9:1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of Median descent, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans--2 in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which was revealed as the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.3 So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

10:1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar; and the message was true and one of great conflict, but he understood the message and had an understanding of the vision. 2 In those days I, Daniel, had been mourning for three entire weeks. 3 I did not eat any tasty food, nor did meat or wine enter my mouth, nor did I use any ointment at all, until the entire three weeks were completed....12 Then he said to me, "Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words.

In both Chapter 9 and 10 God sends an angel to give Daniel understanding and insight (Click here for all uses of understanding and/or insight  in Daniel) in regard to what was happened. Daniel records that Gabriel

"gave me instruction and talked with me, and said, "O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you insight with understanding." (Da9:22)

WHY IS ''UNDERSTANDING and INSIGHT'' USED SO OFTEN IN DANIEL?
Daniel needed insight so that

1). HE MIGHT BE ABLE TO LEAD OTHERS TO RIGHTEOUSNESS

"And those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever." (Da 12:3)

If Daniel needed insight to lead others to righteousness, we too need insight to lead many to righteousness. 

Kay gives the example of how her insight and understanding of Daniel opened the door to teach a Jewish man in Israel and Esther at the Temple museum (Esther thought that the desolation of Daniel 9 was the fulfilled in the holocaust--Kay showed her why the suffering of the Jews did not end with the Holocaust.) When we get understanding we will be "living epistles" ("You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men" 2Cor 3:2)

2). HE COULD DISPLAY STRENGTH, STAND FIRM AND TAKE ACTION

Daniel 11:32-33 says that

"the people who know their God will display strength and take action and those who have insight among the people will give understanding to the many; yet they will fall by sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder, for many days."

In Daniel 9, Daniel is praying with fasting because he is concerned about the prophecy of 70 years of captivity and the return to Jerusalem. Secondly, he is concerned about the sins of the people who have not repented. So he cries out

"O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and take action! For Thine own sake, O my God, do not delay, because Thy city and Thy people are called by Thy name." (Da 9:19)

In response God sends Gabriel (Da 9:21-23)

"Now while 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 in behalf of the holy mountain of my God, while I was still speaking in prayer, then the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision previously, came to me in my extreme weariness about the time of the evening offering. And he gave me instruction and talked with me, and said, "O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you insight with understanding. At the beginning of your supplications the command was issued, and I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed; so give heed to the message and gain understanding of the vision."

Gabriel is sent to give Daniel insight with understanding. Gabriel is God's right hand angel, whereas Michael is the angel assigned to Israel.

GABRIEL EXPLAINS 2 THINGS IN DANIEL 9:24-27

1). The desolations for Israel and the sanctuary are not going to end with the 70years of captivity. There is more to come.

2). Israel's sin is not over for she has not learned her lesson.

WHAT IS THE RESULT?

Because Israel had not responded to the 70 year judgment of God, He would multiply the years of punishment sevenfold or 490 (7 x 70 = 490yrs)

LEVITICUS 26: Gives the blessings of obedience (Lev26:1-13) followed by the judgments for disobedience beginning in (Lev26:14ff).

Beginning in verse 14 we read

"But if you do not obey Me and do not carry out all these commandments, 15 if, instead, you reject My statutes, and if your soul abhors My ordinances so as not to carry out all My commandments, and so break My covenant, 16 I, in turn, will do this to you: I will appoint over you a sudden terror, consumption and fever that shall waste away the eyes and cause the soul to pine away; also, you shall sow your seed uselessly, for your enemies shall eat it up. 17 'And I will set My face against you so that you shall be struck down before your enemies; and those who hate you shall rule over you, and you shall flee when no one is pursuing you. 18 'If also  after these things  you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins." (Lev26:14-18)

And so (Lev26:18)  describes 7x more punishment if they did not obey and Daniel was given insight into this "seven fold" aspect of their punishment. This final vision is to give Daniel understanding that it's not just 70 years for the 70 broken Sabbaths but the Jewish punishment will be extend for a "490 year" period as described in Daniel 9:24-27.

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Review (click here) of the 6 things in Daniel 9:24-27 that are to be accomplished in the 70 weeks:

Remember Daniel is crying out for his people and for the holy city and the sanctuary.

