AKA: Daniel 9

Christians claim that Jesus has to be the messiah because the messiah has to come back before the second temple was destroyed.

In order to understand this passage, we begin with Daniel 9:1:

1 In the first year of Darius son of Ahasuerus, of Median descent, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans—

2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, consulted the books concerning the number of years that, according to the word of the LORD that had come to Jeremiah the prophet, were to be the term of Jerusalem’s desolation—seventy years. Daniel 9:1-2 (SCE)

This “the word of the LORD that had come to Jeremiah the prophet,” refers to “the term of Jerusalem's desolation—seventy years.” This indicates that Jeremiah is considering the prophecies in Jeremiah 25 and 29 that mention seventy weeks. There are two specific prophecies here, which I will refer to as Prophecy A and Prophecy B.

The first prophecy, A, is that the Babylonian empire would collapse:

12 When the seventy years are over, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation and the land of the Chaldeans for their sins—declares GOD—and I will make it a desolation for all time. Jeremiah 25:12 (SCE)

Daniel was clearly referring to this prophecy, as it is the prophecy of seventy years found in Jeremiah.

However, there is another part to this prophecy:

Prophecy B is that God would return the exiled Jews back to Jerusalem:

10 “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place.Jeremiah 29:10 (ESV)

Daniel's connundrum appears in his prayer, from Daniel 9:3-19. Specifically, he references the Law of Moses, and likely quotes Ezekiel who was a contemporary prophet:

11 All Israel has violated the law, disobeying You. Therefore the curse is upon us – the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God – because we have sinned against Him.

12 He has confirmed the threat which He made against us, and against our rulers who judged us, to bring upon us great misfortune: for never under all heaven has been done like what was done to Jerusalem.

13 As it is written in the law of Moses, this curse has come upon us: yet we did not supplicate the Lord our God, did not turn from our iniquities or become wise through Your truth. Daniel 9:11-13 (NSV)

Daniel's connundrum is precisely that Prophecy A has occurred, but Prophecy B has not occurred, and that it has not occurred because of what was written in the law of Moses regarding curses that could be placed on Israel during exile:

17 I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies; those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee even when no one is pursuing you.

18 “‘If after all this you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over. Leviticus 26:17-18 (ESV)

Remember! Prophecy A was going to happen, but Prophecy B came with a caveat!

12 When you call Me, and come and pray to Me, I will give heed to you.

13 You will search for Me and find Me, if only you seek Me wholeheartedly.

14 I will be at hand for you—declares GOD—and I will restore your fortunes. And I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places to which I have banished you—declares GOD—and I will bring you back to the place from which I have exiled you.Jeremiah 29:12-14

Given Daniel's prayer, it seems as if Daniel was concerned that Israel did not 'seek Him wholeheartedly', and thus, was liable for the punishment in Leviticus 26:17-18.

In response to Daniel's prayer, God sends the angel Gabriel to educate Daniel on his question:

21 while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice.

22 He made me understand, speaking with me and saying, “O Daniel, I have now come out to give you insight and understanding.

23 At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved. Therefore consider the word and understand the vision.Daniel 9-21-23 (ESV)