I have come now to give you insight and understanding (Daniel 9:22)

In the book of Daniel, the prophet was told by the angel Gabriel, 'O Daniel, I have come now to give you insight and understanding' (Dan.9:22b). What then follows is an astonishing prophecy.  Daniel 9:23b-27 from the Amplified Bible reads as follows:

23b ‘Therefore consider the message and begin to understand the [meaning of the] vision.

24 “Seventy weeks [of years, or 490 years] have been decreed for your people and for your holy city (Jerusalem), to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make atonement (reconciliation) for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness (right-standing with God), to seal up vision and prophecy and prophet, and to anoint the Most Holy Place.

25 So you are to know and understand that from the issuance of the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until [the coming of] the Messiah (the Anointed One), the Prince, there will be seven weeks [of years] and sixty-two weeks [of years]; it will be built again, with [a city] plaza and moat, even in times of trouble.

26 Then after the sixty-two weeks [of years] the Anointed One will be cut off [and denied His Messianic kingdom] and have nothing [and no one to defend Him], and the people of the [other] prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.

27 And he will enter into a binding and irrevocable covenant with the many for one week (seven years), but in the middle of the week he will stop the sacrifice and grain offering [for the remaining three and one-half years]; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until the complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who causes the horror.” ’

This is a most astounding prophecy for it spans the ages and relates to us in a profound way the timing of both Messiah's First and Second Coming. The prophecy is in effect a timeclock within which we are informed of the key events that punctuate it. For our generation, the key point to consider is that if we can rely upon the accuracy of this prophecy and corroborate it with the First Coming of Christ, then we can also with a degree of certainty rely upon its contents to help us understand the events that come to pass leading up to the Second Coming of Christ.

In our understanding of these prophecies, Jesus told us to carefully consider the prophecies of Daniel for they will give us insight into the events that will precede the end of this Age (Matt.24:3,15).

The prophecy of Daniel 9:23-27 has two distinct parts. The first part (Dan.9:25-26a) relates to the First Coming of ‘the Anointed One’ (Dan.9:26). This part of the prophecy begins with the ‘the issuance of the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem’ (Dan.9:9:25). Daniel lived and wrote in the 5th Century B.C. as one of the Babylonian exiles who had been forcibly removed from Israel and Judah to Babylon.  Later, under the Assyrian kings, the exiles were released to go back to Jerusalem.

The following comments are extracted from www.prophetbillturner.com Study #23 'The Book of Revelation' p.66-67 (Section 11.3), along with a Summary on p.99 Appendix 3. This Summary is included as Appendix 1 of this study. The editor refers readers to this Study for a information. In Bill Turner’s study we read that the Assyrian King Artaxerxes Longimanus in his 20th year, B.C. 454, commanded Nehemiah to rebuild Jerusalem and its walls (Neh.2:1-8).

The walls of Jerusalem were quickly rebuilt in 52 days (Neh.6:15), but they were doubtless made more secure over the years, for the prophecy of Daniel 9:25 suggests that it took 49 years for the rebuilding of all the city and its walls to be finished.

Archbishop James Ussher, after 37 years of study, dates the accession of Artaxerxes as the year 474 B.C. and the date of 454 B.C. for the commandment to rebuild Jerusalem (Neh.2:1-8). After the full 49 years that it then took to re-build the streets and walls of Jerusalem, a further 434 years subsequently follow through to the death of Jesus (Dan.9:24-26). The total of those years being 49 years plus 434 years i.e., a total of 483 complete years. These years began in 454 B.C. and run to through to the crucifixion of Jesus. The beginning of the final year was in 29 A.D., and it ended in April 30 A.D., see below.

Christ was ‘cut off, but not for Himself’, His death was ‘to make reconciliation for iniquity’ (Dan.9:24 KJV). Christ was to die to bring in the New Covenant and make salvation available for all who would receive Him (Heb.7:22-28; 9:11-10:39; 1Jn.2:1-2; 5:9-13). God showed Daniel that the coming of the Messiah was over 500 years away from when Daniel first received the prophecy. It was this prophecy of Daniel that made godly Simeon, praying Anna, and many others expect the First Coming of the Messiah in their day (Luke 2:25-38).

S. P. Tregelles and Ussher say that Jesus died in A.D. 29. However, the following Jewish calendars give considerable force to the viewpoint that the Lord Jesus was crucified in early A.D. 30. This would have been on the completion and full term of the 483rd year following on the from the ‘the issuance of the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem’ (Dan.9:25). So, here we can see that there was a quite remarkable literal fulfilment of the first part of the prophecy of Daniel 9:20-27.

In A.D. 30 the first day of Passover Feast was on Thursday April 6th., Nisan 15th., and the last day of the Passover Feast was on Wednesday April 12th., Nisan 21. The crucifixion was therefore almost certainly in A.D. 30, on Thursday, April 6th., Nisan 15th., not on Friday, for according to Matthew 12:40 Jesus was raised from the dead ‘after three days and three nights.’ See scripture references to ‘the third day,’ ‘after three days,’ etc. (Matt.16:4,21; 17:23; 20:19; 27:40,63,64; Mark 8:31; 10:34; John 2:19; 19:42; 1Cor.15:4; Eph.4:9,10). Jesus was raised from the dead in the night of the third day. Christ’s enemies, sadly, unlike Christ’s disciples, remembered well that Jesus promised that He would be raised from the dead on the third day (Matt.27:62-65).

We now move on to consider the second part of Daniel’s prophecy (Dan.9:26b-27). In Matthew 24:15-31 the Lord Jesus tells us that there will be a literal fulfilment of this part of Daniel’s prophecy. This prophecy covers a full seven-year term, and its end will be clearly seen by all (Matt.24:32-33). Paul reminds the Thessalonian Christians of this fact in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5.