1). Finish transgression = it will come to an end
2). Sin will be brought to an end
3). Atonement for iniquity
4). Everlasting righteousness will be brought in for Israel (this will be the end of the sins of his people)
5). Vision and prophecy will be sealed up = God's word will come to pass.
6). The most holy place will be anointed = the holy place in the temple

In (Ezekiel 8-11) Ezekiel is transported from exile in Babylon back to Jerusalem, where he is given a vision of the glory of God in the Temple. He witnesses the progressive departure of the Shekinah glory  from the Holy Temple (which had been hovering over the ark of the covenant since their days in the wilderness, cf Ex40:34-38...the Holy of Holies in Herod's temple was empty) (Ed note: see Ezekiel study on departure of the shekinah glory). After the Babylonians sacked Jerusalem and the Temple, the ARK OF THE COVENANT was never found. When the Jews rebuilt the Temple, the Holy of Holies was empty, with no Ark, the symbol of the throne of God. The Shekinah glory that came on the day that Solomon dedicated the Temple (see description 1Kings 8:10-11) was absent in the Temple which was rebuilt by the remnant of the exiles who returned to Jerusalem upon completion of the 70 years of captivity.

The Temple had no glory for the next 400 years and God was silent. But the glory did return temporarily in the New Testament times, when  Jesus Christ (Who possessed the "glory as of the only begotten from the Father" Jn1:14) walked into the Temple grounds. The Holy Place however was not anointed at that time and still had no Ark of the Covenant. When the Messiah walked out of the Temple He declared...

"Behold, your house is left to you desolate; and I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, 'BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!'" (Lu13:35)

EZEKIEL 43

1 Then he led me to the gate, the gate facing toward the east; (Ezekiel is describing a future millennial temple) 2 and behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the way of the east. And His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory. 3 And [it was] like the appearance of the vision which I saw, like the vision which I saw when He came to destroy the city. And the visions were like the vision which I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell on my face. 4 And the glory of the Lord came into the house by the way of the gate facing toward the east. (Today this is the Golden Gate and it is sealed...repeated attempts to open it have not succeeded but it will be opened when Jesus Christ, the King of glory comes in.) 5 And the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house. 6 Then I heard one speaking to me from the house, while a man was standing beside me. 7 And He said to me, "Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell among the sons of Israel forever. (This is not yet fulfilled...some try to say it's not literal but why not?) And the house of Israel will not again defile My holy name, neither they nor their kings, by their harlotry and by the corpses of their kings when they die, (they are not going to defile anymore because when the King of Glory comes back there will be no more sin for Israel...and this is when Christ anoints the Most Holy Place by His presence. In the prophecy of 70 weeks, Daniel is being shown that righteousness is coming, prophecy will be fulfilled; there will be a Holy of Holies) (Ezek 43:1-7)

Daniel 9:24-27

24 "Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy place.
25 "So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress.
26 "Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.
27 "And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate."

 GABRIEL IS GIVING SPECIFIC PROPHECIES
SO THAT THE JEWS COULD KNOW...

1). WHEN MESSIAH WOULD COME

2). WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO MESSIAH

Messiah would be cut off. Many Jews failed to understand that before Christ could wear a crown, He must be nailed to a cross. They did not understand John the Baptist's proclamation  "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!'' (Jn1:29) If the Jews had studied Daniel and the specific prophecy in Daniel 9:24-27, they would have known when Messiah would come and would have also understood that He must be cut off. The Hebrew for "cut off" literally means to sever something from something by cutting it with a blade and then come to mean to destroy or kill, especially speaking of a violent death and not a natural death.  "Have nothing" in Daniel 9:26 could mean that Messiah will have no earthly heir to come after Him.

3). WHAT WOULD HAPPEN DURING THE LAST 7 YEAR PERIOD

Why would this be important? So some would see and understand the events that would transpire during this difficult time, especially the last 3.5 years. If the Jews had chosen to study and receive Daniel's prophecy, they could have had insight which would have enabled them to stand firm even during the time when the forces of darkness were ruling over the nations trying to bring Israel to total destruction.

4). WHEN THE PROPHECY COUNTDOWN BEGINS:

The 70 weeks of Daniel begin with decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem referring to the decree of Artaxerxes Longimanus in 445BC.

