The Interpretation of Daniel 9
A Sermon on Daniel 9
Originally preached Feb. 4, 1955
Scripture
Sermon Description
When will Jesus return? Daniel 9 is vital to the Christian understanding of events. However, due to its difficult nature, many Christians interpret it incorrectly or stay away from it all-together. Yet, God placed it in His word for a reason. In this sermon titled “The Interpretation of Daniel 9,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones begins with a reminder of the godly people who have disagreed widely on interpretation regarding passages like Daniel 9, encouraging the listener to avoid being overly dogmatic regarding the subject. Regardless of opinion, Daniel 9 is about what God has determined regarding a chosen people. One of the most well-known sections in this chapter refers to “70 weeks,” a timeline regarding when the events at the end of time will happen. Are these literal weeks? If not, what do they represent? Why are they divided up, and will Christians leave in the midst of them? Dr. Lloyd-Jones makes his argument for which period he believes the listeners are living in, as well as identifying the purposes these “weeks” serve.
Sermon Breakdown
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones begins by emphasizing the importance of keeping an open mind when interpreting prophecy and the second coming of Christ. Many godly men of the past have disagreed on these matters.
- The sermon will consider Daniel 9:24-27, Matthew 24-25, 1 Thessalonians 4-5, and parts of Revelation. The sermon will not provide an exhaustive exposition of Revelation to keep within the scope of the series.
- Daniel 9:24-27 is one of the most difficult passages in the Old Testament to interpret. There are many views on its meaning.
- God has determined and decided something with regard to Israel and Jerusalem (v. 24). This suggests God has a plan for Israel.
- Six things will happen during the "70 weeks" (v. 24):
- Finish the transgression: Put an end to sin
- Make an end of sins: Sins will be forgiven
- Make reconciliation for iniquity: Sin will be removed and reconciliation with God will happen
- Bring in everlasting righteousness: Everlasting righteousness will come
- Seal up vision and prophecy: Vision and prophecy will end
-
Anoint the most holy: A most holy person will be anointed
-
The 70 weeks are divided into 7 weeks (49 years), 62 weeks (434 years), and 1 week (7 years) (v. 25). The 7 weeks refer to the rebuilding of Jerusalem. The 62 weeks go from that time to the coming of the Messiah. Most agree this refers to Jesus.
- After the 69 weeks, the Messiah will be cut off (v. 26). This refers to Jesus' crucifixion. There is disagreement over whether the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 is referred to next.
- He will confirm a covenant for 1 week (7 years) (v. 27). There is disagreement over the identity of "he" and when this week is.
- In the middle of the week, sacrifices will end (v. 27). There is disagreement over when this happens.
- The abomination of desolation will come, and wrath will be poured out (v. 27). There is disagreement over when this happens.
- There are two main views: 1) The traditional view: The 70th week follows sequentially after the 69th. 2) The futurist view (from 1830): There is a gap between the 69th and 70th week. The 70th week is in the future tribulation.
- The futurist view sees the 70 weeks as 490 years. 7 weeks (49 years) for rebuilding Jerusalem. 62 weeks (434 years) to the Messiah. A gap of at least 2000 years. The 70th week (7 years) is the future tribulation. The "he" of v. 27 is the Antichrist.
- Questions to consider: Has v. 24 been fulfilled? What about v. 26? Who is "he" in v. 27? Do vv. 26-27 refer to the 70th week or a gap? Is there a gap between the 69th and 70th week?
Sermon Q&A
Martin Lloyd-Jones Sermon Questions on the Second Coming of Christ
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasize about approaching the study of Christ's Second Coming?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes the importance of keeping an open mind when studying the doctrine of the Second Coming. He points out that "when the mightiest and the saintliest men of God of the past centuries have oftimes disagreed with one another in matters of interpretation, it ill behoves any of us to be dogmatic, or certain." He states he would be satisfied if listeners became "a little less certain and dogmatic at the end than they were at the beginning," noting that "there is nothing that is so sad and indeed ofttimes sinful as an extreme dogmatism in this particular realm."
What major historical shift in prophetic interpretation does Dr. Lloyd-Jones identify?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies a significant shift in prophetic interpretation that occurred around 1830. He explains that "a new school of interpretation came into being round about that particular date, and it's had a most profound influence." The two key leaders of this new teaching were Edward Irving, a Scottish minister who came to London, and John Nelson Darby, one of the founders of the Brethren movement. This teaching was later popularized by D.L. Moody, the Moody Bible Institute, and most significantly, the Scofield Bible.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones suggest we should interpret prophetic numbers in Scripture?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones suggests that prophetic numbers should be understood symbolically rather than literally exact. He uses the phrase "concealed definiteness" (borrowed from Henstenberg) to describe biblical numbers - meaning they are definite in God's mind but their exactness is concealed from us. He explains: "They are definite and yet they're not definite in the sense that you can say exactly when a thing begins and when it ends." He warns that many great interpreters have been proven wrong by trying to assign absolutely definite dates, noting that "the whole history of prophecy is strewn with the wreckage...of the reputation of men who have forgotten this term about concealed definiteness."
What are the six things prophesied to happen during the "70 weeks" in Daniel 9:24?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones' explanation of Daniel 9:24, there are six things prophesied to happen during the "70 weeks":
Three negative things: 1. "To finish the transgression" (putting an end to it) 2. "To make an end of sins" (sins being forgiven) 3. "To make reconciliation for iniquity" (reconciliation between man and God)
Three positive things: 1. "To bring in everlasting righteousness" 2. "To seal up vision and prophecy" (ending vision and prophecy) 3. "To anoint the most holy" (likely referring to a person, not a place)
What is the key issue in interpreting Daniel's 70 weeks according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
The key issue in interpreting Daniel's 70 weeks, according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, centers on when the 70th week takes place. He explains that there are several critical questions: "When does this 70th week take place? Do the things which are described in verse 26 take place in the 70th week or not?" The traditional Protestant view sees the events flowing continuously, while the newer interpretation (post-1830) places a gap of thousands of years between the 69th and 70th week. Another crucial question is the identity of "he" at the beginning of verse 27 - whether it refers to the Messiah or to "the prince that shall come" mentioned in verse 26. These interpretive decisions dramatically affect one's entire understanding of end-time prophecy.
Great Biblical Doctrines
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.