What would have happened if Christ set up the kingdom after the 490 years?
If Christ had set up His kingdom after the 490 years, He would have been King, and the nation of Israel would have served as priests, as promised in Exodus 19, bringing pagan Gentiles to the knowledge of God. This was hypothetical and did not happen.
Les explains that all Old Testament prophecies run continuously concerning Israel through the completion of the 490 years. Daniel 9 states the 490 years were determined to finish transgression, make an end of sin, make reconciliation for iniquity, and bring in everlasting righteousness. That was satisfied at the first advent—His crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. If Christ had set up the kingdom then, He would have been King, and Israel would have been the nation of priests promised in Exodus 19: if obedient, they would be a nation of priests. A priest is a go-between man and God. Every Jew was intended to become a priest of God to bring pagan Gentiles to a knowledge of their God. But this is hypothetical; it did not happen. Les also points to Psalms 2 as a graphic illustration of how Old Testament writers saw it.