Da9:25 says ''to know & discern'' --so you are not just to be filled up with facts but to really know the day that their Messiah would come riding into Jerusalem on a donkey as their prophet Zechariah had recorded over 500 years earlier writing 

"Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you. He is just and endowed with salvation, humble, and mounted on a DONKEY, even on a colt, the foal of a DONKEY." (Zech 9:9)

WHAT HAPPENS
...AFTER THE FIRST 7 WEEKS?
...AFTER 7 WEEKS PLUS 62 WEEKS?

One possible explanation for the first period of seven weeks is that 49 yrs would be about the time when Malachi was prophesying. Malachi was the last OT prophet. When Malachi's prophecy was complete, the OT canon was closed. God would be silent for the next 400yrs. So it could mean that in 7 weeks marked the end of the Old Testament prophets, and that this time then be followed by 62 weeks. So in those 400 silent years (which occurs during Daniel's next 62 weeks = 434 years) the prophecy would be unfolding. Sir Robert Anderson  as discussed in Lecture 15 has calculated that the 483 years [7 "7's" + 62 "7's"]  equates with 173,888 days using 360 days in a year. This works out in his calculations to what would have been Nisan or April 6, 32AD, the day Jesus came into Jerusalem on a donkey.

(Editorial note: for discussion of Anderson's calculations, and of why 360 days, which he refers to as the "prophetic year" should be used instead of 365 days, etc, see Anderson's famous book which is now available free online at "The Coming Prince". You should also be aware that there is not a clear consensus among scholars regarding the chronology of Jesus' earthly life. Thus you will find other commentaries that agree that Daniel 9:25-26 is fulfilled in the first coming of the Messiah, they differ in regard to what they favor as the terminating event, either His baptism or a very small minority His birth. Some who agree favor Christ's Triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey in fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9 record a different month/year date. This difference reflects the uncertainty regarding the exact chronology of Christ's life. Do not let these relatively "minor" disagreements shake your confidence in Daniel's prophecy for in truth they all agree that Messiah came and that He died during this period of time. If those prophecies have been literally fulfilled [which they have] you can rest assured that all of the remainder of the prophecies regarding the 70th "Seven" of Daniel will be fulfilled.)

Most conservative scholars don't debate what happened after the 7 weeks plus 62 yrs (483 years) because it's so clear. On the other hand, there is considerable controversy regarding the correct interpretation of Daniel's 70th Week. (Editorial note: This statement that most don't debate what happened after the 483 years is generally true but click discussion of how the RSV translation affects one's interpretation of Daniel 9:25-26 and how their arguments are refuted) There is a tendency to devise a ''SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY'' and then to take the Scriptures and try to squeeze them into that system of interpretation rather than obtaining one's "SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY" from a literal approach to the Word of God.

Some Christians do not accept that Christ will literally reign on earth in His kingdom (Ed note: they are generally referred to in the literature as "Amillennialists" because they so not believe there will be a literal 1000 year or millennial reign by Christ on earth). These individuals conclude that we are in the "kingdom" now. However, we know from Daniel 2 that a Stone (Messiah) will crush the feet of the statue at the 10 toe stage and that after He, the Stone, crushes the feet, He will set up a kingdom that will endure forever and will crush all other worldly kingdoms (Da2:44). (Click here for a chart summary of the prophetic events in Daniel and how they compare to Daniel's 70th Week)

From Daniel 7, we know that the DT beast has 10 horns from which arises a "Little Horn" (Da7:8, 11, 20, 21) who magnifies himself and wears out the saints for "time, times and half a time" (3.5 yrs). We know that the Little Horn's career of persecuting the Jews will come to an end when the Ancient of Days comes to earth (in the Person of Jesus Christ - one like a Son of Man coming up to the Ancient of Days in Daniel 7 Who is presented a kingdom). At this point the kingdom and authority of the Little Horn is brought to an end. If one says there will be no literal kingdom of Messiah, then you must say Daniel's 70th week has already come to pass. There is also considerable controversy regarding the interpretation of the ''HE'' of Daniel 9:27 and that will be discussed below in more detail

Daniel 9:26 "Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end [will come] with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.

