An Exegetial Look at Daniel 9:24-27

Submitted to Dr. O'Brien Bibl 420 D04 LUO (Sorry for the editing, I will need to fix this later) Still readable.

AN EXEGETIAL LOOK AT DANIEL 9: 24 �" 27A PAPER IN SUBMISSION TODR. MICHAEL O’BRIENBIBL 450 D04LIBERTY UNIVERSITY ONLINEERIC FOURNIERAPRIL 22, 2013

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION2. IDEA OF 70 WEEKS3. MATHEMATICS4. FULLFILLED PROPHECY5. ANTI-MESSIAH6. MESSIAH7. UNFULLFILLED PROPHECY8. UNDERSTANDING PROPHECY9. CONCLUSION

 

INTRODUCTION

Prophecy in itself is a difficult subject to ponder, let alone conclusively say that

one’s point, theory, prediction, or interpretation of a prophetic passage of scripture is the

truth or answer to a matter. Indeed the very importance of prophecy in Biblical scripture

is, “… that God has a future for God’s people Israel.” 1 Israel is the subject of the

prophetic book of Daniel and without Daniel the rest of the prophetic writings in scripture lose their key. Matter of factly, “Daniel is the key to all biblical prophecy,” as Mal Couch points out, “Without Daniel, the far-distant eschatological revelations and

prophetic scope are unexplainable… Matthew 24-25; Mark 13; Luke 21, as well as 2 Thessalonians 2 and the book of Revelation.” 2 In Daniel chapter 9: 24-27, God reveals to Daniel future events which included the rebuilding of Jerusalem, Jerusalem’s impending destruction by a figure representative of the Antichrist, the Messiahs coming and death, and finally the Messiah’s triumphant return after the last seven years of time which are deemed the seven years of tribulation. One’s understanding of the idea of the

rapture underscores their view of the last seven years.There are three major ideas of the rapture, followed by other minor theories which differ in parts and, or entirely from the three major theories. The theory of pre-tribulation will be followed in this paper, while the mid-tribulation and post-tribulation theories will be considered inaccurate.Daniel 9: 24-27 represents the readers window into future events that will transpire and is a gift of hope by God to mankind; these verses tell of a future time yet to transpire in history where the very existence of the earth is in dire danger, but yet the promise is given that the end will result in the ultimate defeat of evil and the everlasting reign of the Messiah1 Layhaye. Tim, Couch, Mal. The Popular Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy: Daniel,Eschatology Of. (Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers) 672 Ibib 67

 

on earth. The seventy week prophecy is an integral part of Israel’s history and fulfillment of God’s promises and this paper will show this relation along with how it intertwines with other prophetic verses and the expected completion of the Messiah’s second coming.

IDEA OF 70 WEEKS

Blessed was Daniel, he was considered, “… greatly beloved,” and at the end of his three week fast was given a prophetic message by Gabriel, who made claim to be sent by God to give Daniel the vision that carried much weight for the understanding of future

events.(Dan 9: 23)Many attempts have been made to discredit the prophecies contained in Daniel chapter nine, as well as the entire book of Daniel. Claims are usually based against the authorship, or against the idea that the future can be made known to mankind.

Miller gives his readers the four major theories covering the seventy weeks which Gabriel relates to Daniel. View one is that the seventy weeks, are literal years extending through the reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanies;” view two is, “the ‘seventy sevens’ are

symbolic periods of time ending in the first century A.D.;” third, “they are symbolic periods of time ending at Christ’s second coming;” forth, “they are literal years ending with Christ’s second coming.” 3 It is important to note that the understanding of these

views comes foremost from how one interprets the Hebrew (sabu’im sib’im) which according to Miller, “is a literal translation of the Hebrew and refers to periods of seven without specifying what the units are.” 4 One idea which greatly points to the meaning of the words “seventy weeks” is that God had made it law that every seventh year should be a Sabbath for the Hebrew’s pasture lands. (Lev 25: 1-7) The fourth view holds the most

merit with the idea of pre-tribulationism and is very hard to refute. The idea that the3 Miller. Stephen. The New American Commentary: Daniel. Volume 18. (Nashville, Tennessee:B&H Publish Group) 252-2574 Ibib 257

