In the sermon 'To Bring in Everlasting Righteousness,' speaker Jason Dohm expounds upon Daniel 9:20-27, emphasizing that the text primarily concerns the Messiah, Jesus Christ, and God's eternal plan to bring righteousness through His sacrifice. Dohm warns against getting lost in controversies about historical dates or interpretations, urging instead to focus on the beauty of what God has done for His people. The sermon explores how Jesus is present throughout the Book of Daniel in various prophecies and visions, linking these to the New Covenant and Christ's redemptive work. Gabriel's role as a messenger is highlighted, sent to provide Daniel with understanding of God's plan. Dohm interprets the '70 weeks' prophecy as a foretelling of Christ's coming and ministry, with the 'abomination of desolation' referring to historical events that align with Jesus' teachings in Matthew. The sermon underscores the importance of understanding God's mercy and patience, encouraging believers to see the prophecy as a testament to God's faithfulness and the fulfillment of His promises through Jesus.

Daniel 9 verses 20 through 27. I titled the sermon with a phrase that comes right out of the text. To bring in everlasting righteousness. This is what this text is about. It is about the Messiah sent by God and His eternal plan to purchase a people with His own blood.

This isn't fundamentally a text about 70 AD. It's not fundamentally a text about the end times. It is fundamentally about God's plan to redeem sinners who are bound up under the penalty, under the wrath of God for their own sins that they would be set free and able to stand before God in righteousness. And so it's going to touch on 70 AD, I think. It might have some end time things in it.

But fundamentally, this is about Jesus and the Messiah. So it's a massive mistake to come to this text and to immerse yourself in the controversies and miss the beauty of what is in this text about what God has done for His people. So it is my prayer that this time will be characterized by that. I'm going to hit all of the exegetical difficulties and controversies in the text and I'm going to do the best I can with it. But don't lose sight of Jesus and what He's done for His people in this text because that is fundamentally what the text is about.

Why are we in this text anyway? We're expositing Matthew verse by verse, section by section, chapter by chapter. Well it's because in the very next part of Matthew 24 that we've been in Matthew almost year and a half, coming up on two years. The very next verse we'll be in, in Matthew 24 verse 15, Jesus uses a phrase, abomination of desolation, and He's quoting Daniel. How do we know?

Because He says he's quoting Daniel in Matthew. He says, as it says in Daniel. So we at least know we're in the right book. He's quoting Daniel. And he talks about the abomination of desolation.

And then he says, when you see this, when you, he's talking to specific people, when you see this, the abomination of desolation, all those in Judea flee to the mountains. Don't even go down, if you're on the housetop, don't even go down into your house to get your stuff. Flee with no delay, not even to pack up things that you would think you would need. And it's very likely that when Jesus says, abomination of desolation in Matthew 24 verse 15, that he's actually quoting our text today, Daniel 9 verse 27. So we'll treat that when we get there.

However, however, there's similar language, abomination of desolation in Daniel chapter 8 verse 13, in Daniel 11 verse 31, in Daniel 12 verse 11. And so you've got these four places in Daniel which uses very similar language. So it does not have to be Daniel 9. The commentators are almost universally agree that it is Daniel 9 verse 27 and I agree that it is but I just want to be honest that the same language is used in four places in Daniel. Now, one of the first things I did this week was to read the whole book of Daniel, just to make sure I had my bearings and had a sense of where this fit into the 12 chapters of Daniel.

Jesus Christ is everywhere in Daniel. Jesus Christ, the Messiah who would come, is the thrust of Daniel. So there are three places that are so clear leading up to chapter 9 where we'll be today. And I just want to talk about them so you can see the beauty of Jesus Christ the Messiah in Daniel. First is in chapter 2.

In chapter 2, Nebuchadnezzar has a vision of five kingdoms, but it's in one body. Okay? So, the first kingdom is Nebuchadnezzar. We know that from Daniel's interpretation. And he's the golden head of this body.

And then there's another kingdom, and then there's another kingdom, and then there's another kingdom, and then the last kingdom is feet that are made out of clay and iron. And this last kingdom is crushed into powder by a rock that's cut without hands. Now, that rock in chapter 2 is said to be a king with a kingdom that is everlasting. The rock that is cut without hands is Jesus Christ. Daniel might not have known it, but looking back we can see that Jesus Christ the Rock is the one who crushes all other kingdoms and has a kingdom that is everlasting.

His kingdom will never end. So Jesus Christ is in Daniel 2. Then in Daniel chapter 3, three men are thrown into the fiery furnace, Shadrach, Neshach, and Abednego, because they won't bow down. And Nebuchadnezzar looks in there and he asks his men, didn't we put three men in that furnace? And they say, yes, King.

Yes, oh, King. And he says, there's a fourth man in the furnace. I can see him. And the fourth is like the son of man. The fourth is like the son, excuse me, The fourth is like the Son of God.

That makes a difference, doesn't it? Although they're both terms for Jesus, but the exact words in chapter 3 are, Nebuchadnezzar says the fourth man is like the Son of God. Jesus Christ is in the fiery furnace in Daniel chapter 3 with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and they come out and they don't even smell like smoke. Then in Daniel chapter 7, there are four beasts. And the last beast, these are all kingdoms, the last beast, or this last kingdom, has four horns And this last horn that comes up, the fourth horn, speaks pompous words and then the Ancient of Days is ushered into the courtroom and seated.

And this horn speaking pompous words is destroyed and then one like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven comes before the ancients of days and he's given an everlasting kingdom. Jesus Christ is so clearly in Daniel chapter 7, the one like the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven to be given an everlasting kingdom. So these are all things in the run up to Daniel chapter 9. Christ is everywhere in Daniel. So let's take this slow.

Let's take this verse by verse. We're going to start with verse 20 and 21. And so I'll be taking this bit by bit and I'll just be reading verses and giving the commentary on that and we'll keep pressing on. Daniel chapter 9 verse 20, now while I was speaking, 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. Yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, reached me about the time of the evening offering." So this is the context.

And actually, we can go all the way back to the beginning of chapter 9. Daniel is a man on his face before God praying the most tender-hearted, most fervent, most earnest prayers about his own sins and the sins of your people. Maybe that you'll find in the entire Bible, maybe Psalm 51 with David confessing his sins compares to this. But outside of Psalm 51, if you want to know how to repent before God, where else would you go other than the things that James Lundquist has just read in Daniel 9. Daniel is a man humiliated before God because of his own sins and because of the sins of his people.

