2007-09-23 - Daniel

Chapter 9: Part 2 ~ Installment 69

Verses 1-3: What is the reason for - and the approach of - Daniel's prayer? First, he is not praying for himself, but as an individual within the Jewish people. His confession of sin does not appear to be for his own sins, which isn't to say he didn't sin, but the sins here are national in scope.

Daniel is praying for the people with whom he is identifying himself. And this prayer comes out of the realization, from his own understanding of God's words given through Jeremiah, of the fate of the city of Jerusalem.

"This whole country will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years. But when the seventy years are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon and his nation, the land of the Babylonians, for their guilt," declares the LORD, "and will make it desolate forever. I will bring upon that land all the things I have spoken against it, all that are written in this book and prophesied by Jeremiah against all the nations." ... "This is what the LORD says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place."" (Jeremiah 25:11-13; 29:10).

Daniel is praying for the fulfillment of God's word, and for the end to the desolation of the city. He is also concerned that while God has allowed the people to be broken, they have not been broken spiritually - and still have no desire to be restored to fellowship with the LORD.

Daniel is also concerned about the fate of the Jewish people, in spite of the fact they would have an opportunity to return to the land. This was in light of the visions and prophecies he had already received. Daniel realized there was a coming persecution of the Jew. This was clear to him, even if he didn't understand the dual nature of the images of the "Little Horns."

Comments or Questions?
Geoff

GKragen@aol.com

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