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Seventy weeks are determined upon thy holy city, etc. (ver. 24). The inner connection between this brilliant prophecy and Daniel's prayer is to be carefully observed. At the end of seventy years of captivity he prayed for the averting of the Divine anger, etc. (see preceding homily, Daniel 4:5 (1)), The answer passed on to the next critical event in the developments of God - to the anointing of the Redeemer. It responded to the soul of Daniel's prayer, but weft far beyond it. Divine answers go far beyond "all that we ask or think (Ephesians 3:20, 21). We had best here anticipate our homiletic line of march by indicating how we read the passage. Literally thus: Hebdomads [sc. of days or years] seventy is cut off in regard to thy people and thy holy city, to close the defection, and to seal up sins, and to cover iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophet, and to anoint the holy of holies."

I. THE SECTION, i.e. of time, here said to be "cut off. But what section of time was cut off - seventy hebdomads of days or of years? It might be said of days, but then we think each day stands for a year. For our part we think the year-day theory very doubtful. We say, therefore, seventy hebdomads of years;" and for the following reasons:

1. The Law had made hebdomads of years familiar. (Leviticus 25:1-4, 8-10.)

2. The magnitude of the events required years. Seventy weeks of days would be only one year and four months - too short a time for the restoration of the city, the advent of Messiah, and the overthrow of the city and nation.

3. To the consolation of Daniel. What comfort for him, pining for the restoration, if all were to be in ruin again within a year or so!

II. ITS PREDICTION. In the substance and form of this prediction of "the seventy sevens" are several specialities.

1. The length of the section is mystically given. "Seventy sevens" is itself mystical. But when we ask - From what moment reckoned, to what moment? a haze of uncertainty envelops the whole subject. The date of Daniel's prayer is about B.C. 538. Four hundred and ninety years on leads to B.C. 48. We believe the four hundred and ninety years are not to be reckoned from the moment of Daniel's prayer; but why this haze and mystery? Because:

(1) Prophecy must not be too explicit. Explicit enough to lead to expectation of the event; but not so explicit as either to suggest its own fulfilment or contribute to its own defeat, Prophecy must not usurp the place of history. Man's moral relations must not be hopelessly entangled by premature and too sharply defined revelations.

(2) Mercy was to be contrasted strongly with judgment. Of desolation seventy years; of comfort and further probation, seventy times seven.

(3) The perfection of the cycle was to be suggested. By the use of sacred numbers. "Seven" has a place peculiar in Scripture, based possibly on facts yet undiscovered in the universe. It is suggestive of perfection. The following sevens form a remarkable accumulation: The prismatic colours; the notes of the octave; Shakespeare's "seven ages;" a man's "seven senses," though the vulgar make them five, the scientific more; the week of creation; our week of days; the week of years; the seven sevens, and then the jubilee year; the branches of the candlestick; at Jericho, trumpets, priests, and days of perambulation; purified seven times; seven times a day do I praise thee; at the bringing up the ark from the house of Obed-edom, they offered "seven bullocks and seven rams;' in the [New Testament, seven Churches, candlesticks, angels, stars, horns, eyes, lamps, spirits of God, trumpets, vials, and seals.

2. The length of the section is very exactly given, however.

(1) Exact enough to excite a general expectation of the Messiah. That Daniel's prophecy did so is notorious.

(2) But also with literal numerical exactness, From the arrival of Ezra to restore Jerusalem ( B.C. 457) to A.D. , the year of the Lord's baptism is 483. 483 is equivalent to seven sevens, and sixty-two sevens. Another half-week of years brings us to the Crucifixion; and consider another three and a half years occupied by the confirmation of the covenant.

3. The section is regarded as one whole. Hence the singular verb with plural noun: "Seventy sevens is cut off."

4. And insulated. "Cut off." A distinct portion of history, like the antediluvian age, the era of Egyptian bondage, the forty years of the desert, the seventy of the Captivity.

5. In the prediction we can see God's fellowship with Daniel. In his prayer, Daniel recognized God's sympathy with Jerusalem; in the answer, God recognizes Daniel's. Daniel had said, "Thy city Jerusalem... thy holy mountain... thy people... thy city and thy people, called by thy name." God now says, "Upon thy people, and upon thy holy city." Thine as well as mine.