And what we have here, This is not about the prophecy itself, but to come to this text of Scripture and not to talk about what we see in the life of Daniel as a righteous man conducting himself before God in an unrighteous culture. This is beautiful. And as people who are in an increasingly unrighteous culture, what a blessing to be able to come to Daniel 9 and say, here is a man who knew how to be humiliated before God and to do right in an unrighteous culture. We have a lot to learn from Daniel. Daniel is a praying man.

We don't have to get to chapter 9 to learn that. In Daniel 6, which is the lion's den chapter, Daniel 6 is. There's a decree that nobody can worship any other God except for the king for 30 days. Well, Daniel's not going to do that. Daniel's not going to obey that law.

And so, he does what he always does. Here's what it says in Daniel 6, the second half of verse 10. He, Daniel, knelt down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks to God as was his custom since early days." So do you get it? In Daniel chapter 6, Daniel's pattern of life since the earliest days was to set aside three times a day to be on his face before the Lord. So the decree of the king is not going to stop Daniel's pattern of life, which is to pray.

And so he actually, in Daniel chapter 6, he actually invites trouble. He opens up the windows and then he does what he always does, knowing that he's being set up. So Daniel's happy to take the bait and he knows he's taking the bait and God rescues him in Daniel chapter 6. So Daniel is a praying man and what we see in Daniel chapter 9 is just more of the same from Daniel. It's his pattern of life since his early days is to beseech God.

What's he praying about? His sins. Daniel is confessing his sins and he's confessing the sins of his people. He loves his people. In Matthew chapter 7, sermon on the mount, Jesus said, blessed are those who mourn.

Blessed are those who mourn. Daniel is doing what Jesus is going to teach about on the mountainside. He's mourning over his sins. He's grieved at how much he sins, how cold his heart can be at times, how he finds himself doing what he doesn't want to do. Daniel's a man who doesn't view himself as righteous.

Even though my guess is if we hold Daniel up to me, Daniel's way more righteous. Or hold Daniel up to you. His pattern of life seems more righteous than our life. And so probably on a comparative plane, Daniel's a righteous man but he feels his need before God. He's confessing his sins and the sins of his people.

So as a righteous man among a bunch of sinful people, He's not wiping the dust off of his feet and saying, I thank God that I'm not like this other man. Not at all. Daniel realizes that all men are sinful before God, and He has a tender heartedness and a love for His people. And He's confessing not His own sins, but He's identifying with the people of God, even though they're not doing what they ought to be doing. What does Daniel do with that data?

The people of God are still sinful, still have a stiff neck, still are disobedient to God. Does Daniel say, I don't want anything to do with them? No. Daniel understands that He's connected to these people and He is repenting for Himself and for them. Praise God for this testimony.

In fact, in Jeremiah 29, Jeremiah is prophesying before the people go into captivity. So, he's prophesying to the people who are being led into captivity. Listen to Jeremiah 29 verse 7. This is God. This is part of the prophecy.

So this is directly the voice of God. And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it, for in its peace you will have peace." See what's happening there? God is commanding his people in captivity to pray for Babylon. To pray for Babylon. So Daniel is a man who has gotten the memo from God that you can't just distance yourself when you live among an unrighteous people.

Even an unrighteous people that's been taken captive by more unrighteous people, you can't just say, I have no part in this. I'm a righteous man and God's just going to pour out His wrath on them and never the two shall meet. No. Righteous men have been trained by God to understand that they're connected with their people. And so, it's not just me and my sins, it's my people and our sins.

And they're grieved. They mourn over just their own personal sins, but over the sins of their people as well. Daniel's praying at the time of the evening offering. When you just read this, you skim over the top of it, you don't get the significance of that. Do you understand there is no evening offering?

They're in Babylon. The temple's torn down. Jerusalem is desolate. The walls are down. There's no evening sacrifice.

But there's still a time. There's still an evening. So Daniel, out of reverence for the ways of God, the commandments of God, at the time of the evening sacrifice, even though there's no temple and they're not even in the right city, Daniel is humbling himself before God and still praying. This is amazing. I love to see what Daniel is doing here.

Finally, Gabriel comes to him and he's flying fast. Now, it calls him a man here, but don't be put off by that. There are three words for man. If it was a man-man, a human-man, There are two Hebrew words for that, and this isn't either of those. It can be translated man, so it's not a bad translation, but in the resurrection account, the two angels are called men.

In the Ascension account, you remember Jesus is taken up into the clouds and there are two men standing behind them. Well, they're angels in every case. So this is not unusual biblical language. Don't be put off. This is not a flying man.

This is the angel Gabriel, who actually is introduced in Daniel chapter 8. So this is the second time that Gabriel has appeared to Daniel, both times by name. Gabriel means warrior of God. This is a leading angel. This is Gabriel, the warrior of God who has come to Daniel.

Now fast forward to Luke chapter 1. Zechariah is a priest. He needs to know that he's about to have a son that's going to be the forerunner who's been prophesied, the one who will go before Jesus to make the path straight. Who is it who tells Zechariah? It's Gabriel.

So in Luke chapter 1 verse 19, an angel appears and he says, I am Gabriel. So we say, interesting, neat. Zechariah, a priest, says, Daniel 8 and 9. Okay, do you get that? You've got to think like a Jew for a minute.

Somebody who really knows the Old Testament. Gabriel only appears in two chapters of the Bible, Daniel 8 and 9. So, Zechariah, the words, I am Gabriel, means something very profound to him. And so, this angel that's been sent with the message about the Messiah and what he'll accomplish is the one who sent to Zechariah. And then later in Luke chapter 1 is sent to Mary's.

So Gabriel, this angel who appears to Daniel and gives him a messianic prophecy, a prophecy about Jesus Christ, is also the same one that comes and tells Zechariah what he needs to know about his son, the forerunner of Jesus Christ, is the one who comes and speaks to Mary about the son that will be born to her. These things are incredibly profound to think about. Now let's look at verses 22 and 23. Back to the text, Daniel 9 verse 22. And he informed me and talked with me and said, Oh Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand.

At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved. Therefore consider the matter and understand the vision." Gabriel tells him exactly why he's there. I've now come forth to give you skill to understand. Now in Daniel chapter 1, Daniel, Shadrach, Neshach, and Abednego are the four Hebrews that have been singled out as those who have skill to understand. Almost exactly the same wording that's used here in Daniel 9.

But this isn't what Daniel needs in Daniel 9. In general, he's gifted and has skill to understand, but he needs direct revelation here. And so Gabriel has come to give him direct revelation from God. Daniel's been praying and there was an immediate response. As soon as Daniel started praying, Gabriel is dispatched and he flies fast and he's there before Daniel has even risen from his knees.

He's still praying when Gabriel appears before him. So why does God send Gabriel? Because he's greatly beloved. Daniel is greatly beloved. It's right there in the text.

