Daniel’s 70th Week - Part A

So when Jesus comes back, and he will come back at the end of the 70th week of Daniel, when he comes back, he's going to set up a millennial kingdom. We covered the millennium some weeks ago.

He is going to have a temple in the millennial kingdom where he will dwell. Okay, let's get started and turn to Daniel 9 as we tune into Skip's teaching. So there's a story about Dwight Eisenhower. He was on vacation in Denver, Colorado, and he heard that somebody in Denver, a little boy by the name of Paul Haley, six-year-old boy, had incurable cancer.

And that Paul Haley had one ambition, one big dream. Before he died, he wanted to meet the president of the United States. So it was a Sunday morning, August morning in Denver, and the president said to his aides, let's go visit Paul Haley. So they got in the presidential limousine, did not call in advance, and drove over to the house, found out where the address was. Can you picture the scene? The presidential limousine, flags flying on all the fenders, pulling up into a neighborhood, all the neighbors saying, what's up?

And pulls in front of the house. This little entourage that included President Eisenhower walked to the front door, knock on the front door, and Paul Haley's dad, Donald Haley, answered the door with an old pair of blue jeans, dirty shirt, one day's growth of beard on his face, and there stands the president and his little entourage. And they said, can we see Paul Haley, please? Well, he is flabbergasted, Donald Haley's tongue's dropping out of his mouth, and little Paul skirts from behind his legs, walks out to the front porch, shakes the man he admires most, president of the United States. And the president said, Paul, would you like to see the presidential limousine?

Let me take you out and give you a tour. Took him out to the curb, showed him around, had a good talk, gave him a hug. The day was over. Looking back on the event, there was only one person in that story who was not entirely happy with the event. That was Donald Haley, the dad, who said, how can I forget standing dressed like that to meet the president of the United States?

He was totally unprepared. The reason we are doing this series on end times is we want you to be prepared for the most awesome event in history, the coming of Jesus Christ, better than any president, the coming of Jesus Christ. You know, it's interesting that in the New Testament, Paul writes about the second coming, and he says, now brethren, I don't want you to be ignorant about these things.

And it's always interested me that whenever Paul says, I don't want you ignorant, you can rest assured it's an area a lot of us are ignorant about. And so we want to clear that up and get you in the know as to the events that are coming. That's why we are doing this series, and that's why we are going deep. Last week, we began Daniel chapter 9. We looked at the 70 weeks of Daniel, especially the first 69 weeks.

I assume you were here and you're caught up to speed so I can continue on. Today, we look at the final seven-year period, Daniel's 70th week. What makes the 70th week of Daniel interesting to us is something that Jesus himself said.

He pointed to what we are about to read. In that Sermon on the Mount, that private briefing that our Lord had with his disciples, he said, and when you see the abomination of desolation as spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, let him who reads understand. A couple of verses after that, down in verse 29, that was verse 15 and verse 21, Jesus said, then there will be great tribulation such as has not been since the beginning of the world, even until this time, nor shall ever be. And that's what we are looking at, a period in history or a period in future history, prophetic prophetic history, known as the 70th week of Daniel, also known as the tribulation period, a seven-year period. Now, there's a lot of biblical text devoted to the tribulation period. In fact, it has been noted that except for the doctrine of salvation and the second coming of Christ, there's more space devoted to the tribulation in the Scripture than any other subject.

It goes by several names. It's called the tribulation. It's called the great tribulation. It's known as the great and terrible day of the Lord. It's simply called the day of the Lord. It is called a time of Jacob's trouble. It's just called in other places a time of trouble, a time of distress, the day of vengeance, the day of the Lord's wrath. And interestingly, in Revelation, it's called the wrath of the Lamb.

How's that for an oxymoron? Have you ever seen a wrathful lamb? Uh-oh, look out. The lamb's coming. The wrath of the Lamb.

Isaiah and Jesus both use the term birth pangs to discuss the topic of the tribulation. And that's where we're going to be looking at. Daniel chapter 9. We've been looking at the last four verses.

We're about to dive in. Now, let me just give you a quick review. Daniel tells us there's three divisions of time, seven weeks, then 62 weeks, or a total of 69 there, and then one week. So 49 years, 434 years, and then a final seven-year period. Verse 24, again, just for review, verse 24 of Daniel 9 is a summary of all that God will accomplish during that period of time. Verse 25 are the primary events that happen in the first 69 weeks. Verse 26 is a gap between the 69th and 70th week. And then finally, verse 27 is the 70th week of Daniel.

Now, a couple of things from last week's study. Do you remember that when we talk about weeks, we discovered it means weeks of years. That's how Bible translators translate it.

That's how commentators translate it, including Jewish sources. So these are weeks of years. Seventy weeks, 490 years. We also discovered last week that the countdown begins when the edict goes forth to restore and build Jerusalem. We discovered the only time that fits is March 14th, 445 BC, given by Artaxerxes, Lon, and Jumanis.

That's when the timetable started. After the 69 weeks, the prediction is the Messiah will show up. He did. Jesus came on time. The prediction says the Messiah will be cut off.

The word means exterminated. He was. And so everything is and has been fulfilled as written. By the way, did you know that Daniel 9 has been instrumental in the conversion of some notable Jewish people? I want you to know that because a lot of you might think, how could a Jewish person be confronted with this and not believe, especially last week's study? Well, one man by the name of Leopold Cohen, who was the founder of Chosen People's Ministry, was reading Daniel 9.

That's what clinched the deal for him. Somebody else, a very famous Orthodox rabbi named Rabbi Marcus Bergman, reading Daniel 9, was converted. And I've personally known many Jewish people who have come to grips with this, and it changed their lives. So what we want to look at is, first of all, the goal, the overall goal. And I'm going to take you back to verse 24.

We looked at it last week, but I just touched on it, and I promised you that I would go a little bit more into depth. So let's look at verse 24. 70 weeks, 490 years, are determined for your people, that's the Jewish people, your holy city, that's Jerusalem, to finish the transgression, make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy. Six accomplishments God says He will do in 70 weeks of years. Now, as you examine these predicted events, these events cannot be found anywhere in history. That is, you can search high and low, and you will not find the fulfillment of these things anywhere in history. In other words, it will take God all 70 weeks to accomplish them, especially the 70th week when it comes to Israel.

So let's look at them one by one. First of all, to finish the transgression. Did you notice the wording? The word the. It's a very particular word.

I'm being detailed here because it's in the text. It does not say finish transgression generically. It's finished the transgression. So what's the dominant sin of the nation of Israel?

What has it been throughout their history? Apostasy. They constantly turned from their God and followed after other gods. That's what Moses predicted would happen. That's what Solomon predicted would happen. That's what all the prophets said was happening during their time.

They kept falling away from God, rejecting God, until finally Jesus shows up on schedule and they reject him. And he says, because you didn't know the time of your visitation, your city is going to be destroyed. So the prediction here is that's going to end. That transgression is going to be finished. So in the future, at some point, the nation of Israel, the Jewish nation nationally, is going to recognize Jesus is their Messiah and they will all turn to him. Zechariah chapter 12 verse 10, I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplication and they will look on me whom they have pierced. Yes, they will mourn for him as one mourns for his only son and grieve for him as one grieves for a firstborn. What will they be mourning?

They will be mourning their historic rejection of their Messiah. At that point, they recognize. At that point, they repent. At that point, they will be saved.

Finish the transgression. Second, make an end of sin, or a better translation, bring judgment on sin with finality. That's Israel's sin, the sin of rejecting Jesus. Now I quoted Zechariah 12. Here's Zechariah 13, just a few verses later, verses 1 and 2. In that day, a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.

It shall be in that day, says the Lord of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land. All of that speaking, both of those things speaking of a future spiritual restoration of Israel to their God through their Messiah. Next on the list, make reconciliation for iniquity. Last week, I said a case can be made that that happened at the cross, but this principally has to deal with the Jewish nation. So the provision that Jesus secured at the cross will, in the future, be applied to the Jewish nation and make reconciliation for iniquity. Next, to bring in everlasting righteousness.

Last time I checked, that's not happening. Anybody look around and see everlasting righteousness? Everlasting righteousness happening somewhere in the world?

Not happening. But this is specifically a promise that the Messiah is going to bring. The Messiah is going to bring in everlasting righteousness.

Jeremiah 23, verses 5 and 6. Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, that I will raise to David a branch of righteousness. A king shall reign and prosper and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In his days, Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely. Now this is his name by which he will be called the Lord our righteousness.

He's coming, and he's going to finish the transgression, make an end of sin, make reconciliation for iniquity, and bring in everlasting righteousness. When he does that, another accomplishment will take place, to seal up vision and prophecy. That is to finish the prophetic revelation, to complete what has been predicted. And then finally, to anoint the most holy. I told you last week, I'll say it again this week, that means the temple. The most holy means the most holy place.

The Hebrew construction is Kadesh, Kadashim, or Holy of Holies. It's always a reference to the holy sanctuary, the temple. So, when Jesus comes back, and he will come back at the end of the 70th week of Daniel. When he comes back, he's going to set up a millennial kingdom.

We covered the millennium some weeks ago. He is going to have a temple in the millennial kingdom where he will dwell. And some people go, temple in the millennium?

Why do you need a temple if Jesus is on the earth? Where'd you get that? I got that from Ezekiel. Ezekiel chapters, get this, 40 all the way to 48, give incredible like schematic diagram detail of the measurements of the millennial temple in the millennial Jerusalem, the kingdom age. So, we have here a goal, a promise of everlasting righteousness, dominating the whole world, the end of sin, Messiah dwelling in glory in the midst of his people in Jerusalem. That's going to happen in the future. It's going to happen throughout or at the end of, because of the 70th week of Daniel.

And this is what Paul meant when he said at the end of Romans chapter 11, and so all Israel will be saved. So, you've got to picture Daniel. Remember, Daniel is realizing captivity is almost over, 70 years captivity. We've been here almost 70 years. We're like in year 67.

It's almost up. And he begins praying and confessing his sin because God said, if you repent and confess your sin, I'm going to bring your people back to Jerusalem, back to the land. So, he's praying and confessing and he's wondering, man, do we even have a future? Do we even have a future in our land?

Our land, our city's been decimated. And the angel Gabriel comes and says, oh, God is not done with his people. In fact, Israel is going to be saved in the future. And this glorious promise, this overall goal is given. Okay, so that's verse 24. Then we looked at verse 25 last week, from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem, tell the Messiah, and we gave you that timetable. Then we come to verse 26, where there is a gap. There is an obvious gap. It says, verse 26, and after the 62 weeks.

Now, just stop there. Remember it said there'll be seven weeks for 49 years, plus 62 weeks, 434 years. So, that's the 69 weeks. So, when it says after 62, it's implied also the seven weeks. So, after the 62 weeks or the 69 weeks, Messiah will be cut off, He was, not for Himself, that happened, and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Romans destroyed the city and the temple. The end of it shall be with the flood.

Until the end of the war, desolations are determined. Now, a natural reading of these last four verses of Daniel. You're just sitting down and you're reading it. As you read it naturally, a gap is implied in verse 26. You have seven and 62, then a gap. And during the gap, a couple of things happen.

Messiah is killed, temple is destroyed. So, just a natural reading implies there's a gap. Now, why do I bring this up? Because some people say, no, if it's 70 weeks, man, it's 70 weeks. It's 490 years.

