“… 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” (Daniel 9:24b).

Daniel and his people are in captivity. They’ve been there for a long time, nearly two generations. Prophecy has decreed that they are soon to be released. In preparation for that, Gabriel is about to give some of the most solemn instruction heaven has ever presented to man. This advice, as with this whole visit, is for us too. Remember that breathtaking discovery: We are also “Daniel’s people!” We have also been in captivity – for a long time – in a faltering world and slaves to sin. Prophecy has decreed that we are soon to be released. In preparation for that Gabriel presents a divine advisory. This is the next iteration of the Elijah message.

Daniel prayed a covenant restoration prayer. God has always done His part in that agreement. So, as a follow-up to that prayer, Gabriel outlines what God’s people must do to complete their half of the contract. But, before we journey into that classroom, there is an observation we must make. This may come as a new thought: The issues of the covenant are spiritual – not bricks, mortar, walls and streets. It is true that there are promises of reinstatement of material blessings. As Jerusalem would become the center of Daniel’s people again, the New Jerusalem will soon become ours – if spiritual matters are properly addressed. This visit is concerned with the heart and soul of God’s people. Amazingly, Gabriel isn’t that concerned about the streets and walls. That must be understood. It all relates to completion of the everlasting covenant.

What must Israel do to be restored to God’s favor? Again, this is what Gabriel said: “… 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” (Daniel 9:24b).

These six steps reflect the Levitical transition from a sin offering through the atonement to the final cleansing of the sanctuary, followed by a tabernacle feast celebration. It is a reminder to Daniel’s people, and an eschatological model for the generation who will live just before probation closes, of an antitypical Jubilee Day of Atonement.

God repeatedly uses six in preparation for a seventh rest or solemn holy time. He took six days to create before a seventh rest. Moses had six preparation steps to complete the tabernacle (Exodus 25-31). There are here six issues to address during this unique 490-year period to be in covenant compliance. Does the 490-year time span also have anything to do with the final remnant people at the end? There are end-time parallels with every other part of this prophecy. This whole message has a dual application. That question will be studied a few chapters from now.

“To finish transgression”

To finish (kala) means to interrupt what is in progress relative to transgression (pesha). Pesha means rejection of God’s authority and covenant. By inference, their allegiance has been to themselves and to this world. They have rebelled against God’s partnership agree-ment, and in turn, His law.

We saw this word, pesha, some time ago related to the little horn. One of the terrible things that Gabriel said the papacy was doing was pesha. That was considered so bad that it would lead to desolation or utter destruction (8:13). Imagine what is happening here! God’s people have been guilty of the very sins that the papacy will have committed right at the end! No wonder it is mentioned first. We can hear God saying: “All you who claim to belong to Me, all you in Babylon who love the world – sever, interrupt those ties and make ME your first priority once again. Identify with My law, so you know what I stand for. Discover once again that I am above all. Remember, I’m your Creator. I’m the only sovereign being who rules over all.”

Israel and its leaders had placed themselves in God’s place, just as the papacy would do. Astonishing as it may be, that is exactly what John recorded the apostate Christian church would be like right at the end of time! Laodicea didn’t feel it needed any God-input (Revelation 3:17). In fact, that church (Is anybody listening?) didn’t even have Jesus – He was outside, banging on the door, hoping someone would let Him in (Revelation 3:20).

That’s alarming. That means this first issue is also for you and me today. Laodicea is in denial – that’s bad. It may talk and sing and pray Jesus, but He isn’t even in the house. There are many defense mechanisms that man has. Some help us to cope during crises. They can act as shields when there is danger. But sometimes they can lead to “desolation” and harm if reality is not addressed. This is one of those times. Gabriel is saying to all of God’s people, “Interrupt, stop, cut off everything that might be a barrier to a restored relationship. In Laodicea that barrier is the door of self-satisfaction and what’s piled against the door.

God continues: “Recognize your need and begin right now to look to Me – Jesus. Your attention has been on yourself and the gods of this world – I want first place in your life!” Pesha – that horrible word means one is 180° away from God. To sever ties with self, one has to turn 180° towards God.

“To make an end of sins”

No – this is not double-talk with pesha. To make an end (chatham) means to finish or terminate. An ancient Hebrew scribe when translating this even said it might be best translated, “seal off” those sins (chattaah) – or anything done against God – “stop sinning.”

Well, that’s what Daniel confessed (9:5), “We have sinned.” Israel as a nation must now cease sinning. This message was for a people. It is a great invitation theme for God’s church. Though it applies to individuals, the central issue of this mareh vision is perfecting a holy people. It won’t happen unless these steps are followed – including turning away from sin.

