The center of the vision’s interpretation given by angel Gabriel is:
Da 9:25 “Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. 26 After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed.”
Although we have considered most of this passage, there are a few things relating to the Lord Jesus that must be dealt with. In the Old Testament we have priests, prophets and kings. Each one fulfilled their office, yet in Daniel here we find “the Anointed One, the ruler” and the “the Anointed One will be cut off”. The “anointed one” under the old dispensation was either a priest or a king. Here Daniel uses “the anointed one” for the priestly office because he adds, “the ruler”, which represented a prince, who was a royal with the office of kingship a reality. So strangely we have two offices here represented by one person.
1) Jesus fulfills the office of the Prophet. Although not mentioned in the text, the prophetic office was fulfilled in the Lord Jesus. The prophet spoke God’s Words to the people. God would speak to him in various ways
Heb 1:1 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways.
Generally this office was revered as the people knew that when the prophet spoke … “Thus says the Lord” … God was speaking. They brought messages that were contemporary, yet many message were futuristic … pointing to the advent of Messiah. Jesus fulfilled the office of the prophet for He too spoke the Words of God to the people. He was God’s spokesman speaking the very Words from the heart of God. What is significant is that prophecy has it’s fulfilment in Jesus. After Jesus we have the Apostolic Word … the Words from God called the New Testament, which are all about Jesus … His coming, His deeds, His Words, His ministry and His sacrifice. The only prophetic Word we have today is when a Bible teacher expounds the Word of God accurately, it is then God speaking in a prophetic manner. The office of prophet has ceased.
2) Jesus fulfills the office of the Priest. In the Old Testament, the priest’s duty had two main parts
(1) To pray … intercede on behalf of the people. He spoke to God for and on behalf of the people.
(2) To sacrifice … to God on behalf of the worshipper. Although there were offering of grain, etc., the main offering was that of animals. The purpose was to slaughter the animal and sacrifice it on the alter as a burnt offering for the forgiveness of sin. The Lord Jesus fulfilled both these ministries and continues with one.
(i) He prayed for His people, interceding with the Father. On many occasions in the Gospel we find Jesus spending nights in prayer … yet in John 17 we have a record of the way Jesus prayed for His people. (This is a great example of intercession). We also know that this is one of Jesus’ ministries that continues.
(a)
1Jn 2:1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
(b)
Heb 7:25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
(c)
Rom 8:34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
Even unknown to us, the Lord Jesus speaks to Father on our behalf. It is also true that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us as well.
Ro 8:26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.
(ii) He sacrificed for His people. In His case, unlike the repetition of the Levitical Priesthood, it was once for all!
Heb 7:27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.
Although the intercession continues, Jesus was the final High Priest. He fulfilled that office. This leads directly into …
3) Jesus fulfills the office of the Messiah. The Messiah was long expected. The prophets spoke of Him and much of what they said pointed to Him. As we have said many times, Jesus is God incarnate. He alone is able to pay the sin price because He alone is the sinless one. The Father on behalf of the Triune God receives His sacrificial offering of Himself, executed punishment (judgment and wrath) at Calvary after which Jesus takes back His life. The miracle of His Death and Resurrection points to victory and accomplishment in that the Father receives Jesus’ pure, perfect, sinless, sacrifice as an atonement for the sin of all who will believe. The sin price was paid in full.
Jn 19:30When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Every believer, throughout the space of human history has all his or her sin and guilt … past, present and future taken away, pardoned and they are justified before God through Jesus’ blood. The messianic office is fulfilled. There is no need for any further offering for sin as the greatest offering through Jesus Christ has been completed and received by the Father. And now …
4) Jesus fulfills the office of the King. The word for “ruler” in the text implies “prince”. In the following text we see Jesus as Ruler … fulfilling the office Gabriel speaks of
Isa 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.
So far, what Gabriel speaks of has been fulfilled in Jesus. Father thank You that Jesus, as Priest, Prophet and King fulfills and completes all Old Testament prophecy and today He rules and reigns sovereignly.
All the Glory is Yours. Amen.