III. ITS CLOSE The majestic events which were to signalize Daniel 2:1. The termination of sin. By:

(1) The conclusion of the great rebellion. "To close the defection" - the great falling away of the race from God; to close it, not actually, but potentially. The history of rebellion draws near the finish; and the history of restoration begins.

(2) The limitation of sins. "To seal up sins," to incarcerate them, and to place on the door of the dungeon the king's seal. The breaking the power of sin; the limitation of the number of sins; their entire oblivion, - are all ideas which may well be included here.

(3) The covering of iniquity. "To cover iniquity." Note: In the Old Testament usage "cover" is used in one sense of God, in quite another of man, in relation to sin (see the use of כָּפַד in the Hebrew concordance).

(a) God "covers' sin by forgiving it.

(b) Man, by atoning for it. Now, in this prophecy nothing is said of who "covers;" but history declares it to be Christ. But he is God-Man; and therefore "covers" in the double sense - atones and forgives. He acts as man and as God.

2. The advent of righteousness. "To bring in everlasting righteousness." Many Christians overlook this, are content with pardon, forget that the end of the gospel is righteousness in heart and life. Note, then:

(1) The fact that this great crisis was to be signalized by the advent of righteousness.

(2) The agent. Not named here; but the Christ.

(3) The mode.

(a) By Divine example.

(b) Elevated precept.

(c) Loving persuasion.

(d) Placing morals on a better foundation.

(e) Inaugurating a government of unprecedented character, viz. mediatorial.

(f) A grand act of self-sacrifice, which should awake for virtue the enthusiasm of mankind.

(g) Atonement.

(h) The coming of the Holy Ghost.

(4) Its attribute. "Everlasting.

(a) The method of making men righteous, once introduced, should be unchangeable and perpetual.

(b) The righteousness itself should be one that no change could affect, and no physical dissolution impair or decay.

3. The close of prophecy. To seal up vision and prophet." Four hundred and ninety years passing before the ending of sin, and the advent of righteousness shows the greatness of these events. The sin of all people and of all time was to be effectually dealt with. This was the aspiration of prophecy - prophecy fulfilled, might cease. (Explain from Oriental usage the significance of the sealing.) Christ's words illustrate, "The things concerning me have an end." When once vision and prophet are accomplished by the manifestation of the Sou of God, though prophecy still remains in some respects immensely important, the adoring gaze of the Church is fixed on the Life and Light of men.

4. The anointing of the Lord Jesus. "And to anoint the holy of holies." Outline of the argument for applying this phrase to the consecration of the Messiah.

(1) "Holy of holies" is an indefinite phrase. Therefore examine context and whole field of revelation to determine its application here.

(2) The grammatical gender is uncertain. May be masculine or neuter. But even if neuter, may apply to Christ (Luke 1:35). A certain grandeur of indefiniteness about the neuter.

(3) The name is appropriate to Jesus. (Acts 3:14; Acts 4:27; 1 John 2:20; Mark 1:24.)

(4) The preceding clauses of this prophecy lead up naturally to the Messiah.

(5) The "Anointed" must be the same in vers. 24, 25. "And to anoint the Most Holy... unto the Anointed, the Prince," etc.

(6) The chronology favours, demands this conclusion. The "sevens seventy" terminated with the advent of the Lord, and the confirmation of the Divinity of his mission.

(7) Scripture use of the word "anoint," and its application to the Redeemer. (Summarize Scripture teaching on literal anointing; its spiritual significance; and on Jesus as "the Messiah" of the Old Testament and "the Christ" of the New.) A very powerful appeal might well be made to both believer and unbeliever at the close on the following grounds: The great rebellion is broken; limitation has been put upon sin; atonement has been made; everlasting righteousness has been brought in; attention has been concentrated on the Light and Life of men; the Saviour-King has been anointed. Have we broken with the rebellion? Is limitation being put upon our sin? Have we accepted the atonement? Are we putting on the garment of righteousness? Is our gaze on the Life and Light? Is the Anointed our Saviour and King? - R.

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KJV: 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.

WEB: Seventy weeks are decreed on your people and on your holy city, to finish disobedience, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy.