Audio Download

Dan 9:1-27 Seventy Years in the Desolations of Jerusalem

[Study Aired April 25, 2024]

Dan 9:1  In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans;
Dan 9:2  In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. 
Dan 9:3  And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: 
Dan 9:4  And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments; 
Dan 9:5  We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments: 
Dan 9:6  Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. 
Dan 9:7  O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee. 
Dan 9:8  O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee. 
Dan 9:9  To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;
Dan 9:10  Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. 
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.
Dan 9:12  And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem. 
Dan 9:13  As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth. 
Dan 9:14  Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice.
Dan 9:15  And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly. 
Dan 9:16  O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us.
Dan 9:17  Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord’s sake. 
Dan 9:18  O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies. 
Dan 9:19  O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name. 
Dan 9:20  And whiles 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 for the holy mountain of my God;
Dan 9:21  Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. 
Dan 9:22  And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. 
Dan 9:23  At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision. 
Dan 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. 
Dan 9:25  Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. 
Dan 9:26  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. 
Dan 9:27  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. 

There are only two main sections to this ninth chapter of Daniel and two main points being made that we need to consider. The first section, which is the bulk of the chapter, is found in Daniel 9:1-23 which reveals what the power of prayer (Dan 9:3) can accomplish in our lives (Dan 9:3, Jas 5:16, Luk 2:37, Php 1:19). When we draw close to God, we are reminded that He is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble, and “Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea” (Psa 46:1-2).

Jas 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 

Luk 2:37  And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day [Act 5:42].

Php 1:19  For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

Daniel’s prayer came from a heartfelt, contrite, and broken spirit (Isa 66:2, Psa 51:17) and it was because of what he understood to be the condition of the nation that such a sighing and crying (Eze 9:4) to the Lord was made. It was “In the first year of his reign [King Darius] I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.”  It is in the day of the Lord, typified by the “first year” in this sentence, we recognize that judgment is upon us, the chastening and scourging by which every son of God is received (Heb 12:6), and it is accomplished in seventy years, a number that is connected to the plagues that must be poured out upon us (7×10=70) if we are going to enter into the temple of God (Rev 15:8).

The understanding and the effect on Daniel regarding what he read typifies for God’s elect how His word will be received in our lives (Rev 1:3) at this time of the end, when judgment is upon us, as we see a dying world around us where evil men are waxing worse and worse, causing us to sigh and cry for the abominations of this world, being vexed in our spirit (2Ti 3:13, 2Pe 2:7). We’ve become convinced that there is none righteous only one (Col 1:27, Rom 8:9, Php 1:11, Gal 2:20-21), and that what we see happening in this world tells us what would become of all of us except for the grace of God and the faith of Christ that makes it possible for us to remain undefiled from this world, ‘keeping our garments’ (Rev 3:4, Rev 16:15).

Rev 3:4  Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

Rev 16:15  Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

The last section of Daniel chapter 9 has to do with how God is going to completely bring an end to our sins and make reconciliation for our iniquities, meaning us as the Israel of God (Gal 6:16) who are first judged in this life (1Pe 4:17). The confession of Daniel’s sins for himself and for the nation precede the judgment that is then revealed to him with prophetic words explaining how God plans to bring a complete and total end to sin in our lives, and in the lives of all mankind in time (2Sa 14:14). That is the principle point being made – the temple must be cleansed of the abomination that makes desolate, and that cleansing begins with the house of God: “that he would accomplish seventy years [complete and total] in the desolations of Jerusalem [Jerusalem typifying God’s people the Israel of God].”

Bringing an end to sin can only be accomplished by being buried into Christ’s death (Rom 6:3). Then through being raised in heavenly places (Joh 11:25-26, Eph 2:6), we can focus on our head, Jesus Christ (Heb 12:1-2, Rom 12:1-2) who is the way, the truth and the life to whom God has granted us to be dragged (Joh 6:44) in this age so we can be assured that we can overcome and endure to the end (Mat 10:22). 

Dan 9:1  In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans; 
Dan 9:2  In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. 
Dan 9:3  And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: 
Dan 9:4  And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;

We must set our face toward the Lord God (I set my face unto the Lord God) and seek Him with all our heart, mind and strength. In doing so we are reassured that we will find Him who is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Jer 29:13, Heb 11:6, Mat 6:33).

Our identifying with the reality that we are being judged in this age is being typified by Daniel who is now reading books that Jeremiah the prophet was inspired to write, and it is in the first year of king Darius’ reign that this occurs as a type of the day of the Lord unfolding in Daniel’s life.

As a type of the elect, Daniel is motivated like Noah and is moving with fear setting his ‘face unto the Lord God’, seeking him “by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.”

If we abase ourselves, it will be by God’s power as typified by the two witnesses who also are in “sackcloth” (Rev 11:3) and presenting their whole lives to God as a living sacrifice, which is what an acceptable fast is to God (Isa 58:5-7). With those actions unfolding in our lives, our “prayer and supplications” will be coming from a place of sincerity and from a foundation of good works that are laid up against the time to come (1Ti 6:19) and bear witness to our souls that we are His children being sacrificed for this world (Rom 8:16).

That prayer included a confession (Rom 2:4) and acknowledgement of God being “great and dreadful” and able to keep “the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments.” The keeping of the commandments is what the nation has not been doing. However, after God is done judging all nations, the “great and dreadful” God will accomplish what He has set out to do, and that is to save every soul through judgment (1Co 15:22, Isa 26:9).

Dan 9:5  We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments: 
Dan 9:6  Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.

This section of scripture reminds us we serve a merciful God who forgives us for our sinful condition which commits iniquity and acts wickedly and departs “from thy precepts and from thy judgments.” This is our former conversation (Eph 2:3) that needs to be repented of and ruled over the rest of our lives through Christ. God is just showing us what is true for all who don’t have a new fleshly heart that has been written upon by our Lord (Eze 36:26). We will just naturally without the mind of Christ be those who have not “hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.”  Not listening to those whom God has given His word, like prophets of old or people in positions of authority, is expressed in these new covenant verses, and also typified for us in Moses’ life with Korah’s rebellion and all the congregation’s rebellion (2Pe 2:10-11, Num 16:3).

2Pe 2:10  But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. 
2Pe 2:11  Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
2Pe 2:12  But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption [unless God grants repentance (1Ti 1:13)].

Num 16:3  And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?

Dan 9:7  O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee.
Dan 9:8  O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee. 
Dan 9:9  To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;

All of mankind is being indicted with this sentence, “to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee“, and it is only the righteousness of Christ that can wash away all our guilt and sinful condition setting us free from this state of “confusion of faces, as at this day.” No one is excluded from this state of mind described as “to us belongeth confusion of face“; not our kings, our princes or our fathers, “because we have sinned against thee” (Rom 3:23, Rom 6:23, Rom 5:12). The good news is “To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him.“

Dan 9:10  Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. 
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.
Dan 9:12  And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem. 

Daniel’s prayer is a universal confession that applies to all of mankind’s marred condition that naturally does not obey the voice of the LORD our God, or walk in His laws, or listen to the servants, the prophets (Jer 18:4).

Moses is introduced at this point in Daniel’s prayer because all of Israel, who represents the world, have transgressed the law and not obeyed the voice of Moses whose law and voice are a type of Christ’s law (Gal 6:2). As a result, “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.” The carnal “law of Moses” (Heb 7:16) makes evident to us that we are marred in the Potter’s hand and in need of a savior to give us the power we need to keep “the law of the spirit of life” (Rom 7:7, Rom 7:13, Rom 8:2-3).

Rom 7:7  What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

Rom 7:13  Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.

Rom 8:2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 
Rom 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: 

We are corrected for not being able to keep the law, “And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem“, which from a carnal perspective causes us to question God’s motives (Rom 9:19-20.

Rom 9:19  Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? 
Rom 9:20  Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? [yes we will until we don’t, little and by little]

Dan 9:13  As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth. 
Dan 9:14  Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice.
Dan 9:15  And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.

