He Shall Confirm The Covenant...

[FreeinChrist]

 

Shabbat shalom, S.T. Ranger.

 

 

Shalom, S.T. Ranger.

Daniel 9:26-27 King James Version (KJV)

26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

27 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, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

The focus is the "he" in v.27. Two primary views are held which significantly change our understanding of this passage. I will present my own view, which is that the "he" in v.27 (emphasized) is a reference to Antichrist, not Messiah, and I will include a list of reasons why I believe that, which is open for criticism:

1. Note that Messiah is cut off before the covenant is said to be confirmed, which will not allow for His "confirming of the covenant" within the Seventieth Week.

2. The word "confirmed" is better understood in the sense of "strengthening," or "supporting in character," rather than a modern understanding in which a covenant might be thought to be brought into existence and established (as in, if the "He" were Christ, this might be thought to speak of Christ confirming the New Covenant).

3. Christ did not "confirm" the New Covenant in His Ministry, this remained a mystery until Pentecost.

4.Christ did confirm the Covenant of Law, but again this would only be relevant if "confirm" is viewed as a strengthening or support of the Covenant of Law. However, we would have to bounce around in who is in view, shifting from Messiah to Antichrist: Messiah is not the "prince that shall come," for example.

5. It is reasonable to conclude "the prince that shall come" is a reference to Antichrist because it is his people that destroy the city and the sanctuary.

6. Christ is not the One that "makes desolate," thus keeping the "he" a consistent subject.

7. If Christ is the One effecting the Abomination which makes desolate, then in Matthew 24 we have Christ warning people to flee when they see this. Again we get outside of a 3 1/2 year timeframe.

8. Christ does cause sacrifice and oblation to cease by establishing the New Covenant, but, it is roughly 35 years before the Temple is physically destroyed.

9. If we did give a spiritual application to Christ being the One to "confirm" the New Covenant (and it would have to be the New Covenant), again we do not see the New Covenant "confirmed by Christ" for 3 1/2 years, and...we are left with trying to figure out how we can justify a view that has the New Covenant "confirmed for only one week, or, seven years.

10. If we say that the "covenant" in view here is the New Covenant, and that it is confirmed by Christ, then we have to throw out any 3 1/2 year period ascribed to Christ because it would be at His death, not at the beginning of His ministry...that the Seventieth Week begins. Thus nullifying the view that His Ministry could be considered the "confirming," and that the cessation of sacrifice and oblation takes place at the mid-point of the week. Messiah is cut off before the events in vv.26-27 take place.

This list is given with an open invitation to critique.

God bless.

Sorry, bro’, but you have an error in your poll. There is no third option to the question about the covenant. Hence, when I tried to vote with neither selected, it gave me an error message.

 

Only the two primary thoughts are given in the poll, and we can see that there is a majority who feel that Antichrist makes a covenant that may be thought to be distinct to Antichrist.

There is good reason why the Davidic Covenant is not given, which is because it simply will not fit the context of either Daniel or Other relevant passages.

 

...

 

Nonsense. One still must provide in a poll for a consideration that he may not have anticipated. And, it is only your OPINION that the Davidic Covenant doesn’t “fit the context of either Daniel or other relevant passages.” I find that it fits their contexts quite well!

 

 

...

There IS a third option, and in my opinion, it is the correct option. The covenant is the DAVIDIC Covenant! Also, who taught you how to make a poll, anyway? There should always be an option that says, “None of the above” or “Other,” with a chance to explain one’s choice. (Which I guess is in the posts below, for this poll.)

And why we would reject the Davidic Covenant as an option is quite simple: neither Christ not Antichrist will confirm the Davidic Covenant for one Week.

It is not the Davidic Covenant that would allow for sacrifice and oblation, because we would have to see one or the other claiming to fulfill that role. Christ certainly did, but it had not impact on Levitical Service, which was already established and being carried out.

...

 

 

It is the Davidic Covenant that PURPOSELY does NOT allow for sacrifice and oblation, which is PRECISELY why they CEASE! It is through the MESSIAH’S sacrifice and OUR UNION with the Messiah that gives God the freedom to associate with believers and set aside the need for further sacrifice! It was not necessary to have an “impact on Levitical Service”; Yeshua` fulfilled the sacrifice as a “priest forever after the order of Malkhiy-Tsedeq!” “My King of Righteousness!” In fact, the author of Hebrews tells us that the Levitical priests could NOT have fulfilled that role! Look at the WHOLE song:

 

Psalm 110:1-7

1 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

2 The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.

3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.

4 The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

5 The LORD at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.

6 He shall judge among the heathen (Goyim; Gentiles), he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.

7 He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.

KJV

 

Psalm 110:1-7 (0-7)

110:1(0) A psalm of David:

 

(1) Adonai says to my Lord,

“Sit at my right hand,

until I make your enemiesyour footstool.” 

 

2 Adonai will send your powerful scepter

out from Tziyon,

so that you will rule over

your enemies around you.

3 On the day your forces mobilize,

your people willingly offer themselves

in holy splendors from the womb of the dawn;

the dew of your youth is yours. 

 

4 Adonai has sworn it,

and he will never retract —

“You are a cohen forever,

to be compared with Malki-Tzedek.”

 

5 Adonai at your right hand

will shatter kings on the day of his anger.

6 He will pass judgment among the nations,

filling it with dead bodies;

he will shatter heads

throughout an extensive territory.

7 He will drink from a stream as he goes on his way;

therefore he will hold his head high. 

