Here’s a quick and easy way to look at the 70-week prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27.

 First, the 70 weeks (Dan. 9:24).

 Next, the seven weeks and 62 weeks, or 69 weeks (Dan. 9:25) of the 70 weeks.

 There’s the last week, the seventieth (Dan. 9:27).

 And, finally, that last week is divided — “in the middle of the week” (Dan. 9:27) — into two three-and-a-half-year sections.

 That’s it. Seventy weeks, which are composed of sixty-nine weeks and one week. And that one week is divided in half. Just plug in the date, 457. B.C, at the beginning, and with simple math — yes, we come to 1844 on the time line.

 Also, in talking about the 2,300 days, Daniel 8 never said when the 2,300 days began. “Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed” (Dan. 8:14). Unto two thousand and three hundred days — from when? Why not from when Daniel had the vision itself, the “third year of the reign of King Belshazzar” (Dan. 8:1)?

 That doesn’t work. The vision in Daniel 8 didn’t include Babylon. It started with events after it, i.e., Media-Persia, Greece, Rome, up to “the end.” Why date an event, the cleansing of the sanctuary, which is in the vision, from an event, Babylon, which is not? The starting date for the climax of the vision should come from within the vision itself, which started with Media Persia and extends to “the end.” That’s a lot of years.

 Which one began it? We are not told in Daniel 8. We are told in Daniel 9.

 1. In class, discuss the close relationship between the gospel and judgment as seen in these two parts of what is, really, one prophecy. Why is the link between the two such good news for us? How should this link help alleviate the fear that many have had regarding the idea of judgment?
 2. Dwell more on the truth, revealed in Daniel 9:26, that the Messiah is cut off, but “not for Himself” (NKJV). What is this talking about? For whom was He cut off, and why?
 3. Read again Leviticus 16:16 and Leviticus 23:26-29. Talk about the reason for the cleansing of the sanctuary (Lev. 16:16) and how the people are supposed to act when it happens (Lev. 23:26-29). What is the relationship between what is happening here, and what it should mean for us today?