For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Daniel 9:1-11a

1 In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom— 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.

4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:

“Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 5 we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. 6 We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land.

7 “Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame—the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you. 8 We and our kings, our princes and our ancestors are covered with shame, Lord, because we have sinned against you. 9 The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; 10 we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets. 11 All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.

A. Find Out:

1. In whose reign does this occur? v.1,2
2. What did Daniel come to understand? v.2
3. What was his response? v.3
4. What does he note about God in his prayer? v.4,7,9
5. How does he say they have sinned? v.5,6,10,11
6. What does he say is their state now? v.7,8

B. Think:

1. What is it that has prompted Daniel to pray and fast?
2. What is the main thrust of this prayer so far?
3. Why do you think he mentions the particular characteristics of God that he does?

C. Comment:

Having previously seen some of the revelation through dreams that Daniel received, we now come to the revelation he receives through God’s word.

Jeremiah’s prophecy has obviously been written down and as he reads it, he realises that it is God’s intention that Israel should be in captivity for ONLY seventy years. There can be no other reason for his reaction, which was to pray and fast, other than he sensed God’s desire, which may be different from what actually happens! He senses that before the captivity can come to an end there needs to be confession and repentance. God won’t just take them back automatically after a set seventy years. He wants there to be a change of heart, which will probably take seventy years to come about.

Having seen that, Daniel doesn’t try to get others to come to that position, he comes to it himself and acknowledges before the Lord their sin. He pours out his heart pleading for forgiveness. His is the only record in Scripture of an intercessor at that time, pleading for forgiveness in the light of their sin and the captivity. What an amazing man who truly steps into the gap and cries to God for the nation! What an example!

D. Application:

1. Ask the Lord to give you real understanding today of the truths  revealed in today’s passage.
2. Ask Him to inspire you in prayer.

Passage: Daniel 9:11-19

11 All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.

“Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you. 12 You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing on us great disaster. Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem. 13 Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come on us, yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth. 14 The Lord did not hesitate to bring the disaster on us, for the Lord our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him.

15 “Now, Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong. 16 Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn to all those around us.

17 “Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. 18 Give ear, our God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. 19 Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.”

A. Find Out:

1. What was the basis of what has happened? v.11b,12a
2. What ought they to have done? v.13b
3. How does he describe the Lord? v.15
4. To what does he appeal? v.16
5. Why does he ask the Lord to act? v.17,19
6. To what does he appeal? v.18

B. Think:

1. How was the past linked with the present?
2. What does Daniel acknowledge about the nation?
3. How does he appeal to the Lord?

C. Comment:

This is one of those great prayers of the Bible that teaches so much.

First, it reminds us that God acts according to His character and His declared word. He is holy and righteous and He has declared the way of life through obedience and the way of destruction through disobedience. This is obedience or disobedience to the truth which is the way He has made the world to be (see Deuteronomy 28).

Second, it reminds us that the way of reconciliation to God and restoration of life comes through repentance which is a turning AWAY FROM sin and turning back TO God. For there to be repentance there has to be an honest facing up to the true situation and acknowledgement of our failure and need.

Third, it shows us that the true ground for intercession is not to appeal on the basis of personal goodness and righteousness, but to appeal to the Lord on the basis of His own name, His own righteousness and His own mercy. He has made Himself known as a God of creation and redemption. He is righteous in all His ways and mercy allows Him to redeem. He wants us to appeal to and understand these gems in the crown of truth.

D. Application:

1. As you pray, have you ensured that you have repented of all known wrongs in your life?
2. As you pray, are you concerned for the Lord’s name, for who He is and what He is known as.

Passage: Daniel 9:20-27

20 While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the Lord my God for his holy hill— 21 while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. 22 He instructed me and said to me, “Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. 23 As soon as you began to pray, a word went out, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the word and understand the vision:

24 “Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place.

25 “Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. 26 After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. 27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.”

A. Find Out:

1. When did Gabriel come? v.21
2. What had he come to do? v.22
3. How was Daniel considered in heaven? v.23
4. Why is there to be a special period? v.24
5. What will be the beginning of it? v.25a
6. Who will come at the end of it? v.25b

B. Think:

1. What had concerned Daniel in prayer before Gabriel came?
2. How would Gabriel’s message have encouraged him?
3. What does it tell us about the Lord?

C. Comment:

This passage has promoted more speculation and calculation by commentators that almost any other. Rather than join in with further speculation (that might be wrong), we will simply view it from Daniel’s position, and try to sense what it might have said to him at that moment of time. First Daniel will be comforted in that he is given an angelic visitation (which is special in itself), then he is told he is highly esteemed in heaven, then he is told Jerusalem WILL be rebuilt, and finally he is told an “Anointed One” is going to come to his people, all of which would have thrilled him greatly.

First and foremost this is the message of this passage: comfort and reassurance for the future.

Second, behind the passage is the SOVEREIGNTY of God, who has set times in His plans for set things to happen. The destruction of Jerusalem was not a mistake, and its rebuilding will not be by accident either.

Third, behind the passage is the MYSTERIOUS WISDOM of God. Not only is there mystery in the times given, but from Daniel’s viewpoint there would be mystery as to why the Anointed One should be cut off. Possibly referring to other things, it at least refers to the coming and rejection of Jesus.

D. Application:

1. Thank the Lord that He is a God of comfort (see also  2 Cor 1:3,4)
2. Worship Him as THE one & only Sovereign Lord today.