Participants:
Series Code: DAA
Program Code: DAA000009A
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00:01 Music...
00:26 Hello and once again to Daniel All Access. 00:31 This is our walk through the Book of Daniel 00:35 this very important book in the Old Testament 00:39 the companion of Revelation 00:41 which has so much to say to God's people in these last days 00:46 and we pray that you've been blessed 00:48 and that you've learned some things in our study together 00:51 for there is much in the Old Testament 00:54 that reflects upon the days in which we find ourselves 00:59 and that is designed to prepare us 01:02 for the second coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 01:05 so we thank you again for being with us today 01:08 we look at Daniel chapter 9 01:13 and we would ask you to turn in your Bibles 01:14 to Daniel chapter 9, 01:16 we do not have time to read the entire chapter 01:20 but we will be referring to Daniel chapter 9. 01:25 The message: Skill to Understand 01:28 Daniel chapter 9. 01:30 We ask you now to bow your heads with me as we pray. 01:35 Father God, we praise you and thank you so very much 01:41 for your Word and the power of that Word 01:46 and we thank you dear Lord 01:49 for those things that you have placed in your Word 01:55 that our... as it were... signposts 01:59 to let us know where we are going, 02:03 how far we have come and how far we have yet to go. 02:10 Help us Lord to take each step with our hand 02:16 in the unchanging hand of the master 02:20 and help us Lord, to look to you 02:24 and to serve you and to follow wherever you lead. 02:30 Be our teacher today 02:32 and give us heaven's very best we do pray 02:37 and we thank you dear Father, in Jesus' name, amen. " 02:42 Audience: Amen. 02:43 Daniel chapter 9 takes place 02:48 after the change in world empires. 02:53 The Babylonian Empire has just concluded its 70-year run 03:00 and Daniel chapter 9 takes place 03:06 in the first year of the ensuing Medo-Persian Empire. 03:13 Pause. 03:15 What is interesting is that Daniel chapter 9 03:19 begins with the first year of Darius or Dareeus the Mede 03:24 but what I discovered... I simply had not seen it before 03:29 is that Daniel chapter 9 and Daniel chapter 6 03:35 cover the same time period 03:39 so, what you find in Daniel chapter 6 03:44 is amplified in Daniel chapter 9 03:48 because for the first several verses, 03:51 really most all of the chapters, 03:54 they cover the same basic time period. 03:57 Daniel chapter 9 begins with the first year of Darius the Mede. 04:04 In Daniel chapter 6, we see... 04:10 we're in the first year of Darius the Mede 04:13 and in Daniel chapter 6, 04:17 Darius thinks so highly of Daniel 04:22 that, verse 3 tells us, 04:26 he considers making Daniel the head of the whole Empire. 04:30 That is the impression that he has of Daniel 04:33 because of the great spirit that is within him. 04:36 He does not do it 04:39 but certainly it is in his mind to do so 04:41 and Daniel chapter 6... the very first verse tells us 04:46 that Darius begins to make immediately 04:48 a number of administrative changes 04:52 while he is settling into his new role 04:55 as Leader of the Medo-Persian Empire. 04:57 He is considering making Daniel the head of the whole thing 05:02 at the head... at the level of Prime Minister. 05:04 The Lions' Den incident from Daniel chapter 6 is looming, 05:11 the plot is being hatched, 05:15 the satraps and leaders are plotting Daniel's downfall 05:22 and as we said when we talked about 05:26 and looked at Daniel 6, 05:27 the ploy was that no one was to pray to any king 05:34 or any god for 30 days 05:37 and Darius... who the Bible says was 62 years old 05:42 who should have known better 05:43 allowed his vanity and his ego to get in the way 05:48 and he allowed that edict to be passed 05:52 an Edict of the Medes and the Persians 05:56 which could not be changed. 05:58 Once it was signed, it could not be altered. 06:02 What is interesting and really quite fascinating 06:06 is the fact that while this plot is being hatched 06:11 and Ellen White takes pains to say 06:13 that this plot is orchestrated by Satan. 06:16 This is a Satanically-inspired- and-orchestrated plot 06:22 to get Daniel out of the way 06:25 but what is fascinating... 06:28 and we don't see this until we get to Daniel 9 06:31 and then push it back to Daniel 6, 06:33 is that, Daniel, at this point in his life 06:37 is praying more than ever before. 06:40 Daniel is not only praying... but if you look at verse 3 06:47 in Daniel chapter 9, 06:49 pause... 06:52 we see the intensity and the fervency 06:55 of Daniel's prayer. 