The book of Revelation once again comes up on our screen. It shows God reminding us today that the remnant will be looking to Jesus and giving up sin (Revelation 12:17 and 14:12) – that’s amazing. Most wonderful of all, they do exactly that and become white (white horse of Revelation 6:2 – the 144,000) and are clothed with white garments (Revelation 7:13) – they all give up sin.

But I can hear a reader of this chapter mumble, “That was a different dispensation.” I can’t think of one reason – not even one the size of a grain of sand – as to why that makes any difference. The issue at stake is sin, not the sinner in some era of time. The cross put God’s signature on the covenant – that is the only reason it is called “new.” To finish the covenant, sin must be terminated.

How complete will that commitment be? “Those who come up to every point, and stand every test, and overcome, be the price what it may, have heeded the counsel of the True Witness, and they will receive the latter rain, and thus be fitted for translation.”[1]

Did you catch that? Only those who deal with every test – sin – will receive the Latter Rain. Still skeptical? I hope not, but just in case:

“Not one of us will ever receive the seal of God while our characters have one spot or stain upon them. It is left with us to remedy the defects in our characters, to cleanse the soul temple of every defilement. Then the latter rain will fall upon us as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the Day of Pentecost.”[2]

“Today you are to give yourself to God, that you may be emptied of self, emptied of envy, jealousy, evil surmising, strife, everything that shall be dishonoring to God. Today you are to have your vessel purified that it may be ready for the heavenly dew, ready for the showers of the latter rain; for the latter rain will come, and the blessing of God will fill every soul that is purified from every defilement. It is our work today to yield our souls to Christ, that we may be fitted for the time of refreshing from the presence of the Lord – fitted for the baptism of the Holy Spirit.”[3]

“The heart must be emptied of every defilement, and cleansed for the indwelling of the Spirit. It was by the confession and forsaking of sin, by earnest prayer and consecration of themselves to God, that the early disciples prepared for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The same work, only in greater degree, must be done now.”[4]

Thus – what we’ve seen so far applies to God’s people in all ages beginning in 538 B.C. sin is to be put away.

“To make reconciliation for iniquity”

We’re to finish transgression, make an end to sin and now make reconciliation (kaphar) for iniquity (avon). Doesn’t that sound familiar? All throughout the New Testament we are advised to make amends for wrong by turning away from it and making things right.

In this setting, God’s people collectively are to do this. That is the greater meaning of avon. Corporate guilt is to be addressed. As a people, atonement, restitution, turning away from wrong must occur. Repentance is to be made. All are to be reconciled back to God.

Inherent in this, and within those first two steps, is a crucial implication. If God’s people are to do all this, there must be provision made to legally adjudicate those sins. Judicial punishment is the only alternative. Thus, in Gabriel’s invitation, mercy is offered – take these steps and you will be judged as reconciled to God. He is going to make provision for your restoration. The promise is in the asking!

Holiness for His people is a singular objective of a holy God. He has no goals shy of His own character. Everything designed in the plan of redemption works towards that goal through three mechanisms:

1.  Substitution

2.  Legal settlement

3.  Re-creation

Daniel 8–12 covers all three. The process begins with the substitutionary ram atonement and ends with a holy people. That is exactly what is to be accomplished within the 70 weeks-of-years or 10 cycles of 49. The legal issues were prophesied in Daniel 8:14 – when God’s people become holy, they are adjudicated and without sin.

In the 70 weeks there are ten Jubilee cycles given to Israel to complete restoration. There are ten Jubilees (the whole period that can be allotted) to complete the full re-creation process.

God is pleading, Give up your rebellious attachment to the world and fall in love with Me, stop sinning, turn away from sin by repenting and making restitution. All are parts of what we know as the “steps to Christ” – all parts of the salvic plan to bring mankind back to Eden restored.

Substitution, legal settlement and re-creation must occur within those 490 years. Yet Daniel 8:14 states that the legal issues won’t be complete until after the 2300 evenings and mornings. Could part of that 490 years be finished at the very end? The prophecy anticipates another Israel when the covenant is completed!

“To bring in everlasting righteousness”

This now takes on maturing dimensions. The objective of the first three was a never-ending righteousness. The word for “bring” (bow) means to cause to come – God’s people have a part. That part we’ve just gone over.

Everlasting righteousness (tsedeq) is associated with the word “cleansed” in 8:14. There it is a verb, here a noun. There it is a prophecy – here it is a fact that must exist. This is righteousness in a legal setting. It implies that a forensic matter has been completed. What is that matter? God’s people are eternally holy – sinless – something has happened to their sins, something has changed them – charges have been dropped.

A fascinating legal declaration will be made regarding these people who come to that point: “… he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still” (Revelation 22:11).

