Dan 9:24 | KingComments | STEP | The verses we now come to, , are called ‘the ABC’ of the prophecy. First a short overview: In we read about 1. the duration of the period: seventy weeks, 2. who it is about: your people and your holy city, which are Israel and Jerusalem and 3. what happens during that period: finish the transgression, etc. In we learn that the first and largest part of the seventy weeks is divided into two periods: seven weeks and sixty-two weeks, which is sixty-nine weeks together. The events in these sixty-nine weeks are described. These weeks are concluded with the mention of one person: Messiah the Prince. In it is said that after sixty-two weeks, so in total after sixty-nine weeks, the Messiah will be cut off. This is followed by the announcement that Jerusalem will be destroyed. In we are informed of the events that take place in the remaining week, the seventieth. We also read there about the division of this week into two halves with an indication of what happens halfway the week and what the consequences are for the second half of that week. After this overview we will look at the meaning of each verse. The weeks mentioned in are not weeks of seven days, but periods of seven years. The seventy weeks are a total of four hundred and ninety years. This number of years will pass before the full blessing can come for “your people and your holy city”. Before that happens, a few things have to happen: 1. First, “transgression” must have finished, that is to say, the people and the city no longer live in rebellion against God, but are obedient to Him. 2. Then “an end of sin” must be made, that is to say that they are no longer committed. 3. Also “atonement for iniquity” must be made. God can pass by the iniquity of His people only when atonement has been made for it. These events are negative, they have to do with what has to stop and be removed because it cannot exist before God. The following events are positive. In them we see God’s work for the benefit of His people and His holy city. 1. He will “bring in everlasting righteousness”. That indicates the kingdom of peace, under the government of the Messiah. 2. Sealing up “vision and prophecy” means invariably recording what has been shown by and on behalf of God in the vision and said by the prophet. Both vision and prophecy bear the stamp of God’s work in its fulfilment. 3. The last event is the anointing of “the most holy”. What this refers to is not immediately clear. Several possibilities have been suggested. Some possibilities are that it can refer to the most holy of the temple or to the whole temple or to the city of Jerusalem or to the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. In any case, this is something that is sanctified for God by a special ordination and will have a special place in the realm of peace, to the glory of God.

‏ Daniel 9:24

The Seventy Weeks

The verses we now come to, Dan 9:24-27, are called ‘the ABC’ of the prophecy. First a short overview:

In Dan 9:24 we read about

1. the duration of the period: seventy weeks,

2. who it is about: your people and your holy city, which are Israel and Jerusalem and

3. what happens during that period: finish the transgression, etc.

In Dan 9:25 we learn that the first and largest part of the seventy weeks is divided into two periods: seven weeks and sixty-two weeks, which is sixty-nine weeks together. The events in these sixty-nine weeks are described. These weeks are concluded with the mention of one person: Messiah the Prince.

In Dan 9:26 it is said that after sixty-two weeks, so in total after sixty-nine weeks, the Messiah will be cut off. This is followed by the announcement that Jerusalem will be destroyed.

In Dan 9:27 we are informed of the events that take place in the remaining week, the seventieth. We also read there about the division of this week into two halves with an indication of what happens halfway the week and what the consequences are for the second half of that week.

After this overview we will look at the meaning of each verse. The weeks mentioned in Dan 9:24 are not weeks of seven days, but periods of seven years. The seventy weeks are a total of four hundred and ninety years. This number of years will pass before the full blessing can come for “your people and your holy city”. Before that happens, a few things have to happen:

1. First, “transgression” must have finished, that is to say, the people and the city no longer live in rebellion against God, but are obedient to Him.

2. Then “an end of sin” must be made, that is to say that they are no longer committed.

3. Also “atonement for iniquity” must be made. God can pass by the iniquity of His people only when atonement has been made for it.

These events are negative, they have to do with what has to stop and be removed because it cannot exist before God. The following events are positive. In them we see God’s work for the benefit of His people and His holy city.

1. He will “bring in everlasting righteousness”. That indicates the kingdom of peace, under the government of the Messiah.

2. Sealing up “vision and prophecy” means invariably recording what has been shown by and on behalf of God in the vision and said by the prophet. Both vision and prophecy bear the stamp of God’s work in its fulfilment.

3. The last event is the anointing of “the most holy”. What this refers to is not immediately clear. Several possibilities have been suggested. Some possibilities are that it can refer to the most holy of the temple or to the whole temple or to the city of Jerusalem or to the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. In any case, this is something that is sanctified for God by a special ordination and will have a special place in the realm of peace, to the glory of God.