06:56 The Bible says in the book of Daniel chapter 9 verse 3, 07:00 "... then I set my face towards the Lord God, 07:05 to make my request by prayer and supplication 07:10 with fasting, sackcloth and ashes... " 07:15 pause 07:18 Daniel, at this point in his life, 07:21 is praying harder than ever before. 07:24 Sackcloth and ashes is a way of expressing extreme grief 07:30 and remorse and repentance. 07:34 Sackcloth was a garment made of either flax or hemp... 07:40 sometimes camel hair... sometimes goat hair. 07:44 It was designed to be painful and austere 07:49 so, when you put on sackcloth, 07:52 you are saying that something very bad has happened 07:58 and you feel very bad about it 08:01 and you are repenting and begging God for forgiveness... 08:05 the very act of wearing sackcloth 08:07 was a painful experience 08:09 and then the ashes... you either sat in the ashes 08:14 or you poured ashes upon your head 08:17 and it was a way of showing 08:20 complete and utter self-renunciation 08:24 and saying to God, "I am sorry... I love you... 08:30 and I repent of my sins. " 08:32 Well, Daniel was doing this now. 08:35 Daniel is in sackcloth and ashes... 08:37 he is praying... 08:39 he confesses his sins... 08:43 he praises God... 08:45 he acknowledges his sins... 08:48 he acknowledges the sins of his people 08:51 and really... this sackcloth and ashes 08:54 is done... not so much because Daniel is... 08:59 is worried about himself 09:01 but at this point in his ministry, 09:03 Daniel is worried about his people. 09:07 Daniel has a burden for his people 09:10 because God is beginning to show him some things... 09:14 and we'll get back to this in just a moment 09:16 that are distressing him. 09:19 Daniel is praying for mercy, 09:23 he is proclaiming and claiming 09:26 the fulfillment of the prophecies of Jeremiah 09:29 and while he is speaking 09:32 some very wonderful things are happening. 09:37 Pause. 09:39 You know, we serve... we serve a good God. 09:42 Audience: Amen. 09:43 Who never leaves us nor forsakes us 09:48 and I'll tell you something else God does, 09:51 God plans ahead... 09:54 Audience: Amen. Pastor Murray: Amen. 09:58 Daniel, at this point in his life, 10:01 is as close to God as he has ever been. 10:08 What we see here... as we pull Daniel chapter 6 10:12 and Daniel chapter 9 together, 10:15 is a confluence of powers in the great controversy. 10:21 We see a fight between good and evil. 10:25 Daniel quotes... in Daniel chapter 9:20, 10:29 "I was confessing my sin and the sin of Israel, 10:34 presenting my supplication before the Lord 10:37 and while I was speaking, Gabriel comes back... " 10:42 we praise the Lord for that. 10:44 So, now, Daniel is going to get some homeschooling from Gabriel. 10:51 Pause. 10:53 Now, let's connect the dots. 10:55 Pause. 10:58 We saw in "Prophets and Kings" that the plot against Daniel 11:03 was personally orchestrated by Satan. 11:07 Satan wanted Daniel out of the way 11:11 pause 11:13 but if you look at the spiritual state of Daniel 11:17 at this point in time, 11:18 Daniel is as locked in with the Lord as ever a man could be. 11:24 He's praying... he's fasting... he's confessing his sins... 11:30 he is confessing the sins of Israel... 11:34 he is in sackcloth and ashes 11:37 and he's taking Bible Studies from the angel Gabriel. 11:41 Does it get any better than that? 11:45 Ellen White says, he knows there's a plot, 11:49 he knows they are trying to end his life, 11:52 but it doesn't matter, 11:54 he is not concerned... because he's got bigger fish to fry. 12:00 Daniel is worried about what's coming... 12:04 not what's happening. 12:05 He's on a totally different spiritual plain, 12:10 he's not even concerned 12:12 about all the stuff going on around him 12:15 because he's locked in with the Lord 12:18 and what he is concerned about particularly now 12:21 is the future of his people, 12:23 what are they going to do with Christ. 12:28 He is looking at the time of the deliverer... 12:31 he's looking at a time when sin is going to be eradicated, 12:35 he couldn't be better prepared for the Lions' Den 12:42 than anybody in history. 12:45 Daniel, at this point, 12:48 is thoroughly pressed into the presence of God. 12:53 He's got... dare I say... an IV drip... 12:59 to the Grace Pipeline... 13:01 He is prayed up... he is ready to go... 13:06 he is ready for his part in the great controversy. 13:11 He has stripped himself of pride 13:14 and he's worried about his people. 13:17 This is an unpublished manuscript page 406. 13:24 It says, "Self-annihilation... " 13:28 now isn't that an interesting word? 13:29 She doesn't say "Self-abnegation" Pastor, 13:31 she says, "self-annihilation" 13:34 "Self-annihilation is a hard process, 13:40 for self struggles for existence and dies hard... " 13:46 I was going to call this sermon: Die Hard. 13:47 Audience: Amen. 13:50 It dies hard... 13:51 "... but prayer and faith place the weakest sinner 13:56 on vantage ground where the hand of faith 14:01 can grasp firmly the hand of the Savior. " 14:05 Audience: Amen. 14:06 I want to say "Amen" to that. 14:08 Audience loudly: Amen. 14:10 The prayer of faith 14:12 puts the sinner in an advantage over Satan. 