The Decree in DANIEL 9 (Part 2)

By Michael Griego on June 2, 2023 • ( 0 )

How do you interpret this famous prophetic passage in DANIEL 9? One thing is clear: this prophecy was for the people of Israel and culminates with Christ. It was not directed to others, certainly not us living 2,000 years later. ◊

Now comes that amazing prophetic passage in the Book of DANIEL that everyone talks about. Or at least everyone directly or indirectly references it when speaking about the “end times.”

It’s also the most misunderstood and misinterpreted passage.

But most people have not really read or studied it. They only repeat what they still hear from Christian church pulpits around America that propagate Dispensationalist end times thinking that aligns with the popular Left Behind books and movies.

Fortunately, many are now starting to rethink and reinterpret Bible passages they’ve never questioned. Daniel 9 is one of those pivotal chapters.

Personal Experience
I came to my own conclusions over 20 years ago and flipped 180 degrees from the Dispensationalist teaching that I received from my church in high school in Southern California back in the early 1970’s and from many churches I’ve attended over the next few decades.

Part of that teaching was that the Bible prophesied (in Daniel 9) that there were 70 weeks or 490 years before Jesus would return coming on the clouds (Matthew 24). I was taught that there was a gap (now 2,000 years!) between the 69th and 70th week.

And that the final 70th week or 7 years was coming soon!

It’s now been 2,000 years and many Christians are still eagerly waiting for the Rapture, the Great Tribulation, the appearance of the AntiChrist, the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, the Battle of Armageddon (with Russia, or Iran, or China – pick an ever-evolving foe), and then finally the 1,000 Year Reign of Christ where Jesus literally rules from a throne in Jerusalem. And then comes the final judgment and our assignment to either heaven or hell.

Apart from hearing sermons and reading The Late Great Planet Earth by Hal Lindsey, and the Left Behind book series by Tim Lahaye and Jerry Jenkins, I had never really studied DANIEL until over 20 years ago and then taught an inductive study on the Book of REVELATION. I started researching these Scriptures more closely and reading more broadly all points of view on this very robust topic of end times eschatology.¹

(By the way, be sure to read the footnotes below in these studies as I cite sources that support my commentary.)

What follows here is my view and interpretation of Daniel 9 and it’s relation to end times. As my Part 1 post covered Daniel 9:1-19, Part 2 here will focus on Daniel 9:20-24. The upcoming Part 3 will cover the rest of Daniel 9:25-27.

The Decree to Israel (539 BC)
As introduced at the end of my previous post (see Chapter 9, Part 1), while Daniel is confessing and praying, he is approached by Gabriel, and is given a decree for the people of Israel:

While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the Lord my God for his holy hill—while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision [see Chapter 8], came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. He instructed me and said to me, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. As soon as you began to pray, a word went out, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the word and understand the vision. (Daniel 9:20-23)

Note that this message is for the people of Israel. It is not directed toward others, certainly not us living 2,000 years later:

“Seventy ‘sevens’ [490 years] 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 vision and prophet and to anoint the Most Holy One [Jesus Christ]. (Daniel 9:24)

This summary opening statement indicates that all that the Bible prophecies about Israel and Jerusalem comes to pass by AD 70. A summary explanation of Daniel 9:24 can be as follows:

“Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed – 490 years are ordained or dictated/decreed by God. This is 70 weeks of years, or 70 x 7. Almost all scholars agree that the “weeks” designate 490 years.²
to finish transgression – the completion of Israel’s apostasy or sacreligious sins that caused God to desolate His people and Temple. Israel’s ultimate apostasy was in killing their Messiah, God’s ultimate High Priest, Jesus (see Daniel 8:12-13, and 11:31).
to put an end to sin – to end or seal final purification offerings. No more bulls and goats offerings (first introduced in Leviticus 4-5; removed in Hebrews 10). The death of Jesus would put an end to this need for sin offering/covering once and for all.³
to atone for wickedness – to cover or atone or reconcile or expiate for liability or punishment deserved since Adam. We are therefore put back in good standing with Holy God; He is appeased or satisfied or propitiated through the death/blood of Christ (see Romans 3:25-26).
to bring in everlasting righteousness – the removal of deserved punishment and sin with the establishment of God’s righteous kingdom. This kingdom was heralded by John the Baptist (see Matthew 3:1-3), preached by Jesus (see Matthew 6:10, 9:35), and launched to the world (Jews and Gentiles) beginning at Pentecost in Jerusalem, 50 days after Christ’s death and resurrection (see Acts 2). This kingdom is the fulfillment of the eternal kingdom in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (see Daniel 2).
to seal vision and prophet – Jesus fulfilled all the Old Testament prophecies. Sealing, as with a signet ring, makes it official. The life and death of Jesus was the seal on all of God’s revelation.⁴
and to anoint the Most Holy (One) – as the next verse (v25) refers to a person, this is referring to the anointing of one already holy; namely, Jesus, the superior High Priest (see Hebrews 7) who was raised up as anointed messianic king upon His ascension to sit at the right hand of God. (Mark 16:19).⁵

The 7 + 62 + 1 Week
As we’ll see in the final 3 verses of Chapter 9, Gabriel lays out the timetable for Daniel that leads right up to the launching of Jesus Christ, God incarnate, on the world stage to usher in the promised Kingdom of God and fulfill the destruction and desolation of the disobedient people of Israel. Indeed, Jesus laments: “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.” (Luke 13:35)

I will address this final part in detail in a separate Part 3 post.

Are you seeing the connection of Old Testament promises with the New Testament fulfillment in Christ?
_______________________________
“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 prophet, and to anoint the Most Holy (One).” – Daniel 9:24

¹Last Days Madness, Obsession of the Modern Church, 1999/2019, by Gary DeMar, American Vision, Powder Springs; A Second Look at the Second Coming, Sorting Through the Speculations, by T. L. Frazier, Conciliar Press, Ben Lomond, CA, 1999; and The Handwriting on the Wall, by James B. Jordan, American Vision, 2007, are excellent sources on the topic of eschatology.

²Archaeological Study Bible, Zondervan, 2005, note, p.1403. Also, in T. L. Frazier’s book, A Second Look at the Second Coming, Conciliar Press, Ben Lomond, CA, p. 197, he notes that the 70 x 7 figure is probably based on Leviticus 25:8, which speaks of the year of Jubilee as falling every seven weeks of years (7 x 7) or 49 years. The year of Jubilee was the Sabbath year when all were freed from their debts. Thus Gabriel is decreeing a great Sabbath to occur in 70 x 7 years (490 years).

³The Handwriting on the Wall, by James B. Jordan, American Vision, 2007, pp. 456. Jordan makes a case that the translations “put an end to sin” and “bring sins to completion” are not correct. The verb means “to seal,” and means “to authenticate by sealing.” The word often translated “sin” can also
just as well mean “sin offerings” or better “purification [offerings].”

⁴Ibid. p 458.

⁵Ibid. p. 459. Jordan highlights that Jesus is the incarnate Temple, the living Holy of Holies. He notes John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word,” and references the Hebrew term debir, which means word, and is also a word for the Holy of Holies (1 Kings 6:5–31; 7:49; 8:6–8; 2 Chronicles 3:16; 4:20; 5:7–9; Psalm 28:2). The Holy of Holies existed “in eternity” in the second person, the Son of God, and now has become flesh and “tabernacles” among us (John 1:1–14).