9:26b. The prophecy continues with a description of the judgment that would
come on the generation that rejected the Messiah.
The city which contains
the sanctuary, that is, Jerusalem, would be destroyed by
the people of the ruler who will come. The ruler who will come is that final head of the Roman Empire, the little horn of
7:8. It is significant that the
people of the ruler, not the ruler himself, will destroy Jerusalem. Since he will be the final Roman ruler, the people of that ruler must be the Romans themselves. This, then, is a prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem about which Christ spoke in His ministry.
When the leaders of the nation registered their rejection of Christ by attributing His power to Beelzebub, the prince of the demons (
Matt. 12:24), Christ warned that if they persisted in that view they would be guilty of sin for which there would be no forgiveness (
Matt. 12:31-32). He also warned the nation that Jerusalem would be destroyed by Gentiles (
Luke 21:24), that it would be desolate (
Matt. 23:38), and that the destruction would be so complete that not one stone would be left on another (
Matt. 24:2). This destruction was accomplished by Titus in a.d. 70 when he destroyed the city of Jerusalem and killed thousands of Jews. But that invasion, awesome as it was, did not end the nation's sufferings, for
war, Gabriel said, would
continue until the end. Even though Israel was to be set aside, she would continue to suffer until the prophecies of the 70 "sevens" were completely fulfilled. Her sufferings span the entire period from the destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70 to Jerusalem's deliverance from Gentile dominion at the Second Advent of Christ.
9:27a. This verse unveils what will occur in the 70th seven years. This seven-year period will begin after the Rapture of the church (which will consummate God's program in this present Age). The 70th
"seven" will continue till the return of Jesus Christ to the earth. Because Jesus said this will be a time of "great distress" (
Matt. 24:21), this period is often called the Tribulation.
A significant event that will mark the beginning of this seven-year period is the confirming of
a covenant. This covenant will be made
with many, that is, with Daniel's people, the nation Israel. "The ruler who will come" (
Dan. 9:26) will be this covenant-maker, for that person is the antecedent of the word
he in
verse 27. As a yet-future ruler he will be the final head of the fourth empire (the little horn of the fourth beast,
7:8).
The covenant he will make will evidently be a peace covenant, in which he will guarantee Israel's safety in the land. This suggests that Israel will be in her land but will be unable to defend herself for she will have lost any support she may have had previously. Therefore she will need and welcome the peacemaking role of this head of the confederation of 10 European (Roman) nations. In offering this covenant, this ruler will pose as a prince of peace, and Israel will accept his authority.
But then
in the middle of that "seven," after three and one-half years,
he will break the covenant. According to
11:45, he will then move from Europe into the land of Israel.
This ruler will
end... sacrifice and offering. This expression refers to the entire Levitical system, which suggests that Israel will have restored that system in the first half of the 70th "seven." After this ruler gains worldwide political power, he will assume power in the religious realm as well and will cause the world to worship him (
2 Thes. 2:4;
Rev. 13:8). To receive such worship, he will terminate all organized religions. Posing as the world's rightful king and god and as Israel's prince of peace, he will then turn against Israel and become her destroyer and defiler.
9:27b. Daniel was told that "the ruler who will come" (
v. 26)
will place abominations on a wing of the temple. Christ referred to this incident: "You [will] see standing in the holy place the abomination that causes desolation" (
Matt. 24:15). John wrote that the false prophet will set up an image to this ruler and that the world will be compelled to worship it (
Rev. 13:14-15). But then his end will come (
the end that is decreed is poured out on him). With his false prophet he will be cast into the lake of fire when Christ returns to the earth (
Rev. 19:20; cf.
Dan. 7:11,
26).
This covenant could not have been made or confirmed by Christ at His First Advent, as amillenarians teach, because: (a) His ministry did not last seven years, (b) His death did not stop sacrifices and offerings, (c) He did not set up "the abomination that causes desolation" (
Matt. 24:15). Amillenarians suggest that Christ confirmed (in the sense of fulfilling) the Abrahamic Covenant but the Gospels give no indication He did that in His First Advent.
As stated, the Antichrist will break his covenant with Israel at the beginning of the second half of the 70th "seven," that is, it will be broken for three and one-half years. This is called "a time, times, and half a time" (
Dan. 7:25;
12:7;
Rev. 12:14). The fact that this is the same as the three and one-half years, which in turn are equated with 1,260 days (
Rev. 11:3;
12:6) and with 42 months (
Rev. 11:2;
13:5), means that in Jewish reckoning each month has 30 days and each year 360 days. This confirms the 360-day Jewish year used in the calculations in the chart, "The 483 Years in the Jewish and Gregorian Calendars" (near
Dan. 9:26a). Since the events in the 69 sevens (
vv. 24-26) were fulfilled literally, the 70th "seven," yet unfulfilled, must likewise be fulfilled literally.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.
