Have these prophecies already been fulfilled or are they yet future? Let's take a look.

Israel forgot God's warning, and though there were brief times of repentance, their transgressions eventually brought God to fulfill His warning; Israel was scattered throughout the world. Since the crucifixion of Christ, the prophecy in Deuteronomy 28:64-65 has been literally and graphically fulfilled.

This prophetic fulfillment began in AD 70 when Titus crushed the Jewish rebellion and destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple. Rome dispersed most of the Jews throughout the world over the next 100 years, often through slavery. For the past 1900 years persecution, suffering and sorrow has followed them wherever they settled. Within a few generations of settling in a new region, horrible affliction and distress once again found them, forcing them to move on to yet another land.

The holocaust suffered by the Jews in World War II has been but one example of the unending persecution the Jews have endured during their 1,880 year exile. During this time history reveals they have been an 'anxious', 'weary', and 'despairing' people having 'no resting place'. They have 'longed' to return to their promised land. For centuries their rallying cry has been "Next year in Jerusalem!"

That should have been the end of the Jews, but God is a God of mercy and compassion. Though Israel was not faithful, God is. It is an awesome miracle that the Jews even survived as a 'people' through their 1900 years of exile and persecution! Most other nations in existence at the time the Jews were dispersed have since lost their original identity-- even when they were not conquered and dispersed! For a people to be pushed hither and yon, forced to live in other cultures, viciously persecuted and slaughtered for nearly two thousand years, and still maintain their national identity is impossible! Yet that is exactly what happened, because it was in God's plan.

For 1,880 years the Jews were a people of sorrow--a people who had no home. Yet, with the promise of judgment, God also made an incredible promise to bring Israel back, as a people, to her homeland: ³"...the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you. ⁴Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the Lord your God will gather you and bring you back. ⁵He will bring you to the land that belonged to your fathers, and you will take possession of it." (Deuteronomy 30:3-5, emphasis mine).

Until World War I skeptics repeatedly denounced these prophecies. No one could envision anything that would ever permit the Jews to return to Israel. However, on May 14th, 1948, Israel became a nation for the first time in nearly 1,880 years! Our generation has been witness to one of the most powerful and unbelievable fulfillment of prophecy since the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Yet most people, not even Christians, recognize it!

Daniel's first prophetic point -- the finishing of the transgression -- is not yet totally fulfilled, but it is happening! The Jews have not yet recognized Christ as their Messiah. They are as carnally minded as the rest of the heathen world. Many cite the unfair treatment of the native Palestinians by Israel as one example. Because Israel has not recognized Christ as the Messiah, many discount God's involvement in bringing the Jews back to their land. But bringing His people back to their homeland has nothing to do with fairness.

God never made any claims He would be 'fair', only 'just'. God did not bring the Jews home because of their goodness and faithfulness, but rather "for the sake of (his) holy name, which you (the Jews) have profaned among the nations" (Ezekiel 36:22, emphasis mine). God did not bring them back because they deserved it, but because He promised He would! If God's love for us depended on whether we deserved it, Christ's sacrifice would have been in vain--we can never be 'good enough' to deserve God's love and forgiveness. Likewise, He must bring His people back--not because they deserve it--but to protect His holy name! He could not be a just God otherwise. This great homecoming and its consequences will be discussed in greater detail in future lessons.

In spite of nearly two thousand years of persecution and sorrow, Deuteronomy 28:66-67 has only been partly fulfilled. The Jews have one more time of judgment to endure. God warned that after He brings His people back from captivity, there would be a time of great trouble unlike anything that had ever been experienced before (Jeremiah 30:1-7). It is called Jacob's Trouble. Jesus calls it the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21).

Yet, as horrible as it will be, it will be a time of hope for Israel as well. For they will finally recognize Jesus Christ as their long-awaited Messiah. But even during these horrible days God promises them there is no reason to fear. He will be with them and will save them by destroying all the nations amongst which they were scattered (Jeremiah 30:8-11)! Then will the transgression be finished!

