“WHICH COVENANT DID HE CONFIRM”?

Daniel 9:27 “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate”

And so we read: “And unto the end of the War desolations are determined” Daniel 9:26.

But let it be observed that, this “War” so mentioned here, has nothing to do with a worldwide “tribulation” but was simply the war waged against Jerusalem, by General Titus and his Roman soldiers in AD 70.

So, let it be emphatically stated here, that when for instance Jesus spoke in Matthew 24:15 about “the abomination of desolation”, it had nothing to do with the coming of a future “anti-Christ” but rather, He was making reference to Daniel’s prophecy, which is the invasion and destruction of Jerusalem as we have earlier on mentioned. (Luke 21:20)

Nothing could have stopped this, because it was a decree by the Father Himself. Jesus personally gave the illustration of the ‘fig tree’ the Jewish nation, which could not bring forth fruit for the owner and so was ordered that it be cut down.

But the vinedresser (Jesus) pleaded that He be allowed to dig around it and add some manure, thereafter; it can be cut down if no fruit. (Luke 13:6-9, Matthew 17:15-20, 21:18,43). Well, with the three and half years of Jesus among the Jews, they could not still bring forth the expected fruits, so they were cut down (Isaiah 53:7-9; Nahum 1:8; Matthew 24:6-14).

What were these offerings and sacrifices? Certainly, they are not referring to the ransom sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, or whatsoever sacrifices that the apostles or disciples may have offered later on, but rather they have to do with all that pertains to the ceremonial laws of Moses, which were in practice before the cross of Christ. And all of these were taking place in the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, according to the Law of Moses.

The true import of the word “caused to cease” means “to make to Sabbath, to rest, to desist from working” meaning, something is about to happen that will make all of these sacrifices to lose their power and effect. Of course we are told: “For the old system deals only with food and drink and ritual washing – external regulations that are in effect only until their limitations can be corrected” Why? Because “… the gifts and sacrifices that the priests offer are not able to cleanse the consciences of the people who bring them” for “under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow could only cleanse people’s bodies from ritual defilement” (Hebrews 9:10, 9, 13) NLT.

Can you see what their limitations were, and why there was the need for something better?

Therefore, the Old Covenant was only a temporary measure, until the reality was revealed. So we can see that, it was these sacrifices and offerings that Daniel was talking about, and not anything to do with either an Anti-Christ, sacrificing “Pigs” in the Jewish Temple, or not allowing the Jews their true worship. None of these theories is applicable here, from the fact of scriptures or history.

SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS TO CEASE “HALF OF THE WEEK” (Verse.27)

Again, this will not be difficult for us to understand. “Half of the Week” would be at the middle of the Seven Years, or after three and half years within that “week” or years.

This is clear enough, that what will cause the sacrifices to cease is the death of Jesus, which is the perfect sacrifice the Father required. And so, we read: “You do not want sacrifices and offerings, but you have prepared a body for me. You do not ask for burnt offerings and offerings to take away sins. Then I said, look, I have come. It is written about me in the book, I have come to do what you want” (Hebrews 10:6-7) NCV Compare Hebrews 10:1–10. And this is written about Jesus. (See Psalms 40:6-8)

To be continued…