◄ What Does Daniel 9:24 Mean? ►

Daniel's 70 'weeks' is considered to be the backbone of Bible prophecy, and was given to this greatly beloved man of prayer following 21 days of godly intercession and deep repentance on behalf of his people, Israel, and their holy city-Jerusalem. And God in His grace laid out a 490-year historical road-map tracing the future destiny of His chosen people, Israel, and their final restoration as 'My people - My inheritance'.

The Law is a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, and Bible prophecy is a signpost that points us to Jesus. Daniel's vision has its fulfilment in Christ and Him alone.

The prophetic Scriptures tell us of His first coming and His future return. Christ is the living Word made flesh, and Christ is the more sure Word of prophecy. Through Him God promised "to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place."

It was through the Cross that Christ finished the transgression of His people, Israel, and made an end to sin, not only for the remnant of His people who will one day look upon Him Whom they pierced, but for all who receive the Lord Jesus Christ as they sin-substitute and trust in Him as their resurrected Saviour.

It is through His second advent, millennial rule, and eternal kingdom that Christ will bring in everlasting righteousness. And after having destroyed every rule, authority, principality, and power, He will one day finally deliver up the kingdom to God the Father.

The majority of the prophetic visions and the inspired prophecies of Scripture will have been fulfilled when Christ gloriously returns to earth to set up His kingdom-rule upon God's holy Hill of Zion. 

It is then (at the start of His 1000 year reign on earth), that the Lord will rule with a rod of iron. The kingdom of this world will become the kingdom of our God and of His Christ, the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea, and the glory of the Lord will fill His Millennial Temple - so beautifully described by Ezekiel.

And all these prophecies will be fully and finally sealed up forever at the Great White Throne judgement seat of Christ.

Daniel's 70 'weeks' may be considered to be the backbone of prophecy by students of Biblical prophecy, but Jesus is at its center and its circumference, for He the Alpha and Omega of prophecy, the beginning and the end, the first and the last, for ever and ever amen.

Heavenly Father, thank You for revealing Your plans and purposes for both the Church, which is Your Body, and also for Your chosen people, Israel. Help me to study Your prophecies to show myself approved, but not to become so consumed with the letter of the prophetic Scriptures, that I fail to recognise that One about Whom all Scripture speaks and through Whom all prophecy will finally be fulfilled, my dear Lord Jesus. Thank You for all that Jesus achieved through His death and Resurrection. Thank You that He is interceeding for each of us in heavenly places, and thank You for the many promises that are ours by grace through faith in Him. To Him be all praise and glory, forever and ever, AMEN.