What does Daniel 9:24 mean?
This begins Gabriel's explanation, as given to Daniel (Daniel 9:21–23). Daniel's earlier experience with dreams and visions mostly spoke about Gentile nations (Daniel 2:19–20; 7:1; 8:1). What he's told here involves the nation of Israel. These prophecies will be some of the most important given in Scripture. While Israel's seventy-year exile is nearing an end (Jeremiah 29:10–11), this message looks much further into Israel's future. Despite changes in politics and world events, nothing can derail God's plan for His chosen people. What He has promised will certainly happen, though for now we may struggle to understand all the details.Gabriel uses a word in this passage most often translated as "week," but which literally means "group of seven." He indicates that seventy such weeks, or groups, will be required to complete God's program for Israel and Jerusalem. It is best to consider each "week" as seven years. This would mean a total of 490 years—though as the symbolic language suggests, not all the "weeks" are consecutive.
That period will be enough to "finish the transgression." In this context, that seems to mean a completion, or a full building up, of sin and evil (Daniel 8:23). After this, sin in Israel will end and be atoned for (Zechariah 13:1), all prophecies will be fulfilled, and the nation will experience a direct relationship with the Messiah (Jeremiah 23:5). Other prophets, such as Ezekiel, cover similar time periods in their messages. The New Testament book of Revelation, recorded by John, gives further hints as to how these events will take place.