DANIEL SIMPLIFIED

 

CHAPTER 9.8

Gleanings from the Book of Daniel:

A Weekly Verse-by-Verse Bible Study Series

 

DANIEL

Chapter Nine

The Prayer of Daniel

The Prophecy of Seventy Weeks

 

 

 

Prefix

After reading the prophet Jeremiah, Daniel understood the seventy-year chastisement period for Israel would soon be fulfilled. Accompanied by sackcloth and ashes, as was the tradition, Daniel began to pray to God with humility and a contriteness of heart. Having a proper attitude in approaching God, significantly he first included himself in the acknowledgment of their sins before he pleaded for mercy of his people.

 

 

(Verse 8)

O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against Thee.

 

Confession

In a repetitive way from verse 7, Daniel confessed to God the fact they were captured, national shame belonged to them. All classes of the Hebrew society were equally guilty of sinning against God's precepts, from the forefathers (ancestors) to the kings of Israel.

 

A similar admission was stated by Jeremiah:

Jeremiah 14:7 - O LORD, though our iniquities testify against us, do Thou it for Thy name's sake: for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against Thee.

 

 

(Verse 9)

 

To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against Him.

 

Adoration

Despite Israel’s rebellion, Daniel appealed to God’s compassion and forgiveness. Although God is a God of righteousness, Daniel understood He was also a God of mercy:

Psalm 106:43 - Many times did He deliver them; but they provoked Him with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity.

 

 

(Verse 10)

 

Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets.

 

Admission

In this humble devout address to God, Daniel also acknowledged two transgressions:

1. We have not obeyed the voice of God

2. We have not walked in the laws of God

 

God’s laws or instructions sent forth by His prophets were ignored by his people and they were without excuse.

Isaiah 30:9 - That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the Law of the LORD.

 

 

(Verse11)

 

Yea, all Israel have transgressed Thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey Thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the Law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against Him.

 

Daniel accepted responsibility for the seventy-year curse placed upon him and the nation. Notice, he does not blame God. Israel bought the consequences upon herself because of her sins and unwillingness to obey God’s commandments. Therefore, God was justified in His punishment, for it had been well stated:

Deuteronomy 28:15ff. - But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee…

 

 

(Verse 12)

 

And He hath confirmed His words, which He spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem.

 

Daniel admitted, what God hath warned in His word by decree, He hath confirmed it by His vengeance against Israel and her rulers. In addition, nothing throughout history has ever equaled the great catastrophe that has been brought upon their city, i.e., the capture of Jerusalem by the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar.  

 

 

(Verse 13)

 

As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand Thy truth.

 

Even though the people of Israel had been warned by the Law of Moses, Daniel admitted they failed to call upon the Lord during their punishment and continued their course of disobedience. If only they had repented, they would have received God’s forgiveness.

 

 

(Verse 14)

 

Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all His works which He doeth: for we obeyed not His voice.

 

Next, Daniel reaffirmed God had observed their evil against Him and that in His righteousness He had no choice but to bring judgment upon their sins for their disobedience.

 

The Psalmist succinctly clarifies Daniel’s remarks:

Psalm 119:137 - Righteous art Thou, O LORD, and upright are Thy judgments.

 

 

(Verse 15)

 

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.

 

Supplication

Now, Daniel appeals to the forgiveness of God by recalling how He mightily brought His covenant people out of Egyptian bondage because of His righteousness. And jointly, he persistently confesses their sins.

 

 

(Verse 16)

 

O Lord, according to all Thy righteousness, I beseech Thee, let Thine anger and Thy fury be turned away from Thy city Jerusalem, Thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us.

 

Petition

Continuing from verse 15, Daniel restates: It is because of their wickedness and the immorality of their ancestors, the city of God and His people have become a disgrace among the surrounding heathen nations. In other words, they have become the subject of ridicule. Therefore Daniel begged on behalf of God’s righteousness that He would reconsider and rescind His anger and wrath.

 

When Daniel made his plea, he was cognizant of three elements:

1. Scripture Prophesized:

Deuteronomy 28:37 - And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the LORD shall lead thee.

 

2. Scripture Realized:

Psalm 79:4 - We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us.

 

3. Scripture Harmonized:

Psalm 85:4 - Turn (restore) us, O God of our salvation, and cause Thine anger toward us to cease.

 

 

(Verse 17)

 

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.

 

Closing Argument

In 586, the Temple built by King Solomon was set on fire and destroyed by the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar. There had been no worship services or animal sacrifices since. The scattered nation only kept the Psalms in their hearts to maintain a sense of worship.

 

As Jerusalem continued to lie in ruins, Daniel beseeched God for an answer to prayer. He asked Him to cause His face to shine upon His sanctuary once again. That is to say metaphorically, like the sun, shining on the sanctuary to keep worship alive.

Psalm 80:3 - Turn (Restore)us again, O God, and cause Thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.

 

 

(Verse 18)

 

O my God, incline Thine ear, and hear; open Thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by Thy name: for we do not present our supplications before Thee for our righteousnesses, but for Thy great mercies.

