What is happening with Israel, and does it have to do with Bible prophecy?
Scripture reading
If you read the current news coming out of Israel, it can be frightening and disheartening.
When we talk about Israel, it is important that we know the Biblical end-product. What is the end-product of the nation called “Israel” in the middle east. For that I chose a Scripture reading to start with from a prophecy about Israel, in the book of Zechariah, concerning the final battle of Armageddon.
Zechariah 12: The oracle of the word of Yahweh concerning Israel. Thus declares Yahweh who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him, 2 “Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup [a]that causes reeling to all the peoples all around.
What is the end-product? Prophecy tells us that Israel wins in the end. The nations of the world, the armies of the world come to Israel, and surround Jerusalem.
Now the one in siege against Jerusalem will also be against Judah. 3 But it will be in that day, that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who heave it up will be severely [b]injured.
Many peoples have attacked Jerusalem down through history. The final time will destroy the attackers.
And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it.
There is coming a day when every nation will go to war against Israel.
4 In that day,” declares Yahweh, “I will strike every horse with bewilderment and his rider with madness. But I will open my eyes to watch over the house of Judah,
Even though it has seemed that God has had His eyes closed to the woes of the Jewish people, in this final attack, God is going to step in and save them.
while I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. 5 Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, ‘[c]A strong support for us are the inhabitants of Jerusalem through Yahweh of hosts, their God.’ 6 “In that day I will make the clans of Judah like a fiery laver among pieces of wood and a fiery torch among sheaves, so they will consume on the right hand and on the left all the surrounding peoples, while Jerusalem will again be inhabited in its own place—in Jerusalem. 7 Yahweh also will save the tents of Judah first so that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem will not be magnified above Judah. 8 In that day Yahweh will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the one who stumbles among them in that day will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of Yahweh before them. 9 And it will be in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
Now, we get the picture that all nations will send their armies to invade Israel. We get the picture that they will surround Jerusalem. We get it that God will defend them. But how will that defense happen? How will they be able to defend themselves?
10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem [d]the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.
The inhabitants of Israel, the Jews in Jerusalem, will “look on Him whom they have pierced.” Who is that? That’s Jesus. That is the second coming of Jesus. Jesus will return, descending from the eastern sky, and in the midst of what looks like the final destruction of the Jews, and Israel, their Savior will return. He will appear in the sky, and they will see Him and His nail-scarred hands and realize that they missed their Messiah when He came the first time. They crucified their Messiah.
11 In that day there will be great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the [e]plain of [f]Megiddo. 12 And the land will mourn, each family alone;
14 all the families that remain, each family alone and their wives alone.
And in that moment of sorrow and repentance, the Jewish people return to the Lord. He descends and makes war against the assembled armies and destroys them. And that begins the millennial reign of Christ in Jerusalem. No matter what is happening in Israel, or Jerusalem today, that is the end of the story.
Let’s pray.
That’s where we begin, with the end in mind. So now, to our question. This is where we are going with this message. Two simple questions; “What is happening with Israel?” The events beginning with October 7th. And then, “What does it mean in regard to Biblical prophecy?” What is happening with Israel?
Shortly after the recent events happening in Israel, on October 7th, Denise asked me a question that may have crossed your mind. What is happening with Israel, and does it have to do with Bible prophecy? Now, initially, because I wasn’t up to speed with everything that had transpired since the first part of October, I thought, “Oh, it’s just more war in the Middle East. Same song, different verse.
I am 58 years old. During my entire life, from 1965 on, Israel has been involved in wars and conflicts, almost without a pause to take a breath. In 1967 there was the 6-day war. From 1967 to 1970 there was the war of attrition. In 1971 to 1982 there was the Palestinian insurgency in South Lebanon. In 1978, Israel invaded Lebanon escalating to the 1982 Lebanon war. 1985 brought the South Lebanon conflict. 1987 to 1993 was the First Intifada, 2000 to 2005 the Second Intifada, 2006 the Lebanon war. 2008 the Gaza war. In 2012 Israel began an offensive operation in the Gaza strip, in 2014 began the Gaza war. There was the Syrian Civil war which bled over into a conflict between Iran and Israel. In more recent times, 2021, was the Israel-Palestine crisis involving riots between Jews and Arabs in Israeli cities, with Hamas sending military rockets into Israel and Israel intercepting missiles with their “Iron Dome” system. In response Israel has attacked targets in Gaza. So, it would seem from our own recollection of history, that war never ends in the Middle East, and especially in Israel.
