Daniel Chapter 9

This chapter is a continuation of Daniel’s account in Chapter 8.

Verse 1

In the first year of Darius – The events of this chapter took place in late 539 or 538 BC, approximately thirteen years after Daniel’s vision in Chapter 8. Babylon had just fallen, and the kingdom had passed to Medo-Persia under the rule of King Darius.

As Chapter 8 concluded Daniel was left in distress, unable to understand the work of the little horn and the prophecy of the 2300 days. Now, in the turmoil and uncertainty surrounding the fall of Babylon and the rise of Medo-Persia, Daniel was also concerned about the fulfillment of another prophecy.

The prophet Jeremiah had predicted that God’s people would return to their homeland at the end of their 70-year captivity, and the 70 years were now nearly over. Could it be that the mysterious 2300-day prophecy was indicating that their captivity had been extended because of impenitence? In addition, the prophet Isaiah had predicted that Cyrus would release the Jews (Isaiah 44:28). But Darius, and not Cyrus, was the ruling king.

Verse 2

Still trying to understand these things, Daniel began to re-study Jeremiah’s prophecies concerning the 70 years of Judah’s captivity (see Jeremiah 25:8 – 11, 29:10 – 14). Jeremiah had lived in Jerusalem when Daniel was a young boy, and he cherished the older man’s writings. Reading them over again, Daniel confirmed that the end of their captivity was now only about 2 years away.

Verse 3

Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications – Daniel was not satisfied to merely let events take their course.

Although God had promised to deliver His people at the appointed time, Daniel knew that many of God’s promises were conditional. Fearing that the impenitence of the people had resulted in a postponement of the promise, he took the situation to heart and engaged in earnest intercessory prayer. With deep concern for his people, he unburdened his soul to God in humiliation and confession, in one of the greatest prayers ever recorded. (SOP 1)

With fasting, sackcloth, and ashes – Before beginning his prayer, Daniel garbed himself with the marks of mourning customary in his day. Sackcloth was a coarse fabric of goat or camel hair, worn in times of great sorrow or deep spiritual agitation. It was also customary to sprinkle ashes over the head and rub them on the face as an expression of heartfelt humility.

Verse 4

I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession – What did Daniel have to confess? It was not his sin that brought the Jews into slavery. Even his enemies admitted that they could find no fault with him. Daniel was confessing the sins of his people. As an intercessor before God, he was making the nation’s guilt his own. He did not consider himself better than his people, but identified with them. What a rebuke this is to those who are critical of our church today! Instead of criticizing the church, we should be interceding with God in her behalf. (SOP 2)

O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments – Daniel began his prayer by addressing God as the covenant-keeping God. Israel had broken God’s covenant by refusing to comply with its stipulations, and the predicted curses had come upon them (see Deuteronomy 28:47 – 55, 29:24 – 28). In mercy God had warned the people over and over again, but every warning had been ignored and the predicted punishment had finally fallen upon them. Daniel acknowledged God’s hand in all this. Even in punishment, the Lord was trying to turn Israel from her iniquity and lead her back to Him.

Verse 5

Daniel did not excuse Israel’s conduct or question the reason for their captivity. Instead, he acknowledged their sins. Notice the terms he used in his confession: “sinned,” “committed iniquity,” “done wickedly,” “rebelled.” These words cover every variety of rebellion and evil conduct.

In contrast to Daniel’s confession, few of Daniel’s countrymen were willing to admit their guilt, nor were they willing to accept the responsibility for their punishment.

Verse 6

Daniel acknowledged the Lord’s justice in Judah’s banishment. Here he points to the reason: The entire nation – kings, princes, fathers, and the people – have refused to heed the appeals of His prophets.

Verses 7, 8

Daniel then confessed the unfaithfulness of God’s people, contrasting God’s righteousness with the nation’s guilt. Notice that in this confession, Daniel mentioned specifically by name each of the various groups that shared in this guilt.

Verse 9

In the midst of his confession, Daniel reminded God that He was Israel’s only hope. They didn’t deserve His mercy, but Daniel remained confident that the Lord was ever ready to forgive those who should come to Him with a contrite heart. Israel and Judah had continued to rebel against God, but Daniel recognized that God’s love for His people remained steadfast.

Verses 10 – 14

In these verses, Daniel continued his confession of the nation’s sin and disobedience. He acknowledged God’s righteousness and faithfulness, even in the punishment of His disobedient people.