 

“seventy weeks” are symbolic doesn’t hold into account that God used specifics in the prophecy, also God gives readers a period that is constantly proportionate to each other, and in other parts of Scripture it is evidence that each period will be a period of seven years. 5 It is easy now to see the parts of scripture that have been fulfilled, but during Daniel’s time, much questioning would come about how prophecy would be fulfilled.

MATHEMATICS

It is important to have a grounding of the mathematics of this prophecy along with a general understanding of the historical background of the prophecy covered in Daniel 9:24-27, especially since the prophecy covers such a vast amount of time. A rewind will take readers to the start of Jeremiah’s seventy week period 586 B.C. when the first captives were taken to Babylon from Jerusalem. 6 While, “the first seven sevens (forty-nine years) commence with a command to rebuild Jerusalem (either the decree to Ezra in 458 B.C. or the decree to Nehemiah in 445

B.C.) and terminate with the completion of the work of Ezra and Nehemiah about forty-nine years later (either ca. 409 B.C. or ca. 396 B.C.)”7 Next in the equation of seventy sevens is the time period of the sixty-two sevens. The time period of the sixty-two sevens equates to, “434 years.” 8This period would last until

the death of the Messiah, which was completed and confirmed by Christian theology with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Some say that the , “434 years extend from the end of the

5 Ibib 2586 Ibib 2537 Ibib 2578 Ibib 257

 

first group of sevens to Christ’s first coming (either his baptism in A.D. 26 or Christ’s presentation of himself to the people as the Messiah on Palm Sunday in A.D. 32/33.” 9

FULFILLED PROPHECY

It is clear that Daniel had begun his time of fasting and prayer to seek God about Israel’s redemption and return from captivity as had been prophesied by Jeremiah (25: 1,11) However, Daniel receives an answer from God which claims that Israel still has

more time till they will be redeemed, this time is the “seventy sevens” as previously discussed. Verse 24 reveals to readers that yet more time exists until the final coming of the Messiah, and the understanding of verse 24 comes from verse 25, “know therefore

and understand.” (Dan 9: 24-25) Gabriel reveals that it will take a period of, “seven weeks and sixty-two weeks,” to rebuild Jerusalem, and that when Jerusalem is rebuilt it will not only have its walls re-established but its streets as well.Unfortunately this time of rebuilding will not come without its troubles. Ezra and Nehemiah write about these times in the Old Testament book Nehemiah.It was during the reign of Artaxerxes I that the command was decreed that the Hebrew’s could return and rebuild Jerusalem. (Neh 2) The period of Nehemiah and Ezra covered the first period of time given, “seven sevens.” The second and much harsher period of time came during the “sixty-two sevens,” during

which Jerusalem was greatly persecuted with the Temple of God being desecrated by Antiochus IV Epiphanies; a cruel Greek Emperor who is considered to be a archetype of the Antichrist. The apocryphal books, Maccabees 1 and 2 cover much of this period of history and give great insight into the life and time of the late B.C. Hebrews.Antiochus IV Epiphanies was used as a tool to punish Israel, just as Nebuchadnezzar was. The overall difference between the two rulers was that Antiochus, “Deliberately set out to9 Ibib 257

 

compel their Jewish subjects to violate their consciences by doing things forbidden in the Law (1 Macc. 1:41-64; 2 Macc. 6-7),” while Nebuchadnezzar did not immediately force the Hebrews into situations to violate their consciences. 10The time of desolation would not last forever, but only a short while.