The following dates summarize what we know historically

The phrase "desolations are determined" refers to Jewish persecution and desolation and indicates that it was not completed either with the 70 year Babylonian exile or with the destruction of the Temple in 70A.D. The past 2000 years bears ample witness to the truth that desolations against the Jews have continued. Examples include the Crusaders, the Holocaust, etc and these desolations will crescendo and reach their climax in the 70th week of Daniel until the one that makes desolate is destroyed just as God decreed.

Da 9:27 "And HE will make a firm covenant with the many (the Jews) for one week (7 YEARS), but in the middle of the week (3.5 years)  HE will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering (indicates that the Jewish Temple must be rebuilt); 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."

As noted above, the phrase "put a stop to sacrifice" indicates that the Jews must have a temple and since they don't have one now (2004),  the temple must be rebuilt.

The phrase "in the middle of the week" obviously refers to the middle of the 7 years or stated another way at 3.5 years. Then one who comes and brings the desolation will himself will be destroyed. This description parallels Daniel's earlier description in Daniel 7:11

"Then I kept looking because of the sound of the boastful words which the horn (referring to the "little horn") was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and given to the burning fire."

The Little Horn will be destroyed when the Son of Man returns.

WHO IS THE ''HE'' of DANIEL 9:27?
THERE ARE 3 POSSIBILITIES

MESSIAH
 

The ''no (millennial) kingdom'' proponents (Ed note: these same individuals are also proponents of "no time gap" between the 69th and 70th weeks of Daniel - Click here) say that Messiah made a firm covenant and they say that the word for ''to make a covenant '' (gabar = strengthen, cause to prevail + beriyth = covenant). So they say Jesus is strengthening His covenant and causing His covenant to prevail and since He causes it to prevail, it is the new covenant of grace and this new covenant brings a stop to sacrifice and offerings because when Jesus Christ died there was no need any longer for sacrifice and offering. (Ed note: Click here for a chart listing various sources and their interpretative approach to Daniel 9:24-27)

The problem with this interpretation is that if He put a STOP to SACRIFICE then He didn't do a good job because the Jews continued to sacrifice for some 40 years after the veil had been rent in two (until 70AD, when the temple was destroyed). One would have to ''spiritualize'' (Ed note: interpret it symbolically, allegorically or non-literally) Daniel 9:27 to make it fit with their interpretation. For sake of argument let's say Christ did not put a stop to sacrifice. Why then if this is the fulfillment of the 70th week of Daniel are the Jews still in sin? Why is there not a holy place which has been anointed? Why are the Jews still transgressing? Why has prophecy not been fulfilled? (Ed note: In other words why are all 6 conditions in Daniel 9:24 still not fulfilled as Gabriel stated they would be within the 70 Weeks time period. The most logical answer is that these six things are not fulfilled and that Daniel's 70th Week has not been literally, historically fulfilled.)

TITUS
 

How do some arrive at this conclusion? They teach that the decree for rebuilding of Jerusalem was 538BC and that this date begins the countdown of the 70 Weeks of Daniel. Then they say that the time from this decree to Titus comes out at 490years.They say Titus made a firm covenant because he destroyed Jerusalem and the sanctuary and in so doing put a stop to sacrifices. There are several problems with this interpretation, one of the most obvious being that if this is true then why haven't the 6 prophecies in Daniel 9:24 been fulfilled? (Ed note: These commentators in essence do not interpret a time gap between the 69th and 70th weeks of Daniel. They take the 70th week as following directly after the 69th week. Click here for other reasons their interpretation is very unlikely)

ONE YET TO BE DISCLOSED
 

This "one" will come from a revived Roman Empire ("people of the prince who is to come" = the "people" were Roman). The "Little Horn" of Daniel 7 fits with every other prophecy in Daniel (Ed note: click here for summary chart listing all of the synonyms [prince who is to come, abomination of desolation, king does as he pleases] for the "little horn" in the book of Daniel). God is showing Daniel that from the time the decree goes forth, Daniel can know what is going to come to pass to FULFILL these 490 years that relate to Israel.

