Many of us are skeptical about using numbers or statistics to prove a point. Too many good numbers have been combined with bad assumptions to create misleading conclusions.
But when calculations are carefully handled, they can be an important indicator to resolve controversial issues. We can't afford to ignore the numbers that have the potential to resolve such disputes.
Numbers come into play in the ancient writings of the prophet Daniel. Many believe that in one important prediction Daniel showed us how to calculate the time of Messiah's coming. Did he make such a prediction? And if so, what can we conclude? In the following material, RBC senior research editor Herb Vander Lugt surveys the evidence.
Martin R. De Haan II
CONTENTS
The Messiah Question
The Prophecy Of Daniel
Daniel's Portrait Of The Messianic Age
Daniel's Messianic Calculations
Daniel's View Of The Endtimes
What Do We Believe?
THE MESSIAH QUESTION
Many orthodox and conservative Jews believe the time is ripe for the coming of Messiah. They see Israel's return to her homeland after more than 1,900 years of national dispersion as having great prophetic significance. They believe the 1948 rebirth of Israel and waves of immigration from all over the world are converging with many other factors to set the stage for the predicted coming of a national Deliverer. They see the coming of this Messiah as being good not only for Israel but for the whole earth. According to the prophet Isaiah, He will cause the nations to "beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore" (Isa. 2:4).
Many Christians also live with a heightened expectation of the coming of Messiah. They view events occurring in Israel as a likely fulfillment of prophetic Scriptures and have produced a rash of books contending that we are seeing the unprecedented convergence of prophetic indicators. They point out that the increased frequency of natural disasters - floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes - are part of the "last days" scenario described in the New Testament.
Messianic hopes are also being fueled by the fear that before long even criminal organizations like the Mafia will be able to obtain nuclear weapons. The French scholar Jacques Ellul, for example, has said that whether we like it or not, a world dictatorship with a central commerce system to monitor business transactions will be a necessity before the year 2000. Without it, nuclear weapons will soon be in the hands of criminals and madmen.
Interestingly, both Jews and Christians share the belief that a period of turmoil and distress will precede the coming of Messiah. The Jewish document called "Talmudic Sages" draws a dark picture of this time. Accordingly, one of these Jewish sages wrote, "Let him [Messiah] come, but let me not see him" (Sanh. 98b). And Christians, though differing quite widely in their view of prophesied endtime events, almost unanimously agree that the rise of an evil world ruler and a time of great tribulation will precede Messiah's return.
Much of this messianic expectation is rooted in the Old Testament prophecy known as Daniel. No book in the Bible says more about the endtimes than Daniel. Daniel speaks not only of the coming Messiah but of the time of His coming, the marks of His kingdom, and the trouble that will precede it.
Interestingly, the Jews in the Qumran community, which flourished in the first century before Christ and produced the Dead Sea Scrolls, prized Daniel so highly that they may have had more copies of it than any other book. They left eight complete copies and many fragments.
Daniel And His Book. Daniel was among the first of the Jewish hostages who were deported by Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, in 605 BC. He seems to have been from a prominent family because he was among the first group of young men selected to receive training for government service in Babylon.
Jews and Christians who take their faiths seriously almost unanimously accept Daniel as the author of the book that bears his name. Even though no other records of Daniel's deportation have been found, the historical setting of the book is well-documented by cuneiform texts. Recognized Old Testament scholars like R. K. Harrison, Gleason Archer, and Leon Wood assure us that everything about the book, including the style of the Hebrew language in which most of it was written and the Aramaic of a few sections, points to sixth-century BC authorship.
But people who do not believe in a personal God and His supernatural involvement in human affairs have a hard time with the idea that it is a sixth-century document. Why? Because in chapters 2 and 7 Daniel presents a foreview of history that took place during the following five centuries - the rise of Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome as world powers. The 8th chapter describes future developments that correspond to the rise of Greece under Alexander the Great, the division of his empire into four kingdoms after his death, and the activities of Antiochus Epiphanes, a Syrian king who became a notorious enemy of the Jews and their religion during the decade of 160 BC. The 11th chapter also contains a detailed account of unnamed national movements that are now history - the defeat of Medo-Persia by Greece, the partitioning of the Macedonian kingdom into four realms (vv. 1-4), the wars between the Ptolemies and Seleucids (vv. 5-20), and the great persecution under Antiochus Epiphanes (vv. 21-35). All of these events were spelled out in such great detail and match so well what occurred during the fourth, third, and second centuries BC that nonbelievers insist that these sections of the book had to be written during the second century BC.
