Did you know there are just shy of 2,500 prophecies or visions that appear in the Bible? Did you also know that approximately 2,000 of those have already been completed to the exact prediction they were given, some thousands of years apart?
The remaining 500 visions deal with the future and events to come, similar to what we see in Daniel 9.
Isn’t that crazy to think about? Imagine choosing the winner of the Superbowl in the year 4022 and knowing exactly how the winning team (Eagles) will win. That’s honestly just a small comparison to showcase the gravity of these prophecies coming true.
The odds of 2,000 prophecies coming true, with exact detail, are 1 in 1 with 2,000 zeros behind it. Type that out, 2,000 zeros! That's an incredible rate to think about, and it makes you realize that God has a bigger plan than we can all comprehend.
Let's zoom in and look at one of the most impactful visions in the Bible and maybe the most straightforward prediction for the coming of Jesus in the entire Old Testament.
So let's look at Daniel chapter 9 and find out what it's predicting and what it means for our life and the future of humanity.
Odds of Daniel's Vision Fulfillment = 1 in 10⁵
In Daniel 9 we start by seeing Daniel doing his own research on past Biblical prophecies by diving into the book Jeremiah. He’s trying to find answers on what’s to come for his people and his home, Israel, which has been in captivity for decades.
In the midst of his prayer, something rare and unexpected happens: he gets a visit from Gabriel, an angel of the Lord. Gabriel is one of only two created angels named in the entire Bible. His presence clearly signifies great importance.
Gabriel tells Daniel that “The moment you began praying, a command was given.”
Remember: God hears us when we pray
While Daniel was hoping for answers on what would happen to his people, the vision and message Gabriel delivered have implications that matter to us today.
Here is the vision Gabriel gives in v24-26: "A period of seventy sets of seven has been decreed for your people and your holy city to finish their rebellion, to put an end to their sin, to atone for their guilt, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to confirm the prophetic vision, and to anoint the Most Holy Place. Now listen and understand! Seven sets of seven plus sixty-two sets of seven will pass from the time the command is given to rebuild Jerusalem until a ruler—the Anointed One—comes. Jerusalem will be rebuilt with streets and strong defenses, despite the perilous times.
"After this period of sixty-two sets of seven. the Anointed One will be killed, appearing to have accomplished nothing, and a ruler will arise whose armies will destroy the city and the Temple. The end will come with a flood, and war and its miseries are decreed from that time to the very end."
That's a lot to unpack and a lot of numbers, so here's what this vision looks like visually:
If we look up the year the command to rebuild Jerusalem is given, we get the year 445 BC.
It says that 69 sets of seven must pass. When you adjust for the Jewish calendar, you get 483 years which puts you roughly in the year 32 AD, the same year that historians had cross-referenced when Jesus' triumphal entry in Jerusalem was the week of his death on the cross.
How insane of a vision is this? 500 years before it happened! So what does Daniel 9 mean for our life and the future of humanity?
God's plan is always bigger than we realize
Daniel was praying for a fix that would impact his local community, but God's vision has the world’s salvation in mind.
This vision was written hundreds of years before Jesus, and in verse 27, there are predictions still to come.
What kind of vision do you have for your life? What are the things dominating your thoughts and daily routines?
Your worries might include:
- I have so much to get done.
- What am I doing with my life?
- How can I make more money?
Sometimes seeing God's vision for your life is in the small things. Maybe you feel called to start walking in your neighborhood and praying for the people you live near or saying hi and looking for an opportunity to be a friend.
Maybe it's the untapped passion and potential to help a young life develop by leading in our kid and student ministries.
Maybe it's time to take a step of faith and become a part of a Group or start a Group that can routinely challenge you to live for the vision of God in your life.
Maybe it is more significant than all of that, and you need to talk with your husband or wife or family and start living for the vision God has for your life.
We know that God's plan for us is bigger than we realize. God knows the beginning of this whole story and the end that is still to come. The odds of 2,000 prophecies coming true (with 500 more to come), in exact detail, is proof of that enough.
If you're interested in other content about Daniel, check out:
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