Deutschmania wrote:. Addressing this point , in answer. .
I agree with the Jewish teacher in that there can be various interpretations and it can be confusing, especially when we use different calendars.
Missing years (Jewish calendar) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missing_y ... h_calendar)
Siege of Jerusalem (587 BC) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_ ... em_(587_BC)
We Christians believe the conditions of Daniel 9:24 is fulfilled by Jesus the Christ (most holy anointed one) by His atoning sacrifice that not only covered but took away the sins of those that believe in Him. The believer's transgression of the law is forgiven and our faith is counted for everlasting righteousness (Romans 3:21-28; 4:1-8; 10:4; Galatians 3:11; Philippians 3:9; 1 Corinthians 1:30).
Nehemiah was given a letter that authorized him to receive recognition and assistance for the tasks that the king permitted him to perform. It had the net effect of a decree, but it was not quite the same thing. The relation between the two communications was that of initial authorization and supplementary authorization. What Ezra went and started was then taken up and carried on to partial completion by Nehemiah. As in the preceding case of Cyrus' initial decree in Ezra 1 and Darius' supplementary authorization in Ezra 6, Artaxerxes' two decrees in Ezra 7 and Nehemiah 2 can be seen as a pair. In both cases the initial decree led to the commencement of the project, but both reconstruction projects required supplementary authorization to complete them; with the temple in the first case and the city in the second.
Because it really was the first decree of the second set, the one given to Ezra in 457 B.C., which led to the commencement of the construction of the city, that we should look for fixing the point for the beginning of the prophetic and historical period outlined by Daniel.
Daniel 9:25 can be paraphrase to identify its starting point as, "From the going forth of the word (the decree of Artaxerxes I) to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem (by Ezra according to the decree of Ezra 7 and the actions of Ezra 4), in 457 B.C."
When the correct procedures described above are carried out, it can be seen that the prophecy of the 69 weeks, or the 483 full historical years of Daniel 9, culminates in A.D. 27. According to its verbal root, Messiah means an anointed one. Thus the Messiah is one who is anointed. His anointing at the Jordan River, by both John the Baptist and His heavenly Father, took place in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar according to Luke 3:1, 21, 22.
https://adventistbiblicalresearch.org/m ... -924-beginThe first seven weeks (sevens) or 49 years is the time it is to take to completely restore Jerusalem (including inner city and defensive systems).
The next sixty-two weeks (sevens) or 434 years brings us to 27 A.D. when Jesus {the prince of Princes) was baptized by John the Baptist and anointed by the Holy Spirit as the Messiah (anointed one).
Daniel 9:26 indicates that after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah (Jesus) will be cut off and have nothing; then the people of a coming prince will destroy the city (Jerusalem) and the sanctuary (temple). Jesus, who knew no sin, was made to bare sin on our behalf (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus experienced the death penalty for our sins by being cut off (separated from God) at His crucifixion (Matthew 27:46). At that time he had nothing, for even his clothes were taken from Him by the Roman soldiers.
The final part of that verse refers to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Romans commanded by Titus, the son of Emperor Vespasian, in 70 A.D. This is added detail that is not required to be within the time period of the 70 weeks of Daniel 9:24.
I believe Daniel 9:26-27 are written in poetic form in which the first part of both verses are related and the last part of both verses are related. The word "flood" is probably a metaphor referring to the breaches made in the walls of the city. (Compare Daniel 11:22 where it is translated as an "overflowing" army. Also see Strong's Concordance numbers 7857 and 7858.) I believe this along with the final part of verse 27 is predicting that wars will continue until the desolation by the Gentiles is fulfilled (Luke 21:24).
Daniel 9:27 is more difficult to understand because of the variety of translations. For example, instead of "confirm the covenant" the NASB has "make a firm covenant" and the ESV has "make a strong covenant" with many. Strong's Concordance number 1396 listed word from the root to be strong; by implication to prevail. However, it also lists the word confirm.
If the covenant is a strong and firm covenant that will prevail, then the idea that it will be broken in the middle of the seven years doesn't make much sense. The word "firm" indicates the covenant is sure. A definition for "sure" given by Webster's Dictionary is "Firm or fast; not likely to be overthrown or displaced, or to yield; stable; as, a sure footing; also unfailing; enduring; as a sure faith."
Therefore this strong or firm covenant seems to fit better with the new covenant that Jesus made with the many believers (Matthew 26:28; Hebrews 9:14-15). If this final week of years begins normally in 27 A.D., then His sacrificial crucifixion would have been about the middle of the week and Christians believe His supreme sacrifice abolished the need for the ritual sacrifices that could not take away sin. Jesus offered His body to sanctify the believers once and for all (Hebrews 10:1-10). The end of that seven years could be about the time of the end of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the new Gentile believers that sealed the new salvation covenant as an absolute certainty (Acts 10:45; Hebrews 8:6-13; Ephesians 3:6).
Note also that this covenant is not a seven year covenant, but a covenant that is made within the final week (seven years) of the prophecy.The term "the many" seems to originate in Isaiah 53:11-12 which to many Christians describes the Messiah's death to atone for and justify "the many" transgressors by bearing their sins in order to make reconciliation for iniquity, and therefore, to bring in everlasting righteousness to "the many" that accept Him as their intercessor. These are the some of the same ideas expressed in Daniel 9:24. From a Christian perspective, this new covenant seems necessary to fulfill the requirement of Daniel 24, so it must be completed within the 70 weeks or 490 years.
The remainder of Daniel 9:27 is extra stuff that is not needed to be fulfilled within the 490 years of the prophecy in Daniel 9:24, but appears to amplify the last part of verse 26.