Daniel's 70 Weeks: The Covenants (Dan. 9), part 1/4

Daniel 9 gets treated like a launchpad for end-times timelines, but when we read the actual words, the usual buzzwords start disappearing. We open by reading Daniel 9:24–27 straight through, then ask a hard question: if the passage never mentions the Antichrist, never mentions a pre-tribulation rapture, and never names a seven-year tribulation, why do people talk about it like it does? We are not trying to be edgy. We are trying to be honest with the text.

From there, we lay down a basic hermeneutics rule: the Bible interprets itself. If our interpretation creates contradictions with other clear Scripture, then our interpretation has to change. We also talk about why Christians should speak plainly about biblical prophecy and doctrine. God did not give His Word to confuse people or reserve understanding for academics. That matters when a passage like Daniel’s seventy weeks becomes the foundation for a whole eschatology system.

Then we connect the dots to Matthew 24, where Jesus points back to “the abomination of desolation” and says, “let him understand.” We dig into the phrase “great tribulation” and why Bible headings like “The Great Tribulation” can quietly steer readers. We also anchor the discussion in Daniel’s own wording, “your people” and “your holy city,” keeping Israel and Jerusalem in view. Finally, we tackle covenant language, old covenant versus new covenant, law and grace, and why precision here affects how people talk about salvation.

If you care about Daniel 9, Matthew 24, dispensationalism, and what the Bible really says about the tribulation, press play, share this with a friend who loves prophecy charts, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.

Transcript

Reading Daniel’s Seventy Weeks

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Daniel 9 it says, 70 weeks are determined upon your people and upon the holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy. Verse 25. Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the prince shall be seven weeks and three score and two weeks. In other words, sixty-nine weeks. Then it says, and the street shall be built again in troublous times. And after three score and two weeks, the Messiah shall be cut off, but not for himself, and the people of the prince shall come and destroy the city and the sanctuary, and the end thereof shall be with a flood. And unto the end of the war desolations are determined. Last verse 27. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week, and in the middle of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations, he shall make it desolate, even unto the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. So there we have it, Daniel 9, 24 through 27. And what needs to be understood here, what really needs to be understood here is this.

Challenging Popular End Times Claims

SPEAKER_02 3:42

In Daniel 9, 24 through 27, this is a passage where everything that is spoken about with reference to the tribulation and the future of one, a pre-tribulation rapture, the Antichrist going into the temple, a rebuilt temple, all of this is supposed to be something that was discovered in Daniel 9, chapter 24 through 27. But at the outset, what I want to make sure, what I want to make sure at the outset is understood, which is this there is nothing in Daniel 9 that mentions the or antichrist. Nothing in these verses mention an antichrist or the antichrist. Nothing in these verses mention a tribulation, let alone a seven-year tribulation. Nothing in these verses say anything about a or prophesy about a pre-tribulational rapture. None of these things are in these passages, and yet they are taught with vigor and intensity. And the people that hold to them will tell you that you are borderline or absolutely being heretical in your interpretation or understanding of the scripture if you don't believe it. Now, here's one thing that I want to say at the outset.

Bible Interprets Bible Hermeneutics Basics

SPEAKER_02 5:31

Here's one thing that I want to say at the outset, and that is this whatever whatever information, whatever information that is essential to be had in order to determine the interpretation of any and every passage of scripture, all of it, it is all to be found somewhere in the Bible. So my point is this one of the first rules of what we would refer to as hermeneutics is that the Bible interprets itself, the Bible interprets itself. You might read a passage of scripture and come to a conclusion, for whatever reason, it makes sense to you, and so you therefore believe that's what it is because you made sense of it. However, if in fact there is a contradiction between your conclusion and somewhere, something else in the word of God, you have to acquiesce to the word of God and not the conclusion that you came for. And this is important. Always. So no matter what you believe, a passage of scripture or a section of scripture means, it must square with the remainder of this of the holy scriptures. Otherwise, you're gonna have an interpretation problem. Now I bring this up because I want to make something understood. The Bible, the scriptures, were not written for the erudite, it was not written for only the scholars to understand, it was not written for academics. The word of God was written through and through to be understood by the most simple among us. And this is why it is important for Christians, when they are talking about the word of God, to speak plainly. We should be able to speak about the word of God so that those who are among us, either because they are more simple than we might be, or simply because they are young and haven't developed mentally to the degree and capacity of somebody who's been a Christian a lot longer. My point is, God was not trying to confuse people when he gave us his word. He was not trying to confuse people. The whole idea was to make people understand those who are called by him to believe that they would understand his truth and that it would not be something that is too far away from them to be able to lay hold of.