Anti-supernaturalist critics of Daniel hold their position with great tenacity, because if they don't they must acknowledge Daniel's ability to predict the future. They give the writing of Daniel a late date in spite of a great deal of evidence to the contrary. As mentioned earlier, the language style and content indicate that the book was written by someone living in Babylon during the sixth century BC.
The discovery of excellent manuscript copies among the Dead Sea Scrolls makes it almost mandatory to accept the earlier date for its composition. Why would the Qumran Jews view the book as inspired and make copies of it if they knew it was a contemporary forgery? Two fragments of the book are said by paleographers to be as old as the large Isaiah scroll, which everyone admits was copied several centuries before 160 BC.
Daniel And Messiah. While most of Daniel's prophecies were fulfilled before 150 BC and were related to secular history, some were clearly messianic. He depicted a vision in which he saw the "Ancient of Days" seated in the presence of "ten thousand times ten thousand" in a heavenly court scene (7:9-10). He also saw "One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven" to whom the "Ancient of Days" gave "dominion and glory and a kingdom . . . , an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away" (7:13-14). He depicted "Messiah the Prince," who would appear after a time period of 483 years (9:25-26). He spoke of the "time of the end" when a powerful king will meet his doom, and said that after a time of unprecedented tribulation God's people would be "delivered," a large company who "sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake," and "those who are wise shall shine . . . like the stars forever and ever" (11:40-12:3).
The coming of someone "like the Son of Man"! A resurrection of bodies! A final judgment! These are magnificent themes that point to the Messiah and His kingdom.
Who is this Messiah and what is His mission? The right answer is a matter of eternal importance. And we believe that it can be found in the Old Testament book of Daniel.
THE PROPHECY OF DANIEL 9
In this study we will focus on the "70 weeks" prophecy of Daniel 9:20-27. We will do so under three headings: (1) Daniel's Portrait of the Messianic Age; (2) Daniel's Messianic Calculations; and (3) Daniel's View of the Endtimes. The analysis of these verses will raise some important questions. If Jesus is the Messiah of Old Testament prophecy, why didn't He usher in the golden age of peace, prosperity, and righteousness predicted by Daniel? How can we know that the "Anointed One" or "Messiah" of verses 25 and 26 is Jesus Christ? What compelling reasons can be given for inserting a long period of time between the end of the 69th week and the beginning of the 70th week? These are valid questions and deserve careful answers.
DANIEL'S PORTRAIT OF THE MESSIANIC AGE (Dan. 9:24)
The place was Babylon. The time was 538 BC. And Daniel, who was more than 80 years old, had been reading the book of the prophet Jeremiah. As he read, he discovered that God had decreed Israel's time of captivity to last 70 years (Jer. 25:11-12; 29:10).
This discovery impressed Daniel. He longed for the day when the Jewish people could once again possess the city of Jerusalem and worship in their temple. Since he had been taken captive in 605 BC, 67 years had passed. But he wasn't sure that the starting point for the 70 years of judgment was 605 BC. He probably remembered that another group of exiles was deported in 597 BC, and that the final, complete devastation of Jerusalem did not occur until 586 BC. If the 70-year period was reckoned from these dates, the restoration of the Jewish people could be another 20 years away. Troubled by these uncertainties, Daniel began to pray.
While Daniel was still in prayer, the angel Gabriel appeared with a prophecy from God. This message had in view far more than the 70 years of judgment Daniel was concerned about. It would appear to be the master timetable for God's messianic plan.
This prophecy began by predicting that the messianic age would arrive after "70 weeks."
Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy (Dan. 9:24).
"Seventy weeks" sounds like a relatively short period of time for Daniel to wait. But almost without exception, Jewish and Christian scholars take the "weeks" (lit. "sevens") to represent "sevens" of years. Since a "week" is the translation of a Hebrew word meaning "a seven," most believe that the 70 weeks is a period of 490 years (70 x 7). Some take the number literally. Others, noting that 7 and 70 often have symbolic significance, view the 490 years as an indefinite span of time. In either case, according to the angel Gabriel, the messianic kingdom that will be ushered in at the close of this 70 weeks will be marked by six elements:
1. Transgression Finished. God's 70 weeks will "finish the transgression." The Hebrew word translated transgression carries the idea of rebellion against God. Jews and Christians take this to mean that rebellion against God will end. They also agree that only true believers in God - whether Jew or Gentile - will enter the messianic kingdom. But Christians believe that "to finish the transgression" also includes a national acceptance of Jesus as Messiah.
