Daniel 9

Jehovah, the Covenant-Keeping God

LORD (small capitals) — renders the divine name Jehovah, 'I AM' or 'He who is'

And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: Daniel 9:3–4

Daniel confesses Israel's sins to the LORD, the God who keeps His covenant and shows mercy. For Latter-day Saints, the LORD of the Old Testament is Jehovah, Jesus Christ before His birth.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

Jehovah, the Forgiving God

To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him; Daniel 9:9

Mercy and forgiveness belong to the Lord, even for a people who rebelled. Jehovah is the One who forgives, and He would later make that forgiveness possible through His Atonement.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

Jehovah, Deliverer from Egypt

And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly. Daniel 9:15

Daniel remembers the Lord who rescued Israel from Egypt. Latter-day Saint scripture teaches that the God who led Israel out of Egypt was Christ, the Rock that followed them.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• interprets 1 Corinthians 10:1-4 — Paul says the Rock that followed Israel after the Exodus 'was Christ.'

Called by His Name

Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord’s sake. Daniel 9:17–19

Daniel asks the Lord to let His face shine on the temple again, because Jerusalem and Israel carry His name. Covenant people who take the Lord's name upon them, and a temple that bears His name, point to the name of Christ His people covenant to take.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• alludes to Numbers 6:25-27 — 'The LORD make his face shine upon thee' ... 'they shall put my name upon the children of Israel.'

Reconciliation for Iniquity

Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Daniel 9:24

Gabriel says a set time is appointed to make an end of sins and reconcile people to God. Christians see this fulfilled in the Atonement of Jesus Christ, which covers sin and brings lasting righteousness.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him · a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it

• fulfilled by Hebrews 9:26 — Christ appeared 'to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.'
• fulfilled by 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 — God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself.

The Most Holy Anointed

Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Daniel 9:24

The seventy weeks end with anointing 'the most Holy.' This can be read as a holy place or as the Holy One. The next verse names the Messiah, the Anointed One, and Christians read this as Christ being anointed.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him · a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it

• fulfilled by Acts 10:38 — 'God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power.'
• fulfilled by Luke 4:18 — Jesus: 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me.'

Messiah the Prince

Messiah — the Anointed One (Greek: Christ)

Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. Daniel 9:25

This is one of only two places where the King James Old Testament uses the word 'Messiah' (the other is v. 26). Gabriel counts the time from the order to rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed Prince comes, and that Prince is Jesus Christ.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · the chapter heading names Him · a Church study aid lists it

• the same title in John 1:41 — Andrew: 'We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.'
• the same title in John 4:25-26 — Jesus tells the Samaritan woman that He is the Messiah.

Messiah Cut Off, Not for Himself

Messiah — the Anointed One

And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. Daniel 9:26

The Messiah will be killed ('cut off'), and not for anything He did wrong. He dies for others. This points to Jesus's death on the cross for the sins of the world.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · the chapter heading names Him · a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it

• alludes to Isaiah 53:8 — 'He was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.'
• fulfilled by 1 Peter 2:24 — Christ 'bare our sins in his own body on the tree.'

End of Sacrifice by Blood

And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. Daniel 9:27

Many Christians read 'he' as the Messiah from verse 26. He confirms a covenant with many and causes animal sacrifices to end. The Book of Mormon teaches that Christ's great sacrifice fulfilled and ended the law of blood sacrifice. Other readers take 'he' as the destroying prince, so this reading is uncertain.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• fulfilled by 3 Nephi 9:19-20 — The risen Lord: 'ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away.'
• fulfilled by Alma 34:13-14 — The great and last sacrifice brings a stop to the shedding of blood.