Lesson 9: "A Powerful Prophetic Perspective" Daniel 9
"Seventy sevens are decreed for your people…" Daniel 9:26
Reflections
Daniel has already seen some of his visions come true (Babylon->Persia)
Daniel had read Jeremiah (v.2 ) See Jer. 25:11, and Jer. 29:10-14
A Model Prayer
Daniel took these prophetic words seriously, and knowing the 70 years of captivity was almost up, he prayed. His prayer was patterned exactly on Nehemiah’s model!
Adoration (v. 4)
Faith in God’s Promises (9:4)
Confession of Sin (9:5-16)
Petition (9:17-19)
The Seventy Sevens
For the previous 490 years (70x7) Israel had failed to give the land its Sabbath rest. So, God removed them from the land for 70 years to make up for this disobedience (see Lev. 25:3-5 and II Chron. 36:20-21)
Now, Gabriel comes with a prophetic message about another 70 sevens. This is directed to the people of Israel (9:24). At the end of this period, sin would no longer be a problem, it be all atoned for. Everlasting righteousness, and the Most Holy would be anointed
Beginning point – The decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem (March 445 B.C. see Neh. 2:8 and Neh. 2:1)
Ending point – Gabriel first says that after 69 sevens, the Anointed One will come and be rejected
In the Hebrew calendar, a year was 360 days. 69 x 7 = 483. 483 years of 360 days puts us at 32 A.D., when Jesus was rejected and crucified
Now, there is a gap between the 69 sevens, and the 70th seven. This gap is the Church Age, the Age of Grace. See Romans 11:25, Eph. 3:1-13)
The Seventieth Seven
Following this "gap" in world history, a ruler will come who would destroy Jerusalem and the temple (implying the temple will be rebuilt). This is the little horn of Chapter 7, the Antichrist. He will make a covenant with Israel for 7 years, and in the middle of that he will break the covenant, and desecrate the place of sacrifice in some incredible way (v. 27)
Ezekiel’s prophecy of Ezek. 4:3-6 was probably for those who did not return after the exile, but instead settled down in foreign lands. Ezekiel speaks of 430 years. (Like Abraham’s 430 years mentioned in Exodus 12:40-41). Lev. 26:18 says punishment would be sevenfold if the people refused to repent. So, with 70 years for captivity, 360 years x 7 = 2520 biblical years. That brings us to 1948!!
3 Principles
#1) God honors steadfast prayer that comes from a sincere, humble and contrite heart
#2)
God wants all people to have an accurate perspective regarding His plans
#3)
God wants us to understand where history is going, but He doesn’t want us to be so obsessed with it that we neglect God’s work on earth (I Thess. 4:11,12)