In the ancient theocracy, cyclic holiness came through the yearly Day of Atonement. Every 49 years this was associated with a 50th or eighth year added to the final seven or Jubilee. When everything became legally right, restoration had occurred. Amazing are the words used above in Revelation where God puts two words back to back: righteousness and holiness. That is exactly the beautiful message that tsedeq conveys!

God’s people, within the span of ten Jubilees, must reach the moral standard of God (Christ) and be legally right with all issues that sin brought against each
person.

Do you catch a little glimpse of excitement as to what is happening? The steps God wants everyone to take who are recorded in that Book of Life are being unfolded right before our eyes! It sets the stage for understanding Christ our Righteousness in the New Testament, and it outlines how we are to understand the astounding truths about God’s people in the book of Revelation.

The perpetuity of “everlasting” righteousness prepares us to move forward into eschatological times!

“To seal up the vision”

At first it appears as though we have a translation error. The word here for vision is chazown. Gabriel said he was coming to deal with the mareh vision which talks about God’s people becoming holy. Suddenly, we have another shift of thinking to the chazown. A mistake? No – it is correct.

What is Gabriel trying to say? The chazown vision is the unfolding of how satanic agencies will try to prevent that “holiness” in God’s people – especially the little horn, the harlot “mother” (papacy) and her “daughters” (Revelation 17). But Gabriel is noting that the chazown vision is going to have to be chatham, a verb that means to seal. [Earlier in Daniel the king sealed the stone on the lions’ den (Daniel 6:17-18). In Daniel 12 parts of the chazown vision were to be sealed from understanding (Daniel 12:4)]. What does chatham mean here in God’s instruction?

In this context it means that everything prophesied about that vision must come to an end. That chazown vision, which involves the papacy and apostate Protestantism and all her sympathizers, must come to an end. Wonder of wonders! This brings us right back to the beginning of Daniel 8 where Babylon has already fallen (Revelation 14 and 18). The little horn competes with the objectives of the covenant message. That controversy must come to its end. All things related to the opposition must be completed.

Gabriel is saying, before these restoration matters can come to a close, Babylon must inevitably fall! Isn’t that almost beyond words! Daniel and Revelation hold hands and talk about exactly the same message! Remember – Daniel 8–12 is the preface to the book of Revelation. The last vestige of that wicked “city” ends in Revelation 18:19.

“To anoint the most Holy”

Anoint (mashach) is to consecrate – a sacred setting aside. The most Holy (qodesh qodashim) usually refers to the tabernacle or something holy. It is the term for the Most Holy Place in Exodus 26:33-34. What does Gabriel mean?

Is the temple going to be built again in Jerusalem and will God’s presence once more enter the Most Holy Place (either anciently or now?). That is out of context in what we have been looking at. Notice the incredible symbolism here implied:

Step One:

  Identify once again with God            Passover Feast

Step Two:

  Cease sinning                                   Unleavened Bread

Step Three:

  Atone for the past                              Pentecost – Renewal (Latter Rain) 

Step Four:

  Cleansing of hearts                           Day of Atonement

Step Five:

  Satan assumes sin                            Scapegoat

Where is the final step or Feast of Tabernacles? At the end of the 490 years, the last festival of the sacred Jewish year is Tabernacles – that is when Jesus comes.

Here, in great typological language, we note the Levitical transition from the sin offering through the atonement with cleansing of the sanctuary – all in readiness for the land rest Jubilee and then the final Jubilee when everything is restored. This verse is an eschatological model for the people who will live at the end of time when “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 11:15; cf. Isaiah 27:13).

“In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel. And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem” (Isaiah 4:2-3).

We’ve now been presented with beautiful ties back to Daniel 8, forward to Revelation, of what must occur with this probationary time given to prepare for the end. It is unequivocally a predominantly eschatological message.

Why is God giving this to Daniel? Chapters 8–12 are mainly end-time. Since our study began, this message has come over and over. But what about Daniel’s people? Don’t they count here? God has brought a message to Daniel’s people as to what they must do. But God already knows they are going to fail. How? The 2300 evening and morning prophecy was given several years ago. That projects way into the future. (Remember, that is why Daniel originally fainted.)

But in mercy the terms of probation are given for God’s people from that time through all future ages. It is couched in the mareh and chazown vision messages and the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary. This time, the language depicts a task completed.

Does Daniel grasp this? The words of Gabriel are quite firm and even stern when he begins. Daniel is not to become emotional over the message this time, and he is promised understanding. By the next chapter, which is two years later, Daniel says he now understands (10:1) the mareh vision.

When does the 490-year period begin? That will be discussed in the next chapter. If it begins in the B.C. era, it won’t reach to the end of time. Is it a prophecy that is to be repeated? If so, there is no precedent elsewhere in Scripture for this. How can we reconcile the dual message within a fixed timing context? Stay tuned.