Verse 15

Daniel then began his appeal, by reminding God of His great deliverance of Israel from Egypt. God’s act of mercy to Israel was for the sake of His own name, and not because they deserved it

Verses 16, 17

God’s fury against Jerusalem and God’s people had made them a reproach and byword to the surrounding nations. Daniel pointed this out to God, suggesting that their condition was a negative reflection on God Himself before the heathen nations.

He then appealed to God to look favorably toward His desolate sanctuary for His own sake. This request to restore the sanctuary is very significant. The sanctuary was originally built to take away the sins of rebellious Israel, so that God could dwell among them (Exodus 25:8). Here Daniel is asking God to do it all over again.

Verses 18, 19

Daniel ended his intercessory prayer by pleading with God to listen to his appeal and look with pity on desolate Jerusalem and His captive people. Daniel’s appeal to not delay in verse 19 is a direct reference to Jeremiah’s prophecy of Judah’s restoration at the conclusion of the 70 years Jeremiah 29:10 – 14).

In this intercessory prayer, Daniel did at least six things that deserve our attention:

1. He prayed very much in earnest.

2. He depended on God’s righteousness, not his own.

3. He used the Bible.

4. He confessed his own sins and the sins of his people.

5. He sought the glory of God and of His sanctuary.

6. He claimed God’s promises.

In so doing, he left an example of intercessory prayer for us to follow.

Verses 20, 21

Before Daniel even began to pray, God had already read his heart. He answered Daniel’s prayer by sending Gabriel to help. Gabriel flew swiftly and arrived at the time of the evening offering (the ninth hour or 3:00 pm).

Whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning – This is a reference to Daniel’s previous vision in Chapter 8.

Verses 22, 23

Gabriel began by announcing that he had come to help Daniel understand. The question is, understand what? This is another reference back to the vision in Chapter 8. Gabriel was referring to the portion of the previous prophecy that was sealed, the part that Daniel had been unable to understand (see Daniel 8:27).

At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you – Gabriel had left heaven when Daniel began to pray in verse 4, and had arrived by verse 19!

For you are greatly beloved – What an encouragement these words must have been to Daniel! The mightiest of the angels had been sent by God as soon as he began to pray, and he assured Daniel of God’s great love toward him. The good news is that God feels the same way toward His people today. You are greatly beloved by God!

Therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision – The word Gabriel used here for vision was mareh, which refers directly back to the 2300 days of Daniel 8:14. This is the part of the previous vision that Daniel had been told to seal up (Daniel 8:26). Gabriel had not come to explain the entire 2300 days to Daniel, but only the portion that had to do with his people, the Jews. This would help Daniel to see that the 70 years and the 2300 days were two separate but closely linked prophecies.

Verse 24

Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city – Beginning his explanation of the 2300 days, Gabriel told Daniel that seventy weeks had been allotted to the Jewish people and to Jerusalem, their capital city. The word “determined” is the Hebrew chatak, which can also mean “cut off.” In other words, seventy weeks were being “cut off” from the 2300 days, and given to the Jews.

The seventy weeks (70 x 7 = 490 days) is a prophetic time period, and so these 490 days represent 490 literal years.

The seventy weeks were to be a time of probation for Daniel’s people, to see what they would do with the Messiah. In giving the Jews this additional time, God was actually renewing and extending the covenant He had previously made with Israel.

Gabriel then went on to explain that God would accomplish six things during the seventy weeks:

Finish the transgression – The word “transgression” is the strongest word for sin in the Old Testament. It literally means “rebellion” or “revolt.” Here God is saying that the Jew’s revolt against Him would be brought to an end during the seventy weeks.

This could happen in one of two ways: 1) They could receive the Messiah and thus bring their constant rebellion to an end, or 2) they could irrevocably revolt against the Messiah and thus bring the theocracy to an end. This prophecy clearly indicates that they would choose the second option.

Make an end of sins – Notice that we are not told the seventy weeks would bring sinning to an end but rather sins to an end. Jesus made an end of sins by bearing them on the cross. Jesus’ death took away the sin of the world (John 1:29). And Jesus, “once in the end of the world hath appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Hebrews 9:26).

Make reconciliation for iniquity – Jesus reconciled man to God by His sacrifice. In the Messianic prophecy of Isaiah 53 we are told that the Messiah would bring peace through His work: “But He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him: and with His stripes we are healed.” In Romans 5:10 we are told why man needed peace: “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” In 2 Corinthians 5:18-21 the apostle Paul amplifies the idea of reconciliation through Christ: “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them.

