20241117_Daniel

[0:00] You've given us the opportunity to come and to worship with fellow believers. We thank you for that, and we thank you for your word, and just guide us today as we go through it, and help it make it plain to us.

[0:14] And Father, we just thank you for your amazing love at the cross. Through that, we have the grace that you give us, and we know we don't deserve it.

[0:25] Just like the nation of Israel did not deserve the love of God also, as they kept continually to disobey. And we've been seeing that as we go through Daniel.

[0:38] And Father, we just thank you for the opportunity this morning. We thank you and praise you. We ask it in Christ's name. Amen. Okay. Well, if you look at the news, you've got to be thinking, what in the world?

[0:59] Iran is shooting missiles into Israel. Israel is shooting back. Man, I'm telling you.

[1:14] Does this look like the picture of the end times coming? It's got to be. Now, the timing, who knows about the timing? But things are starting to wrap up.

[1:27] You can see it through the prophetic word. You can see it in the news. And, wow, it's really scary to just see the things that's going on over there.

[1:38] You know, Israel is Hamas and then also going up north with all the bombing up there. They're getting strong.

[1:53] And, you know, what's amazing to me is that what do they call that missile system they have? The Iron Wall? Iron Dome. Iron Dome. Iron Dome.

[2:05] I mean, they were shooting hundreds of missiles at Israel. And they were taking them out. There was only a few of them that hit. Now, that's amazing.

[2:17] The technology that we have gone into and got over the last several years. So, some of the things you see in prophecy about the warfare and everything.

[2:32] Now, it's not going to be horses and stuff like that. But the damage is going to be done from technology that's available to all these countries now. And it's just amazing the things that's going on today.

[2:45] So, we should be setting up. We should be taking concern about what's going on in the world today. Because it really shows that God's plans are starting to come together.

[3:01] So, last week we was in chapter 9 of Daniel. So, if you turn to chapter 9 today. And I think we finished up with verse 9.

[3:17] Yeah, verse 10. So, today we'll be starting with verse 11 and going on. But to finish up from last week.

[3:29] Verse 9, verse 10. Now, set up what's happening in chapter 9.

[3:42] As Daniel is thinking back. He's saying, I know the 70 years is close. Because of the years that I've spent here. And also what Jeremiah was writing at that time.

[3:55] So, he knows it was close. And he says, I need to know some more information. And that's what he was doing here. And he said, I go before the Lord. And he started praying.

[4:07] And he was confessing the sins of the nation. His sins. And then he's going to be pleading with God. To give him the information. And then we're going to see that Gabriel will come forth.

[4:21] And he will give him information. And the information he gives there in the last part of chapter 9. Is probably some of the most important words in the Bible. Because it lays it out.

[4:34] What's going to be happening. And not just that particular time. But in the future. And what's going on now. So, it's really interesting and important chapter.

[4:45] So, let's go to verse 11. Here again, he's praying about Israel.

[5:00] Indeed, all Israel has violated your law and turned aside. Not aboying your voice. So, the curse has gushed forth on us. Along with the oath. Which is written in the law of Moses.

[5:12] The servant of God. Because we have sinned against him. And what a prayer. I mean, this is a prayer that could have gone on for thousands of years.

[5:23] God laid out the law all the way back in the Exodus. And still. Generation after generation. You have a generation that goes back to God.

[5:36] And then you have a generation that falls. And it's just a repeat. So, verse 12. So, he has confirmed his word to which he has spoken against us. And against our rulers who ruled us.

[5:48] To bring us a great disaster. For under the entire heaven there has not been anything. In fact, that was done in Jerusalem. Jerusalem was completely sacked.

[5:59] Now, 13. Just as I was written in the law of Moses. All this disaster has come on us. Yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God. By turning from our wrongdoing.

[6:11] And giving attention to our truth. Again. They do it from generation to generation. So, the Lord has kept the disaster in store.

[6:22] And brought it to us. For the Lord our God is righteous. And respects to all his deeds. Which he has done. But we have not obeyed his voice. And now, Lord, oh God.

[6:36] You who brought the people out of the land of Egypt. With a mighty hand. And made a name for yourself. As it is this day. We have sinned. We have been wicked.

[6:46] And that's the prayer of Daniel. Continuing. So, this section reflects the consequences of the earth's rights. Disobedience. And the righteousness that God is carrying out his judgments.

[6:59] Here, Daniel acknowledges that God has brought calamity upon the people. As he had worn through Moses. Back in Deuteronomy 28.20. The Lord will send upon you curses, confusion, and rebuke.

[7:12] And all your undertaking to do. Until you destroy. And until you perish quickly. On account of the evil of your deeds. Because you have forsaken me.

[7:24] So, despite the security of the punishment. Daniel acknowledges the justice of God's actions. He's going before God and said. God, you are just. We do not deserve.

[7:37] The curses would start off relatively minor. And then steadily increase. And the nation. Continued against rebellious disobedience to the Lord. The history of the nation shows that God did in sequence exactly.

[7:50] What he said he would do. Concluding. With a deportation of the people. And the destruction of Jerusalem.

[8:00] And that's the 70 years. That they've been held captive. And that was all because of. Their disbelief. And turning against God. These verses present an exclusive.

[8:13] Reflection on sin. Repentance. And God's righteousness. It teaches us. The importance of. Acknowledging our sins. Taking responsibility for our actions.

[8:25] And seeking forgiveness. From a just and merciful God. Through the example of the Israelites. Confession. We are reminded. Of the timeless message. Of humanity.

[8:35] Repentance. And restoration. Found throughout the rest of the Bible. And we. This can talk to us today. Do we have sin? How do we take care of that sin?

[8:47] We come before God. And he takes. Has mercy. Upon us. So Daniel 9 16. Lord in accordance. With all your righteous acts.

[8:58] Let your. Anger and wrath. Turn away from your city. Jerusalem. Your holy mountain. For because of all our sins. And the wrongdoings of our fathers. Jerusalem and your people.

[9:09] Have become an object. Of taunting to all those. Around us. So now our God. Listen to the prayer of your servant. And to his pleas. And for your sake Lord.

[9:21] Let your face shine. On your desolate sanctuary. May God incline your ear. And hear. Open your eyes. And see our desolations. Of the city.

[9:32] Which is called by your name. For we are not presenting. Our pleas before you. Based on any merits of our own. But because of your great compassion.

[9:43] Lord hear. Lord forgive. Lord listen. And take action. For your own sake. My God. Do not delay. Because your city. And your people.

[9:55] Called by your name. So here. Daniel is often. By prayer. Shifts to the direct plea. To the Lord. For merciful rescue. Rescue.

[10:06] Daniel knows. That the people of Israel. Have become a byword. A shorthand. Reference. Used to simply. Deep humiliation. And suffering. This is what everybody.

[10:17] Sees in the nation of Israel. The suffering is. Resolved. Of Israel's errors. Their national. Absolutely. Does not deserve mercy. They have done nothing.

[10:28] Which. Earned the right. For God. To come back to them. But Daniel. Was asking. Just that. We could summarize. This section. Of Daniel's prayer. Saying that.

[10:39] He confessed. That the Lord. God is holy. Just. And righteous. He has been compassionate. And forgiving. Toward Israel. However. They did. They had sinned.

[10:49] Greatly against him. In every area. Daniel's true heart. Of prayer. Is. Is to be recognized. By its confession. To God. His example. Shows.

[11:00] That the confession. Of sin. Will be about. Both personal sins. And by identification. Also. With those within. Groups. To which you belong. Your own families.

[11:12] Church. And nation. This plea. Showcases. Daniel. Deep understanding. Of God's compassion. And willingness. To forgive. Those who seek him. With genuine repentance.

[11:22] That serves as a reminder. To our forgiveness. And salvation. Are not based. On our own merits. But on grace. God's grace. And mercy. This concept.

[11:34] Is echoed. In the New Testament. As well. Particularly. We see that. In Ephesians. What? 2. 8. And 9. Wherefore. It is emphasized. That we are saved.

[11:44] By grace. Through faith. Not by your own works. And that's. Our motto. Here in the Christian. Christian. Church age. We are saved.

[11:54] Through grace. Not of our own works. So 9. 20. Now. Gabriel. Now. Brings an answer. To Daniel. Daniel.

