In Daniel 9:22-27 we find an angel explaining God’s plan for Israel.
Da 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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. (KJV)
They have seventy (periods of seven) sevens to put an end to sin in their lives.
This last week or period of seven is the Millennium of Rev 20 when obedience is attained.
That is the interpretation of Daniel’s seventieth-week prophecy, Dan 9:27.
Interestingly, the same basic message is conveyed by many of the misunderstood parables in the Bible.
Along with Daniel 9 (Daniel’s seventieth week), Ezekiel chapters 38-39 (Gog and Magog) refer to aspects of this process, as does 1 Thess 4 (Rapture Theory), 2 Thess 2 (Man of Sin), and Revelation 20 (Millennium). This is also the case in 2 Peter 3 where the elemental things melt, Gal 4:3.
This is also a part of the events described in Matt 24, where the Lord employs the symbolic vultures (demons) as part of God’s disciplinary process.
The parables mentioned make reference to how Jesus disciplines His followers and conforms them to His image.
A fundamental understanding in this doctrinal interpretation is that “the Day of the Lord” is a time of judgment and not the “Second Coming”.
It also needs to be understood that speaking in Tongues is speaking with spiritual insight (1 Cor 14:2) including speaking in parables.
God has used the parable process (Tongues) to conceal the truth in these scriptures.
1Co 14:23 If therefore the whole church has come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
Pr 25:2 ¶ It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.
What follows is the explanation of Daniel 9:27.
Daniel is praying for Israel and Jerusalem, and He recognizes that at that time the entire nation was desolate, Dan 9:17.
In verse 16 Daniel tells us that He understands that the reason for this is because of their sins.
He prays that God will end this desolation for the Lord’s sake.
Da 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. 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.
God then sends Gabriel to explain this to Daniel.
Gabriel tells Daniel in 9:24 that the entire process of putting an end to transgression within the Israel of God will take seventy symbolic weeks.
From the command to restore the relationship with God until Messiah or Jesus will take 69 weeks in total.
Da 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 (five weeks).
Da 9:26
And after (another) threescore and two weeks (62 weeks) shall Messiah be cut off (69 weeks), 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.
Da 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week (week 70): 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.
Daniel 9:27 tells us that God’s Messiah causes the sacrifice to cease during the seventieth week and the desolation follows.
The Israelites were involved in this process at the time and God was showing them the entire process in Gabriels’ explanation.
This desolation was the current condition of Isreal and Jerusalem which caused Daniel to pray about this in the first place. God just made Daniel aware of why this was happening.
Daniel already knew that this was due to sin as was shown in 9:16. Israel and Jerusalem were already Desolate and God showed Daniel that Messiah would appear and then be cut off (Crucified), and then He would cause the sacrifice for sin to cease.
What Daniel did not know and what is explained to him is that the determined judgment/desolation would continue until the “consummation”.
This “consuming” is the end stage of the symbolic seventy weeks that it takes Israel to “make an end of sin”.
This is an illustration of God’s grace teaching the followers of Christ Jesus to deny ungodliness, Titus 2:11-12.
Willful sin is the “abomination” which causes God to bring “desolation”.
When reading this it is important to understand that this entire scenario is played out in the lives of individual Israelites with whom the Messiah is confirming the covenant.
Jesus confirms the covenant with many individuals.
The “determined discipline” is poured out upon the willfully sinful Christian, this discipline is the judgment referred to as the “Day of the Lord”.
The discipline of the Christian is carried out by the Devil as He comes as a thief in the night, 2 Pet 3:10.
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Jesus causes the sacrifice to cease by sending the willfully sinful Christians (Men of sin) a delusion so that they believe a lie so that they can be judged for their willful sin. The judgment is designed by God to encourage repentance from willful sin, 1 Cor 11:32.
2 Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved 11 And for this cause, God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie 12 (ASV) that they all might be judged who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
This is referred to in Daniel 9:27 using the phrase, “and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate”.
Da 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.
Jesus dies for the past sins of a person, as Paul says in Romans 3:35. Christians are also forgiven for sins when they are confessed to Jesus, 1 Jn 1:9.
