Easter According to Daniel

[Christian Gedge]

A fresh look at the ‘seventy weeks’ prophecy. Jesus of Nazareth is revealed as the Anointed One who finished transgression, made an end of sins, and reconciled us to God.

I bought this message to our church in Easter 2019, and have only now got it on the Internet for 2023. We were doing a series. We were covering the basics so that a broad audience could enjoy the visions of Daniel without getting bogged down with debates.  However, discussion is welcome on the forum.  Enjoy.

Easter According to Daniel (22 minutes)

[Christian Gedge]

This is the one that most of us agree on - the third goal of the 70th week. (18 minutes into video if you don’t want to listen to the whole message again) The Cross of Christ reconciled us to God whose justice was satisfied by the propitiatory sacrifice of his Son.

With the problem of transgression and sin dealt with, we are able to be reconciled to God. Reconciliation is what Daniel saw when he wrote in step by step order: “Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city ...

1. to finish the transgression,
2. to make an end of sins,
3. to make reconciliation for iniquity”
   

Actually, God's whole purpose in the Cross was to reconcile us to himself  to bring us from separation and enmity, to peace and new relationship with him. New Testament scriptures show that ...

"...we were God's enemies but we were

reconciled

to him through the death of his Son." (Rom. 5: 10)

"... you who once were far away have been

bought near

by the blood of Christ." (Ephesians 2: 13)

"... you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds but now he has

reconciled

you by

     Christ's physical body through death (Colossians 1: 21-22)

Old Testament scriptures show the same thing prophesied all those years before by the prophet Daniel.

[Christian Gedge]

This is the one that least of us agree on - the fourth goal of Daniel’s wonderful 70^th week. (19 minutes into video if you don’t want to listen to the whole message) The Cross of Christ enabled the righteousness of Christ to be credited to those that believe on him irrespective of the wrongs they may have done.

 

This clause of Daniel’s prophecy has been subject to confusion because commentators have focused on second coming theories, failing to recognise the centrality of the Cross in Bible prophecy. What could ‘everlasting righteousness’ possibly mean, they ask, except the millennial reign of Christ? They miss the point.

 

Everlasting righteousness! Speaking of it, Isaiah said, “The righteous one, my servant, shall make many to be accounted righteous.” (Isaiah 53:11)  Paul put it this way, “By the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous ... For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (Romans 5:18-19, 2 Cor. 5:21)

 

It is wonder enough that God does not impute sin to the believer’s account, but what is even more astonishing is that He actually credits to our account the righteousness of Christ instead. And the promise is now! It is not a dream for some future age to come. Why did God do this?

 

"God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement. (a propitiation)  He did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.” (Romans 3:25,26)