ANTI-MESSIAH

Antiochus IV Epiphanies is considered to be an image of the coming Antichrist. The prophecy in Daniel 9: 24-27 concerns both of figures, each have and will deal terror and destruction to Israel. Antiochus, “was best known for his encouragement of Greek

culture and institutions. His attempts to suppress Judaism brought on the Wars of the Maccabees,” while the Antichrist will be best known for bringing about a global peace treaty, but breaking it, followed by him desecrating the Jewish temple and being

destroyed by God thereafter. 11 Daniel gives better representations of these two figures in the dream of Nebuchadnezzar and visions of the beasts and of the goat and the ram. (Dan 2, 7, 8) Antiochus IV is represented by a little horn which came up among three others which had, “eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words,” but, “in

either case, this little one clearly embodies the antichrist spirit and becomes an archetype of the Antichrist of the Book of Revelation.” 12Daniel chapter 8 also gives clues to how

terrible Antiochus IV was, “He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down.” (Dan 8: 11) Antiochus came during the sixty-two week period of time, while

Antichrist will come during the last period of time, or the last week.After Antiochus IV

10 Bradshaw, Robert. The Book of Daniel.http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/article_daniel.html11http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/28380/Antiochus-IV-Epiphanes12 Phillips, Coleman, C. Daniel, New Spirit Filled Life Bible: NKJV: Daniel; Additional Notes forRevelation: Commentary (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Publishers) 1131

 

the Messiah came and then was taken away again at the end of the sixty-nine weeks, and currently in history Israel exists in limbo waiting on the final week to be fulfilled where the Messiah will come for His second and final return. Ironically, the end of both the Antichrist and the Antichrist’s archetype bring rejoicing. It was at the end of Antiochus IV reign when the temple was again dedicated and cleansed to God that the Jewish holiday of Hanukah started and is still celebrated today; the end of the Antichrists reign will usher in the millennial kingdom of the Messiah and there will be much praise and rejoicing throughout all the earth.

MESSIAH

Israel saw the coming of the Messiah as a miraculous event, they fully believed that the coming Messiah would establish His kingdom, and that the final week would play out after the Messiah had accepted His kingdom, causing the time of desolation to

start. This line of thinking is a fuzzy way of observing Daniel, and it leaves holes and gaps in the literal prophecy. The first gap is the belief rests in beliefs about what scripture states in the Book of Daniel concerning the Messiah being cut off. Obviously in Christian theology, the point when Jesus was crucified on the cross by the Romans and Jews covers the prophetic line that the Messiah would be cut off. However, it was a wide spread belief of the Jews that this might only mean cut off from the temple during the time of the Antichrist. There is a second gap; this gap covers a logical problem between the prophecy and the timeline given by God to Daniel. The problem rests in that if the Messiah would come to claim His kingdom, how would the Antichrist have opportunity

to desecrate the temple as Antiochus IV had done? The answer simply is that this would become an inconsistency with the belief that the Messiah would come the first time to establish His world wide kingdom. Further prophetic messages in the New Testament

help to shed light and prove false the belief that the Messiah, if it were Jesus, should have set up His kingdom instead of ascending back to Heaven to await His second return.

UNFULFILLED PROPHECY

The remaining portions of scripture, Daniel 9: 26-27, deal directly with the period of time between the Messiah’s first coming and His second coming. This period is commonly referred to as the time of the Gentiles. 13 Miller quotes Baldwin who said it best, “Daniel here described ‘the completion of God’s purpose.” 14 The time period that currently exists on the timeline is none other then the waiting time for the Second coming of Christ and the beginning of the seventieth week. An interesting notion, but not a

provable point here is that 2000 year time periods have been in between the formation of Israel to its destruction, and then now currently readers are in the final stretch of a 2000 year period for the Gentiles. It is important to note that this believer trusts in Jesus’ words that no man knows the time of the coming of the end. The end times heavily rely on other prophecies which Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar had concerning the beasts and the statue. Currently the empire of Rome is no longer in existence, scripture is rather clear that, “both the books of Daniel and Revelation associate the Antichrist with a confederation of ten European nations that correspond in some way to the old Roman Empire. We see this confederation symbolized by the ten toes of the great statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, as described in Daniel 2:31-45. This confederation is also symbolized in Daniel 7:19-28 and Revelation 13:1-9 by the ten horns on the beast.” 15 

13 Miller 25714 Ibib 26915 Layhaye, Tim. Hindson, Ed. The Popular Encyclopedia of Bible Prophecy. (Eugene,Oregon:Harvest House Publishers) 24

 

Perhaps the most exciting part of this prophecy which still has yet to be fulfilled is the coming of the Messiah’s millennial kingdom and when the Antichrist is destroyed.

