In this ancient prophecy, you will see how the Bible predicted the exact date of the
baptism and crucifixion of the coming Messiah. What’s more, a proper understanding of this
prophecy is essential to understanding last day events, including God’s final judgment
of His people. You won’t want to miss it!
Hi, this is Dustin with Hope Through Prophecy. On this channel, we help you to understand Bible prophecy, and be prepared for these
end times. This video will uncover a powerful ancient prophecy that gives undeniable evidence
for the Messiah. And make sure you stay to the end, because there you will see how this
prophecy clearly reveals the role of Israel in end time events!
Before we begin, please make sure you are subscribed to Hope Through Prophecy, and click
the bell icon so that you are notified of all future videos. Also, I have an excellent
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your Bible. It is filled with Bible promises for topics such as depression, fear, victory
over sin, and more! To immediately receive this free gift and to keep in touch with me,
just text HOPE to 50597. Now, let’s jump right in. Our study today
takes us back to that apocalyptic book of Daniel – a book with special significance
for the end times. Daniel was written in the 6th century BC, long before the events described
in this prophecy. Daniel 9:23 begins with the Angel Gabriel stating that he will now
reveal this prophetic vision to Daniel: At the beginning of thy supplications the
commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore
understand the matter, and consider the vision. Gabriel then reveals the time period that
this vision will cover. Speaking to Daniel, he states:
“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city..”
The prophecy of Daniel 9 involves a 70 week time period that is to be “determined”
or “cut off” from a larger prophecy, which we will study in a later video. What’s more,
these 70 weeks will deal specifically with Daniel’s people, the nation of Israel. Today,
we will consider this 70 week prophecy, also known as the Messiah Prophecy, perhaps the
most powerful in all of Scripture.
So, this prophecy would last for 70 prophetic weeks or 490 days. It’s Important to note that, when dealing with time in symbolic prophecy
such as Daniel 9, 1 day equals a year. This principle is seen throughout Scripture,
and I will provide 2 notable examples here: We read in Numbers 14:34 “After the number
of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall
ye bear your iniquities, even forty years…” And Ezekiel 4:6 states “…I have appointed
thee each day for a year.” But perhaps the greatest evidence for the
day-for-year principle is the simple fact that it works! When we apply this principle
to Daniel 9, you will see an amazing prophecy of the Messiah perfectly fulfilled.
So, we know that this prophecy will last for 70 weeks, or 490 literal years. But in order
for us to understand when this prophecy would end, we must first know when it began.
Gabriel gives us the clue in verse 25 Know therefore and understand, that from the
going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the
Prince… So, the starting point for this prophecy would
be the command to both restore and rebuild Jerusalem.
Fortunately, the Bible tells us EXACTLY when this happened!
The Old Testament book of Ezra describes several decrees, but chapter 7 of Ezra describes the
only decree that commanded both the restoration and rebuilding of Jerusalem. Verse 7 reveals
to us that this decree, made by King Artaxerxes during the Autumn season, took place in the
7th year of the king, which was 457 BC. Now, we have the starting point of the prophecy
– 457 BC. Gabriel now describes what will happen next,
and when it will happen: Know therefore and understand, that from the
going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the
Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again,
and the wall, even in troublous times. 7 weeks, plus threescore and 2 weeks, equals
69 prophetic weeks. These 69 weeks, or 483 days, using the day-for-year principle, equal
483 literal years. So, according to the angel Gabriel, Messiah
the Prince would arrive 483 years after 457 BC, the starting point of the prophecy. This
would bring us to the fall of 27 AD. Did anything significant happen in 27 AD? Did the Messiah
truly come on this date? Yes – He did! The Bible actually uses the
word Messiah to refer to the “anointed” one.
Acts 10:38 tells us “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power…”
And we can see that this anointing with the Holy Ghost took place at Jesus’ baptism:
Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized,
and praying, the heaven was opened, And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape
like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son;
in thee I am well pleased. In Luke 3:1, The Bible reveals that this event
happened during the 15th year of Tiberius Caesar, which was, you guessed it, AD 27.
Yes, amazingly, Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the anointed one, was baptized right on time,
fulfilling the prophecy exactly! Friends, we can have confidence that the Bible
is inspired and that Jesus Christ is indeed the promised Messiah!
So far, we have covered 483 years of this 490 year prophecy. What would happen next
during the final prophetic week, or 7 literal years, of this prophecy?
