How should the prophecy in Daniel 9:26 influence our faith in Christ? Setting the Scene of Daniel 9:26 “Then after the sixty-two weeks the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood; until the end there will be war, and desolations have been decreed.” Key Elements of the Prophecy • The Anointed One (“Messiah”) is “cut off” • He appears to “have nothing”—apparently defeated • A coming ruler’s people devastate Jerusalem and its temple • Ongoing conflict and decreed desolations follow Seeing Christ in the Prophecy • “Cut off” foretells Jesus’ crucifixion (Isaiah 53:8; Luke 23:33) • “Have nothing” echoes the moment He dies seemingly abandoned (Matthew 27:46) • The city and sanctuary destroyed in AD 70, just as Jesus predicted (Luke 19:41-44; Matthew 24:2) • Continuous wars and turmoil match His warnings of “birth pains” until His return (Matthew 24:6-8) Faith-Building Truths • God’s timetable is exact—Jesus arrived and died precisely when Daniel foresaw • Prophecy validates the gospel; historical fulfillment strengthens confidence that every promise in Christ stands firm (2 Corinthians 1:20) • Judgment on the temple underscores the sufficiency of Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice (Hebrews 10:11-14) • The “flood” of trouble did not end the covenant promises; instead, it highlights God’s sovereignty amid chaos Practical Ways This Shapes Our Faith Today • Rest in Christ’s finished work—the “cutting off” purchased our eternal redemption (John 19:30) • Hold Scripture as completely trustworthy; fulfilled prophecy invites wholehearted obedience • Expect both conflict and hope: wars persist, yet God’s redemptive plan marches on (Romans 8:18-25) • Live alert and mission-minded; if Daniel’s timeline was exact, Christ’s promised return will be too (Acts 1:11) Other Scriptures That Echo Daniel 9:26 • Isaiah 53:5-12 — the Suffering Servant “cut off from the land of the living” • Zechariah 12:10 — Israel mourning the One they pierced • 1 Peter 1:10-11 — prophets predicted “the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow” • Hebrews 10:19-22 — the new, living way opened after the temple veil was torn |
    |