The Messiah in Daniel

Chapter 9 starts with Daniel reading from the book of Jeremiah where he learns that the Jews’ 70 years of captivity in Babylon are almost over.

He is concerned about the sins of Israel and how they have offended God. He prays and fasts and asks God to forgive Israel and tell him what His plan is for Israel once their captivity is over.

The angel Gabriel comes personally to Daniel and opens his understanding.

Verse 24— Gabriel tells Daniel that the next thing God has planned for the Jews is the coming of the Messiah who will fulfill God’s promises of a New Covenant with them. (Jeremiah 31:31-36)

It will take 70 prophetic weeks to complete and most Bible scholars agree that the 70 weeks are measured according to God’s time, which is a year for a day.

“After the number of days in which ye searched out the land, even 40 days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even 40 years and ye shall know my breach of promise.” (Numbers 14:34) (Ezekiel 4:6)

When God determines time in prophecy he calls a day a year.

Using seven-day weeks we can take 70 weeks times 7 days and it equals 490 days or years.

Messiah will be announced to Israel within 69 weeks (483 years) and then He will introduce and confirm God’s New covenant with the Jews for seven years (the 70th week)

Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit at His baptism in the Jordan River and John proclaimed Him to be the “Lamb of Go that would take away the sins of the world.”

During the 70th week (seven years) the Messiah was sent by God to accomplish six things: (verse 24)

1. To finish the transgression — Rev. R. H. Harms book Protestant Pages, writes: Transgression had been the burden of Daniel’s prayer in chapter nine. “Here the angel Gabriel tells Daniel that the cardinal sin is yet to be committed by his people (Israel) —that of rejecting and crucifying their promised Messiah. “The most grievous sin of man is not murder, adultery or drunkenness, but the rejection of the saving grace of Jesus Christ.”
2. To make an end of sins —“The crucifying of the Son of God proved the undoing of sin and the end of sin offerings. Where the crucified and risen savior rules the heart, there is an end to sin. “The very thought of sin is grievous and repulsive to the born-again Christian. (1 John 3:9)
3. To make reconciliation for iniquity— “For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” (Rom. 5:10)
4. To bring in Everlasting Righteousness —“A spiritual kingdom on this earth where Christ would rule and reign in the hearts of his subjects. (John 18:36) “The Kingdom of God is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.” (Rom. 14:17) (Phil 3:9) (II Cor. 5:21) (I Cor. 1:30)
5. To seal up the vision and prophecy — The atonement of Christ fulfilled all of the Old Testament prophecies that pointed to Messiah as God’s lamb. Jesus sealed up (fulfilled) their visions and prophecies concerning Him at Calvary.”
6. To anoint the Most Holy — “The anointing in the Old Testament pointed to the priestly work of Christ and His anointing. Peter said, “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and power; who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him.” (Acts 10:38)

Daniel is told the Jews can look for the appearance (not the birth) of the Messiah 483 years after Israel is told they may return and rebuild Jerusalem. (Daniel 9:25)

During the 70th week (the next seven years) Messiah would exclusively offer the New Covenant to the Jews for 3 1/2 years, but then He would be “cut off,” (killed) but not for himself.

Just before the risen Christ returned to heaven Ile told the disciples to stay in Judea and continue ministering the Gospel to the Jews. (Acts 3:26)

The time of an exclusive seven year ministry to Israel was over at the stoning of Stephen and the disciples were released to take the Gospel to the whole world.

After Christ’s appearance to Israel at the end of the 483 years the 70th week began. But Futurists teach that God’s time clock stopped when the Jews rejected Christ as their Messiah.

Having ticked faithfully for 483 years Ribera convince Christians that God’s clock stopped at 69 weeks and has been silent for over 2,000 years.

Protestants believe that the 70th week followed the 69th week and Christ confirmed God’s New Covenant with the Jews on. time. The fact that they rejected it doesn’t mean it wasn’t offered. (Jer. 31:36) (Mt. 23:37-39)

Gabriel explains to Daniel what will happen when Israel refuses to believe that Christ is the Messiah in Daniel 9:26.

The people (Roman soldiers) of the prince (Titus) will con. he and destroy the sanctuary and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

Matthew 24 records the full account of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple that would take place during the generation that Jesus lived in (70 AD).

History proves the prophecy is true. Jewish historian Josephus writes the details in his book, “The War of the Jews.”

The success that Titus had in this war happened for the most part, because of the civil wars that took place inside the walls of the city between Jewish factions that hated each other.

By the time Titus and his army broke though the wall the city had suffered a great loss of life and the famine was so great that people were eating their own children. (Deut. 28:4-68)

In His dying hour, Jesus the Messiah, prayed, “Father forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

In answer to that prayer, Dr. Harms said, “The Father granted 37 more years of mercy be extended to the Jews before judgement.”

Jesus taught a parable to the Jews before He went to the cross. (Mt. 21:3-45)

God sent His servants (prophets) to tell Israel (the husband-man-caretaker) that He wanted them to bring forth His fruit. (Faith)

But, Israel killed the prophets.

More messengers came in their place and finally God sent His own son to tell them the truth and warn them they needed to repent. But, they killed the son also.

Why? They wanted the vineyard for their own inheritance. (Kingdom).

Jesus asked the religious leaders what God would do to Israel as a result of them destroying all His messengers. They answered:

“He will miserably destroy those wicked men and give the kingdom unto a people that will bring forth fruit.”

Israel killed the prophets, they killed God’s Son and persecuted and killed the disciples.

The seven years of grace over, God sent His servants out to share the kingdom with all who would believe..

Jesus warned the Scribes and Pharisees that their unbelief would be a witness against them and that they would not escape the damnation of Hell. (Mt. 23:31-39)