Posted by Elana Janson on September 30, 2006 at 07:11:32:
The apocalyptic message of Daniel through the knowledge of Revelation – Dan 9:1-27
In Dan 9:1-19 Daniel speaks and prays to God confessing his sin and the sin of his people. He pleads with God for forgiveness and mercy.
Gabriel, the angel informs Daniel that he is going to give him understanding.
Dan 9:20 - 21 “And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the Holy mountain of my God; Yea whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. And he informed me, and talked to me, and said O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.”
Gabriel says more
Dan 9:23 “At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.”
Holy city
Dan 9:24 “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring an everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.”
Isaiah
This verse contains the words “holy city” that also relate to Isaiah 52:1 “O Jerusalem the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come unto thee, the uncircumcised and the unclean.” The “holy city” in Isaiah is a reference to the city Jerusalem, but it is also a prophecy of the coming “holy city, New Jerusalem” of Revelation 21:2 and 10. That means that it is a prophecy of the apocalyptic and end time place where the righteous shall go after death. The words for those that are righteous are expressed in the terms of the Old Testament and the old covenant: “for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean”.
The words “holy city” in Dan 9:24 refer also to both the city Jerusalem and the “holy city” of Revelation.
Seventy weeks
The time measure of a “week” does not appear in Revelation. Therefore the time measures of “weeks” in this chapter are unique to Daniel. It shall be shown that they do however ultimately correspond to the time measures and meaning of Revelation. As was seen in Revelation the words “hour”, “day” etc do not necessarily mean these times as we know them to be. Prophecy uses words of time to indicate a time measure. That time measure can only be known through Divine intervention. A “week” in Daniel is a time measure only known through the insight and understanding of Revelation
Dan 9:24 “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring an everlasting righteousness” indicate that there is a specific time span from the time of this vision seen by Daniel and the time of the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ (“to make an end to sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring an everlasting righteousness ….and to anoint the most Holy”).
As the prophecy of Isaiah is linked to the prophecy of Daniel, so God links the prophecy of Daniel to the prophecy of Revelation through the words “and to seal up the vision and prophecy”: Revelation 10:4 “Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered”.
Therefore the time span of “seventy weeks” is measured from the time that Daniel received the vision that is the first year of the reign of Darius, king of Medes in 522 BC to AD96, the year in which John received the prophecy of Revelation from God.
The approximate times of the “weeks”.
Therefore the period of “seventy weeks” is 522 +96 years, which is 618 years. The length of a “week” is approx. nine years.
To build Jerusalem unto the Messiah
Dan 9:25 “Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah, the Prince shall be seven weeks and threescore and two weeks.” The words “Messiah, the Prince” refers to Jesus Christ. With the knowledge of the words of Jesus Christ (“Messiah, the Prince”) and Revelation we can now know that the apocalyptic meaning of the words “to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah” refers to the “holy city” the New Jerusalem of Revelation to which those who die in Jesus Christ will go after death.
From the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem
“Jerusalem” in Dan 9:25 also refers to the New Jerusalem of Revelation. The time measure of Dan 9:25 refers to the time after the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in AD 68. John 2:19 “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up”. These words are the apocalyptic “commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah, the Prince”. In the apocalyptic view they refer to the rise of the Christian Church and the faithful members of that Church that will inherit everlasting life - the New Jerusalem of Revelation. The words of Jesus Christ refer to the time after the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in which the Christian faith would spread westward and be accepted by the kings and the nations of Europe.
The period of “three days” in Revelation is the time approx AD68 to AD930. In Daniel the time of “seven weeks, threescore and two weeks” is also measured from AD68.
If a “week” in Daniel is about nine years then “seven weeks, threescore and two weeks” is a time measure of: (9x7=63)+ (9x60=540)+ (9x2=18): 63+540+18 years – that is 621 years.
68+621 years brings one to the time about AD 689. By that time large sections of Europe were following the teachings of Jesus Christ.
