9:24-27:ALL:  BELIEF OF THE FOUR GROUPS.

Evangelicalism = The Rapture & Second Coming Of Messiah & The Anti-Christ & Building Of Third Temple.

Catholicism = Second Coming Of Messiah & The Gospel To The World.

Judaism = Setting Up Of The Third Temple & Reintroduction Of The Sacrificial System.

SDA’s = First Coming Of The Messiah & The End Of Jewish Probation.

All agree that this prophecy covers 490 years.  However, Evangelicalism and Catholicism are the only groups to separate week 70 from week 69.  By contrast, only the SDA’s are consistent in understanding that a “Day Equals A Year” in Biblical prophecy.  Also, this is the only place [Dan. 9:24-27] where the other groups apply this principle to; ignoring other places such as Daniel 8:14, where it should also apply.

Evangelicalism ignores the Sacrifice of Messiah in 31 A.D. and as such creates the false “Rapture Theory” and false seven year “Time of Trouble” interpretations.  You cannot have the “Time of Trouble” period being at the end of time while at the same time ignoring that Messiah is “cut off,” in the midst of that time period.  You also cannot move from the 69th week ending somewhere back in history and move the 70th week to the end of time, separating it from the 69th week.  In other words, 70 comes after 69 always.  Daniel 9:24, “finish the transgression” means, end of rejection of God.  And “to make reconciliation for iniquity,” means, to accept Jesus’s blood on the cross.  While “to bring in everlasting righteousness” means, Messiah to reign on earth, which is totally incorrect.  Since the righteous meet Him “in the air,” First Thessalonians 4:17, and go to Heaven, not earth.  Then, “seal up the vision and prophecy,” means, no more prophecies of Messiah, which is how they ignore Messiah being “cut off” in the midst of their false interpretation of the 7-year tribulation period.  While, “to anoint the most Holy” means, Second Coming of Jesus and/or, the Millennium Temple set up.  Consider, the Scriptures would not give you all of these warnings about the Tribulation if you were not going to go through it?

Catholicism ignores the First Coming of Messiah as is clearly prophesied here.  Daniel 9:24 means, “to finish the transgression and to make an end of sins,” equals, end of rebellion and deviation from God’s Will.  And “to make reconciliation for iniquity,” means, to accept Jesus Sacrifice.  While, “to bring in everlasting righteousness” means, to proclaim an eternal standard of righteousness that surpasses the temporary righteousness under the law of the Papacy [ever changing, aren’t they?].  Plus, “to seal up the vision and prophecy” means, to confirm and conclude all prophecies concerning Christ’s Advent.  While, “to anoint the most Holy” means, to sanctify and consecrate Christ as the ultimate fulfillment of Divine promises and prophecies.  Thus, this is not Christ’s righteousness coming in; but Catholic righteousness being set up.

Judaism ignores the Messiah entirely.  Messiah is to Come at the end of the world for Jews only “upon thy people,” Daniel 9:24.  Messiah will set up the Third Temple “upon thy holy city,” Daniel 9:24, in Jerusalem, and make war against the Non-Jewish Nations.  What they ignore is that the prophecy says, “restore and to build Jerusalem,” Daniel 9:25, NOT “restore and to build” the third Temple!!!  Continuing Daniel 9:24, “to make reconciliation for iniquity” is understood as, “to atone for their past transgressions.”  And “to bring in everlasting righteousness” means, that the Temple service renewed will bring in righteousness.  Question, can the Temple services bring in righteousness?  And “seal up the vision and prophecy,” means promises of the prophets are fulfilled and the end of the prophetic era.  While, of course, “to anoint the most Holy,” means, the third Temple set up.  The point is, the Jewish nation had 490 years to fulfill these conditions; but of course, they did not repent, nor accept their Messiah.  Thus, their probation period ended in 34 A.D. as this prophecy should be understood.

Judaism takes he 490 years as being the time span between the destruction of the first Temple (B.C. 586) to the destruction of the second Temple (70 A.D.).  Note:  That’s a problem of an 166 year gap.  Jewish Ideology now has the destruction of the first temple in B.C. 420-423, (421 being the only date to work for them), with NO historical data for proof; knowing that the 70 A.D. date is unarguable (and the B.C. 586 to be unarguable also).

Let’s explore why the B.C. 586 date is correct.  Keep in mind Jeremiah 52:12-13.  According to Second Kings 25:2, in the 11th year of king Zedekiah, Jerusalem was besieged.  The prophet Jeremiah lived through 4 main kings.  King Josiah, about B.C. 640-609; King Jehoiakim, about B.C. 609-598; King Jehoiachin, about B.C. 598-597; and King Zedekiah, about B.C. 597-586.  The B.C. 586 date of the 11th year of King Zedekiah is based upon Jewish records, historical records, and archeological evidence.  If Jewish ideology wants to change this date to B.C. 421 in order to make this Daniel prophecy fit their time line, it will ruin all of their kings and other historical events so much so that nothing can be reconciled.

Back to Jeremiah 52:12-13.  Does the 19th year of Nebuchadnezzar line up?  According to “The Canon of Ptolemy,” based upon an eclipse in Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, he reigned from B.C. 605-562.  That means the 19th year would be B.C. 586.  IF Judaism would accept their Messiah, they would not have to change history in order to support their false doctrines.

Besides “The Canon of Ptolemy,” we have “The Babylonian Chronicles,” “The Astronomical Diaries,” and “The Library of Ashurbanipal,” all backing up or are close to the B.C. 586 date.  Thus, basically, most of Judaism ignores the 166-year gap.

Before we delve into Daniel, Chapter 9, verses 24-27, let me first state that Origen of Alexandria (185-253), and Eusebius of Caesarea (260-339), and John Tillinghast, an English Clergyman (1604-1655), and Johann Petri (1497-1550), agree with the SDA’s and my findings.

Origen = From “Origen; An Exhortation To Martyrdom Prayer; First Principles Book IV,” page 175, “Also, the weeks of years [Day For A Year Bible Principle] up to the time of Christ [Start of Christ’s Ministry] the Leader that Daniel the prophet predicted were fulfilled (Dan. 9:24).”