14:19 Amen. 14:20 Audience: Amen. 14:22 Pause. 14:24 Where you can grasp on to the hand of Jesus. 14:27 Audience: Amen. 14:28 And when you take hold of the hand of Christ, 14:30 He will never let you go. 14:32 Audience: Amen. 14:34 In and through Christ, 14:37 we may come off more than conquerors. 14:42 Audience: Amen. Pastor: Praise the Lord. 14:44 So, Daniel is sold out to the Lord. 14:47 He is in love with the Lord, 14:49 he has humbled himself before the Lord 14:52 and he is on firm and strong ground with the Lord 14:58 through prayer and faith. 15:01 Now, look at this, "Satan... " 15:04 see Satan knows some stuff that we don't know 15:08 and we should know 15:09 but here's one thing that Satan knows 15:12 that we all should know. 15:13 "Satan is well aware... " amen... 15:17 "Satan is well aware... that the weakest soul... 15:21 weakest soul 15:24 weakest soul... " 15:27 Audience loudly: AMEN! 15:29 I said, "weakest soul" 15:31 Audience very loudly: Amen. 15:32 "... the weakest soul who abides in Christ 15:38 is... almost a match... " 15:41 Audience: No... more than a match. 15:44 Pastor: Can almost get through" 15:46 Audience: more... 15:47 Pastor: Can just about make it. 15:49 Audience: No... 15:50 Mmm... mmm... 15:52 "... the weakest soul is more than a match" 15:57 glory to God... 15:58 Audience: Amen. 15:59 "... is more than a match for the hosts of darkness... " 16:03 Great Controversy, page 530. 16:05 Satan knows that even if you don't 16:09 which is why he wants to keep you from knowing that 16:13 that the weakest soul... 16:15 more than a match... 16:18 for the hosts of darkness 16:20 and so Daniel is praying... he's fasting... 16:23 he's... he's humbling himself... 16:26 and he's more than a match... 16:29 he is more than a match... 16:32 for all of the tricks and maneuvers of the devil. 16:38 So, right at the time 16:41 when Satan thinks, "I've got him... " 16:45 he doesn't know that Daniel is bullet proof. 16:52 Pause. 16:55 He's prayed up... he's ready to go... 16:58 so not only is Daniel quenching the fiery darts of the wicked 17:03 he is prepared to receive greater knowledge 17:09 because God is getting ready to give him an understanding 17:14 that is going to shake him to his knees. 17:18 Pause. 17:20 It is Gabriel who comes to tell Daniel 17:26 heaven has sent me here because you are greatly beloved 17:34 and when I ran into that several nights ago 17:39 pause 17:43 it... it kind of got to me... 17:47 pause 17:49 and I must admit to you that I was envious of Daniel. 17:58 Pastor, Gabriel told him, 18:03 "I'm here... because in heaven they love you a lot. " 18:12 Pause. 18:15 And I sat and stared at that for quite a while. 18:18 Pause. 18:20 And I must admit to you 18:22 that I was very, very envious of Daniel 18:29 pause 18:31 because I will tell you, 18:33 I would love to have that said about me. 18:36 Audience loudly: Amen. 18:37 Pause. 18:40 "In heaven, they like you a lot. " 18:44 Pause. 18:48 And so, Gabriel says, "I've come to help you 18:51 because we love you. " 18:56 Pause. 19:00 I'll tell you something, 19:02 pause 19:10 earlier this year, 19:12 Danny came to Pastor Lomacang and myself 19:16 and he said, "I want you to do a Series on Daniel and Revelation 19:24 pause 19:27 and to try as you can 19:30 to stay out of the vortex of the parts of the books 19:39 that are controversial 19:40 and just bring messages 19:42 that will be of import and value to the people... " 19:46 pause 19:49 and I began writing. 19:51 We had to do some things in Romania 19:57 and so, I didn't really get to working on this 20:01 until late March 20:03 pause 20:07 and for the last eight weeks, 20:09 I've done nothing but eat and sleep Daniel. 20:14 Pause. 20:18 I don't think I've gone to bed before 2 a. m. 20:21 since March 15th literally. 20:24 Pause. 20:26 I've spent many nights up all night 20:30 just working on... on Daniel 20:34 pause 20:37 and during that whole time I was possessed 20:41 of a feeling of woeful inadequacy. 20:48 Pause 20:54 more pause. 21:02 I didn't feel up to the task of bringing what I knew 21:11 was in this book 21:14 and I didn't have my Commentaries 21:17 and most of my study books with me... they were packed away 21:19 and some in Panama... 21:20 pause 21:25 and yet I wanted to let you see what God was showing me 21:34 and I just didn't feel adequate. 21:37 Pause. 21:41 Daniel here... is an old man. 21:45 Pause. 21:47 My calculations put him in the mid-to-late eighties... 21:52 he was a teenager when he started... 