This text is known as one of the greatest prophesies of the Old Testament – it measures out the years until the coming of Jesus in the New Testament. The problem is that the language is mysterious especially for the modern day reader. To complicate matters, there are many, many interpretations to these few verses and unfortunately, in my opinion, one verse in particular has been forced onto the scene of the second coming of Christ to validate the pre-tribulation rapture theory. This one verse is identified as the sole place where we come up with the 7 year tribulation and the activities of the Antichrist during this 7 year period. This seems unfortunate to me since you cannot find anywhere in these verses where it mentions the Antichrist or the second coming of Jesus.
And now that I have said all that, let me be clear about my purpose. I am not inviting you on a pilgrimage down the end times game, although I know it seems so. Please bear with me as I attempt to unfold the truth as best I can for this great passage. The pre-trib theory has become very prevalent and popular in recent times. I grew up with the teaching about “pre-trib”, but never really understood it. But when I started looking more deeply I found a lot of questions and not so many answers. What I did find was a lot of different interpretations and was eventually was lead back to the basics - which I think is a wonderful idea. I had to draw up a blank slate so to speak and read the passage plainly without all the preconceived ideas. This seems simple enough, but I am here to tell you it is not that simple or easy. When you have layer upon layer of teaching to unwind, it can be quite challenging. But a simple reading of the passage reveals much, and also shows that many of us have been missing the point of passage - Christ!
Let’s face it, some passages are just confusing by themselves. When we add slanted ideas the passages become even more convoluted. I remember the first time I started questioning the pre-trib theory - I would ask where the 7 year tribulation came from? Where is it in the Bible? I did not find it in Revelation anywhere. I was eventually led to Daniel - one verse in Daniel to be specific. This becomes not only confusing but seemed to lack common sense. The depth and breadth of such a theory could not be in fact be based on one verse in Daniel. That would be silly, wouldn’t it? Not only that, the verse is somewhat controversial due to the nature of the many interpretations. Talk about being confused.
Again, I want to clarify my intentions because I know you again are thinking I am here to teach on the end times prophesies. Well, actually I am not, but I think it is impossible to talk about Daniel 9 without discussing the pre-trib theory simply because the theory is so accepted. Do I have anything against the theory? No, I don’t. However, when uncovering the truth of Daniel 9, it causes serious damage to what is considered its bedrock. The fact is I do not think Daniel 9 is about the Antichrist, the second coming, or a 7 year tribulation period. My exposition of the verses will show that. Shouldn’t the point be what the Bible actually says. I have found there is a great focus on many “other” things when comes to prophetic verses like you find in Daniel. Other things like the Antichrist. But the prophesy is clearly about one thing, better yet, one person. It really is about our Lord Jesus, but of course there are some other details mentioned which cause concern. But the main character through the verses is our Lord. It is the most majestic prophesy telling of how great and terrible our God is - our Savior and Judge.
Preconceived ideas can be our enemy and can darken our understanding of scripture. This has been my experience particularly with these profound verses. It took me years to unwind my preconceived ideas and I still struggle with it. A plain reading of the text reveals so much and clearly points to Christ. When we move our focus off him we can unwittingly remove all power and authority from him to us. We are suddenly looking for an Antichrist, wondering how we will make the “great escape”, and how the theory fits together. And yet, where is Christ? What do these things have to do with him? Are we not concerning ourselves with “us” instead of Christ. I do not think anyone intends for this to happen, but it does. Let us not rob Christ of his wonder and majesty, let us meet him in these verses. For he is illuminated in every verse, his character is there to be discovered. Let’s meet him squarely where he is and expose his life changing truth.
I will start with verse 24 and proceed one verse at a time, however I want to remind the reader that the prophesy is a whole and should be treated as such. I think the verses should be viewed as a whole, looking at all the parts but constantly viewing the whole – the entire picture. And make no mistake; it is a picture of Jesus.