Why Scripture Should Sound Plain

SPEAKER_02 8:38

Sister Lisa, how are you doing?

SPEAKER_01 8:43

Can you hear me?

SPEAKER_02 8:44

I can hear you just fine.

SPEAKER_01 8:45

I'm well, brother. Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 8:47

Good. Nicole, how are you, sister?

SPEAKER_05 8:54

I'm good. I'm good. It was just my dog is going crazy because Marty Mitch, how you doing, brother?

SPEAKER_02 9:04

Glad you can join us. Yes, sir. Doing fine, my brother. Watch yourself. I'm doing all right, man. Glad to have you up tonight. Yes, sir. Hope you can hang around as long as you can. I understand.

SPEAKER_03 9:14

Jerry, how you doing, brother? Yes, sir. Blessing still flow. I don't know how they go, but they coming.

SPEAKER_02 9:24

All right, man. I'm glad you get you can hang in there. Sister Meg, how you doing?

SPEAKER_04 9:28

Hey, brother. Hey y'all, how y'all doing?

SPEAKER_03 9:31

Ready for the Meg is our monitor, brother.

SPEAKER_02 9:35

Yeah, she she is. She's gonna be muting you if you don't make a bunch of noise in the background.

unknown 9:44

Mr.

SPEAKER_02 9:44

Keith, how you doing, brother? William Keith, you there? I know last time he was on here, he didn't say anything at all, so I'll just let him hang out.

SPEAKER_03 9:59

Yeah, that's what I was saying.

SPEAKER_02 10:01

Yeah. So we'll just let him hang out. That's fine. We'll let him hang out for right now.

SPEAKER_03 10:04

All right.

SPEAKER_02 10:05

All right, now. So as I was saying, the word of God is not for the those who are intellectually endowed. The word of God, the gospel, all these things were meant for everyone to understand. At least the basics. There's much left for us to study, but generally speaking, God is not trying to deceive people. He's going to, he has sent his Holy Spirit to be a guide for us to understand biblical truth if we are searching for it. And he does this.

Matthew 24 And Abomination Of Desolation

SPEAKER_02 10:42

And that being said, our Lord Himself in Matthew 24 was speaking about this very thing. Now, in Matthew 24, Matthew 24 sort of joins in the dispensational eschatology, eschatological survey. The Matthew 24 joins in with uh Daniel 9 to sort of make this case of a pre-tribulational rapture, a seven-year tribulation period, the Antichrist walking into a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem and setting all this stuff up. All of that, all of that teaching and all of the peripheral aspects of that interpretation comes from Daniel 9 and Matthew 24. And then some would argue some places in Revelation. And so what I want to go through, and I'm going to take several live sessions to go through this, to establish if, in fact, what these things that are being said are true, and is there a simpler, more decisive understanding of what these passages are teaching? Because I think the dispensational view at the outset, as I will say, is false. I think dispensational eschatology is completely not 90%, not 95%, completely false. All of it. Starting with the idea that salvation is different in each dispensation. So that will be left for another day. But let's look at, for example, something that is in Matthew 24. Because as I said, Jesus himself said that this was not intended, Daniel 9 was not intended to be confusing. If you're in Matthew 24, this is what the Lord Jesus says. He says in verse 15, he says, Therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place, whosoever reads, he says, Let him understand. It was not meant and intended to be a mystery. Daniel 9 was not intended to be a mystery. He expected the people of his day when he was preaching to understand what was being said. And so he says, Whosoever reads Daniel 9, let him understand. And then he tells you a lot of things to look out for in terms of the fulfillment of that prophecy being established. So that being said, you will probably notice, depending on what Bible you have, when you read Matthew 24, you will most likely see a section break between Matthew 24, verse 14, and Matthew 24,