Halfway through the pre-determined seven-year term as told to us in Daniel 9:27a there shall come about a desecration of a religious shrine at Jerusalem by Antichrist. When this happens, it will inform us that the Second Coming of Christ and the Millennial Kingdom is only 3½ years away.

Jesus said that the day and hour of His coming was known only by the Father (Matt.24:36,42; Mark 13:32-36; Luke 12:39) but He definitely tells us that we shall know the year of His coming by Daniel's prophecy (Dan.9:26b-27). Daniel informs us that a full seven years are to pass before ‘its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined’ (Dan.9:26) at which time ‘the complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who causes the horror’ (Dan.9:27).

At that time, when the signs He gave come to pass (Matt.24:32-35, Mark13:28-31; Luke 21:29-33), His coming will then be ‘near, even at the doors’ (Matt.24:33,36).

Some Jews came to know through prophecy that the Messiah had been born in their midst. In Matthew 2 we read of how wise men from the east came to Herod’s Palace and enquired, ‘2 “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet‘ (Matt.2:2-5a).

The Jews of the first century A.D. knew the prophecies of Daniel and from them should have known too the year that Christ the Messiah was to die. The Jews were and still are fastidious in their studies. We, like them, need to give careful study to the prophecies of old (Acts 17:11).

In such matters, as we read the second part of Daniel’s prophecy we know that as soon as the treaty as referred to in Daniel 9:27 is signed then we shall know the year of Christ's second coming. God’s timings are perfect, and we might expect this to be very precise, right down to the last day, hour, and minute.

Christ’s death on the cross was not a random event. Its timing is recorded for us in detail as to the day, hour, and minute (Matt.27:46; Mark 15:34). Prior to His Second Coming we are not told of the day, hour, or minute (Mark13:32). This keeps us vigilant in watchfulness and prayer (Mark 13:33-37). Jesus tells us to ‘take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is’ (Mark 13:33 NKJV). He tells us to watch for the day (Matt.24:42) and the hour (Matt.25:6). If we knew the hour of His Coming then there is a danger of us being unprepared in the time leading up to that day (Matt.25:5,8-12). If we know the hour then there is a danger that ‘he will find you sleeping’ in the lead up to it (Mark 13:36).  Instead, His command to us all is ‘watch’ (Mark 13;37; Matt.25:13) and ‘pray’ (Luke 21:36).

Jesus knows the dangers of unpreparedness of the day or the hour for it causes sleepy attitudes amongst Christians. That’s why in Gethsemane He told His disciples to watch and pray (Mark 14:32,34,38). Without watchfulness and prayer, when He comes, will He find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:8).

Without watchfulness and prayer, two other consequences can be noted. The first is the consequence of a callous and careless attitude towards fellow Christians. This is noted in the parable of the evil servant (Matt.24:45-51) who ‘says in his heart, ‘my master is delaying his coming’’ (Matt.24:48 NKJV). The second is that ‘the love of many will grow cold’ (Matt.24:12 NKJV).

Jesus tells us that when Antichrist breaks the treaty with the Jews, all Christians in Judea are to flee to the mountains for safety, just as they did in A.D.70 when this prophecy received a partial fulfilment (Matt.24:15). The Scriptures call the period of three and a half years after the desecration of the religious shrine ‘the Great Tribulation’ (Rev.7:14). This time-period is corroborated by other Biblical prophecies. In Revelation 11:3; 12:6 it is referred to as a period of 1,260 days. Daniel qualifies it with more detail, namely 1,290 days (Dan.12:11) and 1,335 days (Dan.12:12).  John refers to it as 42 months (Rev.11:2; 13:5) and both Daniel (Dan.7:25; 12:7) and John (Rev.12:14) refer to it as ‘a time, times, and half a time’ which is a term meaning 42 months or three and a half years.

Daniel, Paul, and our Lord state that immediately after this period of Great Tribulation the Lord will return and set up His Kingdom (Rev.7:14; Dan.12:1; Matt.24:21,29-31; Mark13:19). The Great Tribulation ends with the destruction of the armies of Antichrist around a devastated Jerusalem (Ez.39:4; Dan.9:27; Luke 17:37; 2Thes.2v8; Rev.17:16-18; 18:1-19:21).

Finally, it is worthy of special note that as events on the earth grow increasingly more difficult that in God’s Plan of the Ages, He has made provision to support and strengthen His people.

Joel 2:28 reads, ‘"It will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind”’ (NASB). His Spirit will considerably strengthen His Servants in those days.

Daniel 11:32-33 reads, ‘But the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do [exploits]. 33 And they that understand among the people shall instruct many’ (KJV).

Daniel 12:1 reads, ‘And at that time shall Michael (the Archangel) stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation [even] to that same time’ (KJV).

Revelation 11:3-4 reads, ‘3And I will give [power] unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred [and] threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. 4These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth’ (KJV).

‘Maranatha’… ‘Come, O Lord!’ (1 Cor.16:22)

APPENDIX 1: CHART OF DANIEL'S 70 WEEKS OF YEARS (Dan.9:20-27)

(Source: www.prophetbillturner.com Study #23 ‘The Book of Revelation’ p.99, Appendix 3)

The first six heads of the Beast of Rev.17:3,8-11 are six kingdoms that have conquered, ruled, and tyrannised Israel and Jerusalem during the 483 years of the prophecy of Dan.9:20-27. The first six kingdoms were Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Egypt, Syria, and the sixth one was Rome. The 7th. head, the kingdom of Antichrist, is still to come.