Covenant Righteousness

 The Relationship between Daniel 8:14 and the Words of the Prophet Isaiah

 by Chris Mack

Overview

The prophecy of Daniel and in particular Daniel 8:14 is the subject under consideration. This passage is the heart and soul of the book of Daniel. Everything in the book of Daniel needs to be considered in light of this passage. I quote Dan.8:14 (NASB); “And he said to me, For 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the holy place will be properly restored”. (margin Lit. “vindicated”.) The key word here is “nitsdaq”, which in the NASB has been translated “properly restored”. This word finds its explanation in the “sedeq” of Daniel chapter 9. The purpose of this paper is to consider the relationship between the way Daniel used “nitsdaq/sedeq” and the way the prophet Isaiah used the word “sedeq” and its variations. As we will see, through the communicative devise known as poetic parallelism, Isaiah has linked “sedeq” (righteousness) with “mishpat” (justice/judgment) and “yeshuah” (salvation). It is the view of this writer that  Daniel’s insight into the meaning of the riddle of Dan.8:14 was conditioned by the understanding that he received from Isaiah.

Daniel came to understand that the LORD God had found a way to vindicate His own character, to bring about the restoration of His Kingdom in which justice and righteousness dwells, to maintain the cause of His people, to justify, and to save the repentant ones who have faith in Him; to deal with sin, iniquity, and transgression; and to bring retributive judgment on Satan the adversary, along with all who have followed him. Daniel came to understand that God would accomplish all these things by the Son of Man, the King of Israel, the Messiah. Daniel has taken the theology of “sedeq” to its ultimate conclusion and has mated it with the “time of the end”, hence eschatology. In other words, Daniel has come to grips with the ultimate purpose and consequences of the Day of Atonement.

Everyone of these concepts, and all the multifaceted implications of “sedeq” are also rooted in and flow through the book of Isaiah. Isaiah spoke of the holiness and glory of God. Isaiah spoke of how God Himself would come to vindicate His own character. In Isaiah, we see the Holy One of Israel taking the cause of His people in their legal case which the adversary has brought against them and against God. The vindication of the holy place /Sanctuary therefore has implications for both the vindication of God and the acquittal of His people in judgment. In Isaiah, we read about the coming of the righteous King and His Kingdom of righteousness and justice. Isaiah prophesied about the sovereign action of this King who would deal with the sin, transgression, and iniquity that has been the cause of the estrangement, and who would bring salvation to God’s people. The mysterious Suffering Servant of Isa.53 would satisfy the justice of God by bearing the sin of many, by being cut off from the land of the living and by taking the stroke that was due His people as a substitutionary sacrifice. Isa.53:4-8. God’s justice was satisfied. Isa.53:11. “By His knowledge the “Righteous One” (tsaddiq), My Servant, will “justify” (tsadeq) the many, as He will bear their iniquities”. Isa.53:11. These verses are foundational in terms of understanding that salvation is more than the forgiveness of sins. It is to be regarded as being righteous, to have filled right doing to the full in the Person of mankind’s Representative.

 Isaiah also dealt with the Majestic One who would come from Edom (the house of Esau) after treading the wine press of the wrath of God in the day of His vengeance, the year of His redemption. Isa.63:1-6. This is the retributive judgment that God will bring on Satan and all who align themselves with him.

All of the implications of “sedeq”, whether in Isaiah or Daniel, lead us to atonement, blood atonement. They lead us to our Kinsman Redeemer, the Anointed King/Priest, who would through His atoning sacrifice single-handedly achieve all the facets of “sedeq”.

The recognition of the Son, the Son of Man, the Seed of the woman, the King of Israel; is all rooted within the covenantal framework of scripture. The eternal covenant between God the Father and God the Son which was entered into before the foundation of the world, and which was prophesied and explained through the prophets, has found its ratification and outworking at Calvary. The Old Testament prophets announced the good news of the Redeemer King who was to come and establish the Kingdom of God. The New Testament prophets proclaimed that the Savior had come and that the “sedeq”, along with all of its multifaceted implications, had found its manifestation and fulfillment in the cross of Christ.

Paul in Rom.3:21 spoke about the manifestation of the “righteousness of God” (Greek-dikaiosune) i.e. the “sedeq of God” being witnessed by the law and the prophets. In the highly concentrated passage of Romans chapter 3, Paul dealt with the vindication of God, (verses 3-5), the problem of sin, (verses 9-19), and the impossibility of mankind extricating himself from his dilemma but nevertheless being accountable, culpable, and guilty before the judgment bar of God, (verses 6,19, 23). We also see here the sovereign action of God to justify, i.e. “sedeq” (Greek-dikaioo) His people, that is the ones who have faith in Him. (verses 24, 26, 28) He accomplished this by redemption, which is to purchase for a price, the price being the blood/death of Christ. (verse 24) The death of the One who became sin for us turned away, that is propitiated, the wrath of God. God’s wrath is only turned away when justice is done, when sin is punished, and when blood atonement is made. (verse 25) The genius of the cross therefore has made it legally possible for God to be “just/righteous, (Greek-dikaios) thereby vindicating Himself, and also to be the  justifier; i.e. “sedeq” (Greek-dikaioo) of the one who has faith in the Christ. (verse 26) This also ensures that Satan and all who follow him will bear the punishment that they justly deserve and will be cut off. (Rom.1:18)

Where did Paul get his understanding of the “sedeq”, that is  righteousness of God? Paul understood that righteousness was a legal, covenantal, and relational term. He got it from Dan.9:15 & 16 where the three concepts of redemption, justification and propitiation are used. Rom.3:24,25. He got it from Dan.8:14 which speaks of the vindication of God and the establishment of the Kingdom of God. (Rom.1:2-5) Daniel 8:14 also includes the salvation, the restoration and therefore the reconciliation of mankind. Paul got it from Dan.9; which uses derivatives of “sedeq” 5 times to explain the sovereign action of God to restore the relationship between Himself and His covenant people. Paul also got all of these concepts from the book of Isaiah. At the core of all the salvific metaphors is substitution and the love of Christ who gave His own life in order to bring the eternal purpose of the Godhead to fruition.

