Yesterday we sang

Yesterday at church we sang songs I didn’t know, but which turned out to be really powerful (Here For You, a Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman song for Passion) and some old hymns I knew right well. During Communion we sang I Surrender All and in closing Where He Leads Me. Great and powerful songs!

I remember singing Where He Leads Me when I was in the Baptist church, a long, long time ago. First, I went to the worship leader to thank her for the song selection and to say I hadn’t sung Where He Leads Me since my days in the Baptist church. She said the Pastor had chosen the music for the day, so I went to him and said, “Where He Leads Me is a great song! I haven’t sung that since I was in the Baptist church.” Another brother heard me and remarked, “Yeah we sang another old Baptist song, I Surrender All.”

Here’s the funny thing. These songs may be sung in Baptist churches, but neither one have ‘Baptist’ origins. What?? Nope, they were both birthed in ‘holiness’ circles! Why, see for yourself.

Where He Leads Me was written by E. W. Blandy (the tune by J.S. Norris). Mr. Blandy was a Salvation Army officer. He wrote this after choosing between a comfortable post at an established church, and an alternate assignment to the New York City waterfront, a slum called Hell's Kitchen. He chose the latter.

First publication of "I Surrender All", in Gospel Songs of Grace and Glory (1896)

I Surrender All was written by Judson W. Van DeVenter, the music by Winfield S. Weeden.

Judson Van DeVenter was an art teacher and supervisor of art in public schools, as well as an accomplished musician, singer, and composer. He was also an active layman in his Methodist Episcopal Church, involved in the church's evangelistic meetings. Friends urged him to give up teaching and become an evangelist and Van DeVenter wrestled with this for five years. Finally, he fully surrendered his life to Christ and full time ministry, and wrote the text of the hymn while conducting a meeting in Ohio. Following his decision to surrender his life to the Lord, Van DeVenter traveled throughout the United States, England, and Scotland, doing evangelistic work. Winfield S. Weeden was his associate and singer, and assisted him for many years.

Van DeVenter said of the inspiration for this song:

“For some time, I had struggled between developing my talents in the field of art and going into full-time evangelistic work. At last the pivotal hour of my life came, and I surrendered all. A new day was ushered into my life. I became an evangelist and discovered down deep in my soul a talent hitherto unknown to me. God had hidden a song in my heart, and touching a tender chord, He caused me to sing.”

Great stories behind great hymns. Hymns, which were not birthed in Baptist circles. And here I was singing them both in an Anglican church! Ah but here's the beauty of it all: When the Holy Spirit gives a song to the Church, the whole Church can sing it. Amen!

Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it

 This past Sunday was the Second Sunday in Epiphany. The Scripture readings for the day were Isaiah 62:1-5, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, and John 2:1-11. The Pastor preached from John and the Life Groups (small groups) were to take a deeper look at the passage. Which is exactly what our Life Group did. Here are some humorous and hopefully helpful thoughts from Jesus turning water into wine.

3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.
The wine failed, that is they ran out, but I love the KJV here, wanted wine. I mean, it means they ran out, but the picture is great, They wanted wine and there was no more.

They have no wine. It’s funny how women, especially mothers, can speak like this and men know what they mean. She doesn’t ask anything, or suggest a course of action, yet everybody who heard her say this, including Jesus, knew exactly what she meant.

4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee?
This is a sad translation. Literally it is, What to me and to thee, woman?

This is obviously an idiomatic expression. It occurs a few times in the New Testament*  as well as in the Septuagint+ . I believe the idea here is, “What is that to us? We’re just guests.” Like how we would say, “Why you telling me?”

Well, she was telling him this because she wanted him to do something about it!

Ah, but what about Jesus calling his own mother woman? This sounds disrespectful to the max. I’m pretty sure that most of us, if we ever called our mother woman would expect some kind of immediate backlash! Even as adults, there is no way we would address our mothers this way! So, was Jesus being just plain rude?

The Greek word is γυναι and refers to a woman of any age, whether a virgin, or married, or a widow: as a form of address, may be used -- either in indignation, or in admiration, or in kindness and favor, or in respect, John 2:4; 19:26 (Thayer’s Lexicon). “However, the Greek γυναι, having no synonym in our language, has a more respectful sound than ‘woman’. (John Bengel’s New Testament Commentary)

So, not only was he not being rude, he was being respectful. And notice, Mary is not offended; neither were any of those present. In fact, look at her response:

5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.  
I can’t even express how cool this is. While we struggle with whether Jesus is being rude, she simply turns to the servants and instructs them, "Whatever he may say to you, do." This is faith. She had utter confidence in Jesus. She wasn’t begging. She made known the need and had complete confidence that he was sufficient. Wow! This is just like when she was told she would have a son, she responded “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.” Mary was a woman of faith.

