The World's Greatest Time Prophecy
Courtesy of Pastor Ken LeBrun
You are about to study the longest and most significant time prophecy in the Bible. Given more than 500 years before the death of Christ, it accurately pinpoints the time of His sacrifice. And as the only place in the Old Testament that speaks of a coming "Messiah" by that term, it ranks at the top of all Messianic prophecies. Yet this prophecy, found in the eighth and ninth chapters of the book of Daniel, moves beyond the earthly ministry of Christ to provide a panorama of His present work for us in the courts of heaven.
We will cover the prophecy in three lessons. In the first we will concentrate on establishing the time elements involved. The next two lessons will take us into the throne room of God, opening to our understanding the special work of Jesus for us in these last days.
You will remember from lesson 2 that the prophecy of Daniel 8 begins with a ram and a goat. After discussing the goat's horns, the vision then turns to the activities of the little horn, which magnifies itself to defy heaven, casting truth to the ground and trampling upon the sanctuary and the host.
1. How long would the sanctuary and the host be trodden upon?
Daniel 8:13, 14 Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? 14And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.
2. Who was commissioned to make Daniel understand the vision?
Daniel 8:16 And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.
The angel began to explain the vision. He told Daniel that the ram represented Medo-Persia; the goat and its horns represented Greece. He enlarged a little on the activities of the little horn, but said nothing more about the time factor involved.
3. When Gabriel stopped short of a full explanation, what happened to Daniel?
Daniel 8:27 And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king’s business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.
"Afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it." Daniel 8:27.
4. When Gabriel finally returned to explain the time portion of the vision, how much of the 2300 days did he say was designated for the Jewish people?
Daniel 9:21-24 Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. 22And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. 23At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision. 24Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
Seventy weeks is 490 days. Subtract that from the total 2,300 days, and 1,810 days of the prophecy are left.
5. In Bible prophecy, God has appointed a short unit of time to represent a longer time period. What scale does He use?
Ezekiel 4:6 And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year.
"Each day for a year." Numbers 14:34.
Applying this rule, 2,300 prophetic days is actually 2,300 literal years, the first 490 of which pertained to the Jews.
6. The time period would begin when what command went forth?
Daniel 9:25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
7.In fulfilling God's command, what three kings of Persia would need to make decrees regarding the rebuilding of Jerusalem?
Ezra 6:14 And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
The final decree, that of Artaxerxes, is recorded in Ezra 7, and went into effect in the autumn of 457 B.C.
8. Who would appear after seven weeks and sixty-two weeks?
Daniel 9:25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
Sixty-nine weeks is 483 prophetic days. From the autumn of 457 B.C., 483 years takes us to the autumn of A.D. 27. According to the prophecy, that is when the Messiah would appear. "Messiah" is the Hebrew word for "Anointed one". The Bible tells us that "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power." Acts 10:38.
That anointing took place at His baptism (John 1:32). Jesus was baptized in the autumn of A.D. 27, the precise time foretold in Daniel's prophecy.
9. After Jesus was baptized, what did Andrew tell his brother Simon?
John 1:41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ
10. As Jesus began His public ministry, what did He say that reveals His awareness of His prophetic dateline?
Mark 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
11. Indicating that Jesus came right on schedule, when did Paul say the Saviour appeared?
Galatians 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law
12. What would Jesus cause to cease in the midst of the seventieth week?
Daniel 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
That "week" would be the last seven years of the "70-week" portion of the prophecy. It extended from the autumn of A.D. 27 to the autumn of A.D. 34.
In the spring of A.D. 31, exactly half way through that seven-year period, Jesus brought to an end the whole system of sacrifices and oblations by offering Himself as the Lamb of God, to whom the whole sacrificial system had pointed.
13. What happened in the temple in Jerusalem when Jesus died which signified that its ritual services would never again have any meaning?
Matthew 27:51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
14. Seventy weeks were determined upon the Jewish people to do what?
Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
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 to anoint the most Holy.
The "seventy-week" portion of the 2,300 years ended in A.D. 34. In that year Israel's probationary time ceased, and they sealed their rejection of Christ by stoning Stephen. With the Jews no longer God's chosen people, the gospel began to be proclaimed to the Gentiles, and the Christian church inherited all the privileges promised to the descendants of Abraham (Galatians 3:29). The temple and the city of Jerusalem were destroyed by Roman armies in A.D. 70 (Daniel 9:26, 27; Mark 13:14).
15. The vision of the 2300 days pointed to what period of earth's history?
Daniel 8:17 So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision.
From the autumn of A.D. 34, 1,810 years of the prophecy remained. Add 1,810 to 34 and it brings us to the autumn of the year 1844, which the prophecy refers to as "the time of the end".
16. What does the Bible say would happen at the end of the "2300-day" period?
Daniel 8:14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.
17. What instructions did the angel give which show that the vision was not given for Daniel's day?
Daniel 8:26 And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days.
18. When would knowledge of the prophecies of Daniel finally be increased?
Daniel 12:4 4But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
In the Light of God's Word...
I understand that the 70-week portion of the 2300-day prophecy was accurately fulfilled in the earthly ministry and sacrifice of Jesus.
I understand that the 1,810 remaining years of the prophecy point to an important cleansing work which was to take place near the end of time.
Next Lesson: Revelation Unseals Daniel's Prophecy