In spite of the fact that the Christ has come and the Kingdom of God has been ushered in, the gospel of the King and His Kingdom must first be announced and proclaimed before the final end can come. The message of God’s “sedeq”, that is the “righteousness of God” (Greek-dikaiosune), which is especially centered on the atoning work of the crucified God must first be preached. Then the final end will come. Even in the final end, that is in the consummation, we again need to recogognize that “sedeq” will be at the core and center of all of the Lord Jesus’ activity. The “sedeq”, the “righteousness of Christ”, will be central in regards to the final vindication of God , the final judgment, the final separation of the wheat and the chaff, the final salvation of the people of God, and the final retributive judgment that will be poured out on the head of evil, that is on Satan, the adversary. Therefore, the  “sedeq” of the books of Isaiah and Daniel need to be considered in order to see what light they shed on not only the inauguration of the Kingdom of God but on its consummation. Rev.15:3,4; 16:7;  19:1,2,8.

The Vision

          Daniel received the vision of Daniel chapter 8 in the third year of the reign of Belshazzar. This was around 550/549 BC. The verse under consideration, Dan.8:14, is the last sentence that Daniel recorded in the vision of Daniel chapter 8. Dan.8:2-14. What immediately follows is that Daniel sought to understand the vision. Dan.8:15. Daniel 8v16 records  that Gabriel was sent to give him understanding of the vision. Daniel used two different words to describe the vision; “chazon” and “mareh”. From the context, it is evident that the Hebrew word “chazon”  relates to the entire vision, while the Hebrew word “mareh” relates to part of the vision. Daniel sought to understand the “chazon. Dan.8:15. Gabriel was sent to give Daniel understanding regarding the “mareh”, the scene in the vision regarding the evenings and mornings, i.e. Dan.8:14. This distinction is important because it helps us to understand that the special part of the vision regarding the “evenings and mornings” is the key to understanding the entire vision.

          The verses that follow contain Gabriel’s instruction and explanation of the vision. The vision “chazon” applies to the “time of the end”. v17. It pertains to the “appointed time of the end”. verse 19.  The words, the “appointed time” of v19 comes from the Hebrew word “moadah” #4150. This word is related to the “appointed” feasts of Lev.23:2, 4, 37 & 44. The same idea is picked up in Ezk. 36:38; 44:24; 45:17; 46:9; 46:11. The same idea is picked up in Lam. 1:4,15; 2:6 twice, and verses 7, 22. This passage in Lamentations is significant. The feasts and especially the Day of Atonement, have the ability to separate those who trust in God from those who do not.

 In the last verse of Daniel 8, that is in verse 27, we read that Daniel was exhausted and sick for days. He was “astounded” at the vision “mareh” and there was none to explain it. The English word “astounded” comes from the Hebrew word “shamem” #8074 which is translated “desolations” in Dan.9:26 and “desolate” twice in Dan.9:27. That Daniel would be seen to personally experience exhaustion, sickness, and desolation in his own person in light of the fact that he was a Prophet, representative of his people, covenant mediator, and type of Christ is a key into understanding the enigmatic riddle of Dan.9v24-27 and therefore Dan.8v14. 

Twelve years later, in 538 BC; as recorded in Daniel chapter 9, Gabriel again came to him. Dan.9:20-23. “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you insight with understanding.” Dan.9:22 Obviously, it is not enough to have a vision. The most important thing is to “understand” the vision. Gabriel went on to say, “so give heed to the message and gain understanding of the vision.” (mareh) Dan.9:23. Gabriel is referring directly back to the vision of the “evenings and mornings” of Dan.8:14, 26, 27. Gabriel had come to give Daniel the key by which to understand the entire vision. Distinguishing  the word “mareh” from the word “chazon” is helpful because it isolates the crucial part of the vision that provides insight and understanding into the entire vision. The key is the “sedeq” of God. Gabriel gave Daniel assurance that the LORD was going to send the Messiah who would usher in the kingdom of everlasting righteousness. What follows in Dan 9:24-27 is one of the most intensive prophecies contained in the word of God. Dan. 10v1 reveals that Daniel now understood the vision, the “mareh”. What we need to realize is that Daniel himself now understood, in light of the enlightenment given to him by Gabriel in Dan.9:24-27, the message of Dan.8:14.

It has been said that trial lawyers don’t ask questions that they don’t already have the answer to. In the same way, the totality of Daniel chapters 8 and 9 was written by a man who had the answers. He has built the answers into the totality of the text. Therefore, the verses that precede Dan.9:24-27 were written by a Prophet who already had the answer to the questions and the understanding of the vision. They are part of the package, and themselves also contain the answer.

Righteousness

The verse under consideration is Dan.8:14. The Hebrew word “nitsdaq” #6663  (margin Lit. vindicated) stands behind the English words “properly restored” NASB; “restored to its rightful state” RSV; or “emerge victorious” NEB. The word “nitsdaq” comes from the same word group as the word “tsedeq”. Sedeq is used 5 times in Daniel chapter 9. The word “tsaddiq” #6662 is found in Dan. 9:14; “the LORD our God is righteous”. The word “tsedeq” #6664 is found in Dan.9:24; “to bring in everlasting righteousness”. The word “tsedaqah” #6666, is found in Dan.9v7; “Righteousness belongs to Thee, O Lord”, in Dan.9:16; “In accordance with all Thy righteous acts” (righteousnesses) and in Dan.9:18; “we are not presenting our supplication before Thee on account of “any merits” (righteousnesses) of our own”. What we are seeing here is linkage and explanation between Daniel 8:14 and its corresponding explanation in Daniel chapter 9 in Daniel’s manifold use of “sedeq”. The nuances of meaning inherent in the “sedeq” word family reveal how the righteous actions of the righteous God have made it possible for God to deal with all the nuances of sin, iniquity, and transgression, while simultaneously being seen to be righteous when He justifies (sedeq) His people while still reserving the right to pour His righteous judgment on His adversaries.

The concept of righteousness and the sedeq family of words flows through the book of Isaiah. The book of Isaiah begins with the term “righteousness” and ends with the words and the concepts that are related to the righteous actions of the Sovereign, Holy, and Righteous God. Isa. 1:21-27; 62:1; 66:13-16. The mountain peak in the book of Isaiah is in chapters 52-54. Sedeq and its derivatives are used 77 times in the book of Isaiah. They are translated into the English words “righteousness (52x), right (4x), righteous (12x), righteously (3x), righteousness’(1x), justify (2x), justified (2x), and vindication (1x) in the book of Isaiah. Therefore, the writings of Isaiah will prove instrumental in terms of the interpretation of Dan.8v14.

Isaiah

 Who is Isaiah? His name means “Yahweh is salvation”. His book is placed at the head of the prophetic books. It has been said of him, quoting Eerdman’s Bible Handbook, “There is nothing to equal his tremendous vision of God and the glory in store for God’s people until we reach John’s book of Revelation, at the end of the New Testament. Other prophets came before him historically, but there was none greater.” He has been called the eagle among the prophets’, the evangelist of the old covenant.

Isaiah was called to be a prophet in the year King Uzziah died; (740/739 BC) and he prophesied through the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Isa.6:1,8; 1:1. His prophetic work went on to cover a period of approximately 55 years. Isaiah chapters 1 through 39 pertain to the period from 740 BC through to 701 BC. Deutero or Second Isaiah pertains to 690 BC. I see no reason to argue for more than one author of the book. Not only tradition but the evidence of the New Testament speaks of a single author. A core statement that runs through Isaiah is that God is the “Holy One of Israel”. This divine appellation occurs 12 times in chapters 1-39 and 13 times in chapters 40-66, and only 5 times in the rest of the Old Testament, thereby enabling us to come to grips not only with the theme of Isaiah but to recognize the unity and cohesiveness of the book.

There is a lack of clarity regarding Isaiah’s last years. Some say that he lived on into the dark days of Hezekiah’s son, evil King Manasseh. 2 Kings 21. It seems reasonable that the public ministry of Isaiah ended with the ascendancy of Manasseh in light of the great wickedness of Manasseh. Manasseh, who became king at the age of 12 (2 Kings 21:1) probably reigned as co-regent with his father from 696-686 BC and as sole ruler from 686-642 BC.; quoting E.R. Thiele as quoted by the Tyndale Bible Dictionary. If King Hezekiah’s sickness and recovery took place in 701 BC., and he was given 15 more years to live, it would bring us to 686BC.  2 Kings 21:10 says that “ the Lord spoke through His servants the prophets”. In the prophecy that follows in this passage, we hear the prophet crying out against Manasseh because of his wickedness and the idolatry and abominations that he instituted. 2 Kings 21:16 goes on to record how “Manasseh shed very much innocent blood until he had filled Jerusalem with it from one end to the other”. It seems possible then that the prophet that spoke against Manasseh was Isaiah and that he lost his life for it. Tradition has it that Isaiah was sawn in two during Manasseh’s reign.

Daniel’s Awareness of Isaiah’s Prophecy

There is a basis for recognizing that the prophet Daniel was not only aware of the prophet Isaiah but that he was familiar with his writings. Daniel wrote his prophecy while in Babylonian captivity. The destruction of Jerusalem came in 3 stages. In 605 BC, King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon brought Jehoiakim to his knees and carried off hostages. Daniel and his 3 friends were among them. After Jehoiakim’s rebellion, his son Jehoiachin took his seat on the throne for 3 months. Nebuchadnezzar came again to Jerusalem, besieged it, and carried off 10,000 more captives, among them King Jehoiachin and the young prophet Ezekiel. 2 Kings 24. Finally in 586BC., after a long siege, Nebuchadnezzar destroyed their city and the temple and broke up the entire Jewish community.

 In 605 BC., Daniel, a youth of the royal line, was taken into captivity with the first group of captives. Dan.1:3,4. If Isaiah finished his ministry around 685 BC., this puts only 80 years between the end of his ministry and the youth, Daniel. For a number of reasons, it is apparent that Daniel either possessed or had access to the books of Scripture that preceded him. This would include Isaiah. In Daniel 9v4 we read, “in the first year of his reign (speaking of Darius the Mede), I Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which was revealed as the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet”. The NIV uses the word “scriptures” here instead of books. The use of the word books/scriptures (plural) here indicates that, to quote Joyce Baldwin in her commentary on Daniel and 9v2 in particular: “Mention of the books (or ‘the Scriptures’ NIV) indicates that prophetic books were considered canonical at the time of writing.” Daniel explicitly mentioned Jeremiah in this verse. This would also include the Book of Lamentations which is attributed to Jeremiah. But much more than that, Daniel has opened the door to our recognition that he also possessed or had access to the entire canon of the Old Testament Scripture that preceded him. It is also arguable that Daniel had direct knowledge of Ezekiel, his contemporary’s prophecy. Daniel doesn’t mention Ezekiel but Ezekiel mentions Daniel by name. Ezk.14:14,20; 28:3. In Dan.9:13, Daniel explicitly mentioned “the Law of Moses”. From the covenant language that flows especially through Daniel chapter 9 and Daniel’s intimate knowledge of the Sanctuary system, it is certainly apparent that Daniel was familiar with the first 5 books of Moses.

 As we will subsequently see, there is a powerful connection between Daniel’s prayer of Dan.9 and King Solomon’s prayer of Temple dedication in 1 Kings 8 and 2 Chron. 6 & 7. Daniel was obviously familiar with the history of Israel’s kings as recorded in 1st and 2nd  Samuel; 1st and 2nd Kings, and 1st and 2nd Chronicles. In addition, the “sedeq” word family that flows through Isaiah is also very prominent in the Psalms. Doubtless, the Hebrew captives sang the Psalms during the time of their captivity. A Bible with cross references reveals a multitude of allusions by Daniel to the Psalms. What we need to remember is that almost the entire canon of the books that we recognize as the Old Testament had been written by the time that Daniel came onto the scene. Only Ezra, Zechariah, Haggai, Nehemiah, and Malachi remained to be written. If one possesses a Bible with marginal cross references, it becomes readily apparent that Daniel chapter 9 contains many references to the book of Isaiah. Therefore, it is the view of this writer that Daniel specifically had the writings of Isaiah in mind when he penned Daniel chapter 9. It is imperative to have a knowledge of the scripture that preceded the writing of Daniel in order to understand his prophecy. It is not an island that can be exegeted and understood on its merits alone.

We know that Daniel was initially selected by Nebuchadnezzar to serve in the king’s court as a wise man. He was knowledgeable in every branch of literature and writing. Dan.1:17. Can’t we assume that this included the sacred Hebrew Scriptures? Daniel found favor with the king after revealing his dream to him and providing the interpretation thereof. He was then appointed ruler over the whole province of Babylon and the chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. Dan.2:48. No doubt, the king accorded Daniel the privilege of access to the sacred writings  because of the favor that he had found with him. This was further enhanced when Nebuchadnezzar came to acknowledge the Most High God after the episode in the fiery furnace. When Nebuchadnezzar’s pride got the best of him and he lost his mind/reason, doubtless Daniel was at least partially responsible for keeping his kingdom intact and protecting his life. When the Medes and the Persians overthrew Babylon, lead by Cyrus, Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Darius the Mede, (Dan.9:1) and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian. Dan.6:28. I do not seek to engage in the problem here regarding whether or not Darius and Cyrus are one and the same person. The sole point is that Daniel was well respected and established as one of the three commissioners that was in charge as administrator over the whole kingdom of the Medes and the Persians. Dan.6:1,2. He would have had the opportunity to possess copies of the Hebrew Scriptures.

