This chapter is probably the most important chapter in the book of Daniel. Interpreting or understanding its contents incorrectly will lead to wrong doctrine and to wrong eschatology (the part of theology concerned with the final destiny of the soul and of mankind). Most churches today teach C. I. Scofield’s corrupt end time theology and therefore, this chapter is routinely incorrectly understood and taught because it is read through the lens of a false doctrine which distorts the truth of the message. By reading this chapter for what is is saying, and not for what Scofield says it means, it will become very clear.
Verses 1-2 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.
The chapter starts with another incident in the prophet Daniel’s life that resulted from him seeking and searching for the answer to the question of when the people of Israel would be able to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. It was during king Darius’ reign that this search by Daniel began.
Some historical background on this king includes the fact that the Medes and Persians united in a kingdom which geographically is modern day Iran, and then they were strong enough to overthrow the Babylonian empire. Cyrus II, a Persian, succeeded Babylonian Belshazzar on the throne and then Ahasuerus, a Mede, had a son, Darius I, who succeeded Cyrus’ son Cambyses II. This is not the Ahasuerus recorded in the book of Esther. That Ahasuerus was also known as Xerxes and his name means “I will be silent and poor” which is not exactly representative of this man. “Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:) That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom which was in Shushan the palace, In the third year of his reign he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces being before him: When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.” Esther 1:1-4 This celebration lasted 180 days or half a year.
The books the prophet Daniel refers to may have been genealogical registers, books of prophecies, legal documents, historical writings, as well as the writings of the Prophet Jeremiah. He does not reveal what they all were, but it is very probable that the books included writings from the Temple in Jerusalem that were carried with the Jews when they were taken into captivity to Babylon. One thing that the pagans did back in the day was to have respect for the writings of prophets. They were very superstitious people, and even when they destroyed buildings of the people they were invading, they would save the writings and keep them for their own study just in case there was information about other gods or wisdom that was new to them. This was how God preserved His Word down through the centuries. Now Daniel had been in captivity starting with King Nebuchadnezzar, through his grandson Belshazzar’s rule, and now is living under the rule of King Darius. This writer has not taken the time to figure out how many years this was, but quite a long time had gone by before God allowed Daniel to find and understand how long the Jewish people would be exiled from their land and in foreign captivity and how long it would be before their city, Jerusalem, would once again be restored.
What did Jeremiah the prophet write that Daniel may have read? Go to Jeremiah chapter 25 and read what this prophet said under the influence of the Holy Spirit of God. The highlights are written below.
“Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Because ye have not heard my words, 9 Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations. 10 Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle. 11 And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. 12 And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations.” Jeremiah 25:8-12
When the prophet Jeremiah penned the words above, Jerusalem had not yet been taken captive by the Babylonians. The next chapter to review is chapter 29 of the book of Jeremiah and at its writing, king Nebuchadnezzar had carried away the leadership of Jerusalem and much of the Jewish population into Babylon.
“Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon; 5 Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; 6 Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished. 7 And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace. 8 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed. 9 For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD. 10 For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.” Jeremiah 29:4-14
So after reading what the prophet Jeremiah had written years before, Daniel knew that the plan of God was to return the captives to Jerusalem and to their land. The Hebrew word translated as “years” in both the Jeremiah chapters above and verse 2 of Daniel above is “shaneh” and it means a year. Historically, the children of Israel were in Babylon precisely 70 years. God’s Word is true and without error.
Another place that the prophet Daniel may have found in his search of the books is 2 Chronicles chapter 36. This chapter explains the events leading up to the captivity in Babylon. Verses 18-21 state, “And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes; all these he brought to Babylon. And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof. And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon and the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.” A score is 20 years. Three score is 60 years plus 10 more to equal 70 years.
Application: Christian believers are in a type of Babylonian captivity today in that they are in bondage because of error. “Even the Spirit of truth: whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” John 14:17 The Spirit of truth will not work in a person who is not obedient to it. The only way Christian believers can really know truth is to listen to the Holy Ghost/Spirit who is promised to guide them. Many churches today are not following the commandments in Scripture but are “doing their own thing”. They use false Bibles and preach false doctrine. They use symbols that are not Christian and they have flags of their pagan country in their sanctuaries which are supposed to be dedicated to Almighty God, and then they wonder why they are not seeing the miracles happen that were commonplace in the early church. The early Christians were born again in suffering and hardship. Many were killed, many eaten by lions for public sport, many driven out of their homes and communities to far away places, yet they fought and won the spiritual battle through prayer. Churches today are comfortable places, and often complaints are uttered if the temperature is too hot or too cold, or if the chairs are too hard or too soft, or if the music is too spiritual or not spiritual enough, and if the pastor preaches ten minutes over the allotted time. And many churches have adopted the ways of the pagans, celebrating pagan holidays and using pagan rituals and trying to make these things Christian. That is what the children of Israel did and why they were carried to Babylon. They were living a lie and raising their children in the lie, the lie that they were following Mosaic law when they were doing the things that the pagan people around them did. Think about it.
Verses 3-4 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: 4 And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;
Daniel had discovered information from the writings of the prophet, Jeremiah, that pertained to the length of time Jerusalem would be desolate or laid waste without the Jewish people. He now wanted to discuss this with the LORD and so he determined to seek Him by dedicating his time and energy in prayer, supplications, and fasting. He would not let the cares or tasks of daily life interfere. The wearing of sackcloth or burlap, which is very itchy and irritating to the skin, and the putting of ashes on the head was a sign to all that the person was in mourning or in a state of humiliation. Notice that Daniel started his prayers with a confession.
Application: Often readers of the Bible will skip through the written prayers of the various saints/prophets and not pay attention to what is said. However, it is often in the recorded prayers that the character of God Almighty is revealed. In the prophet Daniel’s opening sentences the reader comes to understand the faithfulness of God to his people. He keeps his covenants even when his people do not, and he shows mercy to those who love Him and keep His commandments. He is a great God, the Hebrew word translated as “great” meaning large in magnitude and extent, in intensity, and in importance. He is a dreadful God, meaning He is to be reverenced, to be honoured, to be respected and to be awed.
Verses 5-6 We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments: 6 Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
Daniel offers a confession on behalf of the Jewish people, and although he has spent his life serving the LORD, he, being a humble man, includes himself in the sins of the nation. He lays out what the Jewish people have done in the past. They have sinned or done wrong which includes thoughts and attitudes towards God. They have been perverse and have acted in a manner that deserves only judgement and punishment from God.
Verses 7-8 O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee. 8 O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee.
The Hebrew word translated as “confusion” is “bosheth” and it means shame, a shameful thing, and confusion. The comparison Daniel is making in verses 7 above is that God is righteous and the people of Israel and Judah, all of them, are not. Because of the sins of their ancestors, the sins of their political leaders, and the sins of the people collectively, the nations of Israel and Judah are shameful things and they cannot stand before and face an holy God. They have no excuse. Note that Daniel includes the ten northern tribes that made up the nation Israel and which were taken into captivity over a hundred years before by the Assyrians. Also note that Daniel clearly states that God drove them out of the land of promise He gave them when they were led out of Egyptian captivity by Moses and Aaron.
Verse 9 To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;
Application: More of the character of God: He is merciful and forgives His people when they repent and follow Him.
Verses 10-11 Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. 11 Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.
“Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets. Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God. And they rejected his statues, and his covenant that he made with their fathers and his testimonies which he testified against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that were round about them concerning whom the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them.” 1 Kings 17:12
What is the curse and the oath the prophet Daniel refers to in verse 11 above? A visit to the book of Deuteronomy may provide the answer. Moses was about to relinquish his leadership role over the Hebrew people and physically die. He gave a lengthy speech to the people reminding them of their history, of their salvation from captivity in Egypt, of the law and the statutes that had been given to them, of their responsibilities towards their God, and of the promises they had made to God. The pertinent parts of the two chapters recording Moses’ speech are included here for convenience for the reader.
