Daniel 9: The Historical, Non-Eschatological View

If you have not read my previous post, it may be beneficial to start there.

I want to discuss Daniel chapter 9. Before we start, it is important that you go read the chapter for yourself. Empty yourself of any preconceived notions of what it might say or mean, and just read the text as it is written for us. Let the text speak its own words. Go ahead. I'll wait.

Hums Jeopardy theme song while you read...

Okay. Now that you've read it, I want to ask... did you see it? Did you see the anti-christ? Did you see the great tribulation? Did you see the seven years of the end times with timestamps for "pre-tribulation," and three and a half years later, "mid-tribulation" and ending at seven years with the inauguration of the "post-tribulation" period? Did you see a rebuilt third temple that is not mentioned anywhere in the entire Bible? Did you see the Jews once again making regular sacrifices in this never-mentioned temple, and those sacrifices occurring in a place God actually calls Holy?

No?

Most who preach tribulation eschatology rest the entire seven-year timeline and structure of the pre, mid, and post tribulation periods in the text of Daniel chapter 9. As you can see from having just read this text, this is a giant leap of theological faith. For years, I never really knew where the timeline came from. I always figured it was "all over" those difficult books such as Revelation, Daniel and Ezekiel. Everyone I'd ever heard speak to it when I was a kid was so convinced and convincing, I suppose I just never questioned. Then I got older and ignored it for much of my adult life, because it all seemed too confusing to care about. Eventually I heard preachers who spoke entirely different messages regarding the future, and unlike the "Left Behind" theology I had grown up with, these messages actually seemed to be Biblically supported - simply, and without jumping through a bunch of "trust me" theological hoops. With this, I started to care, and looked into the Biblical texts for myself.

Considerations regarding the text itself

When reading Daniel chapter 9, it is important to consider a few things. First, the chapter stands as a whole unit. This is plain to see from the text. Like half of the chapters in Daniel, it starts with a time-stamp, separating it from the previous chapter ("In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus..."). Chapter 10 starts with a new time-stamp. With this, we know that the entirety of the events of Daniel chapter 9 stand alone (to an extent - the whole Bible stands together). It is not a continuation of the narrative of chapter 8, nor is Daniel 9's story continued in chapter 10. We should view this complete passage as a single narrative.

Second, we must remember that when Daniel writes, there is no temple in Jerusalem. The first temple has been destroyed and the Israelites have been in captivity in Babylon. The second temple is yet to be built.

The chapter can be divided into two main sections. The first is Daniel's prayer for Israel (verses 1-19Daniel 9:1-19 (ESV)
In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, by descent a Mede, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans— in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years. Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying, “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of the treachery that they have committed against you. To us, O Lord, belongs open shame, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you. To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by walking in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. 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. He has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us and against our rulers who ruled us, by bringing upon us a great calamity. For under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what has been done against Jerusalem. As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us; yet we have not entreated the favor of the Lord our God, turning from our iniquities and gaining insight by your truth. Therefore the Lord has kept ready the calamity and has brought it upon us, for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works that he has done, and we have not obeyed his voice. And now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and have made a name for yourself, as at this day, we have sinned, we have done wickedly. “O Lord, according to all your righteous acts, let your anger and your wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy hill, because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people have become a byword among all who are around us. Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord, make your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate. O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.”
) and the second is the immediately sent response to that prayer, delivered by Gabriel (verses 20-27Daniel 9:20-27 (ESV)
While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my plea before the Lord my God for the holy hill of my God, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice. He made me understand, speaking with me and saying, “O Daniel, I have now come out to give you insight and understanding. At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved. Therefore consider the word and understand the vision. “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. 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. 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. 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.”
). The prayer is a result of Daniel's realization that Israel will be released from bondage in Babylon and permitted to return to their homeland, per the previous prophecies of Jeremiah. With this realization, Daniel narrates a heartfelt prayer for his people, that even though they have not turned to the Lord and have remained in sin, that God would still have mercy on them, for his own name's sake. It is a beautiful prayer, and a prayer that could be used as a model for your own prayers for your own country today. It's worth noting that this was no "quickie" prayer. Daniel states "I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes." (Daniel 9:3Daniel 9:3 (ESV)
Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.
). While we do not know the time period of Daniel's pleas for mercy, by simple fact of fasting, sackcloth and ashes, we know that Daniel wasn't just reading along in Jeremiah when he suddenly stopped and prayed for a quick second before moving on. Whether this was a day of fasting and praying or a number of days we do not know. What we should realize, though, is this wasn't three minutes and done.

While in the midst of praying, Gabriel came "in swift flight" with a word that had been sent out when Daniel started praying (Daniel 9:20-23Daniel 9:20-23 (ESV)
While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my plea before the Lord my God for the holy hill of my God, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice. He made me understand, speaking with me and saying, “O Daniel, I have now come out to give you insight and understanding. At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved. Therefore consider the word and understand the vision.
). That word completes the chapter (verses 24-27Daniel 9:24-27 (ESV)
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. 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. 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. 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.
). As this is an admittedly difficult text, I will post Daniel 24:24-27 in both the ESV, which is one of the most popular translations today, but which struggles with this particular passage, and the NIV, which has stronger adherence to the original Hebrew for this particular text.

First the ESV:

“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. 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. 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. 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.”

And the NIV:

“Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place. “Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.”

"Sevens" or "Weeks"

It is wise to always consider multiple translations, as well as the original Hebrew when studying scripture. In this text, there are some important textual points to consider. First, while the ESV and many other translations say "weeks" the word in the Hebrew is as presented in the NIV - "sevens." Most scholars agree that in this prophecy "sevens" represents a "week of years." So, "seventy sevens" is really "Seventy weeks of years" or in modern thinking, "seventy seven year periods" or 490 years. This has been universally accepted for millennia. In reading the Bible, it seems that God likes the number seven. From the Genesis account forward, it's all over the place, and most believe it usually represents "perfection" or "completion."

"The Most Holy (Place)"

At the end of verse 24, both the NIV and ESV use the phrase "most holy place." The KJV says "to anoint the most Holy." Here, it's wise to look at the Hebrew and consider why the word "place" is used in many translations (ESV, NET2, NIV, NASB20, NLT, CSB, RSV, BBE and Vulgate). Versions that do not use "place" include the KJV, NKJV, ASV, HNV, WEB and YLT. The DBY uses "anoint the holy of holies."