You are greatly beloved. Literally, you're precious. Daniel, this man who is humiliated before God because of his sins and because of the sins of his people, is precious to God and God wants his people to know some things. And so he sends Gabriel. Now verse 24.

Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city. To finish the transgression, to 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. I'm going to say what I said at the beginning. I'm going to work really hard not to get lost in the minutia. My original note said lost in the weeds.

There are no weeds in Holy Scripture. I scratched that out and I changed it to minutiae. Everything here is true, down to the jot and tittle, and is helpful and is intended by God to bless His people, but not everything here is easy. And so when you get into the fine points and the areas that are difficult to get right exegetically and the areas where there's controversy, it can cause you to just lose sight of the whole thing so that you're staring at the tree and you have no idea what the forest looks like. So may our time be filled with keeping the forest in view and not staring at any one of the trees in the forest.

This is a very difficult text. I was thinking that Matthew was 24 until we came to Daniel 9. Matthew 24 is a piece of cake compared to the text that we have before us. So here's my objective for 24 through 27, to provide a coherent exposition in humility. In other words, I'm going to try my best not to be overly dogmatic on any of these points because there are so many reliable expositors who come down in such different places.

And to sort through this this week has been grueling. This I can say with confidence. There's not all that much I can pound the pulpit about this week, but this I can pound the pulpit about. This text is about Christ. It's about Jesus Christ the Messiah and what God sent him to do.

Fundamentally, the text is about the person and work of Jesus Christ. And it's so beautifully miraculous that We should come away from this text so encouraged to see that God said, in 490 years the Messiah is coming to do this. It should give us such joy and confidence to know that God knows exactly what will be happening 490 years from today, just like he did on the day he dispatched Gabriel to go meet with Daniel. Now we have 70 weeks here in verse 24, or 77s. Both are completely acceptable renderings of that word.

It could either be 70 weeks or 70 sevens, 70 groups of seven. What we have here is 70 years times seven. Seventy years of sevens. Seven of 70 years. Seven times seven equals 490.

That's what we have here. And it's The period of time between when Gabriel said this, actually we'll have a beginning marker in a minute. It's the period of time leading up to Jesus Christ. Now listen to Leviticus 25, 8. So I've got some proving to do to say that 70 weeks or 77 equals 490 years.

So I'm embarking on that proving now. In Leviticus 25, verse 8, it says this, and you shall count seven, seven Sabbaths of years for yourself. Seven times seven years. And the time of the seven Sabbaths of years shall be to you 49 years. So here's an example in Leviticus where it's talking about seven Sabbaths, which that's not clear, not perfectly clear exactly what that means, but it's explained explicitly in Leviticus 25 verse 8.

It says explicitly seven times seven years. And then, so there's no mistake, it says, It gives you the total, 49 years. So here's an example of something very, very similar to what's in Daniel chapter 9. And it makes 70 times 7 years equals 490 years a possible interpretation. What gives me confidence to say that it is the right interpretation?

Jesus came in 490 years. The time markers that we have from the time of Daniel plus 490 years brings us right into the time of Jesus Christ. Right into the time. You can't read this text and say, this isn't talking about Jesus. So we can know with confidence.

Did Daniel know with confidence that it was 490 years? I don't know. I don't know. My guess is he did. But after the fact, since the prophecy has been fulfilled, we can look back and look at the markers and say, this was 490 years.

So I'll be using that scheme. The sevens, it's 70 years times seven equals 490 years. Now you have to understand what this really represents. This is fascinating and this is wonderful and exciting. What does this really represent?

Look in Daniel 9, verse 1 and 2. So same chapter, first two verses. In the first year of Darius, the son of Ahasuerus, of the lineage of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans, in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood by the books of the number of the years specified by the Word of the Lord through Jeremiah the prophet that he would accomplish 70 years in the desolation of Jerusalem. So Daniel's been reading Jeremiah and the prophecies of Jeremiah by reading that and understanding it, he sees, Jeremiah said we're going to be in captivity for 70 years. We're coming to the end of those 70 years.

Something's going to happen. This is what verses 1 and 2 say. So 70 in verse 24 is not a number out of the blue. It's in the context of Daniel understanding the prophecy of Jeremiah that the people were going to be in captivity for 70 years. Now, why were they in captivity?

Class, why were they in captivity? Listen to Leviticus 26 verses 34 and 35. In Leviticus 26 verses 34 and 35, God is warning the people early on in the history of the people of Israel. He's warning them what will happen if the people don't obey Him by keeping the Sabbaths, particularly the Sabbath year. So there's the Sabbath day, but there's also the Sabbath year where the people of God were to work the land for six years and the seventh year the land got a rest.

That's the Sabbath year. Now listen to Leviticus 26 verses 34 and 35. Then the land shall enjoy its Sabbaths as long as it lies desolate and you are in your enemy's land. So God is speaking to what, He's speaking beyond the iniquity. In other words, he's warning them by saying, when you've done this, then I'll send you out of the land, and the land will get its Sabbath then.

You won't obey me. You won't let the land rest. I'll just evacuate the land of you. And the land will get its rest then. So now we're back in Leviticus 26, verse 30, second half of verse 34.

Then the land shall rest and enjoy its Sabbaths. As long as it lies desolate, it shall rest for the time it did not rest on your Sabbaths when you dwell in it." In other words, you wouldn't obey me, you wouldn't give the land its Sabbaths, so I clear you out of there and then the land gets to enjoy its rest. Now, so that's in the background. God warned them. If they didn't obey, He'd clear them out and give the land its Sabbaths in another way.

Now, listen to 2 Chronicles 36 verses 20 and 21. 2 Chronicles 36 verses 20 and 21. Second Chronicles 36 verses 20 and 21. And those who escaped from the sword, he carried away to Babylon. So 2 Chronicles 36 is the exile, the captivity to Babylon.

This is what we're talking about. Where they became servants to him and his sons until the rule of the kingdom of Persia. To fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths. As long as she lay desolate, she kept Sabbath to fulfill 70 years. Okay, so why 70 years of captivity?

Leviticus 26 tells us, 2 Chronicles 36 tells us, it's because they would not obey God, and they just kept working the land. And I think that's not the only disobedience, right? That's symptomatic of the hearts of the people that would not obey God. I'm sure there were all manner of other iniquity and sin and transgression happening during that time. But this is symptomatic of it.

And God says the captivity is for this reason. Now, both Daniel and 2 Chronicles have mentioned Jeremiah. So specifically, what did Jeremiah say? He said this. Jeremiah chapter 25 verse 11, �And this whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years." So he's talking about the captivity, he's talking about the tribes being taken into exile by Babylon and the period of seventy years.