“15 Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen. 16 Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen. 17 Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour’s landmark. And all the people shall say, Amen. 18 Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way. And all the people shall say, Amen. 19 Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen. 20 Cursed be he that lieth with his father’s wife; because he uncovereth his father’s skirt. And all the people shall say, Amen. 21 Cursed be he that lieth with any manner of beast. And all the people shall say, Amen. 22 Cursed be he that lieth with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen. 23 Cursed be he that lieth with his mother in law. And all the people shall say, Amen. 24 Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour secretly. And all the people shall say, Amen. 25 Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen. 26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.” (Deuteronomy 27:15-26)
The Hebrew word “amen” means truly or so be it. Because the people said “amen” after each of the curses above were read by Moses in the presence of the Hebrew multitude, they were agreeing with the contents of each statement.
“1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: 2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God. 3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. 4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. 5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. 6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out. 7 The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways. 8 The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 9 The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways. 10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee. 11 And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee. 12 The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. 13 And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them: 14 And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them. 15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: 16 Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field. 17 Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store. 18 Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. 19 Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out. 20 The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me. 21 The LORD shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it. 22 The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish. 23 And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron. 24 The LORD shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed. 25 The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth. 26 And thy carcase shall be meat unto all fowls of the air, and unto the beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray them away. 27 The LORD will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed. 28 The LORD shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart: 29 And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee. 30 Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her: thou shalt build an house, and thou shalt not dwell therein: thou shalt plant a vineyard, and shalt not gather the grapes thereof. 31 Thine ox shall be slain before thine eyes, and thou shalt not eat thereof: thine ass shall be violently taken away from before thy face, and shall not be restored to thee: thy sheep shall be given unto thine enemies, and thou shalt have none to rescue them. 32 Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day long: and there shall be no might in thine hand. 33 The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway: 34 So that thou shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see. 35 The LORD shall smite thee in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole of thy foot unto the top of thy head. 36 The LORD shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone. 37 And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the LORD shall lead thee. 38 Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, and shalt gather but little in; for the locust shall consume it. 39 Thou shalt plant vineyards, and dress them, but shalt neither drink of the wine, nor gather the grapes; for the worms shall eat them. 40 Thou shalt have olive trees throughout all thy coasts, but thou shalt not anoint thyself with the oil; for thine olive shall cast his fruit. 41 Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but thou shalt not enjoy them; for they shall go into captivity. 42 All thy trees and fruit of thy land shall the locust consume. 43 The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low. 44 He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail. 45 Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee: 46 And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever. 47 Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; 48 Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee. 49 The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand; 50 A nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor shew favour to the young: 51 And he shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and the fruit of thy land, until thou be destroyed: which also shall not leave thee either corn, wine, or oil, or the increase of thy kine, or flocks of thy sheep, until he have destroyed thee. 52 And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high and fenced walls come down, wherein thou trustedst, throughout all thy land: and he shall besiege thee in all thy gates throughout all thy land, which the LORD thy God hath given thee. 53 And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the LORD thy God hath given thee, in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee: 54 So that the man that is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother, and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the remnant of his children which he shall leave: 55 So that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat: because he hath nothing left him in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee in all thy gates. 56 The tender and delicate woman among you, which would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter, 57 And toward her young one that cometh out from between her feet, and toward her children which she shall bear: for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitness, wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates. 58 If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD; 59 Then the LORD will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance. 60 Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee. 61 Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the LORD bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed. 62 And ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude; because thou wouldest not obey the voice of the LORD thy God. 63 And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it. 64 And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone. 65 And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind: 66 And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life: 67 In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see. 68 And the LORD shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I spake unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again: and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you. (Deuteronomy 28:1-68)
Verses 1-14 of Deuteronomy 28 lists all the blessings God would bring upon the Hebrew people because of their obedience and faithfulness to Him, but the rest of the chapter clearly lists all the calamity that would come upon the nation and upon the people if they were not obedient and faithful to Him. Daniel would have had access to Moses’ writings and so this writer believes that it was these two chapters that Daniel was referencing in this chapter regarding a curse.