The End of Sin and Atonement for Wickedness

Daniel's second and third prophetic points--the end of sin and atonement for wickedness--came with the cross. Sin can be defined in many ways, but can be summed up as "lawlessness" (1 John 3:4). Sin is the deliberate, knowing disobedience of God's Law and Truth, and is born in a desire to rebel against God. Satan, in his desire to exalt himself above God, is the ultimate example of rebellion and lawlessness. But each man or woman also has this power working within them: ¹⁸"For I have the desire to do what is good (God's law), but I cannot carry it out. ¹⁹For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing. ²⁰Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it." (Romans 7:18-20)

It is the power of sin--that desire to rebel against God and be outside of God's Law–that is the downfall of each man or woman. It is what caused Israel to go astray. The siren song of sin starts small but feeds on itself and grows until it dominates our desires. A little tolerance here, a bigger rationalization there. Before we know it, we are seeking after our own desires rather than seeking and trusting in God. Therefore God has to judge us. Although God is 'longsuffering', He would not be 'just' if He did not follow through with judgment.

God must judge sin, and the punishment of sin is death! (Romans 6:23) But God is a God of love, mercy, and compassion (1 John 4:9-10,16-17; Deuteronomy 4:31). God loves us so much that He sent a proxy–His only Son, Jesus Christ–to receive the judgment we all deserve. Born a Jew, Jesus was the perfect sacrifice. There is no man that has walked this earth that has not sinned-save Jesus (Romans 3:9-20; Hebrews 4:15). Though Jesus shared in our humanity, though He was made of flesh and blood and is like us in every way, and though He suffered when He was tempted, Jesus, unlike us, never sinned!

The man who knew no sin was the only sacrifice acceptable to God for an atonement for our sins. It is by His blood that we are washed clean of sin (John 3:16; Ephesians 1:7, 2:13; Hebrews 9:12,14). This forgiveness of sins and salvation from God's judgment comes only through Jesus: "for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). It is only if "you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, will you be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved" (Romans 10:9-10, emphasis mine).

Jesus is the fulfillment of God's promise in Daniel 9:24 for the atonement of wickedness or sin (Hebrews 2:17). Jesus is also the only way to be set free from the power of sin (Romans 6:22; 8:1-2). There are many in the world today who claim to have found other ways. But Jesus himself proclaimed that "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6) There is no other way to God than Jesus. Jesus warns not to be deceived by those claiming to be the way. (Luke 21:8). There is only one way to God, and that is by the acceptance of Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, with a desire to serve Him obediently!

If you have not yet accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and want to escape God's soon to come Judgments, go to http://www.campuscrusade.com/fourlawseng.htm. Accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior and LORD is the most important decision you will ever make in your life. Walking out that decision will not be easy, but will be the most rewarding and gratifying decision you will ever make in your life! Do it now!

Jesus, then, has fulfilled that part of Daniel 9:25 dealing with the atonement for wickedness. To this date, however, Jesus has only partially fulfilled that prophecy concerning "putting an end to sin." Through the power of the Holy Spirit, those that have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior are no longer controlled by sin (Romans 8:2-17). But sin still exists in the world. This prophecy will not be completely fulfilled until Satan, the author of lies, rebellion, and death is thrown into the Lake of Fire. And this won't happen until after the Millennium (Revelation 20:7-15). Only at that time will everlasting righteousness be established, and the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, become as a bride of Christ (Revelation 21:2). Only at that time will all visions and prophecy be sealed up and completely fulfilled. Only in the last days will the most holy be anointed. All end-time prophecy must in some way be related to the fulfillment of God's purpose as revealed to Daniel!

