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Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Dan 9:24 (KJV) Reconciliation for Iniquity Continuing in a look at the seventy weeks of Daniel, we now consider the phrase "to make reconciliation for iniquity." The question before us is "has God made reconciliation for iniquity?" First of all, we must remember the context of Daniel 9. As in our previous studies, we see that the seventy weeks of Daniel 9 is not some general or arbitrary prophecy given to Daniel about the entire planet earth or all of humanity, but is limited in its context to "thy people and upon thy holy city". So without question, we have to approach this prophecy from the perspective of Daniel's people, the Jewish nation, and Daniel's city, Jerusalem. Let's briefly look at a few of the other prophets. It is not hard to show that Israel was a nation full of iniquity. 4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. Isaiah 1:4 (KJV) 5 Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain? Jer 2:5 (KJV) 22 For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD. Jer 2:22 (KJV) 14 All thy lovers have forgotten thee; they seek thee not; for I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of thine iniquity; because thy sins were increased. 15 Why criest thou for thine affliction? thy sorrow is incurable for the multitude of thine iniquity: because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee. Jer 30:14-15 (KJV) It could be argued that the main theme of Jeremiah's prophecy was Judah's iniquity, as this tenet appears over and over again. It is a main theme of all the prophets. As bad as Israel's predicament was, there were also many promises of reconciliation or healing from their iniquity. 1 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. 2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins. Isaiah 40:1-2 (KJV) These promises of reconciliation and healing would only be accomplished through the promised Messiah. 5 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. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:5-6 (KJV) Only the Messiah, the One who would be bruised, who would be chastised, could make reconciliation for Israel and Judah's iniquity. It's not my intent here to go over every Old Testament passage, which shows Israel's iniquity and their promise of reconciliation through the Messiah, although they are plentiful. But I would like to expand briefly on the idea of what "reconciliation" is and look at one passage from the Psalms. Making reconciliation for iniquity is somewhat similar to making an end of sins. Reconciliation goes a step further. It carries the connotation of atonement, or the purging of sins, which makes it possible to have a right relationship (or fellowship) with God. The word here in Daniel 9:24 for reconciliation (kaw-far') is mainly translated as "atonement" in the Old Testament. In a previous study, we saw that Jesus Christ made an end of sins in the first century for God's people who believed in Him. We will now attempt to answer the question: Did Jesus Christ make reconciliation for iniquity and reconcile God's covenant people back to Himself? In the Old Testament, we have examples of God making atonement for the covenant people and forgiving iniquity. We see this throughout the giving of the law, how God would atone for their iniquity. Psalm 78 recounts Israel's history and how in the face of God's continual blessings the people rebelled and increased their iniquities. Yet God chose to be merciful to His covenant people: Psalms 78:38 But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. The word here for "forgave" is the same word (kaw-far'). God continually forgave Israel's iniquities, not on the basis of what they had done, but because of His good pleasure and mercies. The problem was that this forgiveness was not permanent. Israel was still under the weight of God's law that perpetually accused them, and they could not keep it. They needed permanent forgiveness. They needed reconciliation. This reconciliation would come through faith in the promised Messiah. Isaiah 57:17 For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. 18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners. I can’t help but comment on this beautiful passage in Isaiah. God has seen our ways. He knows we are an evil people, yet He has chosen to heal us. And not only heal us but also lead us, restore us, and comfort those that mourn. This is the personification of grace. Jeremiah 31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. I believe these to be prophecies of the coming Messiah. Does the New Testament give us clues that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, and the One who would make reconciliation for iniquity? Romans 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. Through Christ the Messiah, there were reconciled to God. 2 Cor 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. God, through Christ, was reconciling Israel to Himself. The New Testament tells us that the true Israel was all those, Jew and Gentile, who had faith in Jesus Christ. 28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. Romans 2:28-29 (KJV) 6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. 7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. 8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. 9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham. Gal 3:6-9 (KJV) 8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. Romans 9:8 (KJV) God was reconciling the world (both Jew and Gentile) to Himself through faith in Jesus Christ. 14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: Eph 2:14-16 (KJV) 21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: Col 1:21-22 (KJV) If we are unblameable and unreproveable in His sight, then our iniquities are gone. God does not dwell with iniquity, yet he dwells with us, those who have put their faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ and not their own works of righteousness. 17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. Heb 2:17 (KJV) 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Titus 2:13-14 (KJV) In conclusion, I see much evidence in the Old and New Testaments that Christ the Messiah made reconciliation for inquity in fulfillment of Daniel 9:24 . Many Christians today believe that God has not reconciled Israel back to Himself, but I believe He has. He completed this work in the first century. What work does Christ have left to do? If we are holy and without blame before him in love, what else could we be waiting for? Praise God that He faithfully fulfilled His word and that Christ is the fulfillment of all Old Testament prophecy, including Daniel's seventy weeks. Brian Maxwell April 14, 2009