CJB

 

This is a psalm of DAVID the king, one who was so selected by anointing to be king, a MESSIAH! It was written by the one to whom God made the covenant! And, this is a Messianic Psalm; that is, it prophesies about the future ULTIMATE Messiah, Yeshua`, as I’m sure of which you’re aware! Now, refresh your memory about what was written by the author of Hebrews:

 

Hebrews 9:1-10:14

9:1 Now the first covenant had both regulations for worship and a Holy Place here on earth. 2 A tent was set up, the outer one, which was called the Holy Place; in it were the menorah, the table and the Bread of the Presence. 3 Behind the second parokhet was a tent called the Holiest Place, 4 which had the golden altar for burning incense and the Ark of the Covenant, entirely covered with gold. In the Ark were the gold jar containing the man, Aharon’s rod that sprouted and the stone Tablets of the Covenant; 5 and above it were the k’ruvim representing the Sh’khinah, casting their shadow on the lid of the Ark — but now is not the time to discuss these things in detail. 

6 With things so arranged, the cohanim go into the outer tent all the time to discharge their duties; 7 but only the cohen hagadol enters the inner one; and he goes in only once a year, and he must always bring blood, which he offers both for himself and for the sins committed in ignorance by the people. 8 By this arrangement, the Ruach HaKodesh showed that so long as the first Tent had standing, the way into the Holiest Place was still closed. 9 This symbolizes the present age and indicates that the conscience of the person performing the service cannot be brought to the goal by the gifts and sacrifices he offers. 10 For they involve only food and drink and various ceremonial washings — regulations concerning the outward life, imposed until the time for God to reshape the whole structure. 

11 But when the Messiah appeared as cohen gadol of the good things that are happening already, then, through the greater and more perfect Tent which is not man-made (that is, it is not of this created world), 12 he entered the Holiest Place once and for all.

And he entered not by means of the blood of goats and calves, but by means of his own blood, thus setting people free forever. 13 For if sprinkling ceremonially unclean persons with the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer restores their outward purity; 14 then how much more the blood of the Messiah, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself to God as a sacrifice without blemish, will purify our conscience from works that lead to death, so that we can serve the living God! 

15 It is because of this death that he is mediator of a new covenant [or will].  Because a death has occurred which sets people free from the transgressions committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promised eternal inheritance. 16 For where there is a will, there must necessarily be produced evidence of its maker’s death, 17 since a will goes into effect only upon death; it never has force while its maker is still alive. 

18 This is why the first covenant too was inaugurated with blood. 19 After Moshe had proclaimed every command of the Torah to all the people, he took the blood of the calves with some water and used scarlet wool and hyssop to sprinkle both the scroll itself and all the people; 20 and he said, “This is the blood of the covenant which God has ordained for you.”  21 Likewise, he sprinkled with the blood both the Tent and all the things used in its ceremonies. 22 In fact, according to the Torah, almost everything is purified with blood; indeed, without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. 

23 Now this is how the copies of the heavenly things had to be purified, but the heavenly things themselves require better sacrifices than these. 24 For the Messiah has entered a Holiest Place which is not man-made and merely a copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, in order to appear now on our behalf in the very presence of God. 

25 Further, he did not enter heaven to offer himself over and over again, like the cohen hagadol who enters the Holiest Place year after year with blood that is not his own; 26 for then he would have had to suffer death many times — from the founding of the universe on. But as it is, he has appeared once at the end of the ages in order to do away with sin through the sacrifice of himself. 27 Just as human beings have to die once, but after this comes judgment, 28 so also the Messiah, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to deliver those who are eagerly waiting for him. 

10 1 For the Torah has in it a shadow of the good things to come, but not the actual manifestation of the originals. Therefore, it can never, by means of the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, bring to the goal those who approach the Holy Place to offer them. 2 Otherwise, wouldn’t the offering of those sacrifices have ceased? For if the people performing the service had been cleansed once and for all, they would no longer have sins on their conscience. 3 No, it is quite the contrary — in these sacrifices is a reminder of sins, year after year. 4 For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. 

5 This is why, on coming into the world, he says,

 

“It has not been your will

to have an animal sacrifice and a meal offering;

rather, you have prepared for me a body.

6 No, you have not been pleased

with burnt offerings and sin offerings.

7 Then I said, ‘Look!

In the scroll of the book

it is written about me.

I have come to do your will.’” 

 

8 In saying first, “You neither willed nor were pleased with animal sacrifices, meal offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings,” things which are offered in accordance with the Torah; 9 and then, “Look, I have come to do your will”; he takes away the first system in order to set up the second. 10 It is in connection with this will that we have been separated for God and made holy, once and for all, through the offering of Yeshua the Messiah’s body. 

11 Now every cohen stands every day doing his service, offering over and over the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But this one, after he had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from then on to wait until his enemies be made a footstool for his feet.  14 For by a single offering he has brought to the goal for all time those who are being set apart for God and made holy. 

CJB

 

The Messiah Yeshua` DID strengthen the covenant for a Seven! A “Seven” in Hebrew Scripture is a “PERFECTION” or a “COMPLETION” or an “OATH!"