They must be continual years. Well, if that's true, then the 70th week of Daniel ended sometime in the early part of the book of Acts. Seven years from the crucifixion would be sometime in the early part of the book of Acts. So, in your reading of the book of Acts, can you remember anything about finishing the transgression, making an end of sin, bringing an everlasting righteousness, completing prophecy, and anointing the most holy? You ever read that? Yeah, neither did I.

So, that didn't happen. So, the 70th week of Daniel has not happened because those things are not fulfilled. Now, the 70th week of Daniel something else. Did you know that when it comes to prophecy, predicting the future in the Bible, prophecy in the Bible, that it's common to have gaps, or I should at least say it's not uncommon to have gaps, where you'll make a prediction and you'll get a couple of events, but there's a gap between the actual events that are predicted. Let me give you one verse you know about, because you quote it, you and I quote it every Christmas. It's Isaiah 9 6. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given. We quote that every Christmas.

You know why? It happened. Jesus was born in Bethlehem. A child was born, a son was given.

But you know what else it says? For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulders. Hadn't happened yet. Hadn't happened yet. The government will be upon his shoulders, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace, Everlasting Father.

Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. Upon the throne of David and over his kingdom to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forth, even forevermore the zeal of the Lord of hosts shall perform this. Hadn't happened yet.

That's the eternal kingdom. Now the child is born, happened. Son is given, happened.

Government on shoulders ruling and reigning throne of David, hadn't happened. There's a gap between events that are A and events that are B. First coming, second coming. You see the gap?

Let me give you another gap, another one you know about. Jesus comes to his hometown of Nazareth. Luke chapter 4. The rabbi notices him there, asks him to read the text. Jesus picks up the scroll of Isaiah.

Remember this? He's in a synagogue, his hometown. And he starts reading Isaiah chapter 61. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor.

He has sent me to bring glad tidings to those who are in prison, the opening of prison doors to those who are bound to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. And then Jesus closed the book and said to the crowd, today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. He claimed that he was fulfilling that text. What's the problem with that sermon?

Well, there is a problem. Jesus didn't finish the prophecy, didn't finish the sentence, actually. He's quoting Isaiah, but he stopped and closed the book at a comma. It's as if he put a period instead of a comma. Actually, there's a comma in Isaiah 61. This is how it goes. Listen to the whole text.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to bring good tidings or preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives, the opening of the prison doors to those who are bound to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, comma, and the day of vengeance of our God. He left that out.

You know why he left that out? That's future. That's Skip Hyten with a message from the series The End is Near. Find the full message as well as books, booklets, and full teaching series at connectwithskipp.com. Now we want to tell you about a resource that will help you gain a better understanding of end times prophecy. Is the end near?

That's a question on many minds, and that's why Pastor Skip Hytzig spent many months in 2023 presenting 26 full length messages in his The End is Near series. The second coming of Jesus Christ dominates the Bible next to the subject of faith. The coming of Christ in the future is the most discussed topic in the book. To complement this excellent series, a study guide from Skip is now available. This study guide is over 100 pages in length and covers all 26 messages in the series. The End is Near study guide includes notes, summaries, and questions for group or personal study.

We need to understand the times, and this study guide will aid in this effort. With your gift of $50 or more to connect with Skip Hytzig, you will receive a copy of The End is Near study guide from Skip's in-depth 26-part series. Your gift will support the production and expansion of the Connect with Skip broadcast. Call 1-800-922-1888 or go online to connectwithskip.com.

That's 1-800-922-1888 or connectwithskip.com. We hope you'll come back tomorrow to hear the conclusion of Skip's message, Daniel's 70th week. Everything the Antichrist is, Jesus Christ is not. Everything the Antichrist is not, Jesus Christ is. The Antichrist is false and deceptive. Jesus Christ is called faithful and true. The Antichrist is a politician. Jesus Christ is the potentate, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords. The Antichrist promises peace, but he brings war. Jesus promises peace and delivers peace. Make a connection, make a connection at the foot of the cross. Connect with Skip Hytzig is a presentation of Connection Communications, connecting you to God's never changing truth in ever-changing times.