Great Tribulation Or Great Tribulation

SPEAKER_02 14:17

verse 15. And the heading of that chapter will be called, in most cases, like I even have in my Bible that I have right now, The Great Tribulation. The Great Tribulation. Alright. So now the Bible, the Bible has notes. Everybody here, I'm sure, knows that the original Bibles written by the apostles, there were no punctuations, there were no chapters, there were no chapter breaks, and there were no verses. It was just written straight, like a letter. Just written. So while I understand the need and how beneficial it has been for us as Christians to be able to use these chapter and verse breaks to give us a clear understanding of the flow of the biblical narratives. Sometimes these breaks can introduce things that can mislead people in ways that they ought not to do. And this is one of those sections. So if you have a Bible, a King James, Duke James, whatever, you might see a heading in your Bible that says the Great Tribulation. Does anybody on this panel have that in their Bibles? I do. So Jerry, you do? Yes. Lisa, you do too? I don't. You don't? Meg, you do, right? Yep. All right. So you see this. Now here's the thing. You will probably notice that it says the Great Tribulation, meaning that it has the definite article that precedes it. The Great Tribulation. The verse that we're going to get to talks about in verse 21, it says, For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world, until this time, nor ever shall be. So the first thing that I want to point out here, coming from Daniel 9, and remember, great tribulation, supposedly, according to dispensationalists, is taught from Daniel 9. And then Matthew 24 is supposed to be hearkening back to Daniel 9, as clearly it is true based on the words of Christ in verse 15 of Matthew 24. So now, in Revelation, I mean sorry, in Matthew 24, verse 20, Jesus says, Pray that your flight may not be in the winter or on the Sabbath, for then there will be great tribulation. Now notice, he does not use the definite article. He just says, There will be great tribulation. He doesn't say there will be the great tribulation. He just says that there will be great tribulation. And it doesn't imply that, nor does it imply that there's only one period in time where there will be great tribulation. But he does say that up to this time there will have been nothing greater. But then he says, nor ever shall be. Now this is kind of important because he says that whatever this tribulation is, there won't be a greater one than this one. But when you go back to Daniel 9,

Who Daniel 9 Is About

SPEAKER_02 18:25

you will understand that he is speaking about the tribulation that is to take that is to overcome and to overwhelm the nation of Israel. When you go back to Daniel 9, verse 24, he says this. May. Question. First question of the night. He says, 70 weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city. So what are we talking about? Who is being affected by the prophecy that we're talking about right now?

SPEAKER_04 19:12

Israel.

SPEAKER_02 19:13

Israel. How do you know?

SPEAKER_04 19:16

Because it's Israel and hold on. I gotta go to my notes. Daniel chapter 24.

SPEAKER_02 19:25

No, chapter 9, verse 24.

SPEAKER_04 19:27

Yeah, chapter 9, verse 24. Yeah, I got it.

SPEAKER_02 19:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 19:32

Chapter 24.

SPEAKER_02 19:37

No, chapter 9.

SPEAKER_04 19:38

No, I know. I'm I'm talking out loud.

SPEAKER_02 19:41

All right. Verse 24.

SPEAKER_04 19:43

It's the people and the holy city. So it's like Jerusalem and Israel.

SPEAKER_02 19:50

And Israel. Again, nothing confusing here, is it? No. Nothing confusing. Does anybody here believe that this is referring to any other people other than them? No. Go ahead, Jerry. Jerry? I agree with Mary. Okay. Does anybody else have a different perspective on who Daniel 9 is about? All right. So let's move on. Because this is important when we come to this later. And uh and I hope I will remember to bring it up. Now, so

Six Goals Of The Prophecy

SPEAKER_02 20:38

we established last week that the fulfillment of Daniel 9, 24 through 27 was going to have first off these first six things that needed to be fulfilled. One was transgression, to finish the transgression. Number two, to make an end of sins. Number three, to make reconciliation for iniquity. Number four, to bring in everlasting righteousness. Number five, to seal up vision and prophecy. And then lastly, number six, to anoint the most holy. These six things you have to believe are either fulfilled, have either already have been fulfilled, or you believe, like the dispensationalists, they have not been fulfilled and they will not be fulfilled until such time as the church has been secretly raptured before a quote unquote seven year tribulation period begins. So these six things are what this prophecy is about. And so they are either fulfilled in the future or They have already been fulfilled. It is as simple as that. And there's no way to conclude that, well, two of them have been fulfilled when Christ came, and the other four will be fulfilled when he comes back, or any combination like that. They are all fulfilled because he tells us that 70 weeks are determined for your people in the city. And then it says to do these things, and then it lists the things that are going to happen. So that is a foregone conclusion. Does anybody on the panel believe different? And if so, why? Anybody?

SPEAKER_05 22:43

It's not that I believe differently.

SPEAKER_02 22:46

Okay, then what do you believe?

SPEAKER_05 22:52

I'm just gonna say because you said like like even in like Daniel 925 in tremendous times. And that's after the 70 weeks. And and I'll therefore understand that from the going forth of the commandments to restore and to re to to build Jerusalem. So I just feel like it's like it's it's I'm not saying that I'm just saying that there's something else that's that's left to be done. Not not that God has not already fulfilled the law. I'm not saying that. But there's something else that needs to go forward. Like what? I I believe that that is the the the bride. Okay. Like we like we need to come into accordance. Like that's

Show It In The Text Debate

SPEAKER_05 23:52

that's what I'm saying. That that's the I think that's the last thing that needs to be done.

