Questions about Daniel 9:24-27

  1. When is promise in verse 24 fulfilled?
    1. Seven years after Jesus was "cutoff".
      • No. At first glance one might think that this is the answer, but a careful examination of the prophecy shows that it is not true. Notice that it is mentioned in Daniel 9:26 that the temple and city will be destroyed. But the time is not given.
      • We know from the historical record that the Roman army destroyed the city and the sanctuary in 70 AD, and this some seventy years after the resurrection. The prophecy could not have been fulfilled seven years after the resurrection, because the temple had not yet been destroyed
    2. At the resurrection.
      • No. There is one more "week" to be fulfilled.
    3. At the Crucifixion.
      • No. There is one more "week" to be fulfilled.
    4. Right Answer!After the last of the seventy weeks are complete.
      • Yes. This is the best answer. All seventy weeks must be fulfilled before the promise of verse twenty-four will come. We do not know exactly when the last week will start. The previous sixty-nine weeks were all continuous, but there is a gap in between the sixty-ninth and seventh week of unknown length. The gap is filled with the Church age. The Church was a mystery hidden from everyone in the Old Testament.

     

     

  2. How long is one of the "weeks" contained in this prophecy?
    1. Right Answer!Seven years.
      • Yes, the "weeks" are kind of like what we call decades. Our thinking goes long with ten year cycles and groups of ten year cycles called centuries. But the Biblical reckoning was in seven day cycles for the week, seven year cycles for the Sabbath years and seven sevens for the following year called the year of Jubilee.
    2. Seven days.
      • The Israelites did have seven days weeks, but this prophecy is in seven year cycles called here "weeks".
    3. Seventy times seven years.
      • No. The time is in seven year segments.
    4. Three and a half years.
      • No. The time is in seven year segments.

     

     

  3. What is the event that starts the "weeks" countdown?
    1. From the start of the Babylonian captivity.
      • No.
    2. Right Answer!From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem.
      • Yes, the prophecy itself says that it will start when a decree goes forth to rebuild the city of Jerusalem and the Temple.
      • Ezra 1:1-3
        In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in writing: 2 "This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:
        ""The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. 3 Anyone of his people among you -- may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem. (NIV)
      • This is the decree that started the seventy weeks of this prophecy.
    3. From the day that he prophecy was spoken.
      • No. The prophecy clearly states that it will start when the decree is issued to rebuild the city of Jerusalem and the Temple.
    4. None of the above.
      • No, (b.) above is correct.

     

     

  4. How many years from the start of the "weeks" until Jerusalem is rebuilt with a wall?
    1. Seven years.
      • No. The prophecy says seven "weeks".
    2. Right Answer!Forty-nine years.
      • Yes. Seven "weeks", or seven times seven years, or forty-nine years.
    3. Four score and seven years.
      • No. I liked the sound of this one, but it is completely untrue.
    4. Forty years.
      • No. This one has a nice biblical ring to it, but it is not correct.

     

     

  5. How many years from the issuing of the decree to rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One would come?
    1. Sixty-nine years.
      • No. Sixty-nine "weeks" yes, but not sixty-nine years.
    2. Seven times forty years.
      • No, seven times forty years is two hundred eighty years and that would be forty "weeks" and this prophecy says nothing about anything happening at forty "weeks".
    3. Right Answer!Four hundred eighty three years.
      • Yes. The prophecy says that the Anointed One would come after seven sevens and sixty-two sevens, or 7x7=49 years, plus 62x7=434 years which is a total of 483 years.
    4. Four hundred ninety years.
      • No. 490 years is the total of the seventy sevens, and this prophecy says that the Anointed One would come after only 69 sevens, not after 70 sevens.

     

     

  6. What is meant by the Anointed One being cutoff?
    1. The Anointed One, that is, the Messiah or Christ would come but be put to death.
      • This answer is true, but it is not the best answer.
    2. The Anointed One would be exiled from the Jewish nation.
      • No. This is not true. The Messiah was not exiled from the Jewish nation, he was killed, buried, resurrected and then he ascended to heaven without assuming his kingly reign over the nation of Israel.
      • Luke 19:11-27
        While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. 12 He said: "A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. 13 So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. "Put this money to work," he said, "until I come back."
        14 "But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, "We don"t want this man to be our king."
        15 "He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.
        16 "The first one came and said, "Sir, your mina has earned ten more."
        17 ""Well done, my good servant!" his master replied. "Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities."
        18 "The second came and said, "Sir, your mina has earned five more."
        19 "His master answered, "You take charge of five cities."
        20 "Then another servant came and said, "Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. 21 I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow."
        22 "His master replied, "I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Why then didn"t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?"
        24 "Then he said to those standing by, "Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas."
        25 ""Sir," they said, "he already has ten!"
        26 "He replied, "I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. 27 But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them -- bring them here and kill them in front of me."" (NIV)
      • Notice very carefully what this parable is saying. Jesus came to be made king, but was rejected by his people, and so he went back to his home and was made king anyway. Then after a long time had passed, he came back to the earth and made an accounting of what his subjects had done in his absence. Notice that when he came back he as assumed his authority and has killed all who opposed his reign. Notice also that the parable clearly says that he will establish an earthly kingdom.
    3. The King would come but he would not receive his kingdom.
      • This is true, but it is not the best answer.
    4. Right Answer!Both a and c.
      • Yes, both (a.) and (c.) are true. Read the explanation found for question (b.).

     

     

  7. Which year would the Anointed One come?
    1. Thirty-three years before he was cutoff.
      • No. In this prophecy the year that he came is the year that he was cutoff.
    2. Thirty years before he was cutoff.
      • No. This prophecy does not say that.
    3. Three and a half years before he was cutoff.
      • No. This prophecy does not say that.
    4. Right Answer!The same year that he was cutoff.
      • Yes. This is important and significant. The official year of Jesus" Coming was not the year of his birth, or the year that John baptized him, but the year that he made is "triumphal entry" into the city of Jerusalem.

     

     

  8. In verse 26 who are the "people of the ruler will come"?
    1. The Jews.
      • No. This can be a little confusing. There are two rulers mentioned in this prophecy. First Jesus Christ, and also the Antichrist. The Antichrist is the ruler of the people that will come and destroy the city and temple, that is, the people of the fourth kingdom; Rome.
    2. The Christians.
      • No. It is not the ruler of the Christians who send his people to destroy the city.
    3. Right Answer!The Romans.
      • Yes. It was the Roman army in 70 AD that came and destroyed the city and temple. The ruler that will come that is associated with the Roman army is the coming ruler of a confederated Europe. Who this is we do not yet know. When this will happen we also don"t know. But we and know that the Antichrist will come from the fourth kingdom to rule over Jerusalem, that is, the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire was primarily located in Europe, so we can know that he will come from there.
    4. The Babylonians.
      • No. The Babylonians came and destroyed the city and temple before this prophecy was even given. This prophecy speaks of the destruction of a temple that was, at the time the prophecy was given, not even in existence. The same is true for us. The temple mentioned in verse 27 is not yet built, but will nonetheless be built so that this prophecy can be fulfilled.

     

     

  9. Historically we know that the Roman army destroyed the city and the sanctuary in 70 AD so what does that tell is about the "ruler" that is of the people that will come and destroy the city?
    1. That the ruler is Jesus Christ.
      • No. If the ruler spoken of in the prophecy associated with the people that destroyed the city were Jesus Christ, then they city would have to have been destroyed by the Christians. This did not happen.
    2. Right Answer!That the ruler who is to come is descended from the Roman people, or empire.
      • Yes. The ruler spoken of is connected to the Romans and he is the one that will come and make this seven year treaty with the many in Israel. This event starts the last of the seven year periods. The person that signs the treaty is the person frequently called the Antichrist.
    3. That the ruler is Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor.
      • No. Pontius Pilate will not sign the seven year treaty that starts the last seven year segment.
    4. That Nero was a Roman citizen.
      • This tells us nothing of Nero. Nero does not sign the seven year treaty.

     

     

  10. Are the seventy "weeks" all continuous?
    1. Yes, there was 490 years from the issuing of the decree to rebuild Jerusalem to the fulfillment of this prophecy.
      • No. A careful reading of the prophecy shows a gap between the 69th and 70th weeks.
    2. Right Answer!No, there is a gap between the end of the 69th week and that start of the 70th week of a non specified length.
      • Yes, this is the best answer.
    3. No, there is a gap between the end of the 69th week and the start of the 70th week of forty years.
      • No. The gap is much longer that forty years. The gap contains the period of time covered by the seven letters to the seven churches found in Revelation chapters two and three.
    4. None of the above.
      • No, this is not correct. Answer (b.) above is correct.

     

     

  11. What does this prophecy say will happen between the 60th week and the 70th week.
    1. Nothing.
      • No, this prophecy does say something about what goes on between the 69th and 70th weeks.
    2. Right Answer!Wars will continue until the end and that desolations have been decreed.
      • Yes, this answer is the best.
    3. That the temple will be destroyed after the seven year treaty has been signed.
      • No, this prophecy does not say that the temple will be destroyed after the seven year treaty is signed.
    4. That the Christians will destroy the City.
      • No. This Christians did not destroy the city, and would not. This thinking is totally inconsistent with who we are in Christ.

     

     

  12. Who is the "he" that confirms the covenant, (or treaty), in verse 27?
    1. It is Jesus Christ.
      • No. I have actually had people insist that Jesus is the "he". This is not true. Jesus does NOT come and commit an abomination at causes the temple to be desolate.
    2. It is the Antichrist.
      • Yes, it is the man that is frequently called the Antichrist. The man from Europe. The seventh head of the seven headed beast, that his the seventh head of the fourth kingdom to rule over Jerusalem. But this is not the best answer.
    3. It is the man that is of the people that would come and destroy the city and sanctuary.
      • Yes, the man that is connected to the people that would come and destroy the city and temple, that is, the Romans, is the man that signs the treaty. But this is not the best answer.
    4. Right Answer!Both "b" and "c".
      • Yes. Both (b.) and (c.) are correct.

     

     

  13. When, exactly, does the ruler set up an abomination that causes the desolation of the temple, relative to the "weeks"?
    1. Seventy "weeks" after the issuing of the decree.
      • No. This prophecy does tell us when, relative to the 70th week, and it is not at the start of the week.
    2. Sixty-nine "weeks" after the issuing of the decree.
      • No. It was after sixty-nine weeks that he Anointed One would come, but be cut off.
    3. Right Answer!Exactly in the middle of the seventh week, that is 1260 days after the treaty is signed.
      • Yes, we are told that it is in the middle of the "week" that the abomination would be caused.
    4. This prophecy does not say when.
      • No, this prophecy does tell us when the abomination occurs relative to the start of the week.

     

     

  14. What exactly does the ruler do to cause the abomination that causes desolation?
    1. He forbids the sacrifices to continue.
      • This is true, but this is not what causes the abomination.
    2. He claims that there is no God.
      • He does not claim that there is no God.
    3. He says that Jesus is not the Christ.
      • He does say this, but this is not what causes the abomination.
    4. Right Answer!He enters the temple and sets up an image of himself claiming that he is the Messiah.
      • Yes. He claims to be God and sets up an image of himself in the holiest of places and commands that everyone worship him. This is an abomination to God and causes the temple to be desolate, that is, God"s Spirit is not in residence.

     

     

  15. What age does the world enter when this prophecy is complete?
    1. The Church Age.
      • No. The church age began at the 69th week.
    2. Right Answer!The Millennial Kingdom Age.
      • Yes, the promise of a kingdom for Israel will be fulfilled after the end of the 70 weeks.
    3. The Eternal Age, that is, Heaven.
      • No, we have once more age to go through, the Kingdom age.
    4. The age of Capitalism and Democracy.
      • No. To listen to the world today you would think that Democracy and Capitalism was heaven on earth. Nothing could be further from the truth. Democracy and Capitalism will be completely destroyed in the coming judgment. Jesus Christ will be King.