HopeLives365

Guest (Male): The blood of the new covenant would seal the destiny of humanity. We can come to Christ through the blood that he has shed and appear before the Father just as if we'd never sinned, justified by the blood of Christ. It's shed for many for the remission of sins. Christ was crucified exactly on time.

Guest (Male): This is Hope Lives 365 with Pastor Mark Finley. Today's message: 70 Weeks. Enjoy, and remember you can always catch up with past messages and stay up to date with Hope Lives 365 and Pastor Mark by going to hopelives365.com. And now, Pastor Mark Finley.

Mark Finley: Let's suppose you were talking to a person that was an unbeliever. Let's further assume that that person is not only an unbeliever, but they're an atheist or an agnostic, and you only had one opportunity to talk to them. What texts in the Bible, what passages in scripture would you share that could make a difference?

Sir Isaac Newton, famous mathematician and scholar, chose the book of Daniel. Christopher Columbus, explorer, chose the book of Daniel. Timothy Dwight, the first president of Yale University, challenged his atheistic students to a debate, and he too chose the book of Daniel.

In the book of Daniel, there are four verses that really demolish atheistic arguments. Now, you say, "Mark, that's really simple. That's too simplistic." These four verses, once you grasp them, reveal three things: one, that the Bible is truthful; two, that Christ is divine; and three, that prophecy is reliable.

Daniel chapter 9, 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 the vision and prophecy, to anoint the Most Holy.

Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; the street shall be built again, the wall even in troublesome times.

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 the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, and till the end of the war, desolations are determined.

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."

Now, if we grasp those verses, it's life-transformational. If we grasp those verses, new truth leaps off the pages. So let's look at them carefully, phrase by phrase. Here in scripture, in Daniel 9:24, it says, "Seventy weeks are determined for your people and your holy city."

Who were Daniel's people? The Jewish nation. What was his city? The city of Jerusalem. When Daniel prayed this prayer, he was a captive, first in Babylon, then later in Medo-Persia. He was concerned about his people going free and rebuilding the city.

So he was praying. The first 20 verses of Daniel chapter 9 record this amazing prayer of Daniel, praying that his people would be delivered. But God broke through in unusual ways and answered Daniel's prayer in ways far beyond his expectation.

God said to Daniel, "Seventy weeks are determined for your people." Daniel's city, of course, was Jerusalem. Daniel's people, the Jews. What does it mean "determined"? The word determined in the Hebrew language is *chatak*. *Chatak* means "cut off from."

There was a larger prophecy of 2,300 years. These 70 prophetic weeks were cut off from it. They would apply especially to the Jewish nation. Now, in Bible prophecy, a day in Bible prophecy represents a year. These would be 70 prophetic weeks or 70 prophetic weeks.

There are seven days in a week, and seven days in a prophetic week would mean 490 prophetic days. There are seven days in a week; seven times 70 is 490 prophetic days. What is the evidence that one prophetic day in Bible prophecy equals more than a literal day, but a year?

We find that in Ezekiel 4:6, where God makes this prophecy to Ezekiel: "I have laid on you a day for each year." So 490 symbolic days would be 490 literal years. Numbers 14:34: "According to the number of days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for each day you shall bear your guilt one year, namely forty years, and you shall know My rejection."

So here in Bible prophecy, one prophetic day equals one literal year. And so, when we are looking at this prophecy of 70 weeks, 490 symbolic days, we're looking at 490 literal years. When do these years begin? Is there mathematical proof that Christ is the Messiah?

Is there mathematical proof that this prophecy was fulfilled exactly as the Bible says it would be? There is. When you look at this 490-year prophecy that's cut off from Daniel chapter 8, the 2,300 years, part one applies to the Jews. Part two applies to the Gentiles or God's people.

"Seventy weeks are determined or cut off for your people, Daniel." In Daniel chapter 9, we're going to go back to verse 24 and look at the scripture again to see the events that would take place. Seventy weeks or 490 years are determined, that is, cut off for your people, the Jews, and for your holy city, Jerusalem.

What would God give them? What were they to do during that period of time? To finish the transgression. In other words, God was giving them this 490-year period of probation where they would come to repentance as a nation.

Then it says to make an end of sins, or make an end of sins (plural), to make an end of their rebellion against God. And during that time, an event would happen. What would it be? The Messiah would come to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up—another word for seal up is "confirm"—the vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy.

So when Jesus came to usher in everlasting righteousness, as the prophecy says, when Jesus came to make reconciliation for iniquity, when Jesus came, he confirmed the covenant with his blood. And after his death and resurrection, he ascended to heaven to enter into the sanctuary above, to, as the high priest did on the inauguration of the earthly sanctuary, to anoint the Most Holy and then begin his work in the Holy Place.

Daniel outlines this: that the Messiah would come and that he would come along this 490-year timeline. But if indeed it says "seventy weeks are determined, cut off for your people, Daniel, to make an end of sin, for this period of probation for the Jewish nation as a whole to repent," and if during this time the Messiah is going to come, when does this whole prophecy start?

The next verse tells us. Daniel chapter 9, verse 25: "Know therefore and understand." Now, when an angel tells Daniel to know something or to understand something, it must be incredibly important. "Know and understand, from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem."

The whole prophecy would begin at a command to restore and build Jerusalem. Now, the Babylonians under the King Nebuchadnezzar had attacked Jerusalem in 605 BC. They further attacked it in 587, and the city was devastated.

The temple was destroyed. And so, here the prophecy says, "Know therefore and understand, from the going forth to restore and build Jerusalem, restore temple worship that had been neglected." From that day, that command goes forth, that's when this whole prophecy begins.

Now, there were three decrees that were issued. The first decree was issued by Cyrus and the second by Darius and the third by Artaxerxes. The first and second decree did not restore Israel as a nation. They allowed some of the Jews to go back; some went back, but many did not.

It was the decree of Artaxerxes that enabled the Jewish nation to be restored as a nation to be and to allow worship to take place. Funding was provided so the temple could be rebuilt and the city—the temple wasn't totally devastated, but it needed repair; the city needed repair.

Funding was provided, and Artaxerxes provided safe passage through the land. He allows them to go back and establish Israel as a nation. In Ezra chapter 7, it actually chronicles that decree, which is really an amazing decree in scripture outlined for us to read today.

Guest (Male): We'll be right back with Pastor Mark Finley. We thank you for listening and hope you're enjoying today's message. Our mission is to attractively present the Christ-centered biblical truths of scripture in a practical, relevant way to people around the world so that they may experience the abundant life that Christ offers and effectively share with confidence his life-changing truths with others. You can support this ministry and help us reach even more by going to hopelives365.com/donate. And now, back to Pastor Mark Finley.

Mark Finley: Ezra the seventh chapter, verse 11: "Now this is the copy of the letter King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, expert in words of the commandments of the Lord and of His statutes to Israel: 'Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven: Perfect peace, and so forth. I issue a decree that all those people of Israel and the priests and Levites in my realm who volunteer to go up to Jerusalem can go with you.'"

He gives them gold and silver. He gives them the opportunity of safe passage through the land. He allows them to go back and establish Israel as a nation. So, what year was this? Does the Bible tell us? Yes, it says in the seventh year of Artaxerxes.

What's the seventh year of Artaxerxes? It's precisely 457 BC. So, 457 years before Christ, this prophecy of the 490 years began. It is in answer to Daniel's prayer, and God is revealing to Daniel much more than Daniel ever imagined.

Let's go back to Daniel 9:25: "Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem (in 457 BC) until Messiah the Prince, there'll be seven weeks and three score and sixty-two weeks."

The prophecy begins in 457 BC. But 69 prophetic weeks from that time, Messiah would come. Who indeed is Messiah? Who is that? That's Jesus, right? What does the word "Messiah" mean? It means "the anointed one."

So, 69 prophetic weeks from 457 BC, the Messiah would come and be anointed or be baptized, because that's what the Messiah means. In fact, in the book of Acts, when Christ is baptized, Luke describes that he was anointed by the Holy Spirit.

So the anointing came to Jesus by the Holy Spirit at his baptism. In this prophecy that begins in 457 BC, 69 prophetic weeks of the 70 weeks would take us down to the Messiah. Well, again, how many days in a week? Seven.

If I have 69 prophetic weeks, and there are seven days in a week, seven times nine is sixty-three, carry my six. Seven times six is forty-two and six are forty-eight. So, 483 years from 457 BC forward on the timeline would take us down to the coming of the Messiah.

Now remember, Ezekiel 4:6, "I've laid on you a day for a year." 483 symbolic days are 483 literal what? Years. You've got it. Where does that take us? It takes us from the decree to restore and build Jerusalem down to the coming of the Messiah, not his birth, but his anointing or his baptism.

These 69 weeks or 483 literal years, that would take us exactly to 27 AD. Now you say, "Pastor Mark, how do you figure that? If we're going from BC to AD, how is that figured?" Well, if you took it on a calculator and you figured it out, you'd say, "Okay, I've got 483 years. I'm going forward on the timeline."

If I subtracted 26 years from that, if I'm figuring it out on a calculator, it would take me to the year zero, but then I would still have the rest of that prophecy to go. But in history from BC to AD, there was no zero year.

So let's suppose that I'm back here on this timeline and I'm back at 457 BC. And I have to go forward on the timeline 457 years. So if I go forward on the timeline 457, I don't go to the year zero because there's no zero year in history; I go to the year 1 AD.

But I don't want to go 457 years on the timeline. How many do I want to go? 483. Because remember, 69 prophetic weeks, 7 times 69 equal what? 483. So I want to go 483 years forward. Are you still with me?

So, if I were going 457 forward, I would go to 1 AD. But I have how many left? 26. So what would that take me? It would take me to the fall of 27 AD. What happened in the fall of 27 AD? Because this decree went forth in the fall of 457, so 483 years takes me to the fall of 27 AD.

What happened then? Well, the Bible tells us very clearly, Luke chapter 3, verse 21: "When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus was also baptized." When is this? It's clear. Luke 3, verse 1: "Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar."

So we know what year that was, fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, exactly 27 AD like the Bible predicts. Now somebody says, "I thought Jesus was 30 when he was baptized, but how could that be 27 AD?"

