Dan 9:27 | KingComments | STEP | The second part of gives the transition from the situation in the year 70 to the situation in the end time or the seventieth year-week. That seventieth year-week is what we are talking about in . During the seventieth year-week, Israel is back in its land. This is demonstrated by the fact that sacrifices are being made again. There is a temple service again. The “he” of this verse is the prince of the previous verse who will come. It is the ruler of the restored Western Roman empire, the fourth world empire, the united Europe that gave its power into the hands of a single dictator, the beast from the sea ( ; ). It points to the time when the Roman empire is again present and Israel is again present and both empires have a ruler. The covenant that he makes firm is the covenant that he, the autocrat of the united Western Europe, will make with the unbelieving mass of the Jews, “the many”, possibly under the leadership of the antichrist. Seen from the Jewish side, it is a treaty with death ( ). The apostate mass of the Israelites will do this to defend themselves and protect themselves against the enemies surrounding them, of which the greatest enemy is Assyria. By Assyria we can understand Syria in an alliance with some other Arab states. Assyria is so strong because it is supported by the mighty Russian empire that lies north of them. That is what the prophetic word shows and what we see confirmed in current events. “In the middle of the week”, however, a dramatic change takes place. This change heralds the most terrible time the earth has ever experienced. This time is called the “great tribulation” ( ) and also “the time of Jacob’s distress” ( ). This period will last half a year-week, i.e. three and a half years. In that time an unprecedented suffering will affect mankind. What people will do to each other defies any description. Violence of war and natural disasters will uninhibitedly cause their slaughter. The spiritual torments to which men are exposed will drive them to insanity. An impressive description of it can be found in Revelation 6-19. The introductory event is the casting of the devil from heaven to earth, knowing that he has little time, i.e. three and a half years ( ). His first activity is to put an end to the Jewish religion, which we see in the prohibition to sacrifice. Through his servant, the Roman ruler, who is supported by his ally the antichrist, he puts an end to worship in Jerusalem. The Roman ruler and the antichrist establish their own idolatrous religion. The antichrist will erect an idol of the Roman ruler, the beast out of the sea, in the temple ( ), most likely the court of the temple. This image is intended as protection against the enemies. As a result, the antichrist will propagate the alliance with Western Europe. He will convince the remaining mass of the Jews to expect their salvation from that great power when they are threatened by Assyria and all Arab countries. He will make sure that people worship the image and even let it speak. He who withdraws from this mass psychosis and does not worship the beast will be killed ( ). God calls it “the wing of abominations”. A wing indicates protection and an abomination is an indication for an idol image ( ). But instead of protection, this abomination will bring destruction to Israel. There “[will come] one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate”. It is an abomination that will lead to destruction, that is God’s judgment on the apostates, on the most horrible idolatry that has ever happened. This destruction happens because it is decreed by God. The one who will come and “who makes desolate” is the king of the North, the ancient Assyrian empire, supported by Russia. This is the beginning of the last world war. The destroyer will quickly pour himself out “on the one who makes desolate”, that is Jerusalem. It will happen so quickly that the alliance turn out to be no protection at all. Jerusalem will be taken and the inhabitants will suffer terribly ( ). This brings the angel to the end of his teaching ( ). It seems to be an abrupt end, where judgment seems to be the last word. But we have to think of two things. The fact that the explanation about the future ends here means that it is not about the continuation, but about the elaboration of what has been announced. What does it do to me that I know how it will go? The other is that the angel said at the beginning of his statement that “everlasting righteousness” will come when the seventy weeks have passed ( ). After the judgments follows the glorious kingdom of peace under the reign of the Messiah, the Prince of peace.

‏ Daniel 9:27

The Seventieth Week

The second part of Dan 9:26 gives the transition from the situation in the year 70 to the situation in the end time or the seventieth year-week. That seventieth year-week is what we are talking about in Dan 9:27. During the seventieth year-week, Israel is back in its land. This is demonstrated by the fact that sacrifices are being made again. There is a temple service again.

The “he” of this verse is the prince of the previous verse who will come. It is the ruler of the restored Western Roman empire, the fourth world empire, the united Europe that gave its power into the hands of a single dictator, the beast from the sea (Dan 7:3 ; 7; Rev 13:1-10). It points to the time when the Roman empire is again present and Israel is again present and both empires have a ruler.

The covenant that he makes firm is the covenant that he, the autocrat of the united Western Europe, will make with the unbelieving mass of the Jews, “the many”, possibly under the leadership of the antichrist. Seen from the Jewish side, it is a treaty with death (Isa 28:15a ; 18). The apostate mass of the Israelites will do this to defend themselves and protect themselves against the enemies surrounding them, of which the greatest enemy is Assyria. By Assyria we can understand Syria in an alliance with some other Arab states. Assyria is so strong because it is supported by the mighty Russian empire that lies north of them. That is what the prophetic word shows and what we see confirmed in current events.

“In the middle of the week”, however, a dramatic change takes place. This change heralds the most terrible time the earth has ever experienced. This time is called the “great tribulation” (Mt 24:21) and also “the time of Jacob’s distress” (Jer 30:7). This period will last half a year-week, i.e. three and a half years.

In that time an unprecedented suffering will affect mankind. What people will do to each other defies any description. Violence of war and natural disasters will uninhibitedly cause their slaughter. The spiritual torments to which men are exposed will drive them to insanity. An impressive description of it can be found in Revelation 6-19. The introductory event is the casting of the devil from heaven to earth, knowing that he has little time, i.e. three and a half years (Rev 12:9 ; 12b).

His first activity is to put an end to the Jewish religion, which we see in the prohibition to sacrifice. Through his servant, the Roman ruler, who is supported by his ally the antichrist, he puts an end to worship in Jerusalem. The Roman ruler and the antichrist establish their own idolatrous religion. The antichrist will erect an idol of the Roman ruler, the beast out of the sea, in the temple (2Thes 2:3-4), most likely the court of the temple.

This image is intended as protection against the enemies. As a result, the antichrist will propagate the alliance with Western Europe. He will convince the remaining mass of the Jews to expect their salvation from that great power when they are threatened by Assyria and all Arab countries. He will make sure that people worship the image and even let it speak. He who withdraws from this mass psychosis and does not worship the beast will be killed (Rev 13:15).

God calls it “the wing of abominations”. A wing indicates protection and an abomination is an indication for an idol image (Mt 24:15a). But instead of protection, this abomination will bring destruction to Israel. There “[will come] one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate”. It is an abomination that will lead to destruction, that is God’s judgment on the apostates, on the most horrible idolatry that has ever happened. This destruction happens because it is decreed by God.

The one who will come and “who makes desolate” is the king of the North, the ancient Assyrian empire, supported by Russia. This is the beginning of the last world war. The destroyer will quickly pour himself out “on the one who makes desolate”, that is Jerusalem. It will happen so quickly that the alliance turn out to be no protection at all. Jerusalem will be taken and the inhabitants will suffer terribly (Zec 14:2a).

This brings the angel to the end of his teaching (Dan 9:22). It seems to be an abrupt end, where judgment seems to be the last word. But we have to think of two things. The fact that the explanation about the future ends here means that it is not about the continuation, but about the elaboration of what has been announced. What does it do to me that I know how it will go? The other is that the angel said at the beginning of his statement that “everlasting righteousness” will come when the seventy weeks have passed (Dan 9:24). After the judgments follows the glorious kingdom of peace under the reign of the Messiah, the Prince of peace.