Daniel 9.
Who and what is Daniel praying for. And what does the vision mean?
1. Praying for his people, being punished by the law of moses (lev 26) which he even mentions in his prayer.
11 Yes, all Israel has transgressed Your law, and has departed so as not to obey Your voice; therefore the curse and the oath written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against Him.
13 “As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us; yet we have not made our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities and understand Your truth. 14 Therefore the LORD has kept the disaster in mind, and brought it upon us; for the LORD our God is righteous in all the works which He does, though we have not obeyed His voice. 15 And now, O Lord our God, who brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and made Yourself a name, as it is this day—we have sinned, we have done wickedly!
This is a direct reference to Lev 26, Where God set out the punishment inflicted on the "Nation" if it did not heed his voice. and there is a few things to notice.
Daniel says "all Isreal" has transgressed. Think about it. When did Daniel not do what was required in lev 26 about not sinning against God with foriegn Gods or other things? We are not even told of any sins he commited. we also have the three who were thrown into the furnace because they would not rebell against God. We know there are others who followed God. So why did Daniel say "all Israel" He was talking about them as a nation, as a whole.
why is this important?
1. Israel was in punishment for not following Gods laws as per lev 26.
2. The punishment was set for 70 years.
3. Daniel knew the 70 years were almost up.
4. Daniel also knew the nation of Israel had not repented.
5. According to lev 26. complete restoration was dependant on isreals repentance "admission of guilt of their sin, and the sin of the fathers.
6/ The 70 years, according to jeremiah, was to give a sabbath to the land, to allow it to rest. And this time was almost up.
7. Daniel was praying for Gods mercy. To allow Gods city to be restored, and his house (temple) to be rebuilt in SPITE of the sins of the people.
16 “O Lord, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people are a reproach to all those around us. 17 Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and for the Lord’s sake cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary, which is desolate. 18 O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies. 19 O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.”
what is gabriels answer?
70 years are given for YOUR PEOPLE and YOUR CITY.
These same people who were at this time in sin, rebellion and wanted nothing to do with God. many of whom were in deep adultry by playing with the mother of harlots (babylon). these same people who would go on and die having never repented.
The City was Jerusalem, which lie in ruins. Because of the sin of said people.
God is going to show mercy to these people who are in sin and rebellion, and more importantly to the City which Daniel says belongs to God. Even though his people have not repented. God is going to ALLOW them to return.
WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT DANIEL WAS PRAYING FOR!
what do we know about the time from Daniels prayer, until the time of Christ.
1. Israel NEVER REPENTED
2. Isreal NEVER HEEDED THE Conditions set forth in Lev 26 to live in their land and enjoy Gods provision.
3. Israel brought back with it the worship of the mother of harlots (babylon) and even defiled the rebuilt temple with it.
4. God kept his promise to daniel, even though he had every right to make AD 70 a reality long before then. and even had a right not to return them at all. for they had never repented according to lev 26 to deserve forgiveness.
5. God's love for Daniel was a special love.
6. From the time the command was sent out, until Christ. Israel might have been allowed in her land, and even rebuild temple. But they were always under foreign rule.
To finish the transgression,
God would allow Isreal, the city and the temple to be undesolate fot his 70 years. to allow for the transgression of Daniels people to be finished, or put to an end.
To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity,
Within this 70 year time, The sin of the people will come to an end. And reconcisiation for their sin will be accomplished.
1. reconciliation performed on the cross
2. Isreal is still in sin, thus the first part has not been accomplished yet
To bring in everlasting righteousness,
Done at Christ's ressurection. As his plan of salvation was then complete.
To seal up vision and prophecy,
Mostly done, But still active, as there is still biblical prophesy which has not yet been fulfilled. Including that of Daniel 7 and 8.
And to anoint the Most Holy.
Reference to Gods covenant with David. That a messiah would sit on his throne, and rule the world. This is what Israel (and the world as well as demons and satan himself thought Christ came to do, which allowed satan to crucify him, because satan did not realize Christ was also the suffering servant who would die a horrible death for the sins of his people.)
Again yet to be fulfilled. Because Christ has not yet set his kingdom by ruling on the throne of David in the holy city of jerusalem.
again. We can not look to the throne Christ is sitting on now as fulfilment, Because Christ is sitting on HIS throne, Not Davids. David had an earthly throne, not a heavenly one.
even if we look to the future new world and new city. This is yet to be fulfilled. because those things have not happened yet.
He then gives a sequence of things which will happen.
1. The command to restore Jerusalem (Not the temple) starts the fulfillment
2. From this command until Messiah enters Jerusalem to receive his throne will be 7 weeks plus 62 weeks or 69 years. (History shows this prophesy was fulfilled literally to the day, Christ even weeped because Israel did not know what day this was, which they should have)
3. After this. Messiah will be cut off (hebrew word here means killed)
4. By this time. all prophesy concerning the first 69 weeks have been literally fulfilled to the exact time as God had said it would (which makes God the only true God, because only God can tell future events and have them fiulfilled 100 percent. this separates him from false God)
5. This leaves 7 years left on the prophetic time table according to Gabriel. and is also where we come to problems, and disagreements.
6. sequence of events following messiah being cut off:
And the people of the prince who is to come
Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary.
The people of a future prince will destroy the city and the sancuary. Fulfilled in 70 AD by the roman army almost 40 years after the end of the 69th week.
The end of it shall be with a flood,
And till the end of the war desolations are determined.
This "destruction and desolation shal continue until the end of war desolations are determined by God. In other words. From 70 AD until a time determined by God, Jerusalem and the temple will remain desolate by being occupied by foreign armies. and there will be no temple. This is still in effect today, as there is no temple. and Jerusalem is still in enemy hands. Thus we know the time of war desolations are still in effect.
27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;
The prince of the people who destroy the city will CONFIRM some covenant which is in effect. It is important to look at the wording
1. The prince does not make the covenant, he CONFIRMS, Or allows it to continue.
2. We see this today. WHen a new leader takes office. He has the ability to "confirm and agreement of a previous leader. Or to make a new one.
3. This shows that a new leader takes power, and confirms some existing covenant (agreement, or using modern day term, a treaty) which was given to many people, not just Israel.
4. This agreement at one time must have allowed for a temple to be rebuilt. Because at this time, sacrifice and offereng are being made in this temple.
5. Israel, as we speak, are doing all they can to rebuild this temple. They have all the furniture and decorations which are supposed to be in it, including the priestly garments which are made and ready to be used when this temple is rebuilt.
6. The only thing holding them back is some agreement which would allow Israel to do this without backlash from her enemies in the middle east. Especially since the "Holy of Holies" should be situated where the Dome of the Rock sits. For Israel to rebuild this temple. they must have some sort of protection to do this. In other words. some peace treat and offer of protection must be made by a power strong enough and capable enough to protect them from backlash from the Muslim armies which would surely do everything they can to destroy Israel and this temple.
7. Even though Israel is still in sin, Still reject Christ (as proven by their return to sacrifice) God allows them to do it anyway. Why? We are still in the 70 weeks. God is having mercy.
8. This agreement is supposed to be for 7 years, and also marks the restoration of the 70 week time period CONCERNING DANIELS CITY, SANCTUARY, AND PEOPLE.
But in the middle of the week
He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate,
1. This leader breaks the agreement, treaty or covenant. And enters the Holy of Holies and defiles it.
2. According to Christ himself. This is also a break of peace, For Christ says there will be tribulation from this time wish as never has been seen.
Even until the consummation, which is determined,
Is poured out on the desolate.”
This will continue until this time which is determined is poured out on the desolate.
2. Christ sayd this time will end as he returns, because of the elect, because if he does not return, all flesh will be killed.
3. More importantly. This could not have been fulfilled until the advent of Nuclear weapons. Because in no time in history has man had the ability to kill itself off.
4. Revelation tells us this is when Christ returns. The battle of Armageddon is fought;. ALl evil (desolate) are killed. And the only people left standing is the elect.
5. It then tells us Christ sets up his throne, in fulfiment of his promise to david. and is annointed king. which also brings and end to gabriels prophesy. as "all Isreal is saved" because they have repented. Because of this. The final aspect of lev 26 (if you repent) is fulfilled also. And Israel is in her land, affording all the protections as laid out in Lev 26. as all her enemies have been defeated. according to many many OT prophesies concerning this.
conclusion.
1. Daniels prayer was for his people, "Isreal" not any Gentile or gentile nation.
2. Daniels pray was for earthly jerusalem. Not a heavenly one, or the church
3. Daniel prayer was answer in context of what he was praying for by Gabriel
4. The interpretation of Daniel 9 MUST be done in accordance with who and what Daniel was praying for. Since Daniel did not pray for any gentiles. The church can not be the fulfillment of Gabriel's vision.
5. Gabriel's vision will not be fulfilled until:
1. Israel has repented
2. Christ is setting on David's throne.