If we look at the Hebrew, we see that "Holy (Place)" is taken from the Hebrew word qodesh (Strong's H6944). Per Strong's, it can mean the following:

  1. a holy thing.
  2. (of location) a holy place.
  3. (of event) a holy event (i.e. a memorial).
  4. (abstract, rarely) holiness.
  5. (double emphasized) Holy of Holies (the holy place of holy places, the most holiest place).
  6. Holy (Spirit).

Qodesh is a stand-alone word. The Hebrew word for "place" or "thing" is not added to it. For this reason, some argue that the text in verse 24 should simply say "the Most Holy."

The Brown-Driver-Briggs' Hebrew Lexicon gives the following definition for qôdesh:

  1. apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness 1a) apartness, sacredness, holiness 1a1) of God 1a2) of places 1a3) of things 1b) set-apartness, separateness

Qôdesh is used many times in the Old Testament. In the King James, it is translated as "holy" 303 times. It is translated as "sanctuary" 55 times. It is translated "most holy" 47 times. It is translated as "holiness" 30 times. It is also translated, less commonly, as "dedicated," "hallowed," "consecrated," and "saints" (one time, referencing angels with God in Deuteronomy 33:2Deuteronomy 33:2 (ESV)
He said, “The LORD came from Sinai and dawned from Seir upon us; he shone forth from Mount Paran; he came from the ten thousands of holy ones, with flaming fire at his right hand.
).

When you look at the various verses which use this word, you can see that it doesn't refer to man, but to God and God's items. The holy places are places such as God's Holy Mountain and his sanctuary. The holy things are the flocks for sacrifices or the holy items used in sacrificial worship.

It is important to give careful consideration to this word because it is necessary to know if the anointing in Daniel 9:24Daniel 9:24 (ESV)
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.
is of a most holy place (a thing) or a most holy person (Messiah). I agree with the person view. The most holy is Jesus. Gabriel was speaking to the future. In the Old Testament, this same word was used of the temple and holy place in the temple and the instruments of worship and the sacrificial animals - all those things which were but shadow and types of Jesus. It's not about anointing some building. It's about anointing Jesus. Consider the whole verse of Daniel 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). (parentheses mine)

If I were to say to you, "there is a place that finishes transgression and puts an end to sin, a place that atones for iniquity and brings in everlasting righteousness..." the Jews of old would likely think of the temple, but would that work in modern Christianity? Rather, if I were to say to you "there is one (a person) who finished the transgression and put an end to sin, who atoned for iniquity and brought in everlasting righteousness..." - isn't that the whole story of Jesus in the Bible, both in shadow and type in the Old Testament, and in fulfilled reality in the New? Clearly Gabriel is speaking a Messianic prophecy - a prophecy that was fulfilled in Jesus. We must remember that in the New Testament, Jesus is the temple (and chief cornerstone of it - Matthew 21:42Matthew 21:42 (ESV)
Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?"
, Mark 12:10Mark 12:10 (ESV)
Have you not read this Scripture: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;"
, Luke 20:17Luke 20:17 (ESV)
But he looked directly at them and said, “What then is this that is written: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’?"
, Acts 4:11Acts 4:11 (ESV)
This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.
, 1 Peter 2:61 Peter 2:6 (ESV)
For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
), and we in him are also the temple (living stones being built together - 1 Peter 2:51 Peter 2:5 (ESV)
you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
) The former temple was only a shadow. Consider Jesus' words in John 2:19:

Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

So with this, it is clear that the prophecy in Daniel 9 is a Messianic prophecy. Jesus is the Most Holy, and he was represented in type and shadow as the Most Holy Place (of the temple) in the Old Testament.

Seven and then 62, or 69 consecutive weeks?

Another textual variant we must consider is in the wording of separation between the 7 weeks and 62 weeks in Daniel 9:25Daniel 9:25 (ESV)
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.
. The ESV reports two separate time periods (there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks). The NIV reports a single time period (there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’). Most translations support the single timeline: NASB20, KJV, NKJV, NLT, NIV, CSB, NET2, ASV, DBY, HNV, WEB, and YLT. Only the RSV stands with the ESV in separating the timeline into distinct 7 and 62 week periods.

Time is often written oddly in scripture and prophecy. This may just be one of those times. Regardless, the prophecy seems to refer to a 69 week period and a 70th week. As I mentioned earlier, God likes "seven" and it could be that God was simply highlighting the perfection of his plan by starting with 7 sevens, which a Jewish hearer would note brings in the year of Jubilee, and ending with the 70th, which the same Jewish hearer might think of as a super-Jubilee that begins after 10 Jubilee periods (A neat application to the perfection, restoration and freedom Jesus brings if nothing else). It could also be that the rebuilding of the temple would take 7 weeks (49 years), and then there would be a 434 year gap before the appearance of the Messiah.

Seventy weeks, or, 69 weeks followed by an unmentioned and unspecified number of weeks (a gap), and then a very distant 70th week which has yet to occur?

When I read the text, I see a story of 70 weeks. The 70th week has additional detail, and it is divided up into two halves (or at least in the midst of that week, sacrifice is brought to an end). Those who believe this speaks to the antichrist bringing an end to sacrifice (in the never mentioned anywhere in the Bible third temple) must insert a significant gap between week 69 and week 70. I don't believe the text hints at any such gap. It seems that the 70th week comes after the 69th week.

Additionally, the mention of an antichrist here would be rather random considering Daniel's prayer and Gabriel's answer to that prayer. Daniel is pleading for mercy. He is calling on God to keep his covenant for his name sake, despite the covenant breakers. He is confessing the complete sinfulness of the people, all of the people, both far and near, and in all of the countries where God's people have been driven. But to the Lord our God belongs mercy and forgiveness, even though his people rebelled against Him. Even in judgement (the destruction of the first temple and captivity to Babylon), God's people have not turned to him. Daniel cries out, "Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord, make your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate." (Daniel 9:17). He later adds "For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name." (Daniel 9:18-19).

What response would answer Daniel's prayer? Salvation or deception?

It was to Daniel's prayer - his prayer of confession of the people's sin and a calling for God's mercy - that Gabriel brings an answer. Would the answer to this prayer be "I'm going to set up a great and evil man who will trick the Jews with a peace treaty"? Does it not make much more sense that the answer to this prayer would be - Jesus, and nothing but Jesus? I don't think an antichrist is in this passage. I see everything as Jesus - the perfect answer to Daniel's cries. For most of church history, this was the predominant view. Somehow in the last 150 to 200 years we have lost that view. I wonder if we are such a selfish people that we got tired of looking in the scriptures and seeing all this stuff that was about "them" and "the past." I wonder if we so needed to be included in the story that we turned a completely fulfilled prophecy about Jesus into some horrific future event which many have been sure would begin to come to pass in their lifetimes. Has God given us over to this thinking because of a hardness in our hearts regarding his glorious story? I don't purport to know the answer to these questions, but with the amazing level of theological gymnastics that have been used to put together the now common (and always just around the corner and very exciting) pre-tribulation rapture view, it does make me wonder.

When are the 70 weeks?

To this, I am uncertain. There are numerous thoughts on the subject. As stated above, I do believe these are 70 consecutive periods of seven. I don't see any room for an unmentioned and unspecified "gap" in the text. Without a gap, it is required that the 70 weeks have already been fulfilled, as nearly everyone agrees they clock started less than 500 years before the ministry of Jesus.

From the The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, Enhanced by Timothy S. Morton:

Seventy weeks: That is, seventy weeks of years, or 490 years, which reckoned from the seventh year of Artaxerxes, coinciding with the 4,256th year of the Julian period, and in the month Nisan in which Ezra was commissioned to restore the Jewish state and polity (Ezra 7:9-26Ezra 7:9-26 (ESV)
For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylonia, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, for the good hand of his God was on him. For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel. This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, a man learned in matters of the commandments of the Lord and his statutes for Israel: “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven. Peace. And now I make a decree that anyone of the people of Israel or their priests or Levites in my kingdom, who freely offers to go to Jerusalem, may go with you. For you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to make inquiries about Judah and Jerusalem according to the Law of your God, which is in your hand, and also to carry the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, with all the silver and gold that you shall find in the whole province of Babylonia, and with the freewill offerings of the people and the priests, vowed willingly for the house of their God that is in Jerusalem. With this money, then, you shall with all diligence buy bulls, rams, and lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings, and you shall offer them on the altar of the house of your God that is in Jerusalem. Whatever seems good to you and your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and gold, you may do, according to the will of your God. The vessels that have been given you for the service of the house of your God, you shall deliver before the God of Jerusalem. And whatever else is required for the house of your God, which it falls to you to provide, you may provide it out of the king's treasury. “And I, Artaxerxes the king, make a decree to all the treasurers in the province Beyond the River: Whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, requires of you, let it be done with all diligence, up to 100 talents of silver, 100 cors of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much. Whatever is decreed by the God of heaven, let it be done in full for the house of the God of heaven, lest his wrath be against the realm of the king and his sons. We also notify you that it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll on anyone of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, or other servants of this house of God. “And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all the people in the province Beyond the River, all such as know the laws of your God. And those who do not know them, you shall teach. Whoever will not obey the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be strictly executed on him, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of his goods or for imprisonment.”
) will bring us to the month of Nisan of the 4,746th year of the same period, or AD 33, the very month and year in which our Lord suffered, and completed the work of our salvation.

I'm not saying that the above time period is perfect, for I honestly don't know. I show the above to point to the fact that this prophecy has been seen to include the Messiah in the 70 weeks without the need to turn off the clock for a few thousand years and then turn it back on for the completely different purpose of the antichrist.

We need to remember the prayer. Gabriel was indeed seeking the restoration of the temple and Jerusalem. However, God has always seen the better way and better temple - Jesus. Gabriel answers with the promise of the better, living temple. As stated in Adam Clark's commentary:

Gabriel shows him that there are seventy weeks determined relative to a redemption from another sort of captivity, which shall commence with the going forth of the edict to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, and shall terminate with the death of Messiah the Prince, and the total abolition of the Jewish sacrifices.

But the exactness of time, I do not know, though I have a preference, which I will discuss shortly. But as for the variants of possible timepoints, David Guzik's Commentary on the whole Bible describes this conundrum well.

<All the points below, until noted, are from Guzik's commentary>

In figuring out the time of the start of the clock (the command to rebuild Jerusalem), Guzik shows we have four possibilities:

  1. Cyrus made a decree giving Ezra and the Babylonian captives the right to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple in 538 b.c. (Ezra in 1:1-4Ezra 1:1-4 (ESV)
    In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel— he is the God who is in Jerusalem. And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.”
    and 5:13-17Ezra 5:13-17 (ESV)
    However, in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king made a decree that this house of God should be rebuilt. And the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple that was in Jerusalem and brought into the temple of Babylon, these Cyrus the king took out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to one whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor; and he said to him, “Take these vessels, go and put them in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its site.” Then this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God that is in Jerusalem, and from that time until now it has been in building, and it is not yet finished.’ Therefore, if it seems good to the king, let search be made in the royal archives there in Babylon, to see whether a decree was issued by Cyrus the king for the rebuilding of this house of God in Jerusalem. And let the king send us his pleasure in this matter.”
    )
  2. Darius made a decree giving Ezra the right to rebuild the temple in 517 b.c. (Ezra 6:6-12Ezra 6:6-12 (ESV)
    Now therefore, Tattenai, governor of the province Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and your associates the governors who are in the province Beyond the River, keep away. Let the work on this house of God alone. Let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its site. Moreover, I make a decree regarding what you shall do for these elders of the Jews for the rebuilding of this house of God. The cost is to be paid to these men in full and without delay from the royal revenue, the tribute of the province from Beyond the River. And whatever is needed—bulls, rams, or sheep for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, or oil, as the priests at Jerusalem require—let that be given to them day by day without fail, that they may offer pleasing sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons. Also I make a decree that if anyone alters this edict, a beam shall be pulled out of his house, and he shall be impaled on it, and his house shall be made a dunghill. May the God who has caused his name to dwell there overthrow any king or people who shall put out a hand to alter this, or to destroy this house of God that is in Jerusalem. I Darius make a decree; let it be done with all diligence.
    )
  3. Artaxerxes made a decree giving Ezra permission, safe passage, and supplies to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple in 458 b.c. (Ezra 7:11-26Ezra 7:11-26 (ESV)
    This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, a man learned in matters of the commandments of the LORD and his statutes for Israel: “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven. Peace. And now I make a decree that anyone of the people of Israel or their priests or Levites in my kingdom, who freely offers to go to Jerusalem, may go with you. For you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to make inquiries about Judah and Jerusalem according to the Law of your God, which is in your hand, and also to carry the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, with all the silver and gold that you shall find in the whole province of Babylonia, and with the freewill offerings of the people and the priests, vowed willingly for the house of their God that is in Jerusalem. With this money, then, you shall with all diligence buy bulls, rams, and lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings, and you shall offer them on the altar of the house of your God that is in Jerusalem. Whatever seems good to you and your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and gold, you may do, according to the will of your God. The vessels that have been given you for the service of the house of your God, you shall deliver before the God of Jerusalem. And whatever else is required for the house of your God, which it falls to you to provide, you may provide it out of the king's treasury. “And I, Artaxerxes the king, make a decree to all the treasurers in the province Beyond the River: Whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, requires of you, let it be done with all diligence, up to 100 talents of silver, 100 cors of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much. Whatever is decreed by the God of heaven, let it be done in full for the house of the God of heaven, lest his wrath be against the realm of the king and his sons. We also notify you that it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll on anyone of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, or other servants of this house of God. “And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all the people in the province Beyond the River, all such as know the laws of your God. And those who do not know them, you shall teach. Whoever will not obey the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be strictly executed on him, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of his goods or for imprisonment.”
    )
  4. Artaxerxes made a decree giving Nehemiah permission, safe passage and supplies to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city and the walls in 445 b.c. (Nehemiah 2:1-8Nehemiah 2:1-8 (ESV)
    In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. And the king said to me, “Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart.” Then I was very much afraid. I said to the king, “Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” Then the king said to me, “What are you requesting?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' graves, that I may rebuild it.” And the king said to me ( the queen sitting beside him), “How long will you be gone, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time. And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.” And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.
    )