Street and wall
Dan 9:25 “The street shall be built again, and the wall even in troubled times.” The words “street” (Rev 21:21and 22:2) and “wall” (Rev 21:14 and 18) are also words used in Revelation to describe the New Jerusalem. The time of the “wall” of the New Jerusalem is the time 1860 to 2004, which has been shown on this website, is also the time that the influences of “the beasts” of Revelation gain control of the nations.
Daniel 9:26 “And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and until the end of the war desolations are determined.”
Threescore and two weeks
The time “threescore and two weeks” is a period of about 558 years. This is calculated by taking a “week” to be about nine years: 9x60=540 and 9x2=18; 540+18=558.
When 558 years are added to AD 689 (the previous time measure in Daniel) one reaches the time 1247. This is very, very interesting for Daniel says “And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off”. In 1244 the Christian rule of Jerusalem came to an end. In 1245 Pope Gregory excommunicated the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick ll. This rift between the Emperor and Rome would lead to the destruction of the anointed emperor and there would be put in place the practice of the election of the head of the Holy Roman Empire. Ultimately the election of the king in the Holy Roman Empire and other national states of Europe would lead to the separation of the Christian Church and Christian State in all countries in Europe. As revealed in Revelation the separation of Christian Church and Christian State would give power to the “beast” (the forces at work to destroy the faith).
Dan 9:26 “And the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary;” This is an amazing revelation in Daniel for it confirms my understanding of Revelation that it will be the people of the Christian nations that would ultimately put in place a rule of the “beast” (“people of the prince that shall destroy the city and the sanctuary”. The rule of the ‘beast’ that would gain strength after 1247 would ultimately deprive many from entering the New Jerusalem.
Dan 9:26 “And the end thereof shall be with a flood”. These words do not mean that the earth is going to be destroyed by flood. Through the knowledge of Revelation it means that floods will occur more prevalently in the last days. This we have seen in recent years. It is I believe a prediction of the words that Jesus Christ would speak concerning the end time. Matthew 24:38 “For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered into the ark.” The reference to “flood” indicating that the nations are going to be caught unawares.
Dan 9:26 “And until the end of the war desolations are determined”. These words adhere to the understanding of Revelation. After the middle of the thirteenth century when “Messiah be cut off” there would follow many, many religious and other wars (“until the end of war”) that would put the ‘beast’ in place and lead to the falling away of many from the Christian faith (“desolations are determined”).
Dan 9:27 “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.”
The reference to “one week” in this verse is a reference to a short time measure at the end time. In this chapter of Daniel it is about nine years. In Revelation the time is 1260 days and 42 months (Rev 11:2-3). In that time God confirms his covenant through the understanding of Revelation and Daniel (“confirm the covenant with many”). In other words there are many that will be saved because the time of the end will be shortened.
In the middle of the final time many will no longer believe that they have to take part in the practices of the Christian Church. The practices are given in terms of the Old Testament (“he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease”).
For it will be that the beasts as described in Revelation will have influenced the nations to the extent that they see no need to do these practices (“And for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate.”) See also the words of Jesus Christ in Matthew 24:15 “When ye shall therefore see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place.” The “holy place” refers to the “temple” in Jerusalem. With the knowledge of the words of Jesus Christ (John 2:19) and Revelation “holy place” or “temple” also signifies the time of the rise of the Christian Church. In other words when the influence of the beast (“the abomination” Rev 17:3-4) enters the Christian Church, we can know it is the final short season. With the knowledge of Revelation, an example of the beast entering the temple is when ideologies of man try to equal the Christian faith to other faiths in order to try and undermine the power of the Christian faith.
Dan 9:27 “Even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” The one that makes “desolate” or takes man’s faith away from him is the same as the “beasts” of Revelation. It is the influence of Satan. The destruction of that evil has been predetermined (“Even until the consummation, and that determined”). As predestined at an appointed time destruction will come upon the beast and his followers (“poured upon the desolate”). With the knowledge of Revelation and these insights into Daniel that time cannot be far off.