The 70th week is a 7 year period that has not yet been fulfilled in past history. In the last 3.5 years we know from Daniel 7 that the little horn persecutes the Jews and makes war with the saints. But if that is true, then the little horn has to make a covenant with the Jews that will be for 7 years. This postulate allows fulfillment of the other parts of Daniel's prophecy. You could see how the Jews would flee to the mountains if all of a sudden the little horn were to walk into the Holy Temple and stop all the sacrifices and proclaim himself as god (see 2Th2:1-4)

This scenario makes sense: If we have a Temple, then when Christ returns, He can anoint the Temple, bring an end to Israel's sin, bring an end to the war with the saints, and He will take away their sins, remember them no more and will put His Spirit within them (see passages from Ezekiel below) and cause them to walk in His statutes and to keep His commandments.

TEMPLE SACRIFICES and WORSHIP HAVE NOT BEEN POSSIBLE SINCE 70A.D.

Kay's discusses the TEMPLE INSTITUTE in Jerusalem, in which they are making Temple instruments and vessels, so that when the Jews rebuild the Temple, they are ready to carry out sacrifices. She has seen them weaving the garments of the high priest and has smelled the incense they have made to place on the altar of incense. "Treasures of the Temple" is a booklet (no link found on internet) that shows what they have already prepared. The Jews have the vessel to collect the sacrificial blood of the bulls, the trumpets they are going to blow, the plate for the high priest's headgear (which says ''Holy to the LORD''). The cornerstone for the Temple is in Jerusalem and they have tried to put it on the Temple Mount but the Israeli government stopped them so far. A Jewish man named Levi remarked that ''It's not yet time. But the high priests are ordering their garments.''

When Jesus Christ returns from heaven there will be a Temple in Jerusalem. In the Revelation a temple is described, for John records that

"there was given me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, "Rise and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and those who worship in it.  And leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations (synonymous with "the Gentiles"); and they will tread under foot the holy city for 42 months." (Rev11:1-2)

The Antichrist has to have some place to go when he declares himself as god and put a stop to sacrifice.

Prophecies in
EZEKIEL 36-38

Remember Ezekiel is a contemporary of Jeremiah and Daniel.

EZEKIEL 36 is a prophecy about the mountains of Israel. This is a prophecy about Israel coming back and bearing fruit in preparation for the people to return to Israel. THIS PROPHECY IS BEING FULFILLED NOW. The Jews are coming out of other nations, like Russia, etc.

EZEKIEL 37 is a prophecy about the Jewish people and the DRY BONES, the dry bones being the children of Israel, who are in their graves among the many nations and they have come back to the land. So Ezekiel 36 shows the land being prepared to receive the people and the desert has been blossoming again and it is bringing forth fruit. The people are coming back in Ezekiel 37.

EZEKIEL 38 prophesies Gog and Magog , the prince of Rosh, et. al. will come against Israel.

2"Son of man, set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him...4 And I will turn you about, and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them splendidly attired, a great company [with] buckler and shield, all of them wielding swords; 5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Put with them, all of them [with] shield and helmet; 6 Gomer with all its troops; Beth-togarmah [from] the remote parts of the north with all its troops-- many peoples with you."

God says He is going to put His hook in Gog's jaw and bring them down against Israel along with all these other countries.

Ezekiel 38:8 "After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come into the land that is restored from the sword, [whose inhabitants] have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel which had been a continual waste; but its people were brought out from the nations, and they are living securely, all of them.

Is Israel living securely now? No. Obviously not. But they are back in the land and the land is blossoming. When are they going to live securely? When the ''he'' of Daniel 9:27, the Little Horn, makes a covenant with them for 7 years and because of that covenant they will be able to live ''securely''. The Antichrist ( Little Horn = ''he'' of Daniel 9:27) says in essence ''I will protect you'' and the Jews say then ''We'll rebuild our temple.'' If the Arabs get angry the Antichrist will protect them. Read Ezekiel 38.

THE HEAVENLY CONFLICT in Daniel 10 explains why the nations are so arrayed against the Jews. It is not just man energizing the nations against Israel, but it is the forces of Satan and his fallen angels who are energizing these nations.

We need to war on our knees and pray for the peace of Jerusalem
so that the Prince of Peace will return and the 490 years will be fulfilled.
Jesus is coming soon and His reward is with Him.