SPEAKER_02 23:56

You said the bride. Hold on, hold on for a second. You said the bride.

unknown 23:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 24:00

Where do you see that in these passages?

SPEAKER_05 24:02

It's not in these passages, but we can go into uh what are we talking about? The body of Christ. We're talking about Israel. No, no, no.

SPEAKER_02 24:11

What I'm saying is what are we still with Israel?

SPEAKER_05 24:13

We're still talking about Israel.

SPEAKER_02 24:14

No, but I mean, what are we talking about in general? What is this whole conversation, this discussion? What is it about right now? What are we talking about?

SPEAKER_05 24:23

The last days?

SPEAKER_02 24:25

No, no. We're talking about Daniel 9, 24 through 27. Right?

SPEAKER_05 24:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 24:32

Now, so you said that something is missing. No, I'm saying when you say something is missing, what are you talking about? In Daniel 9?

SPEAKER_05 24:46

Like, and and I'm and all I was saying was that we need to be in alignment with the most high. That that is that that's what I see that is that that need that is.

SPEAKER_02 25:02

Are you saying here let me ask you a question? Are you saying that there's something else that needs to happen for this prophecy to be fulfilled? That's the question. Are you saying that there's something that in that's in this prophecy that has not been fulfilled? Because if it is, I want to know what you're talking about and where do you derive this perspective?

SPEAKER_05 25:30

Um I'm just gonna say it this way. Because even after the the three score, after the 70 weeks, after the three-score, which is 70 years, and two more weeks, Jemasia be cut off. It's not seven.

SPEAKER_02 25:52

Let her let her go ahead, Meg. It doesn't say that, but I want to let her speak anyway. I know where you're going, and you're right. What she's saying, it doesn't say that. But Nicole, go ahead.

SPEAKER_05 26:03

So what does it say then? Because it it says at the end of the war of desolation.

SPEAKER_02 26:08

Here's what I'm asking. Here's what I'm asking. Because I want to I want to get to the see here's here's the problem. The problem that Christianity has today, so many people who are Christians, and I'm not saying this about you, but in general, so many Christians speak out of their rear end. So what I'm saying is this when you say something is in the Bible, show it in the Bible. I know, but I'm so we're talking about Daniel 9, 24, 227. That's right. You said something was missing here related to the bride. So I'm asking you, where does that fit into this particular passage of scripture? Where how how can you know that it's missing if God did not put that there?

SPEAKER_05 26:57

Because if we go to 27, at the beginning of 27, he said he says, and he shall confirm

Old Covenant New Covenant Law And Grace

SPEAKER_05 27:04

the covenant with many for one week. And and that that what is that covenant? The new covenant. Exactly. And what is the covenant? What is that? Christ repentance and what what does Christ come for?

SPEAKER_02 27:21

So let's let's start with this. Let's start with this. Let's start with this. Because Nicole, what let me ask you a question? Because we we talked a little bit last week about this. Because I'm gonna ask you again, what does your mind and what do your eyes tell you you see? So, how many covenants are there that the Bible speaks about? Two Nicole, do you agree with that?

SPEAKER_05 27:46

The covenant with Israel.

SPEAKER_02 27:48

Um, it's not a covenant with Israel.

SPEAKER_05 27:51

Well with Abraham.

SPEAKER_02 27:52

No, it is, but what is the covenant? What is the covenant?

SPEAKER_05 28:00

Well, the first covenant I would say would be that he would not the law.

SPEAKER_02 28:06

The law. The covenant of the law, the law of Moses. Nicole, did you agree with that?

SPEAKER_05 28:18

Those were commandments. So, yes, that that those were commandments. I'm like, I'm having a hard time right now because there were so many laws before.

SPEAKER_02 28:31

We're not talking, no, but the law is taken as a unit.

SPEAKER_05 28:35

Right.

SPEAKER_02 28:35

The law of God encompasses like we have we have in America, we have the law of the land. So when we say the law of the land, we're not talking about one law. When we say the law of the land, we're talking about the all the laws that govern the land.

SPEAKER_05 28:48

But if we go with the whole book, then we can we can go to all the way to to the gospel where No, it's not. No, we can't.

SPEAKER_02 28:57

Oh okay. So hold on. You're complicating it, sister. You're complicating it. There are there how many covenants are there? Let's start with that. One or two or more. How many are there? I really think it's just one, but what what so what do we so we have the we have the we have the old testament, which is called the Old Testament. Do we have another testament? Yeah. What is that called?

