Why does Daniel appeal to God's name in Daniel 9:17? Historical Setting: Exile, Prophecy, and the Crisis of God’s Reputation Daniel 9 unfolds in “the first year of Darius son of Xerxes of Median descent” (Daniel 9:1). Jerusalem has lain desolate for nearly seven decades, as Jeremiah foretold (Jeremiah 25:11–12; 29:10). From Babylon’s perspective, the plundering of the temple signified Judah’s God had been defeated by Marduk. Internationally, Yahweh’s name—His public reputation—seemed disgraced. Daniel’s appeal occurs at the very moment he realizes Jeremiah’s seventy-year period is expiring. The honor of God’s name and the restoration of His sanctuary therefore converge into a single, urgent prayer: “So now, our God, hear the prayer and petition of Your servant, and for Your sake, O Lord, cause Your face to shine on Your desolate sanctuary” (Daniel 9:17). Covenantal Foundations: The Honor of the Divine Name God tied His reputation to Israel in the Abrahamic (Genesis 12:1-3) and Mosaic covenants (Deuteronomy 28:9-10). When Israel obeyed, “all the peoples of the earth [would] see that you are called by the name of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 28:10). Conversely, exile caused the nations to scoff (Ezekiel 20:9). Daniel understands the covenant logic: Israel’s restoration will showcase God’s faithfulness. Hence he mirrors earlier mediators: • Moses: “Why should the Egyptians say, ‘He brought them out…to kill them’?…Turn from Your fierce anger…remember Your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel” (Exodus 32:12-13). • David: “For the sake of Your name, LORD, forgive my iniquity” (Psalm 25:11). Daniel joins this lineage, invoking the covenantal name (YHWH) eight times in vv. 2-20—the only passage in the Aramaic/Hebrew portions of Daniel that reintroduces the tetragrammaton. Temple and Presence: “Cause Your Face to Shine on Your Desolate Sanctuary” Yahweh had chosen Jerusalem “to put His Name there” (1 Kings 8:29). The temple’s ruin signaled, to pagan eyes, Yahweh’s defeat. Daniel therefore prays for the city “called by Your name” (Daniel 9:18-19), echoing Solomon’s dedication prayer (1 Kings 8:33-43). God’s shining face (Numbers 6:24-26) implies restored covenant blessing. By reviving the sanctuary, God would publicly display His holiness and mercy. Intertextual Resonance: Biblical Appeals to the Name • Psalm 79:9: “Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name.” • Isaiah 48:9-11: God withholds wrath “for the sake of My name…For how should My name be profaned?” • Ezekiel 36:20-23: In exile “they profaned My holy name…Therefore I will act for the sake of My holy name.” Daniel 9 integrates these themes: confession (vv. 5-15), appeal to name (v. 17), promise of restoration (vv. 24-27). Theological Implications: Mercy Grounded in God’s Glory Daniel does not bargain with merits (“We do not present our petitions before You because of our righteousness, but because of Your great compassion,” v. 18). The appeal rests on two pillars: 1. God’s immutable righteousness—He must be true to Himself (Malachi 3:6). 2. God’s missionary purpose—His glory among the nations (Habakkuk 2:14). Thus divine mercy and divine glory are not in tension; mercy magnifies glory. Christological Horizon: The Name Above Every Name Daniel’s intercession foreshadows the greater Mediator. Jesus prays, “Father…keep them in Your name” (John 17:11). His resurrection vindicates that name: “God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name above every name” (Philippians 2:9). Through Christ, Gentiles too now “call on the name of the Lord” and are saved (Romans 10:13). Practical Applications: Prayer Shaped by God’s Name 1. Ground petitions in God’s revealed character rather than personal merit. 2. Seek the advance of God’s reputation globally—missions, holiness, justice. 3. Confess sin openly; appeal to mercy confident that His glory and our good coincide. 4. Anchor hope in the finished work of Christ, the ultimate vindication of God’s name. Answer in One Sentence Daniel appeals to God’s name in Daniel 9:17 because God’s covenant character, global reputation, and self-commitment to place His name in Jerusalem form the only sure basis for mercy, restoration, and the vindication of His glory before all nations. |
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