 

Genesis 21:25-34

25 Now Avraham had complained to Avimelekh about a well which Avimelekh’s servants had seized. 26 Avimelekh answered, “I don’t know who has done this. You didn’t tell me, and I heard about it only today.” 27 Avraham took sheep and cattle and gave them to Avimelekh, and the two of them made a covenant. 28 Avraham put seven female lambs from the flock by themselves. 29 Avimelekh asked Avraham, “What is the meaning of these seven female lambs you have put by themselves?” 30 He answered, “You are to accept these seven female lambs from me as witness that I dug this well.” 31 This is why that place was called Be’er-Sheva [well of seven, well of an oath] — because they both swore an oath there. 32 When they made the covenant at Be’er-Sheva, Avimelekh departed with Pikhol the commander of his army and returned to the land of the P’lishtim. 33 Avraham planted a tamarisk tree in Be’er-Sheva, and there he called on the name of Adonai, the everlasting God. 34 Avraham lived for a long time as a foreigner in the land of the P’lishtim. 

CJB

 

So, the very word “Seven” refers to God’s oath! His rejection and the result of His leaving them “desolate,” ENDED the sacrifices and the oblation (gift)! When He was crucified, He became the final “keves Elohiym” for the Pesach, the final “lamb of God” for the Passover! And, offering His own blood to the throne of God as our cohen gadol, our high priest, “nailed that door shut” forever!

 

For 3.5 years, He offered them the Kingdom of God from the sky, since HE was the One anointed to be the King and HE came from the sky through the Ruach haQodesh. Ultimately, that generation rejected Him (as God knew they would), and it became our invitation into His Kingdom prematurely. However, for them, He took His Kingdom away when He ascended back to His Father. In the future, when He returns, He will offer them the Kingdom once again. This time, He will come as the Aryeeh `Am Yhudah! The Lion of the Tribe of Judah, coming in vengeance and rescue for His people! This will be when the second 3.5 years will occur.

 

Finally, you asked “So Christians destroy the city and the sanctuary?” You’re not following along. First, I NEVER said that Messiah Yeshua` was the “prince that shall come.” To the contrary, it WAS Titus in the first century A.D. and "the PEOPLE of the prince that shall come” were the Roman soldiers. Don’t confuse the two: Yeshua` haMashiach (Jesus the Christ) is the “Messiah,” and Titus is the “prince that shall come.” Again, the verbs point back as actions of the “Messiah”; the “prince that shall come” is only an object of the prepo  sition, so to speak. The verbs are NOT connected with the “prince!"

 

 

I agree entirely and could not vote for the same reason.  Although I could also call it the Covenant of Promise, read Galatians 3:14-29; or the even the Covenant of Liberty that Christ has given us.   But we also see this promise coming in the Book of Malachi:  Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me: and the LORD, Whom ye seek, the Messenger of the Covenant, Whom ye delight in: behold, He will come, saith the LORD of Hosts.  Malachi 3:1   We see Jesus in this verse calling Himself the Messenger of the Covenant.  And just as Retrobyter stated I see the covenant being confirmed by Jesus for He even says as much in the following verses-- for Testament is the same as Covenant--Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24.

Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the New Testament in My Blood, which is shed for many.  Luke 22:20

After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, This cup is the New Testament in My Blood: this do ye, as often as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me.

I Corinthians 11:25

In the middle of the 70th week Christ instituted the LORD's Supper in remembrance of His New Covenant.  That is three and an half years into His ministry or the very end of His earthly life.  For the Covenant/Testimony to be confirmed Blood had to be shed:  And almost all things are by the law cleansed with blood; and without the shedding of blood is no remission.  Hebrews 9:22  So Christ sacrifice on the Cross, was the blood shedding moment of the New Covenant.  Jeremiah tells us of the New Covenant that Jesus would confirm in Jeremiah 31:31-34 while the writer or Hebrews quotes him in Hebrews 8:8-13.

 

When dealing with the Book of Acts we see that the last half of the 70th weeks is dealing with just the nation of Israel and their chance at receiving this Covenant promise, before the end of the 70th week.  For low and behold 3 and half years later we see that Paul/Saul  is call to minister to the Gentiles Acts 9, then we see Cornelius conversion, but see what the Jews said when they discovered that a Gentile was saved:  When they heard these things, then hold they their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance to life.  Acts 11:18  This is also mention by the Apostles in Acts 15:6-19, when the Church had a special meeting to see how they were to handle this addition to the Jewish Believers.

 

 

This is the Everlasting Covenant:

Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the Great Shepherd of the sheep, through the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant,

Hebrews 13:20

Christ Jesus has confirmed an Everlasting Covenant with all who believe in Him.

 

[S.T. Ranger]

Shabbat shalom, S.T. Ranger.

Shalom, S.T. Ranger.

Daniel 9:26-27 King James Version (KJV)

26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

27 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, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

The focus is the "he" in v.27. Two primary views are held which significantly change our understanding of this passage. I will present my own view, which is that the "he" in v.27 (emphasized) is a reference to Antichrist, not Messiah, and I will include a list of reasons why I believe that, which is open for criticism:

1. Note that Messiah is cut off before the covenant is said to be confirmed, which will not allow for His "confirming of the covenant" within the Seventieth Week.

2. The word "confirmed" is better understood in the sense of "strengthening," or "supporting in character," rather than a modern understanding in which a covenant might be thought to be brought into existence and established (as in, if the "He" were Christ, this might be thought to speak of Christ confirming the New Covenant).

3. Christ did not "confirm" the New Covenant in His Ministry, this remained a mystery until Pentecost.

4.Christ did confirm the Covenant of Law, but again this would only be relevant if "confirm" is viewed as a strengthening or support of the Covenant of Law. However, we would have to bounce around in who is in view, shifting from Messiah to Antichrist: Messiah is not the "prince that shall come," for example.

5. It is reasonable to conclude "the prince that shall come" is a reference to Antichrist because it is his people that destroy the city and the sanctuary.