21:53 this is post-Babylonian Empire 21:56 so that's 70 years 21:58 plus the 18 or so years when he got there in 605 B.C. 22:02 so he's 88... 89 years of age. 22:05 He's not... he's not a young guy 22:07 pause 22:09 and you can see that the travails 22:16 of serving the Lord so long and so many plots 22:19 and so many things are beginning to wear on him 22:21 because over and over you see he was sick certain days... 22:25 he fainted certain days... 22:26 he was on the ground on his face certain days 22:28 he's... he's not a young person 22:30 and yet heaven has got a lot more to... to... to tell him 22:38 pause 22:40 and so, heaven dispatches Gabriel to his side 22:48 to support him 22:50 and Gabriel comes with a message 22:54 "I'm... I'm here because we... we love you... " 23:02 pause 23:05 and when I saw that, I... I... I envied him. 23:10 Pause. 23:19 I would like to be so used of God 23:22 pause 23:27 that heaven could say, 23:30 "You are greatly loved in... in heaven. " 23:33 Audience loudly: Amen. 23:36 Pause. 23:38 And to know that an angel can come down and assist you 23:48 and then in chapter 10, 23:56 God the Son turns to his Father 23:58 pause 24:01 and says, "You know, that... 24:04 that's our guy down there, 24:07 pause 24:10 I think I should go down there and help him. " 24:13 Pause. 24:15 And so, in chapter 10, 24:18 Christ Himself comes to aid Daniel 24:20 pause 24:25 and it's marvelous to know 24:29 that God will give you as much help as you need 24:35 when you need it. 24:38 Audience: Amen. 24:40 Pause... 24:46 more pause... 24:49 What is interesting as you bring 24:52 chapters 9 and chapters 6 together 24:55 pause 24:58 is that 25:01 the Lions' Den incident 25:05 is hatched while Daniel is at his strongest 25:11 pause 25:13 and in chapter 9, 25:17 Gabriel comes 25:20 to help Daniel understand 25:24 the 70-week prophecy which is to come. 25:27 Pause. 25:29 Daniel is fasting and praying and committing himself to God 25:37 he's praying three times a day, 25:41 he's fasting and humbling himself 25:45 because Gabriel is getting ready to show him some things 25:51 that are going to seriously disturb him. 25:56 Pause. 25:59 During this time, 26:00 pause... 26:06 and I don't know why I'm getting... 26:07 pause... 26:12 during this time... 26:14 they are plotting to take this 80-plus-year-old man's life 26:21 pause 26:26 more pause... 26:29 and Daniel chapter 9 verse 21 says 26:36 that when Daniel began to humble himself, 26:43 the angel Gabriel was swiftly dispatched to assist him 26:52 because his prayer was going to be answered 26:57 but he wasn't going to necessarily like the way 27:01 that prayer was answered. 27:03 Pause. 27:05 So, Daniel says, "Gabriel got there 27:08 about the time of the evening sacrifice. 27:12 So he got there late afternoon. 27:14 Ellen White says that the Medo-Persian conspirators 27:23 watched Daniel pray three times that day 27:30 before they went and told the king 27:33 pause 27:34 so that means that during Daniel's third prayer 27:44 while they are watching 27:46 Gabriel was already there. 27:49 Audience: Amen. 27:51 He was there... 27:52 so they go and tell the king 27:56 and the King... the Bible says... 28:00 fought till sundown to free Daniel 28:04 but he couldn't do it. 28:06 Pause. 28:09 Now, Gabriel was already there... 28:12 this is why you need time sometimes 28:14 to go into these things. 28:16 Pause. 28:19 Gabriel was there for another reason. 28:22 He's getting ready to tell Daniel about the 70 weeks 28:26 but it occurs to me, my dear Pastor, 28:32 that angels can multi-task. 28:35 Audience: Amen. Pastor: Amen. 28:38 Audience louder: Amen. 28:42 So, when Daniel... I mean Gabriel was there already 28:48 and Daniel was aware that Gabriel was by his side, 28:54 that's what 9:21 says, 28:56 "I know he's there... 28:57 he got here... during my third prayer. " 29:02 So, when Daniel went into the Lions' Den, 29:07 pause 29:10 my assumption is, Gabriel said, 29:14 "I'm here already... " 29:17 so when Daniel went in... my thesis is 29:25 Gabriel walked in with him. 29:28 Audience: Amen. 29:29 We know some angel went in 29:33 because the next morning when the king said, 29:36 "Has your God 29:38 whom you continually serve delivered you?" 29:41 Daniel said, "The angel of the Lord has shut the lions' mouth" 29:48 now Gabriel was already on site. 29:51 Audience: Amen. 29:52 Pastor: Amen. 29:54 Audience: Amen. 29:55 So, when Daniel walked into the Lions' Den, 29:59 Gabriel walked right in there with him. 30:02 Audience: Amen... amen... 30:04 Scared? No sir... he wasn't scared... 30:10 because he had "angel comfort" and "angel custody" 30:15 and an "angel consort" that whole night 30:18 and it was the angel that shuts the lions' jaw 30:22 so, you don't see that until you put Daniel chapter 9 30:27 right on top of Daniel chapter 6. 