KEYS OF THE KINGDOM STUDY GUIDES
Daniel Nine • “Covenant Curses or Blessings?”
Review
• What did the Sanctuary point to in every detail?
• How many services did the Sanctuary have?
• Which service did the demonic horn attack?
• Which service would bring judgment or cleansing?
• When would this judgment or cleansing occur?
• Who had given Daniel the 2300 year prophecy?
• Did Daniel understand the 2300 year prophecy?
Key: 1. Jesus; 2. Two, the “daily” and the “yearly;” 3. The “daily;” 4. The “yearly;”
5. At “the time of the end,” sometime in the nineteenth century; 6. Jesus, the Wonder-
ful Numberer; 7. He did not understand (see Daniel 8:27)
Introduction
Chapter nine was written 13 years after chapter eight. In this chapter we find
Daniel seeking to understand the vision of Daniel eight. His earnest desire was to
see God’s city and sanctuary rebuilt.
Our new key for this lesson: Restoring my covenant experience by confession
and repentance.
Read Daniel 9:1
1. What must have given Daniel confidence?
Note: God’s plan was on track. Darius had just been “made” king by Cyrus, thus the
Medes and Persians were in power just as foretold in Daniel two, seven, and eight.
Read Daniel 9:2
2. What did Daniel prayerfully study?
Note: He studied the book by the prophet Jeremiah, who was a contemporary to
Daniel.
Read Jeremiah 11:1-4,8-10
3. What was the reason for the captivity of the Jews?
Note: It is very important to obey the words of God’s covenant. But “they did not
obey or incline their ear, but everyone walked in the imagination of their own evil
heart, therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant. . .” They had bro-
ken the covenant God had made with their fathers.
4. What is a covenant?
Note: The word “covenant” is translated from the Hebrew word “bariyth” {ber-eeth'},
which means a “treaty, alliance, agreement or pledge.” The word “bariyth” comes from
the root word “barah” which means “in the sense of cutting or to cut.” The concept of
covenant would remind them of the sacrificial system, which involved the cutting of an
animal sacrifice. In everyday usage we find the same type of language. We say: “I’ve cut
a good deal,” or when we get married we “cut the cake.” Each of these are essentially
covenant statements.
Read Jeremiah 34:18-20
5. In Daniel’s day, how were people relating to their covenant with God?
Note: Daniel’s people understood the concept of “cutting” the covenant. However they
were only paying lip service to it. The book of Jeremiah indicates that the Israelites had
broken each of the Ten Commandments. The commandments were to be obeyed as an
expression of their love for the God who had brought them out of Egypt. As a result of
this disobedience, God gave them into the hand of their enemies and allowed the sanctu-
ary to be desolated.
God did not want His sanctuary to be desolated or His people displaced. Every sacrifice
indicated that Christ Himself would enter human history and be “cut off” for His people
and their sins. He would rather be cut in half than to break His part of the covenant with
His people. If only they would have the same attitude toward Him.
Read Daniel 9:3
6. In light of his understanding of the broken covenant, what did Daniel do?
Note: This was a serious prayer. Sackcloth and ashes were worn around the time of a fu-
neral. Daniel was essentially saying, “I am praying in a way that indicates I am com-
pletely dead to myself and completely dependent on You, Lord.”
Read Daniel 9:4,12-13fp
7. What was the focus of his prayer?
Note: In the Bible, God promises blessings to those who are faithful to the covenant, and
curses to those who are not faithful (see Deuteronomy 28). God keeps His side of the
covenant and is merciful to the faithful and obedient (Daniel 9:4). This is a covenant
blessing. However if His people are unfaithful, He faithfully allows the covenant curses
to be poured out on His people. He confirms the covenant and pours out the judgment on
the unfaithful (Daniel 9:12-13fp). Each sacrifice pointed toward the life of Christ. Each
sacrifice indicated that He desired to enter into human history and “confirm” the cove-
Page 2 Keys of the Kingdom Study Guides • Daniel 9

nant. He consented to fall under the curse of the covenant that we might be able to • God’s name (verse 15)
enjoy the blessings of the covenant.
• God’s righteousness (verse 16)
Read Daniel 9:5,6,10,11 • God’s sanctuary (verse 17)

