Daniel Prays For His People

Daniel 9:1-3 in 538 B.C. when Daniel was in his 80s he was reading a prophetic writing of Jeremiah. Specifically, he was pondering a prophecy recorded  606/605 B.C. concerning the length of Judah’s captivity in Babylon.

The year 606 BC. was probably burned into Daniel’s memory of his teenage years… because that was when he was carted off to Babylon in the first wave of captivity.

Jeremiah 25:11-12 the prophecy said that Babylon would be punished after 70 years, and that Judah would be captive people in Babylon for 70 years. After which Judah would be allowed to return to the land Jeremiah 29:10.

When Daniel writes this in 538 BC, Babylon had recently been conquered by the Medo-Persians, and a royal decree said all the captives could return to Judah if they wanted too Ezra 1:1-3. Daniel must have realized the 70 years of Babylon and the 70 years of captivity were drawing to a close.

Regarding the end of the captivity: if we allow some time for the people to organize themselves, gather all the necessary supplies, collect the financial resources, account for all the temple equipment in the Babylonian storehouses, and then make the long trip... they should be back in the promised land by 536 about 70 years after the first captives went into exile.

Fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy was coming to pass before Daniel’s eyes. But Daniel now given to understood that there was a second layer of fulfillment still to come. In addition to the end of Babylon after 70 years, in addition to the end of Judah’s captivity after 70 years, there would be an end to the desolation (destruction) of Jerusalem.

This desolation is separate and distinct from the 70 years allotted to Babylon and the captivity of Judah. 70 years of desolation marks the destruction of the temple 586 BC to its reconstruction in 516 BC. A period lasting 70 years!

Watching detailed prophecy unfold before your eyes must have been thrilling and exciting. Being chosen as the spokesperson to reveal a further unfolding of the prophecy would have pumped up the adrenalin. Anticipating the restoration of you beloved nation would have been a tremendous validation of all that Daniel had endured. How then does he respond?

Daniel's Humbles Himself and Prays

Daniel's could have simply offered praise and thankfulness that God was making good on His promise and that there was more good stuff to come. However, Daniel's response is to plead, petition, in an attitude of great sorrow. His prayer will revisit the sins of the people, acknowledge that their punishment was well deserved, and admit that YHWH was entirely just in doing so.

Daniel 9:4-6 Daniel chooses his words carefully knowing this is a public prayer.

Daniel turns to the Adonai Elohim [roughly correlating to "the deity who owns and controls all things"]. Daniel uses these words to emphasize that he is addressing the one who controls all nations, kings, and history. Israel's punishment and restoration is more than a matter of personal sorrow or joy. It is high drama played out on the world stage.

What happened to Israel was not the result of the chaotic ebb and flow of kingdoms and cultures... Israel's invasion and captivity happened because the one who controls all things withdrew His protection and allowed foreign nations to over-run and conquer them. Their kings and armies are serving His purpose.

Then Daniel addresses YHWH which is the personal name God revealed to Israel. In this way Daniel’s prayer identifies the God of Israel as  "the deity who owns and controls all things". Other nations and cultures may have some rough idea of a supreme being, EL, Baal [lord], Krishna, Allah, the most high, the force, but they do not really know about His character and nature… so they make stuff up.

YHWH wants it to be know that the truth of who and what He is revealed through His interaction with Israel. To them He gave His commandments, statutes, and judgments. To them He shows faithfulness, judgment, and mercy. This creates a way to know Him that is objective and tangible.

Daniel follows praise with confession:

We have sinned - missed the mark, falling short of the goal of holy living. This is a sin of not doing the good we know we ought to have done.

and have done wrong - Literally to bend or twist. The evil we know we should not do but did anyway:

50. and have done wickedly,- crimes against fellow humans
50. and have rebelled - crimes against God Himself

Turned away - more than just another incidence of sin among many. They turned away from God, refuse to listen to Him, refused to obey. Thought God had graciously sent prophets to exhort and encourage but they refused to listen either His commandment or judgments on who they ought to be applied.

Contrast YHWH’s Righteousness With Israel’s Shame

Daniel 9:7-11 their shamed was their captivity. The terms of the covenant had been very clear about the consequences of sin and rebellion. They had everything going for them and failed through their own willfulness… and every nation could see it.

Yet, the most high God wants Israel to know He is with them… He will be merciful, forgiving and restore them as He has foretold by the prophet Jeremiah. So, even in their humiliation YHWH is fulfilling His purpose of revealing His true character to the nations of the world… through the trials and tribulations of Israel. God’s mercy will be displayed in the grand stage of human history.

Pagan nations have lots of theories about the nature of the supreme being… Is the supreme being indifferent to sin, unconcerned with human ideas of justice? … Is the supreme being unpredictable, or cruel, is he kind, is he detached and floating above it all?

The true God wants to be understood as faithful to His promises [therefore predictable and reliable]. The true God wants to be understood as uncompromising with sin [therefore just and righteous].         The true God wants to be understood as willing to forgive and merciful [therefore loving].     These are facets of YHWH’s TRUE character that will be seen through His dealings with Israel.

These are important things to know…

If the supreme God is not reliable, faithful, and loving… then we are all doomed and the future is dark. If there is no recovery from sin then we have no hope. But through Israel’s great trial and restoration we are given a living example that there is a way out of sin and shame… forgiveness is possible.

Consequences Should Not Surprise Us

Daniel 9:12-14 the punishment should not have been a surprise. Based on their actions compared against the terms of the covenant it was inevitable… just as it was written.

Leviticus 26:14-33 notice the reference to a punishment for covenant violations that lasts “7 times”. Through the prophet Jeremiah this was clarified to mean 7 decades.

[see also, Deuteronomy 28:15-68 … read verses 41,45]

Based on the terms of the covenant Israel’s punishment was the righteous course of action for a righteous God. God cannot overlook sin. He cannot leave it unpunished. Otherwise He is unjust.

The Example of Israel Also Applies to You and Me

You too have sinned… neglecting to do some of the good actions you know you ought to do. Doing some of the evil you know you should not do… against fellow human beings… against YHWH. We do this even though our Father and your elder brother give us reliable instruction and reminders.

If we stop there then the situation appears hopeless. We are doomed to pain, sorrow , and destruction.

The good news is we don’t stop there. Through our faith in Christ the punishment for our sins can be forgiven and the curse that comes with disobedience can be taken away. In His death and suffering He bears that curse [which is the inevitable result of disobedience]. He makes our restoration possible.

To access this great gift He asks that we confess our sin, repent, and seek the restoration everlasting.

Confession Of Sin

Daniel 9:15-16 Israel was brought out of Egypt and given a job to do. They were to receive God’s commandments, statutes, and judgments. They were supposed to live according to these and reap the benefits. Other nations would see the cause and effect relationship and desire the good things of God for themselves. Israel failed.

Their failure and punishment put another cause and effect sequence on display: Disobedience leads to bad consequences. God will not withhold disaster forever if people refuse to change their ways.

What Purpose Does Confession of Sin Serve?

They say an addict cannot begin to recover until they admit they have a problem. Perhaps this is the same reason God’s program for restoration involves confessing our sins… Like the addict we must acknowledge when we have a problem. Then we can begin to difficult process of repentance and overcoming. In this process God offers us help through the power of His spirit 1 John 1:8-2:2.

Daniel takes it upon himself to confess the sins of Israel  and ask for help. It is a model for us.

God’s Grace & Forgiveness

Daniel 9:17-19 now Daniel’s prayer moves from confession to a request. He reminds YHWH that the circumstances of Judah and Jerusalem impact how humanity regards the living God. Will they see a God who leads this people on a great mission and them casts them aside when they fail to perform?

Again… If that is the true nature of the living God we are all doomed. However…

Israel will be restored, which will put yet another cause and effect sequence on display: confession and repentance make forgiveness possible. This is the nature of the God of Israel, the God of the bible, the God we are here to honor and worship today.

Daniel knows that appealing to God’s grace and favor is the only basis for sinful people to seek mercy and forgiveness. Grace and mercy is not some new idea that suddenly sprang up in the new testament. This is a truth about the character of Israel’s God embedded in His word from the very start.

Leviticus 26:40-46  sin is not the end. God does not cast you away forever. He wants to restore you. He knows you are weak but He has a plan to make you strong… His commandments, statutes, and judgments set apart good from evil… they are a teaching tool, not a prison or a whip… we can only confess our sin because we first know what sin is… then we seek His mercy, we repent and we overcome.

Israel’s failure was not that they made mistakes along the way… their great  failure was that they would not acknowledge their sin… and because they could not see themselves for what they really were they could not repent. And when there was no hope for repentance… no hope for change…  the only course of action for a righteous and loving God… was punishment. Don’t let his happen to you.

1 Corinthians 10:11-12Israel was a sign for the Church of the firstborn…  

Ephesians 2:4-10 those who are resurrected when Christ returns … will be a sign for the age that comes afterwards. Those who will rise up in the resurrection of the “rest of the dead” in the age to come will be encouraged to know that forgiveness is possible. People can be restored from a state of sin and death… forgiveness is possible… everlasting life is possible.

You can become such a sign to them.