Ro 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.
1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (KJV)
If however a Christian sins willfully after coming to a knowledge of the truth it is going to bring God’s judgment, Heb 10:26.
Heb 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
At this point, a person needs to remember that although we may think we know the truth on any given subject, we could be mistaken.
This means that God may not bring judgment upon a person’s sin when we think He should because the person sinning, in God’s estimation, may not fully understand the truth with regard to that situation.
Paul alludes to this principle in 1 Tim 1:13.
1 Tim 1:13 though I was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: howbeit I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief;
In God’s court of law ignorance is an excuse that keeps Him from bringing judgment upon an individual.
The New Testament example of the “sacrifice ceasing” is Hebrews 10:26, and this verse explains that the sacrifice “ends” due to willful sin.
God caused the sacrifice to cease in Dan 9:27, and the Bible tells us that Jesus’ sacrifice ceases in Hebrews 10:26.
So the question becomes what does this mean, and why does God cause the “sacrifice” to cease”?
The answer is that God causes the sacrifice to cease so that He can judge the person and express His displeasure regarding the Christian’s willful sin.
The sacrifice of an animal in the Old Covenant was the representation of Jesus’ sacrifice in the New Covenant.
The recognition of an activity as a sin, and then the confession of it to Jesus would bring forgiveness under the new Covenant.
The N.T. reality that the O.T. shadow represents, would according to Dan 9:27 involve God causing a New Covenant Christian that had previously been confessing a particular sin to stop confessing it as a sin.
When a Christian sins willfully God sends them “strong delusion” (2 Thess 2:11) so that they believe a lie and can be judged for committing that sin, 1 Cor 11:32.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
In other words, in their deluded state, they would be encouraged by God to stop asking for forgiveness.
They would believe a lie concerning the sin and stop confessing it as a sin to obtain forgiveness from Jesus, 1 Jn 1:9.
When the sin is no longer just a mistake but becomes “willful” God sends the delusion so that the person no longer recognizes it as a sin, and no longer confesses it as a sin.
In this manner, they are not forgiven or saved from God’s “determined” judgment upon that particular sin.
The sacrifice for sin is Jesus, and the lack of an appeal to Him for forgiveness is here referred to as the “sacrifice ceasing”.
This is a willful sin, where repentance is not desired.
God sends the Christians a delusion so that they stop recognizing and confessing the activity as a sin (the sacrifice ceases).
They believe in a lie so that God can then judge them, resulting in their correction, 1 Cor 11:32.
1Co 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
Daniel 9:27 shows that the sacrifice ceases mid-week or during the time that God is confirming the covenant or agreement with His followers. The follower of God had been appealing for forgiveness previously, but God causes the person to stop appealing to Him for forgiveness during that symbolic week. Meaning they sin willfully at some point in their Christian lives.
Heb 10:26 and Dan 9:27 refer to the sacrifice ceasing when we willfully sin.
2 Thess 2:2-12 explains this in further detail. When a person sins they stop restraining sin and they become a “Man of Sin”.
2Th 2:2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 3 ¶ Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie: 12 that they all might be judged (judged = Strong’s # 2919) who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
In the above-pasted paragraph, I omitted 2 Thess 2:1 on purpose so that I could after the judgment portion was read remind the reader that this is Paul’s description of how Christians are “gathered to Jesus” at the Coming of the Lord. More specifically Jesus comes through the thief to conform them to His image on the Day of judgment.
2Th 2:1 ¶ Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
The word used for coming in Greek means presence (parousia, Strong’s # 3952).
Jesus is here seen to be present so that through discipline He can conform His followers to His image.
When understood this gives new insight into 1 Cor 5:5.
1Co 5:5 To deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. (KJV)
This willful sin is the “falling away” mentioned in 2 Thess 2:3.
2Th 2:3 let no man beguile you in any wise: for it will not be, except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition,
Willful sin is the Abomination that brings desolation.
This “falling away” is the precursor to God’s judgment referred to as the “Day of the Lord”, Joel 1:15.
In 2 Thess 2:10-12, the reason why the sacrifice ceases is explained.
In 2 Thess 2:10-12 God causes the sacrifice to cease because He sends the individual who persists in willful sin a “strong Delusion” so that they believe a lie.
In the deluded state, they continue in sin and experience God’s judgment.
They are corrected by God’s judgment and are brought out of willful sin, 1 Cor 11:32.
This is why Jesus can be called the “Lion” (or devourer) of the tribe of Judah. Jesus supervises the discipline of His followers, Mt 24:22.
Mt 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake, those days shall be shortened.
This is by definition the application of God’s grace which teaches a person to deny ungodliness, Titus 2:11-12.
Tit 2:11 ¶ For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
God’s grace has appeared to all men (Titus 2:11) but only those who humble themselves before God and put their trust in Christ are taught by God’s grace to deny ungodliness, James 4:6.
In this sequence of events, we can see the willfully sinful Christian being taught to deny ungodliness.
Jas 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
He does this so the person can be judged for the willful sin, and thereby be corrected through the judgment process as 1 Cor 11:32 shows.
The reason that God causes the sacrifice to cease in 2 Thess 2:10-12 is so that the individual will not be saved from His judgment upon their “willful sin”.
2 Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved 11 And for this cause, God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie 12 (ASV) that they all might be judged who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
They will not be saved from his judgment upon their sin, the individual will have to be judged and experience God’s “determined” discipline which is the inevitable fire mentioned in Heb 10:27.
Heb 10:27 (YLT) but a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery zeal, about to devour the opposers;
The fire melts or consumes (Daniel 9:27 and 2 Thess 2:8) all that opposes the truth from within the person’s heart.
This “consuming” is referred to in Daniel 9:27 and 2 Thess 2:8.
In other words, the “elemental things “melt”, 2 Peter 3:10.
Gal 4:3 and 2 Pet 3:10-12 illustrate that the phrase “elemental things” refer to carnal or sinful tendencies within a Christian.
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements (Strong’s 4747) will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and the works that are upon it will be burned up.
Ga 4:3 (KJV) Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements (Strong’s 4747) of the world:
These “elemental things” or elemental tendencies are melted on the “Day of the Lord”.
As Daniel 9:27 describes this process, “They are made desolate until the willful sin is consumed or until the “consummation”. Until the elemental things melt as 2 Peter 3:10 phrases it. In plain language, until they are taught by God’s grace to deny the ungodly activity, Titus 2:11-12 and 1 Cor 11:32.
God is of course patient, and if it takes the Christian a long time to learn to deny the ungodly activity God will temper his judgment accordingly. This would be like being saved through the fire, 1 Cor 3:15.
1Co 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. (KJV)
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Ga 4:3, Even so, we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
At this point and as a reminder, the negative aspects regarding “The Day of the Lord” and God’s negative judgment will happen to all Christians, because God disciplines every person that He accepts as a Son, Heb 12:5-7.
2Pe 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
This aspect of “hasting” to the “Day” of the Lord can be likened to 1 Cor 11:31. Where it can be seen that if we judge ourselves we can, upon our proper response to our own anticipated judgment, avoid God’s judgment for will sinful behavior.
1Co 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
A Christian can carefully “Look forward to” or “hasten” the “Day” when the elemental things or the carnal nature melts.
They can participate in the melting of the elements in their lives and can then obtain the promise of a reward for obedience, as is seen in Matt 25:23.
We, as Christians, are to desire that the elemental things in our lives melt.
In 2 Peter 3:12, the positive anticipation of God’s judgment is alluded to, where the Christians are approved or prevail when they are judged, Romans 3:4.
The reward for “prevailing” during the “Days of the Lord” or the times of judgment must be remembered, Matt 25:23.
Ro 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
Mt 25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
(KJV)
Entering into the joy of the Lord or increasing in the Kingdom of righteousness Joy and peace (The Kingdom of God, Rm 14:17) is the reward.
Ro 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. (KJV)
When Christians sin willfully, however, they become “The man of sin” and God gives them over to delusion so that they believe the lie (2 Thess 2:11) and continue in that sin.
This abomination of continual willful sin brings desolation, as God judges sinful conduct.
They are judged for a particular sin in order that they will be turned away from the “elemental” things of the world and not be condemned along with the worldly people as 1 Cor 11:32 says.
1Co 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
As God deals with the willful sin of His people, it is explained differently by other people in scripture.
Dealing first with the parable in Ezekiel 38 and 39 we see Gog and Magog (unbelievers) being used by God to discipline His wilfully sinful people in a similar manner.
It is explained in Ezekiel 38:16 that the heathen, or unbelievers, are used to discipline God’s people and during that divine discipline, some of them will come to know God.
Eze 38:16 And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.
God brings His enemies against His willfully sinful people in order to discipline and correct them. In that process, God saves some of the people He uses to bring about that discipline.
This is God’s evangelistic pattern as can be seen in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39.
This is clearly happening in today’s societies all around the world.
This same discipline process is explained by John in parable form in Revelation 20.
We see the enemies surrounding God’s willfully sinful people and then the enemies are devoured by fire in Rev 20:8-9.
This same process is explained by Paul in 1 Thess 4:13-5:11.
The Lord descends to deal with willful sin.
The “sleeping” or willfully sinful Christians are brought back to obedience and join the Christians who have remained obedient.
When a Christian sins willfully (the abomination) it brings about the desolation of the temple seen in Matthew 24.
This is called the “Day of the Lord”, Isaiah 13:6.
Isa 13:6 ¶ Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
Matthew 24 shows us that the Lord Jesus explained the signs of this process of discipline to his obedient disciples.
Jesus clearly told us in Matt 24:28 what to look for before the “Day of the Lord” happens.
Mt 24:28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
In Matt 24:28 the Greek word carcase (Strong’s 4430) has as its root word Strong’s Greek word numbered 4098, meaning “fall”. Paul mentions that a similar “falling away” will precede the “Day of the Lord” in 2 Thess 2:3 . Through the use of the word carcase in Matt 24:28 it can be said that the person is in a spiritually “fallen” state”.
In other words, the “Day” or time of the Lord’s discipline is approaching in the life of the willfully sinful believer as a just result of their sin.
When we see a Christian fallen in deliberate willful sin we are to recognize that God’s judgment process is not far off.
Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
He warned them to flee when they saw the forces that God uses for discipline surrounding His people.
Whether we spiritually sense willful sin in a person’s life, or we see the enemies of God attacking a person or group of people, we are to understand that Divine Discipline will certainly follow “an unrepentant attitude towards willful sin”.
This is not the case when a person is overtaken and commits a momentary sin. This is a deliberate willfully sinful state.
Obedient Christians are to separate themselves from these Christians when the particular sin is no longer just a mistake but becomes a pattern of behavior.
Interfering with this process is discouraged as can be seen through 1 Thess 4:15.
1Th 4:15 (MKJV) For we say this to you by the Word of [the] Lord, that we who are alive [and] remain until the coming of the Lord shall not go before those who are asleep.
As obedient Christians see the “Day” coming they are not to “go before” their willfully sinful brethren or try to correct them, 1 Cor 5:11.
Re 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
1Co 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no not to eat.
The instruction from Paul in 1 Cor 5:11 can at first glance appear to contradict James 5:19-20.
Jas 5:19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
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. (KJV)
When resolving the apparent contradiction between these two sections of scripture it appears that the deciding factor could be summarized by the use of the term “keep company with” in 1 Cor 5:11.
1Co 5:13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
Mt 24:28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
The process of discipline that all of these individual Christian writers explained in different ways, is briefly summarized in the following verse.
1Co 5:5 To deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. (KJV)
Heb 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
As can be seen, all of the outlandish so-called end-time conclusions regarding parables can be dismissed when it is seen that most are actually parables concealing the degree to which God helps “willfully sinful” Christians become Christlike.
God conceals this truth in parables that cause most people to delve into irrelevant doctrinal pursuits.
Thus, Christ in you the hope of glory, Col 1:27.
Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.