30:29 Daniel is an old man now, 30:31 he's been with the Lord a long time. 30:33 He... he doesn't need necessarily to pray for himself 30:37 because he's locked in with the Lord, 30:39 he's praying for his people... 30:41 Audience: Amen... amen. 30:43 He's praying for Israel... 30:46 and here's why I know that is so. 30:50 We're getting ready to walk into the 490-year prophecy. 30:57 that's what Gabriel has come to explain to Daniel. 31:02 Pause. 31:04 You will see that Gabriel says to Daniel, 31:09 "490 years are determined for your people. " 31:14 You got 490 years to get this right... 31:19 That means that it's not right now... 31:25 amen... 31:27 and you got 490... to get it right. 31:30 "but the reason you've got 490 is because it's not right. " 31:38 And Daniel must have known that at the end of the 490... 31:46 things would still not be right, 31:50 he had to know that. 31:53 Pause. 31:55 He couldn't see down through the 1,260... 31:58 he couldn't see down through the 2,300 days... 32:02 those visions were sealed... 32:04 but he could see down to the time of Christ 32:07 and if he saw down to the time of Christ, 32:09 he had to see and know 32:12 that things would be as bad at the time of Christ 32:15 as they were right then when he got that prophecy. 32:18 That's why he was sick, that's why he was fainting, 32:21 that's why his face was to the ground 32:23 because he realized that after 490 years, 32:25 nothing was going to change. 32:27 Pause. 32:32 And so the Lord sends Gabriel down to help 32:39 because Daniel admits, "I'm overwhelmed" 32:45 pause 32:48 because I've been given a view of the future 32:51 and nothing is going to change. " 32:58 Pause. 33:00 The truth is, Ladies and Gentlemen, 33:03 except for very few moments, 33:05 the history of Israel is a history of failure. 33:11 Pause. 33:15 They never got it right 33:17 and that's what Daniel was forced to see 33:21 when he looked at that prophecy. 33:24 That's why the angel had to walk him through that prophecy 33:29 because God was going to show him these people 33:35 that you care so much about 33:37 are never going to get it right 33:42 and 500 years from today, 33:46 nothing will have changed. 33:50 Christ will come and live and die and... 33:58 and be rejected... 34:03 pause 34:11 and Gabriel tells him, "That is not a reflection on you 34:17 for you are greatly loved. " 34:22 So now it begins, 34:25 pause 34:28 Gabriel speaks to Daniel and lets him know 34:36 that seventy weeks are determined for your people 34:43 and the holy city... 34:45 "You've got 490 years... " 34:52 pause 34:55 and so this prophetic utterance 34:58 is addressed to the Jewish nation 35:02 and the city of Jerusalem. 35:05 Let's look at the word, "Determined" in Hebrew. 35:09 It is: chathak 35:13 and actually if the Jews are pronouncing it, 35:18 it would be "Kathak" 35:21 it means to cut off from 35:25 the inference is that a piece is being cut off 35:29 of something larger and longer. 35:32 So, 70 weeks now is segmented or separated 35:37 out of a pre-determined length of time. 35:41 The subject are the Jews and Jerusalem 35:46 and so the question then is "When does it start?" 35:52 And I like the translation from the New Living Translation, 35:56 the Living Bible is not a Bible you use for Bible Study 36:01 you can use it for inspiration 36:03 and I like this translation, 36:05 this is the New Living Translation, it says, 36:08 "A period of seventy sets of seven 36:11 has been decreed for your people 36:14 and your holy city to finish their rebellion... " 36:19 You see, Israel was in a constant state of rebellion 36:25 against God 36:26 and the Lord was telling Daniel, 36:28 "I'm giving you 490 additional years 36:31 to end this rebellious situation. " 36:35 You see, the world is still in rebellion today 36:38 and God is giving us time to end the rebellion. 36:42 Pause. 36:44 You got 490 years to end the rebellion 36:47 and that's why Daniel was so sick 36:49 because he knew at the end of the 490 years, 36:52 the rebellion would still be going on. 36:54 Pause. 36:57 The word for rebellion is "pesha" 37:00 I think I have that here... pesha... 37:03 it means a moral or national revolt 37:07 and so, God is telling Daniel, 37:10 "I'm going to give your people my people... 37:12 490 years to end their revolt against the rule of God. 37:19 Pause. 37:22 70 weeks to end the rebellion, 37:25 to put down the revolt, 37:28 to make an end of sins, 37:30 to make reconciliation for iniquity, 37:34 to bring in everlasting righteousness, 37:38 to seal up the vision and prophecy 37:41 and to anoint the most High. 37:45 That's what this time is for 37:48 and here is where it starts. 37:52 Daniel chapter 9 verse 25. 37:56 Pause. 