6. Christ is not the One that "makes desolate," thus keeping the "he" a consistent subject.

7. If Christ is the One effecting the Abomination which makes desolate, then in Matthew 24 we have Christ warning people to flee when they see this. Again we get outside of a 3 1/2 year timeframe.

8. Christ does cause sacrifice and oblation to cease by establishing the New Covenant, but, it is roughly 35 years before the Temple is physically destroyed.

9. If we did give a spiritual application to Christ being the One to "confirm" the New Covenant (and it would have to be the New Covenant), again we do not see the New Covenant "confirmed by Christ" for 3 1/2 years, and...we are left with trying to figure out how we can justify a view that has the New Covenant "confirmed for only one week, or, seven years.

10. If we say that the "covenant" in view here is the New Covenant, and that it is confirmed by Christ, then we have to throw out any 3 1/2 year period ascribed to Christ because it would be at His death, not at the beginning of His ministry...that the Seventieth Week begins. Thus nullifying the view that His Ministry could be considered the "confirming," and that the cessation of sacrifice and oblation takes place at the mid-point of the week. Messiah is cut off before the events in vv.26-27 take place.

This list is given with an open invitation to critique.

God bless.

Sorry, bro’, but you have an error in your poll. There is no third option to the question about the covenant. Hence, when I tried to vote with neither selected, it gave me an error message.

Only the two primary thoughts are given in the poll, and we can see that there is a majority who feel that Antichrist makes a covenant that may be thought to be distinct to Antichrist.

There is good reason why the Davidic Covenant is not given, which is because it simply will not fit the context of either Daniel or Other relevant passages.

...

Nonsense. One still must provide in a poll for a consideration that he may not have anticipated. And, it is only your OPINION that the Davidic Covenant doesn’t “fit the context of either Daniel or other relevant passages.” I find that it fits their contexts quite well!

...

There IS a third option, and in my opinion, it is the correct option. The covenant is the DAVIDIC Covenant! Also, who taught you how to make a poll, anyway? There should always be an option that says, “None of the above” or “Other,” with a chance to explain one’s choice. (Which I guess is in the posts below, for this poll.)

And why we would reject the Davidic Covenant as an option is quite simple: neither Christ not Antichrist will confirm the Davidic Covenant for one Week.

It is not the Davidic Covenant that would allow for sacrifice and oblation, because we would have to see one or the other claiming to fulfill that role. Christ certainly did, but it had not impact on Levitical Service, which was already established and being carried out.

...

It is the Davidic Covenant that PURPOSELY does NOT allow for sacrifice and oblation, which is PRECISELY why they CEASE! It is through the MESSIAH’S sacrifice and OUR UNION with the Messiah that gives God the freedom to associate with believers and set aside the need for further sacrifice! It was not necessary to have an “impact on Levitical Service”; Yeshua` fulfilled the sacrifice as a “priest forever after the order of Malkhiy-Tsedeq!” “My King of Righteousness!” In fact, the author of Hebrews tells us that the Levitical priests could NOT have fulfilled that role! Look at the WHOLE song:

Psalm 110:1-7

1 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

2 The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.

3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.

4 The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

5 The LORD at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.

6 He shall judge among the heathen (Goyim; Gentiles), he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.

7 He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.

KJV

Psalm 110:1-7 (0-7)

110:1(0) A psalm of David:

(1) Adonai says to my Lord,

“Sit at my right hand,

until I make your enemiesyour footstool.”

2 Adonai will send your powerful scepter

out from Tziyon,

so that you will rule over

your enemies around you.

3 On the day your forces mobilize,

your people willingly offer themselves

in holy splendors from the womb of the dawn;

the dew of your youth is yours.

4 Adonai has sworn it,

and he will never retract —

“You are a cohen forever,

to be compared with Malki-Tzedek.”

5 Adonai at your right hand

will shatter kings on the day of his anger.

6 He will pass judgment among the nations,

filling it with dead bodies;

he will shatter heads

throughout an extensive territory.

7 He will drink from a stream as he goes on his way;

therefore he will hold his head high.

CJB

This is a psalm of DAVID the king, one who was so selected by anointing to be king, a MESSIAH! It was written by the one to whom God made the covenant! And, this is a Messianic Psalm; that is, it prophesies about the future ULTIMATE Messiah, Yeshua`, as I’m sure of which you’re aware! Now, refresh your memory about what was written by the author of Hebrews:

Hebrews 9:1-10:14

9:1 Now the first covenant had both regulations for worship and a Holy Place here on earth. 2 A tent was set up, the outer one, which was called the Holy Place; in it were the menorah, the table and the Bread of the Presence. 3 Behind the second parokhet was a tent called the Holiest Place, 4 which had the golden altar for burning incense and the Ark of the Covenant, entirely covered with gold. In the Ark were the gold jar containing the man, Aharon’s rod that sprouted and the stone Tablets of the Covenant; 5 and above it were the k’ruvim representing the Sh’khinah, casting their shadow on the lid of the Ark — but now is not the time to discuss these things in detail.

6 With things so arranged, the cohanim go into the outer tent all the time to discharge their duties; 7 but only the cohen hagadol enters the inner one; and he goes in only once a year, and he must always bring blood, which he offers both for himself and for the sins committed in ignorance by the people. 8 By this arrangement, the Ruach HaKodesh showed that so long as the first Tent had standing, the way into the Holiest Place was still closed. 9 This symbolizes the present age and indicates that the conscience of the person performing the service cannot be brought to the goal by the gifts and sacrifices he offers. 10 For they involve only food and drink and various ceremonial washings — regulations concerning the outward life, imposed until the time for God to reshape the whole structure.