This is faith - utter confidence in Jesus / complete confidence that he is sufficient. If we don’t have faith as strong as Mary's, how do we grow in faith?

Read the Word. “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” Time in the Word strengthens and grows your faith as you learn the ways of the Lord and see the promises of God. Begin your quiet time in the Word, let your prayers rise up from what you’ve been reading.

Read accounts of God working. Seeing how God worked in the lives of other saints and answered their prayers is very encouraging. This is also the benefit of testimonies.

Remember how God has met you in the past. There is a gospel song that speaks to this, Count Your Blessings. (I’ve included it at the end)

6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.  
I love the KJV here . . . firkins! I don’t know how much a firkin is…there is a note in my Bible that says it is 9 gallons; modern translations say “twenty to thirty gallons.” I’m not making a big deal of this, I just like the word firkins !

BUT, here is something to think about – imagine how long it would take to fill these waterpots. They had no hose, so it was done by hand. And I don’t know how far they had to go to get the water. Often times, when a story is put down into words you lose any notion of time. When you read this account you get the idea Jesus said, Fill the waterpots, and just like that, it was done. Nope.

Here’s something else to think about: When did the water become wine?

In my early years as a Christian I was in churches that taught this was NOT wine, but grape juice. They said there wasn’t enough time for the grapes to ferment. He could instantaneously turn water to grape juice but needed time for it to ferment?  Was it real wine? Yep. And good wine at that.

Another commentator took exception to the notion that all six waterpots were turned to wine, and suggested only that one decanter was changed. He didn’t like the idea of Jesus making so much wine, thereby encouraging people to get drunk. Seems to me one decanter of wine would not be enough to rescue the host from the embarrassment of running out of wine. I don’t know that the Jews were big on getting wasted, but they drank wine, considering it the blessing of God: “A feast is for laughter, and wine maketh merry.”

11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
This miracle is about Jesus; it manifests his glory. Interestingly, it was done on the “down low”, that is no one even knew about it. As far as the guests knew, the governor of the feast simply produced more wine. That is, no one but Mary, the disciples, and the servants. He manifested forth his glory and his disciples believed on him. Amen.

People think of this as a “Baptist hymn” but it’s not.
Johnson Oatman, Jr was an old-time Methodist.
But I'm certain Mr. Oatman wouldn't mind if we sang it!

* Matt 8:29, Mark 1:24, 5:7, Luke 4:34, 8:28, John 2:4
+ Judges 11:12, 2 Samuel 16:10, 19:2, 2 Kings 3:13, 2 Chronicles 35:21

Abandoned

Driving home from Ohio, something I was thinking about reminded me of a hymn. And my next thought was a sad one.

Why would remembering an old hymn result in a sad thought? Abandoning the hymnal means we no longer sing the old songs. But this isn’t simply reminiscing about “the good old days.” Let me explain.

There are generic hymnbooks out there, then there are the song books that reflect and promote the distinctives of that particular group. Nazarenes, (old time) Methodists, Assemblies of God, their books represent their emphases. The books above are from the Christian & Missionary Alliance and the Salvation Army. I was in Alliance churches using those hymnals and I used the Salvation Army song book. They definitely reflect the distinctives of each.

And that’s what’s sad. When we start singing choruses and praise songs, the old hymns of the deeper life are no longer heard. I miss them.

Don’t misunderstand, this is not a criticism - I like the modern worship songs. I also have in my library a great collection of chorus books. When I was pastoring, I oversaw the transition from a traditional hymn service to a contemporary praise and worship service. So I’m not merely some old fogey lamenting, “I wish we sang the songs of my youth.” No, I’m not complaining, I’m simply making an observation. After all, you can sing about the deeper life and never preach it, and you can teach the deeper life without singing it. (Although, I’m pretty sure your songs will begin to reflect your preaching.) I’m just sharing thoughts I had while driving home along the interstate in the rain.

my collection of hymnbooks

Now, what is this “deeper life” that I mentioned? See the following

What Is The Deeper Life? A.W. Tozer

The Crisis Of The Deeper Life, by Rev. George P. Pardington, Ph.D.

