HopeLives365

Guest (Female): This is Hope Lives 365 with Pastor Mark Finley. Today's message, a series in the book of Daniel, week four, part three. 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.

Mark Finley: Let's suppose you were talking to a person that was an unbeliever. Let's further suppose 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.

Let's look at these passages from scripture found in Daniel the ninth chapter. We're going to go over this passage verse by verse, phrase by phrase, and let its beauty sink into our hearts. And as we go over it, new conviction will grip our souls that Jesus indeed is the Messiah of the world, that the Bible can be trusted, that prophecy is trustworthy.

Daniel chapter nine, verse 24: "70 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 an everlasting righteousness, to seal up the vision and prophecy, to anoint the most holy. Know therefore and understand, from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem unto Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks and 62 weeks; the street shall be built again, the wall in troublous times.

"And after the 62 weeks, the Messiah will be cut off, but not for himself; and for 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; till the end of the war, desolations are determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week, he shall bring the end to sacrifice and offerings; and on the wing of the abomination 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 "70 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. And so he was praying. The first 20 verses of Daniel chapter nine 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, "70 weeks are determined for your people." Daniel's city, of course, Jerusalem; Daniel's people, the Jews. What does it mean "determined"? The word "determined" in the Hebrew language is *chatak*, and *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. There are seven days in a week, and seven days in a prophetic week would mean 490 prophetic days.

Is that clear to you? Let me repeat it again just for clarity. The Bible says 70 weeks are determined upon your people. They're cut off from this larger prophecy. These 70 weeks apply to the Jewish nation. These are prophetic weeks. 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. Some Hebrew translations, when they translate Daniel chapter nine, say "70 weeks of years."

This, of course, is quite familiar in the Old Testament. You remember when we have the story of Laban, and it says there, talking about that story, that there would be weeks of years. So in Bible prophecy, one prophetic day equals one literal year. We find that throughout scripture, not only in the book of Ezekiel, but we also find it in the book of Numbers.

Here in Numbers, the 14th chapter, you remember the children of Israel had spied out the land. And as they spied out the land, they came back with a negative report. So God there made a prediction, a statement of fact: Numbers 14:34, "According to the number of days in which you spied the land, 40 days, for each day you shall bear your guilt one year, namely 40 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 eight, the 2,300-year prophecy, part one applies to the Jews, part two applies to the Gentiles or God's people. "70 weeks are determined" or "cut off" for your people, Daniel. Somebody said, "If the shoe fits, wear it."

So how do we know this day-year principle mentioned in Ezekiel, mentioned in Numbers, these weeks of years mentioned in Genesis—how do we know that this applies to this prophecy? There are two ways that we can know. One, if the shoe fits, wear it. By applying the day-year principle to the prophecy, the events that the prophecy said would take place, take place exactly.

Secondly, when you have prophecy and you have prophetic symbolism, when you have beasts rising up out of the sea—you know, Daniel talks about a lion with eagle's wings, a bear rising up on one side with three ribs in its mouth, he talks about a leopard with four wings in Daniel chapter seven, and this kind of beast that is a ten-horn and dragon-like beast—when Daniel talks about that, he's talking in prophetic terms.

So when you have prophetic terms embedded in a Bible prophecy, then the days are not literal days, but prophetic days. Now, when the Bible mentions a day, a day is a day; the seven days of creation are seven literal days. But in the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation, the day-year principle applies, so one prophetic day equals one literal year.

Guest (Female): 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: So let's go back to Daniel chapter nine. And we're going to go back, if you're following along in your Bible, and I know many of you are in these Bible studies. In Daniel chapter nine, we're going to go back to verse 24 and look at the scripture again to see the events that would take place. Daniel 9, verse 24: "70 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," 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 an 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, then begin his work in the holy place. So Daniel outlines this, that the Messiah would come, and that he would come along this 490-year timeline.

But if indeed it says 70 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 nine, verse 25. "Know therefore and understand."

Do what? What does it say? "Know" and what else? "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." So this 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 and to allow worship to take place. Funding was provided that the temple could be rebuilt, and the city. The temple wasn't totally devastated, but it needed repair. The city needed repair. And funding was provided, and Artaxerxes provided safe passage.

We find that decree in the Bible, in the book of Ezra, the seventh chapter, right before the book of Nehemiah. And in Ezra chapter seven, it actually chronicles that decree, which is really an amazing decree in scripture outlined for us to read today. 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 statues to Israel: Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of 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, go up to Jerusalem, can go with you." And 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 an 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: from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem," in 457 BC, "until Messiah the Prince, there will be seven weeks and three score and 62 weeks." So the prophecy begins in 457 BC. But 69 prophetic weeks from that time, Messiah would come.

Who indeed is Messiah? 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, 63, carry my six. Seven times six are 42 and six are 48.

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 upon you a day for a year." 483 symbolic days or 483 literal years. 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, it'd take me to the year zero, but then I would still have the rest of that prophecy to go.

But in the 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, seven times 69 equal 483. So I want to go 483 years forward. 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? The Bible tells us very clearly: Luke chapter three, 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 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar."

So we know what year that was, exactly 27 AD, like the Bible predicts. 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 condemned by Herod. 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.

Guest (Female): 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 more in our 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: 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 62 weeks," that's a total of 69 weeks. "The street shall be built again, the wall in troublous times."

They did begin worship just in Jerusalem just like the prophecy predicted. The street was built, the wall of the city was built, the city was repaired, the temple was repaired. Verse 26: "After the 62 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? It means 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.