DANIEL 9 AND 10

Daniel's Prayer And The Divine Revelation

By Johnny Tatum


PART 3: DANIEL'S PRAYER ANSWERED JESUS' TRIUMPHAL ENTRY


 

I Believe Scripture is clear: It is not what believers pray, it is where their minds are. If believers' minds are focused on the right channel, they are going to hear Him because He is already speaking. And the prayers that believers pray are just a reflection of where their minds are.

Here is proof…

DANIEL 9

20 Now while I was speaking and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God in behalf of the holy mountain of my God,

21 while I was still speaking in prayer,

Daniel's mind was ready to hear even before he started praying!

[Notice that God did not wait until the end of the prayer to see if Daniel had met the seven requirements, which all begin with the letter Z of prayer -sic!] God did not wait to see if Daniel prayed correctly.

then the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision previously, came to me in my extreme weariness about the time of the evening offering.

Please drop down to verse 23…

23 "At the beginning of your supplication the command was issued, and I have come to tell you.

 


A Picture On Which To Reflect:

TWIDDLING THUMBS

I get this picture of Daniel babbling on and on while the angel is waiting in front of him twiddling his thumbs, whistling and thinking I have been here since the very beginning of your prayer!


 

Remember that Daniel was thinking Seventy years are just about up. The number seventy was on his mind, but the revelation involved another number seventy

24 "Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, [—there are six things that have been decreed for Israel—]

 


A Closer Look:

TRANSLATING THE WORD SHABUA

Six things will be accomplished at the end of the seventy weeks time frame.

We cannot translate the word weeks because there is no equivalent word in English. In the English language, there are words that mean a certain number of anything. For example, a dozen means twelve of anything, a couple means two of anything; a trio means three of anything.

Hebrew has a word like that for seven, the word Shabua, which the English language does not. That is the word for weeks here.

He is saying seventy blocks of seven is the time frame to accomplish the six things that have been decreed for Israel. This refers to:

70 x 7 = 490 years

—The bookends of history!


 

THE DIVINE REVELATION

The Lord God always gives Daniel revelations with a broad picture, and then He zooms in on the picture.

Daniel must have been thinking I do not want another one of those big sweeps. I want to know when we are going back to Israel. How does all of this fit in with these empires? Every time I ask a simple question, I get a sweep of history.

Note: This is similar to asking God what time it is and He tells you how the watch is made!

Daniel gets another broad picture for Israel. It is a 490-year plan with a gap in the plan. At the end of this 490 years, six things will have been accomplished as follows:

  1. To finish the transgression (rebellion)
  2. At the end of 490 years, the rebellion of Satan and the world is going to be over. And Israel's rebellion; wandering in the wilderness; moving in and out, in and out, in and out of the Land will be over. Israel will be back in the Land forever.

  3. To make an end of sin
  4. This is referring to personal sin. At the end of 490 years, even the concept of sin will not exist anymore.

  5. To make atonement for iniquity
  6. The King James Version (KJV) reads To make reconciliation for iniquity. Until five years ago, no one knew what the Hebrew word meant. It was found in no other place in Hebrew or in the Septuagint. By using the word reconciliation, they got as close as possible to the original meaning.

    In archaeological digs, they found some papyrus documents, and it turns out that the word for iniquity means "annulment", a legal word meaning "an annulment of a marriage". What is the difference between a divorce and an annulment? A divorce says A marriage did exist, but it does not anymore. An annulment says Strike it, because it never was a marriage.

    In the future, there is going to be this kind of separation of sin from the remnant who are alive and who are in the Kingdom in eternity. They will not be considered former sinners. It will be as if their previous life has been annulled.

  7. To bring in everlasting righteousness
  8. There is going to be a time when righteousness reigns. And righteousness is not just the absence of sin—

    Righteousness is a powerful force that is not passive.

    For example, if you drained away all of a person's sins, he would not be righteous. For example, before Adam and Eve sinned, they were sinless and they were innocent. They had no sin; however, they were not righteous.

