Daniel 9:26
Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and will have nothing. Then the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood, and until the end there will be war; desolations have been decreed.
Then after the sixty-two weeks
This phrase refers to a prophetic timeline given earlier in Daniel 9. The "sixty-two weeks" are part of a larger period of "seventy weeks" or "seventy sevens," which are understood as weeks of years, totaling 490 years. The Hebrew word for "weeks" is "שָׁבוּעַ" (shavua), meaning a period of seven. This timeline is crucial for understanding the prophecy concerning the coming of the Messiah and the events that follow. Historically, this period is seen as leading up to the time of Jesus Christ, aligning with His ministry and crucifixion.

the Anointed One
The term "Anointed One" is translated from the Hebrew "מָשִׁיחַ" (Mashiach), which is the root for "Messiah." In the New Testament, this is paralleled by the Greek "Χριστός" (Christos), meaning "Christ." This title signifies one who is consecrated or set apart for a divine purpose. In the context of Daniel, it is a clear reference to Jesus Christ, who Christians believe fulfilled the Messianic prophecies through His life, death, and resurrection.

will be cut off
The phrase "cut off" comes from the Hebrew "כָּרַת" (karath), which often implies a violent or premature death. This is seen as a prophetic reference to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, where He was "cut off" from the land of the living. This act was not only a fulfillment of prophecy but also central to the Christian understanding of atonement and redemption.

and will have nothing
This phrase can be interpreted as the Anointed One being deprived of His rightful kingdom and honor at the time of His death. Jesus, though King, was rejected by His people and crucified, seemingly left with nothing. Yet, from a Christian perspective, this "nothing" was the ultimate sacrifice that brought salvation to humanity.

the people of the prince who is to come
This refers to a future ruler whose people will bring destruction. Historically, this has been associated with the Romans, who destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple in AD 70. The "prince" is often interpreted as a reference to a future antichrist figure, a leader who will oppose God and His people.

will destroy the city and the sanctuary
The destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple was a significant event in Jewish history, marking the end of the Second Temple period. This fulfilled Jesus' prophecy in the Gospels about the Temple's destruction and serves as a sobering reminder of the consequences of rejecting God's Anointed One.

The end will come like a flood
The imagery of a flood suggests suddenness and overwhelming force. This can be seen as a metaphor for the swift and total destruction that came upon Jerusalem. In a broader eschatological sense, it points to the final judgment and the end times, when God's justice will be fully realized.

and until the end there will be war
This phrase indicates a period of ongoing conflict and turmoil. Historically, Jerusalem has been a focal point of strife, and this prophecy underscores the persistent nature of spiritual and physical battles until the culmination of God's plan.

desolations have been decreed
The term "desolations" speaks to the devastation and ruin that have been determined by God. The Hebrew root "שָׁמֵם" (shamem) conveys a sense of being laid waste. This reflects the divine judgment that comes as a result of sin and rebellion but also serves as a call to repentance and faithfulness to God.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Anointed One (Messiah)
Refers to the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ, who is prophesied to be "cut off," indicating His crucifixion and death.

2. The People of the Prince
This phrase is often interpreted as referring to the Roman people, who under the leadership of their generals, destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 AD.

3. The Prince Who is to Come
This is often seen as a reference to a future leader or antichrist figure, who will arise from the same people who destroyed the city and sanctuary.

4. The City and the Sanctuary
Refers to Jerusalem and the Holy Temple, which were destroyed by the Romans.

5. Desolations
This term indicates the ongoing state of destruction and conflict that will persist until the end times.
Teaching Points
Understanding Prophecy
Recognize the importance of prophecy in the Bible and how it points to the fulfillment in Jesus Christ. This encourages us to trust in God's sovereign plan.

The Reality of Spiritual Conflict
The ongoing desolations remind us of the spiritual battles that persist in the world. Christians are called to be vigilant and prayerful.

Hope in Christ's Return
Despite the desolations and wars, believers have hope in the ultimate return of Christ, who will bring peace and restoration.

The Importance of Repentance
The cutting off of the Anointed One calls us to reflect on our own need for repentance and acceptance of Christ's sacrifice.

Living with Eternal Perspective
Understanding the temporary nature of earthly kingdoms and the eternal nature of God's kingdom helps us prioritize our lives accordingly.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the prophecy of the Anointed One being "cut off" deepen your understanding of Jesus' sacrifice?

2. In what ways can the destruction of the city and sanctuary serve as a warning for us today?

3. How do the themes of war and desolation in Daniel 9:26 relate to the spiritual battles we face in our lives?

4. What practical steps can you take to live with an eternal perspective, in light of the prophecies in Daniel?

5. How can the hope of Christ's return influence your daily decisions and interactions with others?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Isaiah 53
This chapter also speaks of the suffering and rejection of the Messiah, paralleling the "cut off" language in Daniel 9:26.

Matthew 24
Jesus speaks of the destruction of the Temple and the end times, echoing the themes of destruction and desolation found in Daniel 9:26.

Revelation 13
Describes the rise of the beast, which can be connected to the "prince who is to come," highlighting the end-time conflict and desolation.
Cut Off, But not for HimselfW. Durham.Daniel 9:26
For the Sake of OthersDean Farrar.Daniel 9:26
Prayer Opens Wider Horizons of God's KingdomJ.D. Davies Daniel 9:20-27
Ministry of Angels in Individual LifeG. A. Johnston Ross.Daniel 9:21-27
The Great Spirit-WorldH. S. Holland.Daniel 9:21-27
Words of the AngelHomilistDaniel 9:21-27
The Close of the Jewish EconomyH.T. Robjohns Daniel 9:26, 27
People
Ahasuerus, Daniel, Darius, Gabriel, Jeremiah, Nahum
Places
Egypt, Greece, Jerusalem
Topics
Anointed, Continue, Cut, Decreed, Desolations, Destroy, Determined, Fixed, Flood, Holy, Leader, Making, Messiah, Nothing, Oil, Overflow, Overflowing, Prince, Ruler, Sanctuary, Sevens, Sixty, Sixty-two, Thereof, Threescore, Till, Town, War, Waste, Waters, Weeks
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Daniel 9:26

     2354   Christ, mission
     7227   flood, the

Daniel 9:20-27

     4145   archangels

Daniel 9:24-27

     4975   week

Daniel 9:25-26

     7304   anointing

Daniel 9:25-27

     6103   abomination

Daniel 9:26-27

     7915   confirmation

Library
Daniel: a Pattern for Pleaders
"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."--Daniel 9:19. DANIEL was a man in very high position in life. It is true he was not living in his own native land, but, in the providence of God, he had been raised to great eminence under the dominion of the country in which he dwelt. He might, therefore, naturally have forgotten his poor kinsmen; many have done so. Alas! we have known some that have
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 61: 1915

The Man and the Book.
In this and the following lectures I attempt an account and estimate of the Prophet Jeremiah, of his life and teaching, and of the Book which contains them--but especially of the man himself, his personality and his tempers (there were more than one), his religious experience and its achievements, with the various high styles of their expression; as well as his influence on the subsequent religion of his people. It has often been asserted that in Jeremiah's ministry more than in any other of the
George Adam Smith—Jeremiah

Whether the Time of the Future Judgment is Unknown?
Objection 1: It would seem that the time of the future judgment is not unknown. For just as the holy Fathers looked forward to the first coming, so do we look forward to the second. But the holy Fathers knew the time of the first coming, as proved by the number of weeks mentioned in Daniel 9: wherefore the Jews are reproached for not knowing the time of Christ's coming (Lk. 12:56): "You hypocrites, you know how to discern the face of the heaven and of the earth, but how is it that you do not discern
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica

That Whereas the City of Jerusalem had Been Five Times Taken Formerly, this was the Second Time of Its Desolation. A Brief Account of Its History.
1. And thus was Jerusalem taken, in the second year of the reign of Vespasian, on the eighth day of the month Gorpeius [Elul]. It had been taken five [34] times before, though this was the second time of its desolation; for Shishak, the king of Egypt, and after him Antiochus, and after him Pompey, and after them Sosius and Herod, took the city, but still preserved it; but before all these, the king of Babylon conquered it, and made it desolate, one thousand four hundred and sixty-eight years and
Flavius Josephus—The Wars of the Jews or History of the Destruction of Jerusalem

From the Supplement to the Summa --Question Lxxii of the Prayers of the Saints who are in Heaven
I. Are the Saints cognizant of our Prayers? II. Ought we to appeal to the Saints to intercede for us? III. Are the Saints' Prayers to God for us always heard? I Are the Saints cognizant of our Prayers? On those words of Job,[267] Whether his children come to honour or dishonour, he shall not understand, S. Gregory says: "This is not to be understood of the souls of the Saints, for they see from within the glory of Almighty God, it is in nowise credible that there should be anything without of
St. Thomas Aquinas—On Prayer and The Contemplative Life

The Blessing of God.
NUMB. VI. 22-27. We have already seen the grace of GOD making provision that His people, who had lost the privilege of priestly service, might draw near to Him by Nazarite separation and consecration. And not as the offence was the free gift: those who had forfeited the privilege of priestly service were the males only, but women and even children might be Nazarites; whosoever desired was free to come, and thus draw near to GOD. We now come to the concluding verses of Numb. vi, and see in them one
James Hudson Taylor—Separation and Service

Three Things Briefly to be Regarded in Christ --viz. His Offices of Prophet, King, and Priest.
1. Among heretics and false Christians, Christ is found in name only; but by those who are truly and effectually called of God, he is acknowledged as a Prophet, King, and Priest. In regard to the Prophetical Office, the Redeemer of the Church is the same from whom believers under the Law hoped for the full light of understanding. 2. The unction of Christ, though it has respect chiefly to the Kingly Office, refers also to the Prophetical and Priestly Offices. The dignity, necessity, and use of this
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion

General Account of Jesus' Teaching.
^A Matt. IV. 17; ^B Mark I. 14, 15; ^C Luke IV. 14, 15. ^a 17 From that time Jesus began to preach [The time here indicated is that of John the Baptist's imprisonment and Jesus' return to Galilee. This time marked a new period in the public ministry of Jesus. Hitherto he had taught, but he now began to preach. When the voice of his messenger, John, was silenced, the King became his own herald. Paul quoted the Greeks as saying that preaching was "foolishness," but following the example here set by
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Fifthly, as this Revelation, to the Judgment of Right and Sober Reason,
appears of itself highly credible and probable, and abundantly recommends itself in its native simplicity, merely by its own intrinsic goodness and excellency, to the practice of the most rational and considering men, who are desirous in all their actions to have satisfaction and comfort and good hope within themselves, from the conscience of what they do: So it is moreover positively and directly proved to be actually and immediately sent to us from God, by the many infallible signs and miracles
Samuel Clarke—A Discourse Concerning the Being and Attributes of God

Appendix v. Rabbinic Theology and Literature
1. The Traditional Law. - The brief account given in vol. i. p. 100, of the character and authority claimed for the traditional law may here be supplemented by a chronological arrangement of the Halakhoth in the order of their supposed introduction or promulgation. In the first class, or Halakhoth of Moses from Sinai,' tradition enumerates fifty-five, [6370] which may be thus designated: religio-agrarian, four; [6371] ritual, including questions about clean and unclean,' twenty-three; [6372] concerning
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Fulfilled Prophecies of the Bible Bespeak the Omniscience of Its Author
In Isaiah 41:21-23 we have what is probably the most remarkable challenge to be found in the Bible. "Produce your cause, saith the Lord; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob. Let them bring them forth, and show us what shall happen; let them show the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come. Show the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods." This Scripture has both a negative
Arthur W. Pink—The Divine Inspiration of the Bible