. . . For He (the Father) hath made Him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”

Bring in everlasting righteousness – In Jeremiah 23:6 we are told that one of the names of Jesus is, “the Lord our Righteousness.” And in the Messianic prophecy of Isaiah 53:11 we are told: “by His knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.” In Romans 3 and 4 the apostle Paul fully expounds this idea of Christ our righteousness. By living a sinless life, Jesus wove a perfect robe of His righteousness which He is willing to impute to all who believe. This righteousness is available right now in Jesus. When we receive Jesus we have His life now (1 John 5:11, 12), we are citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20), we are accepted in the beloved and seated in heaven with Him (Ephesians 1:6; 2:6). We can have His imputed and imparted righteousness even now, but to live in a world where only righteousness dwells is still future: “Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13).

Seal up vision and prophecy – The phrase “seal up” also means “make an end.” By rejecting the Messiah, the Jewish nation brought the vision and prophecy of the seventy weeks to an end. God would no longer communicate with Israel through prophets and visions. When the Jews stoned Stephen, as he was having a vision of Christ and was fulfilling his role as a prophet, God’s communications to Israel came to a final end. That is to say, Stephen received the last vision and was the last prophet which God sent to Israel.

Anoint the Most Holy – The term “most holy” literally means “holy of holies,” which refers here to the heavenly sanctuary. At the inauguration of the earthly sanctuary, the sanctuary and the high priest were anointed with oil. In harmony with the type, when Jesus ascended to heaven to begin His heavenly ministry, the heavenly sanctuary and Jesus were anointed by the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:33). (SOP 3)

Verse 25

From the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem – This statement provides the starting point of the 70 weeks and the 2300 days. However, three separate decrees were issued by different Persian kings (see Ezra 6:14). This raises the question, which of these decrees is Gabriel here referring to?

The decree of Cyrus the Great in 536 BC: There are two reasons why this cannot be the decree that Gabriel is referring to. 1) The decree of Cyrus did not authorize the restoration and building of Jerusalem, it only gave permission to rebuild the temple (see Ezra 1:2 – 4, 2 Chronicles 36:23). 2) The beginning date of 536 makes it impossible for the 70 weeks to be fulfilled in the Messiah. If this was the right decree, then the Messiah would have come in 53 BC.

The Confirmatory Decree of Darius I in 520 BC: Neither is this the decree we are looking for, because it is simply a reconfirmation of the first decree by Cyrus. When Cyrus gave his decree, many of God’s people had returned to Jerusalem with great enthusiasm to rebuild the temple (Ezra 2). The foundation of the temple was quickly laid, but then Samaritan opposition halted the work (Ezra 4:1 – 5. As a result, the people ceased building the temple and focused on their own personal affairs (Haggai 1:1 – 11). For over 15 years the temple remained with only the foundation laid. But then, in 520, Darius reaffirmed the first decree which had been given in 536 by Cyrus (Ezra 6:1 – 13).

The Decree of Artaxerxes I in 457 BC: It is this decree (Ezra 7:12 – 26) that fulfills the specification of Daniel 8:25. (SOP 4) Although this decree did not specifically command the rebuilding of Jerusalem, it restored the Jews’ theocratic form of government and thereby freed them to rebuild their capital city. The decree instructed Ezra to appoint magistrates and judges to judge the people according to the law of God (Ezra 7:25), and it gave the judges and magistrates the right to punish violations of the law of God even to the point of imposing the death penalty (Ezra 7:26). It is interesting to note that Artaxerxes earlier gave a command for the Jews to stop rebuilding Jerusalem, until he gave them permission to continue (Ezra 4:21).

The date of the third decree, the fall of 457 BC, is firmly established in history. And so this date is the beginning point of the 70-week prophecy and the 2300 day prophecy of Daniel 8:14.

NOTE: Some Bible scholars point to another “decree” given to Nehemiah in 445 BC as a fulfillment of this prediction (Nehemiah 2:7 – 10). However, this was not a decree at all. It simply gave Nehemiah personalpermission to go to Jerusalem and to lead out in the task of rebuilding the city and the walls. This was not a new decree, but rather a confirmation of the decree given in 457 BC.

Until Messiah the Prince – This prophecy gives us the exact time when the Messiah would appear. It is important to notice that the word “Messiah” literally means “anointed one.” When Jesus was baptized by John, He was anointed by the Holy Spirit and confirmed by a voice from heaven and the testimony of John (Mark 1:9 – 11; Luke 4:18; John 1:19 – 21, 25 – 34). This event marked Jesus’ anointing for His mission, and the announcement to the Jewish nation that Jesus was the promised Messiah. Jesus then began His ministry by preaching that the prophecy of Daniel 9:25 was now fulfilled (Mark 1:14, 15).

