Daniel 9 (3)

Introduction
Daniel knew that, in judging His people, God was only being faithful to His Word. He was doing what He had said He would do if His people scorned His grace, despised His Law, and walked in their own paths. Only within the grace and truth of God can we know righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit. Israel had scorned that path, and now they were enduring the consequences of their foolish choices.

Read Leviticus 26.16-20; Deuteronomy 28.15-68.

Read Daniel 9.9-13.

Think it Through
1.  Let’s look at the verbs Daniel used to describe how Israel had come to this state of exile and judgment. How would you define each of these: “rebelled” (v. 9); “obeyed”, “walk in His laws” (v. 10); “transgressed”, “departed”, “sinned” (v. 11)? Why did Daniel express this in so many different ways? What does this suggest about the urgency and passion of his prayer? Is this how we pray in our churches? As the judgment of God began to fall on Israel, the people sought political alliances with pagan nations in the hope of securing their freedoms. But according to verse 13, what should they have done instead (cf. 2 Chron. 7.14)? Is there a lesson here for Christians today? Has your church learned this lesson?

2.  Notice also the emphasis on God’s Word and His Law (vv. 10-13). Israel turned away from God’s Word and His Law, but God never will. He is faithful to what He has proclaimed. He is not like us. We think we can ignore the Law of God and dabble in His Word, rather than read and meditate and search and obey the Scriptures day by day. We think that if we are merely casual about the Word and Law of God, God will be casual as well, because we think He is just like us. Meditate on Psalm 50.16-23. Must God bring “disaster” on His people today, before we will turn to Him with the passion, humility, and urgency Daniel expresses here? What can you do to begin praying like this, and to urge your fellow Christians likewise to pray?

Meditate
“Their stubbornness was so great that even in the midst of their toils they would not entreat God, and even if they had entreated him, it would not have been a genuine entreaty, because they had not turned back from their iniquities. Yet to consider the truth of God is equivalent to turning back from iniquity.” Jerome (347-420 AD)

Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. James 4.2, 3

Lord Jesus, You have taught us to pray for Your Kingdom and for the forgiveness of our sins. But we waste our prayers by asking only for what we want, rather than what You command. In my prayers, O Lord, help me to…

Pray Psalm 126.1-3
Do you have a vision for what a revived world would look like? Do you have a dream for revival, renewal, and awakening which, should it come true, would fill your mouth with laughter and singing? As you pray these verses, ask God to give you such a vision.

Psalm 126.1-3 (Truro: Shout for the Blessed Jesus Reigns!)
When God restored our fortunes all,
We were like those who sweetly dream.
Our mouths with joy and laughter filled,
Made Him our constant song and theme.

Then the astonished nations said,
“The Lord has done great things for them!”
Indeed, great things our God has done,
Whose Name we praise, Amen, Amen!

T. M Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006.