that the 70 weeks are finished.

In Summary: the 70 weeks ended with either the stoning of Stephen, the conversion of Cornelius, or somewhere in between.

Why did not God signify the end? Only He knows.


The end of the 70 weeks was 34-37 AD.
Although the 70 weeks was at an end, the end of all the prophecy did not come for 40 more years. Jesus foretold in Matthew 24 that the Temple would be destroyed in the space of a generation (40 years), and in August of 70 AD, it was burnt to a cinder. By September the city was captured, and in due time the Temple was ripped up by the foundation stones, and plowed under with a plough.
All was fulfilled.

 

[Howland]

Thank you for sharing these with us. They deepen my still feeble understanding.

 

[Starkherz199]

Part 14 Daniel’s 70 weeks, Dispensational contrast.

Before we get into the contrast a little review is in order.

There are 4 schools of Eschatology: Idealism. Futurism, Historicism, and Full-Preterism. Also, there are 4 views of teaching that define the Millennium, as drawn from Revelation 20: Premillennialism, Postmillennialism, Amillennialism, and Preterism. The 4 views of Eschatology and the 4 views of the Millennium do not match up neatly, unfortunately, and therefore there are many perspectives that are taught and considered.

Inside each view of Eschatology there are different subgroups. Conversely inside each view of the Millennium, you will find different positions that conflict. It is a maze of different teaching that is difficult to navigate.

Dispensationalism is in the Futurist school of Eschatology, and it is a subgroup of Premillennialism. Dispensational teaching is a radical departure from the traditional teaching of the Bible in several other areas of thought. In Part 4 of this study on Daniel (Post #4 above), I briefly spoke to the type of interpretation that Futurists (and its subgroup Dispensationalism) adhere to. In review, Dispensationalism takes just about every “bad guy character" in Daniel 7-12, identifies them with the Antichrist, wrenches them out of every traditional understanding of Daniel's text, and puts them into our future end times; therefore being as of yet unfulfilled.
That disparity is glaring when you compare Dispensational teaching on Daniel’s 70 weeks to other schools of prophecy. For Dispensationalism, it all begins with Daniel’s 70 weeks, and that disparity is in the interpretation of Daniel 9:26-27

-Although Dispensationalism is the most popular opinion of Eschatology, currently in the west, it is the newest of all the views. It is also the most unique. Unless you are a Theo-nerd, are a Catholic/Lutheran/Presbyterian/Episcopalian or are a seminary student, chances are you have never been exposed to the Non-dispensational view.

The fact of the matter is that most adherents to Dispensational teaching are not familiar with all the tenets of that "doctrine". Apart from seminary teachers and Pastors, most people are only familiar with the idea of a 7 year tribulation, a pre-tribulation rapture of the Church, and that's about it. If you take the books Ryrie, Walvoord, Schofield, Larkin, and Lewis Sperry Chafer, lay out their Dispensational distinctions in detail, the average church goer would be surprised at some of the doctrine.
In retrospect, I have found this is true with almost all the views, so I don't want to come down too hard on its proponents.


-The interpretation of Daniel’s 70 weeks that I have posted (the general view, not the small details) can apply to every school of Eschatology, and to every view of the Millennium, except the subgroup of Dispensationalism. I'm not saying that all of the schools and views adhere to it exclusively; what I am saying is that it is an applicable interpretation that can fit and be used, and has been by those other schools.

So, why single this one view and passage of scripture out? Because the Dispensational interpretation of this prophecy is wrong, and based on their error, Eschatological teaching, and the correct view of Israel and the church has been radically altered.

So what do they have wrong in this passage?
Here is the Dispensational distinctions related to Daniel 9
These are the 7 points where Dispensationalism contrasts with a more traditional messianic interpretation of Daniel’s 70 weeks.

1…The Gap theory
2…The Identification of the person in Daniel 9:26b
3…The identification of the person in Daniel 9:27a.
4…The parenthesis before the "Prince to come"
5…Mis-attributing covenant work.
6…Cutting off the Messiah in the wrong week
7…Wrong interpretation of the items in Daniel 9:24

For reference, here is Daniel 9:26-27 divided into their a/b sections:

Daniel 9:26
(a) And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself:
(B) and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

Daniel 9:27
(a) And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,
(b) and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolated.