You’re obsessed with walking

We went to Ohio last weekend. I usually walk from the hotel to my daughters house (2 miles). I must’ve mentioned that and the possibility of walking somewhere else because my grandson said, “You’re obsessed with walking.”

I tried to explain the benefits of walking, but he wasn’t persuaded. “You can get in the car and be there right away. It’s just a waste of time. And so boring.”

I admit: you can arrive at your destination faster if you drive; and not much happens when you walk. He’s not wrong. So, why walk when you can drive?

Walking is good for you. He wasn’t impressed. He will be when he gets older. Although I hope he gets it before then. I’ve been taking the stairs and parking far away for a long time.

Walking is relaxing.

Walking does take a lot of time. Can’t deny that. But it’s good to be freed from the rush of modern life.

Walking allows you plenty of time to think. Thinking is good.

Walking allows you to see the world in a way you can’t see it from the car. You notice things. All kinds of things. You don’t really see your town when you’re whizzing along in your car.

But I get it. And more people agree with him than with me. I drive to more places than I walk to, and I should walk more. Am I “obsessed with walking”? No. I do walk to places more often than a lot of people, and I often park far away so I have to walk, but I’m not fanatical about it. I did walk to Anne’s house while we were there, but I didn’t make anyone else walk with me!

Daniel's Prayer

Daniel 9 is an amazing chapter. It is about prayer and prophecy. My last post looked at the seventy weeks prophecy. Today we will consider his prayer.

Understood by books 1-3
1  In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans;
2  In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
understood by books - He was reading Jeremiah. “The people must have been satisfied of the Divine inspiration of Jeremiah, or his prophecies would not have been so speedily collected nor so carefully preserved.”† As he was reading he saw Jeremiah’s prophecy of 70 years, perhaps this one, For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. (Jeremiah 29:10)

Babylon invaded Judah three times. The first time was 606 BC. This was when Daniel went into captivity. Again in 597 BC. This was when Ezekiel was taken to Babylon. Finally in 586 BC, when they destroyed the city and took pretty much everybody else to Babylon. Daniel read Jeremiah, looked at his calendar, pulled out his calculator, did the math, and realized he had been there nearly 70 years, so he began to pray for God’s will to be done.

3  And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:
Which is exactly what Daniel did. “He found that the time of the promised deliverance could not be at any great distance; and as he saw nothing that indicated a speedy termination of their oppressive captivity, he was very much afflicted, and earnestly besought God to put a speedy end to it; and how earnestly he seeks, his own words show. He prayed, he supplicated, he fasted, he put sackcloth upon his body, and he put ashes upon his head. He uses that kind of prayer prescribed by Solomon in his prayer at the dedication of the temple” (1 Kings 8:22-53)†

This is a great secret of prayer – pray the promises. George Mueller, a great man of prayer and faith, said, “The first thing I did, after having asked in a few words the Lord's blessing upon His precious Word, was to begin to meditate on the Word of God; searching, as it were, into every verse, to get blessing out of it…for the sake of obtaining food for my own soul. The result I have found to be almost invariably this, that after a very few minutes my soul has been led to confession, or to thanksgiving, or to intercession, or to supplication … it turned almost immediately more or less to prayer.”*

As we read the Word, we see the promises and will of God. Pray the will of God to be accomplished. “God does nothing except in response to believing prayer.”‡

Daniel’s prayer is found in verses 4-19. What a prayer it is! This is intercessory prayer: he comes before God on behalf of his people. With one hand he holds on to his people, with the other he holds on to God. He brings them before the Lord God, and prays for God’s mercy on them.

Confession 4-14
4  And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;
5  We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:
6  Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
It is amazing, Daniel did not participate in any of this sin, iniquity, wickedness, he was rather a casualty of it, yet he confesses the sin of Israel with “We have sinned.” This is intercessory prayer, where you stand before God in their stead. He also identified himself with Israel. It wasn’t Israel and Daniel, it was Daniel a part of Israel.

7  O Lord, righteousness unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces…8  O Lord, to us confusion of face… because we have sinned against thee.
You are just in all your dealings with us; we are where we are because of our sin.

9  To the Lord our God mercies and forgivenesses…
This is our only hope. We have indeed sinned and done wickedly, God is merciful. This is the why of intercessory prayer - many times the people we are praying for cannot pray for themselves, so we bring them to God because he is merciful and forgives!

9-11…we have rebelled against him…Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God…Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law
It wasn’t like Israel accidentally stumbled and fell down, or sinned just one time. No, this was intentional, persistent, continual sin.