11 But when the Messiah appeared as cohen gadol of the good things that are happening already, then, through the greater and more perfect Tent which is not man-made (that is, it is not of this created world), 12 he entered the Holiest Place once and for all.

And he entered not by means of the blood of goats and calves, but by means of his own blood, thus setting people free forever. 13 For if sprinkling ceremonially unclean persons with the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer restores their outward purity; 14 then how much more the blood of the Messiah, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself to God as a sacrifice without blemish, will purify our conscience from works that lead to death, so that we can serve the living God!

15 It is because of this death that he is mediator of a new covenant [or will]. Because a death has occurred which sets people free from the transgressions committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promised eternal inheritance. 16 For where there is a will, there must necessarily be produced evidence of its maker’s death, 17 since a will goes into effect only upon death; it never has force while its maker is still alive.

18 This is why the first covenant too was inaugurated with blood. 19 After Moshe had proclaimed every command of the Torah to all the people, he took the blood of the calves with some water and used scarlet wool and hyssop to sprinkle both the scroll itself and all the people; 20 and he said, “This is the blood of the covenant which God has ordained for you.” 21 Likewise, he sprinkled with the blood both the Tent and all the things used in its ceremonies. 22 In fact, according to the Torah, almost everything is purified with blood; indeed, without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

23 Now this is how the copies of the heavenly things had to be purified, but the heavenly things themselves require better sacrifices than these. 24 For the Messiah has entered a Holiest Place which is not man-made and merely a copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, in order to appear now on our behalf in the very presence of God.

25 Further, he did not enter heaven to offer himself over and over again, like the cohen hagadol who enters the Holiest Place year after year with blood that is not his own; 26 for then he would have had to suffer death many times — from the founding of the universe on. But as it is, he has appeared once at the end of the ages in order to do away with sin through the sacrifice of himself. 27 Just as human beings have to die once, but after this comes judgment, 28 so also the Messiah, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to deliver those who are eagerly waiting for him.

10 1 For the Torah has in it a shadow of the good things to come, but not the actual manifestation of the originals. Therefore, it can never, by means of the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, bring to the goal those who approach the Holy Place to offer them. 2 Otherwise, wouldn’t the offering of those sacrifices have ceased? For if the people performing the service had been cleansed once and for all, they would no longer have sins on their conscience. 3 No, it is quite the contrary — in these sacrifices is a reminder of sins, year after year. 4 For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins.

5 This is why, on coming into the world, he says,

“It has not been your will

to have an animal sacrifice and a meal offering;

rather, you have prepared for me a body.

6 No, you have not been pleased

with burnt offerings and sin offerings.

7 Then I said, ‘Look!

In the scroll of the book

it is written about me.

I have come to do your will.’”

8 In saying first, “You neither willed nor were pleased with animal sacrifices, meal offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings,” things which are offered in accordance with the Torah; 9 and then, “Look, I have come to do your will”; he takes away the first system in order to set up the second. 10 It is in connection with this will that we have been separated for God and made holy, once and for all, through the offering of Yeshua the Messiah’s body.

11 Now every cohen stands every day doing his service, offering over and over the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But this one, after he had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from then on to wait until his enemies be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has brought to the goal for all time those who are being set apart for God and made holy.

CJB

The Messiah Yeshua` DID strengthen the covenant for a Seven! A “Seven” in Hebrew Scripture is a “PERFECTION” or a “COMPLETION” or an “OATH!"

Genesis 21:25-34

25 Now Avraham had complained to Avimelekh about a well which Avimelekh’s servants had seized. 26 Avimelekh answered, “I don’t know who has done this. You didn’t tell me, and I heard about it only today.” 27 Avraham took sheep and cattle and gave them to Avimelekh, and the two of them made a covenant. 28 Avraham put seven female lambs from the flock by themselves. 29 Avimelekh asked Avraham, “What is the meaning of these seven female lambs you have put by themselves?” 30 He answered, “You are to accept these seven female lambs from me as witness that I dug this well.” 31 This is why that place was called Be’er-Sheva [well of seven, well of an oath] — because they both swore an oath there. 32 When they made the covenant at Be’er-Sheva, Avimelekh departed with Pikhol the commander of his army and returned to the land of the P’lishtim. 33 Avraham planted a tamarisk tree in Be’er-Sheva, and there he called on the name of Adonai, the everlasting God. 34 Avraham lived for a long time as a foreigner in the land of the P’lishtim.

CJB

So, the very word “Seven” refers to God’s oath! His rejection and the result of His leaving them “desolate,” ENDED the sacrifices and the oblation (gift)! When He was crucified, He became the final “keves Elohiym” for the Pesach, the final “lamb of God” for the Passover! And, offering His own blood to the throne of God as our cohen gadol, our high priest, “nailed that door shut” forever!

For 3.5 years, He offered them the Kingdom of God from the sky, since HE was the One anointed to be the King and HE came from the sky through the Ruach haQodesh. Ultimately, that generation rejected Him (as God knew they would), and it became our invitation into His Kingdom prematurely. However, for them, He took His Kingdom away when He ascended back to His Father. In the future, when He returns, He will offer them the Kingdom once again. This time, He will come as the Aryeeh `Am Yhudah! The Lion of the Tribe of Judah, coming in vengeance and rescue for His people! This will be when the second 3.5 years will occur.