#1 The Gap Theory
-Dispensationalists say that there is a gap between the 69th and 70th week of Daniel's 70 week prophecy. They claim that Jesus was killed at the end of the 69th week, and the prophetic time stops. The 70th week will resume when Jesus raptures the Church, and so starts the last 7 years of Daniel's prophecy. That last 7 years of the 490 weeks is where the 7 year tribulation comes from. In fact, this is the only place in the Bible that can be construed to posit a 7 year tribulation. This is where the entire “Left behind” idea comes from. If this passage does not predict a 7 year tribulation, then one does not exist.
-The "gap" occurs either between Daniel 26a and Daniel 26b, or between Daniel 26b and Daniel 27a.
-So far there has been 2000 plus years in the "gap" between the 69th and 70th year. And the majority of the items listed in Daniel 9:24 will be accomplished during the 70th week. Therefore the gap is

#2…The Identification of the person in Daniel 9:26b
-With this passage comes a split in the Dispensational camp.
-All Dispensationalists believe Daniel 9:26a refers to Jesus being crucified. The Messiah, Jesus, is cut off…or crucified.
-Some Dispensational teachers claim the "gap" comes between 26a and 26b, and the rest of this camp believes the "gap" comes between 26b and 27a.
-The group that thinks the "gap" comes between 26a and 26b believes that the "coming prince" of 26b is a leader who rises from a revived Roman empire, and is the Antichrist.
In their view Jesus is crucified, and the prophetic clock stops. Then comes the 2000+ year gap. When the rapture happens, the 70th week begins, and then, according to Dispensationalism, Daniel 26b starts back.
-Then, according to this view of Dispensationalism, The "coming prince" of 26b [The Antichrist] makes a peace treaty [confirms a covenant] with a restored Israel. For 3 ½ years all is good, but then the "coming prince" [Antichrist] betrays Israel, stops the Sacrifices, and sets up the abomination of desolation, and the last 3 1/2 years are the "Great Tribulation".

#3…The identification of the person in Daniel 9:27a.
-Like the other Dispensationalists, this 2nd camp believes that Titus and his legions destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD; therefore they place the 2000+ year "gap" between Daniel 9:26b and 27a.
-This group believes that a revived Roman empire rises, and the person of Daniel 9:27a is the Antichrist.
Like the previous camp the "coming prince" of 27a [The Antichrist] makes a peace treaty [confirms a covenant] with restored Israel. For 3 ½ years all is good, but then the "coming prince" [Antichrist] betrays Israel, stops the Sacrifices, and sets up the abomination of desolation, and the last 3 1/2 years are the "Great Tribulation

#4…The "parenthesis" before the "Prince to come."
-Of course, whether you put the gap between Daniel 9: 26a and 26b, or 26b and 27a, you still have a "gap" that lasts 4 times longer than the original prophecy. This time gap has given rise to the "parenthesis doctrine". The time gap is explained as a time between God's dealing with Israel as a people. Thus "gap" is what Dispensationalism calls the "church age". They claim the Church is just a "parenthesis" to God's true desire; an earthly kingdom of Israel ruling over all. At the beginning of the 70th week, the "parenthesis" comes to an end when the Church is raptured. When the 7 year tribulation is over, Jesus comes back to reign with Israel 1000 years. But the "parenthesis", the Church, stays in heaven and does not get involved in the Millennial reign of Jesus.
-This doctrine teaches that because the Church is just a "parenthesis" absolutely none of the Old Testament prophets and prophecies have anything to do with the Church.