Eusebius = From “The Book of Eusebius #3; The Proof of the Gospel being the Demonstatio Evangelica,” pages 342-343, under “155,” [342] But after the prophecy of the events that happened to the Jewish nation in the intermediate period between the seven and sixty-two weeks, there follows the prophecy of the new Covenant announced by our Saviour.  So when all the intermediate matter between the seven and the sixty-two weeks is finished, there is added, ‘And He will confirm a Covenant with many one week,’ and in half the week [3 1/2 years; Christ crucified] the sacrifice and the libation shall be taken away, and on the Holy Place [Christ ascended to the Holy Place] shall come the abomination of desolation, and until the fullness of time fullness shall [343]

“be given to the desolation.  Let us consider how this was fulfilled.

“156. Now the whole period of our Saviour’s Teaching and working of Miracles is said to have been three-and-a-half years, which is half a week.  John the Evangelist, in his Gospel, makes this clear to the attentive.

“157. One week of uyears therefore would be represented by the whole period of His association with the Apostles, both the time fbefore His Passion, and the time after His Resurrection.

“158. For it is written that before His Passion He shewed Himself for the space of three-and-a-half years to His disciples and also the those who were not His disciples.”

John Tillinghast = From his book, “Knowledge of the Times,” page 152-153, “[152] This seventy weeks is a lesser Epock comprehended within the greater of two thousand and [153] three hundred years, consisting of four hundred and ninety days; for seventy weeks being reduced into days, amount to the aforesaid number, which according to the Prophetical way of speaking is so many years, viz. four hundred and ninety years [Day For A Year Bible Principle].”

From page 173, Part 3, “In the judgement (faith he) of a learned Author, the two thousand three hundred days’ are unappliable to Antiochus Epiphanes. . . and therefore it cannot fill up exactly the measure of two thousand three hundred days, which space containeth six years, three months, and twenty days; for the three months, and twenty days, would over-abound.”

Johann Petri = From his book, “Johannes Petreivs Langendorfenlis,” in German, page Nine, “The angel Gabriel showed the thirtieth year of Christ or the 483rd year of the 70 weeks and therefore the 453rd year as the birth of Christ, so that was the correct explanation of the sealed vision of the 2300 days.  453 years of the 2300 had passed at the birth of Christ and the remainder of this number continues from that date to A.D. 1847 [Actually 1844; his starting date being off by 3 years], as 1847 plus 453 makes 2300.”

9:24: “Seventy weeks are determined [B.C. 457 -- 34 A.D., dates discussed later, “determined” better translated as, “H2852; cut off,” or “marked off” from the “vision” of Daniel 8:14] upon thy people and upon the holy city, to finish the transgression [fill up the cup of your iniquity -- end of Israel’s probation, 34 A.D., Stephen was stoned; Acts 7:59]” = The word “determined,” as found here, literally means, “cut off.”  Although the Hebrew word “H2852; chathak” is translated as “determined,” it is not used anywhere else in the Bible.  However, it is found in Jewish literature and it means, “cutting off” from something that was longer.  It is quite clear, and no one should argue, that these 70 years were “cut off” from the 2300-year prophecy of Daniel, Chapter Eight.  Even if you don’t agree, no one has come up with a theory of it being “cut off” from some other prophecy -- because there is none.​

Plus, it is generally agreed that the only Personage that fits this prophecy is Jesus Christ.  And the only way to make the prophecy work is to extend it to Jesus; making the only logical explanation for this prophecy to work is to use the “Day For A Year” principle.  Meaning also, that since this prophecy is “cut off” from the Daniel 8:14, 2300-year prophecy, therefore it logically is a “Day For A Year” application to it.

For more confirmation of the 34 A.D. date, here is my Acts 18:12 Note: “Gallio” = History confirms that Gallio was the “deputy of Achaia” in 51-52 A.D.  At the stoning of Steven, Acts 7:58, Paul was in Jerusalem.  According to Galatians 1:18, after returning to Jerusalem from his journeys (Damascus), “three years” had elapsed.  Then, according to Acts 15:2, Paul again returns to Jerusalem from his other journeys, because of disputations in the Church, and what is now known as the Jerusalem council.  And according to Galatians 2:1, this was “fourteen years” later.  If we take 14 plus 3 we get 17.  And when we subtract 17 from 51 A.D., we get 34 A.D.

For the “Close of Probation” for the Jewish nation, see Deuteronomy 32:26-38 [39-42 is if they repent]; Jeremiah 31:35-37; Matthew 3:10 & 12; Luke 3:9; Acts 7:43 & 58; 13:46; Romans 11:25.

Jesus Himself makes it clear that Israel no longer represents His values and failed in the mission given to them when He states, speaking of the then upcoming destruction of Israel and the reason for it and their ultimate “Close of Probation:”  “And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; [HERE IS WHY] because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.”  Luke 19:44.

Back to our Hebrew word used here for “determined,” which is “chathak,” and is only used once in the Bible.  Figuratively it means “to decree,” meaning it has an ending point.  Thus, to translate it as “cut off” could also be acceptable.  However, why not use the Hebrew word “karath” for “cut off,” as Daniel used in verse 26?  Either way, according to the Biblical text, the “seventy weeks” are “determined,” or “cut off.”  This indicates that the time period of 490 years has been “cut off” from a larger time period, that is, from the 2,300 years designated in the vision of Chapter 8.  It follows from this that the 2,300 years and the 490 years, must have the same starting point (namely, B.C. 457; discussed later).

Therefore, we will need to determine the starting point of the 2,300-day prophecy (discussed further down), which will give us the starting point of the 490-year (70 weeks) prophecy.  Then we can separate (“cut off”) the 70 weeks prophecy from the 2,300-year prophecy (for year-for-a-day in prophetic time, see Genesis 29:27; Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:5-6; PK:698; DA:233 [For additional Day/Year principles see First Samuel 20:6; Psalm 90:10; Then see Genesis 6:3.]).

There are many reasons why the 70-week prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27, and the 2,300 evenings and mornings prophecy of Daniel 8:14 belong together:

1) Both are time prophecies;

2)  The specific terminology of “vision” and “understanding” links them together (see Dan. 8:26, 27 and 9:23);

3) Both interpretations of the prophecies were given by the angel Gabriel (see Dan. 8:16 and 9:21);

4) The only part of the vision not explained in Daniel, Chapter 8, was the vision given about the 2,300 evenings and mornings (sometimes translated as “days”) in Daniel 8:14;

5) Daniel, Chapter 8, contains the vision and then a partial interpretation of it, while Daniel, Chapter 9, has an interpretation only, in this case, the interpretation of the only part of Daniel, Chapter 8, which was not interpreted and which was the 2,300-day prophecy of Daniel 8:14.  Again, the one part of the vision that Daniel had not understood (see Dan. 8:27).

