Daniel’s Penitential Prayer
Daniel 9:1-19
Introduction
This Chapter contains the vision of the “70 weeks”, which is undoubtedly the most important single structural prophecy in the Word of God. It gives us a detailed blue print of God’s plan for his people. The Jews, and for this reason has been called “The A.B.C. of Bible Prophecy”. I have divided chapter 9 into two parts. The first part of this message is the prayer of Daniel. A prayer worthy of our study and meditation. The second which we will see next week if the Lord wills will be the vision of the seventy sevens.
I. Daniel’s Study of the Word of God
A. The time of Daniel’s Study (v. 1) – the first year of Darius was 538 B.C. This means that the events of Dan. 5, the vision of Dan. 8, and the vision of Dan. 9 all took place within the same year. The events of Dan. 6 may well have occurred at or about this time also.
B. The Object of Daniel’s Study (v. 2) – Daniel was studying the book of the prophet Jeremiah. The use of the word “books” here indicates that the book of Jeremiah was received as part the OT canon. This is noteworthy, since the lives of these two prophets overlapped – Jeremiah was prophesying in Judah just prior to the Babylonian captivity; Daniel was taken in Babylonian captivity.
Evidently, the writings of Jeremiah, though rejected by the Jewish leaders (Jer. 36:1-6) were accepted as divinely inspired and preserved (Jer. 36:32). It is quite possible the original rolls were taken to Babylon with the captives.
C. The Prophecy of Jeremiah –
1. The prophecy which interested Daniel is found in Chapters 25, 27, and 29 – particularly Jer. 25:11 & 29:10.
2. The perplexity of Daniel – Consider the things which Daniel would have known:
a. From his study of Jeremiah, Daniel knew the desolations upon Jerusalem were coming to an end. The Babylonian captivity began with the first deportation of Jews in 606 B.C. It was now 538 B.C. There were two years to go!
b. From his study of Isaiah 44:28, Daniel knew the time for the Building of Jerusalem and the temple was at hand, since Cyrus was already king of Persia. (Daniel 6:28; 10:1).
c. From his own visions, Daniel knew there would be empires which must come and go before the restoration of his nation. One had now fallen, the second was in place, but Daniel can’t seem to understand all. All these facts didn’t seem to add up in his mind. The purpose of the vision he was about to receive was to show that Israel’s 70-year sojourn in Babylon was a FORESHADOWING of a dispersion that was to last 7 times longer.
Note: Darius was king over the Babylonian provinces, whereas Cyrus was king over all the Mede-Persian empire. This accurately fulfils Jer. 25:11,12 and Dan. 9:1. Darius
was evidently related to the Persian royal family (of Ahasuerus) – no doubt political marriage designed to cement the two-nation confederacy.
Note: The year 538 B.C. must have been an exciting time of great upheaval politically as Babylon fell, but according to Jer. 29:10 God was about to visit His people. What did Daniel do in these circumstances?? He went to the book!!!
Note: Daniel also took God at His Word in Jer. 29:12, 13 because he began to seek the Lord in prayer as well as search the scriptures diligently.
Bible Study and prayer are an INDESPENSABLE combination for the believer – especially in times of change and revival.
II. Daniel’s Prayer (Dan. 9:1-19)
This prayer is one of the great prayers recorded in the Bible. It is a model for confession and supplication, in which Daniel – one of the most spotless major Bible characters outside of the Lord Jesus Christ – associates himself with his sinful people.
A. Daniel’s Preparation (vs. 3 & 4) – Daniel was a man of prayer. We find him praying in Dan. 2: 17, 18; Dan. 10 and of course in Dan. 6 where his faithful praying had him cast into the den of lions. A feature of Daniel’s prayer life was his meditation. He was very deliberate in each of the above instances, and here in Chapter 9
1. The activity of prayer (v. 3) – “I set my face unto the Lord God…” For Daniel, praying was intentional, unhurried activity. While it is true that we can pray at any time (1 Thess. 5:17), in any place (Jonah 2:1), and in the briefest prayers (Neh. 2:4, Matt. 14:13), our general prayer life also needs to involve the setting aside of all other worldly concerns so that we might meet with God. (Matt. 6:6).
2. The aim of Prayer (v. 3) …seek. Prayer involves seeking God’s face (Ps. 63: 1-7). Praying is much more than rattling off some words (vain repetition)- it is coming into the presence of God, and it involves heart preparation. (Ez. 7:10, 2 Chr. 19:3b; also Deut. 4:29; Ps. 119:2, and Jer. 29:13).
3. The attitude of Prayer (v. 3) “…with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes…” this was an outward display indicating the attitude and desires of the heart. While we as Christians are not required to do all these things in order to seek the Lord, we never the less must manifest the same attitude.
a. Fasting refers to the setting aside of normal bodily (physical) needs and desires in order to accentuate spiritual things. Fasting is not some means of bargaining with God- it is an exercise whereby we suppress the flesh to heighten spiritual perception. It reveals an attitude of steadfastness (Matt. 5:6)
b. Sackcloth – refers to the wearing of rough cloth in place of the fineries of life. It indicates an attitude of humility and neediness (Matt. 5:3).
c. Ashes – refers to the smearing of the body with ash, and indicates an attitude of mourning. (Matt. 5:4)
4. The address of Prayer (v. 4)- Daniel’s appeal is to the “Great and Dreadful” (Almighty) God and the covenant keeping God. Although Christians use different words (because of our different relationship to Him through Christ- Matt. 6:9, Jn. 15:15,16, 16:23, Rom. 8:15), our prayers nonetheless are made to the same Almighty, covenant keeping God in reference to His mighty work of salvation.
B. Daniel’s Penitence (vs. 5-15). Daniel’s prayer of confession is characterized by the personal pronouns “we” and “us”. Daniel was too young to have personally taken part in the wickedness of Judah prior to the Babylonian invasion. He has no sin
ascribed to him in scripture (though he was a sinner- Rom. 3:10,23). Yet Daniel identifies with his people
Not once does Daniel point his finger at others
Not once does he justify or excuse himself
Not once does he bring up his faithfulness to God
Not once does he point a privilege position with God
Not once that he protests that he is a victim in all of this
C. One of the essentials for answered prayer is true humility – 2 Chr. 7:14
2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Note: Daniel’s willingness to be identified with his people reveals a heart of love so much that he was willing to be counted with them and share the consequences and culpability of their sin. This was the attitude of men such as Moses (Heb. 11:24, 25 and Ex. 32:31, 32 and the apostle Paul (Rom. 9:3). It reminds us of our Savior (Phil. 2:5-8; Heb. 2:14-16)
Illustration/Application: Fasting is Feasting
What does the Bible teach about fasting? Reflecting on Matthew 6:16–18 and other passages, Richard Foster comments in Celebration of Discipline:
“It is sobering to realize that the very first statement Jesus made about fasting dealt with the question of motive. To use good things to our own ends is always the sign of false religion…Fasting must forever center on God. It must be God-initiated and God-ordained…Fasting reminds us that we are sustained by ‘every word that proceeds from the mouth of God’ (Matt. 4:4)…Therefore, in experiences of fasting we are not so much abstaining from food as we are feasting on the word of God. Fasting is feasting!”
Fasting, like praying and giving, is a legitimate spiritual discipline to be practiced in private between a Christian and the Lord. How often we practice it is not prescribed, because that too is between the believer and Christ. When we desire to seek God’s face more than we want dinner, that will be the proper time to fast.
But as with other disciplines, fasting opens the door to showmanship rather than spirituality. In Jesus’ day the Pharisees fasted twice a week (Luke 18:12). While fasting, they went about with somber faces and disheveled appearances so that everyone would see (and praise) their piety.
Why did Jesus scorn this custom? Because He could see their hearts and their true motives. He also knew that fasting had been abused by the Jewish people in the past (see Isaiah 58:1–7).
What about fasting for us today? The issue is the same as it has been throughout this section (Matt. 6:1–18). How you fast depends on whom you want to impress. If your fast is for your spiritual benefit and God’s glory, no one else needs to applaud your commitment.
Today in the Word, January 19, 1997, p. 26 Times for Fasting
III. Conclusion:
Daniel’s prayed to the Lord after reading the book of Jeremiah. Though he was never guilty of the sins committed by his countrymen, nevertheless, he included his sins as one of the causes of their captivity. His prayer included fasting, sackcloth, and ashes which is
an outward display indicating the attitude of the heart. We must also truly humble ourselves when we go to the Lord in prayer.