11-12 …therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.
And it is not like they weren’t warned. God had told them this would happen if they lived this way.

13  As written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.
"Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?" (Ezekiel 18:23)

14  Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice.
Our God is righteous in all his works. This is a great place to be. “We are where we are because we have not obeyed his voice, and he is righteous in all that he has done to us.”

Confession is a vital part of prayer. I need to pray this way when praying for those I love – confessing their sin, yes, but confessing my sin that affected them.

The Petition 15-16
15  And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.
16  O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all about us.
O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away. Be definite in prayer. Not simply, “O Lord bless ‘em”, but asking for his specific promises and particular will to be accomplished.

Praying in the Name of Jesus 
17  Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake.
18  O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, 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.
19  O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.
O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant… for the Lord's sake...not for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies....for thine own sake, O my God.
Not for our ease or comfort, not for our reputation, not for our happiness, but for your glory.
And, Answer my prayer, not because I am worthy, but because you are merciful. Amen. This is what it means to pray “in the name of Jesus.”

O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not. Amen. He earnestly desired the answer to his prayer. Am I this earnest? Do I really want God to do what I am asking him to do? I’m afraid I pray many times without this earnestness. O Spirit of God, work in me that I might passionately desire the salvation of those I pray for!

The Answer 20-23
20  And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God;
21  Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.
22  And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.
23  At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.
While I was speaking an angel came to explain the answer, giving him the prophecy of seventy weeks. Disclaimer: Not all prayer, even prayer as serious and intense as Daniel’s, will end as his did! But we can and should expect grace when we pray. Be encouraged by George Mueller:

“If you believe indeed in the Lord Jesus for the salvation of your soul, if you walk uprightly and do not regard iniquity in your heart, if you continue to wait patiently, and believingly upon God; then answers will surely be given to your prayers.”

“May the Christian reader be encouraged by this, should his prayers not at once be answered; and, instead of ceasing to pray, wait upon God all the more earnestly and perseveringly, and expect answers to his petitions.”

“The Living God is still able and willing to answer prayer, and that it is the joy of His heart to listen to the supplications of His children.” ●


I have people I am praying for. I need to pray like this!

-------------------------
† Adam Clarke
* George Mueller, On Personal Devotions
‡ John Wesley
● George Mueller, Answers to Prayer

The seventy weeks

Daniel 9

This is an amazing chapter. In it we find a powerful example of prayer and then one of the most astonishing prophecies in all of Scripture. Let’s consider the prophecy first and then, in a separate post, his prayer.

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.
25  Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
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.
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.

This is perhaps the most amazing prophecy in the Bible – He gave them a specific date. He said certain things would be done in 70 weeks and that after 69 weeks Messiah would come. Wow!

God is not opposed to giving specific dates. In Genesis 15:13-16 He told Abraham his seed would be in Egypt 400 years or four generations (and they were). He told Jeremiah (Jer 29:10) the Jews would be in Babylon 70 years and then return to the land (they were and did). And now He declares to Daniel when Messiah will appear – Seventy weeks are determined upon they people.

To Abraham and Jeremiah God said years, to Daniel he says weeks. How long is this 70 weeks? Nearly everyone, from the earliest Jewish comments on, has understood this to be weeks of years, that is, 490 years. All they had to know was when to start counting.

When do the 70 weeks begin?
from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince

That’s rather specific as well. And there is a book of the Bible that was written to provide this starting point. Israel’s captivity is described in Kings and Chronicles, Daniel (and Ezekiel) prophesied in Babylon, then the books of Ezra and Nehemiah relate their return to the land. I believe these were written not merely to tell the story of the return of the people to the land, but to also signal the beginning of the 70 weeks.

From the going forth of the commandment. There are three decrees revealed in Ezra:
Ezra 1 Cyrus decrees the Jews can return and rebuild the temple 536 BC
Ezra 6 Darius renews the decree of Cyrus – Let them build this house.
Ezra 7:11 Artaxerxes decrees that the Jews can return and rebuild the temple  457 BC

So which of these is the starting point? While there is no verse in Ezra that says, “Thus beginneth the 70 weeks”, it would seem that the decree of Artaxerxes in chapter 7 is it. The 70 weeks began 457 BC. Obviously the one keeping count was God, but the Jewish people were aware of the times.

