Lesson 5

           Imperative Steps to Salvation

                                              Daniel 9:24

Introduction

“... 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’s people have been in captivity for nearly two generations.

     •   Prophecy has decreed that they are about to be delivered from that bondage.

     •   Gabriel is about to give the most solemn counsel ever given to man.

     •   It is a final restoration–deliverance instruction.

Daniel acknowledged that God had done His part in the covenant – the restoration promise. He is now told what man must do to complete his part.

     •   As Jerusalem would become the center once again to Daniel’s people,

     •   The New Jerusalem will soon be ours.

     •   Yes – they both are cities – but the spiritual significance is profound.

This is what Daniel was told:

                    Man’s Part                                                 God’s Part

          Finish the transgression                       Bring in everlasting righteousness

          Make an end of sins                            Seal up the vision and prophecy of apostasy

          Make reconciliation for iniquity             Anoint the most Holy – holiness restored

God uses six repetitively in Scripture to prepare for the seventh – a sabbath or kingdom rest.

     •   Here we see a Levitical transition from sin offering imagery to the celebration of the tabernacle feast in antitype.

     •   Finish transgression – come to sanctuary – want a changed life

     •   End of sin – plead the blood of the Lamb – confession

     •   Reconciliation – repent, forever turn away from sin

     •   Everlasting righteousness – eternally sealed – God has a people, witnesses to His church – His kingdom made up

     •   Seal up chazown vision – God’s people delivered from evil and its influence – deliverance

     •   Anoint the Most Holy – sanctuary cleansed (heaven and men’s hearts)

“To finish transgression”

To interrupt what has been occurring.

     •   Transgression (pesha) means:

          •    Rejection of God’s authority

          •    Rejection of God’s covenant

          •    Rejection of God’s law

     •   This describes rebellion against God’s partnership agreement and His law.

We noted in Daniel 8:11-13 that the little horn was guilty of pesha.

     •   This is so bad

     •   It leads to desolation – total destruction

     •   God’s people are guilty of pesha too!

     •   The very first thing is to stop or finish transgression, honor God’s law, respect His sovereign will and become friends with Him again.

Israel and its leaders had placed themselves in God’s place – just as the papacy and apostate religious leaders would do. Astonishing as it may seem, that is how John described the Laodicean church – “in need of nothing” with Christ “outside its doors” begging to come in.

     •   Sever ties with self and the world.

     •   Recognize the status of God in our lives and in the corporate church.

“To make an end of sins”

This means to terminate sins (chattaah) – simply, stop sinning.

     •   Though it means each one of us.

     •   This mareh vision, that Gabriel is now continuing (9:23 “consider the vision”), is really about perfecting a people – a corporate body.

     •   God’s remnant will give up sin (Revelation 12:17, 14:12).

     •   They become white (Revelation 6:2 – white horse), pure, without a taint of wrong.

     •   They are clothed in white garments (Revelation 7:13), the righteousness of Jesus.

     •   God’s church – at the end – is holy. Each member “gave up sin” (chattaah)!

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.” – Testimonies, vol. 1, p. 187.

Does that seem impossible? Gabriel brought this message directly from God (9:23 – “the commandment came forth” – God directed Gabriel to Daniel). Thus, He didn’t think it was impossible!

     •   Our weakness can never be an excuse to sin.

     •   It’s just that simple!

“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 (pesha and chattaah). Then the latter rain will fall upon us as the early rain fell upon the disciples on the Day of Pentecost.” – Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 214.

“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.” – The Review and Herald, March 2, 1897.

Gabriel’s counsel belonged to Daniel’s people in his day. It belongs just as much to us today – even more so.

“To make reconciliation for iniquity”

This is the last step God invites his people to take. Whatever wrongs have been done against another, restitution, apology, confession and amends – no matter how difficult – must be made.

     •   Iniquity (avon) – corporate wrong – is to be especially addressed.

By doing this, along with the first two steps, we find legal adjudication can occur. When that happens, God can restore us into His likeness. These are the provisions already noted:

     •   Substitution – ram of God

     •   Legal settlement (nisdaq) – adjudication by judicial decree completed

     •   Result – holiness (qodesh) – a divine act

All of these were presented in Daniel 8 by Gabriel and Jesus.

The steps given in 9:24 open the door for:

     •   The legal settlement.

     •   When it occurs,

     •   Final deliverance and holiness

Ten Jubilees are set aside for this to be completed.

     •   Since the prophecy of 8:14 distinctly reveals a prophetic fulfillment after the 2300 evenings and mornings

     •   The prophecy anticipates an end-time Israel

“To bring in everlasting righteousness”

Man’s part has just been presented. Righteousness naturally follows as God’s gift to man. But the description of God’s part is different than any other.

     •   Everlasting (owlam) means “without end” – “forever.” That is a pronouncement that God’s people will be perfect – forever.

     •   That is end-of-time language.

     •   Righteousness is a similar word as for “cleansed” in 8:14. The latter is in a verb form, here it is a noun. One tells when the process begins, here it is fulfilled or completed.

Within ten Jubilee cycles God’s people, His church, must realize this awesome objective.

     •   The sanctuary is cleansed – the heart is pure.

     •   The church (a corporate group – the “remnant”) has become holy.

     •   Adventists view the heavenly sanctuary within this context.

     •   It goes beyond that beautiful imagery.

     •   The sanctuary or temple in Daniel’s prayer was a metaphor for God’s church – Israel – His people.

“To seal up the vision”

On the surface this appears to be misplaced. The word for vision here is chazown. Gabriel is talking about the great restoration mareh vision. Why insert the chazown here?

     •   The chazown vision is the revelation of Satan at work, trying to prevent a holy people from developing.

     •   Here the vision is sealed up.

Everything that God revealed regarding this satanic agency and her supporters will be sealed from action – it comes to its end!

     •   This happens in the sixth and seventh Vials of Revelation 16.

     •   Note the sequence.

          Man’s Part                                         God's Part                                       

         End of            Everlasting holiness      Apostasy sealed         Most Holy

         responding                                        End of beast              anointed

         to sin                                                 Little horn & harlot

“To anoint the most Holy”

This occurs when God’s church is holy, when the number is made up and complete.

“And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, 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.

“And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem.” 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.

This, again, is an end-time eschatological message – the task is complete.

Did all this happen by 34 A.D.? – Stay tuned!

Franklin S. Fowler Jr., M.D.; Prophecy Research Initiative © 2004