What does Daniel 9:12 mean?

God promised Israel great blessings if they obeyed Him in the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 28:1–6). He also warned them of terrible consequences if they betrayed Him (Deuteronomy 28:15–24). Among those results was being scattered among hostile nations (Deuteronomy 28:48–50; 29:25). Over time, the Jewish people turned away from the Lord and received exactly the outcome which God had promised (2 Kings 17:1–8; Jeremiah 25:7–11; Daniel 1:1–7). That message was given to the people, and their rulers, by many prophets over the years. Here, as Daniel prays for Israel's restoration (Daniel 9:1–3), he accepts that these events are all consistent with God's prophecies.

Daniel also understood that it was ultimately God, not Assyria or Babylon, who determined the fate of Jerusalem. For thirty months the Babylonians laid siege to Jerusalem. The blockade led to starvation, cannibalism, and destruction. In Ezekiel 24:13, the Lord indicts Jerusalem for its perversity and evil, promising the cleansing would not end until He exhausted His wrath. He assures Ezekiel that what He has spoken will happen. "I will do it. I will not go back; I will not spare; I will not relent; according to your ways and your deeds you will be judged" (Ezekiel 24:14).

Romans 6:23 states that the correct repayment for sin is death. Unbelievers who refuse to trust in Christ as Savior will learn to their eternal dismay that the Lord keeps His word (1 Peter 3:18; John 3:36).