From 1SG:107 we learn: “Yet I saw that God marvelously preserved this people, and had scattered them over the world, that they might be looked upon as especially visited by a curse from God.  I saw that God has forsaken the Jews as a nation; yet there was a portion of them who would be enabled to tear away the veil from their hearts.  Some will yet see that prophecy has been fulfilled concerning them, and they will receive Jesus as the Saviour of the world, and see the great sin of their nation in rejecting Jesus, and crucifying Him.  Individuals among the Jews will be converted; but as a nation they are forever forsaken of God.”

That the “seventy weeks” were devoted to ministering to the nation of Israel, i.e., “upon the people and upon the holy city,” until their iniquity was full, i.e., “to finish the transgression,” can be seen in our Lord’s ministry.  However, after that time -- at the end of the “seventy weeks” -- the Jewish nation would see its “Close of Probation” for its rejection of its Messiah.  That ended with the stoning of Steven (Acts, Chapter 7), in 34 A.D.

According to Humphryprital (17th century), in his work, “The Old and New Testament Connected in the History of the Jews and Neighboring Nations,” Volume 1, pages 362-363, we read, “That this prophecy doth relate primarily and especially to the Jews.  For it expresseth the time that was determined upon the people of Daniel, that is, the Jews, and upon thy holy city, that is Jerusalem, the whole of which was seventy weeks; that is, that this was the time which God had fore-ordained and determined upon the Jews for their being His peculiar people, and upon Jerusalem for its being His holy city; after the expiration of which an end being put to the Mosaic economy, they should be no longer God’s peculiar people, and the worship which He had established at Jerusalem being to be abolished, that city should be no longer a city holy unto Him.”

From the book, “Messiah In His Sanctuary,” page 140, by F.C. Gilbert, we read: “Although the Saviour was no respecter of persons, and although during His ministry He supplied the needs of all classes of people, yet He told the woman of Canaan, who asked for help for her daughter, ‘I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of Israel.’  Matt. 15:24.  His ministry was devoted to Daniel’s people, for the seventy weeks were ‘cut off’ upon that people.

“Before the Saviour left His disciples to return to Heaven, He gave them their commission as follows:  ‘Ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.’ Acts 1:8.  They were to confine their work at first to the Jewish people.  This they did.  For three and a half years after the Saviour’s ascension, not a sermon was preached outside of Judean territory.  While the disciples were fulfilling Christ’s Command to preach in Jerusalem and in Judea, they were also fulfilling the prophecy of the angel Gabriel, when he said that the seventieth week was to be confined to the Jewish people.  The first half of that prophetic week the Saviour Himself used in His ministry; the last half of the week the disciples spent in and about Judea.”

Gilbert goes on to point out that it was not until Stephen was stoned in 34 A.D., that Philip was sent forth into Samaria (Acts 8:1-5) and that the Jews started fleeing from Jerusalem for fear of persecution and death, which, of course, resulted in the further spreading of the Gospel in regions beyond Jewish territory.

It is also interesting to note that Jesus confirmed this when He just didn’t haphazardly pick the forgiveness of sins as “seventy times seven,” Matthew 18:22, “and to make an end of sins [Christ makes the last offering for sins on the cross] and to make reconciliation for iniquity [we are reconciled to God by the death of Christ, Rom. 5:10], and to bring in everlasting righteousness [through the grace of Christ], and to seal up [make sure, fulfill] the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy [in the Heavenly Sanctuary, i.e., cleanse the Sanctuary {Dan. 8:14}, moving from the Holy Place to the Most Holy Place].”

What we have here, i.e., “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon the holy city,” is more internal proof of the day/year principle.  The command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem occurred many centuries before Christ.  If taken as literal time, 70 weeks is just a year and a few months; hardly enough time to reach down to our Lord Jesus being crucified in 31 A.D.  Application, however, of the day/year principle solves the problem.  It covers the time span from the rebuilding of the city to the First Advent of Jesus.  In short, the First Advent of Jesus proves the validity of the day/year principle.  It is to be noted that the B.C. 457 -- 34 A.D. time period was first proposed by Johann Funck, in 1566 A.D., during the Reformation era, and was accepted by all at that time.

“determined” = Back to our translated word “determined,” the Hebrew verb “H2852; chathak,” only occurs here.  However, in secular documents of the time, “determined” or “decreed” are viable translations.  By contrast, “chatak” usually expressed the more concrete idea of separation by “cutting” or “cutting off” from something.  In the majority of its usages in historical Jewish literature it literally meant, “cut off.” The root meaning of the Hebrew word “chatak,” here translated “determined,” is “to cut” or “divide.” The extended meaning is “to determine” or “allot to.”

Although this is the only occurrence of “chathak” in the Hebrew Bible, it does appear in later Jewish writings with its predominantly meaning as “to cut off.” And although various translations are used for the verb “chathak,” the basic meaning is that of “cut off,” which is how most Hebrew lexicons define it.  In Ugaritic, a language similar to Hebrew, scholars have noted that the parallel word in that language for “chathak” means “cut off” as well.  Thus, the basic rendering of the text is “Seventy weeks are cut off.”  The question is, Cut off from what?  And the obvious answer is, from the 2300-days vision of Daniel 8:14.​

“The word here translated ‘determined,’ literally signifies ‘cut off.’  Seventy weeks, representing 490 years, are declared by the angel to be cut off, as specially pertaining to the Jews.  But from what were they cut off?  As the 2300 days was the only period of time mentioned in Chapter Eight, it must be the period from which the seventy weeks were cut off; the seventy weeks must therefore be a part of the 2300 days, and the two periods must begin together.” GC:326.

Six purposes are mentioned in this verse.  They describe primarily the results of Christ’s life and work here on earth:

1) “to finish the transgression” = Transgression refers to the break in relationship between God and humankind.  Through His sacrifice on the cross, Jesus brought to an end the broken relationship and restored us to God.

2) “to make an end of sins” = The Hebrew word, “chattength,” translated “sins,” can also mean “sin offering.”  Therefore, more appropriately it would refer here to our Lord’s death upon the Cross, and the sacrificial service coming to an end, or culmination with this event.  Gabriel here announces that the Messiah would take care of humankind’s failures.  Christ would take their sins upon Himself and thereby make an “end” of them.  Thus, one will put God’s Law into one’s inner soul (Jer. 31:33) and no longer break His Law.