UNDERSTANDING PROPHECY

Understanding that there is unfulfilled prophecy and understanding what the unfulfilled prophecy means is a heavy subject. Many views exist concerning prophecy as discussed in the introduction. Pre-tribulation maintains the most logical flow and literal

interpretation of prophetic matters; however, the mid-tribulation and post-tribulation viewpoints seem to have far more difficulty synchronizing scripture and tend to either disregard or misinterpret scripture entirely to suit their perceived beliefs. Post-tribulation holds that, “… the 70 weeks are a continuous, successive, unbroken period of years that ended with the death of Stephen or the destruction of Jerusalem.” 16 Mid- tribulation holds that the rapture will occur during the middle of the Antichrist’s reign, before he breaks his treaty with the people of Israel. It is,

“According to the mid-tribulation position, the seventieth week of Daniel (Dan 9:24-27) will last seven years. At the beginning of that period, the Antichrist will enter into a treaty that guarantees freedom of religion to Israel, and he will keep that promise for three and one-half years.” 17 Fortunately, pre-tribulation, “is the only view that makes ‘the blessed hope’ (Titus 2:13) truly a blessed hope.” 18

16. Layhaye, Towns, Elmer. The Popular Encyclopedia of Bible Prophecy. (Eugene,Oregon:Harvest House Publishers) 27817 Layhaye, Kessinger, Tony. The Popular Encyclopedia of Bible Prophecy. (Eugene,Oregon:Harvest House Publishers) 22418. Tim Layhaye, Richard Mayhue, , Wayne Brindle. The Popular Encyclopedia of BibleProphecy. (Eugene, Oregon:Harvest House Publishers) 290

 

CONCLUSION

It is without doubt that if the book of Daniel did not exist, then the prophecies in other passages of scripture would be difficult, if not impossible to understand. Historically, Daniel sets the bar as being a highly historic and reliable source of information for scholars of the Middle East and Europe. Prophetically, the book of

Daniel also sets the tone of hope which Israel clung too till the time that the Messiah was cut off from them and the start of the period of the Gentiles began. Now during this time of the Gentiles, Israel awaits the second coming of the Messiah; though, unfortunately not many Jews believe that Christ was even the Messiah. There is hope though, as scripture relates that after the period of the Gentiles ends, or the time which the church is

raptured according to the pre-tribulation theory; there will be many Jews who come to understand and begin to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The book of Daniel also relies heavily on itself to explain the transitions of history, and rests on the interpretations of Angels, given to Daniel, of the many dreams and visions which dot its pages. The time period of the Gentiles came at the end of the 483 year period and now awaits the coming of the Antichrist to complete the last seven years for a total of 490, or seventy sevens.

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bradshaw, Robert. The Book of Daniel._daniel.html

http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/article

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/28380/Antiochus-IV-Epiphanes

Layhaye, Tim; Couch, Mal; Hindson, Ed; Kessinger, Tony; Mayhue, Richard;Towns, Elmer; The Popular Encyclopedia of Bible Prophecy. (Eugene, Oregon:HarvestHouse Publishers)

Miller. Stephen. The New American Commentary: Daniel. Volume 18.(Nashville, Tennessee: B&H Publish Group)

Phillips, Coleman, C. Daniel, New Spirit Filled Life Bible: NKJV: Daniel;Additional Notes for Revelation: Commentary (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas NelsonPublishers)