We know that the total time of Daniel's seventy weeks is 490 years. The key is establishing the date when this period begins. In Daniel 9:25 Gabriel reveals to Daniel that "from the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem...." this then establishes the time the 490 year period starts. All we need to do is find out when the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem was given following their Babylonian exile. This decree was made possible by Cyrus, the Medo-Persian king who conquered Babylon in 539 BC (see chart 1). Unfortunately, there are three decrees that might fulfill this date:

Seven Sevens-Daniel 9:25-26

The seven 'sevens' concerns the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Daniel 9:25 clearly states that Jerusalem will not only be rebuilt during the first 49 years, but that there will be much trouble (opposition) during the reconstruction. Nehemiah 2-6 details this construction and that it was undertaken under heavy and continuous opposition! The only date of completion is when the wall were completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul (September 11^th-no year was given [Nehemiah 6:15]); when the Israelites settled in their towns by the 1^st day of the seventh month (September 17 [Nehemiah 7:73-8:2]), and when the Israelites confessed their sins on the 24^th day of the same month (October 11 [Nehemiah 9:1-2]). Though no exact year can be determined, it seems probable that the city was rebuilt and reoccupied in 49 years as Daniel had predicted (see chart 1).

Sixty-two Weeks-Christ's Crucifixion Foretold-Daniel 9:26

The most astonishing prophecy was given by Gabriel in Daniel 9:26: "after the sixty-two 'sevens', the anointed one will be cut off and will have nothing." A total of 69 weeks of years elapse between the decree to rebuild Jerusalem and the anointed one is cut off. That represents 69 x 7=483 years . 445 BC - 483yrs=37 AD (BC 1 to AD 1 is one year). While not exact, this is too close to the time Christ was crucified for there to be any doubt that the anointed one is Jesus, and threat being "cut off" is his crucifixion! This is even more apparent when it is understood that the Hebrew word used for the "anointed one" is 'mashia', which also means messiah!

Sir Robert Anderson ⁽²⁾ provides even stronger evidence of Christ's fulfillment of this prophecy using what he calls a prophetic calendar. Daniel 7:25; 9:27, 12:7, along with Revelation 11:2; 12:3,6,12; and 13:5 reveals that Daniel's "time, times and half a time" is 3½ years, and is equivalent to the same expression used in Revelation 12:14. This appears to be equal to either 42 months or 1260 days in Revelation 12:6; 11:2,3; and 13:5. Rather than a variable calendar month then, a prophetic month equals 30 days or 360 days per prophetic year, rather than 365. The date resulting from March 14, 445 BC plus 483 prophetic years is April 6, 32 AD, the exact date some scholars believe Christ was crucified! (see chart 1).

Most biblical scholars believe, however, that Christ was crucified in AD 30, not AD 32, if so , the starting date could be 458 (Ezra 7:11-26). AD 458 minus 483 years would be AD 26, the year of Christ's baptism. So even if the other probable starting date is used, the date computed would fall between 25 and 37 AD. Furthermore, verse 26 also makes it very clear that the anointed one will be "cut off" before Jerusalem and the temple (sanctuary) are destroyed by Rome (the people of the ruler), both of which happened during the siege of Titus in AD 70 (chart 1). It would be just too much of a coincidence for this dating to be random chance. If there is an error, it is likely to be in establishing the exact year of the starting date from fragmentary historical data, rather than in Daniel's 69 weeks.

Sixty-nine of the seventy weeks of Daniels's time table are now completed. This leaves one week (7 Years) to be fulfilled sometime in the future. This will be the seven year tribulation!

Considerable controversy exists about when the last "weeks" of years occurs. Since this controversy is critical to the proper understanding of Revelation and other prophesies, the alternative interpretations are important to review. The problem centers on who the "he" is in verse 27.

The "He" in Daniel 9:27--Christ and/or Titus

How the "he" in Daniel 27 is defined depends largely upon presuppositions of the end times and the millennium. For instance, those holding amillennim and postmillenium views generally believe Christ has completed His earthly mission in the first advent and it will be the Church that triumphs over the world before Christ returns. Variations of amillennial theology dominated Christian thinking from about the 3^rd Century A.D. to the middle of the 19^th Century, when a resurgence of literal Biblical interpretation began to discredit it.⁽³⁾

While postmillennians believe we have already gone through the Millennium, amillennians believe there is no past or future Millennium -- prophecy is not to be taken literally. Amillennians also usually believe that the Church has replaced Israel as God's chosen people and there is no future role for Israel. The seventieth week in Daniel 9:27 was fulfilled by Christ in the first 3½ years. The latter 3½ years of the last week was fulfilled by general events of history.⁽⁴⁾ The Covenant that is mentioned in Daniel 9:27 is supposedly one of grace.