During my whole life, every American president has attempted some sort of peace accord in the Middle East. In the end, none of them lasted. So, when I was asked “what do all of these events mean,” I thought, “nothing more than history marching toward the Biblical prophetic conclusion of this story.
Then on October 7th of this year, just 28 days ago, Palestinian militants from the terrorist organization HAMAS broke through barriers between Gaza and Israel. 3000 rockets were launched into Israel and a number of Hamas militants descended into Israel using powered paragliders. 1000 Militants targeted civilian neighborhoods and military bases for attack. In one day, 1000 Israeli civilians, and 350 Israeli soldiers were killed, 4,500 injured, over 200 civilians and soldiers were taken as hostages, among them about 30 children. Of course, there were reports of horrific things like beheading, rape, and torture taking place. This was described by various worldwide media outlets and politicians as the bloodiest attack in Israel’s history and the deadliest for Jews since the Holocaust.
How could this happen?
The attacks originated from Gaza. Gaza is a territory on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean sea. Southwest of Gaza is Egypt, Northeast it borders with Israel. It and the west bank are occupied by Israel. But, in 2006, the terrorist group Hamas, won the election in Gaza, and there has not been another election since.
And here is the layout of Gaza, where the attacks originated. Gaza is shaped like a rectangle, 25 miles long, and 7.5 miles wide. The border between Gaza and Israel is 32 miles long. The border is protected by a wall, and fencing along all 32 miles. The fence is equipped with camera, radar, sensors, and is topped with razor wire. There is an underground concrete barrier, and underground sensors to detect digging. There are guard towers every 500 feet. And the biggest protection for Israel has been the deterrence of Israel’s army. Everybody knew that Hamas wants Israel gone, and all Jews exterminated. But nobody thought that they would directly attack Israel’s army. So how did Hamas get over the wall?
It was a Sabbath and the date of several Jewish holidays, so many of those who would have been on duty watching the border were gone. Others were diverted to the West Bank because of unrest there. Hamas used drones to bomb the observation towers taking out electronic surveillance. Some militants used powered hang gliders, others sped to the fence on motorcycles and placed explosives to take out large portions of the fence. Motorcycles were followed by bulldozers which took out larger sections allowing military vehicles to go through.
As of November 10th, the war that Hamas began against Israel by their initial attacks on October 7th, has been taken by Israeli Defense forces to the streets of Gaza. You may or may not be aware, but Gaza elected Hamas to power in 2016, and since then, all of Gaza and it’s residents have been used by Hamas for their ongoing campaign to destroy Israel, and exterminate every last Jew. They have stated that that is their aim. Gaza’s territory sits atop tunnels upon tunnels coming out under hospitals, homes, and schools. Hamas uses the citizens of Gaza in two ways. First, they are used as human shields. They know that Israel is hesitant to strike civilian targets. So Hamas will not let civilians leave, and they hide their military and war materials in civilian facilities. Then, if Israel does attack a civilian target, like a hospital, Hamas comes out crying to the T.V. cameras about Israel’s atrocities.
Now initially, in just catching small pieces of information about what was happening, I just felt like sighing deeply, and thinking, “Another day, another death, another war in Israel.” “Wars and rumors of wars.” So, how is this any different than any of the other wars, skirmishes, incursions and riots that have been happening in Israel?
Well, just as I said in our end-times study a few months back. It is just another piece of the puzzle put in its place. There are a number of pieces to the end-times puzzle.
We could spend months here. We did that in our study a year or so ago. There are many specific signs that the things described in the Tribulation are being developed, or are already here today. A one-world money system—cash is going away, and the digital dollar is upon us. You can look at a video online of a woman who excitedly is going through the grocery store check out and scanning a chip implanted under her skin. The money for her groceries comes out automatically from her bank account.
The hatred and vilification of Christians. “You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake.” Bill C-4, which makes practicing, promoting or profiting from conversion therapy a criminal offense in Canada.