#5…Mis-attributing covenant work.
-Dispensational teaching wrongly attributes the “confirming of the covenant” to the Antichrist. The figure in Daniel 9:27a confirms the covenant with many for 1 of Daniels 70 weeks. As clearly shown in scripture during this study in Daniel, Jesus is the one who confirms the covenant; the New Covenant of God, as prophesied in Jeremiah 31:31, spoken of by Jesus during the Lord’s Supper in Matthew 26:28, and made strong on the cross. Yet Dispensationalists take this act, push it 2000 years in the future, and attribute it to the Beast of Revelation 13 (antichrist).
-Thank about that for a second. Dispensationalism credits the work of Christ to the Antichrist.

6…Cutting off the Messiah in the wrong week
-Depending on which Dispensational teacher you consult, some teach the Messiah being cut off before the 70th week; Mainly at the end of the 69th week.
-Dispensationalism posits the Messiah being cut off, and then comes the 2000+ year gap. Then the "rapture" of the Church jumpstarts the prophecy clock to finish the 70th week [last 7 years].
- The problem with this is that the 6 items of Daniel 9:24, the real point of the prophecy, find their fulfillment in the midst of the 70th week. To say the 70th week has not happened, logically means that the payment covering for sin liability has not happened. It logically follows that since the legal end of purifications has not happened, no one can have salvation; for these things happened in the 70th, not the 69th week.
-Some Dispensational teachers, over the course of time, have had to modify this teaching. Therefore, the more recent teaching tends to say that the 69th week ended with Jesus riding into Jerusalem, triumphantly, on a donkey. Today, Dispensational teachers overwhelmingly follow this line of thinking. The problem with this is that " to anoint the most Holy" portion of Daniel 9:24 occurred 3 -½ years before this. The earliest that the 70th week can begin is at this event in scripture in which Jesus is anointed by John The Baptist at his baptism.

7…Wrong interpretation of the items in Daniel 9:24
-As demonstrated in earlier parts, the items in verse 24 must be fulfilled in the 70th week. Dispensational teachers wrongly interpret these items so they can push fulfillment far into the future.
-In Daniel 9:24, Item #2 "to make an end of sins" is interpreted by Dispensationalists to mean "make an end to moral evil in the world " That puts this fulfillment after the 2nd advent of Jesus, as clearly moral evil still exists in this world.
Their interpretation is an English understanding of the English phrase "make an end of sins". This phrase must be understood in its Hebrew origin, before you can understand it and expound upon it in English.
-Christians have a way of looking at the sacrificial system from Leviticus, and Christianizing it. But this passage was written under the Old Covenant economy. It is not about ridding the world of moral evil; it is about sealing sin/ purifications once and for all. This was done on the cross.


In summary, Dispensationalism mis-identifies key figures in the 70 weeks prophecy, and upends traditional Church understanding. That mis-identification has established an entire end times scenario that has reaped terrible consequences on the modern church in the west in the last 100 years.

This error is propounded by the fact that virtually all well-known famous TV/radio/internet preachers espouse this view. There are immensely popular book series [Left Behind], and movies that monopolize the cultural impact by promoting this error. Entire Seminaries, and Pastorship opportunities are pervaded by this view, such that in many places, disagreement with this "doctrine" amounts to dis-fellowship. In centuries past, eschatological differences were argued philosophically, and in a way that tertiary disagreements did not lead to harsh words, hard feelings, and awful actions. But Dispensationalism changed things. Now, disagreement with Dispensational teaching, especially in Daniel’s 70 weeks, can get you fired from a Pastorship, and kicked out of seminary. This is wrong.

Many are not familiar with the Fundamentalist/Modern liberal controversy of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, but most live in the consequences. Out of that debate Dispensationalism rose, and disagreement with that teaching is viewed by many church goers as a capital offense. This should not be the case.

-Worse than this, Dispensationalim, based on this error in prophecy, teaches something that has divided the Church significantly.
Lewis Sperry Chafer writes that "The Dispensationalists believes that throughout the ages God is pursuing two distinct purposes: one related to earth with earthly people, and earthly objectives involved which is Judaism; while the other is related to heaven with heavenly people and heavenly objectives involved, which is Christianity."