[12:05] Has been praying. And now. He's been asking God. And Gabriel. Says. Okay. I will give you an answer. Daniel. 9. 20. While I was standing still.

[12:16] Speaking and praying. And confessing my sin. And the sin of my people. Israel. And presenting my plea. Before God. My God. In behalf of the holy mountain. Of my God.

[12:27] While I was still speaking. In prayer. The man Gabriel. Whom I had seen. In the vision. Previously. Came to me. In my extreme worriness. About the time.

[12:38] Of the evening offering. And he instructed me. And talked with me. And said. Daniel. I have come now. To give you. Insight. With understanding. Insight.

[12:50] With understanding. At the beginning. Of your pleas. The command was issued. And I have come to tell you. Because you are highly esteemed. So pay attention. To the message.

[13:00] And gain understanding. Of this vision. So. In regards to Daniel's prayer. Special prayer. Special skill. And understanding. Were given to him.

[13:12] Daniel. To interpret. The important message. From God. Among the reasons. Why God immediately. Sent an answer. To Daniel's prayer. Is that Daniel. Was a man.

[13:22] Greatly beloved. Which means. Most desired. And very precious. He awaits. Upon the Lord. Is certain. To have. Heaven's closest attention.

[13:33] So. God's answer. To prayer. Came in his timing. And time. Sometimes. Sometimes. Can be long. As we know. Today. When we pray. Sometimes. It's answered.

[13:44] Sometimes. It's a long time. Before it's answered. In Daniel's case. God granted. The answer. Quickly. As recorded. In these verses. God. Dispatches. The angel.

[13:56] Gabriel. To Daniel. And give him. An answer. To his supplication. While we cannot. Or cannot. Nor should we. Expect. Such angelic. Answers. To our supplications.

[14:07] For even. Daniel. A man. Of extremely. Righteousness. Only had a few. Such. Open. And obvious. Encounters. With angels. Hey.

[14:17] People just. Do not have that. Do they? And all through the Bible. It's very seldom. That you saw. That the. The men. Had a. Complete. Conversation.

[14:28] With an angel. Like Daniel. Is here. We sometimes. Expect. God. To answer. Our prayers. As we pray. In accordance. With. 1 John. 5. 14.

[14:40] And then. This is. The confidence. Which we have. Before him. That if we ask. Anything. According to his. Will. He hears us. And if we know. That he hears us. In whatever we ask. We know.

[14:50] That we have. The request. What. We have. Asked for. And also. Back in the gospels. Where it says. If the disciples. Ask in anything. In his name.

[15:03] It will be given. To them. Is that how. We're to pray today. Well it's. Your will be done. Yeah. Yeah.

[15:13] Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's important to remember. In first John. It's. If I ask anything. According to his will. Yeah. Which. Fits.

[15:24] Perfectly. With Romans 8. Where he says. That the Holy Spirit. Praise for us. Yeah. And always prays. According to the will of God. So the Holy Spirit. Praise a good prayer.

[15:36] And I make all my petitions. known unto God and the peace of God which passes understanding keeps my heart and my soul but that doesn't mean God chooses who he talks to directly that's not for the believer to choose yeah not then and not now okay first Peter says that God chose the prophets not the prophets chose yeah correct anything else I'm sorry oh yeah absolutely job description wasn't so great and the retirement plan really stuck okay considering prayer how are we to pray today where can we go to under scripture that gives us our prayer for the day how about Philippians chapter 4 rejoice in the Lord always again I say rejoice let your gentle spirit be known to all the people the Lord is near do not be what anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your hearts be made known to God

[16:59] God wants to know everything if you got if you're hurting if you're happy no matter what and your prayers and a peace of God and that's that's the thing right here and the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus so all we have to do is pray then we sit back and pray in his will and I think if we just got that that would save a lot of problem with the people that have concerns about prayer they go to God and they pray and they pray and they just does not answer me well he will in his own time he will so I think if we they say oh you just haven't had enough faith keep on oh yeah not enough faith there's got to be a reason if you're asking God and he doesn't answer there has to be a reason well and the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus you pray and you let it go that's all we can do that's all we can do when we're praying from the beginning of this chapter we see Daniel studied the passage of Jeremiah but still didn't understand much in this case understanding came more through prayer but the reason Gabriel was sent to correct Daniel's misunderstanding of what happened