The last of these four decrees was a command to restore and build Jerusalem. The first three each focused on the temple, not on the street or on the wall.

In figuring out the time after the clock starts until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks: Gabriel's message to Daniel is simple and striking. 483 years - that is, 69 units of seven years - would pass from the time of the command recorded in Nehemiah 2:1-8 until the appearance of Messiah the Prince. Guzik notes:

  1. Some say the 483 years were completed at Jesus' birth (5 or 4 b.c.). There is little chronological support for this date.
  2. Some say the 483 years were completed at His baptism, at the beginning of Jesus' ministry (if dated at 26 a.d.). This is possible if one begins with the earlier decree of Artaxerxes, and figures with our present measurement for years instead of the ancient measurement of years (360 days). (This writer {David} thinks this may be the correct interpretation, as will be noted below)
  3. Some say the 483 years were completed at the triumphal entry of Jesus (if dated at 32 a.d.). Sir Robert Anderson's significant work The Coming Prince follows this argument in great detail.
    • Note: Anderson, using a 360-day year (which Israel used in Daniel's day), calculates 173,880 days from the decree to the triumphal entry, fulfilling the prophecy to the day. "It is customary for the Jews to have twelve months of 360 days each and then to insert a thirteenth month occasionally when necessary to correct the calendar." (Walvoord)
    • The year 32 a.d. (based on Luke 3:1) for Jesus' death is controversial (most chronologists favor 30 or 33 a.d.). But recent attempts have made some case for the date: "A recent article attempts to give credence to the date of a.d. 32; cf. R.E. Showers, Grace Journal, XI (Winter, 1970), pp. 30ff. The evidence presented is worthy of notice." (Wood)
    • "No one today is able dogmatically to declare that Sir Robert Anderson's computations are impossible." (Walvoord) iv.
  4. Some say the 483 years were completed at the exact time of the crucifixion.

Guzik adds: Until Messiah the Prince: Taking Anderson's calculations as reliable, we see a remarkable fulfillment of prophecy. A Gentile king made a decree and 483 years later to the day, Jesus presented Himself as Messiah the Prince to Israel.

Guzik later beautifully adds: This prophecy is so specifically fulfilled that it has been a significant testimony to many. "Others of the Jewish [scholars], by the evidence of these words, have been compelled to confess that Messiah is already come, and that he was that Jesus whom their forefathers crucified." (Trapp)

</end of points from Guzik's commentary>

What about week 70?

If we take the view that 69 weeks transpired before the appearance of Jesus, and if we consider the appearance of Jesus as Jesus' being heralded by John and being baptized, then that leaves us with Jesus' ministerial life being the first half of the last week. "But in the middle of that week he will bring sacrifices and offerings to a halt" (Daniel 9:27 NET2Daniel 9:27 (ESV & NET2)
ESV: 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.

NET2: 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.
). I believe this speaks to the crucifixion, as the crucifixion of Jesus ended God's acceptance of temple offerings and sacrifices. The second half of the 70th week would be the first three and a half years of the church. Some point out that this may coincide with the end of the exclusive revelation of Jesus to the Jews and Peter's introduction of the gospel to the Gentiles. With this thought, the Jews had the 70th week to see and hear of their Messiah, whom they rejected. Because of this rejection, "On the wing of abominations will come one who destroys, until the decreed end is poured out on the one who destroys." (Daniel 9:27 NET2Daniel 9:27 (ESV & NET2)
ESV: 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.

NET2: 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.
- the destruction of the temple by the Roman armies).

Others make a comparison to the week of creation. All but the seventh day had "and there was evening and there was morning, the first (second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth) day." But for the seventh day, Genesis 2:2 says "And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done." There is no noted end to the seventh day; similarly, there is no noted end to the work begun in Christ and to the building of his kingdom. Much like everything after creation just continues, so too does the church age.

Regardless of the exact timing (giving or taking a small number of years, depending on the exact start point), it does seem that the timing of the 70 weeks fits very well with history and the introduction of the Messiah. Like many, I believe that the 70th week starts at Jesus' baptism and anointing by God, is split in half by his crucifixion, and either ends with the presentation of the Gospel to the Gentiles or, like the creation week, is open ended and speaks to the time of the church.

The obvious or the confusing?

This rather plain interpretation of the scripture seems so much more like God than the pre-millennial dispensationalist view. Consider. Here is Daniel, seeking God for restoration of God's people and of the temple, and Gabriel shows up and trumps his prayer by announcing a super-answer to his prayer - a better restoration and a better temple. Not just a restored temple, but a better, final, living Temple, which is Jesus and the Church. Daniel's prayer was with natural vision, but God answered his exact prayer with supernatural promise. Daniel's prayer was for the type/shadow, as this is what he could understand, but God's answer was the final answer - the antitype/Jesus.

