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Daniel 9

27 verses

TL;DR

Daniel laments Israel’s sins, praying for mercy, and receives the prophetic calculation of seventy weeks, pointing to Jerusalem’s restoration and the coming Messiah.

Summary

In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus Daniel, moved by the prophetic warning of Jeremiah, turns his face to God in prayer and fasting. He confesses Israel’s repeated transgression, the neglect of the prophets, and the resulting judgment upon the nation and its leaders. Daniel pleads that God’s anger be turned away from Jerusalem, the holy mountain, and the people. While praying, the angel Gabriel appears and delivers the famous seventy‑week prophecy, explaining the timeline for the rebuilding of the city, the coming of the Messiah, the cutting off of the prince, and the final covenant that ends the abominations. The vision reveals that from the commandment to restore Jerusalem until the Messiah’s death there are seven weeks and sixty‑two weeks, and that after the sixty‑two weeks the Messiah is cut off, yet the people of the prince will destroy the city. Finally, a week of covenant and the end of sacrifice are promised, concluding with a desolate end to the war and the fulfillment of God’s plan.

Outline
  1. Daniel’s context and penitential prayer
  2. Confession of Israel’s sin and request for mercy
  3. Angel Gabriel’s revelation of the seventy‑week prophecy
Themes
Repentance and covenant faithfulnessDivine judgment and prophetic timeHope for messianic restoration
Keywords
prayerrepentancesinjudgmentMessiahseventy weekscovenantabominationsanctuary
People
DanielDarius the son of AhasuerusAhasuerusJeremiahGabrielMessiah (the Prince)
Places
Jerusalem
Things
seventy weeksthe commandmentthe wallthe sanctuarythe covenantthe abominations
Key Verses
  • Daniel 9:24: Reveals the seventy‑week calculation, the core of the prophetic vision.
  • Daniel 9:27: Defines the final week of covenant and the cessation of the abominations.
Questions
  • What motivates Daniel’s prayer of repentance?
  • How does the seventy‑week calculation influence our understanding of divine timing?
  • In what ways does Daniel’s confession reflect Israel’s ongoing struggle?
  • How does the revelation of the Messiah’s fate shape Christian hope?
  • What lessons can modern believers draw from Daniel’s penitential example?
Sentiment

mixed
A tone of lament and repentance blended with hopeful prophetic promise.