Introduction
1. Daniel 9 may take thinking , but please put in the effort...
2. It is a key chapter, and an important key to:
(1) Apologetics: defending the faith in general
(2) Jewish evangelism: Messiah had to die before 70A.D.
(3) Bible Prophecy and end times events
(4) Understanding where history is going
(5) Understanding Revelation 4-19, the time-period of which is
defined in Daniel 9:27
(6) The Church age, which exists between Daniel 9:26b and 9:27
(put a "you are here" arrow there!!!)
MAIN THOUGHT: Daniel’s 70 sevens addresses some of the greatest
themes of Scripture.
I. God’s Plan of Redemption: Where History is
Heading (9:24)
1. To bring sin to its CONCLUSION (24)
2. To bring in the Millennial Kingdom & Eternal State
3. To Make Atonement
II. The Coming of the Messiah (9:25-26a)
1. The 70 sevens begin with a DECREE---to rebuild the city, not Temple
---fulfilled in Nehemiah 2:1-8 (March 5, 444B.C)
Until Messiah: 7+62 or 69 sevens...
3. The Messiah would be cut off AFTER the 69 sevens, but not during the
70th seven....There is a break....
---We live during that break....
4. The timing (differing ancient calendars)
each 7 = 7 prophetic years (360 days each) cf. Rev. 11:2-3 for proof
that a prophetic month is 30 days, a prophetic year 360 days)
5. The Math of it all:
The decree of Neh. 2---March 5, 444B.C. PLUS 69 sevens of years
(69X7X360 converted into 365.24 day years, remembering we go from
1B.C. to 1A.D.--there is no year "O,") tells us Christ would be "cut off"
after March 30, A.D. 33 (Palm Sunday), so Christ would have
died on April 3 and rose April 5, A.D. 33. (cf. Harold Hoehner,
Chronological Aspects in the Life of Christ, Zondervan, 1977).
~~~~This also helps us to understand why the Wisemen were
anticipating Christ, and enriches the term, "When the fullness of time
came..."Gal.4:4
5. Note what would happen after the Messiah came and was "cut off"
(26) Titus and the Romans of 70A.D.
III. The Prince Who Is to Come (26b-27)
1. Note the BREAK in continuity
---long period of "desolations"
2. The 69th seven (period of 7 years) begins with a TREATY
--by the time we are in vs. 27, the Temple is rebuilt
and Jerusalem no longer "desolate"
3. This is the 7 year Tribulation
---the people of this Ruler had destroyed Jerusalem (Romans);
Therefore the Ruler is likely Italian....
---this is the Antichrist....Matt. 24:15
4. It is the Covenant that Begins the 7 year end-time Tribulation, also
known as Daniel’s 70th Seven.....
----It is during this time that the LEFT BEHIND fiction series takes place
5. My view: The Rapture first....much disagreement on this...
CONCLUSION
1. All Scripture is profitable, but there are a few chapters so important
that we should be willing to stress out our brains to the max to
understand them...this is one of them...
2. Contemplate Daniel 9:24-27---Four Verses---Understand them and
other Scriptures open up; leave them to the Theologians, and we lose so
much!
