“Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed. And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.” – Daniel 9:24-27

This passage is probably the most “outside” of any passage in this book. This is the first and only time Daniel interacts with and acknowledges the sin of his own people. I am sure, throughout his life, that he dealt with issues of sin among the Israelites quote frequently, but this is the only instance recorded. As with all of these devotional passages, I encourage you to make sure to read the entirety of the book and this chapter specifically to get the full intention of the author. That said, this should be an eye opener to us that it is included. So, what is this seeming “aside” want us to learn?

For all of Daniel’s righteous suffering we’ve seen throughout the book, the suffering that the nation is going through (in regard to the exile) is not righteous suffering. It is the result of sin – see verse 13. Sin and brokenness have brought the nation to these dire straits and there would be no quick fix. They would have to endure, and what they were going to have to endure will not be pleasant.

“Human beings become beasts when they don’t acknowledge God’s kingdom” (Bible Project). This sentence fits the path the nation was heading down and why they (and us) were so in need of the Rescuer. This cup of wrath, though, would have to be drunk, but even still, at the end of verse 27, we receive a promised ending to the suffering. God will make this all right.
Therefore, we can stand and live not as beasts, but as children of the Living God, knowing He is in control and giving us the strength to endure.