"Seventy weeks have been determined for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to annoint the most holy place."
Daniel has just finished interceding for his people and city, Jerusalem. Jerusalem had been left desolate, the temple destroyed, and the people carried into exile on account of their departure from the Lord God.
As I stated previously, Jeremiah, as well as other prophets, had repeatedly warned the people to repent and obey the Lord. Their refusal to listen had finally brought God's judgement upon them as prescribed in the covenant between God and the people of Israel.
Daniel, recognizing that Jeremiah had prophesied a seventy year captivity, and knowing the time had come, seeks the favor of God on His people once again.
Scripture records for us that when Babylon fell to the Medo-Persian empire, Cyrus, king of Persia, allowed the Israelites to go back, as foretold in Isaiah 44:21-45:7. The fulfillment of these prophetic words are recorded in 2 Chronicles 36:22-23, and Ezra 1:1-4.
However, God's dealings with His people were not complete. Although they had suffered much, and many returned humbled and obedient, as a nation the root of unbelief had not been "pulled up" and destroyed.
Imagine Daniel's surprise when instead of seventy years, which were coming to a close, Gabriel announced seventy weeks were yet to come before Israel would be transformed as a nation into the people God had called them to be.
This is not seventy weeks in the literal sense of seventy, seven day weeks. Just like we would say there are 52 weeks in a year so add 18 more weeks and you have a year and roughly 4 months to go. No, this is speaking of seventy weeks of years which total 490 actual years.
There is biblical precedence for this use of the term "weeks" found in other passages of scripture.
We see this in the story of Jacob (see Genesis 29:18-28). Jacob meets Rachel, the daughter of his uncle Laban, and agrees to work for Laban seven years for her to be his wife. When the time was up he assumed he was getting Rachel, but ended up being deceived, and woke up to Laban's daughter Leah instead. He confronts Laban, and is told this,
27. "Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also for the service which you shall serve with me for another seven years."
28. Jacob did so and completed her week, and he gave him his daughter Rachel as his wife.
Genesis 29:27-28 NASB
So we see here the term week used interchangeably with seven years. We see a similar thing in Leviticus and the law of the jubilee cycle,
8. 'You are also to count off seven sabbaths of years for yourself, seven times seven years, so that you have the time of the seven sabbaths of years, namely, forty-nine years. '
Leviticus 25:8 NASB
This is the same concept as in the above example of Jacob working a seven year week for Rachel. Every seventh year was considered a sabbath. Therefore seven sabbaths of years would constitute forty-nine years. The Amplified version puts it like this,
8. And you shall number seven sabbaths or weeks of years for you, seven times seven years, so the total time of the seven weeks of years shall be forty-nine years.
Leviticus 25:8 AMP
This differs from our western way of thinking, and it pays to understand that the scriptures that we read and love were written by men centuries ago with a middle eastern mindset. To understand this can go a long way in understanding and applying the word of God in our own lives today. I would like to come back to this concept of the jubilee cycle later.
We have these six purpose statements in this verse that must come to pass before Israel as a nation can be restored to permanence in the promised land, find restoration with God, and enter the millennial age. Again, a humble people returned from exile in the days Daniel, but they yet as a whole have not returned to the LORD. These six things must be accomplished in and by them on a national level.
1. Finish the transgression.
2. Make an end of sin.
3. Make atonement for iniquity.
4. Bring in everlasting righteousness.
5. Seal up vision and prophecy.
6. Annoint the most holy place.
Ultimately, the failure of the nation of Israel to remain faithful to the Lord their God was rooted in unbelief. This was the basis for their refusal to enter the promised land in the days of Moses (see Numbers 14:1-45).
The LORD said to Moses, "How long will this people spurn Me? And how long will they not believe in Me, despite all the signs which I have performed in their midst?"
Numbers 14:11
And the author of Hebrews, referencing Psalm 95:7-11, states this,
15. While it is said, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME."
16. For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses?
17. And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?
18. And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient?
19. So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.
Hebrews 3:15-19 NASB
Although the Bible makes mention of godly men and women found within the nation Israel, as a whole, the nation remained in this unbelief, which found its ultimate fulfillment in the rejection of their Messiah, Jesus.