Jesus was 30 years old at his baptism in 27 AD. Jesus was not born in zero; he was born about 4 BC before that. How do we know that? Because Herod was still alive when Jesus was born, and Jesus was tried by Herod and condemned by Herod, you remember—not tried, but condemned by Herod.

And remember the wise men came, and as the result of that, we know that Herod was alive when Jesus was a baby. Herod died in 4 BC. So, we know when Christ was born, around 4 BC. Here's the interesting thing, though: in exactly 27 AD, when Jesus is 30 years old, he is baptized exactly like the Bible predicted 483 years before.

The Bible is no common book. The Bible is no ordinary book. It is divinely inspired by God. But the prophecy even becomes more amazing. The 483 years run out in 27 AD. The Bible then says in Daniel chapter 9, verse 26, "And after sixty-two weeks, sometime after, shall the Messiah be cut off."

So you had seven weeks and sixty-two weeks, the 69 weeks that led you down to 27 AD. The last part of those 69 weeks in the Bible were listed as those 62 weeks. "The Messiah will be cut off." What does it mean the Messiah will be cut off?

It means that the Messiah would be crucified. Daniel chapter 9, and I'm looking there at verse 25 and 26. Daniel 9:25 and 26: "Know therefore and understand, from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem (457 BC) until Messiah the Prince, until Christ would be anointed at his baptism, shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks (that's a total of sixty-nine weeks). The street shall be built again, the wall even in troublesome times."

They did begin worship in Jerusalem, just like the prophecy predicted. The street was built, the wall of the city was built, the city was repaired, temple was repaired. Verse 26: "After the sixty-two weeks, Messiah shall be cut off." Who's Messiah?

Jesus was anointed sometime after that 62nd week, after 27 AD. "But not for Himself." What does it mean to be "cut off but not for himself"? He'd be crucified, but not for himself, but for you and me. Jesus died for your sins.

His grace flows from Calvary's cross for you. Forgiveness is yours. Pardon is yours. Jesus is more than a good man, more than an ethical philosopher; Bible prophecy pinpoints that he is the Messiah. "And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary."

So notice in that passage, you have the Messiah, but you have the prince that is to come that's to destroy the city and the sanctuary. Was Jerusalem destroyed? It was. When was it destroyed? In AD 70.

More than a million people perished in the destruction of Jerusalem. Who was the Roman prince or general that destroyed the city? Titus. So here, the scripture says very clearly, "The people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, and till the end of the war, desolations are determined."

So Jerusalem would be devastated sometime after the crucifixion of Christ. Now, does the Bible give us any more specific information here? Verse 27: "Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the midst of the week, he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering to cease."

Now, here's where many, many people get confused. They have the idea that the "he" that's going to confirm the covenant is the Antichrist. Let me show you why that is totally impossible and that's an invention of the devil to destroy the veracity of this prophecy.

Notice clearly, who is the main subject of verse 24? Who is going to make reconciliation for iniquity? Who is going to bring in everlasting righteousness? Who is going to seal up the covenant? Who's going to anoint the Most Holy?

Not the Antichrist, Jesus Christ. He's the only one that can bring reconciliation for iniquity. What is the main theme of verse 25? Who is Messiah the Prince? It's Jesus Christ. Who is the main theme of verse 26? The Messiah that's going to be cut off, that's Jesus Christ.

So when you come to the conclusion of the prophecy and you have Christ the center of verse 24, Christ the center of verse 25, Christ the center of verse 26, wouldn't it be like the devil just to shift it? Secondly, there is no indication any place in the Bible that the Antichrist makes the covenant.

Jesus Christ is the author of the eternal everlasting covenant and he sheds his blood to confirm that covenant. Now notice what the Bible says, how precise this is: "He shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; in the middle of the week, he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering."

Who was it that brought an end to sacrifice and offering? Who was it that brought an end to all those lamb sacrifices? It was Jesus Christ. Jesus in Matthew 26, verse 28 says, "This is the blood of the new covenant."

So what is Jesus doing here? He's confirming the covenant. He is showing in heaven that there is a new and living way, that we don't come by sacrifices of animals; we come through the sacrifice of Christ.

And this is why it says in Daniel chapter 9 that he shall confirm the covenant, the covenant he made with Israel that the Messiah would come. He would be the fulfillment of those Old Testament prophecies. In the middle of the week, he'd bring the sacrifice, the offering to cease.

Guest (Male): You've been listening to Hope Lives 365 with Pastor Mark Finley. We hope you've enjoyed today's message and remind you that you can find much more in our many ministry resources at hopelives365.com. And you can support this ministry by going to hopelives365.com/donate. And now, a final thought from Pastor Mark.

Mark Finley: Jesus was crucified on time. Daniel 9 is about Jesus Christ our Messiah. It shows beyond a shadow of a doubt mathematical proof that Christ is indeed the Messiah. It shows beyond a shadow of a doubt that the prophetic word of God is true. It shows beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Bible is true. How could Daniel know these things hundreds of years before the birth of Christ? Jesus says, "This is the blood of the new covenant."