The Prophecy - Daniel 9:24-27 - Daniel's 70 Weeks |
Old Testament Prophecy |
24) Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place. 25) So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. 26) Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. 27) And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate. |
When the Anointed One would be cut off, Daniel was told, he would have nothing. The word translated “cut off” is used of executing the death penalty on a criminal. Thus the prophecy clearly points to the crucifixion of Christ. At His crucifixion He would “have nothing” in the sense that Israel had rejected Him and the kingdom could not be instituted at that time. Therefore He did not then receive the royal glory as the King on David’s throne over Israel.(1)
Traditional Jewish commentary confirms that this Anointed One being "cut off" may refer to the death of a king, or The High Priest.(2) (Messiah was both King of the Jews and an eternal High Priest).
John referred to this when he wrote, “He came to that which was His own, (the throne to which He had been appointed by the Father) but His own (His own people) did not receive Him” (John 1:11). Daniel’s prophecy, then, anticipated Christ’s offer of Himself to the nation Israel as her Messiah, the nation’s rejection of Him as Messiah, and His crucifixion.(1)
To the Christian it is appropriate to believe in the Messiah being put to death due to wrongdoings. According to the New Testament, God made Christ "to be sin for us" (2 Cor. 5:21). Although He had never sinned, He died to pay the price for our sin. Even the method of His death (crucifixion) was that of a criminal. Christians also believe that the term "will have nothing" is an accurate representation of the fact that Jesus died without the majority of the Jewish word following Him, and without possessions.(3)
Will be cut off and will be no more (alternative translation).(2)
This prophecy predicts the Jewish Messiah would be rejected and killed (cut off) “and will have nothing.” That is a phrase that means this Jewish King will be killed without leaving any apparent heirs. The idea of a Jewish man and especially a Jewish King dying without any children or heirs was unthinkable, but that was the prediction.(4)
Here and in many other places it means “be put to death” or “be destroyed” (Gen 9.11, for example).(5)
Here are some links that have been created to help move around inside of the Daniel 9:24-27 prophecy.
Other links of interest include:
1). Walvoord, John F. ; Zuck, Roy B. ; Dallas Theological Seminary: The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL : Victor Books, 1983-c1985, S. 1:1363
2). ArtScroll Tanach Series Book of Daniel p.264.
3). Discover Series, The Daniel Papers, Daniel's Prophecy of 70 Weeks, p.21.
4). Pťer-Contesse, Ren.̌ ; Ellington, John: A Handbook on the Book of Daniel. New York : United Bible Societies, 1993 (UBS Handbook Series; Helps for Translators), S. 255
5). David Dykes (Green Acres Baptist Church).
