The ninth chapter of the book of Daniel contains one of the most outstanding prophecies in the Bible, and was received by Daniel in about 538 bc. What makes this prophecy so remarkable is that it is a specific time prophecy that deals with both the first and second comings of Jesus Christ. As explained in Part 1 of this series, the portion of that prophecy that had to do with Jesus' first coming (69 of the 70 "weeks") was fulfilled with absolute accuracy. This part explains the portion that has to do with His second coming--specifically the last seven years before His return. All but one of the 70 "weeks" of Daniel's prophecy had to do with Jesus' first coming. The "week" mentioned twice in verse 27 is the remaining "week"--the remaining seven years.

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 [offering] 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 (Daniel 9:27 KJV).

The word "he" refers to "the prince who is to come" (verse 26), and since the Antichrist is also referred to as "the prince of the covenant" in Daniel 11:22, we know that the "he" in this verse is the Antichrist.

What is a "covenant"?--It's a pact, a solemn agreement. The signing of this covenant will mark the start of the Antichrist's seven-year reign and the last seven years before Jesus returns.

This covenant is mentioned several other times in the Scriptures. Because it is called a "holy covenant" in Daniel 11:28,30, it appears to be some sort of religious pact, at least in part--quite possibly one that tackles the thorny issue of religious coexistence between Jews, Muslims, and Christians, and by which Jerusalem will be declared an international city with free and equal access guaranteed to people of all faiths. It appears that this will also clear the way for the Jews to finally be able to rebuild their Temple on Jerusalem's Mount Moriah and reinstitute animal sacrifices on its altar.

But in the "midst of the week"--or three and a half years into the seven-year covenant period--the Antichrist will renege on the agreement:

And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate (Daniel 11:31 KJV).

This is a key Scripture because it tells us that at this point, three and a half years after confirming the seven-year covenant, the Antichrist will forcibly enter the Jewish Temple (the "sanctuary of strength"), which would have to have been built by then, as it does not exist now. He will put an end to the daily sacrifice and place in the Temple area something called the "abomination of desolation."

Over 500 years after Daniel gave this prophecy, Jesus referred to it in His dissertation on the signs of His second coming and of the end of the world as we know it:

When you see the "abomination of desolation," spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place [the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem] ... then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be (Matthew 24:15,21).

So what exactly is this "abomination of desolation"?--Jesus said we would see it "standing" in the Jewish Temple. Daniel 11:31 says the Antichrist's forces will "place" it there. Daniel 12:11 says that it will be "set up." We find out in the book of Revelation that the abomination of desolation is an image of the Antichrist himself (Revelation 13:15), who the Bible also refers to as "the Beast" (Revelation 13:1-7).

The Antichrist's chief aide, the "false prophet," will be behind the making of this image, which will be able to "speak" and somehow have power to cause those who refuse to worship it to be killed (Revelation 13:11-15). This power will be through the electronic monetary system that the Antichrist government will enact. People will be forced to submit to and worship the Antichrist, because under this system no one will be able to buy or sell without a personal account number, the "mark of the Beast," in their right hands or foreheads (Revelation 13:16-18). But some will refuse to worship the Antichrist or receive his mark, and the Lord will take care of them (Revelation 12:6,14).

Back to Daniel 9:27: The Antichrist will rule "even until the consummation." The Hebrew word that is translated "consummation" here comes from the root kalah, which can mean either "complete" or "consume, destroy utterly." It is unclear which meaning is intended--whether it refers to the last aspect of the prophecy being fulfilled or the utter destruction of the Antichrist and his forces--but both fit because they happen at the same time. The prophecy will be completed and the Antichrist destroyed shortly after the second coming of Christ, in the wrath of God and the Battle of Armageddon. Verse 27 continues: "and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate." The wrath of God will be poured upon the Antichrist and his followers, but meanwhile God's saved children will be safely home in Heaven, enjoying the marriage feast of the Lamb, who is Jesus (Daniel 12:11-12; Revelation 14:9-10; chapters 15-16; 19).

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The first 69 "weeks" happened just as Daniel's prophecy said they would. We have no reason to doubt that the last "week"--the last seven years before Jesus' return to earth--will not also happen as predicted here in this amazing passage.

Are you ready for Jesus' return? If not, you'd better get ready. Things are really moving! Take Jesus now!

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The Hebrew word translated "weeks" in the King James Version and some other Bible versions is shabuwa, for which Strong's Greek/Hebrew Dictionary gives this definition: "literal, sevened, i.e., a week (specifically, of years)." So the 70 weeks of Daniel's prophecy are actually 70 times 7 years. The fulfillment of the first part of the prophecy, which predicted the exact year of Jesus' crucifixion, confirms that "seven years" is the correct interpretation of "week" in this passage.