37:59 "Know therefore and understand, 38:01 that from the going forth of the command 38:04 to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince 38:07 shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; 38:11 the street shall be built again, 38:14 and the wall, even in troublous times. " 38:17 And so, this time was to start 38:19 at the going forth of the decree. 38:22 Now, we've got a little homework assignment here 38:25 because the Bible shows us 38:28 that there are actually three decrees. 38:30 Cyrus issues a decree in... 38:35 it's found in Ezra chapter 1 verses 1 through 4, 38:41 that's the decree of Cyrus. 38:44 It was issued in 538 B.C. 38:47 That decree said that you can take back the holy implements 38:52 back to Jerusalem... 38:54 so those things that Nebuchadnezzar had brought out 38:57 and that Belshazzar had defamed... 38:59 they can go back. 39:01 And then Dareeus or Darius issues a decree 39:04 found in Ezra chapter 6 verses 1 through 12, 39:07 his decree issued in 519 B.C. 39:12 this reaffirmed the original decree 39:14 and added some other kinds of things. 39:17 It was basically an affirmation of 39:19 and a little expansion of the original decree by Cyrus 39:22 and then, Artaxerxes issues a decree in 457 B.C. 39:29 This decree is much more comprehensive. 39:33 It is the longest of the decrees 39:35 it's found in Ezra chapter 7 verses 11 to 26 39:39 and it allows for the rebuilding of the city... 39:43 the rebuilding of the wall and the establishment 39:46 of administrative practices in Jerusalem... 39:49 in other words, the decree that was issued in 457 39:55 allowed Jerusalem to live again. 39:59 It gave sovereignty to the Jewish people. 40:02 Now, we find this from Ezra chapter 6 verse 14 40:05 that really all three decrees work together 40:09 but the decree that begins 40:12 the time period of the 70 weeks is 457 B.C. 40:18 The second half of that prophecy 40:22 terminates with Messiah the Prince. 40:26 "So the elders of the Jews built, 40:30 and they prospered 40:32 through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet 40:35 and Zechariah the son of Iddo. 40:37 "And they built and finished it, 40:38 according to the commandment of the God of Israel, 40:43 and according to the commandment of Cyrus, Darius... or Dareeus 40:48 and Artaxerxes king of Persia. " 40:51 So, really, all three decrees worked together 40:54 but it was the third and final decree 40:57 that became the starting point for the 70 weeks 41:02 or the 69 weeks plus one week. 41:05 That takes us to the baptism of Jesus 41:11 and it was at His baptism that Jesus became the Anointed One 41:18 or the Messiah. 41:20 You've got those three terms, 41:22 one English... one Hebrew... one Greek... 41:24 Messiah is English... it is not purely English 41:27 but it is English enough, 41:29 you've got the Anointed One 41:31 which is the Hebrew meaning of Messiah 41:34 and then you've got Christ or Christo... which is Greek. 41:37 So Christ... Jesus became Christ 41:42 at His baptism 41:44 and that is when his work began in time... on time... in 27 A.D. 41:50 And then Gabriel informs Daniel 41:54 that in the midst of that last week, 41:56 three and a half years later Messiah would be cut off. 42:00 So, Christ's earthly ministry 42:03 lasted a short three and a half years. 42:05 Now, that's His earthly ministry. 42:07 Thank God His heavenly ministry is going on even till today. 42:10 Audience: Amen. 42:11 So, you're still getting benefits 42:13 of that three-and-a-half-year walk with us 42:14 but His earthly ministry was three and a half years. 42:18 He suffered at the end of that time... "the second death" 42:22 so that we do not have to. 42:25 There are many, many prophecies in the Old Testament 42:29 that speak of who Jesus is and what Jesus came to do 42:33 but Daniel 9:25 is unique because it pinpoints the Messiah 42:40 500 years before He actually came 42:43 and more than that, 42:45 it gives us a view of His work, His suffering and His death, 42:50 how He lived... how long He lived... 42:53 what He was going to do for us 42:55 and it gives us clues as to what He is doing in heaven even now. 42:59 Isaiah gives a beautiful picture of Christ. 43:03 Immanuel, Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace, 43:06 Everlasting Father... 43:07 but Daniel gives us precise ideas of who Jesus was, 43:13 when He was going to come and what He was going to do 43:18 so the Bible alludes now to 490 years. 43:23 Verse 25 slips in... 43:26 and we find that in Leviticus chapter 25 verse 8 43:31 the Bible says, "Count all seven years of seven" 43:35 it gives you 49 years... 43:37 what the Bible is doing here... 43:40 it's slipping in jubilee language 43:43 and the jubilee is a sermon in itself 43:47 the Bible is slipping in jubilee language 43:50 and when you talk about jubilee language, 43:52 you're talking about freedom language. 43:55 So, whenever you hear "Jubilee" 43:57 in your mind... think "Freedom" 44:00 because in the Jubilee Year, all went free. 44:04 In the Jubilee Year, 44:07 that which was bound was set free. 44:09 In the Jubilee Year, 44:11 that which was rented out returned to its owner. 44:15 In the Jubilee Year, all debts were canceled. 44:19 In the Jubilee Year, 44:21 freedom was brought to all people 44:26 and so Christ used Jubilee language in His preaching. 44:32 Paul said in Romans chapter 6 verse 18, 44:37 "You have been set free from sin 44:40 and become slaves of righteousness. " 44:44 That was Christ's method and that was Christ's message. 44:50 That is a sermon and a study in itself. 44:54 Daniel must have understood and seen and been thrilled 45:00 at the fact that Jesus was coming to set His people free 45:06 but he must have been terrorized to understand 45:10 at the same point... that after 490 years, 45:15 his people would not be ready for that freedom. 45:18 Pause. 45:20 They would not accept that freedom. 45:22 They would not walk in that freedom. 45:24 That the message of jubilee would come to a people 45:29 who were so accustomed to bondage 45:33 and darkness 45:35 that they could not see the light 45:37 when it was shining in their eyes. 45:39 Isaiah stated... in Isaiah 61 45:44 that Christ would come to bring the acceptable year of the Lord 45:51 and isn't it interesting that in Luke chapter 4 verse 16 45:57 when Christ went into the temple 45:59 and stood up to read, 46:01 He opened up the Bible and where did He quote from? 46:04 He quoted from Isaiah 61. 46:06 Pause. 46:09 He quoted the acceptable year of the Lord. 46:11 He used Jubilee language. 46:14 Christ said, "I'm coming to open the gates of the prisons, 46:19 I am coming to proclaim an acceptable year of the Lord 46:24 to those of you who have indentured yourself to sin. 46:28 That's my message and that is my mission. " 46:34 And Daniel saw that 46:37 and it must have grieved his heart to know and understand 46:41 that when Christ would bring that message, 46:44 His people would simply not be ready. 46:48 Pause. 46:51 Christ said, "Today, this is fulfilled in your ears" 46:56 and do you know what their response was? 46:59 They took up stones to kill Him 47:03 because they were not ready for freedom. 47:06 You know, the Bible says, 47:07 "Men love darkness because their deeds are evil" 47:12 and you can live so long in darkness 47:15 that the light actually hurts your eyes 47:19 and they had been in darkness so long... 47:23 had been slaves to their own thinking for so long 47:27 that when the light came they preferred the darkness 47:32 and they were unwilling to accept the light. 47:36 So, Gabriel now in Daniel chapter 9 47:42 is giving Daniel the most defined delineated tracing 47:50 of the life and times of the Redeemer 47:53 anywhere in the Old Testament. 47:55 Let's look at Daniel chapter 9 verse 27. 48:00 The Bible says, 48:02 "... He shall confirm the covenant 48:05 with many for one week... " 48:08 Jesus told His disciples as He drank the cup, 48:13 "This is the blood of the covenant poured out for you 48:19 for forgiveness of sin. " 48:22 Christ confirmed the covenant by His life... His death... 48:28 and His resurrection. " 48:30 Christ's death... just hours 48:35 after this Last Supper experience, 48:38 ended the sacrificial system. 48:42 It ended the Temple Services. 48:45 It ended the keeping of feasts. 48:49 It ended all of those activities 48:53 that were looking forward to the death of Christ on the cross, 48:57 and by His death, 49:00 those activities lost their efficacy. 49:05 They were not necessary anymore 49:07 because Christ died once and once was enough. 49:13 Audience: Amen. 49:15 That's what the whole book of Hebrews was all about 49:16 that all of those rituals... 49:19 all of those things could never really cleanse sin 49:23 they were just looking forward to the time 49:26 when the death of Christ and His shed blood 49:29 would cleanse men and women from sin 49:32 and it only had to happen once. 49:35 So now, you don't have to suffer because Christ did. 49:39 You don't have to die because Christ did. 49:42 You don't have to be afraid of God 49:44 because Christ has made a blending... 49:48 a bridge between you and God 49:49 so now you can come to God boldly 49:52 because Christ has died for you. 49:54 When the veil was rent and the Holy of Holies was exposed 49:59 it signified that the Sanctuary System had run its due course 50:05 because the Lord had literally left the building. 50:11 He was not there anymore 50:13 and for the next several thousand years, 50:18 God would be pleased to dwell in the hearts of men and women. 50:24 He didn't want to dwell in a temple, 50:27 He didn't want to dwell in a building... 50:29 He would dwell from now on until the coming of Christ 50:33 in the hearts of men and women. 50:35 Audience: Amen. 50:37 And some 36 years later, that building... the Temple 50:40 and much of the city was destroyed. 50:42 It would become a pile of rubble and ashes... 50:45 not one stone left upon another... 50:49 but it didn't matter 50:50 because Christ was now building His Kingdom in our hearts. 50:56 Audience: Amen. 50:57 When Christ rose and went to heaven, 51:01 the ministry continued. 51:04 He confirmed it by sending us His Holy Spirit. 51:09 He confirmed it by sending us an abundance of grace. 51:14 He confirmed it by sending us His love and His mercy. 51:20 He confirmed it by sending us attending angels. 51:24 He confirmed it by sending us a message 51:27 of works done through the power of that spirit, 51:30 in Acts chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. 51:37 Pause. 51:40 And at the week... at the end of that week 51:45 when the national rejection of Christ 51:48 was sealed by the stoning of Stephen, 51:53 Jesus sent His love and He told us... 51:58 even though the wall... rather the stone of the wall 52:05 has been rejected by the builders, 52:09 the power of God is ever present, 52:13 is ever new and ever strong. 52:17 He confirmed it by the Pentecostal experience, 52:21 he confirmed it by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit 52:25 and that at the end of the 490 years, 52:29 Paul and Barnabas said, 52:32 "We now are going to the Gentiles. " 52:35 But before that, Saul was knocked from his horse 52:40 and became Paul 52:42 and a Christian hater became a lover of Christ 52:49 and a saver of souls. 52:51 Peter was praying one night 52:54 and he saw a sheet full of unclean animals 52:58 and he said, "It is not my custom to eat unclean things" 53:03 and Paul... or rather the Lord had Peter to understand 53:08 "This has nothing to do with food... 53:10 what I want you to know is 53:13 don't call anybody for whom Christ has died 'unclean' 53:19 your mission now is to go to the world 53:24 and let the world know that Jesus saves. " 53:28 Meanwhile, a Roman soldier named Cornelius got converted 53:36 and he brought his whole family with him. 53:41 You see, the 490-year period that Daniel saw 53:46 must have distressed him 53:49 because he saw that the gospel was going to leave 53:54 a small select group of people 53:57 who had failed him 54:01 and now, the gospel was going to go to the whole world. 54:07 From now on, it was going to be 54:11 "Whosoever will... let him come. " 54:14 From now on, it was going to be, 54:18 "Take the Word to the north, 54:20 the south, the east and the west. " 54:24 From now on, it was going to be, 54:27 "Christ has died for all" 54:30 and the Gentiles now become grafted in 54:33 and become heirs to the promise 54:37 because of the death of Christ and their faith in Him. 54:42 Daniel could not see down to our day 54:45 for the vision was sealed 54:47 but what he saw gave him pause. 54:52 What he saw was that God was going to take the gospel 55:00 to whoever would receive it. 55:03 Audience: Amen. 55:04 Sad news for the Jewish community, 55:08 but good news for you and I. 55:11 Audience: Amen. 55:12 For now, we can come to the Lord, 55:15 we don't have to become Jews first, 55:18 we come to Jesus and we become Spiritual Israel 55:25 through Christ 55:27 and Daniel saw this and it made him ill 55:31 but Gabriel said, "That's okay" 55:38 and then he puts a little interesting text 55:42 at the end of this chapter, 55:45 he says, "One day, you are going to stand in your place, 55:51 and see the salvation of the Lord. 55:54 The vision is afar off... 55:57 but the vision is sure... 56:01 and it's interpretation true... 56:04 for He that shall come will come and will not tarry. " 56:12 Audience: Amen. 56:13 Shall we pray, "Father God, 56:15 we praise you now 56:16 and we thank you 56:18 because what Daniel saw frightened him 56:24 but what we see in the future, gives us hope and courage. 56:32 Pause. 56:34 It gives us joy in our hearts 56:36 for there is coming a time of trouble 56:40 but Jesus is coming also, 56:47 and we know that through Christ, 56:51 we are overcomers 56:55 and we will overcome 57:00 and we shall see Christ face to face. 57:07 Keep us faithful, dear Lord, 57:12 until we see you face to face... 57:18 until it is our privilege to walk through the gates 57:23 and into the City... 57:25 until it is our privilege to sit around the great throne 57:32 and sing the song of Moses and the Lamb. 57:37 A song that angels cannot sing, 57:42 for they have never felt the joy 57:47 that our salvation brings. 57:50 Bless us to this end... we praise you... 57:56 we thank you... in Jesus' name, amen. " 58:01 Audience: Amen. |
Revised 2018-08-30