With the pre-millennial dispensationalist view, we must reason that God's answer to Daniel's prayer was so much more than simply Jesus, and, that God's answer wasn't really related to what Daniel had prayed. We must believe that more will be needed after Jesus. We have to accept that God's ultimate redemption story is not complete in Jesus, and that even though the antitype has come, we once again will need a temple (which was the type/shadow) so that once again, sacrifices can be made. Per the pre-millennial dispensationalist view and Matthew 24:15Matthew 24:15 (ESV)
So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place ( let the reader understand),
we must accept that this unmentioned anywhere in the Bible third temple will be built and it will be declared a Holy Place. It will not be enough that the true Temple, made without human hands is the holy place of God. We will need the additional holy place of the third physical temple, made with human hands. To me, this is complete blasphemy against the final work of Christ. This view is a step backwards, away from the glorious freedom and restoration that was made in Jesus' sacrifice on the cross - the restoration that brought an end to the need for a physical temple and animal sacrifices in the first place. When considering the meaning of this text, we must consider the obvious point that Gabriel's words were the given answer to Daniel's prayer. This historical view is that of an appropriate answer that makes complete sense in light of the prayer. The modern pre-millennial dispensationalist view is liken to God answering "Here, have this serpent" to the prayer "God, please give me a fish."

So how do I interpret Daniel 9?

I believe Daniel 9 is a beautiful story of Daniel's praying for his people and God having answered that prayer, in a way more complete than Daniel could have conceived when he was still praying. An outline of the chapter would be as follows (Texts taken from the Net Bible -NET2):

In the first year of Darius son of Ahasuerus, who was of Median descent and who had been appointed king over the Babylonian empire – in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, came to understand from the sacred books that the number of years for the fulfilling of the desolation of Jerusalem, which had come as the Lord’s message to the prophet Jeremiah, would be 70 years. (Daniel 9:1-2)

These verses set the time of the chapter. There is some confusion as to when this is, as there is uncertainty regarding the identify of Darius. Regardless, Daniel realizes from reading the writings of Jeremiah that the captivity in Babylon would end, and the desolation of Jerusalem would be fulfilled (Jerusalem had been destroyed when Israel was lead into captivity in Babylon). This leads Daniel to pray for the restoration of the currently desolate Jerusalem.

So I turned my attention to the Lord God to implore him by prayer and requests, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. I prayed to the Lord my God, confessing in this way: “O Lord, great and awesome God who is faithful to his covenant with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned! We have done what is wrong and wicked; we have rebelled by turning away from your commandments and standards. We have not paid attention to your servants the prophets, who spoke by your authority to our kings, our leaders, and our ancestors, and to all the inhabitants of the land as well. (Daniel 9:3-6)

This begins Daniel's prayer. By "fasting, sackcloth and ashes" we know this was a concentrated period of prayer, not just a quickie prayer as he was reading Jeremiah. He begins by proclaiming God's faithfulness. He then immediately begins confession of Israel's sin, including himself with Israel (we have sinned!). Here, the sin is defined as having turned away from God's commands and ways, and having not listened to the prophets who spoke by God's authority.

You are righteous, O Lord, but we are humiliated this day – the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far away in all the countries in which you have scattered them, because they have behaved unfaithfully toward you. O Lord, we have been humiliated – our kings, our leaders, and our ancestors – because we have sinned against you. Yet the Lord our God is compassionate and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him. (Daniel 9:7-9)

Daniel continues in prayer, speaking to God's people's current position of humiliation and being scattered. This position is due to God's people having been unfaithful. God's people includes kings, leaders and ancestors - all have sinned against God. Daniel then remembers and acknowledges that God is yet compassionate and forgiving, despite sin and rebellion.

We have not obeyed the Lord our God by living according to his laws that he set before us through his servants the prophets. All Israel has broken your law and turned away by not obeying you. Therefore you have poured out on us the judgment solemnly threatened in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we have sinned against you. He has carried out his threats against us and our rulers who were over us by bringing great calamity on us – what has happened to Jerusalem has never been equaled under all heaven! Just as it is written in the law of Moses, so all this calamity has come on us. Still we have not tried to pacify the Lord our God by turning back from our sin and by seeking wisdom from your reliable moral standards. (Daniel 9:10-13)

Daniel again admits sin for all Israel. It is because of this sin that God has poured out judgment - which was what was promised in the law of Moses. The calamity has been great, but it was what was promised in the law. Despite all this, though, God's people have not turned back from their sin or sought wisdom from God's moral standards (we never learn!).

The Lord was mindful of the calamity, and he brought it on us. For the Lord our God is just in all he has done, and we have not obeyed him. (Daniel 9:14)

The calamity was God's doing - even if he used man to bring out the destruction of Jerusalem and to take God's people into captivity, it was still God's doing. He was mindful of it and he brought it on the people. He was just in doing so. We don't need to try to protect God's good name, as some today try to do.

Now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with great power and made a name for yourself that is remembered to this day – we have sinned and behaved wickedly. O Lord, according to all your justice, please turn your raging anger away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain. For due to our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors, Jerusalem and your people are mocked by all our neighbors. So now, our God, accept the prayer and requests of your servant, and show favor to your devastated sanctuary for your own sake. (Daniel 9:15-17)

Daniel remembers God's greatness in rescuing his people before - when he brought them out of Egypt. Even after this great deliverance, God's people still behaved wickedly. Then Daniel asks, "according to all your justice (or righteousness), please turn your raging anger away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain." Daniel sees the restoration requested as restoration of God's city, for this is where God dwelt and met with his people and accepted their sacrifice. Daniel sees that it is because of the people's sins that the Gentiles are mocking both Jerusalem (the place of God's presence) and God's people. Daniel asks that not for the people, but for God's own name's sake that God show favor to his temple. Daniel is upset that God's name is being slandered more so than because God's people are suffering for their own sin.

Listen attentively, my God, and hear! Open your eyes and look on our desolated ruins and the city called by your name. For it is not because of our own righteous deeds that we are praying to you, but because your compassion is abundant. O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, pay attention, and act! Don’t delay, for your own sake, O my God! For your city and your people are called by your name.” (Daniel 9:18-19)

Daniel presses in, asking God to see the ruins of Jerusalem. Daniel asks, not because of Israel's own righteousness, but because of God's compassion. He asks God to hear, forgive, pay attention, act, and not delay - for his own name sake, as his city and people are called by his name. This ends Daniel's prayer. It is a prayer of deep repentance, asking God to restore his place of meeting with his people. While restoring the physical temple will answer this prayer, proclaiming the greater, living temple and the one who will meet with God's people face to face will be the final and perfect answer to this prayer - this is what we see next in the message delivered by Gabriel.

While I was still speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and presenting my request before the Lord my God concerning his holy mountain – yes, while I was still praying, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen previously in a vision, was approaching me in my state of extreme weariness, around the time of the evening offering. He spoke with me, instructing me as follows: “Daniel, I have now come to impart understanding to you. At the beginning of your requests a message went out, and I have come to convey it to you, for you are of great value in God’s sight. Therefore consider the message and understand the vision: (Daniel 9:20-23)

While still praying, Gabriel comes to Daniel. Daniel recognizes Gabriel as he has seen him previously in a vision. Daniel is extremely weary (Possibly from the extensiveness of his praying). Gabriel says the message he is delivering was sent as soon as Daniel started praying; God did not need to wait to hear everything Daniel would say. Daniel is told of his value to God ("you are greatly loved" - ESV).

