Introduction: When we began this study we learned from
Revelation 1:1 that a central purpose of Revelation is to
alert Christians about the future. God has always been in
the business of telling us what He has in mind. We see it in
Genesis 3:15 when God tells us that in the conflict between
good and evil He will “bruise [the] head” of the serpent
that lead us into sin. This week we study a prophecy that
gives us specific details about the defeat of sin. Let’s
dive into our study of the Bible an learn more!
I. Questions, Questions
A. Read Daniel 8:11-12. Daniel has just seen a vision
of animals fighting and horns growing. He then
receives this information about the sanctuary
being overthrown. If you were Daniel, what would
you think? (Remember that Daniel had been taken
captive after the destruction of the temple in
Jerusalem. This would sound like old news to him.)
B. Read Daniel 8:13. Is Daniel overhearing a private
conversation?
1. Is this conversation something that interests
Daniel? (It would be of great interest because
it concerns “how long” will be the time of the
destruction. That directly affects Daniel’s
life.)
C. Read Daniel 8:14. We now know whether this was
intended to be a private conversation. What is the
answer? (It was not a private conversation because
the answer is given directly to Daniel.)
1. Is this good news? (It is exciting news
because it tells Daniel that the sanctuary
(which he would believe is the temple in
Jerusalem) will be restored. His nation will
be re-established. Perhaps he is going to be
able to go home.)
D. Read Daniel 8:15-16. Does Daniel understand this
vision? (No. He wants to understand but does not.)
1. Who is asked to help Daniel? (The angel
Gabriel is told to help Daniel understand.)
E. Read Daniel 8:17. What is the problem with being
taught by Gabriel? (He is a frightening being.
Recall two weeks ago we discussed what it means to
“fear God?” One argument in favor of real
(trembling) fear is that the typical human
reaction to seeing an angel is to be frightened.)
1. Despite his fright, Daniel records Gabriel’s
instruction. What is this message about? Is it
about the rebuilding of the temple during
Daniel’s lifetime? (Daniel does not know that
the temple will be destroyed twice. Gabriel
says this is about “the time of the end.”
Unless the world ended soon, Daniel would not
understand the message.)
F. Read Daniel 8:18-19. This is odd! Daniel falls
asleep when he is frightened? What do you think
really happened? (Daniel fainted. He is overcome
by the message and the presence of Gabriel.)
1. What power does Gabriel have? (He can bring
you back to sensibility by just a touch.)
2. What message does Gabriel repeat? (The time
period – this is about the end of the world.)
G. Read Daniel 8:26-27. Does Daniel need another
touch from Gabriel? (He is alert, but he is sick.)
1. Why do you think Daniel is ill? (The message
has overcome him. He does not understand it,
despite Gabriel’s best efforts. Daniel finds
the vision to be appalling.)
a. Do you think Daniel finds the message
appalling because the temple will not be
rebuilt until the end of time? (Daniel is
undoubtedly thinking about his situation
and the destruction of his temple. I
would be sick if I knew it would not be
rebuilt for a very long time, in fact,
not until the end of the earth.)
II. Answers
A. Read Daniel 9:17-20. What is Daniel praying about?
(The same topic. He asks God to rebuild the
sanctuary soon. He does not want the delay that
Gabriel was telling him about.)
B. Read Daniel 9:20-21. Was Gabriel told to give it
another try? (Apparently!)
1. Let’s inject a personal note. Do you have
times when you cannot understand what God is
doing? When you think He should act quickly
and He does not? What does this return of
Gabriel teach us? (God is concerned about our
understanding and our attitude. He wants to
reassure us.)
C. Read Daniel 9:23. Why does Gabriel come to
explain? (Daniel is “greatly loved” by heaven.)
D. Read Daniel 9:24. What happens during those
seventy weeks? (A lot. The most important are
atoning for iniquity and bringing in everlasting
righteousness.)
E. Read Daniel 9:25. What is the first bit of good
news for Daniel? (That his temple will be
rebuilt.)
1. Is this a vision that is in answer to Daniel’s
concern about his temple laying in ruins?
(This is a much bigger message. Let’s try to
understand it.)
a. What is at the heart of the larger
message? (The coming of the “anointed
One,” a “Prince.”)
III. The Bigger Message – 70 Weeks
A. Read Daniel 9:26-27. Notice that we have three
periods mentioned – 62 weeks, 7 weeks and 1 week.
Together these add up to 70 weeks.)
1. There may be some quibbling about exact dates,
but historically Bible-believing Christians
have set the decree to restore the temple
Daniel was concerned about at 457 B.C. If you
add 62 weeks and 7 weeks (69 weeks), and
understand that a day equals a year, you come
to 27 A.D. That is the date that Jesus was
baptized by John and began His ministry.)
a. What does this teach us about the
reliability of the Bible? What does this
teach us about the truth that Revelation
was written to tell God’s followers what
would take place?
B. Look again at Daniel 9:26-27 and this time focus
on the one week and the “half of the week.” How
does this fit the ministry of Jesus here on earth?
(Jesus ministered for three and a half years
before He was crucified. See the language “an
anointed one shall be cut off.” In this we see
that the crucifixion of Jesus is also the subject
of this vision given to Daniel.)
1. What about the statement regarding the
destruction of “the city and the sanctuary?”
(That also took place after Jesus was
crucified.)
IV. An Even Bigger Heavenly Message – 2300 days
A. Go back and read Daniel 8:14 and Daniel 8:17. When
Gabriel comes a second time to explain what we
just studied, he does not give a remedial course
on “the time of the end” and the longer, 2,300 day
prophecy. Why is that? (Daniel did not understand
it and Daniel 8:26 says to “seal up the vision.”)
1. What is prophesied to happen at the end of the
2,300 days? (The “sanctuary shall be restored
to its rightful place.”)
a. Historically Christians have understood
the 70 weeks (490 days), but there is
disagreement over the larger 2,300 day
period. Many think the 2,300 days are
literal days and have to do with a
military leader who, long before Jesus
came, defiled the Jewish temple by
sacrificing a pig on it. Is the timing
right for that theory? (No. Gabriel said
(Daniel 8:17) that the vision had to do
with the time of the end.)
b. Let’s continue with the so far correct
assumption that days equal years. Re-read
Daniel 9:26. This tells us that years
before the 2,300 day period ends the
sanctuary will be destroyed again. Should
we, like Daniel, declare we cannot figure
this out? A destroyed sanctuary cannot be
restored, or can it? If it could, why
would we need it after Jesus died as our
sacrifice?
B. Read Hebrews 8:1-2, and Hebrews 8:5-6. What does
this tell us about another sanctuary? And where is
it? (The sanctuary on earth was patterned after
the one in heaven. Hebrews tells us that after the
earthly sanctuary was destroyed, Jesus ministers
for us in a heavenly sanctuary.)
C. Read Hebrews 9:8 and Hebrews 11-12. How does
Hebrews unlock the meaning of the 2,300 day
prophecy? (This “restoration” is in heaven. Jesus
ministers on our behalf in the heavenly
sanctuary.)
D. Friend, this is great news! The Bible is reliable
in telling us when Jesus would come, live, and die
on our behalf. And it shares the great good news
that our Savior is working on our behalf in heaven
right now! Why not ask Him to intervene on your
behalf?
V. Next week: Worshiping the Creator.
Copr. 2023, Bruce N. Cameron, J.D. Scripture quotations are
from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard
Version ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing
ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All
rights reserved. Suggested answers are found within
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but it is lost one week, you can find it by clicking on this
link: http://www.GoBible.org. Pray for the guidance of the
Holy Spirit as you study.