There’s the mystifying prophecy about the antichrist making an image of himself to be worshipped, and that image is made to speak, and enforce the worship. With the advent of robotics, and the capabilities of Artificial intelligence, this is no longer science fiction. (ChatGPT) But what signs can we look for in Israel? I want to look at the book of Daniel, chapter 9, for that.
So now we’ve answered the question, “What happened?” So, what does it mean in terms of Biblical prophecy?
Daniel 9 has the angel Gabriel giving Daniel the 70 weeks prophecy.
24 “Seventy [q]weeks have been determined for your people and for your holy city, to [r]finish the transgression, to [s]make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and [t]prophecy, and to anoint the Holy of Holies. 25 So you are to know and have insight that from the going out of a [u]word to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until [v]Messiah the Prince, there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be restored and rebuilt, with [w]plaza and moat, even in times of distress. 26 Then after the sixty-two weeks the [x]Messiah will be cut off (He will die.) and have [y]nothing, 27 And he will make a [ab]firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will make sacrifice and grain offering cease; and on the wing of [ac]abominations will come one who [ad]makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who [ae]makes desolate.”
I chose this passage of Scripture because it summarizes in just a few verses Israels place in prophecy leading up to the return of Christ. This passage of Scripture takes you from the Israel’s temple being rebuilt after it had been destroyed by the Babylonian invasion, through the first coming of Christ, and His death, all the way to the end times, the rise of the antichrist, Israel’s part in it, and the return of Christ.
Now, if you were to jump forward to chapter 11 of Daniel, you’ll find that Daniel was given a very detailed revelation of all the kingdoms and rulers that would rise and fall from Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon, to the Medes and Persians, the Greeks, and Alexander the Great, to Rome, and finally the last ruler, the antichrist. It is a fascinating study if you spend the time comparing it to what happened in history.
But it is not my purpose in this sermon to lay out all of those details. We just want to get a look at Israel’s part and lay it alongside of current events.
But before we proceed, let me say this. The prophecies of Scripture are amazing in their accuracy. Daniel’s prophecies, laid alongside what we know of history, are so accurate that atheists and agnostics have to explain them away by saying that they had to have been written after the events happened. This would be a difficult feat. Especially regarding some of the prophecies. As we will note in a moment, Daniel’s prophecies describe, to the day, the advent of Messiah. And even those who deny the prophecies of the book will date its writings to 200 years before Christ.
So, prophecy is one of the greatest arguments for the truth of Scripture. Many people have tried to predict the future, or claimed that they could, but no one has done it with the precision and accuracy of the Word of God.
Fiedler's Forecasting Rules. (1) It is very difficult to forecast, especially about the future. (2) He who lives by the crystal ball soon learns to eat ground glass. (3) The moment you forecast, you know you're going to be wrong -- you just don't know when and in which direction. (4) If you're ever right, never let them forget it.
Edgar R. Fiedler, economist, quoted in The Official Rules, Paul Dickson.
But Bible prophecy is precise and accurate. And one thing that I think is brilliant in regard to how God gives us these prophecies, is that very often He will reveal far off future events, but before giving the far-off future event, He will reveal a near event. It is one thing for Jesus to say, “One day I am coming back” it is another thing entirely for Him to say to His disciples, “See this temple in front of you? I tell you that the day is coming when one stone will not be left on top of another.” He described what happened in 70 A.D. And there was not one stone left on another of Herod’s temple. The destruction was so complete that today those interested in the temple in Jerusalem are not exactly sure where it stood. The point is that God foretold the near event. We can see how accurately that event matched Jesus’ prophecy, so we can trust that the still future event will unfold just as precisely.
So, back to Daniel 9. Let me first just give you the bullet points that we are going to talk about today; 1. This prophecy reveals history all the way to the return of Christ. 2. This prophecy laid out the precise time when Jesus came the first time. 3. This prophecy predicts Jesus’ being put to death. 4. This prophecy predicts the rise of the antichrist. 5. This prophecy predicts the antichrist war against Israel. And jumping forward, this prophecy predicts the Great Tribulation, the return of Christ, the battle of Armageddon, and the restoration of Israel.
