Understanding Bible Prophecy Series (3 of 7)

Signpost to Christ

Predicting something five days ahead
is tough enough, says Justin Lawman,
but 500 years ahead? That’s no coincidence.

Like his neighbour Ned Flanders, I’m convinced Homer Simpson needs Bible studies! Even though the famous character attends the Springfield Community Church, the preaching of Reverend Lovejoy isn’t “doing it” for him. Homer’s Christianity isn’t what you would call “well developed,” says author Steve Ayers.1 He asks his wife, Marge: “What’s the name of that religion with all the well-meaning rules that don’t work in real life?”

He’s talking about “Christianity”! Not only does he forget the name of his own religion, but also he views it merely as a set of irrelevant rules. Throughout the series that has become America’s longest running comedy, Homer seems confused about who Jesus is and why people would follow Him. So removed from Him, this sinks to its lowest when in one episode Homer, in great trouble, cries out to Jesus for help—but gets His name wrong.

Homer—and there are many like him—needs a lot more than a Bible study. But if I could get just an hour of his time, I would take him to Daniel chapter nine. Of all the prophecies and predictions made in the Bible, none other so clearly points to Jesus of Nazareth as God’s anointed Messiah, and no other prophecy shows so clearly why Jesus came to earth.

a prophet in depression
Daniel 9 begins with the prophet a little discouraged; he’s saddened by the situation Israel is facing. They’ve been captives in Babylon for 68 years, while their homeland lies in ruins. They have struggled to keep their faith and national identity. Daniel knew the prophet Jeremiah’s prediction about the duration of this captivity—70 years (verse 2)—and that time was almost up.

According to Jeremiah, Israel had only two more years before they could go home! Yet Daniel is upset, because in his observation, the closer they come to the appointed date for return, the less likely its fulfilment appears. In fact (in chapter 8), God has just given Daniel the longest time prophecy of the whole Bible, and from Daniel’s reaction (8:27–9:3), he appears to be thinking that God has just extended the 70 years of captivity to thousands.

a signpost to Christ
Unsure of God’s intentions, Daniel turns to God. Confused about the time prophecy (of Daniel 8), he states that “it was beyond understanding” (8:27). This in turn caused him to doubt the future of his nation Israel. While praying and pleading with God, the angel Gabriel interrupts him and announces that he has come “to give . . . insight and understanding. . . . Therefore, consider the message and understand the vision” (9:22, 23).

Gabriel announces Israel’s future thus, “Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city . . .” (9:24). Daniel had been concerned about Jeremiah’s 70 years; now the angel Gabriel is speaking about a period seven times that long—490 years.2 In other words, Israel has 490 years to get its house in order.

But what does this have to do with Jesus? Everything! The six injunctions in the second half of verse 24 could only be fulfilled by the Messiah. This is made quite clear by the announcement of the starting date of the prophecy, in verse 25. “Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’”

Seven “sevens” and 62 “sevens” is the prophetic way of saying 483 years.3 The “Anointed One” means the Messiah or the Christ. So this is a prediction, in the Old Testament, of when to expect the Messiah. With this information, one can settle whether the Old Testament supports Jesus’ claims about Himself as the Christ.4

a division of history
Daniel was told the time period for the Messiah would start from the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. It must have been a relief for him to hear that the beloved city of David would actually be rebuilt, but more than that, the date of the issuing of the decree would start the prophetic time clock ticking, counting down to the coming of the Messiah. The decree to “restore and rebuild” Jerusalem came in the year 457 BC.5 Add 483 years to the starting date takes one to 27 AD.6

According to Luke 3:1, 2, 21, Jesus was baptised in 27 AD. This gives life to Jesus’ first public words after His baptism: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1:15, NKJV). Jesus knew who He was, and He knew the time had arrived for His work. The apostle Paul says, “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth his Son” (Galatians 4:4, NKJV).

There’s no doubt that Jesus did walk the earth. The evidence is overwhelming. But was He the Son of God? Was He the Messiah? Daniel 9 says yes. No-one else in history can fulfil this prophecy; no-one else in history can be the Messiah.

the place of the Messiah
But what, according to Daniel 9, would Jesus do? Verse 26 says the “Messiah shall be cut off, but not for himself” (NKJV). This, of course, is a reference to Jesus’ death. It was in God’s plan for Jesus to die—but “not for Himself.” As John the Baptist said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29, NKJV). Jesus died for us.

The prophecy of Daniel 9 repeats this again when it details the final seven years of the 490-year period, 27 AD through to 34 AD. “But in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.” It is true that sacrifices were continued in Jerusalem after Jesus’ death, but God no longer required them: “Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many” (Hebrews 9:28, NKJV). Jesus ended the need for continually making new animal sacrifices.

God’s concern for His covenant people did not end with the death of Jesus. He still seeks out individuals today from all nations and peoples. However, the status of Israel as the chosen nation was sealed in 34 AD, the end of the 490-year period, with the murder of the ? Stephen (see Acts 7:54-60). God’s attempt to “confirm a covenant” (Daniel 9:27, NKJV) were rejected.

There is no doubt that Jesus is what He claimed to be—God’s Messiah. It is impossible for this to be an accident. Predicting something five days ahead is tough enough, but 500 years ahead? That’s no coincidence.

1. What Would Jesus Say? page 48.
2. “Seventy sevens” or “seventy weeks” equal 490 days. These 490 days have been widely accepted as equalling 490 years. The Living Bible, for example, translates this as “The Lord has commanded 490 years.” The Bible often uses a day to represent a year in its prophetic passages. Other examples include Ezekiel 4:6 and Numbers 14:34.
3. Seven sevens is 49; 62 sevens is 434. These two figures combined equal 483 years.
4. Jesus openly stated to the Samaritan woman at the well, early in His ministry, that He was the Messiah (see John 4:25, 26).
5. There are three different decrees in the book of Ezra. The first two (1:2-4; 6:1-5) involve the reconstruction of the temple. But the third (7:11-26) fully reflects the intent of Gabriel’s words to “restore and rebuild” Jerusalem (Daniel 9:25). This final decree reestablishes civil authority to the Jewish city. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary (page 26), commenting on Daniel 9, firmly establishes the date 457 BC.
6. As there is no Year Zero (between 1 BC and 1 AD), the mathematical equation 457-483, which equals 26, therefore becomes 27 AD.