  9. To seal up vision and prophecy
  10. For Israel, all prophecies, beginning in Genesis and going through Revelation, are going to be fulfilled.

  11. To anoint the most holy place

This is where Daniel's heart would have been struck.

Literally, it is the most holy place but the Jews would have known it as the Holy of Holies. That is when Daniel's heart clicked — when he heard the Holy of Holies was going to be anointed.

 


Notice:

THERE IS NO HINT OF PROGRESSION

He does NOT say I will be slowly finishing the transgression, I will gradually make an end to sin, and then sort of making atonement for iniquity and gradually bringing in righteousness. They are all done things.


Application:

EVERYTHING PROMISED TO ISRAEL =

EVERYTHING PROMISED TO THE REDEEMED [SPIRITUALLY]

These six things will be done for Israel in the future; however, everything that has been promised to Israel and everything that will be given to Israel, is accomplished for biblical believers [spiritually] the moment they are redeemed.

1. To finish the transgression (rebellion)

Our rebellion is over; it is in the past — even though it does not appear that way. What does our rebellion is over mean?

 

2. To make an end of sin

…However, I still sin.

So how is sin ended? Let us take a look at the Daniel 5 (Handwriting on the Wall) episode:

Now this is the inscription that was written out: 'MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.' (Daniel 5:25)

The word MENE means numbered, and the word was written twice: Numbered, Numbered. What is the significance? There are two possible numberings for sin, as follows:

First: For the individual whose sins will be numbered and accounted for at the End of the Age — because he has not accepted Messiah Jesus' work on the Cross on his behalf — he will have to pay the penalty.

Second: For the individual whose sins were numbered on the Cross — because he believes Messiah Jesus is his Redeemer— he is identified with Messiah Jesus (he was executed on the Cross with Him); Messiah Jesus has paid his penalty.

 

3. To make atonement for iniquity

Atonement (reconciliation) means "an annulment". Our sins have been annulled; they have not been divorced.

Paul tells us that We are married to Christ Jesus; however, prior to our salvation We were married to the Law. (See Romans 7:1-6.) In keeping with this analogy, the New Testament says that Anybody who is married to the Law is married to sin; and anybody who is married to sin is married to the Law. Or, put another way —

Anybody who is under Law is under sin.

That is the old way.

The relationship between the Law and sin has been annulled.

 

4. To bring in everlasting righteousness

From the minute we were saved, we were declared Righteous. That righteousness will continue because it is not just the absence of sin.

Messiah Jesus' life was not just characterized in a negative way whereby He was just a Person who did not commit sin. He could have sat in a tent all day and not have sinned. His righteousness was an active and powerful one. And that is what we have now.

We have a powerful and active righteousness.

 

5. To seal up vision and prophecy

Everything God decreed for us, we have now. There is nothing that we will potentially have; we have it all now.

Ephesians 2:10 tells us that even the good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them are complete.

 

6. To anoint the most holy place.

What is our most holy place (our Holy of Holies)? It is our spirit. Our spirit is anointed by Holy Spirit, who is there with all of God's power; we are complete with no work remaining to be done.

 

The nation of Israel (excluding all redeemed Jews) does not possess these six things, although they will. They have a 490 year program to accomplish all of these things and bring in the Kingdom of God.

 


 

WHEN DOES THE 490 YEAR PROGRAM START?

25 "So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress."

We know that the countdown starts with a decree to rebuild Jerusalem. Once that happens, the 490 year program starts.

 

THREE DECREES RELATING TO JERUSALEM

Note: We are using the King James Version Bible—

1. Decree of Cyrus (536 B.C.) Ezra 1:2-4

'Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven, hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and He hath charged me to build Him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all His people? His God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel; He is the God, which is in Jerusalem. And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.'

The Decree of Cyrus in 536 B.C. does not fit the revelation. Daniel 9:25 specifies A decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. This decree refers to the Temple and not to Jerusalem.

