SERMON: “490 Years for Israel, Part 1” (Dan. 9:20–24)
“490 Years for Israel, Part 1”
(Dan. 9:20–24)
Series: “Daniel:
God’s Sovereign Plans” #23 Text: Daniel 9:20–24
By: Shaun
Marksbury Date: March 22, 2026
Venue: Living Water Baptist Church Occasion: PM Service
Introduction
For years, popular Christian end-times non-fiction works and
fictionalized novels like Left Behind rose from a more dispensational
eschatology. However, the past twenty or
so years have seen the rise of works from amillennial, postmillennial, and even
preterist perspectives. This is
indicative of the divide believers have in their end-times views, and the end
of Daniel 9 is pivotal for what people believe.
This is one of the most hotly contested passages for
eschatology debates. Yet, we must apply
the principles we’ve been learning about throughout our study of Daniel. For instance, in the past chapter, we saw
that the prophecies concerning Persia and Greece, along with the rise Antiochus
IV, all came to pass in a straightforward manner. We should interpret the prophecy of Daniel 9
with the same literal hermeneutic if we are to understand what this passage is
promising for the future.
Of course, as we do that, there is a lot to consider, so
we’re only looking at vv. 20–24 this evening.
This gives us a chance to see what kind of reply Daniel gets to his
fervent prayer; remember, he was praying for them and for God’s glory in ending
the Babylonian Captivity.
The answer he gets is more than he expected — this prophecy
concerning the future of his people. We’ll
note two aspects of this part of the passage this evening. First, the receipt of the prophetic message
(vv. 20–23). Second, the reality of the
prophetic message (v. 24). Let’s start
diving into this controversial passage.
First, the Receipt of the Prophetic Message (vv.
20–23).
Now while I was
speaking and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel,
and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God in behalf of the holy
mountain of my God, while I was still speaking in prayer, then the man Gabriel,
whom I had seen in the vision previously, came to me in my extreme weariness
about the time of the evening offering. He
gave me instruction and talked with me and said, “O Daniel, I have now come
forth to give you insight with understanding. At the beginning of your supplications the
command was issued, and I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed;
so give heed to the message and gain understanding of the vision.”
While Daniel 9 records Daniel’s full prayer, something
happened even while Daniel was praying.
Perhaps he had more to say, for the text literally begins, “Now while I
was still speaking and praying.” He was
also presenting his supplication, which the NASB footnote says could
mean “causing to fall.” He was dropping
his anxieties before the Lord continually, at several points in the day, and we’ll
see the same persistence in 10:2–4. He
was doing this in the covenant name of God, Yahweh. And, in the midst of that, we discover
something beautiful about our God: He answers before we are even done asking.
We’ll talk more about that in a moment. Consider his prayer; again, Daniel was
confessing. He records that he was
telling the Lord of “my sin and the sin of my people Israel.” As Matthew Henry notes, “Daniel was a very
great and good man, and yet he finds sin of his own to confess before God and
is ready to confess it; for there is not a just
man upon earth that does good and sins not, nor that sins and repents not.”[1] As 1 John 1:8 reminds us, “If we say that we
have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.” Even the greatest saints are not sinless, and rather
than be sinless to pray to the Lord, we must similarly confess.[2]
Daniel was also identifying himself with his sinful nation. He was functioning as a representative, an
intercessor, but as one of the people.[3] Those who truly care about the glory of God
and the welfare of His people will mourn the sins of others as well.[4] And that’s why he was also praying “in behalf
of the holy mountain of my God” — Jerusalem, the site of the temple.[5] The city was in ruins and the temple was
destroyed, so Daniel’s heart was broken over the low condition of God’s visible
work on earth through his fellow Jews. He
wanted to see God’s people faithful once again, so he intercedes for them.[6]
It’s not the same, but we might have similar feelings as we
see the old church buildings of Europe being bought, converted into nightclubs,
bulldozed for apartments, etc. Even
though we now have a better altar in Christ (Hebrews 13:10), we should still
feel the same burden for the welfare of Christ’s visible church. Around the world it faces external pressure
from tyrants and internal rot from apathy and apostasy. I hope you similarly pray, though the “holy
hill” of our God here will factor with particular importance in prophecy.