It is also of interest to note that the time frame of the conspiracy against Daniel by the other commissioners and satraps as recorded in Dan.6., is the same as that of Daniel’s recorded prayer in Dan. 9. (538 BC) One of the characteristics of apocalyptic literature is that it gives us insight into the warfare that is taking place behind the scenes. E.g. Dan.10. Not only Daniel but Satan and his evil angels were aware of the promises of God found in the prophetic books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. These men prophesied  that the children of Israel would embark on a new exodus back to the land of Israel and that the city and the Sanctuary would be rebuilt. Satan was no doubt especially concerned about the divine Son that had been prophesied to come to take His seat on the throne of the kingdom of God.

This righteous man Daniel prayed on his knees 3 times a day towards Jerusalem at the risk of his own life making prayer and supplication before his God. Dan.6:10, 11. It is this writer’s view that the essence of the prayer that Daniel prayed towards Jerusalem in Dan.6 is the prayer that he recorded in Dan. 9.  1Kings 8:44-49. The prayer that he prayed was that God would hear, listen and take action. Dan.9v19. Daniel prayed that the LORD would soverignly fulfill His covenant promise to redeem, turn His wrath away from His people, forgive them and restore the Sanctuary. Dan.9:17, 16, 19. Daniel prayed that the LORD would act for the sake of His own Holy Name. Dan.9:17, 18, 19.  Daniel prayed that God would “make His face shine on Thy/His desolate Sanctuary”. Dan.9:17. In other words, Daniel was praying that God would again manifest His Presence in the midst of His people. In times past, the Lord had brought out/redeemed His people from the land of Egypt with a mighty hand. God Himself had led them out. Daniel was praying that God would again bring about a new exodus, but this time from the land of Babylon. Dan.9:15. Exod.6:6. The promise given in Isa.10:20-22 is that a remnant would return, not just to Jerusalem, but to the Mighty God. Herein we see the spiritual implications of coming out of Babylon.

The LORD of the Covenant

The Covenant Name of God, YHWH, “the LORD” is used nowhere else in the book of Daniel but in Dan. 9 where it is used 7 times. (Dan.9: 2,4,10, 13, 14 twice, and verse 20.) Daniel was in essence pleading with the covenant keeping God of Israel to renew the covenant. Israel had sinned, rebelled against God, and turned aside, i.e. apostatized. Jer.11:10. She had broken the covenant. Dan.9:4,5 Therefore God poured out the covenant curse upon them. Dan.9:11 Three times we read of the calamity/disaster that God Himself inflicted on them. Dan.9:12,13,14. Jer.11. God, therefore is as faithful to bring about the curse as He is to bring about the blessing. Lev.26. Deut.27-30. God is a God of justice. The basis for this renewal of the covenant was not on any merits (righteousnesses) that Daniel or the people of Israel had to bring to the table. It was based only on the “great compassion” of the LORD. Dan.9:18. Exod.34:6.

It is significant to note Daniel’s use of the personal pronouns, and how Daniel used his knowledge of the character of YHWH as the basis for imploring God to soverignly act for the glory of His own Name. The large concentration of these personal pronouns as they relate to the LORD of the covenant is striking and unusual. Daniel used the Divine pronouns 27 times in the space of 16 verses from Dan.9:4 to v19. This is the list. His covenant verse 4, Thy commandments verse 5, Thy servants verse 6, Thy name verse 6, His words verse 12, Thy truth verse 13, His deeds verse 14, His voice verse 14, Thy people verse 15, Thy Righteous acts verse 16, Thine anger verse 16, Thy wrath verse 16, Thy city verse 16, Thy holy mountain verse 16, Thy people verse 16, Thy servant verse 17, Thy sake verse 17, Thy face verse 17, Thy desolate sanctuary verse 17, Thine ear verse 18, Thine eyes verse 18, Thy name verse 18, Thy great compassion verse 18, Thine own sake verse 19, Thy city verse 19, Thy people verse 19, Thy name verse 19. In essence, Daniel was imploring God to manifest His Name which is His Glory. Moses saw it. Isaiah saw it. Daniel wanted to see it.

When we consider the life and ministry of Daniel from beginning to end, we are impressed with his humility and his holy boldness. Even in Daniel chapter 1, we see that Daniel was not willing to reject his religious principles. Whenever he or his compatriots were tested, they were even willing to be slain in order to serve their God. We might well ask ourselves where they got all of this religious stamina. We need to attribute this to more than a moral upbringing. It must have been based on more than the fact that God had blessed their nation in the past. It was based on the fact that the prior prophets had not only prophesied their captivity, but had years before, prophesied about a new exodus. They had prophesied that the children of Israel would return to the land that was promised to the fathers. Daniel’s faith was based on the prophecy of Gen.3:15 and the Seed of the woman. It was based on the covenant that God had made with David that he would never lack a man to sit on the throne or lack a priest to offer sacrifice. Jer.33:14-22. It is this writer’s conclusion that Daniel’s knowledge of the character and purposes of God in terms of the new exodus and the restoration of the Sanctuary and the Kingdom of God to Israel was rooted in the prophecy of Isaiah.

Isaiah’s Prophecy

Let us now consider the prophecies of the greatest of the Old Testament prophets. Let us consider Isaiah. The vision of God that Isaiah saw in the year of King Uzziah’s death, as recorded in Isa.6; conditioned his entire experience and his entire ministry. This monumental vision provides a thematic basis for the entire book of Isaiah. What Isaiah saw was much more than the features of God. He saw, he heard, he perceived, he gained insight, wisdom, and understanding into the Holiness of the LORD of hosts. His eyes had seen the King seated on His throne. Isaiah’s immediate response was to recoil in anguish. His own sinfulness, his own uncleanness, had become overwhelmingly apparent in the Presence of the Holiness of YHWH. It was at this point that a burning coal was taken from the altar, placed on his lips, and his iniquity and sin was taken away, forgiven, and atoned for.

It was on this occasion that Isaiah was called to ministry. The Godhead commissioned Isaiah to go and tell this people about the holiness of the LORD. This commission first refers to Isaiah, but also looks forward to the Messiah that God would send. Isaiah asked, “How long?” “until cities are devastated, houses are without people, and the land is utterly desolate. Isa.6:11. Compare this with the “how long?” of Dan.8:13. Isaiah agonized over sin and desired that Israel would catch a glimpse of the holiness of God. Daniel would also agonize over what the destructive nature of rebellion was doing to his people. Dan.9.

