Daniel 9:24-27

We have within the compass of these few verses one of the most illustrious prophecies of scripture: and blessed be our God, he who gave the prophecy, hath given to his Church to see the fulfillment of it. The prophecy itself is introduced by the man Gabriel with great solemnity, and equal affection. Daniel had simply prayed for the restoration of his people from the Babylonish captivity. But the Lord not only answers this to the full, and tells him that that captivity is now over; but the Lord opens to the Prophet's mind a subject of infinitely higher moment, in the deliverance from a more grievous captivity: of sin, death, and hell, by the wonderful coming, and more wonderful labours, sufferings, and blood-shed of the Son of God. Seventy years had been determined, and was now past, of Israel's captivity in Babylon. Now Daniel is called upon to number seventy weeks more to be accomplished, and the Shiloh shall come, to whom the gathering of the people should be, Genesis 49:10. What a blessed promise was here! What a glorious answer to prayer! Various have been the opinions of men, concerning the commencement and termination of those seventy weeks. Volumes have been written on the subject: and the matter is left just where the whole body of writers found it. Reader! let it be your wisdom and mine to rest satisfied in those grand points, concerning this blessed prophecy; that it hath been fulfilled; that Christ to whom it pointed is come; that he was, and is, and ever will be, the anointed, and the most holy; that he hath finished transgression: mark the expression, finished it; not sin in this or that man, but sin itself, made an end of sin; sealed up sin, as the margin of our old Bibles hath it; so that when sin is sought for it is not found; made reconciliation also for iniquity, and brought in an everlasting righteousness; that he hath been cut off, but not for himself, hath confirmed the covenant with many, and caused the sacrifice to cease. These are truths, facts, and doctrines, perfectly plain, clear, and undeniable. And whether the seventy weeks, (which, no doubt, agreeable to scripture language, meant weeks of years) making four hundred and ninety years, were to commence the first year of the people's deliverance from Babylon, when Cyrus commanded them to return; or as some think, at the command of Artaxerxes, another prince of Persia, about one hundred years after, see Ezra 6:11, etc. in either case the events are the same. Certain it is, that near two thousand years are run out since Christ came, and finished transgression, and made an end of sin by the sacrifice of himself. So that the Jews who reject Christ, can now expect no other Christ from all their own prophecies. And while believers rejoice with a joy unspeakable and full of glory, in him that is come; they are now, and for many centuries have been, as one of their Prophets described them, abiding without a king, without a prince, without sacrifice, without an image, and ephod, and teraphim. The Lord grant the prophecy that follows may be hastening to be fulfilled. Hosea 3:4; Romans 11:25 to the end.