Finally, you asked “So Christians destroy the city and the sanctuary?” You’re not following along. First, I NEVER said that Messiah Yeshua` was the “prince that shall come.” To the contrary, it WAS Titus in the first century A.D. and "the PEOPLE of the prince that shall come” were the Roman soldiers. Don’t confuse the two: Yeshua` haMashiach (Jesus the Christ) is the “Messiah,” and Titus is the “prince that shall come.” Again, the verbs point back as actions of the “Messiah”; the “prince that shall come” is only an object of the prepo sition, so to speak. The verbs are NOT connected with the “prince!"

I agree entirely and could not vote for the same reason. Although I could also call it the Covenant of Promise, read Galatians 3:14-29; or the even the Covenant of Liberty that Christ has given us. But we also see this promise coming in the Book of Malachi: Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me: and the LORD, Whom ye seek, the Messenger of the Covenant, Whom ye delight in: behold, He will come, saith the LORD of Hosts. Malachi 3:1 We see Jesus in this verse calling Himself the Messenger of the Covenant. And just as Retrobyter stated I see the covenant being confirmed by Jesus for He even says as much in the following verses-- for Testament is the same as Covenant--Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24.

Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the New Testament in My Blood, which is shed for many. Luke 22:20

After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, This cup is the New Testament in My Blood: this do ye, as often as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me.

I Corinthians 11:25

In the middle of the 70th week Christ instituted the LORD's Supper in remembrance of His New Covenant. That is three and an half years into His ministry or the very end of His earthly life. For the Covenant/Testimony to be confirmed Blood had to be shed: And almost all things are by the law cleansed with blood; and without the shedding of blood is no remission. Hebrews 9:22 So Christ sacrifice on the Cross, was the blood shedding moment of the New Covenant. Jeremiah tells us of the New Covenant that Jesus would confirm in Jeremiah 31:31-34 while the writer or Hebrews quotes him in Hebrews 8:8-13.

When dealing with the Book of Acts we see that the last half of the 70th weeks is dealing with just the nation of Israel and their chance at receiving this Covenant promise, before the end of the 70th week. For low and behold 3 and half years later we see that Paul/Saul is call to minister to the Gentiles Acts 9, then we see Cornelius conversion, but see what the Jews said when they discovered that a Gentile was saved: When they heard these things, then hold they their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance to life. Acts 11:18 This is also mention by the Apostles in Acts 15:6-19, when the Church had a special meeting to see how they were to handle this addition to the Jewish Believers.

This is the Everlasting Covenant:

Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the Great Shepherd of the sheep, through the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant,

Hebrews 13:20

Christ Jesus has confirmed an Everlasting Covenant with all who believe in Him.

This sounds very reasonable but as already mentioned...Christ is cut off prior the Seventieth Week. This would negate His earthly ministry from being appli able.

The most dramatic error would be thinking that any covenant was confirmed for a seven year period. At no time did Christ, during His earthly ministry nor in times past confirm a covenant for seven years. Christ is the Covenant and it be ame available at Pentecost, which would be where the Seventieth Week would start. Not at the beginning of the Lord's ministry.

This has been addressed yet no-one seems willing to show why the points are in error aside from retro's ciew that be ause the Davidic Covenant was not an option, all points are wrong.

Again, Christ did establish the New Covenant through His death, however, we see that the promises of the New Covenant are fulfilled at Pentecost.

So at this point I would ask how Messiah was cut off and then "confirmed" the New Covenant in His earthly ministry and how, since the Seventieth Week pertains to Israel, you then impose Paul into the equation.

God bless.

[Salty]

I must agree with S.T. Ranger on this timing, the 69th prophetic week of Daniel 9 ended when Jesus was "cut off" upon His cross, meaning when He was crucified at Jerusalem. Practice of the Old Covenant by the Jews in Judea did not end then, not until the Roman army destroyed Jerusalem and the temple burned down from within (per Josephus), which was around 70 A.D.

 

The Daniel 9:27 verse is about events that will occur for the coming "great tribulation", a time still future to us today. The confirming of the Old Covenant by the coming Antichrist in Jerusalem is what that is about, because that is how sacrifices and the old temple worship will begin again, and then ended by that Antichrist with his placing the abomination idol in the temple that makes desolate, which will begin the final 1260 days countdown to the end of this world.

[Retrobyter]

...

 

This sounds very reasonable but as already mentioned...Christ is cut off prior to the Seventieth Week. This would negate His earthly ministry from being applicable.

The most dramatic error would be thinking that any covenant was confirmed for a seven year period. At no time did Christ, during His earthly ministry nor in times past confirm a covenant for seven years. Christ is the Covenant and it became available at Pentecost, which would be where the Seventieth Week would start. Not at the beginning of the Lord's ministry.

This has been addressed, yet no-one seems willing to show why the points are in error aside from retro's view that because the Davidic Covenant was not an option, all points are wrong.

Again, Christ did establish the New Covenant through His death, however, we see that the promises of the New Covenant are fulfilled at Pentecost.

So at this point I would ask how Messiah was cut off and then "confirmed" the New Covenant in His earthly ministry and how, since the Seventieth Week pertains to Israel, you then impose Paul into the equation.

God bless.

 

 

Well, actually you’re not following along the wording of the prophecy, either. The New Covenant was not established UNTIL the death of the Messiah; however, the prophecy of Daniel 9 has already said, “He (the Messiah) would strengthen a covenant with many for one Seven.” That doesn’t necessarily push the Seven back to beginning at the time of Yeshua`s death, but rather confirms that this is a DIFFERENT covenant than the New Covenant!

 

What you must see is that Yeshua`s “earthly ministry" (3.5 years), the OFFER of the Kingdom to Y'hudah, was ALREADY fulfilling the first half of that last Seven! Just as the Jewish calendar has a civil New Year’s Day (Rosh haShanah, said by many to be the anniversary of Adam’s Creation) and a religious New Year’s Day (14 days before Pesach, the Passover, the anniversary of the Exodus from Egypt), so Yeshua` was involved in a Kingly (civil) covenant (the Davidic Covenant) and a Priestly (religious) covenant (the New Covenant). Daniel 9 is NOT talking about MAKING a covenant, new or old; it’s only talking about STRENGTHENING an existing covenant!

[FreeinChrist]

S.T., if we read Daniel 9:26, as just recapping the previous verse; Daniel 9:25 and not stating this seven weeks and the 62 weeks this fits perfectly, but if we take it by your own account we now have the Messiah being cut off some 15 and half years before He became the Only Begotten Son of God.  Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem to the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and sixty and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.  Daniel 9:25  So I see the after 62 weeks as just recapping the previous verse without stating the first seven weeks.

 

i am open to rebuke if someone can explain this situation any other way.

[S.T. Ranger]

...

This sounds very reasonable but as already mentioned...Christ is cut off prior to the Seventieth Week. This would negate His earthly ministry from being applicable.

The most dramatic error would be thinking that any covenant was confirmed for a seven year period. At no time did Christ, during His earthly ministry nor in times past confirm a covenant for seven years. Christ is the Covenant and it became available at Pentecost, which would be where the Seventieth Week would start. Not at the beginning of the Lord's ministry.

This has been addressed, yet no-one seems willing to show why the points are in error aside from retro's view that because the Davidic Covenant was not an option, all points are wrong.

Again, Christ did establish the New Covenant through His death, however, we see that the promises of the New Covenant are fulfilled at Pentecost.

So at this point I would ask how Messiah was cut off and then "confirmed" the New Covenant in His earthly ministry and how, since the Seventieth Week pertains to Israel, you then impose Paul into the equation.

God bless.

Well, actually you’re not following along the wording of the prophecy, either. The New Covenant was not established UNTIL the death of the Messiah; however, the prophecy of Daniel 9 has already said, “He (the Messiah) would strengthen a covenant with many for one Seven.” That doesn’t necessarily push the Seven back to beginning at the time of Yeshua`s death, but rather confirms that this is a DIFFERENT covenant than the New Covenant!

Again, the cutting off of Messiah is at His death, and as has been pointed out the New Covenant is an eternal Covenant, which, as you say, is different than the Covenant in view in Daniel. We cannot impose the Lord's ministry into the 70th Week.

What you must see is that Yeshua`s “earthly ministry" (3.5 years), the OFFER of the Kingdom to Y'hudah, was ALREADY fulfilling the first half of that last Seven! Just as the Jewish calendar has a civil New Year’s Day (Rosh haShanah, said by many to be the anniversary of Adam’s Creation) and a religious New Year’s Day (14 days before Pesach, the Passover, the anniversary of the Exodus from Egypt), so Yeshua` was involved in a Kingly (civil) covenant (the Davidic Covenant) and a Priestly (religious) covenant (the New Covenant). Daniel 9 is NOT talking about MAKING a covenant, new or old; it’s only talking about STRENGTHENING an existing covenant!

I agree it refers to support for an existing covenant, but the Lord had no need to support a covenant He established...it is finished when He establishes it. We can say Christ ''confirmed'' all of the Covenants, but, unless one denies His death as the cutting off of Messiah, then we cannot impose an establishing in this confirmation because of the ending of that confirmation.

The cessation of sacrifice and oblation is important because this is associated with the Covenant of Law and we know Christ's making the Law obsolete takes place prior to the beginning of the 70th Week.

Edited note: just wanted to clarify that Christ did abrogate the Law, hence an ending of sacrifice for sin; this would require the abomination which makes desolate coincide with that event if that is in view.

And it is roughly 35 years later that we could see a fulfillment of this. I don't have a problem seeing a partial fulfillment in AD 70, just as I see Antiochus Epiphanies as a fulfillment, but just as prophecy concerning Christ on the throne still awaits final fulfillment, even so there remains a final Antichrist to come.

Again, sorry for the short posts. Good talking with you guys.

God bless.

Edited December 31, 2014 by S.T. Ranger

[S.T. Ranger]

S.T., if we read Daniel 9:26, as just recapping the previous verse; Daniel 9:25 and not stating this seven weeks and the 62 weeks this fits perfectly, but if we take it by your own account we now have the Messiah being cut off some 15 and half years before He became the Only Begotten Son of God.  Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem to the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and sixty and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.  Daniel 9:25  So I see the after 62 weeks as just recapping the previous verse without stating the first seven weeks.

 

i am open to rebuke if someone can explain this situation any other way.

No rebuke, just discussion. The first seven sevens precedes the 62 sevens and are said to be two different periods, and the final seven come after the 62 Week period. After this period Messiah is cut off. This means that period is over. One could impose Christ into the final Week, and many do, however, imposing Christ being cut off within the final Week has problems, which is the reason for the ten points given in the OP. I will admit, lol, that the list was hastily assembled and I would suggest that it may be a better way to address the issue would be to point out the weaknesses in the list. I do think some good points are raised, but I didn't give it as a refined and tried list. I will go back and make improvements and perhaps return with a more concise list. I have done this very thing with baptismal regeneration which has been refined through objections by those of opposing views.

So not sure this directly addresses your point, but perhaps you could rephrase your point if it doesn't. Are you saying the text allows for Christ being cut off mid-week?

God bless.

[ghtan]

Hi,

 

Hope you don't mind if I add my two cents worth.

 

Ch 9 is evidently focussed on the city of Jerusalem since that was what Daniel was praying over. There were two main events in store for the city - its rebuilding, and its destruction. The third event, as stated in v 24, is the coming of the anointed one. Hence, there are three periods - 7 weeks, 62 weeks, and 1 week. The rebuilding occurs by the end of the first 7 weeks (which is probably a symbolic rather than literal number). Thereafter there would be 62 weeks, symbolising a much longer period, before the anointed one Jesus comes and is "cut off." Consequently, the final week should be concerned with the third event, i.e. the destruction of Jerusalem which happened within a short time - hence within one week - after the death of Jesus. The word 'middle' can be translated as 'midst' (KJV) and so I don't think we should read three-and-a-half years into it.

 

This seems to me the most natural way to read ch 9. Regrettably, I was not able to participate in the poll because I think 'he' refers to the "prince that shall come" in v 26 and not the messiah.

 

Blessings.

[FreeinChrist]

 

S.T., if we read Daniel 9:26, as just recapping the previous verse; Daniel 9:25 and not stating this seven weeks and the 62 weeks this fits perfectly, but if we take it by your own account we now have the Messiah being cut off some 15 and half years before He became the Only Begotten Son of God.  Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem to the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and sixty and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.  Daniel 9:25  So I see the after 62 weeks as just recapping the previous verse without stating the first seven weeks.

 

i am open to rebuke if someone can explain this situation any other way.

No rebuke, just discussion. The first seven sevens precedes the 62 sevens and are said to be two different periods, and the final seven come after the 62 Week period. After this period Messiah is cut off. This means that period is over. One could impose Christ into the final Week, and many do, however, imposing Christ being cut off within the final Week has problems, which is the reason for the ten points given in the OP. I will admit, lol, that the list was hastily assembled and I would suggest that it may be a better way to address the issue would be to point out the weaknesses in the list. I do think some good points are raised, but I didn't give it as a refined and tried list. I will go back and make improvements and perhaps return with a more concise list. I have done this very thing with baptismal regeneration which has been refined through objections by those of opposing views.

So not sure this directly addresses your point, but perhaps you could rephrase your point if it doesn't. Are you saying the text allows for Christ being cut off mid-week?

God bless.

 

 

I think you understood me right, and I guess we will just simply have to agree to disagree.  I hope we all (and speaking to myself also) remember to keep our minds open on this issue for the Jews were told when Christ was to come and because He didn't come as they thought He should, they missed out on His First Coming.

 

[seandavids]

Daniel 9:26-27 King James Version (KJV)

26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

27 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, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

The focus is the "he" in v.27. Two primary views are held which significantly change our understanding of this passage. I will present my own view, which is that the "he" in v.27 (emphasized) is a reference to Antichrist, not Messiah, and I will include a list of reasons why I believe that, which is open for criticism:

1. Note that Messiah is cut off before the covenant is said to be confirmed, which will not allow for His "confirming of the covenant" within the Seventieth Week.

2. The word "confirmed" is better understood in the sense of "strengthening," or "supporting in character," rather than a modern understanding in which a covenant might be thought to be brought into existence and established (as in, if the "He" were Christ, this might be thought to speak of Christ confirming the New Covenant).

3. Christ did not "confirm" the New Covenant in His Ministry, this remained a mystery until Pentecost.

4.Christ did confirm the Covenant of Law, but again this would only be relevant if "confirm" is viewed as a strengthening or support of the Covenant of Law. However, we would have to bounce around in who is in view, shifting from Messiah to Antichrist: Messiah is not the "prince that shall come," for example.

5. It is reasonable to conclude "the prince that shall come" is a reference to Antichrist because it is his people that destroy the city and the sanctuary.

6. Christ is not the One that "makes desolate," thus keeping the "he" a consistent subject.

7. If Christ is the One effecting the Abomination which makes desolate, then in Matthew 24 we have Christ warning people to flee when they see this. Again we get outside of a 3 1/2 year timeframe.

8. Christ does cause sacrifice and oblation to cease by establishing the New Covenant, but, it is roughly 35 years before the Temple is physically destroyed.

9. If we did give a spiritual application to Christ being the One to "confirm" the New Covenant (and it would have to be the New Covenant), again we do not see the New Covenant "confirmed by Christ" for 3 1/2 years, and...we are left with trying to figure out how we can justify a view that has the New Covenant "confirmed for only one week, or, seven years.

10. If we say that the "covenant" in view here is the New Covenant, and that it is confirmed by Christ, then we have to throw out any 3 1/2 year period ascribed to Christ because it would be at His death, not at the beginning of His ministry...that the Seventieth Week begins. Thus nullifying the view that His Ministry could be considered the "confirming," and that the cessation of sacrifice and oblation takes place at the mid-point of the week. Messiah is cut off before the events in vv.26-27 take place.

This list is given with an open invitation to critique.

God bless.

good post! Its completely illogical to denote any of the interpretation the angel gives Daniel to be about Jesus Christ for the simple reason that the interpretation given by the angel was entirely supposed to be about the vision in chapter 8, the word of God specifically is shown that Gabriel came to give better understanding of the vision Daniel received

 

the vision was completely about the coming of the lawless one, the false messiah