I. This prophecy reveals history all the way to the return of Christ.
24 “Seventy [q]weeks have been determined for your people and for your holy city, to [r]finish the transgression, to [s]make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and [t]prophecy, and to anoint the Holy of Holies.
There’s a lot that we could say here. It says that from the time that this prophecy begins, until the end of all world history would be 70 weeks. Now, to be more precise, the word for “weeks” here is “sevens.” So, it would be 70 “7’s” until the end of world history, the return of Christ. All together it is 490 years.
So, what will be accomplished in 70 “7’s?” Remember Daniel’s concern. He is a Jewish man in exile, along with many Jewish people, in Babylon. He prayed daily facing Jerusalem. He’s concerned about the future of the Jewish people. And he’s not just concerned about their location. He’s not just concerned about returning to Israel. He’s concerned about why they were in Babylon to begin with. They were taken into captivity because they disobeyed God. He wants them made whole spiritually, as well as physically. So, Israel’s future is revealed to him.
24 “Seventy [q]weeks have been determined for your people and for your holy city,
What’s going to happen in those 490 years?
to [r]finish the transgression, to [s]make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and [t]prophecy, and to anoint the Holy of Holies.
to [r]finish the transgression, to [s]make an end of sin: God is going to put an end to transgression. Sin has ruled in our world since Adam and Eve. The curse has been over the world since its founding days. God is going to put an end to sin’s rule. And in particular, Israel has been God’s people since Abraham, but they have been a sinful and rebellious people. From Abraham, to their stubborn rebellion in the wilderness, to their idol worship leading to their exile in Babylon, and we could take it even further to their rejecting and crucifying the Messiah, even up to today, Israel, along with most of humanity rejects Christ, and lives in rebellion. God says to Daniel, “I’m going to end that in 490 years.”
What else will happen?
to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness: Here He says that He is going to provide a remedy for sin that is permanent. It’s not going to be the blood of sheep and goats that have to be slain repeatedly. It’s going to be a permanent covering of sin. And, of course, what He is referring to here is Jesus’s blood shed on the cross of Calvary.
Hebrews 9:12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy places once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
And that sacrifice provides everlasting righteousness. In regard to Daniel’s concern for Israel, the blood of Christ, when Israel finally believes on their Messiah, will bring a permanent righteousness. They will no more back slide.
What else is going to be completed in these 490 years?
to seal up vision and [t]prophecy: There will come the end of prophecies and visions. They will end in two ways; first, once the 490 years are over, we won’t need visions and prophecies anymore, we will be living in a world ruled by the King, our Lord Jesus Christ. And second, in the 490 years, every prophecy regarding the world, and Israel’s blessing, will be fulfilled.
And the last thing that will be completed in the 490 years, “to anoint the Holy of Holies.”
Some take this to refer to the temple, which will still be standing at the end of the Tribulation. The thought here is that the temple will be cleansed after the antichrist defiled it with his image and worship. And I don’t disagree that that is going to happen. The words here for “anoint the Holy of Holies, or the Most Holy,” have repeatedly referred to the temple or it’s accoutrements in Scripture.
https://biblehub.com/commentaries/daniel/9-24.htm
The meaning of the sentence depends upon the interpretation of the words “Most Holy” or “Holy of Holies.” In Scripture they are used of (1) the altar (Exodus 29:37); (2) the atonement (Exodus 30:10); (3) the tabernacle and the sacred furniture (Exodus 30:29); (4) the sacred perfume (Exodus 30:36); (5) the remnant of the meat offering (Leviticus 2:3; Leviticus 2:10); (6) all that touch the offerings made by fire (Leviticus 6:18); (7) the sin offering (Leviticus 10:17); (8) the trespass offering (Leviticus 14:13); (9) the shewbread (Leviticus 24:9); (10) things devoted (Leviticus 27:28); (11) various offerings (Numbers 18:9); (12) the temple service and articles connected with it, or perhaps Aaron (1Chronicles 23:13); (13) the limits of the new temple (Ezekiel 43:12); (14) the sanctuary of the new temple (Ezekiel 45:3); (15) the territory set apart for the sons of Zadok (Ezekiel 48:2). Which of these significations is to be here adopted can only be discovered by the context.
I don’t disagree that the temple will be cleansed. But I believe there’s something bigger in mind here.
Jesus, on one occasion told the Jews who asked for a sign, “Destroy this temple, and I’ll build it again in three days.” He was talking about the temple of His own body that would rise after three days in the grave.
And the anointing of the Most Holy here, I believe refers to the Lamb of God, the Great High Priest, who will Himself step into the Holy of Holies.
it appears that the words “most Holy” are parallel to “Messiah the Prince” (Daniel 9:25), and that they indicate a person.
He will be anointed as the final King and Priest of all the world.
So, our first point was, This prophecy reveals history all the way to the return of Christ.
Point number 2.
II. This prophecy laid out the precise time when Jesus came the first time.
25 So you are to know and have insight that from the going out of a [u]word to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until [v]Messiah the Prince, there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be restored and rebuilt, with [w]plaza and moat, even in times of distress.
I told you a moment ago that God does something beyond wisdom in regards to prophecy. In many major prophetic sections in Scripture, He gives a prediction of a close event, and a far-off event. Let me give you another example. In the book of Revelation chapter 2 and 3, John was given prophecies regarding events that still haven’t happened today. And John passed that manuscript on to 7 churches. But what probably really brought home the strength and validity of these far-future predictions, was that Jesus also gave a personal message and prophecy regarding each of those individual churches.
To the church in Ephesus: 5 Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the [c]deeds you did at first. But if not, I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place, unless you repent.
To the church in Smyrna: 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. [e]Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
To the church in Pergamos: 16 Therefore repent. But if not, I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth.
To the church in Thyatira: 20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and deceives My slaves so that they commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 And I gave her time to repent, and she does not wish to repent of her sexual immorality. 22 Behold, I will throw her [h]on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of [i]her deeds. 23 And I will kill her children with [j]pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the [k]minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.
To the church in Sardis: 3 So remember [b]what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.
To the church in Philadelphia: 9 Behold, I am giving up those of the synagogue of Satan, those who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie. Behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and make them know that I have loved you.
To the church in Laodicia: 15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. 16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will [i]spit you out of My mouth.
There is some very interesting study regarding the history of these churches after these messages were delivered. And we don’t know all of the specifics regarding each of these churches. But, you can be sure that after Jesus’ near prediction came true, (some false prophetess getting a life-threatening illness) the church took His reproof seriously, and they were firmly established in their belief regarding all the future predictions made in the book.
So here, Daniel is given a very precise shorter-term prophecy that gives credibility to the longer term prophecy. Let me break it down for you.
from the going out of a [u]word to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until [v]Messiah the Prince, there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be restored and rebuilt, with [w]plaza and moat, even in times of distress.
I been telling you that this whole prophecy covers the last “70 sevens” or 490 years of history. But this portion concerns “seven weeks and sixty-two sevens” 62 + 7 = 69 sevens. Sixty-nine sevens of years. 69 x 7 = 483. Now this is probably very exciting for Daniel. God is laying out an exact number of years until the coming of the promised Messiah. Can you imagine if God did this for you? What if God told you, “From the time of the announcement of a 7 year peace treaty between Israel and their enemies, Jesus will come back” Boy howdy, you’d be watching the news, marking your calendar. Well, He kinda did tell you that, but we’ll get there. But He tells Daniel something very precise.
Remember Daniel’s chief concern. “When will my people, the Jewish people return to Israel.” He is concerned, just like many righteous Jewish people in exile, that Israel was decimated by the Babylonian invasion. Many people were killed. The best of its people were enslaved and shipped off to different Babylonian territories. And worse than all that was that their Holy Capital City of Jerusalem was invaded, its walls torn down, its temple burned and turned to rubble.
So, the very first thing that I think perks up Daniel’s ears is,
25 So you are to know and have insight that from the going out of a [u]word to restore and rebuild Jerusalem
God is telling Daniel that somebody is going to make a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. And guess what? They did.