Dispensational teaching has split Israel and the Church. Their view is that there are separate plans of salvation for the Church, and for Jews. Traditionally, for 1900 years, all the denominations of the Church understood what Paul said in Galatians chapter 3:
Galatians 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus
Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

And Paul also said in Ephesians chapter 2:

Ephesians 2:11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
Ephesians 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Eph esians2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Ephesians 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

And again Paul said in Romans chapter 2;
Romans 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Romans 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God

The Chosen people of God, are Jews and Gentiles who believe in Jesus Christ unto salvation. That is the traditional understanding of the Church, for more than 2000 years and going. Dispensationalism has split the Jewish people out of the Church. Here in Daniel is where the controversy finds its foundation.

But Jesus was clear: John 14:6 Jesus replied, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."
No one is part of the Israel of God, except through faith in Jesus Christ, that includes Jews and Gentiles.


Reasons why the Dispensational teaching of Daniel 9: 24-27 is wrong

*The following 10 items are found in Steve Wholberg’s book “End Times Delusions”.
Steve is a 7th day Adventist [I am not], quoting a Presbyterian [I am not], and merits inclusion here.

1. The entire prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27 covers a period of "seventy weeks." Logic requires that "seventy weeks" refers to one consecutive block of time, in other words, to 70 straight sequential weeks. The truth is, there is no example in Scripture (or anywhere where else!) of a stated time period starting, stopping, and then starting again. All biblical references to time are consecutive: 40 days and 40 nights, 400 years in Egypt, 70 years of captivity, and so on (see Gen. 7:4; 15:13; Dan. 9:2). In Daniel's prophecy, the "seventy weeks" were to begin during the reign of Persia and continue to the time of the Messiah. There is no example in Scripture (or anywhere else!) of a stated time period starting, stopping, and then starting again.

2. Logic also requires that the 70th week follow immediately after the 69th week. If it doesn't, then it cannot properly be called the 70th week!

3. It is illogical to insert a 2,000 year gap between the 69th and 70th week. No hint of a gap is found in the prophecy itself. There is no gap between the first seven weeks and the following sixty-two weeks, so why insert one between the 69th and 70th week? (Note: If you told your child to be in bed in 70 minutes, you obviously would mean 70 consecutive minutes. What if five hours later, your fully awake son said, "But Dad, I know 69 minutes have passed, but the 70th minute hasn't started yet"? After receiving an appropriate punishment, he would be swiftly sent to bed.)

4. Daniel 9:27 says nothing about a seven-year period of "tribulation," a "rebuilt" Jewish temple, or any "antichrist." The stated focus of this prophecy is the consummation of the final jubilee which leads to the Messiah, not the antichrist.

5. The stated focus of this prophecy is the Messiah, not the antichrist. After the Messiah is "cut off" (referring to Christ's death), the text says, "And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary." In the past, this has been consistently applied to the destruction of Jerusalem and the second temple by Roman armies led by Prince Titus in A.D. 70. The word “covenant” is Messianic, and always applies to the Messiah, not the antichrist.

6. "He shall confirm the covenant." Paul said, "the covenant" was "confirmed before by God in Christ" (Gal. 3:17). Jesus Christ came "to confirm the promises made to the fathers" (Rom. 15:8). In the King James Version, Daniel 9:27 doesn't say a covenant or peace treaty, but "the covenant," which applies to the New Covenant. Nowhere in the Bible does the antichrist make, confirm, or break a covenant with anyone. The word covenant is Messianic, and always applies to the Messiah, not the antichrist.

7. "He shall confirm the covenant with many." Jesus Christ said, "This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many... " (Matt. 26:28). Behold a perfect fit! Jesus was quoting Daniel 9:27 specifically.


8. "In the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease." After exactly three and a half years of holy ministry, Jesus Christ died on the Cross, "in the midst of the week [in the middle of the seven years]." At the exact moment of His death, "the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom... tom... " (Matt. 27:51). This act of God signified that all animal sacrifices at that moment ceased to be of value. Why? Because the Perfect Sacrifice had been offered!