This transgression, and the sin that flows out of it must be put away, not only on a personal level, but on a national level as well. As people who have been, and remain in covenant with God on a national level it must be this way. Although Israel is a secular nation by and large today, and by their departure from God have broken the covenant, it still remains in effect today, and Israel remains under God's judgement until they give up their unbelief and sin. This is something the Bible says they will do in the last days as a nation, not a few individuals here and there, but on a national level.
Ultimately the issue of Jesus is at the core of the transgression. Jesus Himself had this to say,
37. "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling.
38. "Behold, your house is being left to you desolate!
39."For I say to you, from now on you will not see me until you say, 'BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD! ' "
Matthew 23:37-39 NASB
The day will come when Israel receives their Messiah as a nation. At the return of Christ they will look on Him whom they pierced. They will mourn for Him as one mourns the loss of a firstborn son (Zechariah 12:10-14). At this point they will enter into what we know as the New Covenant. As Christians, do we realize that this covenant has been offered to the Jew first, and those of us who are Gentiles are grafted in?
31. "Behold days are coming," declares the LORD, "When I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah,
32. not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them," declares the LORD.
33. "But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days," declares the LORD, "I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
34. " They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD, ' for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them," declares the LORD, "For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."
Jeremiah 31:32-34 NASB
Keep in mind that the larger context of these verses concern the time of Jacob's trouble or great tribulation. Although the New Covenant has been in effect since Jesus' sacrificial death and resurrection, and millions have entered into it through the new birth, the Jews for the most part have not. The first believers in Messiah were Jews, but for the last two thousand years it has been primarily Gentiles who have entered in through the blood of Jesus. Again, the Bible assures us that the day is coming when all Israel shall be saved (Romans 12:26).
Zechariah tells us that at the close of the final tribulation a fountain will be opened for the house of David and the inhabitants ofJerusalem for cleansing from sin (Zechariah 13:1). This is the point of Christ's return. Every eye will see Him, and those who are left of Israel, who have survived this terrible time will look upon Jesus, the one they pierced, and grieve for Him. Zechariah records the time of national repentance that occurs at this time (see Zechariah 12:1-14). The sin of the nation will be removed in one day (Zechariah 3:8-11).
At this time the fulfillment of Ezekiel 36:22-29 will take place. The nation scattered throughout the nations will be gathered back to their land for good. They will be cleansed from all of their iniquity, and they will be God's people, and He will be their God.
Isaiah tells us that "A redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob," declares the LORD (Isaiah 59:20).
If we read on we see the Spirit poured out upon the nation for good, never to depart. Again, we are talking about the return of Christ in the last days. If we read on into chapter 60 we come to the millennial kingdom, a time of peace and righteousness on earth. The dilemma of disobedience and the ability to remain in the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be forever removed as the people will now be righteous, not only in right standing with God, but in faithfulness as well,
"Then all your people will be righteous; they will possess the land forever, the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, that I may be glorified."
Isaiah 60:21 NASB
14. 'Behold, days are coming, ' declares the LORD, 'When I will fulfill the good word which I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and the house of Judah.
15. 'In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous branch of David to spring forth; and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth.
16. 'In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell in safety; and this is the name by which she will be called: the LORD is our righteousness. '
Jeremiah 33:14-16 NASB
The apostle Paul tells of the certainty of this in Romans 12:26-27, and so all Israel will saved; just as it is written,
"THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB. THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM , WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS."
What does it take to bring an individual to the end of themselves? Our pride is what keeps any of us from yielding our lives to God. This pride is what must go if we are to surrender to Him in true repentance. We have touched on the end of transgression and sin, and the bringing in of everlasting righteousness. Now I would like to share some thoughts on making atonement for sin.
The concept of atonement is one of reconciliation. We understand that Jesus has made atonement for sin on the cross. Through His death and resurrection we have forgiveness of sin and reconciliation with God. This is what most of us probably think of when we hear the word atonement.
There is another aspect to atonement or reconciliation however, and this is what Daniel 9:24 is referring to in the statement "make atonement for sin."