Now listen to Jeremiah 29 verses 10 and 11. This is probably the clearest place in Jeremiah. Jeremiah 29 verses 10 and 11. For thus says the Lord, after 70 years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform my good toward you and cause you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." So even though God is sending His people into exile, into captivity, into Babylon for 70 years, He says, At the end of the 70 years, I'm going to show you good.

It's not for your destruction that I've sent you into captivity. So he sent them into captivity knowing how long it was going to last, 70 years, and knowing that he wasn't done with them. And this wasn't a total cutting off, but that his intentions toward them were kind. And at the end of the 70 years, he'd be showing his good to them by bringing them back. So think about where this brings us with Daniel.

This is exactly what's being said to the people. They'll be brought back at the end of the 70 years. So, how many years of disobedience Does it take to get 70 years of exile, class? How many years? Okay, so like one in seven, you miss that one.

You miss that one. You miss that one. How many cycles? 490 years, right? 490 years gives you 70 Sabbaths that you missed.

Is this sinking in? The symmetry of this chapter is this sinking in. 490 years of disobedience. And God is patient. And God is forbearing.

And God is waiting. But at the end, He judges and He sends them into captivity for 70 years. And then at the end of the 70 years, he sends word to Daniel, there's going to be good to you for 490 years. I'm going to send you back. You're going to rebuild the city.

You're going to rebuild the temple. I'm going to send the Messiah. If we get nothing else out of Daniel 9, we have to get this. God's mercy outweighs His judgment by a factor of what? I mean, it's really probably, it's got to be 14 to 1, doesn't it?

I mean, there's 490 years of patience leading up to the judgment, then there's 70 years. I mean, you're already, patience to judgment is already in a massive disconnect in the ratios, isn't it? God has been so merciful, but then at the end of the 70s, he says, I'm going to be good to you for 490 years and send you the Messiah. Of course, that's not all he says. He's also, there's a prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem in the temple again here.

But we should come to Daniel 9 and look, why are they in captivity? So it was 490 years of transgression that caused them to be in captivity for 70 years. How merciful of God. How good of God. And then on the other side of the captivity, He's promising more good and bringing them back into the promised land and restoring the holy city and the temple.

It should make us think, what if God gave us what we deserved when we deserved it? What is the ratio of God's forbearance and His kindness and His patience and His mercy to His judgment? What if every time you sinned, you reaped right that minute what you sowed? What if that was the world that we lived in? No!

The world that we lived in is so full of God's patience and forbearance and His mercy and His Judgments are so sparing. God is so kind. Here in verse 24, we have the scope of the 70 weeks. In other words, God says 70 weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, and then he gives a list of six things to be accomplished in the 70 weeks. So I'm going to talk individually about these six things, but I want to lump the first three together because they're so similar.

So look at the text. Number one, to finish transgression. Number two, to make an end of sins. Number three, to make reconciliation for iniquity or to make atonement for iniquity. Either reconciliation or atonement are very good renderings of this Hebrew word.

And both of them speak to the work of Christ. So reconciliation or atonement, take your pick. But atonement is a good rendering of that word. It makes its way, I think, into NASB and ESB, but I wouldn't swear to it. Some of the translations render atonement.

So these things hang together, don't they? The finishing of transgression, the end of sins, the reconciliation for iniquity. I want you to turn to Isaiah 53. And if you've got a scrap of paper, you're going to need it, because we'll be back to Isaiah 53 one other time. So keep it marked.

Daniel 9 and Isaiah 53 are so compatible. They go together. So we're talking here about finishing transgression, making an end of sins, and atoning for iniquity. Listen to Isaiah 53 verses 5 and 6. Look with me.

But He, the Messiah, but He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

150 years, in rough numbers, 150 years before Daniel is Isaiah. God's been saying the same thing about his Messiah since at least, well, you can find prophecies about the Messiah earlier than Isaiah. But Isaiah says this 150 years before Daniel, and they're saying the same thing. The Messiah is coming to deal with sin. The Messiah is coming to take iniquity upon Himself so that a people can be redeemed and set free from their sins.

What does Jesus say? What are His last words? He's on the cross. What are his last words? John 19 verse 30.

It is finished. What is finished? I mean, he does bow his head and he does give up his spirit then, so his life's finished. That's not what Jesus is saying. The it is a lot bigger than my life is finished.

The it is Jesus came to deal with sin and when he died, he dealt with sin. It is finished. Jesus Christ has dealt with sin and purchased people by shedding His own blood. Listen to what Matthew Henry has to say. I love what Matthew Henry has to say about this.

God might justly have made an end of the sin by making an end of the sinner. But Christ found out another way. And so made an end of sin as to save the sinner from it, by providing a righteousness for him. Now number three, we're back in verse 24. Number three, this Matthew Henry brings us, excuse me, to number four.

Better get my numbers right. It's a confusing chapter without me mucking it up about numbers. Number four, to bring in everlasting righteousness. What a great summary of the person and work of Jesus Christ. To bring in everlasting righteousness.

Listen to Jeremiah 23 verses 5 and 6. 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 in safety.

Now this is his name by which he will be called, the Lord our righteousness." The branch raised up to David. His name is the Lord our righteousness. One of my top hundred favorite hymns, I call them almost all my favorites, so I have to put that card. One of my favorite hymns, Rock of Ages, has this line, be to me a double cure. Save from wrath and make me pure.

The hymn writer didn't just make that up. It's here in Daniel chapter 9 verse 24. He saves from wrath, he makes an end of sin and he becomes the Lord our righteousness. He puts into us what the Reformers like to call an alien righteousness. A righteousness from outside, not righteousness because we've obeyed the law, but a righteousness that is imputed from the outside, an alien righteousness.

He is the double cure to us to bring an end to transgression by paying the penalty for the sins of His people. And not just that, not just offering pardon for sin, but imputing a righteous, to bring, to usher in an everlasting righteousness. Now number five, to seal up vision and prophecy. Whatever this is, it's part of this 70 weeks, to seal up vision and prophecy. We have the Old Testament and we have the New Testament.

And they are very different. I see continuity everywhere. I'm trying to be a Puritan reformer, so I see continuity everywhere. But Jesus Christ is the culmination and He is the substance of all the shadows. So They're not exactly the same thing.

I think we can bring so much forward and benefit from them, but they're not the same thing. There's the Old Testament and there's the New Testament. And the dividing line is Jesus Christ. He seals up vision and prophecy. In the Sermon on the Mount at the very beginning in Matthew chapter 5 verse 17, Jesus says, do not think that I came to destroy the law and the prophets.

