Rev. David Holwick N Book of Daniel, #8
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
April 13, 2008
Daniel 9:23-27
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I. NASA countdowns.
The first American spacecraft that was intended to orbit the
earth was named Friendship 7 and piloted by John Glenn.
As a kid, I loved the space program and followed it avidly.
Everyone did.
The liftoffs were always in the morning, and I remember hoping
I would get to see it on our black-and-white TV before
school started.
I had many opportunities to hope for this, as you will see.
The countdown for the Mercury spacecraft program was quite
involved.
There were over 17 hours of electric, fuel and pyrotechnic
checks.
Then the final countdown began and the whole nation tuned into
the constant TV coverage.
The original launch date for John Glenn was January 16, 1962.
But problems with the Atlas rocket fuel tanks caused a
postponement to January 23.
The launch then slipped day by day to January 27 because of
bad weather.
On January 27, John Glenn was strapped in and the countdown
made it to the T-13 minute mark.
That's when they canceled again due to bad weather.
Then a leak was discovered in the fuel tank that required
4-6 days to repair.
The launch was rescheduled for two weeks later.
But that day had more bad weather so they rescheduled for
February 15.
Bad weather again, so they rescheduled for February 16.
Guess what? Bad weather continued.
February 20 was the next opportunity.
All systems were energized, checks were finished, and the
reaction control system was static fired.
At T-120 minutes, astronaut John Glenn was put in the
spacecraft.
Thirty minutes later his hatch was put in place and locked.
But when they did this, they broke a bolt, so the hatch had to
be opened again and a new bolt installed, which caused a
40-minute delay.
At T-22 minutes the liquid fuel pump had a glitch and that caused
another 25-minute delay.
At T-10 minutes the spacecraft went on internal power.
At T-35 seconds the spacecraft umbilical was ejected and at
T-0 the main engines started and liftoff occurred.
The engines roared for 5 minutes.
And John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth,
10 months after the first Russian had done it.
The early American space program was marked by great anticipation,
and long delays.
God's countdown hasn't been that different.
For 3,000 years prophets and preachers have proclaimed God's
plan for the future, only to have some glitch occur.
But there is a plan.
And the biggest parts have already happened.
Daniel 9 gives a dramatic prediction of the first half of God's
plan, and strong hints about the second half.
It may seem like a lot of delays, but his countdown will
definitely have a conclusion.
#7972
II. People are hungry to know the future.
A. This is especially true in unsettled times.
1) After September 11, the LEFT BEHIND series book
"Desecration" became the best-selling novel in the
world that year. #7276
2) Daniel's time was also one of turmoil and conflict.
3) In the midst of the prophet's meditation, God gave him some
answers.
B. God sends a messenger.
1) Angel Gabriel, who also gave messages to Joseph and Mary.
2) His prophecy contains two parts.
a) The first part lists six objections to be accomplished.
b) The second part sets up a timeframe.
1> The "seventy weeks" is most likely years, a total
of 490.
A> Literal weeks wouldn't be enough for the events.
2> At the end of the period, the problem of human sin
is solved, and human suffering ends.
C. Many believe this prophecy exactly predicts Christ's coming.
1) Indeed, some believe it pinpoints the exact day for Palm
Sunday!
2) It is not without controversy.
a) Many theories have been proposed to work out the details.
b) And keep in mind that the New Testament does not use
this prophecy to prove Jesus is the Messiah.
c) However, Jesus himself pointed to this prophecy as
predicting events at the end of human history.
3) It is worthy of careful study.
III. Six achievements this period will bring about. Daniel 9:24
A. Finish transgression.
1) Conclusion of man's rebellion against God's authority.
2) Requires God's Kingdom on earth, accomplished in the
Millennium.
B. Put an end to sins.
1) "Sins" is more general than transgression, involves missing
the mark.
2) Suggests a new society where righteousness prevails.
C. Atone for wickedness.
1) Points to the crucifixion.
D. Bring in everlasting righteousness.
1) Universal righteousness, not just periods of good government.
E. Fulfillment of vision and prophecy.
1) Jesus fulfilled many prophecies in the Old Testament.
2) But this would go beyond Jesus' earthly ministry to his
rule over the whole earth.
F. Anointing of Most Holy.
1) Not a reference of anointing of Jesus, since term
is not used of people.
2) Most likely refers to consecration of temple, perhaps
the millennial temple in Ezekiel 40-44.
G. Most of these goals are not yet completely fulfilled, so the
prophecy of the Seventy Weeks is not finished yet.