Verses 12-13 And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem. 13 As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.
The people and their leaders did not like what the prophets that God sent to them had to say. They rejected the truth and did not understand that these prophets were sent by God to warn them to return to Him because He loved them. The prophet Daniel said that all Israel had rebelled, so there was nothing left to be worked out and the only thing left was for God to pour out the curses upon them. When a nation’ leaders become corrupt and the people support it, judgement will follow.
Stuborness and pride seems to be a characteristic of mankind. Daniel is revealing that even when the people were facing great evil and calamity, they stubbornly failed to seek their God for help and, because of their pride, they failed to repent of their wickedness and grasp that they were the real cause of the trouble. So along with rebellion, disobedience, blatant sinning and trespasses against God and His laws, they were too stubborn and proud to seek Him in prayer. If they had considered the warnings from Moses and sought the LORD in prayer, the historical outcome of their nation may have been quite different.
Verses 14-15 Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice. 15 And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.
The prophet Daniel continues his prayer to God and accepts full responsibility for the circumstances of his captivity and of the Jewish people. Daniel was a young boy when he was taken, along with many other young men, into captivity by king Nebuchadnezzar, and it is very probable that he was not aware of the writings of the prophets before he began reading them in his senior years. So that may be why he was praying for this restoration while under the rule of king Darius and why he had not done so years before when living and working under the rule of king Nebuchadnezzar.
Verse 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.
Daniel’s prayer changes from confession to intercession in that he is requesting the anger of the LORD to be turned away from Jerusalem according to the promise of God, as recorded by the prophet Jeremiah, to end the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem after 70 years.
Verses 17-19 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. 18 O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies. 19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.
Notice the words “desolate” and “desolations” in the above verses. They are not the same Hebrew word used in verse 2 above which is “chorbah” and which means a place laid waste or in ruin. In these verses the Hebrew word “shamem” is used and this word adds the sense of being appalled, stunned or awestruck at the ruin. The idea is that the city is so devastated that the onlooker is astounded and appalled.
Verses 20-21 And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God; 21 Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.
Because the angel Gabriel appeared to Daniel on many occasions, it is generally thought that God has assigned guardian angels to nations, and that the angel Gabriel was the guardian angel of the nation Israel/Judah when it was in existence. It was Daniel’s interceding in sackcloth and ashes and in humility before God that brought the angel Gabriel. Daniel had to reach the point of being totally yielded to God and in total submission before he received answers.
Verses 22-23 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. 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.
God was extremely quick to answer the prayers of Daniel because, according to the angel Gabriel, Daniel was “greatly beloved”. God took great delight and pleasure in Daniel and in his prayers and in his faithful service towards Him. Daniel mattered to God, so much so that He was going to reveal more future events to him and trust him with an amazing prophecy.
One question that this writer does not have a definitive answer for is what was the commandment that came forth at the beginning of Daniel’s prayer? Was it the commandment to Gabriel to go and visit the prophet Daniel? Was it the commandment to reveal specific future events and time lines? Verse 25 below is most likely the answer to this question, but you decide.
Verse 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.
The Hebrew word translated as “weeks” is “shabuwa” and it means the number 7 and/or either a period of seven days or seven years. So the prophecy would not make sense if it was just 70 weeks consisting of seven days of time in each week as the time period would only total 490 days or approximately 1 1/3 years. Therefore this prophecy has to be dealing with years. 70 weeks consisting of seven years of time in each week would equal 490 years. So the angel Gabriel is saying that a period of 490 years is determined upon the people of Israel and Judah and upon Jerusalem before things can be set right. Notice that Daniel already had the answer about the 70 years of captivity so what the angel Gabriel is talking about in this verse is not referring to the returning of the Hebrew captives and the restoration of the city of Jerusalem that Daniel was praying about, but it is something that encompasses a long time and that is a new revelation to the prophet Daniel.
The Hebrew word translated as “transgression” is “pesha” and it means transgression and rebellion, and in the context of these verses, it means rebellion against God. The Hebrew word translated as “reconciliation” is “kaphar” and it means atonement, purge, reconcile, or forgive. The Hebrew word translated as “iniquity” is “avon” and it means perversity, depravity, or guilt. Iniquity is a condition of the heart that brings forth sin. When the heart is not right with God, sin will be generated. So the angel Gabriel is saying that the rebellion against God by His people and their sins that lead to spiritual death will be reconciled and atoned for and forgiven so that righteousness can be permanent and so that the vision and prophecy will be sealed or be stopped (fulfilled) and the most Holy will be anointed. How is this to be accomplished? By the coming of the Messiah as explained in verse 25 below. There was to be a period of 490 years until Jesus was to come and complete His work.
Application: The LORD Jesus Christ accomplished all of the above. He was anointed by the baptism of John the Baptist at the river Jordan when He was 30 years old, and through His death on the cross and His shed blood 3 1/2 years later, He provided reconciliation and atonement between sinful man and Himself, and He provided forgiveness of sins and the ability of those forgiven to lead a righteous life on Earth through Him. The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. He finalized and fulfilled all prophecy. Hence He could say, “It is finished.” “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, it is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” John 19:30 So what exactly was finished? The original transgression or sin was finished. That first sin by Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden and every transgression that followed was wiped out and removed from God’s people. The Holy Ghost/Spirit abides in each Christian believer and makes them righteous. In order to understand Bible prophecy, the believer has to have Jesus within, and that is accomplished through the indwelling of the Holy Ghost/Spirit. Without the guidance of the Spirit of Jesus, weird and incorrect ideas will be generated in regard to Bible prophecy.
Verse 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.
King Cyrus issued a proclamation/decree for the restoration and rebuilding of Jerusalem just as the angel Gabriel said he would. And Daniel would have lived to see this event happen. “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, the LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.” Ezra 1:1-2 From the issuance of this proclamation until the anointing of Messiah or Jesus Christ by His baptism in the river Jordan by John the Baptist would be 69 weeks or 483 years. (threescore = 3 X 20 = 60, plus 2 = 62, plus 7 = 69 weeks) This is historically accurate as it was exactly 483 years from the commandment of king Cyrus to the baptism of Jesus Christ in the river Jordan. Why is there a split or a break between the 7th and the 62 weeks and what does the reference to the street and wall above mean? The rebuilding of the street and wall in troublous times is recorded in the books of Nehemiah and Ezra. The Jews who returned to Jerusalem as a result of king Cyrus’ proclamation met with opposition in their rebuilding program and the work ceased for a time. “Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.” Ezra 4:24 So it took 49 years or 7 weeks to complete the rebuilding of the Temple at Jerusalem. So there was 7 weeks (49 years) to rebuild and restore and then 62 weeks (434 years) to the anointing/baptism of Jesus.
Application: Notice that God used a pagan king to accomplish His plans and to fulfill prophecy. “That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, thou shalt be built; and to the temple, thy foundation shall be laid.” Isaiah 44:28 “Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;” Isaiah 45:1 When the prophet Isaiah wrote of Cyrus, he had not yet been born. Only God could make a heathen king give the proclamation to rebuild and restore Jerusalem and the Temple.
Verse 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.
The 62 weeks started with the restoration of the Temple. The 70th or last week began with the ministry of Jesus Christ which lasted approximately 3 1/2 years. So in the middle of this 70th week, the LORD Jesus Christ was crucified for the sins of His people. “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name, JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” Matthew 1:21
The prince in the verse above is not capitalized like it is in verse 25 above. Princes with a lower case “p” in prophecy usually refers to fallen angels, but is can also refer to human rulers. This is a heathen prince and historically it is known that this is referring to the Romans. The flood the angel Gabriel is talking about is not water, but is a flood of heathens and pagans coming into the land of Israel. Remember what Jesus said when on the Mount of Olives. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.” Matthew 23:37-38 As a result, the land was made desolate, Jerusalem was made desolate, and the people were made desolate.