I did not come to destroy but to what? To fulfill. To fulfill. Jesus Christ comes and lives a sinless life, the life that we should have lived, He fulfills the law perfectly, but not just the law. Jesus Christ fulfills the prophets.

The prophecies are about Jesus Christ. Every word of everyone, no, but the thrust of prophecy, the reason for prophecy is to point to Jesus. It's the purpose of the law too, by the way. All the ceremonial law. There's so much richness in there about Jesus and what he would come and do and all the sacrifices and the temple and, and, and.

The law and the prophets are fulfilled by Jesus Christ. Their primary purpose is to point to Christ. Listen to Paul in 2 Corinthians 1 verse 20. 2 Corinthians 1 verse 20, for all the promises of God in him are yes, and in Him, amen. All the promises of Jesus Christ, Excuse me, all the promises of the prophets in Jesus are yes.

Yes, yes. Amen, amen. He comes and He fulfills. Everything that had come before was to point towards Him, and he seals it up and puts a bow on it because the substance is here and the shadows have passed away. Number six, to anoint the most holy.

Several translations add place. It's an addition of a word. It's not an inappropriate addition of a word. If you've got one of those Bibles where every time they added a word, they put it in italics, you find a fair number of italics' words. It's usually used with a place.

And it's often used with the holy of holies. Okay, so this is why the translators in some translations say the anoint the holy place. But that is the addition of a word that those translators thought made sense based on the other usages. So it's a good translation, but it is the addition of a word. I personally, I like this better.

I like New King James where it says, to anoint the most holy, because I'm pretty sure it's talking about Jesus Christ. I'm not that disturbed if it's the most holy place, because the Holy of Holies and the temple is all about Jesus anyway. That's why it says, tear down this temple, and in three days I'll have it raised up. And the Jews are thinking he's talking about the temple. So there's not a huge distinction to be argued over here.

But I do believe that it's talking about Jesus Christ when it says that the 70 weeks, within the 70 weeks, will be the anointing of the Most Holy. I think, and I say this with not the right amount of confidence. But I think it's Daniel 7 verses 13 and 14. I was watching in the night visions, and behold one like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. And he came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him.

Then to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away and his kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed." I believe that what is being spoken of here in Daniel 9 is the coronation of Jesus Christ when He ascended on the clouds of heaven and the Ancient of days says, you're the king. So that's what I think it is. Could be other things, but I think it's Daniel 7. Okay, verse 25.

Verse 25. Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and 62 weeks. The street shall be built again and the wall even in troublous times." So in the scheme that I'm offering, we have seven plus 62 or 69 of the 70 weeks. So almost all of this time period is captured in verse 25. 7 plus 62 is 69 and this is in the context of 70 weeks.

But I'm translating into years because I think this is 49 years and I'm pretty confident about that. So that would be 7 times 7 weeks is 49 years followed by 7 times 62 weeks or 434 years or a total of 483 years, which leaves us just seven years short that last week or that last sevens. So, I hope the math isn't too confusing, but it is what it is. So, here are the difficulties with trying to peg precisely to the histories. This is the best source we've got.

This is inerrant, pure, infallible. Now go reconcile that to the 2500 year old histories that are all fallible and that we don't have very many of. It's a difficult process because we're reconciling Pure and 100% right with the histories of 2500 years ago. So it's very difficult to peg exactly this is the command to rebuild Jerusalem this year. There's a lot of disagreement about that.

So there are debates about what kind of calendar to use. Solar calendar or lunar calendar. It matters to how many days you have in the year. And both were in use at the time. There are debates about the actual dates.

Did you know there's wide disagreement about the date, even the date that Jesus was crucified? It's commonly thought to be AD 33, But I think it's more likely that it's AD 30. So there are good reasons to believe both of those dates. So the dates themselves come with a lot of debates. Now the Persians were notoriously bad about dating the reigns of their kings.

Now why was that? The Persians don't even know when their kings reigned, precisely. And here's why. The king's getting older, so here's how it happens. The king dies and then his sons kill each other and the last man standing gets to be king.

That didn't seem wise to the Persian kings. So what began happening was a Persian king would say, this is the son I want to be king. So he would crown him king while he was still king and you would have kind of a dual kingship so that a son would be well established by the time the father died. So sometimes the Persians would say his reign started here when his father made him king or sometimes years or even decades later when the father finally died and he was really king all by himself. So pegging to a date, particularly among Persian kings, is difficult because their sons can't get along and would kill each other to be king.

There are debates about which decree, which command to build Jerusalem. There are four of them. There's a decree by Cyrus in Ezra 1. There's a decree by Darius in Ezra 6. There's a decree by Artaxerxes in Ezra 7.

There's a second decree by Artaxerxes in Nehemiah 2. So here's what happens. Theologians decide, based on their theology and their understanding of the texts, what they think is right. And then they go tinkering with these levers to find a scheme that fits their theology. Okay, do you understand?

Because we've got levers. We've got debates about this, and debates about this, and debates about this. And if you pull the levers right, you can come up with any date around the time of Christ by finding one of the permutations. Do you understand? You have multiple variables so you can find the right permutation to find a date around Christ by doing this.

But the theologians aren't primarily concerned with the extra-biblical historical data. They're driven by the theology. So I'm just going to set the dating thing, the dating thing. The wrestling over dates aside to just tell you the theology that's driving me. And let me assure you, I can find a permutation that gives us a scheme that matches up.

But it's unnecessary because the Bible is more reliable than those external sources anyway. And God has said 490 years. So here's another thing I can bang the pulpit on. It's 490 years. It's 490 years.

God was perfectly right about this. That much I can say with confidence. For textual reasons, I think it was the first decree. I think it was Ezra 1 or 2 Chronicles, chapter 36. It's the exact, almost exactly the same words and it's the same decree and it's given to us in these two different places.

So I'm going to read Ezra 1, you can join me if you want to, Ezra 1 verses 1 through 4. I believe this is the decree. So we're in Daniel 9, we're in verse 25, where it's pegging the start point on the 490 years. Are you with me? We're starting the clock on 490 years and it is from the time of the command to rebuild Jerusalem.

Okay, Ezra 1 verses 1 through 4. Now in the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, Okay, here's part of the theology that's driving me, was that Jeremiah and 2 Chronicles had said that the 70 years would come to an end with what? With the reign of a Persian. With the reign of a Persian. With the reign of a Persian.

So Cyrus fits the bill. Darius doesn't fit the bill. Nebuchadnezzar doesn't fit the bill. His son, whose name I forget doesn't fit the bill, but Cyrus fits the bill because he's Persian. Okay, now in the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, that word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled.