If we only confess our iniquities, God will forgive us (1Jn 1:9, Lev 26:40). However, as we’re reading here, we don’t naturally even see our own iniquity let alone confess our faults to the Lord. It takes Aaron in us who is a type of Christ to “lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel” (Lev 16:21). God brings evil upon us for not obeying His voice and then declares “for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth.“ God is not unaware of our sinful state in other words and causes our sins knowing that we will need deliverance from “Egypt with a mighty hand” (Lev 16:21). He is glorified by the victory He gives to us over sin, not the other way around. “And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.“

1Jn 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Lev 26:40  If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me; 

Lev 16:21  And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness [It is through our wilderness experience where we completely fall seven times (Pro 24:16) where God shows mercy to us so that we in turn will be able to extend that same mercy to the rest of the world (Rom 11:31, Rom 2:4)]: 

Dan 9:16  O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us.
Dan 9:17  Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord’s sake. 
Dan 9:18  O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies. 

The same point is reiterated here that “we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies“. What we do is cry out to God (Dan 9:16-17) and are heard in that we fear him (Heb 5:7-8, 1Jn 4:17).

Heb 5:7  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 
Heb 5:8  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

1Jn 4:17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Dan 9:19  O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name. 
Dan 9:20  And whiles 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 for the holy mountain of my God; 
Dan 9:21  Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. 
Dan 9:22  And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. 
Dan 9:23  At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.

This verse is confirmation that our fervent prayers will avail much, and have availed, and are availing even with groanings that can’t be uttered (Rom 8:26-27), and all of this because of the strength of the Lord within us which gives us the ability to cry out and persevere in prayer (Col 4:2-6). 

Col 4:2  Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
Col 4:3  Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: 
Col 4:4  That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. 
Col 4:5  Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time [Mat 10:16]. 
Col 4:6  Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

God’s elect are called “by thy name” and Daniel confessing his sins and the sins of his people is typical of our confessing our faults in this age and covering a multitude of sins by being concerned and desirous of judging ourselves and showing love toward one another that will cover a multitude of sins (Jas 5:20). That multitude of sins, in the long run, is not just the sins of the body of Christ, but in time is the sins of the innumerable multitude (Rev 7:9) which will be covered by means God has devised to accomplish this through Christ and His elect (1Pe 4:8, Jas 5:20, 2Sa 14:14, Lev 16:21).

Jas 5:20  Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

1Pe 4:8  And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

Dan 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. 
Dan 9:25  Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. 
Dan 9:26  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.

Clearly the emphasis on this chapter of Daniel 9 is not on this last section but rather on our prayerful relationship with our Father in heaven and the need to confess our faults and remain in a spirit of humility (Mic 6:8) acknowledging His hand as the Sovereign force in every single detail of every life (Eph 1:11, Rom 8:28). If we are granted to have that relationship with our Father and Christ in this age (Joh 17:3), then what will transpire in us is typified by this statement, “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“, but we can’t have one without the other!

Jerusalem within us must be restored as the bride that is being made ready (Rev 19:7, Rev 21:2) coming down from God and the cleansing process for the bride of Christ is expressed with this verse, “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.“

Rev 19:7  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

Rev 21:2  And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

In order for that work to be accomplished within the elect there must be much tribulation (Act 14:22) which is expressed in the next verse, “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem [typifying Christ our Lord and savior who will also build the house (Psa 127:1) being the head of the church, Jerusalem above, the mother of us all (Gal 4:26)] unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times” (Dan 9:25). 

Regarding the numbers mentioned there are two principle points being made: one “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city” (Dan 9:24) a shadow of the complete [7×10=70] judgment that must come upon God’s elect in order to make the bride ready. 

The second part, “And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off” (Dan 9:26), explains how the bride will be made ready, through a process of judgment upon our flesh represented by the numbers threescore (3×20=60) that first comes upon Christ, and then adding the two weeks is a witness that it is Christ in us who is accomplishing this work of grace within the body of Christ today. It all adds up to [62 weeks] which is also a witness to that same point that God judges both the head Christ and his body (1Pe 4:17, 1Jn 4:17) while in these vessels of clay (the number of man (6) and the witness of God’s power (2) that accomplishes this work)

Act 14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. 