Application: What is “the end” referring to in the verse above? Well, the prophecy has to do with the Jewish people and with their nation. So the end can only be referring to the Jewish people and their nation. This entire prophecy given to the prophet Daniel was a timeline that started with the rebuilding of the Temple and of Jerusalem and therefore the re-population of the land of Israel, extending to the end of the physical nation, Israel. It was taken over by the Romans in 70 AD and the people were scattered into other parts of the Roman empire. The nation that God established and called by His name could no longer reject God and His Word and kill His prophets: the abomination of desolation. At the end of the 70 weeks or 490 years the Jews had killed the LORD Jesus Christ and then began persecuting the Church. The end of natural Israel opened the way for spiritual Israel which is everybody who is a born again believer in Jesus Christ, baptized and filled with His Spirit. Spiritual Israel is made up of people from every tribe, every nation and every tongue. “And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God and said, Lord, now lettest thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou has prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel” Luke 2:25-32 Because of the coming of Jesus, the old covenant was removed and the new covenant was put in place so that salvation and the spiritual kingdom of God was opened to all. It was no longer a question of race, but of grace. Jesus said His kingdom was not of this world. There is no holy nation, no holy city, and no holy building. Nothing on this Earth is holy except the true followers of Jesus, the people of God who are now the Israel of God.
Verse 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. (Daniel 9)
Almost all evangelical churches teach that the “he” in this verse is the “Antichrist” ruler of the end time who is supposed to come to a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem where Jewish ritual animal sacrifice has been reinstated, and stop the sacrifices. His actions are to be similar to those of Antiochus Epiphanes which were abominations to the Jewish people. Therefore, under this teaching the 70th week doesn’t start until the end of the world. So the prophecy given to the prophet Daniel by the angel Gabriel is carried out in consecutive years except for the last week or 7 years which C. I. Scofield decided to teach was a period of tribulation brought about because of the rule of this Antichrist. This does not make sense. Any one who knows Scripture knows that God does not cut time up in this manner. God is precise. If God wanted to have a set number of years between Jesus and the period of time that marks the end of the world, He would have said so. He is not the author of confusion. “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.” 1 Corinthians 14:33 This is false teaching which is also dangerous teaching. Why? Because attributing the works of Jesus to Satan or his servants is serious blasphemy against the Holy Ghost/Spirit from which there is no forgiveness.
It was Jesus who stopped the animal sacrifices and who rent the curtain that was 18 inches thick from the top to the bottom in the Temple to reveal that the ark of the covenant was missing since the Babylonian captivity and that the entire religious system of the Jews was a fraudulent and empty religion. It was Jesus who confirmed the covenant with many as He was the only one who could keep the old covenant, release His people from the old covenant, and then bring forth a new covenant. It was “many people” because not all people are saved. Jesus saves “His people from their sins” which are all those people under consideration and not all people in general. Jesus is not an unsuccessful Savior in that He is unable to save everyone. Many are called but few a chosen. Not all are saved. So in summary, the 70 weeks were completed by Jesus Christ in His time: baptized in the beginning of the week and then killed and resurrected in the middle of the week. The prophecy relayed to the prophet Daniel by the angel Gabriel has been fulfilled. To find out when the 70th week ended, go to Daniel chapter 12. But the answer will be given here: the stoning of S
Application: Just a note to end this chapter. When the apostle Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive someone that sinned against him, what did Jesus answer? “Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” Matthew 18:22 What are some of the things that this 9th chapter of the book of Daniel has been concerned with? The period of time in years, 70 x 7, that would pass before the LORD Jesus Christ came and ended sin, provided reconciliation for iniquity, and provided everlasting righteousness. Do you see a connection? Think about it.