6.7 A Great Prophetic Era                                        

 

1. What did Daniel notice, immediately after the vision of Daniel 8, by studying the prophecies of Jeremiah?
Daniel 9:1-2
1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans;
2 In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
Note: Daniel and his companions were carried away to Babylon in 606 BC. The seventy years of Jeremiah’s prophecy would thus have come to an end in the year 536 BC. The first year of Darius was 538 BC. and the era of the restoration was thus only two years from that date.

 

2. What did this revelation lead Daniel to do?
Daniel 9:3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:

 

3. What urgent petition of the prophet connects this prayer with the vision of the taking away of the continual mediation and the desolation of the sanctuary recorded in Daniel 8?
Daniel 9:17 Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of Thy servant, and his supplications, and cause Thy face to shine upon Thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake.

 

4. What assurance did Gabriel give to Daniel when he concluded his prayer?
Daniel 9:22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.

 

5. Which burden received earlier in connection with the vision of Daniel 8 was carried out more fully in this way?
Daniel 9:16 O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us.

 

6. Why was further instruction concerning this vision necessary?
Daniel 8:27 And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.

 

7. What did Gabriel now focus Daniel’s attention on?
Daniel 9:23 At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.

 

8. Which part of the 2.300 days (years), mentioned in the vision, were intended for the Jews?
Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.
Note: The seventy weeks or 490 prophetic days or 490 literal years are a part of the 2,300 prophetic days or 2,300 literal years. They began at the same time, i.e., in 457 BC, when the command was given for the rebuilding of Jerusalem. (Daniel 9:25)

 

9. What would be accomplished at the close of the seventy weeks?
Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

10. What part of this period would extend to Christ, the Messiah, or the Anointed One?
Daniel 9:25 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: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
Note: The command to rebuild Jerusalem began in 457 BC. 7 weeks or 49 years extend to 408 BC. That is the time of restoration of Jerusalem.

 

11. What would be done to the Messiah at the end of that time?
Daniel 9:26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
Note: The 62 weeks or 434 years reach to 27 AD. The year in which Christ was anointed at his baptism. (see Daniel 9:24). So we now arrive at 69 weeks.

 

12. How was the destruction of Jerusalem and of the Sanctuary by the Romans, foretold?
Daniel 9:26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

 

13. What was the Messiah to do during the seventieth week?
Daniel 9:27 And He shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week He shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations He shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
Note: The seventieth week thus lasts from 27 AD to 34 AD. In the middle of the seventieth week, Christ was crucified or cut off. That was the time when sacrifices and grain offerings from the earthly sanctuary had to cease. The remaining 3½ years of this week extend to 34 AD, or the stoning of Stephen and the great persecution of the church in Jerusalem that followed. This marked the end of the seventy weeks or 490 years that had been allotted to Daniel’s people. Those were hard times for Daniel’s people and land.

 

14. What would He take away in the middle of this week?
Daniel 9:27 And he will make the covenant heavy for many, for a week; in the middle of the week he will cause sacrifice and grain offering to cease; and on a wing of abominations shall come a destroyer, even until the end; and what is firmly decided shall pour out upon what is desolate.

 

15. How are the judgments that would come upon Jerusalem foretold once again?
Daniel 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

 

16. What question was asked in the vision of Daniel 8?
Daniel 8:13 Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?

 

17. Which prophetic era thereby extends to the captivity of God’s people in modern Babylon and their receiving again of the mediation of Christ?
Daniel 8:14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

 

18. What is said of those who live to see the deliverance from modern Babylon, and the restoration of the true gospel?
Daniel 12:12 Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.