 Inspite of the desolation that sin brought on, nevertheless, a tenth portion, a holy portion will be left. Isa.4:2,3. The tree may fall, but a remnant, a stump, will remain. The Holy Seed is the Stump. Isa.6:13. The same point permeates all of the book of Isaiah. The  LORD is a God of holiness, justice, and righteousness. Israel had become a harlot. God’s wife had broken the covenant. Therefore God gave her into the hands of her lovers so that she might be chastised. Nevertheless, He would punish her enemies and bring her back to her land. The LORD would seat a righteous King on the throne of Israel who would rule justly as co-regent with Himself.

The first chapter of Isaiah lays out the story and the contents of the entire book of Isaiah. It is an overview, a synopsis. Isaiah chapter 1 begins with the LORD speaking of how His sons, of how His people, have revolted against Him. They don’t know Him. They don’t understand Him. Consequently they have abandoned the Holy One. They have turned away, despised Him, they have apostatized. Speaking about the future and its certainty by using the past tense, the LORD spoke of their land being desolated and their cities being burned with fire. He went on to address them as Sodom and Gomorrah. Their sacrifices and their appointed feasts have wearied God. While they multiply their prayers their hands are covered with blood. The Lord appealed to them to remove the evil, to do good, to seek justice, to defend the widow and the orphan. He went on to give them two choices. If you consent and obey, you will eat the best of the land; i.e. be blessed. If you rebel, you will be devoured by the sword; i.e. be cursed. The LORD lamented over His people.

Isa.1:21; “The faithful city has become a harlot,

She who was full of justice!

Righteousness once lodged in her,

But now murderers.

Isa.1:22; Your rulers are rebels”.

Therefore the Lord of hosts said that He would be relieved of His adversaries and avenge Himself on His foes. God would even turn His hand against His own people. He would chastise them and remove their dross. Then the LORD would restore them. They again would be called the city of righteousness, a faithful city.

We are seeing a pattern here; displeasure, accusation, condemnation, recommendation, realization, chastisement, purification, retribution, restoration, and reconciliation.

Isa.1:27; “Zion will be redeemed with justice,

And her repentant ones with righteousness.

Isa.1:28; But transgressors and sinners will be crushed together,

And those who forsake the LORD shall come to an end.

The prophet Isaiah’s call to ministry came in Isaiah chapter 6. When he recognized his own unworthiness in the sight and presence of the holiness of God, it brought him to confession and repentance. With his new understanding of the glory and holiness of God, he was able to discern with clarity the problem of sin and rebellion. God’s wife, Israel, had committed spiritual adultery. How could He save her, bring her back, and simultaneously be true to His principles of righteous and justice? How could He righteously punish the rebellious but still save His people? The solution was for Him to give His  people a manifestation of the truth about His character that would enable them to truly repent and to continue to be faithful to Him. The solution was that God Himself would come. He would do battle with the head of rebellion; i.e. Satan. He would die as a substitute for His people. This manifestation of the love, the mercy, the righteousness, and the justice of God would break the power that sin had over His people. It would ensure a new exodus and a complete restoration of a kingdom in which sin would not rise up again. All of this redemptive action would find its revelation at the cross.

Righteousness and Justice

As we will see in this brief consideration of the book of Isaiah, there is a clear relationship between “righteousness” and “justice”. This becomes readily apparent through the literary device that we call poetic parallelism. As we will see, there is also a clear link between the righteousness of God and salvation. After Isaiah saw the glory of God and had his sin atoned for, the voice of the Lord said, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” We then hear the voice of one/One saying, here am I, send me/Me.”  Isa.6:8. We know that this refers to the ordination of Isaiah, but it refers to more than that. It refers to the second member of the Godhead, Jesus Christ, the Apostle, the One sent from God.

In Isa.7:14, we next read about the prophecy of Immanuel, God with us. In Isa.8:8, 10, 13, & 14; this Immanuel shall become a Sanctuary to you, but also a Stone and Rock to stumble over. It is significant that Isaiah understood that the ultimate purpose of God was to bring about Edenic restoration where He Himself would again dwell in the midst of His people. It becomes apparent in this passage that what one does with this Immanuel is decisive in determining ones future. He will  exercise the righteous judgment of God. 

Immanuel, the King of Justice and Righteousness

In Isa.9, we receive elaboration

 on this Immanuel. He will regain the dominion for God and for His people. God Himself will rule and reign in the midst of His people. Herein we have the “Kingdom of God”. The Kingdom of God and the vindication thereof is the theme of the book of Daniel. We are seeing linkage here.

Isaiah chapter 9 records the prophecy of this King. I quote verse 6 & 7;

 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;

And the government will rest on His shoulders;

And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,

On the throne of David and over his kingdom,

To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness

From then on and forevermore.

The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.

In this same passage, Isaiah prophesies that the yoke of burden that is on the people of God will be broken and so also will be the rod of their oppressor. Isa.9:4. Herein we see that the “oppressor, i.e. “Satan”, will have his dominion wrestled away from him by the New David, the new Son (of man).

 A few points need to be made at this juncture. The first one is that Daniel was aware of this prophecy and looked forward with hope to this Messianic King and His Messianic Kingdom. The second is that Daniel himself had a vision of God, as recorded in Dan.7:9-14. Daniel saw the Son, the Son of Man, presented with the dominion and the kingdom. It was a Kingdom that would not pass away. In other words, it would be an eternal kingdom. In the same passage, judgment was passed in favor of the saints. The saints will inherit the kingdom under the rulership of the King. Dan.7:22,27. In light of Isaiah’s prophecy of the King and Daniel’s own vision, it makes sense that in his prayer of Dan.9, Daniel was praying that God would send this King who would manifest His glory in the midst of His people. Daniel was praying for the forgiveness of his people, the restoration of the Kingdom to his people, and the restoration of the Sanctuary. The arrival of the Messiah; that is the Anointed Prince, would therefore be the sign that the Sanctuary was restored. Dan.9:23,24. It would signal the vindication of God. Dan.8:14.  Daniel was familiar with all of the covenants that God had made with Israel. Of special concern was the Davidic covenant in which God had promised to send one chosen  from the people, the Kinsman Redeemer, the Seed of David, who would take His seat on the throne and rule over God’s people with righteousness and justice forever. Psm. 89; 2 Sam.7.