2. Sin Sealed Up. Daniel also predicted that the 70-week period would "make an end of sins." The word translated sins refers to sins other than revolt or rebellion - general immorality, dishonesty, and the like. The verb in the Hebrew text translated "put an end to" in NIV literally means "to seal up." Since the margin of the Hebrew text uses the word that means "put an end to" or "finish," most translators have adopted this alternate reading. But the expression "to seal up," the literal rendering of the Hebrew text, should not be lightly dismissed.
R. D. Duncan points out that God "seals up the stars" so they don't shine and that cold weather "seals up the hand" of men so they cannot continue their daily labor (Job 9:7; 37:7). To "seal up" sin is to place people under complete restraint so that among the citizens of the kingdom, sin will be rare by today's standards and judgment for wrongdoing will be administered quickly and justly.
Jews and Christians alike believe that this will occur when Messiah rules the world.
3. Wickedness Atoned For. The third accomplishment of God's 70-week program is "to make reconciliation for iniquity" or "to atone for wickedness" (NIV). The verb in this sentence is kaphar, the Old Testament term used to denote the covering of sin by making a sacrifice. Hebrew scholar Keil says the form of the verb indicates that the word means "to cover so thoroughly that the sin is obliterated."
Christians see this as having been fulfilled in the death of Jesus Christ, who according to the New Testament gave Himself to die on the cross as the perfect sacrifice. Jewish scholars view the promise of this verse as having to do with reconciliation, but not a reconciliation by a once-for-all sacrifice. They do not accept the idea that Messiah will offer Himself as the final and complete sacrifice. Therefore they take little note of the word kaphar as it appears here. They hold that animal sacrifices will be a divine requirement as long as the earth stands. But the words "to make reconciliation for iniquity" seem to denote something unique and special - an atonement that has been accomplished.
4. Righteousness Established. The conclusion of the 70-week period will also "bring in everlasting righteousness." This undoubtedly points to the justice and peace of the new social order that Israel has been waiting for since the days of the prophets. It is a mark of the messianic age, which corresponds to what other prophets have also predicted.
According to the prophet Zechariah, it is a coming day of righteousness that will be preceded by a strange mix of national victory and repentance. Zechariah quotes the Lord as saying, "It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn" (Zech. 12:9-10).
According to the prophet Ezekiel, the nation will then receive a "new heart" from the One who promised, "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you shall keep My judgments, and do them" (Ezek. 36:26-27).
5. Vision And Prophecy Sealed. The fifth element of Daniel's messianic portrait is found in the words "to seal up vision and prophecy." When the messianic age begins, God will, by accomplishing all that was promised through visions and prophecies, stamp His seal on what His servants had spoken. Finally the whole world will understand prophecies going all the way back to when God first spoke to Abraham and said, "Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Gen. 12:1-3).
6. The Most Holy Anointed. The sixth achievement of Daniel's messianic portrait involves the anointing of "the Most Holy." Some Jews see this as being fulfilled in the consecration of a rebuilt temple in the days of a yet undisclosed Messiah. Some Christians also believe "the Most Holy" refers to a rebuilt temple. They take literally the temple description of Ezekiel 40-44 and believe that animal sacrifices will once again be offered at the holy place. They believe that this time, however, the sacrifices will be seen as memorials to the One whom John the Baptist called "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (Jn. 1:29).
Other Christians, while agreeing that Christ's second coming will usher in this golden age, do not agree that "the Most Holy" refers to a rebuilt temple. They interpret Ezekiel 40-44 as apocalyptic, as teaching spiritual truths through symbols drawn from a familiar form - the temple. They believe Jesus Himself will be anointed as "the Most Holy."
While there is much disagreement among Jewish and Christian communities about how all of this will work out, some things are clear. According to Daniel's portrait, God has a 70-week program that will culminate in an age when spiritual rebellion will end, sin will be restrained, reconciliation will have been accomplished, righteousness will prevail, prophecy will have been fulfilled, and God's anointing of either a new temple and/or His Messiah will occur.
What remains is for us to consider the actual 490-year time period Daniel predicted.
