Daniel | Chapter Summaries + Study QuestionsSample

DANIEL 9

DANIEL PRAYS FOR MERCY UPON THE ISRAELITES

Daniel spends time meditating on the words of the prophet Jeremiah and realizes that the foretold seventy years of exile are almost complete (Jeremiah 25:11-12; 29:10). During the years of exile, the Israelites rebelled against God and continued to sin in every way imaginable. Mourning the faithlessness of God’s people, Daniel grieves, wearing sackcloth and covering himself in ashes.

Daniel prays for God’s grace and favor, not because of Israel’s righteousness, but because of God’s great mercy. Daniel serves as an intercessor between God and the Israelites, both relaying God’s messages to the Israelites and showing repentance on their behalf.

In response to Daniel’s prayer, the angel Gabriel appears to provide Daniel insight and understanding. Jeremiah’s prophecy about seventy years of exile was true. But God also revealed a much bigger plan to Daniel: seventy “weeks of years” or seven times seventy (490 years), which pointed forward to the rebuilding of Jerusalem, its later destruction, and ultimately to the arrival of Jesus. In delivering this news, God reassures Daniel that he is greatly loved.

STUDY QUESTIONS

Revisit Daniel 6:10. How do you think Daniel’s consistent habit of prayer prepared him for uncertainty and influenced his prayer for Israel (Daniel 9)?

In Daniel 9:2, Daniel reflected on the prophecies of Jeremiah and realized that the seventy years of exile were almost over. Why do you think this realization was important for Daniel? How did it impact his prayer and his sense of urgency?

Throughout Daniel’s prayer in chapter 9, he included himself in the sins of Israel, using words like “we” and “us” (Daniel 9:5-6). Why is this important? How do Daniel’s humility and identification with his people’s sins reflect his relationship with God?