Seventy weeks are decreed upon your people and upon your holy city, to finish and put an end to transgression, to seal up and make full the measure of sin, to purge away and make expiation and reconciliation for sin, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and prophet, and to anoint a Holy of Holies. Daniel 9:24
The fascinating thing about this prophesy is that it leaves little room for doubt. It specifies exactly how many years until Christ - Seventy weeks, or 490 years. More about this in verse 25. If there is anything in this prophesy that declares our Christ, it is verse 24. Ralph Woodrow in his book, Great Prophesies of the Bible, lists 12 concepts that verses 24-27 contain, but I honestly think the most profound are in verse 24.
1) To finish and put an end to transgression – This is clearly referring to the redemptive work of Jesus on the cross. He put an end to transgression through the sacrifice of his spotless blood. And just as he states in John 19, “It is finished”, so it was. No longer would animal sacrifices be needed. Jesus put an end to sin and death.
2) To seal up and make full measure of sin – Christ has taken away our sins. The words “seal up” infer to take away, cover, or hide. John Gill in his commentary on this verse says, “ ‘to seal up sins’; which is expressive of the pardon of them procured by Christ; for things sealed are hid and covered, and so are sins forgiven”
3) To purge away and make expiation and reconciliation for sin – expiation means to remove guilt through the payment of the penalty (Holman Bible Dictionary). Christ has purged away our guilt by his precious blood and paid the price so that our Holy God can be in right relationship with His people. A price must be paid for sin so we can be reconciled to God and this prophesy is telling us that Christ is coming to do just that.
4) To bring in everlasting righteousness – So now the fullness of what Christ has done comes to us. We receive everlasting righteousness through Christ.
“he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” Hebrews 9:12-14
All sacrifices until Christ were of animals and temporary. Now, with Christ the ultimate shedding of blood has purified us and given us eternal redemption and righteousness. It is not temporary, but eternal. A once and for all atoning that never ends. We are eternally found righteous through Christ.
5) To seal up vision and prophesy and prophet – John Gill says of this phrase, “not to shut it up out of sight; rather to set a mark on it, by which it might be more clearly known; but to consummate and fulfil it: all prophecy is sealed up in Christ, and by him; he is the sum and substance of it; the visions and prophecies of the Old Testament relate to him, and have their accomplishment in him; some relate to his person and office; others to his coming into the world, the time, place, and manner of it; others to the great work of redemption and salvation he came about; and others to his miracles, sufferings, and death, and the glory that should follow; all which have been fulfilled: or, ‘to seal up the vision and prophet’”. All the prophecies of the Old Testament are fulfilled in Christ. He sealed them with his coming. There is no one else coming - Christ is the vision, the prophesy, and the prophet.
6) To anoint a Holy of Holies – some translations say, “to anoint the Most Holy”. Either way, it is clear this refers to Christ. However, there are some translations, such as the NIV, that use the words, “to anoint the most Holy Place”, which would imply Jerusalem or the temple. Looking at the experts we find our answer. Adam Clarke explains, “And to anoint the Most Holy, kodesh kodashim, "the Holy of holies." mashach, to anoint, (from which comes mashiach, the Messiah, the anointed one,) signifies in general, to consecrate or appoint to some special office. Here it means the consecration or appointment of our blessed Lord, the Holy One of Israel, to be the Prophet, Priest, and King of mankind.” While John Wesley elucidates, “This alludes to his name Messiah and Christ, both which signify anointed. Christ was anointed at his first conception, and personal union, Luke 1:35. In his baptism, Matthew 3:17, to his three offices by the holy Ghost.” And finally I want to give the exposition by James Dixon from his commentary, “to anoint the most Holy (“place” has been added by some versions, not in the Hebrew. The term was applied most frequently to Persons.) This last phrase likely refers to the anointing of Christ as our Intercessor in the Holy of Holies in Heaven.”
Just so we are on track, the whole of the verse is about Christ. It lists out six actions that all refer to him. And this is my primary point. If we get sidetracked by the nuances in words that refer to a city or temple, then we can miss what the text is saying and to whom it is referring. I know this seems small, but as with many things- they start small and end up being a huge canyon. Christ is the focus of this prophesy, and he is found everywhere you turn in the entire prophesy. Let us honor him by keeping on focus on the central theme - Jesus Christ!
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