 

Apart from imploring God to look favorably upon the holy Temple, Daniel then appealed to His mercy. He called upon God’s attention through two Hebraic idioms:

1. Incline Your ear

By using this expression, Daniel, in effect, is asking God to lean down, draw close to him, and listen closely to what he has to say, i.e., simply to intervene (cf. 2 Kings 19:16; Isaiah 37:17).

 

2. Open Your eyes

By using this expression, Daniel, in effect, is asking God to take cognizance or full notice of the specific circumstance (cf. Job 14:3; Proverbs 20:13).

 

Daniel’s rationale was: Attend to the destruction befallen upon the city of God, Jerusalem (cf. Psalm 48:1, 8). It is not for their righteousness, but for God’s sake, says Daniel.

 

 

(Verse 19)

 

O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for Thine own sake, O my God: for Thy city and Thy people are called by thy name.

 

Daniel wanted God to be honored, extolled, and His reputation to be restored. So, in his final climactic plea, Daniel recapitulates his call upon God:

1. To Hear

2. To Forgive

3. To Attend

4. To Act

5. To Delay not

a.  For Your Name’s sake

b.  For Your City’s sake

c.  For Your Nation’s sake

 

Summary/Analysis

John MacArthur presents a foremost encapsulation of the eight elements of Daniel's intercessory prayer:

1. Prayer is generated by the Word of God (Vv. 2-3a)

2. Prayer is grounded in the will of God (v. 2b)

3. Prayer is characterized by fervency (Vv. 3-4a)

4. Prayer is realized in self-denial (v. 4a)

5. Prayer is identified with God’s people (Vv. 5-16)

6. Prayer is strengthened in confession (Vv. 5-15)

7. Prayer is dependent on God’s character (Vv. 4, 7, 9, 15)

8. Prayer consummates in God’s glory (Vv. 16-19)

[MacArthur, John. An Uncompromising Life: Study Notes. Daniel 1, 6, 9:1-19 (Word of Grace Communications, 1983), 101-113.]

 

 

Next, an overwhelming answer to prayer via a prophetic statement will come to Daniel through God’s special messenger, Gabriel. It will include a panorama of world history up until the End Times.

 

 

QUESTIONS:

1. What motivated Daniel to pray?

2. How did God communicate to Israel?

3. How did Daniel pray on behalf of Israel?

4. Why was God’s wrath poured out on Israel?

5. Why was God's punishment for Israel justified?

6. What event did God bring to God’s attention?

7. What did Daniel ask God to do?

 

 

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 DANIEL SIMPLIFIED

 

CHAPTER 9.3

Gleanings from the Book of Daniel:

A Weekly Verse-by-Verse Bible Study Series

 

DANIEL

Chapter Nine

The Prayer of Daniel

The Prophecy of Seventy Weeks

 

 

Prefix

One of the greatest passages on prayer in the Old Testament is found in Daniel Chapter 9. The people of Israel had been in Babylonian captivity for about 67 years. The scene opens with Daniel reading the scrolls of Jeremiah during the first year under Medo-Persian rule (9:1-2).

 

As he was studying Scripture, Daniel understood God’s prophecy of the seventy-year captivity was about to be fulfilled. So, its imminent fulfillment prompted Daniel to embark on an intercessory prayer that would occupy the first half of the chapter.

 

 

1. The Occasion of the Vision (Vv. 1-2)

2. The Prayer of Daniel (Vv. 3-19)

(Verse 3)

 

And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.

 

Daniel’s Approach to God

The Preparation for Prayer

Before approaching God in prayer, Daniel went through several motions in a flowing manner:

1. He set his face toward God

Setting one’s face toward God signifies seeking a concentrated focus, attention, or gaze on God and anticipating an answer.

 

2. He sought the Lord through prayer

Seeking God in prayer is to commune with God humbly (see Daniel Simplified 9.1.Introduction).

 

3. He sought the Lord by supplication

Apart from the prayer itself, supplicating is simply requesting or petitioning God for something specific. 

 

Next, Daniel reinforced his attitude toward God through three symbolic gestures:

1.   With fasting

Fasting is a voluntary discipline before God. It is a denial of physical necessities to keep one’s mind unencumbered.

 

For example: On a noted occasion, when the Temple had been restored after the Captivity, Ezra and company prayed for travel mercies back to Jerusalem:

Ezra 8:23 - So we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer (NKJV).

 

2.   With sackcloth

Sackcloth was a traditional token of grief, a reminder that the penitent was unworthy to approach God. It consisted of a coarse bag or sack usually made of goat or camel hair.  

 

A well-known example is described in Nehemiah. During the Feast of Tabernacles, while back in the Land, the children of Israel prayed in this fashion:

Nehemiah 9:1 - Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them.

 

3.   With ashes

Ashes, as a token of grief, were taken from a burnt building or an animal. Ashes normally placed on the head were intended to let God know one’s feelings.

