Paul McKenzie

Memory Verse, Tuesday, December 2, Daniel 9:27

"And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator."

When memorizing outlines, often I go to "the biblehub.com" which gives a brief, verse-by-verse summary of the chapters. For Daniel 9, they gave a good summary of this prophecy, as well as some supporting passages. It is a good, easy-to-find cell phone resource for those who have a heart to learn outlines. I used some of it as a springboard for the rest of this contemplation.

First, the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem leads us to the decree in Nehemiah 2.

Secondly, the first 49 years is the period of "rebuild", while the sixty-two weeks brings us to "Messiah the Prince". If you go by the 360-day year that was used, it will lead us to the very day that Jesus enters Jerusalem in AD 33. That started out well with the people laying palms under Him and cried "Hosanna in the Highest". (Luke 19) Isn't it interesting that Jesus kept saying that His time had not come until this point, for He knew His timeline very well. It was planned within the Trinity before the foundation of the world.

It did not end well, however, and as expected, for He again saw the abuse of the moneychangers in the Temple and cleansed it one last time, leading again to their rejection, and His rejection of them. They had their chance and threw it away, plotting His destruction.

Then we come to where "Messiah will be cut off and will have nothing", which, of course was the crucifixion, described prophetically by Isaiah. We saw the large, thick curtain of the Holy of Holies being ripped from top to bottom, the sun go dark as the anger of God was briefly displayed. Then came "The people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary", which was fulfilled in AD 70. We saw these warnings within Matthew 24, Luke 21, and Mark 13.

At that time, God suspended the 70th week. From Matthew 12, we see Christ's rejection, and moving from direct statements to parables, for the "blindness" in part of the unbelieving Jews began, and instead of the sudden growth of the Kingdom, a long, gradual spread was to commence while the Jews were scattered throughout all nations, and the "times of the Gentiles" took precedence for these last two millennia.

This had to have been devastating to see this awful scenario in the 70's. Thankfully, God clarified it about 20 years later with His Revelation to the last apostle: John. He gave us in very vivid detail what would happen in that 70th week. And anyone familiar with the Prophets, would see this and be greatly comforted.

Paul knew. He spoke of the final antichrist, our "gathering together", the resurrection of the dead, and the temporal blindness of the Jews so that the Gentiles could be "grafted in". Peter knew. He spoke of the deliberate delay in the last letter we have from him, showing how God was taking this time to call a people to Himself through the Messiah both from the Jewish remnant and the Gentiles.

And in Revelation we have the tribulation of Daniel described, the Millennial Kingdom of Isaiah, that will include the Temple meticulously described by Ezekiel, and then the "no Temple" that is to come, because the Trinity will be with us in the New Jerusalem! "And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb." (Revelation 21:22)

And when that day comes, it will be sudden and sure. Jesus assured us of that, crying out "Behold I come quickly!"

We see the "quickly" according to our timeline. Jesus saw it according to His timeline—that final mountain peak that will commence at the 70th week and move from there to the "Millennial" peak and then, glory to God, the "Eternal", where there is no longer any mystery, but all will be fulfilled!

And we will be with Him, reigning with Him in the Millennium, and then dwelling with Him forever in the New Heaven and New Earth. No sin, no tears, no darkness. Just the light of the Trinity, where "all things become new". (Revelation 21-22)

But that is still a way off. We are reaching the peak of the 70th peak. And the true church will see it from the banqueting table of Heaven, as God pours out His wrath on earth. For Christ will call His Bride up first, and we will return with Him as He claims His kingdom. I can't wait!

In the meantime, we watch, and profess His name. We may not be part of the Tribulation, but we could all go through severe persecution before that period, for the devil knows that his time is short. Give us strength, boldness, and wisdom O Lord, as you give us the privilege to call the rest of the Kingdom to Yourself, and tell the world to "flee from the wrath to come".

Today if you hear His voice, harden not your heart.

*ESV used unless noted*

Memory Helps:

Our new title for Daniel 9:

"The Prophetic TIME-LINE in NINE: Four hundred NINE-ty years."