Seventy Weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city to..."Finish the transgression..."
What does it mean to Finish the Transgression?
The word translated as finish in Daniel 9:24 means literally to finish, restrict, hold back, detain, or prohibit. And the word translated as transgression in verse 24, can also be translated as rebellion.
Therefore, the first purpose of the Seventy Weeks can be understood to restrict the progression of the rebellion and prohibit its consequences.
The transgression, this writer believes more accurately translated as the “rebellion,” in Daniel 9:24, is not referring to sin in general or to the great rebellion/transgression in the Garden (which afflicts all humanity, is indeed progressive, but for which Jesus has already made atonement). The rebellion in purpose number one of Daniel's seventy weeks, refers to a uniquely Jewish rebellion which will cause worldwide annihilation if it is permitted to progress.
The rebellion, referred to in Daniel 9:24, is the national rejection of, and rebellion against, Jesus Christ as the Messiah of Israel. First, the religious and political leadership of the nation of Israel rebelled against their Messiah, and then the population at large followed suit as he stood before the Judgment Seat of Pilate (Luke 19:39-44, 47, 23:1, 21, 23).
Jesus predicted that, though the true Messiah would be rejected, the false messiah, the imposter, who we understand to be the Man of Sin—the antichrist—would ultimately be accepted by the Jewish people (John 5:43).
The transgression, mentioned in Daniel 9:24, is the rebellion that began when God’s people Israel rejected the true Messiah. This began a destructive process that will continue to progress until the false messiah is accepted by that same nation. If their rebellion [of rejecting the true Messiah] is not held back, detained, prohibited, restricted, brought to an end and finished—utter planetary annihilation will follow. But God, in his mercy, has made it clear that he will not allow this to happen (John 5:43 John, 18:38-40, Mark 15:11-15, Malachi 4:5-6).
Isaiah 28:14-18 gives a brief overview of what will be happening during the time the transgression will be hurtling towards its devastating conclusion. We will look at this in more detail during our study of the 70th Week, which is connected with all six purposes of the seventy weeks. Isaiah tells us that Israel will enter into a disastrous peace treaty with the false messiah.
This prophecy has not yet been fulfilled.
Isaiah calls this treaty the Covenant with Hell and Death, and the only thing that will ultimately save the Jewish race, God’s people Israel (and this planet), is that her husband—Almighty God—will disannul her agreement according a loophole that he inserted, thousands of years ago, into the Law of Moses (Isaiah 54:4-8, Numbers 30:8-9, Malachi 4:5-6).
This loophole provides the means for the consequences of the rebellion to be restricted, held back, and prohibited, because Israel’s husband is going to make certain the agreement made by his adulterous wife will not stand (Isaiah 28:18).
A distinction must be made, here, between physical Israel, God’s wife, and the Bride of Christ, which consists of both Jews and gentiles. Physical Israel is the wife of the Old Covenant, and her husband will miraculously deliver her from the Covenant of Hell and Death using an amazing loophole in the Mosaic Law.
Some will ask, “But didn’t God divorce Israel?” Doesn’t that mean he is no longer her husband (Jeremiah 3:8)? There will also be a miraculous disappearance of the divorce decree. This will be covered in detail when we study the 70th week.
Ezekiel 37:16-19 tells us that God will reunite Israel and Judah into one nation again, and Isaiah 50:1 and 62:4 tells us that no Bill of Divorce can be found. Why not? The reason is the divorced wife will be absorbed into the union of the two kingdoms. Judah was never divorced, therefore, in the union, the divorced wife will no longer exist. God will call the entire restored Hebrew nation by the name of Israel, the name he gave to Jacob.
What affects Israel, effects the entire earth. In Isaiah 49:8, we read that God will save the earth from annihilation by preserving Israel (Jacob). Matthew 24:22 says it will be because of the elect’s sake (the Elect are the Jewish people) that all flesh will not go extinct during The Time of Jacob’s Trouble/the Great Tribulation. Isaiah 49:8 and Matthew 24:22 are companion verses that dovetail perfectly with one another in speaking of the same time period.
Summary of Purpose One (Prohibit the Rebellion)
The number one purpose of the seventy weeks has to do with prohibiting and bringing an end to process of the annihilation [of the entire race of Israel and all humanity]. This process was begun when the nation rebelled by rejecting the true Messiah as they and their leadership stood before the judgement seat of Pilot. Jesus said that transgression would lead directly to their later acceptance of the false Messiah (who the Bible calls by many different names and titles, including the antichrist and the Man of Sin). Unless the progression of that First Century rebellion is restricted and absolutely prohibited, there would be no fulfillment of the prophecies God made for his Kingdom and the New Heavens and the New Earth.
Proceed to PURPOSE TWO Jocelyn Andersen: The Six Purposes of Daniel's 70-Weeks: Purpose Two
Watch the Six Purposes of Daniel's 70-weeks video series.
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