 

Here is an example found in the book of Jonah. After national repentance, the king of Nineveh disrobed and prayed to God:

Jonah 3:6 - For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.

 

All three are outward acts of contrition to express humility, deep sorrow, or remorse before submitting to petition God. In effect, they are not only a way of concentration, but also a means to gain God’s attention.

 

Understanding Israel’s Punishment

Because of disobedience to God’s precepts, idolatry, and a willful failure to observe the sabbatical year law, the Israelites were removed from their land and were permitted to be taken captive by the Babylonians for 70 Years.

2 Chronicles 36:21 - The land enjoyed its Sabbath rests; all the time of its desolation, it rested until the seventy years were completed in fulfillment of the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah (NIV).

 

The Sabbath

According to the Law of Moses, the Sabbath was a day of rest for the Hebrew people. It served to distinguish the Jews from the Gentiles.

 

This day was a day of rest and refreshing. Modeled after God's seven days of creation, the Sabbath was blessed and set apart unto God, for on that seventh day He rested (cf. Genesis 2:2-3). Spiritually, the Sabbath Day is an introspective time to contemplate the beauty and work of His creation (see Psalm 19:1).

 

The Sabbatical Year (Shemittah)

Being an agrarian culture, Hebrew legislation ruled that every seventh year a farmer was to let his fields rest and lie fallow after six years of production (cf. Exodus 23:10-2). God provided enough grain for two years just as He did manna for the sixth and seventh days of their wilderness journey (cf. Exodus 16:22-27).

 

The seven-year cycle would continue seven times. After the 49 years were completed, in the fiftieth year, known as the Year of Jubilee, all rented or mortgaged properties were to be returned to their original owners, and all slaves were returned to their original families (cf. Leviticus 25:10).

 

Israel’s Disobedience

For 490 years, the Hebrews did not keep the Sabbaths of the land, even though God's prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel warned them, they did not harken unto them. As a result, God allowed the Hebrew people to be taken into captivity by the Babylonians for every year (70 years) they failed to keep His law.

 

Daniel was reading Jeremiah’s prophecy when he understood the time of Israel’s captivity was nearing its end.

Jeremiah 29:10-14 - For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform My good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

 

It was upon this reading Daniel began his lengthy intercessory prayer to God.

 

 

(Verse 4)

 

And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love Him, and to them that keep His commandments.

 

With a contrite heart, Daniel begins his appeal to the God of Israel (Yahweh) with a confession. He recognized not only sin in his life but also the sins of God’s people. And notice, Daniel, addressed Him in a personal way by saying, “My God.”

 

Secondly, Daniel acknowledges God in several ways;

1. He is the great God – the one true God

2. He is a dreadful God – worthy of reverence

3. He is a covenantal God – faithful to keep His promises

4. He is a merciful God – forbearance of just punishment

a.  To those who love Him

b.  To those who keep His commandments  

 

Daniel employs a quote from Deuteronomy which is later used in Nehemiah:

Deuteronomy 7:9 - Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations.

 

Nehemiah 1:5 - And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible (awesome) God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love Him and observe His commandments.

 

 

(Verse 5)

 

We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from Thy precepts and from Thy judgments.

 

In his appeal to God, Daniel identifies himself with the sin of the nation. As he contrasts the goodness and grace of God from the previous verse with the sins of Israel, he specifically lists them forthwith:

1. We have committed iniquity (evil)

2. We have done wickedly (immorally, wrongly) in Your sight

3. We have rebelled against You

4. We have departed from Your precepts (commandments)

5. We have departed from Your judgments (ordinances)

 

 

(Verse 6)

 

Neither have we hearkened unto Thy servants the prophets, which spake in Thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.

 

Daniel continues by contrasting God’s faithfulness to Israel’s unfaithfulness. He also declared no one listened to the servants of God He had sent (i.e., Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, etc.).

 

Then Daniel catalogs those who turned their ears away from God’s prophets:

1. The kings of Israel

2. The princes of Israel

3. The fathers or elders of Israel

4. The entire populace of Israel

 

 

(Verse 7)

 

O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto Thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against Thee.

 

Next, Daniel contrasts the righteousness that belongs to God with the guilty and shame that belongs to his people. The expression, confusion of faces simply means their hearts were full of shame and it showed on their faces (shamefaced, public disgrace).

 

Because of their unfaithfulness and iniquities, their 70 years of captivity chastisement caused open shame to God’s people including:

1. The men of Judah

2. The inhabitants of Jerusalem

3. The recipients of the Diaspora

 

Daniel knew that confession of sin is a requisite to a successful prayer life. And, by His grace, the blessings from God are normally the result.

 

 

Daniel continues the confession of their sins and the plea for God’s mercy in the forthcoming verses.

 

 

QUESTIONS:

1. What was Daniel doing that caused him to pray?

2. What did Daniel do before he prayed?

3. How long is the Sabbath year?

4. How long is the Sabbatical year?

5. Why did God permit Israel to go into captivity?

6. What were Israel’s sins against God?

7. “__________ belongs to God.”

 

 

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