Dan. 9.25 and 9.26a deals with the coming of the Messiah and atonement--Jesus "cut off". What follows in the rest of 9.26 is the "people of the [coming Antichrist] prince" who will "destroy the city and the sanctuary." The Roman people are not Jesus' people. Then verse 27 says the same prince (not the Messiah prince) will make a treaty or confirm A (not The New) "covenant" with the Jews for "one unit of seven" or 7 years. This is Daniel's 70th seven. He will cause "sacrifices to cease" because Israel reinstituted them again. Desolations follow for three and a half years to the return of Jesus. The Antichrist tries to mimic Jesus, for as Jesus was the fulfilment of the sacrifices, the Antichrist will try to do the same. This important aspect goes overlooked by many.

"For warships from western coastlands will scare him off, and he will withdraw and return home. But he will vent his anger against the people of the holy covenant and reward those who forsake the covenant. His army will take over the Temple fortress, pollute the sanctuary, put a stop to the daily sacrifices, and set up the sacrilegious object that causes desecration. He will flatter and win over those who have violated the covenant. But the people who know their God will be strong and will resist him" (Dan. 11.30-32).

The problem with placing Dan. 9.27 at the cross, of course, is that places verse 27 after the temple is destroyed in verse 26. That makes no sense. So one would have to squeeze the text and reorder things to make it say what you want it to say. Daniel is giving a sequence of events. Daniel addresses the Antichrist but this alternate view does not. That is a problem since clearly the Antichrist (2 Thess. 2.4) will erect himself in the Temple so he should be mentioned. Naturally Daniel addresses the Antichrist as "the prince." People might get another idea what the Antichrist is, perhaps not a person, yet he is a prince, and he is the cause of desolation.

The 69 sevens are dealt with in vv. 25,26 leaving "one week" for the 70th seven. Jesus never confirmed a covenant for 7 years. He confirmed THE NEW Covenant for 3 years in His ministry. Dan. 9.27 said there would be desolations to the end, but Israel is not desolate today. They are a nation again. Their Temple will be built soon. Their land is flowing with milk and honey and are great exporters of fruit. Dan. 9.26 says "war and desolations are determined" rather than being left desolate. Thus, Gabriel reveals Israel will be a nation again sometime after the Temple was destroyed in 70 AD, but before ACTUALLY being left desolate "until the consummation" (v.27).

If it was true Jesus was cut off in the middle of the 70th seven then it shouldn't have said the Messiah would be cut off after the 69th seven for that would be misleading since "cut off" after the 69th seven should be shortly, not years later. We know from Nisan 1, 444 BC (Neh. 2.1), the declaration to rebuild the Temple, the 173,880th day (69 x 7 x 360) is March 28, 33 AD (Gregorian)--the 1st day of the 4 day inspection of the Lamb. Jesus died on the cross April 1, 33 AD, Passover, Friday, Nisan 14, April Fool's Day. No such date exists in the few years prior to 33 AD to land on Friday, Passover, Nisan 14. This data does not agree with this alternate reading of Daniel 9. The 69th seven and the 70th seven do not overlap by 3 1/2 years. That would be inconsistent with the 69 sevens.

What I believe will happen is these folks who believe this other view will be deceived by the Antichrist because they deny his treaty of 7 years. In fact, they may mistake him for Jesus because they claim it is Jesus' confirming of a covenant when it is really the Antichrist's. Interesting.Up

"on the wing of abominations shall come one [Jesus] that maketh desolate"? (Dan. 9.27)Since when does Jesus ride on the wing of abominations?

By the way what is this alternate reading of Daniel called? We should give a name to or label those who believe this other view so we can be protected from them.