9. "For the overspreading of abominations nations he shall make it desolate. "The abomination of desolation" is not a simple subject (see Matt. 24:15). However, we know that Jesus clearly applied this event to the time when His followers were to flee from Jerusalem before the destruction of the second Temple in A.D. 70. In a parallel text to Matthew 24:15, Jesus told His disciples, "When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies [Roman armies led by Prince Titus], then know that its desolation is near" (Luke 21:20). The disciples did "see" those very events. Because of the "abominations" of the Pharisees, Jesus told them, "See! Your house is left to you desolate" (Matt. 23:38). Thus, Gabriel's statement in Daniel 9:27 about Jerusalem becoming "desolate" was perfectly fulfilled in A.D. 70. Thus, approximately 3 1/2 years after the crucifixion and at the end of the 70-week week prophecy given for the Jewish people, the Gospel shifted to the Gentiles exactly as predicted in Bible prophecy.

10. Gabriel said that the 70-week prophecy specifically applied to the Jewish people (see Dan. 9:24). During the period of Christ's public ministry of 3 1/2 years, the Master's focus was largely on "the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Matt. 10:6). After His resurrection and then for another 3 1/2 years, His disciples preached mostly to Jews (see Acts 1-6). After that second 3 ½ year period, in A.D. 34, the bold Stephen was stoned by the Jewish Sanhedrin (see Acts 7). This infamous deed marked the then-ruling Jewish leaders' final, official rejection of the Gospel of our Savior. Then the Gospel went to the Gentiles. In Acts 9, Saul became Paul, the "apostle to the Gentiles" (Rom. 11:13). In Acts 10, God gave Peter a vision revealing it was now time to preach to the Gentiles (see Acts 10:1-28). Read also Acts 13:46. Thus, approximately 3 1/2 years after the crucifixion and at the end of the 70-week prophecy given for the Jewish people, the Gospel shifted to the Gentiles exactly as predicted in Bible prophecy. The explosive evidence is
overwhelming. Point by point, the events of Daniel's 70th week have been fulfilled in the past. These eight words found in Daniel 9:27-"confirm, covenant, many, midst, sacrifice, cease, abominations, desolate"-all find perfect fulfillment ment in Jesus Christ and early Christian history. In the words of that 1846 Presbyterian publication: "The seventy weeks of Daniel therefore, have certainly ended many centuries ago. We are not to look to the future for the fulfillment of these predictions. We must look to the past. And if to the past; where is there one who can have any adequate claims to being the subject of these prophecies, but Jesus? He, and he only can claim them; and to him they most certainly "...one would think, the people [the Jews] among whom [these events] occurred, could not possibly have misapplied the prophecy."



****
I could spend a lot of time fleshing out why I disagree with Dispensationalism, but I wanted this to be narrowly focused on Daniel's 70 weeks. The only input I want to add to Wholberg’s 10 point list above is this. Where do Dispensationalists get permission to insert a 2000 plus year gap in prophecy? Where in scripture does it tell them to do this specifically? The prophecy in no way can be read to insert this gap. It is clear that Dispensationalists come to scripture with an assortment of presuppositions, an interpret scripture to suit those ideas. And if they have to add 2000 years in between a 490 year prophecy to uphold those presuppositions, then so be it.
I maintain that this is eisegesis, and error. And because it is in error, and the entire Dispensational 7 year tribulation rapture time table rests on this one, and only one passage; I declare that the idea of a 7 year great tribulation to be unscriptural.

To end this, I want to leave with a video that explains the 4 views of Revelation.