3) “to make reconciliation for iniquity” = Man’s sin brought death upon this earth.  By contrast, Christ’s sacrifice brought about a means for “reconciliation” towards our Heavenly Father and the opportunity for everlasting life.  “Iniquity” is sin as in a perversion of what is right, like what we would call a “white lie.”  Through the atoning sacrifice on the cross, Jesus Christ took care of sin in all its forms.

4) “to bring in everlasting righteousness” = This occurs by reason of our Lord’s Coming to this earth in person and living the righteous life that is demanded by the Law of God.  Fulfilling this, the apostle speaks of this in First Corinthians 1:30: “Christ Jesus, Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.”  Through the fall, humanity has become unrighteous.  The Messiah, says Gabriel, will bring in a righteousness from God that will be everlasting for those who make it their own through faith that results in obedience.

5) “to seal up the vision and prophecy” = The original Arabic is “chatham,” meaning, to “fulfill.”  In Daniel 8:26, the meaning is, seal up the prophecy, or make a permanent record of it, that when it is fulfilled, the event may be compared with the prophecy, and it may be seen that the one corresponds with the other.  So it may be interpreted here.  The idea of sealing here doesn’t mean, in the sense of “shutting up,” but of “confirming,” or “ratifying,” and in a sense, “finishing” it.  The fulfillment of the predictions connected with the First Coming of the Messiah at the time specified in the prophecy gives assurance to us that the other features of the prophecy, notably the 2300 prophetic days, will be as fulfilled just as precisely.  For instances where our Lord uses “days” in the sense of meaning “years” in prophetic language (see Num. 14:34; 1Sa. 20:6; Psa. 90:10; Eze. 4:5; and then see Gen. 6:3).

In a side note, the Hebrew word for “prophecy” used here is “nabiy,” and can also be translated as, “a prophet,” or generally, an “inspired man.”  If we translated the word as “The Prophet,” referring to “The Messiah,” as spoken of in the following verses (25-27), it would make more sense, prophetically speaking.

6) “to anoint the Most Holy” = Temples were anointed to inaugurate their services (see Exo. 30:23-28; 40:8-11).  The Hebrew words translated “Most Holy” are “kodesh ka-doshim,” i.e., “Holy of Holies.”  This term is invariably applied to things and not to persons.  Never in the Scriptures do we find the words “kodesh ka-doshim” to individuals.  They are recognized as applying to the “Holy of Holies” of the Sanctuary only (see Exo. 30:25-28; Lev. 8:10; Num. 7:1).  Thus, after the resurrection of Christ, He went into the Holy Place in Heaven (see in the Book of Revelation where He stands “in the midst of the seven candlesticks,” Rev. 2:1 & 7).

Now we need a starting date for the “seventy weeks.”  Therefore, we must receive it from Daniel 9:25, which states: “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.”  Jump there and come back here if you need to.

Now since we have learned that the “seventy weeks” equal from B.C. 457 until 34 A.D., we should know that the “Holy of Holies” of the earthly Sanctuary should not be applied to this prophecy; because it was to be applied to 34 A.D.  Therefore, the anointing foretold in this verse points to the dedication of the Heavenly Sanctuary, which would later bring on the inauguration of Christ’s priestly ministry in the Heavenly Temple after His ascension (Heb. 9:21).  In other words, the Heavenly Sanctuary had to be anointed before Christ could begin His work as High Priest there.  Thus, from 31 A.D., when Christ was crucified (“in the midst of the week,” Dan. 9:27, discussed later), to 34 A.D., when Jewish probation closes and Stephan is stoned, Christ was anointing (or dedicating) the Heavenly Sanctuary for His service there.

To conclude then: “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” = Most will argue that none of this happened at the end of the 490-year (70th week) prophecy.  However, they are looking at the world and not the spiritual application that was fulfilled by Christ and His ministry upon this earth.  Did He not die for our “sins?” Did He not “make reconciliation for iniquity?”  See Colossians 1:19-20.  Will He not “bring in everlasting righteousness?” Did He not “anoint the Most Holy?”

“to finish the transgression” = The Hebrew word for “transgression,” “pesha’,” suggests the willful violations by an inferior against a superior (for example, see Pro. 28:24).  This word also occurs in the Bible with regard to open defiance towards God by humans (see Eze. 2:3).  The Sacrifice of Christ, ends “transgression” of His Law, when that Sacrifice is accepted.  The gift is there; few will acknowledge It, nor take It.  It will finally be fulfilled at the Executive Judgement.  See my Bible Study: “JUDGEMENTS, THE THREE FINAL [Under SDA].”

“to make an end of sins” = The Hebrew verb “chatham” carries with it the meaning of “to seal,” and as such here it means that sin is forgiven.  It is a dual prophecy in that when you ask for forgiveness, you are under the blood of Christ.  And, when the “Close of Probation” takes place and Satan is finally destroyed, sin will be no more.  Also, Christ made “an end of sins” if you accept His gift He gave upon the cross.

“to make reconciliation for iniquity” = Accomplished by Christ on the cross.

“to bring in everlasting righteousness” = The purpose of Christ’s Sacrifice.  To be totally accomplished after the Executive Judgement.

“to seal up” = The Hebrew is “H2856; chatham,” meaning, “to seal up, affix a seal; fasten by sealing, establish.”  If we go to Job 4:12; 9:7; 33:16; 37:7; and specifically, Jeremiah 32:14, a better understanding and translation here would be “to establish.”

“to seal up the vision and prophecy” = That being of the First Coming of Christ.  No more time prophecies of this event would from now on be given.

“to anoint the Most Holy” = This was done when Christ became our High Priest in the Heavenly Sanctuary (see Heb. 8:1).

9:25:  NOTE:  Before we get started (a little history):  Judaism interpretation.  It is well known that the current Jewish calendar was constructed by Rabbi Yose Ben Halafta, who died in 160 A.D.  He left out 164 years on purpose to make this text (Daniel 9:25) point in prophesy to Simon Bar Kokhba.  The Reason?  To exclude any references to the true purpose of this prophecy being the prediction of the death of and the Coming of the Messiah (Jesus).  Thus, Judaismrejects all the decrees because they First, don’t see or want to acknowledge Messiah in them, and Second, because none of them line up with their interpretation of the destruction of the First Temple around B.C. 586.

Evangelicalism.  They go with the 4th decree of B.C. 445, but do not use the 70th week.  They only run out to the 69th week.  Rapture Theorists (see my Bible Study:  RAPTURE THEORY, THE”) and many other Christian denominations of today “(Dispensationalists”), misapply Daniel, Chapter 9, verses 25-27, to a 7-year tribulation theory and the such like.  That these verses could have shown the Jewish nation the true appearing of, the crucifixion of (“in the mist of the week”), and the ministry of their Messiah, is to their shame that they missed it.  And so the shame continues to this day when Christian denominations refuse to attribute the true meaning of fulfilled prophecy to the ministry and death of Christ in these verses instead of coming up with false assumptions of Rapture theories.  And NO, this is not a dual prophecy, for Christ died once and for all.

Both Judaism and Evangelicalism agree with having the third Temple built before Christ Comes.  The difference is Judaism believes this will be the setting up of Messiah as “King of kings, and Lord of lords,” and the resetting up of the sacrificial services (since Messiah hasn’t Come yet).  While Evangelicalism believes in the FALSE “Rapture Theory,” with after the third Temple is built, they will be raptured, with the Second Coming being 7 years later.  None of that makes sense, since they ignore Christ being “cut off,” i.e., crucified “in the midst of the [70th] week,” which they separated from the 69th week.  Again, 70 comes after 69, not hundreds of years later.  Otherwise, you must make the same time differences between weeks 1 and 2, 2 and 3, 3 and 4, etcetera.

Catholicism uses the 4th decree of B.C. 445 (“Catholic Encyclopedia”), and also separates the 70th week from the 69th.  Very silly.  Catholicism quotes from Sextus Julius Africanus, an early church historian (160-240 A.D.), to finally get to the end of the 490-year prophecy.  But Africanus is unclear as to when the 490-year prophecy ends.  At the First or Second Coming of Christ?  If he meant the First, then Catholic dates are wrong.  If Catholics go with the Second Coming, they must again separate the 69th week from the 70th.  Jerome comes along later and adjusts the destruction of the First Temple from 586 to 446 B.C.; basing Nehemiah 2:1, “twentieth year of king Artaxerxes,” as applying.  However, we can know that the math still does not work.  If we calculate 446 B.C., plus 490 years, it works out to 45 A.D.; way too late for Christ appearing the First time.  Thus, Catholicism calls Africanus to the rescue, in that he states that one should not us the sun for calculation, but the moon as the Judaism does.  This problem is, if you apply that principle here (in Daniel), you must then apply it to every other place in the Scriptures, which Catholicism is admittedly unwilling to do.  However, by using the Luner adjusted calendar, the 483-year lunar prophecy would be 490 solar years, bring the First Coming of Christ to 36 A.D.

“going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem” = Judaism ignores all the decrees.  Catholicism and Evangelicalism both accept the 4th decree.

Three (3) decrees dealing with the repatriation of the Jewish Nation are recorded in the Book of Ezra:

The first (1) is in the first year of Cyrus, about B.C. 537/538 (Ezra 1:1-4, see also Isa. 44:28 and 2Ch. 36:22-23).  This decree allowed the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple.  It did not include full autonomy to the Jews as a state.  It also marked the end of the Babylonian captivity.

The second (2) is in the reign of Darius I (Darius Hystaspes) in B.C. 520 (Ezra 6:1-12).  In Darius the Great’s decree, he granted permission to the Jews to finish the Temple, which was dedicated four years later in B.C. 516.  In their decrees, neither Cyrus nor Darius I, made any genuine provision for the restoration of the civil state as a complete unit, and only a restoration of both, could the religious and the civil government be fulfilled as promised in the prophecy of Daniel (“restore and to build”).

The third (3) decree of the seventh-year reign of Artaxerxes Longimanus (B.C. 457; see PK:607 & 698) was the first to give the Jewish state full autonomy, subject to Persian over-lordship (Ezra 7:1-26, verses 6-14 being specific to this subject).  This is also confirmed, in that, in the Bible, only this decree is followed by thanksgiving and praises to God for influencing the king (Ezra 7:27-28).  Another indicator is Isaiah 1:26, where God states that He would “restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors.”  See Ezra 7:25.  This gives the authority to execute laws.  Something the other decrees did not address.

Note:  Of all these decrees, only the Hebrew word “Devar,” “H1697,” is used in Daniel 9:2 & 25, preceding the “commandment.”  So also is “Devar” used in the third decree of Artaxerxes in Ezra 7:11.  Thus, this is the true and only decree that matches to the proper decree we should be looking for, for the fulfilment of this prophecy.  The very definition of a government is the ability to define and enforce its own laws.  This is the only decree to fulfil these requirements.  See Ezra 7:25-26.  Also, Isaiah 1:26 teaches us that even Israels “judges” and “counsellors” will be restored.  That only occurs with this particular decree.

There is a fourth (4) decree in Nehemiah 2:1-8, which is Artaxerxes Longimanus second decree (B.C. 444/445; 20th year of his reign), which allowed for the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s city walls, but does not fulfill both requirements.

Note:  In actuality, this was just Artaxerxes allowing Nehemiah to go help with Artaxerxes first decree.  Thus, we should not even consider this to be a full-on decree.

Furthermore, only with the B.C. 457 date as a starting point do the seventy weeks (that is, 490 years) reach to the time of Christ, the “Messiah, the Prince,” of Daniel 9:25-27.  No matter which decrees you accept or favor, it MUST line up with the timing of Messiah’s ministry.

According to Flavius Josephus, in his work, “Antiquities,” 15.380, he records, “And now Herod, in the eighteenth year of his reign, and after the acts already mentioned, undertook a very great work, that is, to build of himself the Temple of God.”  This can be calculated.  Herod’s accession year was B.C. 39.  Therefore, his year one Regnal year would have been B.C. 38, making his Regnal 18th year as being B.C. 20.  Then if we go to John 2:20, we learn that 46 years later is when Christ’s ministry began.  Since Historians have no zero-year calculation, this brings us to 27 A.D.  Thus, our needed, matching decree, must extend to and not exceed somewhere within those parameters.

To establish the date of B.C. 457 the Astronomical Tablet of Nebuchadnezzar’s 37th year is used.  Among the thousands of public and private documents, written on clay tablets that have been unearthed by archeologists in Mesopotamia, two astronomical texts are of outstanding importance to chronology, for they fix the B.C. dating of the reigns of Nebuchadnezzar II and Cambyses, respectively.  The one most valuable for the later period of the Hebrew kings is concerned with the 37th year of Nebuchadnezzar.  It contains a series of observational data on the positions of various heavenly bodies throughout a complete year, running from Nisan 1, year 37, to Nisan 1, year 38 of the reign.  Modern astronomers who have checked this information by astronomical computation say that the combination of data for the sun, moon and planets, which all move in differing cycles, cannot be duplicated in any other year within centuries, if ever.

Thus, Nebuchadnezzar’s 37th regnal year is fixed beyond all doubt at B.C. 568/567; and all other years in his reign are established also:  the 1st year was B.C. 604/603 and the 7th year, in which he captured Jehoiachin, was B.C. 598/597.  Since there are several Biblical synchronisms with Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, the end of the kingdom of Judah is anchored to this B.C. dating (do you see the hand of God in this?).

Also, the synchronisms between the Hebrew kings and Assyrian rulers must be located by means of Assyrian chronological lists which are linked with Nebuchadnezzar’s reign through the Ding list known as “Ptolemy’s Canon” (Ptolemy’s Canon is fixed by eclipses).  It is however, better known by its Arabic title, the “Almagest,” because it was preserved for posterity by the Arab civilization and was the authoritative treatise on astronomy for 1,400 years, until superseded by the theory set forth by Copernicus, containing data for numerous eclipses and other celestial phenomena.

The Babylonian cuneiform tablet, labeled “BM32234,” in the British museum, is dated to the 14th or 18th day of the 5th month in the 21st regnal year of king Xerxes; which belongs to a class of astronomical records known as “18-year texts,” or “Saros texts.” The precise astronomical data preserved on the tablet allows scholars to fix it date to B.C. 465.  Most strikingly, the text on the tablet includes the entry, “Month V 14 (+x):  Xerxes was murdered by his son.” This notation not only confirms that Xerxes ruled for 21 years, but also that his final regnal year was B.C. 465; corroborating historical accounts of his assassination and succession of Artaxerxes in B.C. 464 (his regnal year of ascension); where seven years later (Ezra 7:7) he decrees the restoration of Jerusalem; equaling B.C. 457.  See also tablets “BM32299,” dated from B.C. 463 to B.C. 392; and tablet “BM45674,” dated from B.C. 463 to B.C. 392 also, which alien to B.C. 457, using the astronomical Venus and lunar data.

“to restore” = The restoration of the Law of God as being the Law of the land in Judea.  The Hebrew word for “restore” is, “H7725; shub,” and is not what is normally assumed to mean, “bring back to the way it looked; fix up; rejuvenate.”  Rather, the true meaning is to “return or restore to its original owner” when speaking of property, which this is.  In other words, give it back to the Jews.

Critics claim that according to Isaiah 44:28, Cyrus decreed that Jerusalem shall be rebuilt.  Therefore, that Cyrus’s decree in about B.C. 536 should be the starting point instead of the decree of Artaxerxes I in Ezra, Chapter Seven, which went into effect in B.C. 457.

That Cyrus played an important role in the restoration process ordained by God (Isa. 45:13) is undeniable.  However, Cyrus’s work only led to the culmination of the decree of Artaxerxes I.  Plus, unlike the earlier decrees of Cyrus (Ezra 1:1-4; 6:3-5) and Darius (Ezra 6:6-12), the decree of Artaxerxes (Ezra 7:11-26) explicitly included the restoration of the city of Jerusalem and not just the Temple itself.  Artaxerxes mandated the restoration of Jerusalem as the judicial and civil center of the Jewish people; and not under the total control of the Assyrian empire.

The Critics then continue with that Nehemiah received authorization for rebuilding the walls in Artaxerxes’s twentieth year (Neh., Chp. Two), which would be in B.C. 444.  However, the Jews were not at that time given permission to govern their own territory.  Thus, this could not be the starting point of the fulfilment of the prophecy.

“Messiah” = The Hebrew word used here for “Messiah,” is “H4899; Messuah” or “mashiach,” and comes from the verb “mashach,” meaning “to anoint,” or “anointed.” Hence, “mashiach” describes an “anointed one” such as the high priest (Lev. 4:3 & 5 & 16), Israel’s kings (1Sa. 24:6 & 10; 2Sa. 19:21), Cyrus (Isa. 45:1), etcetera.  However, in this verse, and the context of this verse, only allows this term “meshiach” to be applied to the expected Deliverer Who was to Come (see John 1:41; 4:25-26); the True Anointed One.

That Jesus would show up in 27 A.D. is also established in Ezekiel 1:1-2, here the “thirtieth year” of king Jehoiachin would mean the “jubilee year.” This “fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity” would be around B.C. 594.  And 12 jubilees later would equal 27 A.D.  See Luke 4:18.  Nebuchadnezzar began to reign in B.C. 605, the captivity began in B.C. 597, Ezekiel first vision was in B.C. 594, the jubilee began in B.C. 574, bringing us to 12 jubilees later to 27 A.D.  This tells us when the jubilee began and stopped.

Plus, the Romans were very particular in their reckonings.  According to Luke 3:1, “in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,” that being 12 A.D.  If we add 15 years to 12 A.D., we come up with 27 A.D. for Christ’s baptism.  And according to John 2:20, “the Jews [state], Forty and six years was this Temple in building.” If we go to Flavius Josephus work, “Antiquities,” 15.380, states that in the “eighteenth year of his [Herod’s] reign,” thus giving us that Herod’s accession year was B.C. 39, with his regnal year being B.C. 38, and 18 years later would be B.C. 20, adding “the Jews, Forty and six years,” (no zero year), brings us to 27 A.D. 

“seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks” = Daniel predicted that the long-looked-for Prince Messiah would appear at a specified time.  To this time Jesus referred when He declared, “The time is fulfilled,” Mark 1:15.  Jesus was anointed at the time of His baptism in the autumn of 27 A.D. (see Mat. 3:15; Luke 3:21-22; 4:18; Acts 10:37-38).

According to Matthew 2:1, Jesus was born when Herod was both alive and king.  According to Flavius Josephus (37-100 A.D.), born in Jerusalem, in his work, “The Antiquities of the Jews,” he sites many separate accounts and one eye witness of the death of Herod in B.C. 4 (see my Bible Study: “CHRIST, BIRTH MONTH OF”).  He also cites a lunar eclipse and a Passover.  This eclipse has been astronomically dated to March 13, B.C. 4.  I have Jesus’ birth at B.C. 2, if He is about 30 years old when His ministry began.  But using this information, just make Christ 32 years old when He begins His ministry if you like.  Either way, 27 A.D. works mathematically.  Josephus used as his “eye witness” Nicolaus of Damascus, who was a trusted ambassador and historian, who worked in Herod’s court in Herod’s final years.

By contrast, Josephus stated that “Herod died 37 years after he was recognized as king of the Jews by Mark Anthonyand the Roman Senate in 40 BC.”  That moves the date to B.C. 3.  There were two consuls administering in the Roman Senate at the time of Herod’s appointment.  They were Gnaeus Calvinus and Gaius Pollio.  With the common practice known then as “Eponymous Dating,” we can know the date they served.  According to “The Fasti Capitolini,” which lists all the magistrates with notable events in chronological sequence for B.C. 483 to B.C. 19, we can find when they operated; which was B.C. 40.

Josephus also mentioned that “Herod reigned for 34 years after overthrowing and executing his rival Antigonus,” which occurred in the same year Marcus Agrippa and Caninius Gallus were consuls (B.C. 37).  Subtracting 34 from 37 gives us B.C. 3.

BACK TO THE BIBLE.  Beginning with the autumn of B.C. 457, when the decree went into effect (69 = 7 + 62; Note, for the Day = a Year principle in Biblical prophecy), we go to First Samuel 20:6 and First Kings 1:1 (see also Gen. 6:3), where “years” is translated as “days,” meaning these are prophetic weeks, or 483 years, which reach to the baptism of Jesus in 27 A.D.  If the 483 years had been reckoned from the beginning of B.C. 457, they would have extended to the close of 26 A.D.  However, due to the fact that historians (unlike astronomers) never count year zero, this brings us to 27 A.D.; meaning Christ was born in about the year B.C. 2.  See my Bible Study: “CHRIST’S BIRTH MONTH.”

Some have been puzzled as to how Christ could begin His work in 27 A.D., when the record says that He was about 30 years of age when He started His public ministry (Luke 3:23).  This is due to the fact that when the Christian era was first computed, an error of about four years occurred.  That Christ was not born in 1 A.D. is evident from the fact that when He was born Herod the Great was still alive and Herod died in arguably 4 or 1 B.C. (see Mat. 2:13-20).  It is argued that Evangelicals want the 1 A.D. date because the calendar is based upon Christ’s birth.  However, my B.C. 2 date has nothing to do with that or the 1 A.D. date.

The 27 A.D. date is further established by the fact that Tiberius Caesar (see Luke 3:1) began to reign in 12 A.D., plus Luke’s 15 years = 27 A.D.  This is the only thing we really need to focus upon.  Ideally, Herod’s death has nothing to do with Christ’s death.  It is somewhat relevant to Christ’s birth, because then we can eliminate Lukes (3:23) statement of “about 30,” to exactly whatever.

Why does the Bible separate the “seven weeks” out?  It has been estimated that it took “seven years” for Jerusalem to be rebuilt.  But mainly, it establishes the beginning of Christ’s ministry (31 A.D.) to the close of probation for the Jewish nation in 34 A.D.

9:26: “after threescore and two weeks” = Don’t forget to add before this 62-week prophecy, the “seven weeks” of Daniel 9:25; totaling the 69 weeks prophecy again; bringing it to the beginning of Christ’s ministry in 27 A.D.

“and the people of the Prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the Sanctuary” = Since the “Prince” is Messiah (see verse 25), then we can understand that God’s people were to recognize that after the “cutting off” of Messiah (see verse 27), the Sanctuary services depicting the Coming Sacrifice of Messiah would no longer be necessary; and therefore were to cease.  However, this prophecy takes upon itself even more meaning, in that the Jews (God’s people at that time) did not discontinue the Sanctuary services in acknowledgement that our Lord had sacrificed Himself for us.  Therefore, both the “city” of Jerusalem, and the “Sanctuary” housed within it, were destroyed by the occupying Roman army in 70 A.D., and the Sanctuary services have never been able to be re-established again.

“with a flood” = Not of actual water, but spiritually speaking, a “flood” of “people.”  We can find other places in the Bible which uses this concept of a “flood;” meaning “people” in Isaiah 8:7-8 & Revelation 17:15.  When the Roman army came in and destroyed Jerusalem along with the Sanctuary in 70 A.D., many “people,” or better soldiers, is a well representation of the city being overthrown by a flood of people.

9:26-27: “[26] Messiah be cut off. . . [27] in the midst [31 A.D.] of the week [27 A.D. -- 34 A.D.]” = Christ crucified (see Dan. 11:22).  Attempts have been made to make this prophecy a “Dual Prophecy.”  However, to have “Messiah be cut off,” or better, “Crucified” again, is un-Biblical and inappropriate to the context and meaning of the text.  All Jewish rabbis and Christian denominations have understood the timing and meaning of this text to mean Messiah dies.  When that happens/happened is the question.  To push it into another time frame or meaning is to “push too hard against the pricks (Acts 9:5 & 26:14).”

The establishment of the 31 A.D. as the date of the crucifixion of Christ should not be argued over.  However, most Christian denominations have this date as 33 or 34 A.D.  By contrast, there is only one year in history, that even most historians agree upon, that all three of these following characters overlap, and that is the year 31 A.D.  Here they are:  Pontius Pilot; Herod Antipas [or Herod the Great], and Tiberius Caesar.  That all three of these persons cannot be established as overlapping for any other date than 31 A.D., all are in agreement.

Tiberius Caesar’s reign can be calculated by the coins of his day.  The coin labeled “RPC, 4270,” identifies the Alpha (A) year (One) of Tiberius as in the 45th Actian year following the “Battle of Actium” in September 2nd, B.C. 31, which is in 14 A.D.  Then we have the coin labeled “RPC, 4330,” which identifies the Gamma year (Three) of Tiberius as in the 47th Actian year following the “Battle of Actium” in September 2nd, B.C. 31, which was in 16 A.D.  With Luke’s statement of the “fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,” Luke 3:1, in relation to the “Battle of Actium,” that brings us to 27 A.D., because, with simple math, Tiberius began to reign in 12 A.D. (12 plus 15 = 27).