Christ is cut off in the middle of the week to remind us that there are still three and a half years of Christ’s ministry yet to be fulfilled in the lives of God’s elect who are witnesses of these things (Luk 24:48) expressed in these verses, thus completing His complete ministry of seven years, “And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: (Col 1:27) 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.” (Mat 24:15)

Mat 24:15  When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

Our forerunner and head Jesus Christ is the first to put off His flesh and it is for our sakes He does this, “but not for himself (Col 1:27).” It is in the 62nd week to remind us that Christ Himself could not have done this work without the holy spirit working within him (6 is the flesh of Christ, and 2 is the witness that of His own self He can do nothing, just as we can’t, except we abide in the Vine [Joh 5:30, Joh 15:5]).

As He is so are we in this world, and just as there were great tribulations in Christ’s life, it will be that way for His body (1Pe 4:12, Act 14:22) and especially at the end of the age, “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.” The prince that came at the end of Christ’s life was Satan who is a destroyer [Apollyon^G623 ] (Joh 10:10, Rev 9:11, Luk 22:53, Joh 14:30), contrasted with these verses 1Jn 1:5, Mat 5:14), and it will be Satan at the end of this age as well who will make war with the saints in a more pronounced way, but will not prevail, “and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined” (Rev 12:12-17).  

Rev 12:12  Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. 
Rev 12:13  And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
Rev 12:14  And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. 
Rev 12:15  And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. 
Rev 12:16  And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. 
Rev 12:17  And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. 

Dan 9:27  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. 

This last verse is sobering to say the least, but in nothing should we be terrified (Php 1:28-29) but rather rejoice that God can tell us these things in advance knowing that He can and will deliver His children through all the tribulation of this life (Rom 5:10) and bring this manchild to term, as He did the head of the body Jesus Christ (Rev 12:5). 

The wickedness of man is only going to get worse, “and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate” (Dan 9:18) is what God has determined will be poured out upon “the desolate” (Eze 12:19, 1Co 15:50, Rom 3:10) who represent Christ and God’s elect (Joh 15:18-21). These verses in Ezekiel (Eze 12:19-28) are an admonition to God’s people to not say our Lord delays His coming (Joh 4:35, Heb 10:37-38, Joh 10:28, Rev 3:11).

Eze 12:19  And say unto the people of the land, Thus saith the Lord GOD of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and of the land of Israel; They shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their water with astonishment, that her land may be desolate from all that is therein, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein. 
Eze 12:20  And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be desolate; and ye shall know that I am the LORD. 

Dan 9:18  O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies. 

Joh 15:20  Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
Joh 15:21  But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me (Joh 20:21, Joh 3:16-17).

Confirming the covenant with many for one week is what Satan is given the power to do, and this covenant is not a holy covenant but rather a changing of times and rules that will be bent to the elect’s seeming disadvantage and possible imprisonment, and even martyrdom in some cases, nothing more than what any one one of us can bear, God has promised (1Co 10:13). 

In Christ’s life the confirmation of the covenant for one week resulted in Christ’s death, “he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease.” That worship of God is taken away and replaced by the abomination of desolation expressed this way, “and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate“.

Just prior to Christ warning His disciples of the impending trials they were going to face (Joh 15:18-21), He gave them this commandment, which is the way in which we are all going to overcome in this life (Joh 15:16-17). If we love one another, if we keep God’s commandments, He will take care of the rest of the details, and we don’t need to worry about a thing, not even what we will say in that hour (Mat 24:6,  Luk 21:18-19, Mar 13:11, Joh 10:28-30, Rom 8:35-39).

Joh 15:16  Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit (Joh 20:21, Joh 3:16-17), and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
Joh 15:17  These things I command you, that ye love one another.

Mar 13:11  But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost (Mat 5:37). 

Joh 10:28  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Joh 10:29  My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. 
Joh 10:30  I and my Father are one.

Rom 8:35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 
Rom 8:36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 
Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 
Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 
Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.