Now, let me first say, there were 3 decrees in the book of Ezra, but they were not to rebuild Jerusalem, they were to rebuild the temple. But look in Nehemiah 2:1
Now it happened in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, that wine was before him, and I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence. 2 So the king said to me, “Why is your face sad though you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart.” Then I was very much afraid. 3 I said to the king, “Let the king live forever. Why should my face not be sad when the city, the place of my fathers’ tombs, lies waste and its gates have been consumed by fire?” 4 Then the king said to me, “What would you request?” So I prayed to the God of heaven. 5 I said to the king, “If it is good for the king, and if your servant is good before you, send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it.”
That was the decree to rebuild Jerusalem. And go back to verse one; “Now it happened in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes”
We are told the month and year that it happened. Scholars tell us the month of Nisan - March; the day, no doubt the 14th; the year, 445 BC. That began the 490 years: 445 BC, March 14th.
Do you know what that meant? That every single Jewish person who had access to Daniel’s prophecy, from 445 B.C. on, should have been counting down the 483 years until the manifestation of the Messiah. But they weren’t. Why not? I think that it is for the same reason that not many so-called Christians are concerned about the signs of the end-times today. As your devotion to the truth of Scripture and obedience wanes, so does your care in studying it and understanding it. In Jesus’ day, just like today, we’ve divided up into all kinds of groups; liberals, conservatives, fundamentalists, Baptists, Catholics, Methodists, Charismatics, and on and on. And everybody is following the path that they’ve called “truth.” Many have relegated the book of Revelation, and prophecies of a future Tribulation to myth. “Not meant to be taken literally.” So, it is not studied in many churches.
And I believe that as we get closer to the end, there will be even fewer who spend any time trying to discover the truth in Scripture. And just like when Jesus came the first time, nobody seems to have counted down and realized that they were living in the middle of fulfilled prophecy.
So, let’s get back to the decree.
The decree to rebuild Jerusalem happened in 445 B.C., described in Nehemiah 2:1-8. Artaxerxes, the prince of Persia made the decree. So, Gabriel tells Daniel that it will be 69 sevens from the decree to the first Advent of Messiah. Taking 7’s to indicate years, 69 x 7 is 483 years. Artaxerxes made the decree in 445 B.C..
Now listen to the wording;
Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks.
He didn’t say 69 weeks. He said 7 weeks, and 62 weeks. Why the separation? Because something happens after the first 7 weeks of the 62 weeks. 7 sevens, or 49 years after the decree from Artaxerxes,
the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
This is a dual prophecy. It prophecies in the short term. In 49 years from the decree, Daniel, the city of Jerusalem will be rebuilt, then in 62 more 7’s, or 434 more years will be Messiah’s coming.
Now, this is the thrilling part. It involves math.
https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/1293/the-arrival-of-the-king
“These are years of 360 days. The ancient Biblical writers calculated the year on a 360-day calendar, rather than 365 like the pagans. And so, we have, then, in verse 25, 483 years of 360 days “unto Messiah the Prince.” Not Messiah the baby, not Messiah the child, not Messiah the preacher, not Messiah the One who dies, not Messiah Who rises, but Messiah Who is the Prince. The Anointed One, the Royal One, the Regal One, the Majestic One, the One who is the heir to the throne, mashiach nagid, the Anointed Prince.
So, it’ll be 483 years of 360 days. Now, the only way we can figure it out is we have to convert into our kind of years, with our kind of days, so we’ll just multiply to get how many days it would be. You multiply it out, and its 173,880 days. You say, “The Bible can’t be this specific.” Well, you’ll find out in a moment - 173,880 days. The decree comes on March 14th, 445 BC. Sir Robert Anderson, who particularly did monumental work on this prophecy of the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ, has identified, by looking at the Jewish calendars of Passovers and so forth, that the time in which Passover was held can be determined rather easily, at least through using his method.
And he finds, backing up from that, the triumphal entry of Jesus must have occurred on April 6, 32 A.D.; April 6, 32 A.D.; the month of Nisan. And so, all we need to do is calculate a little bit. If Daniel is correct, from March 14, 445 B.C., to April 6, 32 A.D., is going to be 173,880 days. Well, let’s think about it. From March 14, 445, to April 6, 32 A.D., is only 477 years and 24 days; so we’re a few years short. We have to deduct a year, because 1 B.C. and 1 A.D. is the same year, so we really have 476 years and 24 days. Now, we have to convert to our calendar of 365 days, so we multiply that all out, plus 24 days, and we get 173,764; and we’re still short. But we have leap year every four years. So, 476 divided by 4, gives us 119 leap years, so we add 119 more days to 173,664, and we get 173,883 days - 3 days too many.
You say, “Oh, close is good enough for me.” Close is not good enough for God. Sir Robert Anderson went to the Royal Observatory in England, and he found out that, according to their solar calculations, a year is 1/128 of a day longer on the calendar than a solar year; 1/128 of a day longer. So every 128 years, we have to lose a day. And if you’re dealing with 483 years, there’ll be 3 of those, so you drop those out. And you have 173,880 days, just exactly as the Word of God said. Now, it has been interesting.”
Now, some more recent scholars have calculated, and arrived at different ending points but still the same 173,880 days.
So, what happened 434 years or the total of 483 years later? 10 Nisan, A.D. 30, Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem to the shouts of the crowds, “Hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”
So, as we talk about the future, our future, the future of Israel, isn’t it thrilling to know that our Lord is the Master mathematician. He’s got it all figured out. We wonder, “What’s going to happen to the world, what’s going to happen to Israel?“ You don’t have to wonder, it’s all in the Book.
The prophecy lays out history all the way to the end, and it lays out the precise date of Jesus’s manifestation as Messiah. Third
3. This prophecy predicts Jesus’ being put to death.
KJV 26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself:
LSV 26 Then after the sixty-two weeks the [x]Messiah will be cut off and have [y]nothing
Well then what happens?
26 Then after the sixty-two weeks the [x]Messiah will be cut off (He will die.) and have [y]nothing,
After the 62 weeks, 434 years from Jerusalem rebuilt and Jesus’ triumphal entry, Messiah will be cut off.
Notice that it says after the 62 weeks, Messiah will be cut off. That means that Jesus’ crucifixion is not an event in those 62 weeks, it is after those 62 weeks. This is important because it is the first indication that there is a pause between the 69th week and the 70th week. Some of you probably wondered this earlier. I kept saying that this prophecy predicts 70 sevens, or 490 years until the return of Christ. Well we know that far more than 490 years have passed since Artaxerxes first decreed that the city of Jerusalem be rebuilt. But here are the details.
The prophecy says that Jesus would be “cut off” after the sixty-nine weeks. The words cut off signify “killed.”
4. This prophecy predicts the rise of the antichrist.
Now notice the next verses.
and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And [ad]its end will come with a flood; even to the end [ae]there will be war; desolations are determined. 27 And he will confirm a covenant with the many for one week,
The very next words after Messiah is killed are “and the people of the prince who is to come.” He starts talking about another prince, “who is to come.” He indicates that this other prince will come at some unknown future date. And that future prince will make a “confirm a covenant with the many for one week.” How long? One week. One seven. Seven years. The final 7 years are separated in the account from the 483 years. Altogether they make 490 years that God will use to finish His work, but the last seven are separated from the first 483. Messiah is killed after the 483, and the prince who is to come, or the antichrist ascends to his moment of power at the start of the last 7 years.
5. This prophecy predicts the antichrist war against Israel.
Now, there is a transition. Gabriel has been talking about Messiah the Prince. Now he starts talking about the “prince who is to come.” That prince is antichrist.
and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary.
And jumping forward, this prophecy predicts the Great Tribulation, the return of Christ, the battle of Armageddon, and the restoration of Israel.
What pieces of the puzzle must move into place for these events to occur in Israel?
Now, there is a transition. Gabriel has been talking about Messiah the Prince. Now he starts talking about the “prince who is to come.” That prince is antichrist.
and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary.
What city and sanctuary? Jerusalem, and the sanctuary of the temple. But there is no Jewish temple in Jerusalem today.
And [z]its end will come with a flood; even to the end [aa]there will be war; desolations are decreed. 27 And he (the antichrist) will make a [ab]firm covenant with the many for one week (7 years), but in the middle of the week (3 ½ years) he will make sacrifice and grain offering cease;
What sacrifice and grain offerings will cease? There are no sacrifices, or grain offerings happening in Israel today.
and on the wing of [ac]abominations will come one who [ad]makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who [ae]makes desolate.”