According to the “Babylonian Chronicle,” “BM 21946,” in relation to “Jubilee Years,” if we go to Ezekiel 1:1-2, we learn, “(1) in the thirtieth year. . . (2) [in] the fifth year of king Jehoiachin’s captivity.”  The “fifth year” of “Jehoiachin’s captivity” was around B.C. 594, which had begun around B.C. 597-598, which is the seventh (7th) year of king Nebuchadnezzars Reign.  30 years into the Jubilee cycle brings us to about B.C. 574.  If we use Luke 4:18 as Christ claiming this to be a Jubilee year, that is 12 cycles later, bringing us to 27 A.D.

“but not for Himself” = In other words, “Not only for Himself.”  Christ is our perfect sacrifice for our sins.  He died for us.

9:27: “He” = That the “Messiah” is still the “He,” or the subject here, and the main theme throughout our Bibles, should not be disputed.  Nor should it be argued here that the “He” is anyone else.  The “He” can only be referring to the “Messiah” and not another entity,  To make the “He” refer to anyone else is only argued by Rapture theorists; which comes from their false interpretations and dual applications of Daniel 9:24-27.  To ignore Christ being crucified “in the midst of the week,” and make the 7 years apply to a future event is out of line.

Also, according to Luke 19:44, the Jewish nation should have known from this prophecy “the time of thy visitation,” that their long-looked-for Messiah was near.  And according to Luke 19:44, Jesus will hold them accountable for not having known.  Therefore, let us not apply this prophecy for any other event (such as all the “Rapture Theories” out there; or the “Tribulation” time period theories out there), other than the First Coming of our Messiah.

“He [Christ] shall confirm the covenant with many” = A more literal translation would be, “He will make a strong covenant.”  And the fulfillment of this statement is in the New Covenant firmly established through and by the blood of Christ (see Mat. 26:28 and Luke 22:20).  Notice, Christ does not “confirm the covenant with” all, for not “all” accept Christ as their sacrifice for their sins.

“confirm the covenant” = According to Romans 15:8, the “promises” referred to there, are those “confirmed” here, and are those particularly which related to the Coming of the Messiah.  The clearest determinant that Christ, the Messiah, is meant here, can be found unmistakenly in Galatians 3:17.

“midst” = Hebrew, “chasi,” meaning either “middle” (Exo. 27:5; 38:4; etcetera) or “half” (Exo. 24:6; 25:10 & 17; etcetera).  This “midst of the week,” and verse 26’s, “shall Messiah be cut off,” lines up perfectly for Christ’s crucifixion in the Passover season in the spring of 31 A.D., 3 1/2 years after the baptism of Christ in the autumn of 27 A.D.  The 31 A.D. crucifixion of Christ should be confirmed astronomically by the Passover of that year falling on a Sabbath (Saturday), making it a “High Sabbath” as would be required.  However, this has yet to be established astronomically.

For religious organizations to move the 70th week away from the 69th week (70 has always followed 69 when I was in school) is utterly ridiculous.  The 70th week is obviously the ministry of Christ, in which He was “cut off” in the “midst” of that 70th week.  But to attempt to place this 70th week as a tribulation week sometime after 2000 A.D. is outrageously dumb.  Why in their minds does 69 & 68 & 67 & 66 & 65, etcetera, follow in successive order for these religious zealots, but the 70th week is sometime in the future?  Plus, by moving it anywhere other than where it belongs, has Christ crucified again “in the midst of the week,” and just as the Jews could not know the timing of Messiah their prince, so denominations today make this prophecy of non-effect by making it a tribulation period; ignoring that Christ would have to be crucified again in the “midst” of it.

“week” = The Hebrew here is, “shabua,” and literally means, “seven years.”  For a day equaling a year Biblical principle (Day = Year), see Genesis 6:3; Numbers 14:34; First Samuel 20:6; First Kings 1:1; Psalm 90:10; Ezekiel 4:5-6; Revelation 11:9.

“[327] The ‘week’ here brought to view is the last one of the seventy; it is the last seven years of the period allotted especially to the Jews.  During this time, extending from 27 A.D. to 34 A.D., Christ, at first in person and afterward by His disciples, extended the gospel invitation especially to the Jews. . . [328] In 31 A.D., three and a half years after His baptism, our Lord was crucified.” GC:327-328.

“He shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease” = 31 A.D.  See Mark 15:37-38; Hebrews 8:13; 10:10-12.  Jesus brings the sacrificial system to an end -- in the sense that it no longer has any more prophetic significance -- by offering Himself as the final and perfect Sacrifice of the New Covenant, thus avoiding the need for any more animal sacrifices.

“abominations he [Rome] shall make it desolate” = This occurred in 70 A.D., when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem along with the Temple.  See Daniel 8:11; 11:31; 12:11; Matthew 23:38; 24:15; Luke 21:20; Revelation 13:14.

However, this has a stronger meaning (dual prophecy).  If we understand what our Lord was referring to in Matthew 23:38 & Luke 13:35, i.e., this prophecy here, in that when Israel crucifies and rejects their Messiah, their house would be left unto them “desolate.”  In other words, the good news of the Gospel would be given (entrusted) to others, because the Jewish people as a nation will be “cut off” for rejecting their Messiah and not teaching other nations to follow Him.  Their time of probation is over.

NOTE:  See my Bible Studies: “ISRAEL, THE RETURN OF,” and “ISRAEL’S REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY DOCTRINE.”

“consummation” = The act of “consummating” something is to reach an ultimate goal or end; it is a fulfillment of that event.  What “consummation” is referring to here is the earlier word in this sentence -- “confirm.”  So what was consummated was previously confirmed, that being the promises of our Lord’s Sacrifice and everything that is tied to it (see Rom. 15:8).

“and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate” = In other words, “and that [being] determined,” once this, the sacrifice of our Lord is accomplished or fulfilled, it “shall be poured upon the desolate.”  “Desolate” is in reference to a people who were devoid of hope.  But now, through the Sacrifice of their Lord, they shall receive the pouring out of His salvation, freely offered, freely given.  In that context it could also be referring to not only Jews, but mostly Gentiles.  By contrast, Jewish rabbis have always associated this prophecy to refer to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. as mentioned by Luke in 21:20 & 24.  Once again, they miss the point of this entire passage (Dan. 9:24-27), the Coming and Sacrifice of their promised Messiah.

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