 

[Starkherz199]

Part 15 Daniel Bible study References

1. Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries by James Strong, S.T.D., LL.D.
2. Dispensational Truth by Clarence Larkin
3. Historical and Chronological Context of the Bible by Bruce W. Gore
4. The Chronology of the Old Testament by Dr Floyd Nolen Jones
5. Biblical Chronology The Two Great Divides By Jack Moorman
6. Fausset's Bible Dictionary By Andrew Robert Fausset
7. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia by James Orr, General Editor
8. After Dispensationalism: Reading the Bible fir the End of the World by Brian P. Irwin, Tim Perry
9. Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible Edited by James Hastings
10. PERILOUS TIMES A Study in Eschatological Evil by Kenneth L. Gentry,
11. Easton's Bible Dictionary By M.G. Easton
12. Kingdom Come The Amillennial Alternative by Sam Storms
13. Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old Testament Words by W.E. VINE, MERRILL F. UNGER, WILLIAM WHITE, JR.
14. SEVENTY WEEKS The Historical Alternative ROBERT CARINGOLA
15. End Time Delusions: The Rapture, the Antichrist, Israel, and the End of the World by Steve Wohlberg
16. The Rapture Delusions by Steve Wohlberg
17. Notes on the Book of Leviticus By Michael S. Heiser
18. Josephus Flavius: Complete Works and Historical Background [Translated by William Whiston]
19. BIBLICAL APOCALYPTICS A Study of the Most Notable Revelations of God and of Christ in the Canonical Scriptures BY MILTON S. TERRY, D.D.
20. Grasping God’s Word: A hands-on approach to reading, interpreting, and applying the Bible by J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays
21. THE CHRONOLOGY OF ANCIENT KINGDOMS AMENDED BY ISAAC NEWTON
22. Smith's Bible Dictionary By Dr. William Smith
23. AN INTRODUCTION TO THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHETIC BOOKS by C. HASSELL BULLOCK
24. BIBLICAL HERMENEUTICS A Treatise on the Interpretation of the Old and New Testaments by Milton Spenser Terry
25. Bible Study, Defending Daniel The Book of Daniel Except it or Accept it by Rickard B DeMille
26. BIBLICAL CRITICISM: What are Some Outstanding Weaknesses of Modern Historical Criticism? By F. David Farnell
27. Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible: Hebrew Letters, Words and Roots Defined Within Their Ancient Cultural Context by Jeff A. Benner
28. THE BIBLE ON TRIAL Examining the Evidence for Being Inspired, Inerrant, Authentic, and True by Edward D. Andrews
29. The Wonders of Bible Chronology By Philip Mauro
30. The 70 Weeks of Daniel by Philip Mauro
31. Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Definitions
32. New American Standard Exhaustive Concordance
33. King James Concordance
34. Understanding Prophecy by Alan S. Bandy & Benjamin L. Merkle
35. Prophecy and the Church by Oswald T. Allis
36. Eusebius Church History of Eusebius: ALL 10 Books in One Volume
37. The Annals of the World by James Ussher
38. Exploring the Old Testament A Guide to the Historical Books Vol 2 by Philip E. Satterthwaite & J. Gordon McConville
39. Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible
40. Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments by Rev. Joseph Benso.
41. Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible
42. John Darby's Synopsis of the Bible
43. John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
44. Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary by George Haydock
45. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament by John H. Walton, Victor H. Matthews and Mark W. Chavalas
46. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary: A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments by Rev. Robert Jamieson, Rev. A. R. Fausset, Rev. David Brown
47. Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament by Johann Carl Friedrich Keil andFranz Delitzsch
48. The Pulpit Commentary Edited by H. D. M. Spence., and. Joseph S. Exell,
49. Scofield Reference Bible Notes by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield
50. Word Studies in the New Testament by Marvin R. Vincent
51. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature PREPARED BY JOHN MCCLINTOCK, JAMES STRONG
52. Daniel in the Critics Den by Robert Anderson
53. The Coming Prince by Robert Anderson
54. Kline, Meredith. "Dynastic Covenant." . http://www.meredithkline.com/klines-works/articles-and-essays/dynastic-covenant/
55. Kline, Meredith . ""Suzerain Treaties & The Covenant Documents the Bible"." "Suzerain Treaties & The Covenant Documents the Bible". http://www.fivesolas.com/suzerain.htm).
56. Thompson, J. A.. The Ancient Near Eastern Treaties and the Old Testament. By J. A. Thompson
57. That you May Prosper by Ray Sutton
58. Treaty of the Great King: The Covenant Structure of Deuteronomy: Studies and Commentary by Meredith G. Kline
59. The Covenant of the Seventieth Week by Meredith G. Kline https://meredithkline.com/klines-works/articles-and-essays/the-covenant-of-the-seventieth-week/
60. . Histories & Prophecies of Daniel by Robert Duncan Culver,
61. Things to Come by Dwight J. Pentecost
62. The Basis for Premillennial Faith by Charels Ryrie
63. . Every Prophecy of the Bible by John Walvoord
64. Revelation: Four Views by Steve Gregg
65. Handwriting on the wallby James B Jordan
66. THE LAW OF THE COVENANT: An Exposition of Exodus 21-23 by James B. Jordan
67. COVENANT SEQUENCE IN LEVITICUS AND DEUTERONOMY by James B. Jordan
68. "The Seventy Weeks of Daniel" (2009) by Thomas D Ice. https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/pretrib_arch/109
69. THE HOAX OF HlGHER CRITICISM by Gary North

70. Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary. General Editor: Ronald F. Youngblood​

There are a few more but I'm having trouble finding the books. When I do I'll include it.

 

[Starkherz199]

Part 10: Daniel 9:26 is available in post #12 above.

 

[Howland]

[NOTE, the term "Theologian" usually is in reference to people who have divinity degrees with a similar Masters or Doctorate level degree, and can speak and write in Hebrew and Greek. I don't yet have a M-div ir doctorate, and have only taken a little bit of Greek in school.
I am just a commentator who collates information that Theologians produce. I stress that…the information I include in these studies is not my creation, or is original to me. I am not intellectually equipped to produce this type of high quality information. I am equipped to research and assemble puzzle pieces of history and Biblical truths in a way that might be somewhat digestible, and thats about all.]

The first sentence left bold is debatable, the second is indisputable, and too modest by half.

Thank you for all of this.

 

[Starkherz199]

The first sentence left bold is debatable, the second is indisputable, and too modest by half.

Thank you for all of this.

You're welcome, and thank you.

 

[Starkherz199]

Part 11 is available in post #13 above.

 

[Starkherz199]

I didn't think this study was going to be this involved and require this much reading and writing....and I'm not done. I've bought 5 new books to read during the research for this study.
It might be time to reiterate...this is the most difficult passage in the Bible to interpret.
Keep in mind, I could be wrong on multiple details...however small or big they might be. I could also be right on nearly everything. Just know that I am just bringing together other people's hard work.
So it's appropriate to approach this with a healthy degree of humility, both on the writing side, and on the reading side.

 

[Starkherz199]

Part 12 Daniel 9:27 Part 2 is available above in post #16.
It is very long...my apologies. It was very difficult.


Part 13 will be the last 3 1/2 years of the 490 years.

Part 14 will be involving the differences with the traditional view vs Dispensationalism.

 

[Starkherz199]

Part 13 The End of the 70 weeks is available above in post #17

 

[Starkherz199]

Part 14 Dispensational Contrasts is posted above in post #19

@tanstaafl72555 ...close to done with this. Not sure how much more I could add.

 

[Starkherz199]

Mostly finished bibliography posted in post #20 above.

If there's any interest, I might put together a exegesis of Daniel 10, 11, and 12. It'll be short compared to Daniel 9...way short. Chapter 11 is basically the prophecy of what happens during the 62 weeks of Daniel 9...a 434 year period between the Old and New Testaments. Of course. Chapter 12 is highly speculative.
If there is interest...post it here.

 

[xtp308]

I'd be interested, thoroughly enjoyed this. Thanks for your efforts !!

 

[Starkherz199]

I'd be interested, thoroughly enjoyed this. Thanks for your efforts !!

I'm going to do it. But first I'm going to swing back to Matthew 24 and go from chapter 24 verse 35 thru the end of Matthew 25, and address the timing of Jesus’s return, as spoken about in this passage. I needed to get Daniel 9 finished so it would be grounded with Matthew 24:15. Daniel 12 goes with the end of Matthew 25...so...I guess that's the order I need to do it.