Journal: Conservative Theological Journal
Volume: CTJ 06:18 (Aug 2002)
Article: A Study of Daniel 9:24 - 27 Part IV
Author: Charles H. Ray

CTJ 6:18 (August 2002) p. 203

A Study of Daniel 9:24 - 27
Part IV

Charles H. Ray

Associate Editor
The Conservative Theological Journal

This article is the final installment of a four part series on Daniel 9:24–27. The previous article covered verse 26 and began to examine verse 27. The first paragraph of this article concludes the discussion showing it is reasonable to see a gap of time between verses 26 and 27. A detailed study of verse 27 follows. A select bibliography can be found at the end of this article.

Other scholars agree there are epochs of time in those passages (Isa. 9:6, etc.) but none of those other predictions involve numbers as 9:24–27 does. While true, the uniqueness of this prophecy places it in a category for which no other passage qualifies. That uniqueness is the fact that the number 490 is broken down into seven, sixty-two, and one. Thus, attempts to discredit the interval theory are futile from this perspective.1

Daniel 9:27 (cont.)

The details of verse 27

The first two Hebrew words are literally, “shall cause a covenant to be strong.”2 הגְבִּיּרּ is a Hiphil perfect 3ms whose root can mean “prevail, have strength, be great,3 have stability, make firm.”4 The potency of this wording may imply the Jews are forced

CTJ 6:18 (August 2002) p. 204

to accept the agreement because of the antichrist’s superior power.5 Young advances the idea that this covenant is the Covenant of Grace, and Jesus has come to commission it. The agreement in question is not a new one but one that already exists because הגְבִּיּר is not the common way to express the making of a new covenant.6 Thus Young espouses: “shall cause to prevail a covenant.” If his conclusion is true, then this is an awkward way to express it. One would be more likely to see “shall fulfill the terms of the covenant.”7

A number of other obstacles emerge...