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(This blog also appears in the site's Q&A section under "End of Sins?") Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. To make an end of sins In examining Daniel 9:24 to see if it were fulfilled, can we conclude the bible teaches that there has been an end of sins for God's people? Remember that the prophecy was determined upon "thy people" (Daniel's people, covenant Israel). This prophecy from the LORD through Gabriel was an answer to all of Daniel's prayers and supplications concerning Israel's sins. He claims that the curse spoken of by Moses in the book of the law has come to pass: Deut 11:26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; 27 A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: 28 And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known. Dan 9:11 Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him. Now God comes to comfort Daniel with the prophecy of the seventy weeks, in which God promises to make an "end of sins". Did God truly make an end of sins during this seventy week time period? When Jesus arrives on the scene, we have the testimony of the angel to Joseph concerning Christ's birth: Matt 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. As the time neared when Jesus would be revealed to Israel, we have the testimony of John the Baptist: John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. And we have a multitude of testimony from Christ's Spirit filled Apostles and Prophets. Did the early church teach that the work of Christ had made an "end of sins"? Acts 5:31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. Romans 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; Romans 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Paul taught that for those who were walking after the Spirit, sin had been condemned in the flesh. Walking in the Spirit meant that they were trusting in Christ by faith to be made right before God, and not trusting in law. Whenever Paul speaks about walking after the flesh, it is in the context of trying to be made right before God by law (which is equivalent to self-righteousness). This was the sin that caused the death (sin death, or covenant death). It was the same sin that separated Adam and Eve from God in the garden. This was also the death that Christ came to defeat by putting away sin by the sacrifice of himself. Heb 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; Heb 9:26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. Heb 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 1 John 2:1-2 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 3:5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. 6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Notice how John states that if they had sin, then they had no part with God. Why is this? He defined sin in the previous verse: 1 John 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. In other words, John was telling them that if they still had sin, they were still under law. They could not be both under law and forgiven of their sins, because the law is what condemned them of sin. The only way sin could be removed completely was trusting in Christ apart from the deeds of the law (Romans 3:20 ,28 ). This would put an end to sin, because Christ was the end of the law for all who believed (Romans 10:4 ). Remember that both John and Paul were speaking in a covenant context to the covenant people. They were the people who were under the law of sin and death. Romans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. Jesus Christ, through His cross and presense with His people, has made an end of sins. He became sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God IN HIM! I believe the prophecy in Daniel 9:24 that God would "make an end of sins" is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. And if we are in Jesus Christ, it is fulfilled for us. Praise God that Christ made an end of sins! Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, Blessings, Brian Maxwell Jan 24, 2009 (All scripture KJV) Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Finishing The Transgression Jeremiah 2:29 Wherefore will ye plead with me? ye all have transgressed against me, saith the LORD. 30 In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion. In the Old Testament, "transgression" was not just the personal and corporate sins of the Nation of Israel failing to follow the word of the LORD, but also the sin of persecuting and killing the chosen servants of God. The ultimate transgression was when the Jews murdered their own Messiah and persecuted His church. The New Testament describes this as the Jews "filling up" the sins or transgressions of their fathers. The completion of this transgression would come upon their generation in the 1st century. Matthew 23:29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, 30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. 31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. 32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. 33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? 34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: 35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. 36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. 1 Thessalonians 2:14 For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews: 15 Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: 16 Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost. Matthew 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: 9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: 12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Romans 4:15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. Jesus Christ finished the transgression by coming and fulfilling the law (Matt 5:17 ), punishing his enemies (the seed of the serpent, John 8:44 ), and dwelling with His people in the New Jerusalem where there is no more transgression. Revelation 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Brian Maxwell Jan 14, 2009 |
Bryce Canyon, UT March 2010
About Me:
I'm from Northern California, married with three children. I'm a believer in fulfilled eschatology and covenant creation, and a close friend of NCMI. My goal is to honor God through seeking the truth of His word and sharing with others. The glorious Kingdom of God, revealed to us through scripture, is a topic I love to discuss! Archives
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