SPEAKER_05 29:29

The New Testament.

SPEAKER_02 29:30

So how many covenants are there? Because testament means covenant. So how many covenants or testaments are there?

SPEAKER_05 29:41

Well, I what the reason why I understand what you're saying was Nicole, Nicole, no, no.

SPEAKER_02 29:47

Let's let's stick to the subject because you're gonna have me going down some some chasing some rabbit. What I'm asking you is very simple questions.

SPEAKER_05 29:54

A rabbit. I understand what you're saying.

SPEAKER_02 29:56

All I was saying. How many covenants are there, sister? Simple.

SPEAKER_05 30:01

Just say it. You can say two. You can say two.

SPEAKER_02 30:04

What do you mean you can say two? There either is two or there's more. Which one? I want you to tell me what you really believe.

SPEAKER_05 30:09

One.

SPEAKER_02 30:10

There's one covenant.

SPEAKER_05 30:12

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 30:13

Well, if there's only one covenant, then in your mind, because and everybody bear with me, because this is the kind of thing that needs to be understood and needs to be made clear. So if we have one covenant, one covenant, which one is it? In the old test, is it the old testament covenant or is it in the new? It's the new. So the old testament is not was not a covenant.

SPEAKER_05 30:39

It was at the time. Yes, it was. Yes. And I know you said you you don't like dispen dispensational.

SPEAKER_02 30:48

Forget about we're we're not we're not dealing with dispensation right now. Right now, we're trying to establish something very simple, like how many covenants there are.

SPEAKER_05 30:54

Wait, what that's why I say one. And I only um the only reason I say one, and I say it's in the new testament, is because if you given if you've been given a new testament, then the old one is done away with. And what and when I say that, I mean that all right.

SPEAKER_02 31:11

All right, hold on. Jerry. Yes, sir. How many covenants are there? Two covenants. Can you explain? Elaborate, please.

SPEAKER_03 31:22

One says old, one says new. One, two.

SPEAKER_02 31:26

One, two, two covenants. Two covenants. Totally makes sense. Meg, how many covenants are there? There's two, brother, old and new. Johnny Bravo, you there?

SPEAKER_00 31:38

How are you doing there? All right, my man. How's everything going? Oh, pretty good.

SPEAKER_02 31:43

How many covenants are there in the Bible?

SPEAKER_00 31:46

Oh, two. Two covenants, old and new.

SPEAKER_02 31:49

God's word, brother. How are you there? Or sister? I can't tell from here, but how many uh covenants are there? Two. Law and grace. Law and grace. Nicole, has your mind changed yet?

SPEAKER_05 32:04

I understand. Like I said, I understand that there is law and there's grace. But it I I I don't feel like you can have grace without understanding.

SPEAKER_01 32:15

Which are you saved under? Is the question you need to ask yourself.

SPEAKER_05 32:19

Oh, I know which one. I said the New Testament. I'm I'm saved, I'm saved under grace. Because if that if I didn't have grace, I wouldn't be saved, but I'm I am going to say like, and and so yes, those so yes, two. We'll just we'll just say two. No, we can't just say two. We'll say two.

SPEAKER_04 32:37

Nicole, that this is why Brother Jonathan has not moved on yet, because he's he's really trying to show you.

SPEAKER_05 32:45

Okay, and that's why I said we'll say two for the sake of argument, because I understand he won't let that go.

SPEAKER_02 32:51

I'm not I'm not gonna let that go. I can't. I will stay here till midnight unless we understand this. Because here's the thing. When you talk about this whole thing, and see, I kind of understand, I think, Nicole, I might see where you're going, where where your your mind is at, and I don't know. So I got this right, or tell me if I got it right or wrong. It seems to me that you might be one of these people who believes that somehow the law is significant in your salvation, or as a part of the salvation process, or that it has salvific elements to it. Is that true or not?

SPEAKER_05 33:28

No.

SPEAKER_02 33:29

Okay. All right, so that's good. That's good. But what I'm having a hard time understanding is because you say, well, for argument's sake, we'll say two. I don't want to say it too for argument's sake. I want to say what it is because whatever it is must be true.

SPEAKER_05 33:44

Well, it's not that I feel like that the old testament and in the law is, I just feel like when I say one, when I say one, it's because like with the oneness with God, with with everything that has been given. So that's why I say one covenant at this point. Like, and that's why I say one. And I also feel like with those two commandments that we hang on, there's there's no way that we can dismiss, I'm not saying all of the laws in the Old Testament, but.