I want to note here that the text does not say that Gabriel was given the message immediately and he was delayed in bringing it to Daniel (as Daniel had been praying for an unspecified while before Gabriel shows up). It simply says that the message/command/word (NET2/NKJV/NIV,ESV) went out as soon as Daniel began to pray, and that separately, Gabriel has been sent to give Daniel the message. The message itself starts in the next verse.

Before moving forward, I acknowledge that regarding the last four verses of Daniel 9, there are a variety of interpretations out there. As Albert Barnes said in his commentary "Here commences the celebrated prophecy of the seventy weeks - a portion of Scripture Which has excited as much attention, and led to as great a variety of interpretation, as perhaps any other." I grew up with one interpretation - the premillennial dispensationalist view - not even knowing so much of it was from these specific verses. I have come to see the premillennial dispensationalist interpretation as a modern deviation from the plain and seemingly obvious interpretation I believe has always been correct. I believe Gabriel delivered a word that answered Daniel's prayer. I do not believe Gabriel gave a word that speaks to the coming scorpion (antichrist) as the answer to Daniel's request for a fish. I may be wrong, but moving on...

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. (Daniel 9:24)

Daniel is told that there will be a predetermined "70 weeks (sevens)" (490 year) period which concerns God's people and the holy city (Jerusalem). This 70 weeks will put an end to rebellion, bring sin to completion, atone for iniquity, bring in perpetual righteousness, seal up the prophetic vision, and anoint a most holy (place). I believe Jesus answers all of these points, as discussed below.

Put an end to rebellion (or to finish/shut up/seal up/confine/restrain the transgression). I believe "shut up/seal/confine/restrain" is the better interpretation of the Hebrew here (Strong's, H3607). This word is used elsewhere in scripture with this connotation (see 1 Samuel 6:101 Samuel 6:10 (ESV)
The men did so, and took two milk cows and yoked them to the cart and shut up their calves at home.
, Psalm 88:8Psalm 88:8 (ESV)
You have caused my companions to shun me; you have made me a horror to them. I am shut in so that I cannot escape;
and Jeremiah 32:2-3Jeremiah 32:2-3 (ESV)
At that time the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the guard that was in the palace of the king of Judah. For Zedekiah king of Judah had imprisoned him, saying, “Why do you prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord: Behold, I am giving this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall capture it;
). The word is only used 19 times in the Old Testament, and in the KJV, it is variously translated as "shut," "stayed," "refrained," "restrained," "withhold," "back," "finish" (Daniel 9:24), "forbid," "keep," "kept," and "retain." I will give two possible interpretations of this phrase.

The idea could be that rebellion will be restrained. For this point, consider the world before Jesus. For the most part, people were not coming to God by their own volition. The nations were not seeking the God of the Bible as they would (and do) after the Gospel was made available to them. Israel was only God's people because God made them such. Consider the days of Noah - all were sinful - no one sought God. While there is obviously still much rebellion today, compared to the days before Christ, the rebellion is indeed constrained.

This could also speak to the work of Christ, who by his sacrifice shuts up sin - permanently. Before Jesus, sin had to be atoned for via animal sacrifice - and then it was never a permanent solution. With Jesus, our sin is dealt with completely. Even when we still sin, it is dealt with completely. Our sin is removed from God's sight. We must remember that the 70 years in Babylon was not atonement for the people's sins, but was punishment for their rebellion. With Jesus, true atonement and an end to rebellion can be made.

Bring sin to completion (NET2). Put an end to sin (ESV, NIV). To Make an end of sins (KJV, NKJV). The Hebrew is Strong's H2856, which means "to close up" or "to seal" It is used 27 times in the Old Testament and is usually translated as "sealed" or "seal." The idea may be to hide out of sight as if sealed up to be concealed. Jesus did this for us. He conceals our sin and hides it permanently out of sight.

To atone for iniquity (NET2, ESV). To make reconciliation for iniquity (KJV, NKJV). To atone for wickedness (NIV). The Hebrew here is Strong's H3722, which means "to cover." It is the same word translated as "forgiven" in Isaiah 6:7 (He touched my mouth with it and said, “Look, this coal has touched your lips. Your evil is removed; your sin is forgiven.”)

To bring in perpetual righteousness (NET2). To bring in everlasting righteousness (ESV, KJV, NKJV, NIV). Jesus is the one who introduced true righteousness into our world. The righteousness he brings is an everlasting righteousness.

So far, we have rebellion being restrained, sin being covered or closed up (atoned for) and righteousness being introduced. The Jewish people knew that Messiah would come to make men righteousness and set up his kingdom of righteousness on earth. (see Isaiah 45:17 and 51:6-8Isaiah 45:17 & 51:6-8 (ESV)
45:17 But Israel is saved by the LORD with everlasting salvation; you shall not be put to shame or confounded to all eternity.

51:6-8 Look up at the sky! Look at the earth below! For the sky will dissipate like smoke, and the earth will wear out like clothes; its residents will die like gnats. But the deliverance I give is permanent; the vindication I provide will not disappear. Listen to me, you who know what is right, you people who are aware of my law! Don’t be afraid of the insults of men; don’t be discouraged because of their abuse! For a moth will eat away at them like clothes; a clothes moth will devour them like wool. But the vindication I provide will be permanent; the deliverance I give will last.
for further thought on this topic)

To seal up the prophetic vision (NET2). To seal up the vision and prophecy (KJV, NKVJ, NIV). To seal both vision and prophet (ESV). The expression "vision and prophecy" is a hendiadys in the Hebrew (translator's note, Net Bible). A hendiadys is a figure of speech in which two words connected by a conjunction are used to express a single notion that would normally be expressed by an adjective and a substantive, such as grace and favor instead of gracious favor (American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition).

To seal up the prophetic vision likely means to declare its completion or show that the vision has been confirmed as true. It will settle everything that seemed unsettled prior to Christ's appearance. It will seal up the prophecies as they will no longer be open matters. I don't believe this is referring specifically to the words of Gabriel at the end of this chapter, but to the prophecies as a whole that would relate to Daniel's prayer and Gabriel's message. This refers to much of the prophecy of the Old Testament, for Jesus said the scriptures were what spoke of him (see John 5:39John 5:39 (ESV)
You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me,
). The prophecies terminate on Jesus, for Jesus' testimony is the very spirit of prophecy (see Revelation 19:10Revelation 19:10 (ESV)
Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
).