8. What did Daniel acknowledge? • God’s mercy (verse 18)

Note: He confessed his own sins and the sins of His people. He speaks of the fact
that “all had transgressed” God’s law. His prayer reminds of what the New Testament
says. “All have sinned” (Romans 3:23) and sin is the “transgression of the law” of
God (1 John 3:4).
Read Daniel 9:7fp,9fp
9. Who did Daniel see as his only hope?
Note: God is the only hope for Israel. His righteousness points out our sin. In every
way He is true to His Ten Commandment law. However, His forgiveness is freely of-
fered to those, who like Daniel, rely wholly upon His mercy.
• God’s forgiveness (verse 19)
When someone says to us, “your child is in trouble,” we will listen more and have more
interest than if it were someone else’s child. There is a story told about Abraham Lincoln
during the Civil War. A large number of people were waiting outside to talk with the
president. A little boy went to the head of the line and knocked on the door. A man
opened the door and asked his name. As a result of his name, he was immediately al-
lowed to see the president. What was his name? Todd Lincoln. This is the case with God.
When we use Jesus’ name in prayer, it brings us right in before the Father. When we have
the right relationship with God, there is power and strength in Jesus’ name. This is why
Daniel prayed using Jesus’ name. It is by His righteousness and His alone that we are
saved.

Before continuing our study of this chapter, let’s look at one other thing Daniel
‘The Lord’ must have seen in his study of the book of Jeremiah.

MERCIFULNESS RIGHTEOUSNESS Read Jeremiah 25:8-11

7,9
FORGIVES SIN POINTS OUT SIN
11. Was this good news?
Note: At first this may have seemed like good news to Daniel. However hadn’t Daniel
GOD’S LAW EXPLAINED
been told that the restoring of the sanctuary to its rightful state wouldn’t happen for an-
MAN’S SIN CONFESSED
5,6,10,11 other 2300 years? (Daniel 8:14) How could Daniel reconcile these two messages?
‘WE ALL HAVE SINNED’ POINTS OUT ALL SIN
Jeremiah said that God’s people would return after 70 years. But in the vision of chapter
eight, he had been shown that it would be 23 centuries. This is why he prayed in Daniel
9:19: “Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are
COVENANT ‘CUT’ COVENANT ‘CONFIRMED’ called by Your name.”
MERCY TO THE 4,12,13 JUDGMENT ‘POURED’
FAITHFUL How was Daniel to understand the connection between the 70 years of
ON THE UNFAITHFUL
Jeremiah and the 2300 years of Daniel 8:14?
Daniel 9:4-13
Read Daniel 9:20-23
Who is our only hope? 12. Who came to help Daniel understand?
Note: Gabriel, the same angel that had come to his aid in chapter eight, now comes to
Read Daniel 9:13lp-19 Daniel at the time of the evening sacrifice.
10. On what did Daniel focus in concluding his prayer? 13. What did he come to help him understand?
• God desires us to turn away from sin and seek His truth (verse13) Note: Gabriel says in verse 23, “I have come to tell you…therefore consider the matter,
and understand the vision.”
• God’s works (verse 14)
• God’s acts in history (verse 15)
Page 3
Read Daniel 9:24
14. What does Gabriel begin to explain?
a. There was a special amount of time “determined” for Daniel’s people and Jeru-
salem. The word “determined” is from the Hebrew “chathak” and literally
means “cut off.” Remember what we’ve learned about covenants? God was es-
sentially saying, “Daniel, you and your people have made mistakes. I’m going to
‘cut’ a new deal with you. I’m going to give you seventy weeks.”
b. 70 weeks times 7 days per week equals 490 days. Remember that a day equals a
year in Bible prophecy (Ezekial 4:6). So, 490 prophetic days equals 490 literal
years. 490 years were cut off the vision of the 2300 years for Daniel’s people,
the Jews.
Read Daniel 9:25
15. When does the prophecy of the 70 weeks and the 2300 years start?
Note: From the going forth of the decree to restore and build Jerusalem.
Read Ezra 1:1-4; 6:7-12,14; 7:7-27
16. When did decrees go forth and which one should we use to start this proph-
ecy?
Note: There were three decrees which is made clear by Ezra 6:14. One decree by
Cyrus, one by Darius, and one by Artaxerxes:
• Cyrus’ decree was issued in 538 BC that the temple was to be rebuilt (Ezra 1:1-
2).
• Darius’ decree was issued in 519 BC that the temple was to be rebuilt (Ezra 6:7-
12).
• Artaxerxes’ decree was issued in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes which was
457 BC. His decree was to rebuild the city, the wall around the city, and to
beautify the temple (Ezra 7:7-27). The date of 457 BC for this decree is one of
the surest dates known in archeology. The Greek Olympiad dates, Ptolemy’s
Cannon (an Egyptian source), the Elephantine Papyri, as well as many cunei-
form tablets, all indicate that the seventh year of Artaxerxes was 457 BC.
This is the date in which the decree went forth to rebuild the city and wall–so this is
the date in which to begin the prophecy.
This was understood by Sir Isaac Newton. Remember we said in our first lesson that
Sir Isaac Newton wrote more on the book of Daniel than he did on physics. He said:
“Now the dispersed Jews became a people and a city when they first returned in
the seventh year of Artaxerxes Longimanus when Ezra returned with a body of
Jews from captivity and revived the Jewish worship…to judge and govern the
people according to the laws of God and the king, Ezra vii. 25. There were but
two returns from captivity Zerubbable’s and Ezra’s; in Zerubbable’s they had
only commission to rebuild the temple, in Ezra’s they first became a city by a
Keys of the Kingdom Study Guides • Daniel 9
government of their own. Now the years of this Artaxerxes . . . was in the year (458
BC).”
As we convert from BC to AD we need to remember that year one was repeated twice
without the year zero between. This requires us to add an additional year to all date cal-
culations. Perhaps Sir Isaac Newton overlooked this fact.
So the prophecy would begin in 457 BC, and in seven weeks (49 years), the temple, the
wall and the city would be rebuilt.
Read Daniel 9:25 again
17. Who was to come after 69 weeks?
18. How long would it be before Messiah the Prince would come?
Note: Seven weeks plus 62 weeks equals 69 weeks. To convert this into years we would
simply multiply 69 weeks times seven days per week. This gives us 483 days. 483 pro-
phetic days equals 483 literal years. If our start date is 457 BC, in what year would Mes-
siah the Prince arrive?
483 - 457 = 26 AD
As we convert from BC to AD we need to remember that year one was repeated twice,
without a zero in between. This requires us to add one year to our calculation to account
for the missing year. Thus Messiah would come in 27 AD.
69 WKS - UNTO MESSIAH THE PRINCE
457 BC 27 AD
DECREE TO CHRIST
REBUILD ANNOINTED
Read Luke 3:1,3,21,22
19. What happened in 27 AD?
Note: Historians have dated the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar as 27 AD. What hap-
pened in this year? John the Baptist was preaching a baptism of repentance for the remis-
sion of sins (Luke 3:1,3). Jesus came to John the Baptist to be baptized. John recognized
the He was “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John1:29). He was
to be the covenant sacrifice! When Jesus was baptized. The voice of God the Father
spoke, and the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Jesus. Jesus was
anointed with the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:21,22). The word “Messiah” literally means “the
anointed one,” thus Jesus became the Messiah at this time. Did Jesus recognize what was
happening? After Jesus was baptized and came back from the wilderness, He said, “the
time is fulfilled.” (Mark 1:15) What time would He be speaking of? The time prophecy
of Daniel nine!
Page 4 Keys of the Kingdom Study Guides • Daniel 9

Read Luke 3:23

20. How old was Jesus when He began His earthly ministry? 769
WEEKS
WKS - UNTO MESSIAH
62 WEEKS
THE PRINCE 1 WEEK
Note: Jesus was 30 years old. When a man of Israel became the age of 30, they were
eligible for the priesthood. In light of our discussion of the covenant, this is especially
interesting. Jesus at age 30 was anointed and began His public covenant ministry.
457 BC 27 AD 31 AD
DECREE TO CHRIST CHRIST
Read Daniel 9:26fp,27fp REBUILD ANNOINTED CRUCIFIED

21. What was the next event in Christ’s life?

Read Matthew 27:51
“Messiah shall be _____ off, but not for __________.”
23. What happened in the temple when Christ died?
“He shall _________ a covenant with _______ for one week. He shall bring an end to
_________ and _________.” Note: The temple curtain was rent from top to bottom when Jesus died in 31 AD.
Key: cut, Himself, confirm, many, sacrifice, offering.
Read Hebrews 10:8-10
Note: Can you see how the covenant concepts in Daniel’s prayer are addressed in the
angel’s answer? Through a study of Jeremiah, Daniel saw the reason for the Jewish 24. What did it mean when the curtain was rent in two?
captivity had been their disregard of the covenant. What this prophecy indicates is
Note: The type had met anti-type. The symbol had been replaced by what the symbol
that the Messiah would come and renew their relationship with Him by being “cut
symbolized. There was no need for the ceremonial law. Jesus brought an end to sacrifice
off,” not for Himself, but for them (9:26fp). He would become the sacrificial lamb
and offering. You will recall that Daniel had drawn a distinction between the law of God
they had daily seen represented in the sanctuary services. Their covenant with God
and the law of Moses (Daniel 9:11). At the cross, Jesus also drew this distinction. He died
would be renewed. Likewise, just as Daniel in his prayer acknowledged that God had
as a sacrificial lamb (law of Moses) and also for our sin (law of God). After the cross
“confirmed” His word to them by allowing them to feel the curse of the covenant,
there was no need for animal sacrifices or Mosaic ordinances. However, God’s law was
Christ in His death on the cross would truly “confirm” the covenant through bearing
still in force because this is how we know when we have sinned.
the curse for the sins of the entire world. He would enter into human history, become
sin for us, and become our sacrifice and offering for sin. This understanding can be summarized by asking several questions:
a. On the day before Christ’s death on the cross, was it appropriate to bring a lamb,
Read Isaiah 42:3,6,21; Matthew 12:20; 26:28 confess sins onto its head, and find peace in the fact that it pointed toward the lamb
of the world, Christ?
22. Who was God calling to be a covenant for the people? b. Was this still appropriate the day after the cross?
c. The day before the cross was it a sin to kill your neighbor?
Note: The Messiah came as a covenant for the people. He perfectly kept the law (He-
d. What about the day after the cross?
brews 4:15), thus magnifying it (Isaiah 42:21). He was the perfect example of cove-
nant keeping. In addition, He recognized that through shedding of His blood He
would perfectly pay the price for a broken covenant. He said, “this is My blood of the
new covenant…” (Matthew 26:28), thus indicating that he would pay the sacrificial
price for covenant breaking.
Christ’s covenant week started in 27 AD at his anointing (baptism). Daniel 9:27 says,
“in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease.” To
what date would the middle (midst) of the week take you? It would take you to 31
AD, because his ministry began in the fall of 27 AD. Christ died on the cross in 31
AD and brought an end to the sacrifice and offering.
Page 5 Keys of the Kingdom Study Guides • Daniel 9

Let’s review before we continue: reviewed the entire history of God’s covenant relationship–first with Abraham, then with
the children of Israel. His sermon pointed to the importance and purpose of the earthly
sanctuary. It was all to point to the Christ of the covenant. As Stephen continued in his
SEVENTY WEEKS ARE DETERMINED UPON THY PEOPLE
sermon, he mentioned (verse 53) that the house of Israel received the law, but has not
69 WKS - UNTO MESSIAH THE PRINCE kept “it.” “It” referred to the covenant. Stephen concluded his sermon by pointing his
7 WEEKS 62 WEEKS 1 WEEK listeners to the risen Messiah who was standing at the right hand of His Father in heaven.
The leaders on the council should have recognized the fact that Christ had entered human
history and taken the curse of the covenant, being “cut off” and broken for them. Instead
457 BC 27 AD 34 AD they were “cut to the heart” in a negative sense and became intensely angry. They took
DECREE TO CHRIST STEPHEN
REBUILD ANNOINTED STONED
Stephen outside the city and stoned him, thus “sealing up” the “vision” and “prophecy”
concerning their nation (Dan. 9:24lp).
408 BC 31 AD
REBUILD CHRIST 29. What year did this happen?
COMPLETE CRUCIFIED
Note: Through simple math we can see that this occurred in AD 34. Many books date the
death of Stephen to 34 AD. More modern examples would be “Foxe’s Book of Martyrs”
Read Hebrews 2:3; Acts 3:12-15,17 and “Martyrs Mirror.” Stephen’s death sealed up the vision and prophecy. The gospel
would now go to the Gentiles.
25. How could Christ “confirm the covenant” for a week if He died in the “mid-
dle of the week”? Read Daniel 9:26lp
Note: When Christ died for our sins, He went to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to
30. What happened to Jerusalem as a result of this rejection of Christ?
the disciples to finish the week. The disciples continued “confirming the covenant”
with people (Hebrews 2:3). Peter responds by preaching a powerful sermon of how “And the people of the Prince who is to _______ shall destroy the _____ and the
the house of Israel cut off the “Prince of Life,” referring to the prophecy of Daniel _________. The end of it shall be with a flood and till the end of the war desolations are
(Acts 3:12-15). God’s people still had a chance however, because many had done this determined.”
in ignorance (Acts. 3:17).
Key: come, city, sanctuary
Read Acts 6:7 Note: The Jews were the people of the Prince who was to come. As a result of their re-
bellion against Christ, the expression of God’s covenant, they began to accept other false
26. What happened as a result of the apostles’ confirming of the covenant? Messiahs. This eventually so exasperated the Romans that they destroyed Jerusalem and
Note: A great number of priests were obedient to the faith. Obedience is righteous- its temple.
ness, so the priests discovered righteousness by faith! This didn’t go over very well
with temple leadership. They maintained that Christ was not the Messiah and that Read Daniel 9:27lp
things could continue as before. These new converts were teaching the exact oppo-
site. 31. To whom does this text refer?
Note: There are many different theories concerning this text. But if we follow the line of
Read Acts 6:10-15 reasoning of the first half of Daniel nine, we need not become confused. It is obvious
what happened to the Jewish nation after they rejected Christ. As a result of their contin-
27. What did the leaders of the Jewish nation do as a result? ued rebellion and the agitation of one after another false “Messiah,” Titus, the Roman
Note: They set up false witnesses against Stephen and accused him of speaking general was sent to stop their uprising. It was not his desire to destroy the temple. How-
against the temple and the law of Moses. ever when the temple was set on fire during the conflict and the gold of the temple began
to melt and run down between the huge stones of that magnificent building, the soldiers
could not be restrained. In pursuit of the gold they pulled apart the sanctuary. The Ro-
Read Acts 7:1,8,38,48-49,52-58 mans were so angry with the rebellious Jews that they crucified by the thousands those
28. What did Stephen do in response? who had remained in the city. The covenant curses of the seventy week vision were
poured out upon them.
Note: Acts seven is really what we would call a “Covenant Lawsuit.” Stephen spoke
before the Sanhedrin, which was the highest council of the Israelite nation. Stephen
Page 6 Keys of the Kingdom Study Guides • Daniel 9

Read Matthew 24:15,16; Luke 21:20,21 3. Israel rejected Christ. He died, rose to heaven, sent the Holy Spirit from the
heavenly sanctuary, and founded the church.
32. Could this have been avoided?
4. The church fell away–especially during the time period of 538-1798 AD.
Note: Those who accepted Christ remembered this warning. They studied the book of
Daniel, including Daniel nine, and fled the city before its destruction. Jesus left in- 5. Daniel’s prophecy foretold of a cleaning of God’s heavenly sanctuary and of His
struction with this group to establish the church. people (church on earth) after 2300 years.

Read Daniel 8:14,26 6. This final cleansing would begin in the 1840’s.

33. Of what prophecy was the 70 week prophecy cut off? 7. We will study more about this in Daniel 12.
Note: The 70 weeks came to completion in 34 AD. Commitment Questions
When would the cleansing, or judgement take place? At the end of the 2300 days.
• Do you desire to have a new covenant experience?
Let’s review and then briefly take a look at the conclusion of the 2300 year • Do you desire to see God’s truth restored in His church?
prophecy before we finish our study.
• Do you desire to see all God’s truth restored in your life?
2300 DAYS - THEN SHALL THE SANCTUARY BE CLEANSED
Suggested Memory Verse
SEVENTY WEEKS ARE DETERMINED UPON THY PEOPLE
69 WKS - UNTO MESSIAH THE PRINCE “O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations,
7 WEEKS 62 WEEKS 1 WEEK
and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications
before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies. O Lord, hear; O Lord,
forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy
457 BC 27 AD 34 AD city and thy people are called by thy name.” Daniel 9:18,19
DECREE TO CHRIST STEPHEN
REBUILD ANNOINTED STONED
Next Time
408 BC 31 AD 1844 AD
REBUILD CHRIST SANCTUARY In our next inspiring study we will see behind the veil into the spiritual realm an ex-
COMPLETE CRUCIFIED CLEANSED ample of the battle between the forces of evil, and the forces of Christ, as influenced
by intercessory prayer. This exciting story introduces the final vision of Daniel.
Note: At the end of the 70 weeks of the covenant, God entered into human history
and was broken for you and for me. A remnant in that day accepted Him (the 12 dis-
Review Keys of the Kingdom
ciples), and He used these faithful few to establish His church. Could it be that at the
end of time the same thing will happen? Would a remnant arise at the end of the 2300 1. Giving my heart to God!
days who would study prophecy? Would this remnant be used by God to uplift His
covenant and seek to point people to a right relationship with Him? We will return to 2. Staying connected to Him
this thought when we reach Daniel 12.
3. Increasing faith by prophecy study
Let us Summarize 4. Memorizing and claiming God’s promises
1. As a result of His study of Jeremiah, Daniel prayed for a new covenant expe- 5. Asking for and living in the Spirit
rience.
6. Acting immediately on truth
2. God gave 490 years to Israel so they could clean up their act. This time pe-
7. Being sealed by God and used by Him
riod was cut off the 2300 year prophecy.
8. Allowing God to change me
Page 7 Keys of the Kingdom Study Guides • Daniel 9

9. Sending my sins to judgment now

10. Praying for patience and persistence
11. Restoring my covenant experience by confession and repentance