Now, we said that Daniel’s prayer was interrupted. While Daniel was still speaking — verse 21
says, “while I was still speaking in prayer” — God sent the answer. Daniel had prayed that God not delay in v. 19,
and we see that God responded immediately![7] As one commentary notes, “Before Daniel
finished his prayer, God sent an answer. God is concerned for his children, and he
hears and answers prayer.”[8] We should always remember that there will be
some kind of answer from God when we pray in His name.
According to the next verse God sent “the man Gabriel.” He’s called a “man” just because he appeared
in human form, just as he had in the earlier vision of chapter 8, verses 15–16.
This is the same angel who will later
appear to Zechariah and to Mary in the New Testament, God’s chosen messenger
for divine communication.[9] He is, of course, an angel, which simply means
“messenger.”
Why is he called a man?
First, consider that Daniel says he “came to me in my extreme weariness.”
This has been translated in various
ways. For instance, the LSB says “touched
me” instead of came to me, which seems accurate.[10] While the text also literally says that
Daniel was “wearied with weariness,”[11]
another translation says “in swift flight.” The Hebrew more naturally supports the idea
that Daniel himself was utterly exhausted after fasting and prayer.
Now, it’s at this point Gabriel comes. Yet, he doesn’t come in the glory of heaven,
and he doesn’t have to tell Daniel to be not afraid. Rather, Gabriel comes in the form of a man (an
ish, the regular form for man), a gentler picture, and he touches the
exhausted Daniel. Gabriel came and gave
him strength.[12]
What point is this? Daniel
says it was “about the time of the evening offering.” This is fascinating; even though the temple in
Jerusalem lay in ruins, no literal sacrifices could be offered, and Daniel was
far removed from that life in Babylon, he still kept time according to tradition. He observed the hour with prayer that would
have coincided with the evening sacrifice — around 3:00 or 4:00 p.m.[13] His prayer time was regular, and it had also become
his offering.[14]
This shows us a good bit more about Daniel’s prayer and his humble
state when the Lord send Gabriel to him.
He’s ready to receive this message, so in v. 22, we read, “He gave me
instruction and talked with me and said, ‘O Daniel, I have now come forth to
give you insight with understanding.’ ” Gabriel
refers to himself emphatically, noting that he was chosen to come in person to provide
the aged prophet with divine insight.[15]
Daniel had been pondering what would happen to Israel after
the seventy years of captivity predicted by Jeremiah. His earlier visions had focused mainly on
Gentile empires, but what about Israel? God
sent Gabriel to satisfy that longing and to reveal His program for Israel all
the way to its consummation in the kingdom of the Messiah.[16]
Daniel receives this message with encouragement. Gabriel says of him, “For you are highly
esteemed.” The Hebrew word means
“precious” or “greatly desired.”[17] Daniel was a “very precious treasure” to the
Lord (like God’s children),[18]
not because he was sinless, but because he sought God in humility and
obedience.
This should encourage every one of us in prayer and obedience. Note that Gabriel also urges Daniel to pay
close attention. He says to “give heed
to the message” and to “gain understanding of the vision.” Jesus would later echo this same call when He
told His disciples to understand the prophecy of Daniel (Matt. 24:15). We dare not treat the words of prophecy lightly
— we must respect all God’s word.
Church, there are multiple implications for us in this
passage. First, when we pray with
confession, persistence, humility, and a burden for God’s glory and people, the
Lord hears. He may not answer on our
timetable, and we shouldn’t expect that He will send us angels or new
revelations. Still, we can anticipate
that He answers, and often, His answers are bigger than we could have imagined.
The same God who esteemed Daniel esteems
every believer who approaches Him the same way.
Daniel was a ready recipient of the message. So, now we turn to the first part of the
message, all that we have time for tonight.
As we look at this verse, it will help us to understand the rest of this
contentious section of text.
Second, the Reality of the Prophetic Message (v. 24)
Seventy weeks have
been decreed for your people and your holy city, 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.
This is the heart of the revelation — the reality of what
God has decreed. The phrase “seventy
weeks” is literally “seventy sevens.” In
Hebrew thinking, the number seven carried the idea of completeness, and they
often thought in systems of sevens. That
influences us because the concept of a “week” (seven days) comes from Scripture. In this case, we’re reading of a “week” of
years — for instance, Leviticus 25:8 speaks of “seven sabbaths of years.”[19] Moreover,
as one commentary notes, “Since Daniel had been thinking of God’s program in
terms of years (v. 1; cf. Jer. 25:11–12; 2 Chron. 36:21), it would be most
natural for him to understand these ‘sevens’ as years.”[20] These are clearly seventy groupings of seven
years.
Now, there’s perhaps more to this. The failure of Israel to keep the sabbatical
years led to the seventy-year Babylonian captivity (2 Chron. 36:21), and there
may even be ongoing ramifications as this number is multiplied seven times.
[21] Whatever the case, the seventy “sevens” would
equal 490 years.
So, God is giving Daniel — and us — a precise timetable
focused on Israel. We know that because
Gabriel declares this is for “your people and your holy city.” This prophecy is about Israel and Jerusalem,
not the church or world history in general.
This is specific to the Jewish people.
We won’t get into the particulars of the prophecy
tonight. In this verse, Gabriel simply outlines
six divine purposes that will be accomplished within these 490 years. These are important in knowing whether the 490
years have come and gone, and they come in two sets of three. The first three deal with sin; the last three
deal with righteousness and the kingdom.[22] Let’s walk through them carefully.
First, “to finish the transgression.” The Hebrew word for “finish” means to restrain
(NASB footnote), perhaps to slow the nation’s trend into apostasy.[23] It can also mean to bring to a complete end,[24] meaning
Israel’s rebellion will finally end. This
ultimately will happen when the nation repents and turns to her Messiah at His
second coming, as Zechariah 12:10 and Romans 11:25–27 both promise. However, this begins to be fulfilled
in the atonement of Christ, and is pointed to by the high holy Day of Atonement.[25]
Second, “to make an end of sin.” The idea is to seal up sin with a view to
final judgment. [26] Though Christ’s second coming will accomplish
this in a new way, this too begins through the substitute work of the Messiah. The cross provided the basis for sin to end.
Third, “to make atonement for iniquity.” This is the heart of the gospel. The verb means to cover or expiate.[27] The provision was made at Calvary when Jesus
rendered Himself as a guilt offering as the Suffering Servant (Isa. 53:10). The blood of the Lamb has already purchased
full atonement; one day all Israel will experience its personal application
when she looks on Him whom she pierced and mourns.
Now, we move to kingdom-specific promises. Fourth, “to bring in everlasting
righteousness.” This is not merely imputed
righteousness, which is certainly eternal; it is the establishment of an age
characterized by righteousness. This is the
millennial kingdom, in other words.[28] Such righteousness can come only through Jesus
Christ, and Isaiah 60:21 and Jeremiah 23:5–6 describe a time when righteousness
will dwell in the land because the righteous King reigns.
Fifth, “to seal up vision and prophecy.” When all that God has spoken through the
prophets is fulfilled in Israel’s blessing, no further revelation will be
needed. The prophecies will be “sealed”
in the sense that they are completed and no longer pending.[29] There is coming a time when there is no more
need of revelation.[30]
Sixth, and finally, “to anoint the most holy place.” The phrase “most holy” (literally “holy of
holies”) always refers to the sanctuary or temple in the Old Testament.[31] Some see this as fulfilled in the rededication
of the temple after Antiochus or even in Christ Himself.[32] However, the context of the surrounding verses,
and the future abomination of desolation our Lord mentioned in Matthew 24 point
to a yet-future fulfillment. This most likely refers to the consecration of the
millennial temple described in Ezekiel 40–48.[33]
These six accomplishments summarize God’s entire program to
bring Israel the blessings promised in the Abrahamic, Davidic, and New
Covenants. Yet, not all of these
purposes have been fulfilled yet. Israel
has not yet finished her transgression in national repentance. Everlasting righteousness has not been
established on the earth. The millennial
temple has not been anointed. That leads
us to conclude that the 490 years of history are not yet concluded.
What’s more, there’s considerable disagreement, too, about the
start and end of the seventy weeks, described by vv. 25–27. Some today think that this countdown already
began by the time Daniel prayed, starting at the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC and
that it ended with the expulsion of Antiochus IV from the land in 164–163 BC,
but the math of 490 years doesn’t work there.
Other, like John Chrysostom the fourth century, thought that the
countdown began with Cyrus’s decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, and the
destruction of the sanctuary (v. 26) was under the Romans in AD 70.[34] Yet, the math doesn’t work there, either, and
the six purposes remain unfilled.
There is only one solution to this, which we will see next time. Between the sixty-ninth and seventieth week,
there must be a gap. This is the present
church age — an uncounted (but not unaccounted) parenthesis in God’s prophetic
calendar for Israel. The final “sabbath
of years” remain, then, and they will be the seven years of tribulation which
precede the second advent of Christ and the establishment of His earthly
kingdom.[35]
This is glorious hope! God has not forgotten Israel. His sovereign plan marches on toward the day
when every one of these six purposes will be perfectly realized in the person
and work of the Messiah. And because the
blood of Christ has already provided the atonement, we who are Gentiles grafted
into the olive tree by faith can rejoice that the same grace that will one day
save “all Israel” has already saved us.
Conclusion
This chapter shows us that Daniel responded to prophecy with
prayer. He asked for the end of seventy
years of captivity, and that God would glorify Himself through the process. The Lord answered not only by announcing the
release of Israel from captivity, but with a revelation of 490 more years of Jewish
history stretching all the way to the kingdom.
What a gracious and sovereign God we serve! He hears the prayers of His people even before
they finish speaking. He also esteems
those who humble themselves before Him. And
He has decreed a future for Israel that will bring every promise to its
glorious fulfillment.
I hope you are also praying with the same passion Daniel
showed. Are you confessing sin — both
yours and the sins of God’s people? Are
you burdened for the people of God? And,
are you living in the confident hope that the King is coming to fulfill every
prophecy exactly as God has spoken?
If you have never trusted Christ as your Messiah and Savior,
today is the day. Trust in the atonement
He’s already made for you. Everlasting
righteousness is available right now through faith in the One who was “cut off”
for us, and He grants eternal life in His kingdom. Come to Him.
And for the rest of us, let’s go out of this place
encouraged. The seventy weeks are not
yet finished — but they will be. God’s
sovereign plans cannot fail, and He fulfills every good promise of His Word. Let’s not only pray but also live like people
who know the future is secure, who look for the day when transgression is
finished, sin is ended, and everlasting righteousness covers the earth.
[1] Matthew Henry, Matthew
Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume,
(Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994), 1452.
[2] Stephen R. Miller, Daniel,
The New American Commentary, (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers,
1994), 18:250.
[3] John D. Barry, Douglas Mangum, Derek R. Brown, Michael
S. Heiser, Miles Custis, Elliot Ritzema, Matthew M. Whitehead, Michael R.
Grigoni, and David Bomar, Faithlife Study
Bible, (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Da 9:20.
[4] Henry.
[5] Barry, et. al.
[6] Dale Ralph Davis, The
Message of Daniel: His Kingdom Cannot Fail, eds. Alec Motyer and Derek
Tidball, The Bible Speaks Today, (Nottingham, England: Inter-Varsity Press,
2013), 123–124.
[7] J. Dwight Pentecost, The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures,
1985, 1, 1360–1361.
[8] Miller.
[9] Ibid.
[10] Ibid.
[11] New American
Standard Bible: 1995 Update, (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995).
[12] Miller, 18:250–251.
[13] Miller, 18:251.
[14] Earl D. Radmacher, Ronald Barclay Allen, and H. Wayne
House, The Nelson Study Bible: New King
James Version, (Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers, 1997), Da 9:20–21.
[15] Miller.
[16] Pentecost.
[17] New American
Standard Bible: 1995 Update,.
[18] Miller, 18:251–252.
[19] Radmacher, et. al., Da 9:24.
[20] Pentecost.
[21] Ibid.
[22] Ibid.
[23] John MacArthur Jr., Ed., The MacArthur Study Bible, electronic ed., (Nashville, TN: Word
Pub., 1997), 1244.
[24] Pentecost.
[25] Ibid., 1361–1362.
[26] Ibid., 1362.
[27] Ibid.
[28] Ibid.
[29] Ibid.
[30] MacArthur.
[31] Miller, 18:261–262.
[32] Barry, et. al., Da 9:24.
[33] Miller, 18:262.
[34] Ted Cabal, Chad Owen Brand, E. Ray Clendenen, Paul
Copan, J. P. Moreland, and Doug Powell, The
Apologetics Study Bible: Real Questions, Straight Answers, Stronger Faith,
(Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2007), 1287.
[35] Miller, 18:257.