The 1599 Geneva Bible is the Bible the Pilgrims brought to America. What was their understanding of Daniel 9:27? Did they believe the “covenant with the many” in Daniel 9:27 is the “covenant with the many” in Matthew 26:28, which is the New Covenant? Did the angel Gabriel appear to Daniel to reveal the timeline of the Messiah who would fulfill the New Covenant promised in Jeremiah 31:31-34, and then the angel failed to even mention the New Covenant?
The following comes from the notes of the 1599 Geneva Bible.
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Dan 9:27 And he shal confirme the couenant with many for one weeke: and in the middes of the weeke he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the ouerspreading of the abominations, he shall make it desolate, euen vntill the consummation determined shalbe powred vpon the desolate.
Daniel 9:27
And he (a) 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 (b) cease, (c) and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make [it] desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
(a) By the preaching of the Gospel he affirmed his promise, first to the Jews, and after to the Gentiles.
(b) Christ accomplished this by his death and resurrection.
(c) Meaning that Jerusalem and the sanctuary would be utterly destroyed because of their rebellion against God, and their idolatry: or as some read, that the plague will be so great, that they will all be astonished at them.
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During recent years many New Covenant scholars have examined Daniel chapter 9 from a New Covenant perspective. Did Christ fulfill the summary found in Daniel 9:24? Is it about the New Covenant fulfilled by the blood of Christ at Calvary?
Dan 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city,
to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy,
and to anoint the most Holy.
Heb 10:16 This
is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
Heb 10:17
And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. (These two verses are quoted from Jeremiah 31:31-34.)
Heb 10:18
Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
Act 10:38
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
The death of the Messiah is found in Daniel 9:26, and there are only two possible singular antecedents for the word “he” in the next verse. Those antecedents are either Christ or Titus, who was the prince of the people that destroyed the temple during 70 AD.
Dan 9:26
And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof
shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
Dan 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.
Is the “he” in Daniel 9:27 the “Messiah”, or “the prince” of the people that destroyed the city and the sanctuary in verse 26? If we used “the people of the prince” it would not be a singular “he”.
Does the author of the Book of Hebrews connect the New Covenant with the Messiah’s death found in Daniel 9:26, in the verse below?
Heb 9:15 And for this reason
He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. (NKJV)
Verse 26 also says the Messiah would be cut off “after” the 69 weeks. If I agree to paint your house “after” 69 weeks, it will not be painted until the 70th week, or after. Is there a “gap” of almost 2,000 years between the 69th week and the 70th week, or was it fulfilled during the first century when the Gospel was preached “first” to the Jews?
We know there is a time period when the Gospel was taken “first” to the Jews, as the Apostle Paul said in the verse below.
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of
the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes,
for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
Can we find a time period of about seven years when the Gospel was taken “first” to Daniel’s people during the first century? If we can, we have good evidence that the 70th week of Daniel has already been fulfilled.
Did Christ command His disciples to take the Gospel only to Israel in the passage below?
Mat 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying:
"Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans.
Mat 10:6
But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Mat 10:7
And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'
Is the time period when the Gospel was preached “first” (Rom. 1:16) to the Jews in the passage above, confirmed in the passage below?
Act 10:36
The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all
Act 10:37
That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;
Act 10:38
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
In the passage above Luke confirms the fact that the Gospel of Christ was preached throughout the land of Israel after the baptism which John preached. Here again, we have a text which reveals a time period when the Gospel was taken “first” to the Jews, as Paul said in Romans 1:16.
Bible scholars have looked at the number of Passover celebrations in the Gospels and have estimated Christ’s earthly ministry to have lasted about three and one half years. Was the Gospel taken “first” (Rom. 1:16) to the Jews for a period of about three and one half years during the period of time revealed in the Gospels?
How did Peter address the crowd on the Day of Pentecost when about 3,000 Israelites accepted the New Covenant promised in Jeremiah 31:31-34, and fulfilled by the blood of Christ at Calvary?
Act 2:36 "Therefore
let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."
We know there was a time period between Calvary and Paul’s conversion, because he held the coats of those who stoned Stephen. Since Pentecost was almost 2 months after Christ died at Calvary, we know a time period of several months may have occurred before Paul came to faith in Christ.
What did Paul say below about the time period between his conversion and the day he went to see Peter?
Gal 1:14 And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
Gal 1:15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called
me by his grace,
Gal 1:16
To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
Gal 1:17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
Gal 1:18
Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.
In the passage above the Apostle Paul reveals there was a time period of about 3 years between the time of his conversion and the time he went to see Peter. Therefore, we know Paul did not start preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles until at least three years after his conversion.
Can we find a time period of about seven years when the Gospel was taken “first” (Rom. 1:16) to the Jews, before Paul began preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles?
3 ½ years during the earthly ministry of Christ
(Matt. 10:5-7, Acts 10:36-38)
Several months between Christ’s death and Paul’s conversion
3 years between Paul’s conversion and the time he went to see Peter.
(Galatians 1:14-18)
If the time periods above are added up we get a total time period of about seven years when the Gospel was taken “first” to Daniel’s people, before Paul took the Gospel to the Gentiles. Therefore, a New Covenant understanding of Daniel chapter 9 reveals the 70th week of Daniel occurred during the first century.
Did the sacrifices cease in the middle of the week, (after about 3 ½ years), when Christ died at Calvary? Why did God rip the temple veil in half at the moment Christ died? Even though the Jews continued to sacrifice animals after Calvary, were those sacrifices accepted by God? The answer to these questions can be found in the Book of Hebrews. Was Christ the final sacrifice for sin in Hebrews 10:16-18, in fulfillment of the New Covenant?
Very few modern Christians have ever heard the New Covenant interpretation of Daniel 9:27, which is found in the 1599 Geneva Bible.
In the YouTube message below Kelly Varner presents a New Covenant interpretation of Daniel chapter 9.
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