At the close of Daniel 8, the vision of the ram, goat and little horn, how does Daniel react?
- Daniel 8:27
And I, Daniel, fainted and was sick for days; afterward I arose and went about the king’s business. I was astonished by the vision, but no one understood it. - He faints and he sick for days!
- Why? Because he couldn’t understand it.
Wait a minute. He didn’t understand the vision?
- Gabriel came to explain the vision. It was clear!
- He had interpreted the ram, the goat and even the little horn in its 2 phases.
- It was Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome and how paganism continued into the Roman Catholic church.
- However, there was something that he did not expound on.
- Daniel 8:26
“And the vision of the evenings and mornings which was told is true; therefore seal up the vision, for it refers to many days in the future.” - What part of the vision was sealed up? The vision of the evenings and mornings.
- What is evenings and mornings? They are referring to days.
- In Genesis 1 when God created the world, He repeated over and over again, the evening and the morning was the first day, the evening and the morning was the second day, etc.
- What is that referring to in Daniel 8? Where have we seen days mentioned?
- Daniel 8:14
And he said to me, “For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.” - So the 2300 day prophecy was not explained by Gabriel to Daniel.
Why did Daniel faint and get sick?
- He was greatly troubled by the little horn and how it was destroying God’s people. And then he encounters this long time period of 2300 days and he’s thinking that God’s people will be under captivity in Babylon for another 2300 years and that Jerusalem and the city there will not be restored.
- Remember, 1 day is equal to 1 year in prophecy. Daniel knew that. It wasn’t 2300 days that he would be stressed over. 2300 days is just over 6 years. He would not be distressed about that.
So what does Daniel go and do after this?
- Daniel 9:1-2
1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the lineage of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans— 2 in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the LORD through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. - Daniel goes back to search the writings of Jeremiah to make sure he understood it correctly.
- Jeremiah had written that they would be in captivity for 70 years only. Not 2300 years!
- Unable to relate Jeremiah’s prophecy to the vision of 2300 days, Daniel turns to God with prayer and fasting.
- And look at his prayer and what he prays about.
- Daniel 9:17
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. - Daniel 9:19
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.” - He is praying for the city of Jerusalem and the sanctuary that is desolate. He’s praying for it to be rebuilt. It had been in ruin for many years now.
In response to Daniel’s prayer, who comes to help him solve his problem?
- Daniel 9:20-21
20 Now while I was speaking, 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, 21 yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, reached me about the time of the evening offering. - The angel Gabriel now comes to his answer in prayer.
- This vision at the beginning is referring to Daniel 8. We don’t see anywhere in Daniel 9 that he has a vision that Gabriel comes to explain.
- Daniel 8:16
And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, who called, and said, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” - It’s in Daniel 8 that Daniel had an encounter with the angel Gabriel.
But what is the reason why Gabriel came again now in Daniel 9?
- Daniel 9:22-23
22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand. 23 At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved; therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision. - What did Daniel not understand that Gabriel had to explain from the previous vision?
- He understood about the ram. That was clear. It was Medo-Persia.
- He understood about the goat. That was clear. It was Greece.
- He understood the little horn. That was the Roman Empire and also the Catholic Church.
- But there was one thing that had not been explained yet. It was the 2300 day prophecy. The very thing that he was confused over and distressed about that made him to go back and pray and fast about.
- So Gabriel has come to explain the 2300 day prophecy.
Daniel 9:24
“Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.
- Notice that Gabriel begins with time.
- 70 weeks, which is equivalent to 490 days, had been allotted to Daniel’s people and their city Jerusalem.
Do you see that word “determined” there?
- The original word in the Hebrew means to “cut off.”
- Obviously 70 weeks had been cut off from another time period. And the only place that we have seen time was the 2300 day
- So 70 weeks, or 490 days (which we know to be 490 years), had been cut off from the 2300 years that we have seen in Daniel 8.
- Now there’s something interesting to note here about the word “cut off” compared to “cut out.”
- Let’s see if we know the difference.
- Do we cut off our finger, or cut out our finger? CUT OFF
- Do we cut off our arm, or cut out our arm? CUT OFF
- Do we cut off our eye, or cut out our eye? CUT OUT
- Do we cut off our head, or cut out our head? CUT OFF
- What’s the difference?
- Cut off requires only one cut.
- But cut out requires multiple cuts.
- So if the 490 years is cut off from the 2300 years, it means that it is either cut off at the beginning of the 2300 years or it is cut off at the end. Only one cut. If it is in-between, then it requires two cuts.