These scholars also generally claim that Josephus records that Titus did, in fact, desolate the Temple thereby fulfilling Daniel 9:27,

"And now the Romans, upon the flight of the seditious into the city, and upon the burning of the holy house itself, and of all the buildings lying round about it, brought their ensigns to the temple, and set them over against its eastern gate; and there did they offer sacrifices to them and there did they make Titus imperator [emperor], with the greatest acclamations of joy."⁽⁷⁾

However, why would Daniel repeat in 9:27 what had already been explained in greater detail in verse 26 about the city's destruction, "²⁶...and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined"? (KJV) This description is exactly what happened after the death of Christ, which according to verse 26 happened in the 69^th week of Daniel's prophecy, not the 70^th as is the case for Daniel 9:27.

Further, the word "desolate" at the end of verse 9:27 (KJV) is the Hebrew root word shamem in the KJV. However, the earliest Hebrew scrolls use the Polel derivative M^e shamem, which is most accurately translated as "the one who causes desolation," "horror-causer" or "desolator" which more naturally fits the context of the Daniel 9:27.^{(8), (9), (10)} In other words, it is the little horn or the Antichrist whose end is predetermined, not the city! In a twist of irony, the King James version is not entirely incorrect, since the City of Jerusalem will be captured and ransacked (though not desolated) once again in the last 3½ years of the tribulation.⁽¹¹⁾ More on that later.

While it is true that the ensigns (the various standards and emblems brought into battle) cited by Josephus were considered holy to the Romans, the worshiping of the ensigns occurred at the Temple's eastern gate, after the Temple was burned and looted, not in the holiest of holies. This interpretation also conflicts with Matthew 24:15 and Mark 13:14 which warns the saints to flee to the mountains when they see the "abomination of desolation" standing in the holy place. By the time the Romans worshiped the ensigns in A.D. 70, it was far, far to late for anyone to flee to the mountains from Jerusalem. Much of population of Jerusalem was already dead.

Although Josephus must be considered a biased source, he does make it very clear that Titus made every effort not to defile or destroy the Temple during the siege of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Why? Because Titus "desired he would not defile the temple, nor thereby offend against God."⁽¹²⁾ His pleas were ignored by the Jewish Zealots and Titus became deeply disturbed by the growing heaps of bodies that had piled up in the Temple, over which both armies had to crawl to fight. Titus challenged the Jews a second time, "Why do you trample upon the dead bodies in this temple? And why do you pollute this holy house with the blood both of foreigners and Jews themselves?... [Know] that I do not force you to defile this your sanctuary; and if you will but change the place whereon you will fight, no Roman shall either come near your sanctuary, or offer any affront to it; nay, I will endeavour to preserve you your holy house."⁽¹³⁾

In spite of the pleas by Titus, the Jews entrenched themselves ever deeper in the Temple, thereby desecrating even further. Ironically, it was the Jews that polluted the Temple, not the Romans. As astonishing, it was the Jews, not the Romans who actually were the first ones to set the Temple on fire in an attempt to stop the Romans. Josephus notes that "even when it was in their [the Jews] power to have stopped the fire, nay, they lay still while the temple was first set on fire, and deemed this spreading of the fire to be for their own advantage."⁽¹⁴⁾ Even when Titus attempted to put out the fire to "spare a foreign temple", the Jews fought to stop the Romans, forcing Titus to ultimately treat the Temple as a citadel.⁽¹⁵⁾

To the very end Titus attempted to save the Temple, when finally, in a uncharacteristic fluke of battle, Titus lost control of his men and they burned the holies of holies and plundered the Temple. The Temple had already been desecrated and destroyed by the Jews themselves by time the Romans raised their ensigns at the East Gate.

In short, the attempt to force the "he's" in Daniel 9:27 to mean Christ or Titus, fail almost every test of grammar, context and history.