The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying, Thus says Cyrus, king of Persia, All kingdoms of the earth of the Lord God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is among you of all his people? May his God be with him and Let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord, God of Israel. He is God, which is in Jerusalem.

And whoever is left in any place where he dwells, let the men of his place help him with silver and gold, and with goods and livestock, besides the free will offerings for the house of God which is in Jerusalem." So, this is the decree of Cyrus. It happens in the first year of his reign and he's Persian. So, this fits. This fits. And the Lord stirred him up.

Do you see that in verse 1? The Lord stirred him up to do this. So we don't need that to be said. We could say that this is in the sovereignty of God, and in the providence of God He did that. But Ezra says explicitly why it happened.

God stirred up this pagan king's heart to do this, to send the people back with his blessing. And if I'm reading verse 2 right, excuse me, verse 3 right, they're all free to go. They're all free to go. So he says, you're all free to go, but if anybody stays, send them with gold and silver. And this is what happens.

There's a multi-stage return, right? Isn't that what we find in Nehemiah? Multi-stage return. But Cyrus kicks it off by saying, you're free to go back. And by the way, if anybody doesn't go, send them with money so they can do this.

Listen to Isaiah 44 verse 28. Please, we're at the hour mark. If I've lost anybody, come back. You have to hear this. And no, I'm not even near done.

I don't know what to do. I'm going to keep going. Alright, Isaiah 44 verse 28. Now this is within a prophecy. This is Isaiah 150 odd years before Daniel.

The voice of God, Isaiah 44 verse 28, who God says of Cyrus, who says of Cyrus. Now the Cyrus of Ezra 1 won't be born for another 120 years or something like that. The Cyrus of Ezra 1 won't be born for another 120 years. We're in Isaiah 44 who says of Cyrus, he is my shepherd, and he shall perform all my pleasure, saying to Jerusalem, you shall be built, and to the temple your foundation will be laid. Now I don't know of many more prophecies in the Bible that are more explicitly and more beautifully fulfilled than Isaiah 44, 28.

When the commentators started talking about this week, my mouth was agape. By name, he doesn't just say a king. He says Cyrus. And then 120 years later, a little baby is born in Persia to a king. What should we name him?

Cyrus. We should name him Cyrus. He becomes king. He says just what Isaiah said he will say. Now you can't tell me you want to dwell on the controversies in this text.

You can't tell me that that's where you want to spend your time and energies is parsing the controversies in this text. When God threw Isaiah 150 years ahead of time, said, it'll be Cyrus. And it was Cyrus. There are so many exciting things to unfold in this text. So the beginning of the period is the command to rebuild.

The end of the period is until Messiah the Prince. Now is this Jesus' birth? Can't be. Can't be Jesus' birth because the Messiah is going to be cut off after the 69th week. So this is bringing us to the end of 69 weeks and we'll know from the verse we're getting ready to look at that the Messiah hasn't been cut off yet.

So it cannot be His birth. Otherwise, He's got a life, total lifespan of less than seven years. That doesn't work. I believe personally that this is his baptism. The end of the 69th week is his baptism when the Spirit descends upon him and the voice of the Father comes from heaven to say, this is my beloved son.

And immediately he's launched into his public ministry. And I'm going to tell you more as we go through why I think that's so. But for now, just a place marker. I think the very end of the 69th week is His baptism, but I won't see you in a court of law if you don't agree because I don't have that much confidence. I wouldn't see you anyway.

So why the split of 49 years and 434 years? Why the subdivision of these 69 weeks? I believe that actually the verse tells us, look in verse 24, until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks. The street shall be built again and the wall even in troublous times." So I believe there's an isolation on the rebuilding of the city and the wall in this 49 years. It's at the beginning of these 69 weeks.

The first 49 years is when the wall and the temple will be rebuilt. And then the rest is the balance of the time until the Messiah comes. So I believe that's why there is the subdivision. It says that the street shall be built again and the wall even in trouble times. Have you read the book of Nehemiah?

The book of Nehemiah is all about the trouble times of rebuilding. In Nehemiah 4 verse 17, they're doing construction with one hand And they've got a sword in their other hand because they're so harried by their enemies. There are so many raids and attacks that you've got to do your construction work with one hand while you have a sword in your other hand. This is in troublous times. And there are actually, in Nehemiah, there are many, both internal and external troubles that came with the rebuilding of the streets and the walls.

In John 2, Jesus says, tear down this temple and I'll rebuild it again in three days. The Jews are thinking he's talking about the physical temple and what do they say? They say, it's taken 46 years to build this temple. It fits right into the 49 years. Actually, Calvin goes back and says, Technically, historically, it was three years to build the foundation, which there's actually a scripture that says the foundation is to be laid in three years, and then 46 years to build the temple, that equals 49 years.

So I don't know how much confidence I can say with that, But even what is said by the Jews in John 2 seems to match up with this 49-year period to rebuild. And the balance of the 434 years is until Jesus is beginning His public ministry, I believe. Would I bet my life on it? No way. No way.

Okay. Verse 26. And after the sixty-two weeks, Messiah shall be cut off, but not for himself. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood until the end of the war desolations are determined.

And after the 62 weeks, Messiah shall be cut off. After the 62 weeks. Now this is vitally important. Jesus Christ's death, the Messiah being cut off, is in the seventieth week because it's after the sixty-two weeks, which were week because it's after the 62 weeks, which were after the 7 weeks, okay? So he's working progressively.

7 weeks, 62 weeks. After that 69th week, the Messiah was cut off. Why does that matter? Well there's a very prominent strain of interpretation that puts a gap that is still continuing between the 69th and the 79th week. If that's true, then Jesus, the Messiah, hasn't been cut off yet.

It was after the sixty-ninth week. Now you say, Wow, you're putting a lot of weight on one word. Well, first of all, I have complete confidence in putting a lot of weight on one word. As long as we have a good understanding of the word and we got our arms around really what it means, we can put a lot of weight. Jesus actually put a lot of weight on a verb tense.

And Paul actually put a lot of weight on whether one word was singular or plural. So I, with complete confidence, I can say that because this word is after, the 70th week has already happened, period, amen. Has already happened, period, amen. Now, I looked to see how Hebrew deals with at the end of. In other words, is it hard in Hebrew to say at the end of the 69th week the Messiah is cut off?

Do they not really have a good clean way to say that? And what I found was, yeah, they have a great way to say it, and they say it all the time in the Old Testament. At the end of a period of time is said 38 times in the Old Testament. Eight of those times happen in the Book of Daniel. So after means after.

If he wanted to say at the end of the 69 weeks, he's got three ways to do it in Hebrew. And all three of those ways appear in the book of Daniel, in other parts, when he meant to say at the end of, He can say at the end of. So this is after the 69th week. The word here, just to beat a dead horse, the word here, after, is used 709 times in the Old Testament. Overwhelmingly, after means after.

