Back to Daniel
Daniel 9:20-27
20 While I was speaking and
praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my
plea before the Lord my God for the holy hill of my God,
21 while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen
in the vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the
evening sacrifice.
22 He made me understand, speaking with me and saying, “O Daniel, I
have now come out to give you insight and understanding.
23 At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I
have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved. Therefore consider the
word and understand the vision.
24 “Seventy weeks are decreed
about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an
end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness,
to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place.
25 Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word
to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince,
there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again
with squares and moat, but in a troubled time.
26 And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off
and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall
destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the
end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed.
27 And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and
for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the
wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end
is poured out on the desolator.”
Having completed our six weeks of Lenten meditation upon our
lives as Disciples of Christ and the disciplines that enhance that lifestyle,
we go back to our study of Daniel. When we last left Daniel, he was seeking
forgiveness for his own sin and that of his nation. Now, he is visited by
Gabriel again as another message is coming Daniel’s way. This passage is not an
easy one. In fact one Biblical scholar has called these verses and the study
that has been done of them over the centuries “the dismal swamp of Old
Testament criticism.” (Daniel Montgomery) So this passage is a tough one. That
means that I will in no way attempt to add to that swamp for I do not possess
the knowledge or the skill set necessary to do so. Instead, we read the passage
and pluck out a few key points, allowing greater minds to plumb the depths of
this passage.
Just a couple of things stand out in an obvious way. Verse
23 tugs at the conscience a little, as we hear Daniel’s faith and devotion
praised on the lips of Gabriel. “. . . I have come to tell you, for you are
greatly loved.” Daniel’s consistent and unrelenting faith brought him to the
attention of God such that God is granting him special revelation. It’s hard
not to wish for that favor but one gets the impression that Daniel’s
relationship with God was the most
important aspect of his life and his devotion was noteworthy for God Himself
takes note!
Then we have all the verses that speak of the “weeks”. I’m
not even going to attempt to shine light on these passages as I stated earlier.
No need to add to the speculation, for that is all I would have. My one and
only insight would be that the “week” (which is not a literal week, but a symbolic one in this case) probably
points back to the seven days that God took to create everything (which I believe was a literal seven days). In the end,
God is pointing Daniel to a future Messiah who would make all things right even
through the destruction of the temple and the scattering of God’s people. Just
a few days ago we rehearsed that redemption being lived out in the life, death,
and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Even when they are tough to figure out, God keeps all of His promises.
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