There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks – The Messiah would appear at the end of these two time periods. (Seven weeks x 7 = 49 days. Sixty-two weeks x 7 = 434 days. Adding the two together, 49 days + 434 days = 483 days, or literal years.) From the fall of 457 BC, 483 years takes us to the fall of 27 AD, the exact time of Jesus’ baptism. (There is no “zero” year between BC and AD, so an extra year needs to be added when calculating this.)

NOTE: Luke 3:1, 2 identifies this date as the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar, and then gives six other events which occurred at the same time. These seven synchronous events establish 27 AD as the date of Christ’s baptism.

One more question remains: Why did Gabriel refer to this period as seven weeks and sixty-two weeks? The answer is really quite simple. The seven weeks refer to the rebuilding of Jerusalem, and the sixty-two weeks refer to the appearance of the Messiah. The rebuilding of Jerusalem was completed in 408 BC, 49 years after the decree of Artaxerxes, and the Messiah appeared in AD 27, an additional 434 years later.

The street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times – This is a prophecy that the rebuilding of Jerusalem would not be without opposition. The Samaritans and other people of the land did not want Israel to rebuild the city and reestablish self-governance. They did all in their power to prevent the rebuilding and restoration, even to the point of accusing Israel of sedition against the Persian government.

Verse 26

After the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself – This is a prophecy of the death of the Messiah for the transgressions of God’s people (Isaiah 53:8). The Messiah would be cut off some time after the end of the sixty-two weeks (27 AD), but the exact time of His death is not given until verse 27.

And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary – “The people of the prince who is to come” is the Jewish nation. This ominous statement is a prediction that the Jews would reject the Messiah, and thereby bring about the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple that were to be rebuilt (Matthew 23:37, 38; 24:1, 2; Luke 21:20).

The end of it shall be with a flood, and until the end of the war desolations are determined – Following the horrors of a siege of two years (68-70 AD), in which cannibalism was practiced, the final attack on the city was led by Titus during the Passover of 70 AD. The temple was burned in a great conflagration, and the city was reduced to ruins. Over one million Jews died in the siege, but not one Christian perished because they heeded Jesus’ warning found in Matthew 24:15 – 20.

Verse 27

Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week – Daniel had prayed that God would renew His covenant, and Gabriel confirmed that God would go to great lengths to do this. The “week” referred to here is the last seven years of the seventy-week prophecy. Jesus would confirm His covenant with the Jewish nation during His ministry, and God would give the Jewish nation an additional three and a half years to repent after they killed the Messiah through the witness of the apostles.

But in AD 34, the Jews stoned Stephen and drove the Christians out of Jerusalem, thereby ending the covenant and their 490 years of probation (Acts 7:57 – 59; 8:1. Notice also Acts 7:51 – 53, where Stephen in his final indictment of the Jewish leaders refers to “your” fathers, where previously he had referred to “our” fathers. This is similar to the statement of Jesus in Matthew 23:38 when he left the temple for the last time.)

But in the middle of the week He shall bring to an end to sacrifice and offering – This gives us the exact time of Jesus’ death, in the midst of the seventieth week. Three and a half years after Jesus began His ministry in the fall of 27 AD, Jesus was crucified in the spring of 31 AD at the time of the Passover.

His death brought to an end the entire system of sacrifices and offerings that for more than a thousand years had pointed to His death and heavenly ministry. The temple services had met their fulfillment and were no longer needed. (SOP 6)

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 – The One who makes desolate is the Prince of the covenant. Although it is true that the Jews destroyed themselves and Jerusalem by rejecting the Messiah, ultimately it was God who allowed their destruction by the Romans because they chose to break their covenant with Him.

What is the “abomination that makes desolate,” or “abomination of desolation,” spoken of in this passage? It is the same one what Jesus spoke about in Matthew 24:15, 16.

First let’s talk about the abomination. When the Roman armies surrounded Jerusalem, they put their standards into the ground and worshiped them. The Roman standards had an eagle surrounded by a golden wreath. Under the eagle and the wreath was a solar disk, which represented the sun-god Mithra. Says Josephus about the order in which the Roman armies marched:

“Then came the ensigns encompassing the eagle, which is at the head of every Roman legion, the king and the strongest of birds, which seems to them a signal of domination, and an omen that they shall conquer all against whom they march.” (Wars of the Jews, 3:6:2)

Ellen White concurs with this statement by Josephus:

“When the idolatrous standards of the Romans should be set up in the holy ground, which extended some furlongs outside the city walls, then the followers of Christ were to find safety in flight.” (The Great Controversy,

p. 26)

Both Josephus and Ellen White went on to explain that when Cestius unexpectedly withdrew the Roman armies, the Christians within the city saw this as a sign to flee, and as a result, “not one Christian perished in the destruction of Jerusalem.” (The Great Controversy, p. 30) Luke 21:20 clearly explains what the abomination was: “When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies. . . .” A comparison of Matthew 24:15 and Luke 21:20 clearly indicates that the abomination consisted in the incursion of the Roman armies onto the holy ground which surrounded Jerusalem.