It could also be interpreted that Jesus will bring an end to prophecy, as possibly noted in Hebrews:

After God spoke long ago in various portions and in various ways to our ancestors through the prophets, in these last days he has spoken to us in a son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he created the world. (Hebrews 1:1-2)

I don't take this view to the Daniel text, but it is offered as a possible interpretation by some scholars, and I find it worthy of mention here, especially as there are other verses which seem to support this interpretation.

The law and the prophets were in force until John; since then, the good news of the kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and everyone is urged to enter it. (Luke 16:16, italics mine)

It could be that the 70 weeks would bring an end to prophecies about Jesus, yet other needs of prophecy may remain and be in force. Think of Abagus in Acts 21:10-11Acts 21:10-11 (ESV)
While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. And coming to us, he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’”
, demonstrating another needs of prophecy.

For this text, I believe the "sealing of the prophecies" is the confirmation by the appearance of Christ that the prophecies have been proven true. This concept is seen in John, where it is said "Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true" (John 3:33John 3:33 (ESV)
Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true.
, ESV). It is also possible that the text holds a second meaning regarding there being no more prophecies about Jesus (with other needs of prophecy remaining). Of this second part, I am uncertain; the topic would require its own essay.

To anoint a most holy place (NET2, ESV). And to anoint the most Holy (KJV, NKJV). To anoint the Most Holy Place (NIV). See above for a discussion regarding this text and the word "place." I believe this last portion of verse 24Daniel 9:24 (ESV)
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.
speaks to Jesus' anointing as the ultimate reality for which all temple anointing was only a type or shadow. Daniel may have had in mind only the restoration of the temple, but Gabriel additionally brings the greater word of the type's fulfillment in Jesus. This interpretation goes along with all the other phrases in this verse - they all speak to the coming one who would supersede the type/temple - and that is Jesus himself.

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. (Daniel 9:25)

As discussed earlier, "a period of seven weeks and sixty-two weeks" could refer to a simple total of 69 weeks, with God showing off the Jubilee in his plan, or it could be that the temple itself would take 49 years to build and then the remainder of the time would be a waiting period before "an anointed one, a prince arrives" (this is the likely interpretation). Regardless, this does speak to the rebuilding of the temple, for the text says "it will again be built, with plaza and moat." Regarding distressful (troublous) times, Albert Barnes says:

The allusion is clearly to the rebuilding of the city, and the use of this language would lead us to anticipate that such an enterprise would meet with opposition or embarrassment; that there would be difficulty in accomplishing it; that the work would not be carried on easily, and that a considerable time would be necessary to finish it.

As Chuck Smith voiced:

Read the book of Nehemiah. As they were building the wall they had a trowel in one hand and a sword in the other. Because there were guys constantly, guerrilla attacks against them and the PLO was constantly trying to defeat them in their attempts.

As Thomas Coke said:

The first seven weeks, or forty-nine years, include the troublous times when the city was rebuilding; during which Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem so opposed the work. And the like opposition may they expect who zealously stand up in every age to build the walls of Christ's church; but against them, if faithful, no enemy shall finally prevail.

So at this point, we have the announcement that within a 70 week period, we will have the Messiah. This starts with the first 69 weeks, the beginning of which also gives us the second temple. The last two verses break down the 70th week. I believe both verses do this, separately. The first verse lays it out, and the second verse gives more specifics to the same. It seems Gabriel does this to reinforce that the answer to Daniel's prayer is not in the temple made with hands, but in the Living Temple which will be built in the coming Messiah (anointed one).

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. (Daniel 9:26 -NET2 - Italics Mine - Most versions follow the pattern of the italicized text)
After this period of sixty-two sets of seven, the Anointed One will be killed, appearing to have accomplished nothing, and a ruler will arise whose armies will destroy the city and the Temple. The end will come with a flood, and war and its miseries are decreed from that time to the very end. (Daniel 9:26 -NLT)
And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it [shall be] with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined. (Daniel 9:26 -NKJV, KJV is similar)

As noted above, most versions follow the pattern of the NET2 regarding the text "and have nothing." The NLT version, quoted second, gives a good nod to the meaning of the original Hebrew. The older KJV and NKJV text, "but not for himself", is least true to the Hebrew. The wording used may lead to confusion to today's readers who may take it to mean that Messiah would be crucified, but not for himself, but for others. While correct theologically, this is not correct to the original Hebrew text. Readers of the King James and the NKJV should be aware of this fact regarding the text.

In considering this text, we must consider the common belief of the Jews regarding the Messiah. Like the disciples, nearly all Jewish people believed the Messiah would arrive and immediately set up his earthly Kingdom (see Acts 1:6Acts 1:6 (ESV)
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
); they did not expect him to show up and shortly after be killed. They did not expect him to show up, be killed, and despite being resurrected, leave the earth and for Jerusalem to then be swept away by foreign armies. In giving the glorious news about the coming Messiah, who is greater than the temple made with hands, Gabriel made it abundantly clear - the immediate earthly kingdom rule you are expecting and the physical temple and capital Jerusalem you are trusting in are not the answer - a better answer is the Messiah who will come, and the rest will be swept away.

So, after the 69th week, Jesus will come, but he will be cut off. Note the Hebrew does not imply that he will be immediately cut off; the grammar of the text allows for him to be cut off after three and a half years. But not only will the Messiah be cut off, the city (Jerusalem) and the temple will be destroyed as well. It would come quickly (like a flood) and there would be a decreed destruction (much as there was with the first temple). With the crucifixion of Jesus and the destruction brought by Titus and the Roman armies, the prophecy of this text perfectly and fully came to pass nearly 2000 years ago.

To this point Gabriel has delivered the word that indeed, after 69 weeks we would have rebuilt the second temple and we would have the coming of Messiah, but it will not be as people think. This very Messiah, who will put an end to rebellion, bring sin to completion, atone for iniquity, bring in perpetual righteousness, seal up the prophetic vision, and be anointed as the most holy would be cut off, and not only that, all of Jerusalem would be swept away like a flood by a coming prince (Titus) and his armies. The expectations of the Jews will appear to have come to nothing. Messiah's work will appear to have come to nothing, but none-the-less, this very Messiah is the living Temple who is the perfect answer to Daniel's prayer. For those who understood this prophecy, great confidence could be found in Jesus, despite his crucifixion, his leaving the earth, and Jerusalem's destruction, for all this was as it was foretold several hundred years earlier. Knowing this prophecy will assist Jews in knowing that Jesus was indeed the very Messiah they had been waiting for. How glorious is the Word of God!