"And There is None that Calleth Upon Thy Name, that Stirreth up Himself to Take Hold on Thee,"
Isaiah lxiv. 7.--"And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold on thee," &c. They go on in the confession of their sins. Many a man hath soon done with that a general notion of sin is the highest advancement in repentance that many attain to. You may see here sin and judgment mixed in thorough other(315) in their complaint. They do not so fix their eyes upon their desolate estate of captivity, as to forget their provocations. Many a man would spend more affection,
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The Sin-Bearer.
A COMMUNION MEDITATION AT MENTONE. "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. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls."--1 Peter ii. 24, 25. THE SIN-BEARER. THIS wonderful passage is a part of Peter's address to servants; and in his day nearly all servants were slaves. Peter begins at the eighteenth verse: "Servants, be subject
Charles Hadden Spurgeon—Till He Come

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath Day and Defends his Act.
(at Feast-Time at Jerusalem, Probably the Passover.) ^D John V. 1-47. ^d 1 After these things there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. [Though every feast in the Jewish calendar has found some one to advocate its claim to be this unnamed feast, yet the vast majority of commentators choose either the feast of Purim, which came in March, or the Passover, which came in April. Older commentators pretty unanimously regarded it as the Passover, while the later school favor the feast
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Being of God
Q-III: WHAT DO THE SCRIPTURES PRINCIPALLY TEACH? A: The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man. Q-IV: WHAT IS GOD? A: God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth. Here is, 1: Something implied. That there is a God. 2: Expressed. That he is a Spirit. 3: What kind of Spirit? I. Implied. That there is a God. The question, What is God? takes for granted that there
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

The Manifestation of the Messiah
(JOHN I. 31.) "Before me, as in darkening glass, Some glorious outlines pass, Of love, and truth, and holiness, and power-- I own them thine, O Christ, And bless Thee in this hour." F. R. HAVERGAL. The Herald's Proclamation--The Meeting of John and Jesus--Christ's Baptism--"It Becometh Us."--"My Beloved Son." John's life, at this period, was an extraordinary one. By day he preached to the teeming crowds, or baptized them; by night he would sleep in some slight booth, or darksome cave. But the
F. B. Meyer—John the Baptist

The Intercession of Christ
Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us! T he Redemption of the soul is precious. Fools make mock of sin (Proverbs 14:9) . But they will not think lightly of it, who duly consider the majesty, authority, and goodness of Him, against whom it is committed; and who are taught, by what God actually has done, what sin rendered necessary to be done, before a sinner could have a well-grounded
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

Destruction of Jerusalem Foretold.
^A Matt. XXIV. 1-28; ^B Mark XIII. 1-23; ^C Luke XXI. 5-24. ^a 1 And Jesus went out from the temple [leaving it to return no more], and was going on his way; and his disciples came to him ^b as he went forth ^a to show him the buildings of the temple. ^b one of his disciples saith unto him, Teacher, behold, what manner of stones and what manner of buildings! ^c 5 And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and offerings, he said [The strength and wealth of the temple roused
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Christ's Priestly Office
Q-35: HOW DOES CHRIST EXECUTE THE OFFICE OF A PRIEST? A: In his once offering up of himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice, and reconcile us to God, and in making continual intercession for us. 'Now once in the end of the world has he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.' Heb 9:96. What are the parts of Christ's priestly office? Christ's priestly office has two parts - his satisfaction and intercession. I. His Satisfaction; and this consists of two branches. [1] His active
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

The Scriptures
Q-II: WHAT RULE HAS GOD GIVEN TO DIRECT US HOW WE MAY GLORIFY AND ENJOY HIM? A: The Word of God, which is contained in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him. 2 Tim 3:16. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,' By Scripture is understood the sacred Book of God. It is given by divine inspiration; that is, the Scripture is not the contrivance of man's brain, but is divine in its origin. The image of Diana was had in veneration
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

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