[18:37] Daniel had just studied Jeremiah's 70 year prophecy it seems that he believed that Israel's troubles were almost at an end 70 years were almost about up they would return to the land and then the Messiah would come and establish his kingdom in essence Gabriel tells him a lot more things have to happen have to take place and it is going to take a lot of time it was if God said through Gable how will I show you some sevens that I will show you some sevens that will really really amaze you so now we come to chapters 24 or verses 24 through 27 Daniel 24 70 weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city to finish the wrongdoing to make an end to make an end of sin to make atonement for guilt to bring in everlasting righteousness to seal up visions and prophecies and to anoint the most holy place verse 25 so you are to know and understand that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and 62 weeks it will be built again and the streets and moats even in times of distress then after the 62 weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing and the people of the Prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary and its end will come with a flood even to the end there will be war desolations are determined and he will make a firm commitment with the many for one week but in the middle of that week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering and the wing of abominations will come one and make desolate even until a complete destruction one that is decreed is poured out on the one who makes desolation wow

[20:57] Daniel here is getting it spelled out for him all the way you know he's expecting to go back to Israel he's expecting everything to be fulfilled there expecting all these people to come back but Gabriel is telling him something completely different so 924 70 weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city to finish the wrongdoing this begins Gabriel's explanation is given to Daniel his earlier experience with dreams and visions mostly spoke about Gentiles nations that's what we've been talking about the whole time haven't we since we started Daniel he's explaining these Gentile nations that's going to come in have empires and it's going to be affecting the nation of Israel now he's going to start dealing with the nation of Israel this is the thing that's going to happen to you what he's told here involves the nation of Israel these prophecies will be some of the most important given in scripture while Israel's 70 year exile is nearing an end

[22:11] Jeremiah 21 10 says for thus says the Lord when 70 years have been completed for Babylon I will visit you and fulfill my word to you to bring you back to Israel now keep in mind the face for your people your holy city he's just talking about the nation of Israel unless the church has become Israel it is not in view here so we can't take these things and say oh this is about us this is about us it's not it's about the nation of Israel keep in mind the phrase for your people and it's about Israel this message looks much further into Israel's future despite changes in politics and moral events nothing can derail God's plan for his people chosen people what he has promised will certainly happen though for now we may struggle to understand all the details and I guess if you read these words you do struggle to understand

[23:28] I know Daniel did Gabriel uses a word in this passage most often translated week but which literally means a group of sevens if you go back into the Hebrew language and all this he indicates that the 70 weeks or groups will be required to complete God's program for Israel and Jerusalem is best to consider each week seven years this would mean a total of 490 years though as the symbolic language suggests not all the weeks are consecutive we just read the 70 years of captivity was getting setting getting close for Israel in their transgressions why another 70 years now it seems like wouldn't that have been enough Israel's been set aside for 70 years now they're going to go back and Gabriel was saying hey we're looking at another 70 years to finish their transgression because when they came back the first 70 years of activity they did not turn back as a nation to God they came back they came back to their homeland they rebuilt but they still didn't turn around to God the way that they should have that 490 years will be enough after this 490 years they are going to be in God's thing there's going to be all kinds of trouble between now and then that Israel will eventually repent and come back to their God and we're going to see that in the end times to finish the transgression in this context that seems to mean a completion a full building up of sin and evil after this sin in

[25:35] Israel will end and be atoned for that's what's going to happen after the 490 years to make an end of this sins taking these words at face value this means not only the end of guilt of sin but an end of sin itself it means to seal up and to restrain sin there will be no more this looks ahead to a new redeemed world that's what Gabriel was presenting here to make reconciliation for the inequity that's what he's talking about man's inequity must be reconciled to God's justice and holiness this work was currently accomplished when at the cross all that's been taken care of God's justice and holiness the work has been that clearly and inequity we've been forgiven at the cross and who's been forgiven at the cross all these people he's talking about the nation of Israel they've been forgiven at the cross so everybody has been forgiven at that cross to bring in an everlasting righteousness one might take this as an individual sense but there have always been righteous individuals taking the statement at face value this means in the order of society brought in by the

[27:13] Messiah to seal up the vision and prophecy this speaks of both ending and fulfillment of prophecy are we going to need prophecy after that some people say there's prophecy today that people can prophesy today but I don't think that's true because everything has been prophesied and everything that's going to happen is already in there God has given out all the information that's required for things to come to his end so somebody is out there today saying I prophesize that this is going to happen and this is going to happen be very concerned of what's going on there because the prophecies that God has wanted the people to know has already been recorded in the book and that's all we have to worry about we need to take the in the old testament the prophet was wrong they stoned them and we've got preachers today that write books and stuff and it doesn't come true what they say but we need to get away from those people just like we would the prophets of old they stoned them back in but we don't do that anymore there's so much false stuff you know I used to listen to a lot of different preachers on the radio and if they don't understand the mystery like we do they usually make a big left turn somewhere or something and I just can't listen to them no more and I hate that because some of them had good messages but the more we learn about the mystery program and the difference between the kingdom and the mystery or rightly dividing people like to say it's just hard to listen to anybody anymore okay yeah I mean you don't listen to people that are going against God's word if you have concerns that you're going into a church and you hear a message and week after week after week it's the same message you know entertainment all this type of stuff you see in the churches today you want to flee it you want to get somewhere where you're being taught

[29:36] God's word and there's no better place you got to be somebody that's teaching from the Bible not give or given stuff that happened over the week and reasons why it happened and all this type stuff did I think what Roger's saying it just means that you're becoming more and more spiritually mature as Paul wants us to be oh yeah and you recognize the wrong teaching and so forth sure which this church is our spiritual hospital so to speak yeah that doesn't mean that we go about and bad mouth people that don't believe what we believe but we don't also sit with them and yeah it is yeah what I read of this 924 just reinforces the fact that our mystery that Paul brings to light was never thought about because this deals directly with Israel and Jerusalem there's no question it's got nothing to do with us at that point and the term reconciling in 924 is not translated out of Hebrew as we understand it in

[30:55] Romans it's translated out of Hebrew as atonement. Okay. So that, again, fits Israel. Sure. Okay.

[31:07] To make reconciliation, to bring everlasting righteousness. What else? To seal up the vision of prophecy, to anoint the most highly, or the most holy.

[31:22] Taken as simple, literal meaning, this refers to a place, not a person. There is a most holy place, the most holy place of the temple.

[31:34] That will be anointed, and that will be blessed. And that's the things that's going to happen in this time slot that Gabriel is giving out. So all prophets will be fulfilled, and the nation will experience a direct relationship with the Messiah.

[31:53] Jeremiah 23, 5 says, Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous branch, when I will raise, and he will reign as king, and act wisely, and do justice, and righteousness, in the land.

[32:12] Other prophets, such as Ezekiel, cover the same, similar time periods, and their messages. The New Testament book of Revelation, of course, recorded by John, gives further hints as to these events, and how and when they will take place.

[32:31] So taking as a hold, Gabriel makes a remarkable announcement to Daniel. He told him that each of these amazing things would happen within a period of 70 weeks.

[32:42] Daniel 9, 25. So you are to know and understand that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, and until the Messiah, the Prince, there shall be seven weeks, and 62 weeks, and it will be built again, with streets, and moat, and even times, of distress.

[33:10] So Gabriel has even given him a starting point. Okay, so you've given him this 70 years, 69 weeks. Where does it start?

[33:23] Gabriel says, at the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. When was that done?

[33:36] Cyrus. I'm sorry? Cyrus. Okay. It was done. Gabriel has given Daniel further information that fate of the nation of Israel.

[33:48] Gabriel refers to that period of seven weeks and that time period. Gabriel also speaks of a command to issue and build Jerusalem. Persian rulers issued four major edicts regarding Israel's exiles.

[34:04] Gabriel revealed to Daniel the starting point of the 70 weeks of prophecy. There was a command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem in history that started this period of time.

[34:16] The Bible presents four possible decrees that might fulfill this description. The first, Cyrus made a decree giving Ezra and the Babylonian the right to return to Jerusalem and build what?

[34:38] The temple. Ezra 1-4 and also in chapter 5 3-17 we see that in Ezra. 1-4 Now the first year of Cyrus king of Persia in order to fill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia so that he sent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing saying Thus Cyrus king of Persia the Lord the God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed to me build him a house in Jerusalem which is in Judah.

[35:20] Whoever there is among you all of his people may his God be with him let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah and rebuild the house of the Lord the God of Israel he is God is in is in Jerusalem.

[35:37] Every survivor whatever place he may be living let the men of that place support with silver and gold with goods and cattle together with a free will offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.

[35:54] Now here is a new king that comes in from Persia and he recognizes that there is a Lord that people Israel has a a Lord and he wants them to go back to Judah and rebuild this temple for the people.

[36:12] He listed given to the returnees who initially went back to their own towns then gathered Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. The three main leaders of this time were Zerubbiel Ezra and Nehemiah.

[36:26] Zerubbiel led the people in starting the building of the temple. Scripture states that there was over 40,000 who returned including members of the northern tribes taken into captivity by Assyria.

[36:41] Still they were only a small remnant that returned. Why wouldn't the opportunity to return to the promised land cause a massive exodus from Babylon?

[36:53] You would think if Ezra if they said go back take your people and go back that everybody would be jumping and waiting hey let's get there do this thing.

[37:07] Well they didn't. There was just a small number that went back because the Jewish people have come in as slaves but over the years they started to what? They started to assimilate and to adapt into the Babylonian society.

[37:24] Many even intermarried as even imagined that many second and third generation Jewish Babylonians had no interest in leaving where they were at.

[37:36] Remember the Samaritan woman that Jesus met at the well? The Samaritans were a group of people whose ancestors were also captive by the Assyrians. The same thing happened with the Israelites and other foreign nations during the Babylonian exile period.

[37:54] These people were taken over after so many years and generations they assimilate. Many of these Israelites born in captivity probably had lost the love of the homeland.

[38:07] Perhaps their desire to fit in caused many to discard God's word. Nevertheless there was a few that went back. Then opposition came from outside of those people that came back to start building.

[38:22] Then opposition together with the selfish interest of some from within the remnant caused the work of the temple to stop of about 16 years. So here are these small group of people go back to Israel now or go back to Judah.

[38:38] They start rebuilding the temple and when they came back they also gave them the things to do it with. But people said no we don't want this done and they stopped the building for 16 years.

[38:53] This second decree now came after those foreigners who were against Israel coming back to Judah complained to Darius the king but he reread the decree from Cyrus and made another decree giving Ezra the right to rebuild the temple again.

[39:13] So they went back you know when they went back there was other people that came in from foreign countries into Judah. So when they come back these people were saying wait a minute we don't want these people coming back and starting up like they were before.

[39:29] So they caused problems and stopped the work for 16 years. So again Darius gives this decree that you can go back and keep rebuilding the temple Ezra 6 1 then King Darius issued a decree and search was made in the archives where the treasure was stored in Babylon.

[39:56] So years had passed they went to the library to say oh the other king he had this written down a scroll was found and there was written as it was and it has followed as memorandum.

[40:10] In the first year of the king Cyrus Cyrus the king issued a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem. Let the temple the place where sacrifice and offers be rebuilt.

[40:21] Let its foundation be retained its height being 60 cubits with its 60 cubits. Now they start doing that again. They start rebuilding. The third degree.

[40:32] Artaxexes made a decree giving Ezra permission to take more captivities back. And that's we see in Ezra 7 11. Now that last decree the fourth decree Nehemiah had received bad news.

[40:52] Now who was Nehemiah? He was the cupbearer for Artaxexes. What does a cupbearer do? He's his right-hand man.

[41:07] He's his right-hand man. If anything's going to happen, he said, especially if a drink or anything, the cupbearer, hey, take this drink, drink it first. So that's what he was.

[41:19] So he was up there in the echelon as far as being close to the king. So Nehemiah had received bad news. Jerusalem walls and gates were still in ruins. Strengthened by prayer, he spoke to the king.

[41:32] It was granted permission to go back to Judah. In Nehemiah 2, 5-8, he said to the king, if it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor before you, send me to Judah, the city of my fathers, tombs that I may rebuild it.

[41:53] Artaxexes made a decree given Nehemiah permission, safe passages passages and supplies to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city and to rebuild the walls.

[42:07] And that was happening in 454 BC. I've given you a date here, and I kind of, I don't like to do that because I don't think you can come up with an exact date of any of this stuff that happened.

[42:20] Because it doesn't say in the scripture what the date was. A lot of these people are digging dates up from history and that type of thing. Only the last of these four decrees was a command to restore and build Jerusalem.

[42:35] The first three each focused on the temple, not on the streets or the walls. The rebuilding was complete in 405 BC. This is what?

[42:48] The first seven weeks of the 69 weeks. So that's what was going on. So we see the first seven weeks or 49 years, that's how long it took for them to rebuild the Jerusalem and get all the gates and all the city rebuilt and at the same time the temple was rebuilt.

[43:16] And when that happened, they rededicated just like you see in the Old Testament, when all these things happened and they would go back, they would read the law again and that's what they did from the temple after all this was done.

[43:34] And they said, we rededicate and we've came back and we're going to start all over again. So anything about that first 49 years or the seven weeks?

[43:49] 926, then after the 62 weeks, the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come will restore the city and the sanctuary and its end will come with a flood even to the end where there will be war, desolations and determined.

[44:13] Joyce, would you hand out this piece of paper? There should be some copies back there. This is just kind of a timeline of what the 69 or 70 years is going to look like.

[44:34] And there's a lot of charts out there on the online. There's so many of them, matter of fact, but different dates, you just sat there and your head goes, hmm, I don't understand what's going on.

[44:46] So I sat down and I just wrote this out myself. And I like again, I can't say I guarantee the dates. I used 454, the starting point.

[45:00] And when you get into the dating of this stuff, there's all kinds of formulas that's used. People, for one thing, they did not use the 365 day calendar.

[45:14] They used a 360 day calendar. year. They also took into considerations lunar years, whatever that means. It's got something to do with the moon phases, adjustments for leap year.

[45:33] So all these different things of the timing was very confusing to me, and that's when I just decided to write this thing out and do it that way. And of course, we can see we started here in the Babylonian captivity.

[45:49] When did the decree go out? It went out in 454 if we use that date. So the restoration took 49 years. That's the seven weeks, the first seven weeks.

[46:06] So the Jerusalem has been rebuilt, and now we're going into 434. that will be handed out later. Silent years.

[46:17] There's not that much that's going on that's being said of what's happened during this 434 years, except for the fact you've got everything. You know, we're talking here, and we're talking about the Persians.

[46:31] Persians are going to be defeated by who? The Greeks. The Greeks are going to be defeated by who? The Romans. So all this stuff is prophecy.

[46:43] None of this stuff has happened yet, but he came up with this thing here. So we have that, and then 62 weeks is going to come somewhere.

[46:55] That's 483 years, and it's going to come somewhere around A.D. 29. And really what we're talking about.

[47:09] It's going to come somewhere between when Jesus Christ was here. Some people change this formula to be when he was born. Some people have a formula that says when he was baptized.

[47:24] Some of the formulas say when he entered Jerusalem. Then others say when he died on the cross. So it's amazing what you can do with figures.

[47:35] I don't know that it really matters that much. God gave a formula, and that formula works out to the time that Jesus Christ was here.

[47:50] The Messiah came, and that's what he was getting at. Your Messiah will be here in 69 weeks of seven years.

[48:03] 483 years from the date Nehemiah went back and restarted building Jerusalem. That's when your Messiah is going to be here.

[48:16] Pay attention, Israel. My goodness, just think if they had paid attention to that. What would have happened when Jesus Christ died from that cross and he rose again?

[48:30] the Jews said, our Messiah is here. The kingdom is going to be here. The kingdom is about to be started, if that's what they believed.

[48:42] But they didn't believe that, did they? And we've run out of time. So, any questions before we finish here? Okay, we'll start up, we'll finish this next week.

[48:54] Thank you.