Just means after. Until the cutting off of the Messiah, but not for Himself. Jesus wasn't cut off because of himself. He was cut off because of you sinner, and you sinner, and you sinner, and me sinner. He was cut off, but not for himself.

If you've still got a finger in Isaiah chapter 53, look at verses 8 and 9. Isaiah 53 verses 8 and 9. He was taken from prison and from judgment and who will declare his generation For he was cut off from the land the living. For the transgression of my people he was stricken. And they made his grave with the wicked, but with the rich at his death, because he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.

The Messiah was cut off, but not for himself." Then it speaks in Daniel 9, back to Daniel 9 verse 26. It speaks of the destruction of the city and the sanctuary. So this prophecy is coming to Daniel while the city is destroyed, while the temple is destroyed. And then there's a prophecy that they'll be sent back to rebuild. And then at the end of this time, the city and the sanctuary are going to be destroyed again.

And it reads like it happens in immediate succession. Messiah is cut off, the sanctuary and the city are destroyed. But the text doesn't require that. The text doesn't require that. And we know historically there was indeed time between when the Messiah was cut off and when the city and the sanctuary were destroyed.

So we can look back on the prophetic and say, the verse doesn't really require that, even though it reads naturally, But the words don't require it and historically we can look back and say there was time between them. Here's what's happening. Turn your Bibles to Matthew 21. Matthew 21. Matthew 21 verses 33 and 34 explain this.

Matthew 21, starting in verse 33. Here another parable. There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winecress in it, and built a tower. And he leased it to vine dressers and went into a far country. Now when the vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers that they might receive its fruit.

And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. Then he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. Then last of all, he sent his son to them, saying, They will respect my son. But when the vine dressers saw the son, they said among themselves, this is the heir, come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance. So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.

Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what Will he do to those vine dressers? They said to him, He will destroy those wicked men miserably and lease his vineyard to other vine dressers who will render to him the fruit in their seasons. Jesus said to them, Have you never read in the scriptures, the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone? This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes. Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.

And whoever falls on this stone will be broken, but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder." The cutting off of the Messiah is the last straw. It's the event that brings on the judgment of God like a flood. Just as the parable in Matthew 21 says. Prophets are sent, prophets are sent, prophets are sent, but when the Son is sent and killed, even the Jews themselves have to say, equity demands that the master come and kill those vine dressers, those wicked vine dressers, and give the vineyard to another kingdom who will render its fruits. I believe this is why this is joined like this in verse 26, because Jesus' death, the cutting off of the anointed one, cutting off the anointed one is the last straw that brings on the judgment of God, and that's why we see them side by side so that it reads like it would happen the next day.

It reads that way in Daniel 9. I think God wants to make such a clear connection between the cutting off of the Messiah and what happened in 70 AD that there will be no doubt. This is judgment for that. Then Gabriel says, the end of it shall be with a flood. Two chapters later in Daniel 11 verse 22, it's speaking of, it's another vision, and it's speaking of, it's a prophecy speaking of a conquering king, a wicked king, and it says this, With the force of a flood they shall be swept away from before him and be broken and also the prince of the covenant." And so the same language, an army, a conquering king at the head of an army coming like a flood to sweep away his enemies.

And desolations will extend through the end of the war. Now verse 27, verse 27, the hardest verse. Oh, look at the time. I think we're out of time. We'll pick up next week in chapter 24 of Matthew.

No, I'm just kidding. Verse 27, then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation which is determined is poured out on the desolate." So in verse 27 we have the 70th week, the last week of this time period. And I have the least amount of confidence in my understanding of the last week. I have preached with relative confidence, hopefully with humility, but with relative confidence up till this point.

My confidence is down a notch on this. I think what I have to say is coherent, but I want to let you know that this is a very difficult verse and I'm not completely confident that I have it right. Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week. Here's the pivot point on this verse. Who is he?

He's going to confirm a covenant for one week. And you have to diverge here. Either He is the most holy who's anointed, the Messiah, which means the anointed one. Either it's him or it's the prince of the peoples who comes and destroys the city and the temple. Now for me, I'm going to say Daniel 9 is about Jesus.

Daniel 9 is about the Messiah. The He in 27 is Jesus Christ and not the one, the prince of the people, who comes to destroy the city and the temple. This text is about Christ. This text is not about the Antichrist, and it's not about the Roman general Titus, who will come in verse 70 AD. So I think because the text is about Christ, that the He in 27 is about the Anointed One, the Messiah.

So much of what has been said in Daniel 9 equates to the New Covenant, doesn't it? The double cure, the dealing with sin, The saving from wrath and making pure. The bringing in of an eternal righteousness. This is New Covenant language through and through. Listen to Jeremiah and speaking of the new covenant.

This is in Jeremiah 31, starting in verse 31. You can join me if you want because it is an extended reading, but you don't have to If you don't want to. Jeremiah 31, speaking of the new covenant, prophesying about the new covenant. 31, 31, verse 31. Behold the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.

Not according to the covenant I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt. My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. But this covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord, I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor and every man his brother saying, Know the Lord, for they shall all know me." In other words, the people of God at this time won't be a people of birth where you need to teach each other. Teach the rise of the jesus.

Know the Lord. It will be a people who are a people by faith. Okay, that's how I understand this verse. When it says you'll no longer need to teach your people. The people of God will Truly, not genetically, not genealogically, but truly be the people of God.

So you won't have to say to your brother, know the Lord because he's your brother. Not in a genealogical way, but in a spiritual way because he has saved and saved. Continuing at the midpoint of verse 34. For they all shall know me from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity and their sin I will remember no more.

Thus says the Lord, who gives the sun for a light by day, the ordinance of the moon and the stars for a light by night, who disturbs the sea and its waves roar, the Lord of hosts is His name. If those ordinances depart from before me, says the Lord. Then the seed of Israel shall also cease from being a nation before me forever." So when I read Jeremiah 31, And I set it side by side with Daniel 9. And I look at verse 27 and the talk of a confirming a covenant with many, it just seems to fit together so well. So that's what I think it is.

And of course that brings us to the institution of the Lord's Supper in Matthew 26 verse 28, for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. So for me the puzzle pieces fit together very nicely. Shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. Here's the big challenge with my interpretation. This sounds like 70 AD, the end of sacrifice and offering, but in my interpretation, it can't be.

So the question for me is, is there another responsible way to understand the bringing to an end, sacrifice and offering? So I believe the 70th week is this way, right? You've got it in the middle of the week. So the 70th week is divided. I believe the first half is the public ministry of Jesus.

That The 69th week ended with the baptism of Jesus when the Spirit came down and He was launched as the Messiah into His public ministry. And I believe that The first half of the week is the three and a half years of his public ministry. That fits. And I believe that he was cut off in the middle of the 70th week, because that's after the 69th week. So it's in there somewhere.

I think it's in the middle. I think he was cut off in the middle. And I believe that his cutting off, here's the punch line, I believe that his cutting off, his death, his sacrifice, which was accepted by God the Father, was the effectual end of sacrifice and offering. Even though for another 40 years they'd keep killing things, it was futile. The once and for all sacrifice had been.

It's done. It is finished. And so there was a lot of killing of animals after that. But I don't believe those were effectual sacrifices. Listen to Hebrews 10, verses 1 through 4.

Hebrews 10, verses 1 through 4. For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. For then, would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshippers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices, there is a reminder of sins every year.

For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. OK, you get what the writer of Hebrews is saying in Hebrews 10, 1 through 4. It is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins. In other words, in that sense, it was never effectual. Those sacrifices never effectually purged the sins.

What did they do? They pointed to Christ. They pointed to Christ. They pointed to the fact that if there's going to be remission of sins, there has to be the shedding of blood. And it was a reminder year by year, your sin requires death.

The wages of sin is death. The wages of sin is death. The wages of sin is death. Year after year, dead animal after dead animal. But it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.

They just point it to Christ. And so, with the death of Jesus Christ ends the usefulness of any of the killing of those animals. They're not even a valid shadow anymore because the substance has come. Finally, the abomination of desolation from Matthew 24 verse 15, which by the way we're right back there in that text next week, or on the wing of abomination shall be one who makes desolate here in Daniel chapter 9 verse 27. While I don't fully understand Daniel and I'm uncomfortable with saying that I'm right about these things that I hope I'm right about, Jesus understands Daniel.

Jesus is the primary author of Daniel. So while I got all sorts of gaps in my understanding and I'm laboring to overcome them, Jesus is not laboring to overcome gaps in his understanding. So when he says, when you see this, it's that in Daniel 100% right. Jesus is right. I could pound the pulpit about that too.

Jesus is right about his interpretation of Daniel and the abomination of desolation. So here's what he says in Matthew 24 verse 15, Therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, the next verse, those who are in Judea, flee to the mountains right away. So, you're going to see something. And when you see it, run for the hills. Don't even pack your bags.

Now, Mark says, Mark's Olivet Discourse, Mark 13 says, almost word for word, exactly the same thing. No meaningful differences, I don't believe, between the two. Same words. Luke says something different, but in the same spot and with exactly the same thing following it. Listen to what Luke says.

Luke 21 verse 20. Luke 21 verse 20. But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. So same word desolation, but he doesn't say abomination of desolation. He talks about Jerusalem being surrounded by armies.

Well that doesn't mean it has to be exactly the same thing. That could be coincidental. But in the next words, he says, then let those in Judea flee to the mountains. He says exactly the same thing that follows it. So this is the thing that you'll see with your eyeballs that tells you to run.

It's the armies surrounding Jerusalem. So it doesn't have to be exactly one and the same thing, but it does have to happen at exactly the same time. Otherwise, they won't know when to run. The whole point is that they'll have a sign to know when to flee to the mountains to save themselves. They saw armies, the Christians in 70 AD, saw armies surrounding Jerusalem.

And because Jesus had said, this is that, when you see these armies, it's that in Daniel, run. The Christians took heed and they were saved. And the Jews were slaughtered. Jesus interpreted Daniel right, which authors usually do, interpret their own works correctly. And so it is here.

And the Christians took heed to what Jesus had said and they got out of Jerusalem and were saved. A few concluding remarks. Okay, we've been in the minutiae. We've talked about exegetical problems and we've talked about difficult things and controversies. Okay, come back up.

Come back up to 10,000 feet. Come back far enough back where we can see the whole forest and stop staring at oak trees. We've been redeemed. God sent Gabriel to tell Daniel hopeful things about his kindness and his goodness that he would make an end to sin and that he would usher in eternal righteousness. Eternal righteousness.

If you've been saved, your past sins, your present sins, your future sins have all been accounted for. His righteousness has been imputed to you. Jesus, the Messiah, has been cut off but not for himself. He was cut off for you and for me if we've trusted in Him. I think God has done four very wonderful things here.

I'm sure it's more than four, but here's the four I'm saying. Number one, He's given hope for Daniel. People of God, you won't. The captivity is not going to last forever. What Jeremiah said was true.

It's getting ready to come to an end. I'm getting ready to send you back into the promised land and you'll rebuild Jerusalem, the walls, the streets, the temple. Number two, He's increased our joy and confidence in the Word of God. Who can't read Isaiah 44, 150 years ahead of time, where Isaiah says it'll be King Cyrus that'll say the temple be rebuilt, and know that 150 years later it happens just that way? God already knew His name and wasn't going to be born yet for 120 years.

God already knew His name. We should come away from Daniel and I, in spite of all the controversy and difficulties of the text, we should come away with such joy and confidence in the Word of God. God knows what will be happening 490 years from today. He's ordained it all. He'll take the world to exactly that spot if He doesn't come first.

I hope he comes first. But he is wise. Number three, he has refuted unbelievers. He has refuted unbelievers, particularly unbelieving Jews. He has contradicted them.

The Jewish interpreters on this are hilarious. Hilarious! How can I get away from the inevitable? They make everything everything it's not because they cannot bear for 490 years be when Jesus came. 50 years before the time of Jesus, rough numbers, 50 years, there's a rabbi, our rabbi Nehemiah, not the Nehemiah of the Bible, this is a prominent rabbi 50 years before the time of Jesus.

He's declaring during that time period, the Messiah has to come in the next 50 years. He has to, because of what Daniel said. That's why there's such expectation when Jesus comes to be baptized. There's people waiting on Him. They've been waiting for the Messiah.

They've been expecting the Messiah. It's because of Daniel 9. It's because of Daniel 9. Simeon, Anna. I mean, I think they had extra revelation than just Daniel 9.

But there's an expectation among the people of God when Jesus comes that it is to be the time of the Messiah. Lastly, these words and Jesus' commentary on them in Matthew 24, saved the New Covenant people in 70 AD. It saved their bacon. They did what Jesus said, and it saved their bacon. They would have been slaughtered right alongside the Jews had they not obeyed, but they obeyed in the providence of God.

And think of all the early church that was probably built up by this fact that there was a dispersion and a final dispersion of the Christians because they couldn't be in Jerusalem. Let's give thanks.