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.” (Daniel 9:27 -NET2)

First, we must ask, who is the "He" that begins this verse. I would argue that it is the Messiah, but grammatically, there appear to be three options (Messiah, the coming prince (Titus) from verse 26Daniel 9:26 (ESV & NET2)
ESV: 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.

NET2 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.
, and the one week itself). Regarding the last view, the text could be rendered "And one week shall confirm the covenant; with many." I believe it fair to dismiss this view. This leaves us with two options. I believe the purposes noted in verse 26 negate the possibility of "he" being the coming prince. Let's remind ourselves of verse 26Daniel 9:26 (ESV & NET2)
ESV: 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.

NET2 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.
:

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. (Daniel 9:26)

Here we see the purpose of the coming prince - destruction, speedily, like a flood. He brings destruction until the end of the war. This is what is decreed. He does not come to bring peace, or even to pretend to bring peace, or a peace treaty. His coming is for the city and the sanctuary - to destroy them, as decreed by God and the prophecy.

The most reasonable explanation is that "He" refers to the Messiah - the one who has been the principal subject of the entire prophecy. Those who hold a pre/mid/post-tribulation rapture view say the "he" is the antichrist, but this does not work at all with the grammar of the text. Whomever "he" refers to, "he" confirms a covenant with many for one week. This confirmation (or making strong - Strong's H1396) occurs during the full course of the 70th week. The text does not say that he makes a covenant at the beginning of the week, or even for half of the week. The covenant is confirmed and made strong throughout the whole week. The very narrative of the antichrist makes it impossible for this text to be about him. Recognizing this prophecy would have brought confidence to the first century disciples as they would have realized that despite the Messiah's being cut off, his work of making a strong covenant for one week would not be cut off. The Messiah's bringing sacrifices and offerings to a halt shows that the covenant being confirmed is not a covenant which is dependent on animal sacrifices, but must instead be dependent on something else. We know that the covenant is confirmed and made strong in who Christ is, and in Christ's blood, which was shed when he (the anointed one) was cut off (see Acts 20:18Acts 20:18 (ESV)
And when they came to him, he said to them: “You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia,
, Ephesians 1:7Ephesians 1:7 (ESV)
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
, Colossians 1:20Colossians 1:20 (ESV)
and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
, Hebrews 9:22Hebrews 9:22 (ESV)
Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
, 1 John 1:71 John 1:7 (ESV)
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
, Revelation 12:11Revelation 12:11 (ESV)
And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.
). To the Jews at the time of this prophecy, though, confirming a covenant while also causing sacrifices and offerings to cease was contrary to their way of thinking. Gabriel is showing that the anointed one will confirm a covenant differently than with animal sacrifices. Rather than animal sacrifices, those who accept Jesus will know that the better covenant was confirmed by the Messiah himself having been cut off and having brought animal sacrifices to an end, for the type will no longer be needed as the antitype will have come. This is the point of Gabriel's words in delivering this prophecy - the Messiah will come as the antitype, and the type will be done away with. Daniel had been praying for the rebuilding of the type, but the answer is that the type, though it will be rebuilt, will be replaced by the antitype, and the type itself will be washed away. This is a much fuller and more perfect answer to Daniel's exact prayer!

This brings us to the last of the chapter:

On the wing of abominations will come one who destroys, until the decreed end is poured out on the one who destroys. (Daniel 9:27b - NET2)

The KJV renders the text thusly:

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

And the NIV:

And at the temple (Hebrew - "wing" -NIV text note) he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him (or "it" -NIV text note).

The NIV has an alternate reading noted as well:

And one who causes desolation will come upon the wing of the abominable temple, until the end that is decreed is poured out on the desolated city.

As can be seen in the variety above, there is no assured translation of the Hebrew. This has been the case throughout history, as noted by numerous scholars over several hundred years. I like Albert Barnes' offering for the final words to the chapter: "He shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease. And - upon the wing - the porch of the temple - abominations! And a desolator!" This understanding would certainly have been fulfilled in 70 AD. As Josephus writes, in recording the history of this time:

And now the Romans, upon the flight of the seditious into the city, and upon the burning of the holy house itself, and all the buildings round about it, brought their ensigns into the temple, and set them over against its eastern gate; and there they did offer sacrifices to them, and there did they make Titus “Imperator” with the greatest acclamations of joy.” (Josephus, from his work, Jewish Wars)

This brings the prophecy full circle, from the time of Daniel's prayer for the rebuilding, when Jerusalem was already desolate, to the rebuilding, and then to the destruction brought on after its purpose was completed... it was again left desolate. This is further confirmed by the words of Jesus himself, which he said when he left Jerusalem for the last time in Matthew 23:

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would have none of it! Look, your house is left to you desolate! For I tell you, you will not see me from now until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’” (Matthew 23:37-39)

This ends the chapter. To me, it is clear that the entirety of Daniel 9 is about a prayer for restoration of Jerusalem and the temple, and the answer Gabriel brings which perfectly and even more perfectly answers the prayer. Yes, the temple will be rebuilt, but there is one coming who will be better, who will replace the need for the temple, and the very temple you have been praying about, since it will no longer be needed, will be swept away. This is a beautiful prophecy of Jesus, and every aspect of this prophecy was fulfilled in the generation of the disciples. Jesus also spoke to this, with the same promised timing, in the Olivet discourse, as discussed in my previous essay.

There is no place for an antichrist in this chapter, nor is there a place for a seven year tribulation period. Those things must be forced onto the text, and once done, the answer to the prayer no longer has anything to do with the prayer which brought the answer. It doesn't make sense, and in my opinion, is blasphemous to the word of God - crediting a marvelous promise of Jesus to an antichrist instead. It just doesn't wash.

As a final aside, I think it is neat that Gabriel is the one who was privileged to bring to Daniel this prophecy of the coming Messiah - the one who would bring an end to the temple system, for it was this same Gabriel who also brought word of Jesus' arrival to Mary and Zechariah (see Luke 1:19, 26Luke 1:19, 26 (ESV)
And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news... In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
). I don't know if angels have exciting moments that they wait and long for, but I imagine maybe Gabriel waited with excitement for roughly 500 years until he could bring more immediate word to Mary and Zachariah of the very Messiah he had described to Daniel so long before.

God is good, and his word endures forever.

Some Thoughts on the End of Things When the Music Causes You to Move On