And what is the desolation? Notice that Daniel 9:27 uses the word “desolate” two times. Jesus used this same word when He told the Jewish leaders, “Your house is left to you desolate.” (Matthew 23:38) Earlier we noted that the abomination was the omen that the desolation of Jerusalem was near. And so the “abomination of desolation” simply means that the abominable standards of the Romans were a sign that the desolation of Jerusalem was at the doors.

As we conclude our study of this prophecy, consider for a moment the longsuffering of God with the Jewish nation in giving them 490 additional years of probation. Even after they killed the Messiah, God bore with them an additional three and a half years until they finally drove the Christians out of Jerusalem, thereby silencing God’s last appeal and bringing their probation to an end. What more could God have done for them? The seventy-week prophecy sheds great light on the statement of Jesus found in Matthew 18:21, 22.

Spirit of Prophecy Quotations

1 “It is a part of God's plan to grant us, in answer to the prayer of faith, that which He would not bestow did we not thus ask.” – Great Controversy, page 525.

2 “Oh, how solemn and important is the work entrusted to us! How far reaching this work is in its results! How are we to obtain strength and wisdom necessary for its successful accomplishment? As Daniel sought the Lord, so we are to seek Him. Daniel declares, "I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes" (Dan. 9:3). We are to seek the Lord in humility and contrition, confessing our own sins and coming into close unity with one another. . . .” – In Heavenly Places, page 328.

3 “The Pentecostal outpouring was Heaven's communication that the Redeemer's inauguration was accomplished. According to His promise He had sent the Holy Spirit from heaven to His followers as a token that He had, as priest and king, received all authority in heaven and on earth, and was the Anointed One over His people.” – The Acts of the Apostles, page 39.

4 “The seventy weeks were declared by the angel to date from the going forth of the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem. If the date of this commandment could be found, then the starting point for the great period of the 2300 days would be ascertained.

“In the seventh chapter of Ezra the decree is found. Verses 12-26. In its completest form it was issued by Artaxerxes, king of Persia, 457 B.C. But in Ezra 6:14 the house of the Lord at Jerusalem is said to have been built "according to the commandment ["decree," margin] of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia." These three kings, in originating, reaffirming, and completing the decree, brought it to the perfection required by the prophecy to mark the beginning of the 2300 years. Taking 457 B.C., the time when the decree was completed, as the date of the commandment, every specification of the prophecy concerning the seventy weeks was seen to have been fulfilled.”

-- The Great Controversy, page 326.

5 “The commandment to restore and build Jerusalem, as completed by the decree of Artaxerxes Longimanus (see Ezra 6:14; 7:1, 9, margin), went into effect in the autumn of B. C. 457. From this time four hundred and eighty-three years extend to the autumn of A. D. 27. According to the prophecy, this period was to reach to the Messiah, the Anointed One. In A. D. 27, Jesus at His baptism received the anointing of the Holy Spirit, and soon afterward began His ministry. Then the message was proclaimed. "The time is fulfilled."” – The Desire of Ages, page 233.

6 “When the loud cry, "It is finished," came from the lips of Christ, the priests were officiating in the temple. It was the hour of the evening sacrifice. The lamb representing Christ had been brought to be slain. Clothed in his significant and beautiful dress, the priest stood with lifted knife, as did Abraham when he was about to slay his son. With intense interest the people were looking on. But the earth trembles and quakes; for the Lord Himself draws near. With a rending noise the inner veil of the temple is torn from top to bottom by an unseen hand, throwing open to the gaze of the multitude a place once filled with the presence of God. In this place the Shekinah had dwelt. . . .

“All is terror and confusion. The priest is about to slay the victim; but the knife drops from his nerveless hand, and the lamb escapes. Type has met antitype in the death of God's Son. The great sacrifice has been made. The way into the holiest is laid open. A new and living way is prepared for all. No longer need sinful, sorrowing humanity await the coming of the high priest. Henceforth the Saviour was to officiate as priest and advocate in the heaven of heavens. It was as if a living voice had spoken to the worshipers: There is now an end to all sacrifices and offerings for sin.” – The Desire of Ages, pages 756, 757.