- So the 490 year prophecy that has been cut off for Daniel’s people and his city is either giving us the start date or the end date of the 2300 days.
- Which one is it? We’ll look at this at the end. It will be very clear.
Let’s come back to Daniel 9:24.
- Daniel 9:24
“Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy. - What was the 490 years, or 70 weeks, for in regards to the Jews and Jerusalem?
- God wanted them to do what?
- To finish transgression.
- To make an end of sins.
- To make reconciliation for iniquity.
- To bring in everlasting righteousness.
- Notice these four points? They really are all talking about the same thing. To stop sinning. To make an end of sin.
- If you finish transgression – God wants us to stop sin.
- To make an end of sins – stop sinning.
- To make reconciliation for iniquity – stop sinning.
- To bring in everlasting righteousness – stop sinning.
- God still wants the same for us today as well. He wants us to overcome our sins.
- And there was someone that would be sent to help them with all their sins!
- Daniel 9:25
“Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times. - Right there in the middle of the verse and during the time of the 490 years we find the prophecy of the coming of the Messiah!
- So yes, God set a high bar – I want you all to stop sinning.
- But in order to help you with this, I’m going to send my Son, the Messiah!
- So Gabriel had brought wonderful news!
- Not only about the Messiah, but that Jerusalem would be rebuilt – even the walls and the streets!
- They would have another opportunity to serve and worship God in their own land again.
So let’s have a look at this a bit closer.
- Daniel 9:25
“Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times. - When would the command be given to restore and rebuild Jerusalem?
- Well there was actually three kings that gave a decree each time to go back to rebuild.
- We find these three kings mentioned in the book of Ezra.
- Ezra 6:14
So the elders of the Jews built, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they built and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the command of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. - The three kings were Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes.
- Cyrus gave the initial command in 537BC.
- Darius reaffirmed the first decree in 519BC.
- Artaxerxes gave the command to restore full autonomy of Jerusalem in 457BC. Meaning he allowed them to go back and fully govern themselves. We read that whole decree of his in Ezra 7.
So if we add 490 years to 457BC, what year would that end at?
- If you do it by math you get 33AD. But it is actually 34AD. Why?
- There is no such thing as a zero year.
- In math we go from -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3.
- But in years we go from 3BC, 2BC, 1BC then 1AD.
- So we need to add a year.
- So the 490 year prophecy starts in 457BC and would end in
But let’s go back to Daniel 9:25. We’re not done there yet.
- Daniel 9:25
“Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times. - Notice that Gabriel divides the 490 years into three periods.
- 7 weeks – 40 years.
- 62 weeks – 434 years.
- And then 1 week – 7 years.
- At what point would the Messiah come?
- It says there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks. Which would give us a total of 69 weeks.
- Why didn’t Gabriel just say 69 weeks to begin with?
- Because at the end of the 7 weeks, Jerusalem would be God wanted to answer Daniel’s concern first as to when they would be allowed to go back from captivity.
- But what is the date of adding 69 weeks to 457BC? When would the Messiah appear?
- He would appear in the year 27AD.
- The Messiah means “anointed.”
- When would Jesus become the Messiah?
- Was it at His birth? At His resurrection? At His baptism?
- Acts 10:38
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.- Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit and right after that He went about doing good, healing.
- This was not at His birth.
- And He didn’t do this after He resurrected.
- This must then be referring to His baptism.
- Matthew 3:16
When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. - Jesus was anointed as Messiah at His baptism.
After Jesus was baptized, this is what He announced.
- Mark 1:15
…“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” - The time spoken of in Daniel 9 was fulfilled!
- And Jesus would go about and share with others that He was the Messiah.
- John 4:25-26
25 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”
But let’s go back to Daniel 9. Because not only does it talk about the appearing of the Messiah, it also writes down other things concerning Him.
- Daniel 9:26
“And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, and till the end of the war desolations are determined. - After 62 weeks Messiah would be cut off.
- Well when would that be? Obviously it is referring to the crucifixion of Christ. How do we know?
- It was that He would be cut off but not for Himself.
- Christ did not die for Himself. He had no sin.
- He came to die for the sins of the whole world. He hung on that cross for each of us – not for Himself.
- When would that take place?
- Daniel 9:27
Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; 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, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate.”
- Daniel 9:27
- Now we’re zooming in on that last week of the 70 week
- “In the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering”
- It would be 3.5 years.
- Jesus’ ministry did span just 3.5 years.
- At the hour of His death, when He cried out it is finished, the veil of the temple was ripped in 2 from top to bottom.
- It signified the end of the sacrificial services and the offerings. We did not need to sacrifice a lamb anymore.
- So if Christ’s 3.5 year ministry commenced in 27AD, what year would His crucifixion have taken place?
- It would have been 31AD.
However, we’re not finished with that prophecy.
- Who helped to confirm the covenant for the last 3.5 years after Jesus went up to heaven?
- Hebrews 2:3
How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him. - Who were those that heard Him? It was the disciples and all His followers.
- Jesus gave them special instruction before He left.
- Acts 1:8
But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”- They were to be witnesses in Jerusalem and Judea first. Focusing on God’s chosen people first.
- What happened in 34AD?
- Stephen would be stoned. And from there the gospel would go to everyone.
- We read about it in Acts 7.
- Acts 7:55
But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. - Acts 7:59-60
59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
- Right after Stephen was stoned, look at what happened.
- Acts 8:1
Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. - The gospel would go out to other nations. Not just the Jews.
What tragedy was predicted to overtake Jerusalem and the sanctuary after the close of the 490 year prophecy?
- Daniel 9:26
“And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, and till the end of the war desolations are determined. - This prophecy would be fulfilled in 70AD when the Roman armies would come and utterly destroy the city of Jerusalem and the temple.
- The nation had failed to accept the Messiah and turn back to God during the 490 years of probation granted to them.
- Just before they crucified Him, Jesus would say with great sorrow:
- Matthew 23:38
See! Your house is left to you desolate.
- Matthew 23:38
What discovery by the disciples Andrew and Philip could have been made by all the Jewish leaders and people?
- John 1:41, 45
41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ). 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” - They could have found the Messiah! But sadly, they rejected Him – the Saviour of the world.
Having traced the events of the 490 year time prophecy, we now remind ourselves that the 490 years was cut off from the 2300 year prophecy.
- Remember, it is either giving us the start date or the end date.
- We have 2 options.
- OPTION A: it begins in 457BC and ends in 1844AD.
- OPTION B: it ends in 34AD, thus making it begin in 2267BC.
- How do we know which one?
- Well it is quite simple.
- Let’s go back to look at our chart of Daniel 2, 7 and 8.
- Each time we have seen the order of events.
- Babylon
- Medo-Persia
- Greece
- Rome
- Catholic Church
- Second coming.
- But then we the more we progress we see that it is not just the second coming and the arrival of God’s kingdom.
- In Daniel 7 we see the fiery throne and judgment.
- And in Daniel 8 we studied about cleansing of the sanctuary and what that event meant on earth. It was referring to judgment as well.
- We see very clearly that each time, judgment begins after the Catholic Church appears.
- This order is very clear.
- If we take OPTION A, we see that it fits!
- The Catholic Church began its reign in 538AD. Which is the time period that we are still in today.
- So if judgment begins in 1844AD, that fits perfectly!
- If we take OPTION B, saying that the sanctuary being cleansed begins in 34AD, it doesn’t fit!
- It is telling us that judgment begins in 34AD.
- What kingdom is existing at that point? It is the Roman Empire. The Catholic Church has not even appeared yet.
- This timeline does not fit what we see in Daniel 2, 7 and 8.
- So it is only logical that we take OPTION A as to where the 70 weeks are cut off from. Meaning, the 70 weeks prophecy gives us the start date and not the end date of the 2300 day prophecy.
The 2300 years prophecy span the history of God’s people from the time of the Medo-Persian empire, and Israel’s release from captivity, to “the time of the end.”
- This period covers many events.
- Medo-Persia.
- Greece.
- Rome.
- The rebuilding of Jerusalem.
- The coming of the Messiah.
- The Messiah’s ministry and crucifixion.
- The confirmation of the New Covenant.
- The destruction of Jerusalem.
- The spread of the gospel to the Gentile world.
- The Catholic Church.
- The arrival of the time of the end and the cleansing of the sanctuary and judgment.
This is all found in Daniel 8 and 9!
- The prophecy confirm that truly we are now living in the closing period of earth’s history. Conditions prevailing in the world today strengthen the reality of this time prophecy. Heaven’s inquiry into the standing of all is now proceeding. Christ is soon to come.
Luke 21:34-36
34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Have you accepted the loving appeal of Jesus today? We need to put away our sins and ask Jesus to help us even now.