The Most Fascinating Chapter In The Bible

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!