Isa.11:1-5 provides additional insight into the character of this Davidic King, this Branch, this Shoot from the stem of Jesse. The concepts of righteousness, faithfulness, fairness, and judgment flow through this passage. But, once again, Isaiah doesn’t hesitate to declare that the root of Jesse will slay the wicked.

Warfare

In Isaiah chapter 14, under the guise of the taunt that is taken up against the king of Babylon, Isaiah laid bare Satan’s character, his motives, and his ambitions. Satan’s desire was to raise his throne above the stars of God. He desired to sit in the Sanctuary. He desired to make himself like the Most High. Herein we have Satan contending for the rulership of the cosmos. What we are gaining here is insight into the titanic struggle for the throne.

 If we were to take a deeper look into Isa.14, we would see that the same evil characteristics that were revealed about the king of Babylon, i.e. Satan, were also revealed about Antiochus Epiphanes who Daniel used as a representation of Satan. We could say the same thing about Ezk.28 and his lamentation over the king of Tyre. The real surprise comes in the book of Jeremiah’s Lamentations, in chapter 2. In this passage, the daughter of Zion had becomes Satan’s pawn. The similarity between the daughter of Zion and the description of Lucifer is striking. Lam.2 is particularly helpful in terms of understanding the riddle of Dan.9:26 & 27. This passage refers to both the activity of Christ and the activity of the anti-christ simultaneously. These passages are part of the continuing exemplification of the concept of parody which is rooted in Genesis but flows through scripture. A key verse in Isa.14 is verse 24; “The Lord of hosts has sworn saying, surely, just as I have intended so it has happened, and just as I have planned so it will stand.” When Satan and his pawns tore down the ultimate Sanctuary, which is the body of Christ, he found himself fulfilling the purpose and plan made by the Godhead before the foundation of the world. He also signed his own death certificate. A complete destruction has therefore been decreed upon the desolater, that is on the one who makes desolate. Dan.9v27.

Again and again throughout the book of Isaiah, we see the linkage between justice and righteousness. E.g. Isa.16:5; 26v9; 28:16 & 17. Isa.28:16 & 17 is of particular interest because it links justice and righteousness with the restoration of the Sanctuary. See also Isa.8:14 & 15. In Isa. 32:1, the parallelism is linked to the king who will rule justly and reign righteously. The same parallelism is in Isa.32:16 & 33v5.

Covenant Lawsuit

The transition point in the book is at chapter 40:1. What follows in the next chapters could be described as a covenant lawsuit. This is rooted in Isa.3:13 & 14 which says;

The LORD arise to contend,

And stands to judge the people.

The LORD enters into judgment with the elders and princes of His people.

It is you who have devoured the vineyard.

The word “contend” is the Hebrew word “rib” #7379. Because Israel had broken the covenant, God in His role as Judge, had a legal quarrel with His people. The word “Judge” here is the Hebrew word “din” #1777. This is the same word used in Dan.9:10, 22, & 26. No doubt Daniel was aware that the Judge of the universe had a just cause for a lawsuit against all who have broken the covenant. The word “judgment” in Isa.3:14 is the Hebrew word “mishpat” #4941. As the God who loves justice, God is obligated by the holiness of His own character to reward the righteous ones and to punish the guilty. Isa.30v18, 61v8. Through poetic parallelism, we need to realize that there is a connection between all of these different Hebrew words. What follows Isaiah chapter 40 are chapter after chapter of “legalese”. They are replete with legal overtones. The real problem that not only Israel but all mankind faces is that we all stand culpable and guilty before the judgment bar of God. In this court, it is as if Satan has taken the role of prosecutor. How does a God who loves justice judge righteously and still save His people? After Daniel witnessed the judgment scene in Dan.7; no doubt this was on his mind.

The solution comes from God Himself. He has a plan. In Isa.40:1, God’s people are to be comforted. Their iniquity has been removed/ the penalty of their iniquity is accepted as being paid off. The next thing we read is that the LORD is coming. His glory will be revealed. All flesh will see it. Isa.40:5. This is good news. The Lord God is going to come with might to rule. We are seeing the Kingdom of God here. Isa.40v10. But does the justice that is due Him escape the notice of God?” Isa.40:27. Is God  going to sweep sin under the carpet? By no means. In Isa.41:1, God says; “Let us come together for judgment.” In Isa.41:10-12, God assured Israel that He would take her side in the lawsuit. “I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Those who “contend” (rib) with you will be as nothing. Those who quarrel/war with you will be non-existent. Isa.41:21 says; “Present your case, bring forward your strong arguments.” In Isa.42:1, we catch a glimpse of God’s Servant. “He will bring forth justice to the nations.” He will establish justice on the earth. Isa.42v4. The LORD Himself will go forth like a warrior and prevail against His enemies. Isa.42:13. In Isa.43v1, Isaiah gives us insight into how the LORD will bring about justice while simultaneously saving His people. God says; “I have redeemed you …you are Mine.” The word Redeemer in terms of describing God is used 13 times in Isaiah. The ones God has saved are called the “redeemed” 9 times in Isaiah. God Himself will pay the price for the redemption of His people. Redemption, the purchase for a price, is an act of justice. This is how He will win the lawsuit against Satan on behalf of His people while simultaneously upholding the standards of justice and righteousness. In this just act, God Himself will receive His own fair and just reward, which is the lives of His people. They are His portion and reward. 

Isa.43:25 says; “I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake”. This is the basis of Daniel’s prayer. Daniel clearly realized that the only hope for his people would be if God soverignly acted on behalf of His people because of the greatness of His holy name. (character) Daniel had a basis for believing that God would actually take the case of His repentant people in light of Isaiah’s words. The LORD said through Isaiah in Isa.43:26; “Let us argue our case together”. God has more than a case against Israel. He has a case against mankind. “Your first forefather sinned, (Adam) and your spokesmen have transgressed against Me.” As we will see, the salvation of God has implications for the world, not just for Israel.

 In Isaiah chapters 44 &45, the Lord reinforced the fact that He and He alone is the one and only God. E.g. Isa.44:6-9; 45:5-7. In Isa.45:6-20, The LORD contrasted His eternal power and authority with the graven images which are the works of man’s hands. “The gods of the nations are idols.” Psm.95:5; Isa.37:16-20. King Hezekiah appealed to the God of Israel for deliverance from the huge army of the Assyrians who had camped outside of Jerusalem on the basis that victory over Israel by Sennacherib would defame the name of the LORD. The so-called “gods” of the nations could not stand up to Assyria’s might, and defeat now would place the God of Israel in the same category as the impotent gods of wood and stone. Daniel also prayed on the basis  that the name of the Lord would be besmirched if Israel was not freed from Babylonian captivity, and permitted to openly worship the God of Israel in the Sanctuary. Dan.9:17-19.