 

2. Decree of Artaxerxes (458 B.C.) Ezra 7:11-20

Now this is the copy of the letter which King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the Lord, and His statutes to Israel. 'Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time.

I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee. Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand;

And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem, And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem;

That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God.

The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem. And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's treasure house.'

Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.

The Decree of Artaxerxes (458 B.C.) does not fit the revelation. Daniel 9:25 specifies a decree to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem. This decree refers to the Temple and not to Jerusalem.

 

3. Decree of Artaxerxes (March 5, 444 B.C., 12 Noon) — Nehemiah 2:1-8

And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been before time sad in his presence. Wherefore the king said unto me, 'Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? This is nothing else but sorrow of heart.' Then I was very sore afraid, And said unto the king, 'Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?' Then the king said unto me, 'For what dost thou make request?' So I prayed to the God of heaven.

And I said unto the king, 'If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it.' and the king said unto me, 'the queen also sitting by him, For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return?' So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.

Moreover Is aid unto the king, 'If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me over till I come into Judah;

And a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city and for the house that I shall enter into.' And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.

The Decree of Artaxerxes (444 B.C.) is the only one that specifically addresses the CityJerusalem. It is the decree that starts the 490-year countdown.

This is something God wanted His people to know.


The Greek historian, Herodotus, was a contemporary of King Artaxerxes. Herodotus had a great interest in Persia, and he chronicled the issuing of the Decree of Artaxerxes —

March 5, 444 B.C. at 12:00 noon


 

Notice that the following verse is subdivided…

25 "You are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress."

The reason he divides it is that after sixty-two weeks -or- 62 weeks of years X 7 years = 434 years in which the plaza and moat were finished. That brings us to the year 396 B.C.

And, he says Even in times of distress. We see times of distress involved with building the plaza and the moat as described in the book of Nehemiah. [Remember that Nehemiah did not rebuild the Temple; he rebuilt the walls.]

Therefore, in 396 B.C. everything in Jerusalem was finished.

Another significant occurrence was in that same year, 396 B.C.Until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks. The prophecy refers to Messiah Jesus' Triumphal Entry (not His birth).

 


God Wants Us To Know:

JESUS' TRIUMPHAL ENTRY

Jesus always called Himself Son of Man and not King. Even when the 5,000 people whom Jesus fed tried to make Him King, He would not let them.

The only time in His ministry when Jesus presented Himself as the King was at the Triumphal Entry.

Based on this passage, we know exactly when Jesus' triumphal entry happened: 69 weeks [of years] from the issuing of the Decree of Artaxerxes [on March 5, 444. B.C.] = March 30, 31 A.D.

 

DETERMINING THE DAY OF JESUS' TRIUMPHAL ENTRY TO JERUSALEM:

  1. Modern Calendar [based on the Gregorian System] calculation
  2. Jewish Calendar calculation

Both present the exact day of:

Jesus' Triumphal Entry Into Jerusalem = March 30, 31 A.D.

It could not be more specific.

 


Irrefutable Evidences:

MESSIAH JESUS' TRIUMPHAL ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM

 


Father, we thank You for showing us Daniel, who identified himself with his people in his prayer so we an see the picture of Jesus identifying Himself with us — to the point of calling us His brothers.

Please do not let us stop with an intellectual understanding of the irrefutable evidences and calculated dates of Jesus' Triumphal Entry and Crucifixion. Intervene in our lives so we have the spiritual capacity to believe the truth and respond to Jesus as our Redeemer.

Father, for those of us who have trusted in Messiah Jesus as our Savior, we thank You that we will spend all eternity with You.

We pray in the name of Jesus, our Messiah. Amen.


Next:

Table: The Calculation Of The Dates For Messiah Jesus' Triumphal Entry And Crucifixion!

Part 4: Daniel's Prayer Answered

Messiah Will Come, Messiah Will Be Cut Off, And Jerusalem Will Be Destroyed

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