The 70 weeks are divided into three groups: 7 weeks; 62 weeks (threescore and two weeks); 1 week. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks.” It looks like it will be 69 weeks or 483 years unto Messiah the Prince. And 483 years after Ezra 7 Jesus was baptized by John Baptist and began his ministry with, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye and believe the gospel.” What time? The 69 weeks. And they knew it. You see, there were people before Jesus who had gone around saying they were Messiah (Acts 5:34-40). This was a highly charged time and the people were in great expectation.

And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself. After Christ appears he will be cut off, but not for himself. This refers to the cross.

(See * below for comments on v 27 and the seventieth week.)

Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city. What will be accomplished in these seventy weeks? This is the most important question and Daniel gives the answer. We know Christ will be manifested in 483 years, but what will he do when he comes?

In Dan 9:24 there are six events mentioned which will be accomplished by Messiah.

I. To finish the transgression – “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God”

II. To make an end of sins - which our Lord did when he offered his spotless soul and body on the cross once for all. “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”

III. To make reconciliation for iniquity - make atonement for it; which was made by the sacrifice of Christ, by his sufferings and death; whereby the law and justice of God were fully satisfied; and this was made for all kind of sin (transgressions, sins, iniquities); which was the grand end of Christ's coming into the world

IV. To bring in everlasting righteousness - which is true only of the righteousness of Christ, by which all that believe in him are justified from all their sins; this Christ brought into the world by his obedience, sufferings, and death.

V. To seal up the vision and prophecy - all prophecy is sealed up in Christ, and by him; he is the sum and substance of it; the visions and prophecies of the Old Testament relate to him, and have their accomplishment in him; some relate to his person and office; others to his coming into the world, the time, place, and manner of it; others to the great work of redemption and salvation he came about; and others to his miracles, sufferings, and death, and the glory that should follow; all which have been fulfilled.

VI. And to anoint the Most Holy - the consecration or appointment of our blessed Lord, the Holy One of Israel, to be the Prophet, Priest, and King of mankind.

All of these were fulfilled at the cross. This is the greatest and most specific prophecy in the Old Testament. God told them exactly when Messiah would come. And He came at exactly the time prophesied! And by the cross he did exactly what it was promised he would do. This is a most amazing chapter. Christ has come and Jesus is his name. He made reconciliation and brought in everlasting righteousness. He came for me. He came for you. Believe in him and be saved!

* The seventieth week
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.
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.

Messiah is cut off after 69 weeks, leaving one week (seven years). That remaining week is spoken of in v 27. I admit this is slightly confusing. There are three main views on this 70 week:

1) There are those who see a gap between the 69th and 70th week who say the entire 70th week is future. This is the time of antichrist and the tribulation mentioned in Revelation.

2) There are those who believe Jesus began his ministry at the beginning of the 70th week and in the midst of the week he was cut off, leaving 3 ½ years. The last half of the week is the time of antichrist and the things spoken of in Revelation.

3) There are those who believe all 490 years were fulfilled at the first coming of Christ.

I am persuaded this prophecy is mostly about Messiah and therefore this refers primarily to the ministry of Jesus: He began the 70th week and confirmed the covenant with Israel by his teaching and miracles. In the midst of the week, 3 ½ years, he was cut off, crucified for our sins, thus causing the sacrifice and oblation to cease. The last half of the week is yet to come and is the time of antichrist. Daniel 7 and the book of Revelation speak of the reign of antichrist being 3 ½ years long. I believe this is the same 3 ½ years.

But the focus is clearly on Messiah the Prince, who came as and when promised! And you now what, the brethren who hold all three views see the focus on Christ. In my opinion this is a detail that doesn’t detract from this amazing prophecy.

Irenaeus
"And then he points out the time that his tyranny shall last, during which the saints shall be put to flight, they who offer a pure sacrifice unto God: And in the midst of the week, he says, the sacrifice and the libation shall be taken away, and the abomination of desolation [shall be brought] into the temple: even unto the consummation of the time shall the desolation be complete." Now three years and six months constitute the half-week."

Hippolytus
"He says, therefore, They shall return, and the street shall be built, and the wall; which in reality took place. For the people returned and built the city, and the temple, and the wall round about. Then he says: After threescore and two weeks the times will be fulfilled, and one week will make a covenant with many; and in the midst (half) of the week sacrifice and oblation will be removed, and in the temple will be the abomination of desolations.

For when the threescore and two weeks are fulfilled, and Christ has come, and the Gospel is preached in every place, the times being then accomplished, there will remain only one week, the last, in which Elias will appear, and Enoch, and in the midst of it the abomination of desolation will be manifested, viz., Antichrist, announcing desolation to the world. And when he comes, the sacrifice and oblation will be removed, which now are offered to God in every place by the nations."