 In Isa.45:22-25, Isaiah links the salvation of God to the covenant. In The LORD only are righteousness and strength. Every knee will bow and give Him allegiance. “In the LORD all the offspring of Israel will be justified, and will glory.” In this passage righteousness, salvation, justification, kingdom, and covenant are linked. These concepts are all front and centre in the book of Daniel and especially in Daniel chapter 9.

Isa.45:22-25 says:

Turn to Me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth;

For I am God, and there is no other.

I have sworn (covenanted) by Myself, (Soverignly)

The word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness

And will not turn back,

That to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance. (to the King)

They will say of Me, Only in the LORD (YHWH) are righteousness and strength.

Men will come to Him, (Immanuel, the Messiah)

And all who are angry at Him (the Son) shall be put to shame.

In the LORD all the offspring of Israel

Will be justified, (tsadeq) and will glory.

Isa.46:13 says, “I bring near My righteousness, it is not far off; And My salvation will not delay. In Isa.49:24-26; the Lord promised to take on the tyrant (Satan) and to rescue the captives. “For I will “contend” (rib) with the one who “contends” (acts as an adversary against you) with you.” Isa.49:25. God promised here to be the Savior and Redeemer of Jacob. In Isa.50:1, the LORD asks; “where is your certificate of divorce?’ God’s wife was sent away for her iniquities. The LORD in the supreme act of self sacrificing love is about to woo her back to Himself.

Isaiah 50:7-9 is a key passage.

For the Lord God helps me/Me (in judgment)

Therefore, I am not disgraced;

Therefore I have set my/My face like flint,

And I know that I shall not be ashamed. (be proven guilty)

He who vindicates me/Me is near; (#6663) Dan.8:14; 9:16.

Who will contend with me/Me? (rib)

Let us stand up to each other (RSV together)

Who has a case against me/Me? (mishpat-a legal charge)

Let him draw near to Me.

Behold, the Lord God helps me/Me;

Who is he who condemns me/Me?”

In this remarkable passage, we are seeing with greater clarity, especially in consideration of what we have already seen in Isaiah, that God Himself was determined to vindicate His own character while simultaneously taking the case of the repentant ones whom the accuser of the brethren has brought a charge. But Satan’s main interest is not puny man. His main interest was in taking down God. Daniel has realized that the vindication of God and the justification (sedeq) of His people is the issue in the controversy/lawsuit. Daniel’s prayer of Dan.9 was therefore not only for the salvation and restoration of his people but for the reputation of God. The apostle Paul  picked up this passage of Isaiah in Rom.8:31-34. “Who shall bring a (legal) charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies.” Paul understood that to bring a charge against God’s elect was to bring a charge against God Himself. But through the demonstration of His Righteousness in His Christ on Calvary, the justice of God has been seen to be without reproach. In Paul’s mind the vindication of God’s righteousness was demonstrated at Calvary. Rom.3:21-26.

God Acts Alone

In Isaiah chapter 59, which is the precursor of Romans 3 in the New Testament, Isaiah presented the indictment of all mankind before the judgment bar of God because of man’s sinfulness. There is a connection between this passage and Isaiah chapter 1. Even sinful mankind groans for justice but there is none. See Isa.59:8,9,11,14,15.

I quote Isa.59:15 & 16

The LORD saw that there was no justice,

And He saw that there was no man,

And was astonished that there was no one to intercede;

Then His own arm brought salvation to Him.

And His righteousness upheld Him.

Isaiah then went on to describe how the LORD Himself went into battle against the enemy as the Representative of man. It is a re-enactment of the story of David and Goliath. He did it in light of the covenant. Isa.59:21. 

In Isa.51:4,5,6,8. we see again that justice, righteousness, and salvation are linked. In Isa.52 the gospel, that is the good news of the King and the Kingdom of God is announced. It is in the context of restoration, redemption, and salvation.  In Isa.52:13, the mysterious Servant of God is again announced. It is the King of Israel, who is about to go into battle and lay down His life in order to redeem His people. Daniel had a vision of  One like a Son of Man who would come. He would receive a kingdom. He would receive everlasting dominion. This Son of “man” would approach the ancient of Days/ the Father, as man’s representative. Dan.7:13,14. Jer.30:21,22. The role of the king of Israel was that of co-regent with God and covenant mediator. 1Chron.29:22,23. 1Kings 8. Daniel’s understanding of the future is therefore conditioned on his understanding of the prophets, especially Isaiah.

  Isaiah chapter 53 is not an island in a sea of dialogue. Isaiah has been building a case from chapter 1 and especially since Isaiah chapter 40. Isaiah 53 is the top of the mountain. It is the revelation of the justice, righteousness, and salvation of God.  It is in Isa.53:11, that the suffering Servant will justify “sedeq” the many. It is here that He will ratify the covenant with His own blood. This is the covenant that was made between the Father and the Son before the foundation of the world. In light of this substitutionary sacrifice of the Son, the LORD has defeated Satan through the active revelation and therefore the vindication of His own character. Satan, therefore, has no basis of accusation against the repentant people of God.

Vindication

Isa.54:17 says;

No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper;

And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn.

This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,

And their vindication is from Me, declares the LORD.

The vindication spoken of here is #6666 (tsedaqah). Again, the word “mishpat” is translated “judgment. The vindication of the God who was attacked in the symbol of the Sanctuary in Dan.8:14 took place at Calvary. It is at the cross that His servants were also vindicated. As we have seen, a righteous standing in the Presence of God based on the Sovereign action of the LORD is one of the premier blessings of the covenant. In Isaiah chapter 55-61, we see that this offer of salvation is for all the peoples. “He who takes refuge in Me shall inherit the land, and shall possess My holy mountain. Isa.57:13  “For thus says the high and exalted One, Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, I dwell on a high and holy place, and also with the contrite and lowly of spirit.” Isa.57:15. In Isaiah chapters 62-66, we see the full reinstatement of Zion as the people of God. Jerusalem again is the holy people, a city not forsaken, the virgin bride of the King. Isa.62. This intimate relationship is the goal towards which the entire energies of God have been focused. In Isa.63; the Lord brings retributive judgment against the unrepentant, against the house of Esau. What follows is a new heaven and a new earth (in which righteousness dwells) Isa.65:17.   2Pet.3:13.