IV. God's first timetable.
A. The prophecy is broken into two periods.
1) Rebuilding of Jerusalem.
2) Cutting off of Messiah. (either death or abandonment)
B. The command to rebuild Jerusalem.
1) First decree of Cyrus the Great. 538 BC
2 Chronicles 36:23; Ezr 1:2-4
a) Rebuilding of temple only in view.
b) Since temple requires worshippers, a rebuilt city
may be implied, but maybe not.
c) Does not seem to fulfill requirements of Dan 9:25f.
2) Commission granted to Nehemiah by Artaxerxes I in 446 B.C.
a) Main goal is rebuilding of Jerusalem. Neh 2:5-8
b) But requires 360-day years for scheme to work out.
1> The book of Revelation gives some support to this.
2> But the Jews did not ordinarily use this type of
calendar.
c) 483 solar years come out to A.D. 38 or 39, which is
too late.
3) Decree issued to Ezra in 7th year of Artaxerxes I. 457 BC
Ezra 7:12-26
a) Chief emphasis is strengthening the temple and
enforcing the Jewish Law.
b) Yet in Ezra's prayer, he refers to rebuilding of
temple and WALL of protection. Ezra 9:9
V. Matching the prophecy to history. (based on 457 BC date)
A. Timetable that results from this interpretation:
1) 457 B.C. to 408, Jerusalem is rebuilt. (7x7, 49 yrs)
2) 408 B.C. to A.D. 27, the Messiah comes. (62x7, 434 yrs)
a) Note that Daniel calls him the Anointed One.
b) When was Jesus anointed? -- at his baptism.
1> Confirmation from an obscure verse.
John 2:20 says that Herod's temple was in the
46th year of its building.
It actually took much longer to finish, but that
had not happened yet.
When was the 46th year?
Josephus says Herod began in 20 or 19 BC, so the
46th year would be A.D. 26.
John 2 is at the beginning of Jesus' ministry,
around the time he was baptized.
This fits Daniel's prediction very nicely.
B. "Afterwards" the Messiah is cut off. (=killed)
1) "Anointed One" is a code word for the Messiah.
a) In Greek, the word is "Christ."
2) According to the Gospel of John, Jesus had a public ministry
that lasted 3 years.
3) Jesus was most likely crucified on 14 Abib (Nisan) A.D. 30.
C. Other events following the coming of the Messiah.
1) The city of the Messiah is destroyed.
a) Jerusalem was destroyed in AD 70, as Jesus
himself predicted.
b) Jesus is the only Jew to be seriously viewed as
the Messiah between the time of Daniel and the
destruction of Jerusalem.
2) There will be wars and desolation.
a) Characterizes last 2,000 years.
3) Conclusion: Daniel predicted Jesus's coming, his mission
and his death 587 years before the events.
VI. One week is left.
A. Many believe Daniel's prophecy is not fully fulfilled.
1) Verse 27 mentions the final, 70th, week.
a) Some scholars associate it with Jesus' lifetime.
b) Most believe someone else is in view - the Antichrist.
1> The word "desolations" points to this.
2> Jesus, and other New Testament writers, say the
Antichrist will come at the end of time.
A> He will proclaim himself to be god.
B> He will stop the practice of the Jewish faith.
C> He will desecrate the Jewish temple.
3> One problem - there is no temple.
A> Perhaps this means it will be built.
2) The date of the 70th week is not given.
a) Most assume a gap takes place.
b) A few think they can figure out the timing of the gap.
c) Harold Camping alone has predicted Jesus would come
back in 1994. And 2004. And now 2011.
I expect him to be wrong again.
B. We can now the nearness, but not exactness. Matt 24:33
1) Jesus says no one knows day or hour. Matt 24:36
2) But there will be signs. "When you see all these things...."
a) Apostasy in church. Matt 24:10-12
b) Antichrist. Matt 24:15,24; 2 Thess 2
c) Great Tribulation. Matt 24:21
The May 1984 National Geographic showed color photos and drawings
of the swift and terrible destruction that wiped out the Roman
cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in A.D. 79.
The explosion of Mount Vesuvius was so sudden, the residents were
killed while in their routines: men and women were at the
market, the rich in their luxurious baths, slaves at toil.
They died amid volcanic ash and super heated gases.
Even family pets suffered the same quick and final fate.
It takes little imagination to picture the panic of that terrible
day.
The saddest part is that these people did not have to die.
Scientists confirm what ancient Roman writers record - weeks of
rumblings and shakings preceded the actual explosion.
Even an ominous plume of smoke was clearly visible from the
mountain days before the eruption.
If only they had been able to read and respond to Vesuvius's
warning!
There are similar "rumblings" in our world: warfare, earthquakes,
nuclear threat, economic woes, breakdown of the family and
moral standards.
While not exactly new, these things do point to a coming Day of
Judgment.
People who are caught unprepared have no excuse.
God warns and provides an escape to those who will heed the
rumblings.
#1983
C. Are you ready?
=========================================================================
SOURCES FOR ILLUSTRATIONS USED IN THIS SERMON:
#1983 "Signs of the Times," by Michael Bogart, Lemoore, California,
Leadership, Fall 1985.
#7276 "Looking For Christ's Return," by David Jeremiah, Baptist Press,
http://www.baptistpress.org, July 20, 2007.
#7972 "God's Countdown," by David Holwick; adapted from NASA website,
http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/history/mercury/ma-6/ma-6.htm,
April 12, 2008.
These and 30,000 others are part of the Kerux database that can be
downloaded, absolutely free, at http://www.holwick.com/database.html
=========================================================================
Notes from theological journals:
I. Seventy weeks of Daniel 9:24f.
A. Prophet was dejected, questioned God's plan for Israel.
1) God gives him a timetable for world history.
B. Literally, seventy sevens, or weeks, in three sections.
1) Most likely refers to a total of 490 years.
a) The described events require more than literal
weeks would allow.
C. When does it start?
1) Rebuilding of Jerusalem.
a) Language points to a total restoration.
b) It happens during a troubled time.
II. Possible dates of beginning of 70 weeks.
A. Decree of Cyrus in 539 BC. 2 Chron 36:22-23, Ezra 1:1-4
1) Concerned the return of the exiles and rebuilding of
the Temple.
2) Rebuilding of city was not involved.
3) However, they understood that they could rebuild,
at least their houses.
4) It is difficult to fit this date into a scheme that
works mathematically.
5) David H. Lurie uses this date, combined with a novel
interpretation of "weeks."
6) (also Meredith Kline)
B. Decree of Artaxerxes to Ezra in 457 BC. Ezra 7:11-26
1) The decree also does not mention rebuilding.
2) Scheme does not fit standard date of crucifixion.
a) Christ is crucified in the middle of the 70th week.
1> But which covenant did he "break"?
b) Requires date of crucifixion to be AD 30.
1> (Author's preferred date is AD 33)
c) End of 70th week is AD 33, Stephen's death and
Paul's conversion.
1> No hint of this in Daniel 9.
C. Decree of Artaxerxes to Nehemiah in 444 BC. Neh 2:1-8
1) Specifically mentions the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
a) Distressing situation is evident in Nehemiah & Ezra.
2) But some object to calling this a decree.
a) Yet Daniel only requires a command, not a decree.
III. Relation of 69 weeks to 70th week.
A. Some put 70th week right after 69th week. (Keil, Young)
B. Others put 70th week in the distant future.
1) The six achievements of 9:24 were not entirely fulfilled
at Christ's first advent.
a) Sacrifice did not cease at his death.
b) The abomination of desolation is still future,
according to Jesus in Matthew 24:15.
c) Book of Revelation speaks of desolation of Jerusalem
as still future.
d) The last half of the 70th week fits well with
Revelation's description of the Tribulation.
2) Paul sees it in the future for Israel. Rom 11:25-27
3) Gaps are not uncommon in biblical prophecy.
a) Compare gap between first and second coming.
IV. Date of 69th week, Messiah's death.
A. Nehemiah's decree (444 BC) and 483 years comes to AD 38
by solar reckoning, which is too late.
B. Some make it come out to AD 27 by using Sabbatical years,
but these are not mentioned in the text.
C. Anderson's solution is to use prophetical years of 360 days.
1) Compare use in Revelation 11:2-3; 13:5.
a) Also implied in Genesis 7:11 / 7:24 / 8:3 / 8:4
2) However, Anderson's system comes out to AD 32 (not the
best year) and the crucifixion does not fall on a
Friday without unacceptable tweaking.
D. Harold Hoehner's solution:
1) 69 weeks times 7 years times 360 days = 173,880 days.
2) 444 BC to AD 33 is 476 solar years.
a) 476 times 365.24219879 = 173,855 days.
b) Only 25 days need to be accounted for.
c) March 30, AD 33, is the Triumphal Entry of Jesus.
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