Again, Jesus is the one who has provided atonement for sin, and there is no other way to receive forgiveness for our sin, no way to earn it or pay for it. However, this is something Israel has to go through to reach the point of brokenness. It is a judgement brought on by disobedience, ultimately meant to sift, refine, and bring a nation to the point of repentance.
A purging of sin is a necessary part of this process. In Ezekiel 20:33-38we read that God will take severe measures to bring Israel back into covenant relationship with Him. It will be with a mighty hand and outstretched arm and wrath poured out (Ezekiel 20:33). They will be brought out into the wilderness where God will enter into judgement with them (Ezekiel 20:35-36 compare Jeremiah 31:1-2).
37. "I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant;
38. and I will purge from you the rebels and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, but they will not enter the land of Israel. This you will know that I am the LORD."
Ezekiel 20:37-38 NASB
This purging of the rebellious from the land will bring forth a humble people who find grace in the wilderness,
This says the LORD, "The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness-- Israel when it went to find it's rest.
Jeremiah 31:2 NASB
8. "It will come about in all the land," declares the LORD, "That two parts in it will be cut off and perish; but the third will be left in it.
9. "And I will bring the third part through the fire, refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them; I will say, 'They are My people, ' and they will say, 'The LORD is my God."'
Zechariah 13:8-9 NASB
And finally the idea of atonement entails the removal of guilt and punishment as we see in Isaiah 40:1-2,
1. "Comfort, comfort My people," says your God.
2. "Speak kindly to Jerusalem; and call out to her, that her warfare had ended, that her iniquity has been removed, that she has received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins."
This passage articulates these points perfectly. This time of warfare or tribulation has achieved its goal. The nation had suffered much for its iniquity, but through a purging process the nation has been brought to a place of repentance and restoration. The time of tribulation is over, God has forgiven their unbelief and sin, their guilt has been erased, and the time of punishment is over, never to occur again.
This is in answer to Daniel's pleading on behalf of his people Israel, and his holy city Jerusalem. The restoration needed has to be accomplished. The Babylonian captivity did not do a thorough job. Although a people returned to the land, they were not yet as a nation living within the bond of the covenant. This will be the purpose of what is known as the time of Jacob's trouble or great tribulation (see Daniel 12:1-7).
At this point vision and prophecy will have reached it's fulfillment. What has been prophecied concerning these days will have come to pass. Imagine what the Old Testament prophets wrote, what Jesus foretold, John's revelation all coming to fruition. The world is now entering the millennial age. The Kingdom has been restored to Israel (Acts 1:6) with Jesus, their Messiah ruling from Jerusalem.
This brings us to the final purpose statement, the annointing of the most holy place. Yes, there will be a temple in Jerusalem in the days of the millennium. This is something that may be hard for some of us to fathom, but passages such as Isaiah 2:1-5, 60:1-7, Ezekiel 40:1-43:27 confirm this.
In Daniel we read of the cleansing of a temple after the time of tribulation.
13. Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to that particular one who was speaking, "How long will the vision about the regular sacrifice apply, while the transgression causes horror, so as to allow both the holy place and the host to be trampled?"
14. He said to me, "For 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the holy place will be properly restored."
Daniel 8:13-14 NASB
This refers to the abomination of desolation, which is placed in a temple yet to come. When this event occurs we are 3.5 years into the final seven years of the seventy weeks (more to come on this). This marks the start of the great tribulation. We can know from these verses that once the sacrificial system begins in Jerusalem there will be 2,300 days until the restoration of the holy place. This event is likely to take place shortly after the return of Christ. Somewhere around the 1,290 to 1,335 days mentioned in Daniel 12:11-12. This would place the start of the sacrifices just before the end of the first year of Daniel's 70th week.
It's my belief, that the temple that is defiled by the Antichrist is not necessarily the temple that will exist during the millennial kingdom. The description given in Ezekiel is not of something that would fit alongside the Al Aqsa mosque today on the temple mount (see Rev 11:1-2). Right now with the Dome of the rock, and Al Aqsa occupying the temple mount there is little room for a larger temple. Also, the temple mount is under Muslim control presently, so we will have to wait and see how this all plays out.
As we look at the timeline presented in the next two verses of our passage we will gain more understanding, especially as it deals with the events of the latter days.
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