To Make Reconciliation for Iniquity:

The Atonement of Christ on Calvary

Without the voluntary sacrifice of the Son of God upon the Cross of Calvary (32 AD), Christianity would be as the ungodly who deny the Only LORD God (Jude 5)-- a well without water. "Clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots" (12). If the LORD Jesus had succumbed to the wilderness temptation of the devil (Matthew 4) or failed to prevail in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14), Christianity would have died in childbirth."7 But we speak the Wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden Wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the LORD Of Glory" (1 Corinthians 2:7-8). But, Jehovah well understands the value of His Son's sacrifice. For "without shedding of blood is no remission [forgiveness]" (Hebrews 9:22) of sins.

Just as "it is a fearful thing [for a sinner] to fall into the hands of the Living God" (Hebrews 10:31), it is an amazement that God has heralded across the world the Gospel message: "Be ye reconciled to God" (2Corinthians 5:20). Only the LORD of LORDS (1Timothy 6:15) could make the magnanimous offer of reconciliation for sinful man. "And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation" (2Corinthians 5:18). Mankind simply does not comprehend how mortally sin has impacted the human race. "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear" (Isaiah 59:2). God is actually working to reconcile man, not to damn man. "To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them" (2Corinthians 5:19).

Consequently, the presence of even one sinner in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:15) is evidence that the LORD will not overrule His gift of the ability of mankind to make Godlike moral choices of right or wrong, in order to impose another gift of eternal life. "And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow Him: but if Baal, then follow him" (1Kings 18:21).

To "make reconciliation for iniquity" (Daniel 9:24) is a gift from God. Gabriel revealed to Daniel that God's program involved a free gift. "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our LORD" (Romans 6:23). This aspect of Daniel's Seventy Weeks prophecy points directly at the Cross of the LORD Jesus Christ. For this, the LORD Jesus "steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem" (Luke 9:51) to reconcile us to Himself on the Cross. "20 And, having made peace through the Blood of His Cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. 21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled" (Colossians 1:20-21). All that remains for anyone to participate in this program of reconciliation is a willing act of faith. "Believe on the LORD Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31).

Perseverance in faith is also required to receive the benefits of the LORD Jesus Christ's reconciliation. "21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled 22 In the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblamable and unreproveable in His sight: 23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under Heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister" (Colossians 1:21-23). But, thanks be to God, that He has granted to us His Holy Spirit to work "in [us] both to will and to do of His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13). The LORD Jesus shared the secret of His success-- and our success-- "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work" (John 5:17). In other words, we must willingly cooperate with the work that the LORD has promised to perform. "Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power" (Psalm 110:3). Also, "Teach me to do Thy will; for Thou art my God: Thy Spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness" (143:10).

To Bring in Everlasting Righteousness:

Back to The Seventy Weeks of Daniel