Prideaux
"The beginning therefore of the seventy weeks, or four hundred and ninety years, of this prophecy, was in the month Nisan of the Jewish year, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes Longimanus, king of Persia, and in the four thousand two hundred and fifty-sixth year of the Julian period, when Ezra had his commission [viz. b. c. 458] ; and the end of them fell in the very same month of Nisan, in the four thousand seven hundred and forty-sixth year of the Julian period [viz. a. d. 33], in which very year and very month Christ our Lord suffered for us, and thereby completed the whole work of our salvation, there being just seventy weeks of years, or four hundred and ninety years, from the one to the other."

Postscript on Daniel 7

Daniel 7 tells us of the coming of the Son of man and the kingdom of God, but chapter 7 goes on to offers more details concerning these end times.

16  I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.
17  These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.
18  But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.
This is how we know that the four beasts are four kings/kingdoms. He is also told that the saints of the Most High shall possess the kingdom. Glorious times are coming!

19  Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;
20  And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.
21  I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;
22  Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.
This is very troubling. There are indeed glorious times ahead, but they appear to be preceded by very troublesome times: the horn made war with the saints and prevailed against them.

23  Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
24  And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
25  And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
26  But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.
27  And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
28  Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.
The fourth beast is Rome, which for us is past, but which seems to morph into the ten kings, another that shall rise after them, and the times of the end. This another is the antichrist. And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. [a time and times and the dividing of times is three and a half years]

Paul spoke of this in 2 Thessalonians 2
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day [coming of our Lord Jesus Christ] shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;  4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

John also in Revelation 13
5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.  
6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.  
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

When Antichrist appears he will oppose and blaspheme God and make war with the saints. Saints refers to covenant people. In Daniel it is Israel; in Revelation it is the Church.

The early church made much of what Daniel and Revelation say about the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, that is antichrist and the end times:

In the Epistle of Barnabas* we read, “The final stumbling-block approaches, concerning which it is written, as Enoch says, “For for this end the Lord has cut short the times and the days, that His Beloved may hasten; and He will come to the inheritance.” In like manner Daniel says, “And I beheld the fourth beast, wicked and powerful, and more savage than all the beasts of the earth, and how from it sprang up ten horns, and out of them a little budding horn, and how it subdued under one three of the great horns.” We take earnest heed in these last days; for the whole past time of your faith will profit you nothing, unless now in this wicked time we also withstand coming sources of danger, as becomes the sons of God. That the Black One may find no means of entrance, let us flee from every vanity, let us utterly hate the works of the way of wickedness.”

Irenaeus‡  “And then he points out the time that his tyranny shall last, during which the saints shall be put to flight, they who offer a pure sacrifice unto God.”

Irenaeus again, “And they [the ten kings] shall lay Babylon waste, and burn her with fire, and shall give their kingdom to the beast, and put the Church to flight. After that they shall be destroyed by the coming of our Lord.”

Hippolytus† “Thus, then, does the prophet set forth these things concerning the Antichrist, who shall be shameless, a war-maker, and despot, who, exalting himself above all kings and above every god, shall build the city of Jerusalem, and restore the sanctuary. Him the impious will worship as God, and will bend to him the knee, thinking him to be the Christ…and Antichrist shall make war upon the saints during the rest of the week, and desolate the world, that what is written may be fulfilled...

26  But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.
27  And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

Antichrist’s reign of terror will only last three and a half years, and then the kingdom shall be given to the saints. As Paul explains in 2 Thessalonians 2:8 , And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.

Thus we are brought back to
13  I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
14  And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

There are truly glorious times ahead (the coming of Christ and the kingdom), but first there is the tyranny of the antichrist to be endured. We can learn a lesson from Daniel. Daniel was a godly young man in the midst of an ungodly generation in Jerusalem. Then he was taken to Babylon, into captivity in a heathen land. There Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself. This is a powerful example whether we are in the final days or not. Jesus told us, he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And as the Apostle Peter said, What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God…Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, 

and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. 

Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

* Traditionally ascribed to the Barnabas mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles.

‡ Irenaeus, (140–202); bishop of Lugdunum (Lyon) and leading Christian theologian of the 2nd century. Adversus Haereses (Against Heresies), Book 5, ch 25 & 26
Chapter 25
Chapter 26

† Hippolytus of Rome (170–235) was one of the most important third-century theologians. His is the earliest commentary on Daniel.