The book of Isaiah has come full circle. God has acted to vindicate His character. He has revealed His glory. The God of justice has found a way to be true to His character of righteousness while simultaneously saving the repentant ones. Nevertheless, He has reserved the right to punish Satan and all who follow him. The call is sent out in Isa.55:3;

“Incline your ear and come to Me.

Listen that you might live;

And I will make an everlasting covenant with you,

According to the faithful mercies shown to David.

Covenant Renewal

It was according to the promises contained in the Davidic covenant that gave Daniel the courage to pray that God would renew the broken covenant. The angel Gabriel brought Daniel the message that his request had been heard. God would come Himself in the person of the Messiah, the King of Israel. He would single-handedly “finish the transgression, make an end of sin, make atonement for iniquity, bring in everlasting righteousness, seal up and fulfill the prophecy and be anointed as the Most Holy”. Dan.9:24. When Daniel heard these words from the lips of Gabriel, his mind must have flashed through his thoughts and memories of  the book of Isaiah. The understanding of the meaning of the mysterious suffering Servant of Isa.53 must have crystallized in his mind. Daniel now understood that Immanuel, the shoot from the root of Jesse would come and take His seat on the throne and establish His everlasting Kingdom of righteousness and justice. Daniel understood that the King of Israel would be cut off and die in battle in order establish this Kingdom of God. The Messiah’s action would vindicate the holiness and justice of God’s character, and expose the wickedness of Satan, while simultaneously redeeming God’s people. It also ensured that retributive judgment would be laid on the head of evil. The death of the covenant Maker for the transgressions against the first covenant enabled God to cut a New and Eternal Covenant based on the better promises of God and on the better blood of the Christ. Heb.9:12,15,16. Daniel came to understand that God Himself would not only renew the covenant through the shed blood of His Messiah who would be “cut off” (Dan.9:26; Isa.53:8.), but that His Servant would take the role as man’s Righteous Representative and positively fulfill the demands of the covenant. On this sound basis, God could answer Daniel’s prayer and renew the covenant.

 “Transgression, iniquity, and sin” are all mentioned in Dan.9:24 and in Isa.53.

Verse 5 He was pierced through for our transgressions.

He was crushed for our iniquities.

Verse 6 But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.

Verse 8 He was cut off out of the land of the living,

For the transgression of my people to whom the stroke was due.

Verse 11 My Servant will justify the many,

As He will bear their iniquities.

Verse 12 Because He poured out Himself to death,

And was numbered with the transgressors;

Yet He Himself bore the sin of many,

And interceded for transgressors.

 Bibles with cross references link Dan.9:24 to Isa.53:10 & 51:6,8; & 56:1. The interpreters have seen that the everlasting righteousness of Dan.9:24 is linked to the justice, the salvation, and the righteousness that is portrayed in the book of Isaiah. Daniel  understood that “transgression, sin, and  iniquity needed to be dealt with before any lasting kingdom which found its basis on righteousness and justice could be established. Daniel understood that God would use His Servant, the Son of Man, the  righteous King of Israel to fulfill His purpose. He was reliant on Isaiah for understanding this. 

As we have seen, the language of Daniel chapter 9 is the language of covenant. Isaiah 42:6 and 49:8 says, “I will give ‘you’ for a covenant to/of the people”. Jesus Christ is the personification and embodiment of the covenant. Christ is the Covenant with human flesh on it. Daniel, a student of Scripture, (including the prophesies of Isaiah), understood the implications of God’s promise to our forefather in Eden. He understood that God Himself (Immanuel) would come as King and Savior, as the Son of Man in human flesh. Daniel understood, like Moses did, that inspite of Israel’s rebellion and sinfulness, God was going to renew the covenant with His people. This was the essence of the prayer and the central hope of Daniel. 

Herein we have the answer to the “nitsdaq” of Dan.8:14. The righteous action of the Righteous God served to vindicate His holy name while simultaneously redeeming His people. God came in the person of His Son, as the embodiment of the Covenant. His righteous life and substitutionary death as a sacrifice for sins at Calvary demonstrated God’s righteousness and ratified the covenant. It also ensured that the retributive wrath of God will fall on the unrepentant. It will fall on those who refuse to submit to Christ the King.

The Restoration of the Sanctuary

The fact that Christ is the Covenant in human flesh leads us to the next logical conclusion. Daniel understood from Isaiah (Isa.8:14) and Ezekiel (Ezk. 11:16; 37:21-28) that Jesus Christ would become the Sanctuary in human flesh. ( It is the opinion of this writer that Daniel was familiar with the prophecy of Ezekiel.)

I quote Isaiah 8:13,14;

Verse 13  It is the LORD of hosts whom you should regard as holy.

And He shall be your fear,

And He shall be your dread.

Verse 14  Then He shall become a Sanctuary;

But to both the houses of Israel, a Stone to strike

and a Rock to stumble over.

 The question of the holy one of Dan.8:13 was “how long”? From Dan.8:14, we realize that the answer pertains not just to the judgment of the “horn” (Satan and his pawns) but to the restoration of the Sanctuary. The blood of bulls and goats were unable to take away sin or to reveal the glory of God. Daniel prayed that God would “let Thy face shine in Thy desolate Sanctuary”. Dan.9:17. God would answer that prayer. God would “raise up” the True Temple which would reveal His holiness and glory. The glory of God, would be revealed in the face of Jesus Christ. 2Cor.4:4. The glory of God was manifested at the cross and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Isaiah and Daniel were privileged to see the glory of God because He had made His face to shine upon them and upon us in the person of Christ. Their clarity of understanding as it related to the Promise is the foundation of our appreciation of the Reality and Fulfillment. The cross of the LORD’S Christ is the centre and focus of all of God’s redemptive activity. Therefore, the Sanctuary was restored to its rightful state in the person of Christ when Jesus rose from the dead. John 2:19-22. Everyone of the first 12 chapters of John’s gospel testify to this fact. So also does Matt.12:6 and Rev.21:3 & 22. A study of these passages is found in my paper; “Jesus is the Sanctuary”. We have seen the fulfillment of the inauguration of this prophecy at the cross event. We look forward with certain hope to the final end and the consummation.

Therefore, in conclusion, it is the opinion of this writer that Daniel’s understanding of Dan.8:14 was conditioned by his understanding of the writings of the prophet Isaiah, and his understanding of the meaning and implications of “sedeq” in particular. This promise of God was fulfilled at the Christ Event and especially at the cross and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus.