August 24: THE PERFECT STANDARD
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… Daniel 9:24a
Gabriel is back to lay out details that will bring clarity to Daniel (and also to us!) in answer to Daniel’s prayer. Daniel is well-prepared to receive the rest of the explanation, as he has had time to recover from the initial shock (about a year) and, in addition, he has been fervently seeking the Lord’s wisdom, favor, and mercy regarding the Jewish nation of scattered people. Gabriel starts with a set of “puzzle pieces” that collectively point to the central focus for all of us: the Savior!
Seventy weeks are determined… That is, in prophetic time, seventy weeks of years. This springs from a Biblical principle of symbolism in prophecy: a day symbolizes a year (see Numbers 14:34, Ezekiel 4:6, Luke 13:32-33). This comes to 490 years. We can appreciate Gabriel’s use of the word skill (v.22)! The Hebrew word translated determined means cut off. This means cut off of something larger, which must be the aforementioned two thousand three hundred days (8:14), or 2300 literal years. The first 490 of the 2300 years are especially for:
your people and your holy city… Daniel’s people are the Jews, and his holy city is Jerusalem – holy because it was inhabited by the glory of God. In Solomon’s day, the completion of the temple was followed by His glory coming down out of heaven and filling the temple (see 1 Kings 8:11). This event was a tangible sign of God’s presence, and a prophetic symbol of Jesus Christ, the embodiment of God’s glory, who would come to the temple in person.
To finish the transgression… During this probationary grace period allotted especially for the Jewish nation, God would restrain the forces of evil surrounding the land of Israel – pagan nations and vast armies who wanted to crush the tiny nation of God’s people. The Hebrew word translated finish means to bring to completion their overstepping (transgression) of His holy law. God had suffered long with the Israelites. Within this period of 490 years, their opportunity as a nation was to either repent or to fill up their cup of iniquity. God was showing patience, but He was also setting a limit!
To make an end of sins… Initially this phrase registers as a parallel to the previous one. While there is nothing wrong with such an understanding, a closer look at the Hebrew word for sins (plural) is a reference to sin offerings 135 times. Indeed, the once-for-all-time event of Christ on the cross would mean the end of sin offerings. John the Baptist, using sanctuary language, called to the people, saying Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29).
To make reconciliation for iniquity… Ahhh! Beloved, this is at the heart of the Gospel message. We are all in need of reconciliation with our Creator! The Hebrew word, here translated reconciliation, is sanctuary language meaning atonement. It is a beautiful word that means to be “at-one”—in full, unreserved agreement—with God!
Your iniquities have separated you from your God… Therefore His own arm brought salvation… When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him. The Redeemer will come to Zion… Isaiah 59:2a, 16b, 19b, 20a