Let’s read about it in Daniel 9:26-27: And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah
be cut off, but not for himself…And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week:
and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease…
So, according to the prophecy, Jesus, the Messiah, would be “cut off” in the midst
of this final prophetic week, or literal 7 years, of the prophecy. The middle of this
week would be 3 ½ years after Jesus was anointed as the Messiah, which would bring us to the
spring of AD 31, which was the time of Jesus’crucifixion – His sacrifice for the human race.
Here we see a glimpse of the gospel – a beautiful portrait of the sacrificial death
of our Savior! Notice the verse says that the
Messiah be cut off, but not for himself… Jesus died not for His own sins, but for your
sins, and mine. Isaiah 53:5 reveals But he was wounded for our transgressions,
he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes
we are healed. The verse says that He would
“cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease…”
The entire sanctuary service had been designed to point forward to the coming Messiah. For
example, the lambs that were slain each day represented the Lamb of God, who would take
away the sins of the world. Jesus Christ fulfilled these sanctuary symbols,
and His death on the cross caused the sacrificial system to end. In fact, when Jesus died, the
elaborate curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place of the sanctuary
literally ripped in half. This was a symbol that the earthly sanctuary was no longer the
place for God’s presence, and that, because of Jesus’ sacrificial death, a way has been
opened for us to come to God. Jesus died so that you and I can be saved,
and have eternal life. For more information on the plan of salvation, watch the powerful
video “Jesus Christ, the Lamb of Bible Prophecy”. As we return to the prophecy, we can see that
there is just 3 and ½ years remaining – the second half of the final prophetic week.
Remember, the 70 weeks of this prophecy were designated for Daniel’s people the Jews,
who were in captivity at that time. Jesus was to
“confirm the covenant with many for one week”.
During this final week of the prophecy, Jesus would confirm the covenant not only by his
perfect life, death, and resurrection, but by giving the nation of Israel an opportunity
to repent, even after he died. How did Jesus do this? Through the apostles.
Notice how Jesus directed his disciples to first preach the gospel to the Jews, before
sharing the good news with the rest of the world:
These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles,
and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of
the house of Israel. So, God gave the nation of Israel every opportunity
to accept Jesus as the Messiah, but unfortunately, they rejected Him.
In AD 34, Stephen, a deacon and follower of Christ, was filled with the Holy Spirit and
preached a powerful sermon to the Jews, in which he revealed to them that they had crucified
the promised Messiah. Rather than repent, the Jews were filled with raged and stoned
Stephen to death. This event in AD 34, the final year of the
prophecy, marks the ultimate rejection of the Messiah by the Jewish nation, and the
end of the 70 weeks. After this event, the gospel was then preached
to the whole world, not just the nation of Israel. Paul and Barnabas, speaking to the
Jews, said It was necessary that the word of God should
first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy
of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. The Jews, as a nation, are no longer God’s
chosen people. However, Jews have full access to God’s saving grace, and can be saved,
just like everyone else. The Bible teaches that those who fully accept Jesus and follow
His teachings are now part of spiritual Israel. For as many of you as have been baptized into
Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free,
there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's,
then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
So, end-time prophecies discussing Israel, are not referring to literal Israel, but to
God’s true people around the world. This powerful prophecy of Daniel 9 has further
established 3 things: 1) The Bible can be fully trusted.
This precise, detailed prophecy, could never been invented by a human mind. The perfect
timing of Jesus’ baptism and crucifixion is further rock solid evidence that God knows
the end from the beginning. 2) Confirmation of Spiritual Israel and the
Day-for-Year Principle We have learned that there is no longer a
specific nation or people group who are God’s chosen people. Rather, anyone who accepts
Jesus as their Lord and Savior now becomes an “heir according to the promise” – part
of spiritual Israel. We can also see that the day-for-year principle is sound and valid
when interpreting end-time prophecy. When applied to Daniel 9, we find seamless harmony
in the Scriptures. And finally
3) Jesus is the Messiah This prophecy provides undeniable proof that
Jesus is the promised Messiah. By perfectly fulfilling the precise details of this prophecy,
we can confidence that He is indeed the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
If you agree with this, please write in the comment section below
“Jesus is the Messiah!” Friend, I hope that you have accepted Jesus,
the Messiah, as your Savior and Lord. I pray that you’re putting your hope and
trust in Him each and every day. Please make sure you are subscribed to Hope
Through Prophecy and have clicked the bell icon, so you can continue to receive solid
Biblical teaching, and make sure to check out our other videos as well. Friend, keep
your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith!