How does Daniel 9:26 foreshadow the coming of the Messiah? The Prophetic Setting • Daniel prays for Israel near the close of the 70-year exile (Daniel 9:1-19). • Gabriel delivers the “seventy-weeks” timetable, projecting far beyond Daniel’s day (vv. 20-25). • Verse 26 zooms in on what happens “after the sixty-two weeks,” bridging to Messiah’s first coming. Text Snapshot “Then after the sixty-two weeks, the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing…” (Daniel 9:26) Key Messianic Markers in the Verse • “Anointed One” (Hebrew mashiach) — a direct title for the promised Messiah. • “Cut off” — a violent, premature death, echoing Isaiah 53:8, “He was cut off from the land of the living…” • “Will have nothing” — no earthly throne or immediate kingdom; aligns with John 18:36 where Jesus says, “My kingdom is not of this world.” • “People of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary” — Jerusalem and the temple leveled in AD 70 by Rome, exactly after Messiah’s crucifixion, confirming Jesus’ warning in Luke 19:41-44. • “End will come like a flood… desolations are decreed” — continuous turmoil for Israel until Messiah’s return, matching Jesus’ forecast in Matthew 24:6-8. How Verse 26 Foreshadows Jesus • Timed Arrival: Counting forward from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem (Daniel 9:25) lands in the first-century window when Jesus entered Jerusalem as King (Luke 19:28-40). • Atoning Death: “Cut off” anticipates the cross—Jesus dies not for Himself but “for many” (Mark 10:45). • Rejected Kingship: “Will have nothing” mirrors the crown of thorns and the cross-inscription “King of the Jews” (John 19:19-22); He is King but receives no earthly coronation. • National Judgment: The same generation that rejects Messiah sees Rome raze the temple (AD 70), validating the prophecy’s linkage of crucifixion and desolation. • Ongoing Conflict: The flood-like wars and decrees highlight the “already-not-yet” tension—Messiah has come, but the final peace awaits His future return (Acts 1:11). Supporting Scriptures • Isaiah 53:5-8 — suffering Servant “pierced for our transgressions… cut off…” • Psalm 22:16-18 — hands and feet pierced, garments divided. • Zechariah 9:9 — King enters Jerusalem “riding on a donkey,” matching the 69th-week climax. • 2 Samuel 7:12-13 — promise of an eternal throne through David’s line, fulfilled spiritually now, physically later (Luke 1:31-33). Takeaway Truths • God’s timetable is precise; Jesus arrived exactly when Gabriel foretold. • The cross was not an accident but the centerpiece of God’s plan. • Earth’s rejection does not nullify Messiah’s kingship; it merely postpones His visible reign. • Historical fulfillment (AD 70) assures us future promises—His return and everlasting kingdom—will also come to pass. |
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