Daniel 9:20-27 Gabriel’s Message about the Anointed One
“I went on praying and confessing my sin and the sin of my people, pleading with the Lord my God for Jerusalem, his holy mountain. As I was praying, Gabriel, whom I had seen in the earlier vision, came swiftly to me at the time of the evening sacrifice. He explained to me, “Daniel, I have come here to give you insight and understanding. The moment you began praying, a command was given. And now I am here to tell you what it was, for you are very precious to God. Listen carefully so that you can understand the meaning of your vision.
“A period of seventy sets of seven has been decreed for your people and your holy city to finish their rebellion, to put an end to their sin, to atone for their guilt, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to confirm the prophetic vision, and to anoint the Most Holy Place. Now listen and understand! Seven sets of seven plus sixty-two sets of seven will pass from the time the command is given to rebuild Jerusalem until a ruler—the Anointed One—comes. Jerusalem will be rebuilt with streets and strong defenses, despite the perilous times.
“After this period of sixty-two sets of seven, the Anointed One will be killed, appearing to have accomplished nothing, and a ruler will arise whose armies will destroy the city and the Temple. The end will come with a flood, and war and its miseries are decreed from that time to the very end. The ruler will make a treaty with the people for a period of one set of seven, but after half this time, he will put an end to the sacrifices and offerings. And as a climax to all his terrible deeds, he will set up a sacrilegious object that causes desecration, until the fate decreed for this defiler is finally poured out on him.”
Daniel is confused by his vision and desperately wants enlightenment. God sends the Angel Gabriel to explain things to Daniel. Recently, someone I follow on Facebook reported receiving scathing criticisms from those refusing to believe in angels. When the writer invited readers to submit their personal stories of angelic encounters, the response was overwhelming, proving that as the song says, there ARE angels among us.
One of my angel stories concerns the time I was traveling alone in Charleston, WV. Night was falling and I was on the interstate when I realized I had a flat tire. Pulling off to the side of the road, I was struggling to extract my jack and my spare tire from the trunk of my car when a smiling coal miner suddenly appeared, offering to change my tire for me. Looking back, I realize I never saw his vehicle, but I certainly accepted the help without hesitation. After changing the tire, the man wished me a safe trip and then disappeared as mysteriously as he had come. I am certain God sent an angel to help and protect me, for I could have been attacked as I stood at the side of the road.
While Daniel appears to have accepted Gabriel’s interpretation and to have understood it, ever since Daniel recorded this vision, people have been arguing over the time line. Have these events already happened? Are these events yet to take place? Or is this a vision with a dual interpretation, both an ancient one as well as one that has yet to be fulfilled?
Personally, I favor the dual interpretation. But what is most important is our response. Will we be faithful to God and His Word, or will we cave in to popular thinking? I am writing this study two days after the murder of Charlie Kirk at a university presentation in Utah. By all accounts, Mr. Kirk was articulate, gracious, and indefatigable in his defense of Biblical principles. The murderer had immersed himself in hate-filled media, warping his entire personality. Unfortunately, there are millions of other young people who have been similarly misled. On the other hand, thousands of college students are now wearing tee-shirts proclaiming “We are all Charlie!” Mr. Kirk’s death appears to be galvanizing large numbers of Christians throughout the world to speak out for their faith.
The title of this study series is “Dare to be a Daniel!” Mr. Kirk took up that challenge and did everything he could to fulfill it, despite threats of all kinds. May God help us, so that we will be found faithful, no matter the cost.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to follow hard after You all the days of our lives. May we be found faithful, no matter the danger. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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