Outline—Daniel 9:1–19
- Introduction to chapter (vv. 1–2)
- Daniel’s Prayer
- Confession of sin (vv. 3–7)
- Confession of widespread guilt (vv. 8–12)
- Confession of the justice of God (vv. 13–15)
- Confession of intercession (vv. 16–17)
- Confession of petition (vv. 18–19)
Related Scripture
- Jeremiah 25:11, 29:1–15
- Ezekial 14:14
- Matthew 24–25
- Revelation
- Numbers 6:22–27
Take Home Points
- Daniel had been reading Jeremiah 25:11 and 29:1–15. The later passage is a great one to glean context for a precious promise many latch on to in our day!
- God turns the heart of a king easier than we can turn the heart of a child.
- Mercy and forgiveness are the sole propriety of God.
- God means what He says.
- The fulcrum point of all God’s dealings with man is His righteousness.
- Whenever we are truly faced with God’s righteousness, we feel shame.
- The basis of all prayer is His mercy, not our righteousness.
- Pray boldly according to God’s righteousness.
Fascinating word picture
In verse 13, the words “all this disaster has come upon us; yet we have not made our prayer before the LORD our God” have this literal translation: “all this disaster has come upon us; yet we have not sought to smooth the face of the LORD.” When someone is angry their face can contort into all sorts of wrinkles and rage; to smooth the face is turning the angry countenance into the kindly face, which incidentally is what Daniel speaks of in verse 17 and is in the High Priestly prayer in Numbers. Without repentance God’s face cannot shine on us.
One more thing
Jehovah’s name appears seven times in this chapter, the only occurances in the book of Daniel, yet there is a healthy sprinkling of the name Adonai (Lord, Master). Both are fitting for a deep man of prayer (Ezekial 14:14).
A proper understanding of this chapter, a pivotal prophecy in Scripture, is necessary for a keen understanding of Matthew 24-25 and Revelation.
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