At his point in this study series, we are considering the angel’s prophecy that is found in Daniel 9:24. There, he mentions six works of God, which he intends to do for the children of Israel, and not only for them, as implied in the works, themselves, but for the entire world. Logic demands that, if these works are complete or fulfilled, then the whole Seventy Weeks Prophecy (Daniel 9:24-27) has been fulfilled. Nevertheless, most scholars believe the prophecy has not been fulfilled. This study is presented to show that they are wrong, and the prophecy was fulfilled and concluded in the first century AD with the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, which ended the Old Covenant.
We’ve already considered the first two claims of the prophecy, and presently we’ll consider the third point in the list, “Seventy weeks are determined …to make reconciliation for iniquity…” (cp. Daniel 9:24). While sealing involves purchasing and hence ownership, reconciliation involves peace between enemies or offended parties. God desires our love not forced servitude, and he will always make the first move toward our salvation (2Corinthins 5:18; cp. 1John 4:19). Moreover, we need to remember, when considering Paul’s epistle that God has reconciled himself to the world, not simply to the Church. When we were yet enemies, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8; cp. 3:11-12).
The Gospel returns man to his state in the Garden of Eden, when he had a one-on-one relationship with God, where our sole responsibility was to image him. Therefore, having been reconciled to God, ourselves, vis-à-vis we’ve been brought near to him (Ephesians 2:19), Jesus has committed the ministry of reconciliation unto us (2Corinthians 5:14-21).
We have been delivered from our rebellion against God, our Father. By trusting in Jesus, we have put off the old man (Adam) in order to receive the New Man (Christ). Indeed, Christ has purchased the world through his blood, and, in purchasing the world, he has taken on the responsibility of all our debts (sins). As the propitiation of our sins, Christ has made peace between God and us, between us and God, and between man and man.
In these three aspects of the Seventy Weeks Prophecy we receive a threefold picture of our salvation. First, by restraining or “finishing the transgression” Christ has delivered us from our old man – the power of sin or the sin principle within us. Christ gave us his life that we might have eternal life. That is, instead of living on our inherited life from Adam, we are living, through faith, on the gift of life from Christ (Romans 6:23; 1Corinthians 15:54-57). Christ has saved us from the penalty of sin, which is death. This work of salvation cannot become undone. I neither can become more saved, nor can I become unsaved. This is because this aspect of our salvation is entirely the work of Christ. We have no participation in it, so anything we do or don’t do cannot add to or take away from his finished work. This is salvation in the past tense.
Secondly, “making reconciliation for iniquity” concerns our own involvement in the work of salvation. God has reconciled himself to us and empowered us by his Spirit to reconcile ourselves to God and to one another. We begin by reckoning our old man is dead and live our lives in Christ (Romans 6:11; 8:10). We walk in a new life, which is Christ (Colossians 3:4). If Christ is our life, we are suddenly able to do as he did, because it is through the power of his Spirit in us that we are able to both desire and live in the will of God (Philippians 2:12-13; cp. Romans 6:14). All this is possible only because now we receive our life’s power not from Adam (the old man), but from our new Master – Christ our Savior. We can dwell at peace with God, our neighbor and ourselves. This is a daily practice and can be hindered by the flesh and the enemy of old habits. The point is, however, we now have the power to change, because we are free to draw our strength from Christ. Therefore, through Christ’s reconciling us, we are daily being saved from sin’s power. This is salvation in the present tense.
Finally, in “making an end of sins” we have been sealed with Christ’s Holy Spirit. It is the seal of promise that claims us as his own; we are no longer Adam’s (Ephesians 1:13-14). We have been purchased by Christ, who has taken responsibility for all our debts, vis-à-vis all we owe or ever will owe.
Nevertheless, there is still the presence of sin in our lives, but we have Christ’s spirit within us, which engages us in a constant battle with our old life in Adam (the spirit v/s flesh). We must yet put on, as it were, a new immortal, spiritual body, in order to be able to participate to the full in the Kingdom of God (1Corinthians 15:50; 2Corinthians 5:1-4). All this is brought about because Christ has put his seal upon us and purchased us for his own, paying all our debts. This will be realized at the full redemption of his purchased possession (Ephesians 1:14), when we shall see him as he is (1John 3:1-2; cp. 2Corinthians 5:1-4). This is salvation in the future tense.
Thus, these first three works of God mentioned in Daniel 9:24 are complete in Christ, showing that the 70 Weeks Prophecy is fulfilled, and that there is absolutely no reason whatsoever to look for a future fulfillment of the final week. I’ll discuss the final three aspects of this prophecy in future studies.
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