Only one other interpretation of Daniel 9:27 is possible--one that is generally supported by premillennium/pretribulation scholars. Premillennians believe the Millennium is yet to occur and is preceded by the 7 year Tribulation. Pretribulationists are also premillennians believe the Church will be raptured, or be taken out of the world to meet Christ in the air, before the Tribulation.

Premillennium theology holds that there is a break in time between the 69^th and 70^th week of Daniel's 70 Weeks of Years. Since Daniel is prophesying about his people (Dan. 9:24), the Jews, and since the Jews were scattered among the nations in A.D. 70 following the fall of Jerusalem, there is nothing more to prophesy about until God brings them back from the nations and the last week begins in verse 27. Nearly nineteen hundred years of church history are totally ignored. Why? Because it has nothing to do with Jewish history! The only thing mentioned is that there will be many wars continuing through the period, accompanied by desolations.

The last seven years of man's history dealing with Israel starts in the last sentence of verse 26. The end (or last week) will begin suddenly and unexpectedly (like an flood). We will later determine that the 'he" in verse 27 is the 'beast' as used in both Daniel and Revelation. Although he is never identified in scripture as such, the present-day popular name for this man is known as the Antichrist. We learn in verse 27 that at the beginning of the seven year period the beast, or Antichrist, will make a covenant with many, including Israel, for seven years. Although the content of the covenant is not defined in this passage, other scripture reveals it to be a promise of peace. The signing of this treaty will most likely mark the beginning of the seven year countdown!

If the last week of Daniel is nearly upon us, then the Antichrist must be alive today! Who is he? Why can't we identify him? Many have, in fact, tried to do just that. However, such speculation is fruitless and can be very misleading, if not damaging. When it is time for him to be revealed, God will allow it; not before! More will be discussed on this in Lesson 3 and 4. Daniel 11:38, however, suggests that he is a Jew, but will hide that fact, while Revelation 13:1 implies he will come from a nation surrounding the Mediterranean sea. Beyond this sketchy information, little is known.

1. Who was the audience that Gabriel was speaking to through Daniel in the prophecy of the 70 weeks? Why is this important?

2. What evidence is there that supports the idea that each week is equivalent to seven years, and that the 70 weeks equals 490 years?

3. Gabriel provided Daniel with very specific events that would occur during this 490 years. What are they and why are they relevant to the Christian? The Jew?

4. What is the difference between amillennialism, premillennism, postribulation, and pretribulation? Why do these viewpoints often affect how one interprets Daniel 9?

4. Why doesn't the "70 weeks" prophecy include the Church era? Is this logical, considering audience to whom Michael was giving the prophecy?

5. Have all of these events happened yet? If not what still needs fulfillment?

6. What event will likely signal the start of the last week or seven years? What things must happen before the last week starts?

1. There is no disagreement among scholars on this point, so further evidence will not be presented.

2. The Coming Prince. (London: Hodden and Stoughton, 1895), pp 51-129. A more abbreviated account is found in:McClain, Alva J. Daniels's Prophecy of the Seventy Weeks. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1940

3. John F. Walvoord. Major Bible Prophecies. (Grand Rapids, MI., Zondervan Publishing House, 1991) Pp. 60-61, 66-68, 114-115, 166-168, 172-173, 184-188.

4. Ibid, p 172.

5. John F. Walvoord, and Zuck, Roy B., The Bible Knowledge Commentary, (Wheaton, Illinois: Scripture Press Publications, Inc.) 1983, 1985.

6. John F. Walvoord. Major Bible Prophecies., p 173.

7. William Whiston, A.M. Josephus, Complete Works. (Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, MI, 1981). Pp 583.

8. R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer, Jr. Bruce K. Waltke, Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. (Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, 1980). Vol II, 936.

9. Enhanced Strong's Lexicon, (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.) 1995.

10. J.P. Green, Sr. The Interlinear Bible; Hebrew-Greek-English. (Lafayette, IN: Sovereign Grace Publishers, 1986), Pp. 691.

11. Zechariah 14:1-2

12. Ibid, p 574.

13. Ibid, p 575.

14. Ibid, p 577.

15. Ibid, p 579.