A couple of years ago we read a version of Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress to our children, and it was an enjoyable experience as each night we looked forward to the next episode in Christian’s journey. One of the more exciting things for us as we read was talking about the helpful characters that came alongside Christian. Whether it was the Evangelist, Interpreter, Faithful, Hopeful, or a number of others, it was always exciting and encouraging for the kids to find out that Christian had encouragement or provision right when he needed it most and often at the very moment that you thought he would fall.
One of the reasons that’s exciting for us to ponder as believers is because the Lord does the same for us. Should we all take the afternoon just to make record of provision that the Lord has brought into our lives at crucial points and shared them with one another, I’m sure we’d have to take all the night before we finished our lists. And no doubt many more would come flooding to our minds as others shared, bringing up issues that we had probably forgotten. Whether friends, fellow laborers, money, food, encouragement, or whatever else, one of the ways that we can probably all testify that we have tasted and seen God’s care for us is in his provision for us in difficult times.
I think that is something that Daniel 9 encourages us to consider. The last couple chapters of Daniel have been encouraging as the Lord has pronounced to Daniel what will come. God lets him know that he knows the future so that no matter what comes, he can know that God is controlling world history. And, even as Chad pointed out in Daniel 8, this news has often brought fear and confusion to Daniel. After all, if I told you today, “Look, you’re about to encounter a time of great suffering, but don’t worry, remember, I told you it was coming,” it would probably be really tempting to be overcome with anxiety.
Yet, if we are believers, we know that it is through many afflictions that we will enter the kingdom of God. We know that we will face persecution as we strive to live godly lives in Christ Jesus. In short, we’re not in a position that much different from Daniel – standing at a point where we can be certain that suffering (of differing kinds and to differing degrees) awaits us and perhaps is being faced by us now.
But as I read Daniel 9, I cannot help but think how encouraging this chapter must have been to Daniel and how encouraging this chapter can be for us. And in many ways, how fitting a chapter it is for us to think through after Ray reminded us last week from Isaiah 42 of God’s love for and commitment to us as his children. I think Daniel 9 is a fitting follow-up in that it reveals how many ways God provides for us as we walk through our life, even as it may be filled with suffering. So, it is these elements of God’s provision, revealed in this chapter, that I want us to ponder on this morning. But before getting there, let’s first consider the setting of this chapter.
Daniel 9 begins, “In the first year of Darius the Son of Ahasuerus, by descent a Mede, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans—in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the LORD to the Jeremiah must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years. Then I tuned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes” (9:1-3).
The significance of the mention of Darius’ first year of reigning is that this lets the reader know that the Perians had just defeated the Babylonians (539 BC). And the reason this is important is because it was the Babylonians, under Nebuchadnezzar, who had taken Judah in exile nearly fifty years earlier. Also interesting is that Darius’ first year of reigning as king of Babylonian would have run parallel to the first year of Cyrus reigning as king over the Persian empire, the year that some Jews were permitted to return to their land. It is at this time that Daniel makes his prayer that takes of most of Daniel 9.
Interestingly, Daniel is provoked to prayer by reading the book of Jeremiah. Perhaps seeing the defeat of the Babylonians, the very ones who had taken Judah into exile, prompted Daniel to look again and see what the Lord had said about someday freeing his people from exile. And a text like Jeremiah 25:11-12 and 29:10-14 would fit perfectly for what Daniel may have read there. These verses read, “This whole land shall become a ruin and a waste, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. Then after seventy years are completed I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity, declares the LORD, making the land an everlasting waste.” . . . “For thus says the LORD: ‘When the seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.’”
Again, you can imagine Daniel, observing the defeat of the Babylonians, reading this text, and wondering exactly when God might deliver his people from exile. Perhaps Daniel was wondering how long the seventy years would last. Now, you might thinking that’s a very odd kind of statement to make. After all, isn’t wondering how long the seventy years would last like wondering how long the three-foot board is? Well, perhaps. If the seventy years is meant to be a literal number, then of course Daniel would not have been wondering if perhaps this was the time when God would might deliver his people from exile. If the exile began in 586 BC, then they still had over twenty years remaining.
But there’s a good chance that the seventy years would not have been understood by Daniel (nor should be understood by us) as a literal seventy years. I say this for two reasons. The first is simply that the Bible will often use numbers symbolically. You’ve probably realized throughout Daniel that much is symbolic. World rulers like Alexander and Antiochus are pictured as rams or goats or horns on rams or goats. This is often the case in apocalyptic books like Daniel that are full of visions and prophecies. But this is also true throughout the Bible as a whole. The number 7 or 70 (7 x 10) itself is often used to symbolize an idea of completeness. Perhaps the best illustration of this is found in Matthew 18:21-22 where Peter asks if he should forgive his brother “as many as seven times” and Jesus answers, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.” Here, the number used by Jesus is not meant to be taken literally as 490 times, and Peter would have known that. Rather, Jesus is taking numbers that symbolized completeness (like 7) and perfection (like 10) and multiplying them with one another. That is, Jesus was using numbers that would have symbolized perfect and complete forgiveness – or forgiveness that cannot be exhausted. So, knowing that numbers and even the exact number seventy (as Jesus indicates) is a regularly used number to symbolize completeness or perfect completeness should lead us to wonder whether Jeremiah or Daniel indicated a literal seventy years.
Yet there is a second reason why we should probably question this number of seventy years being literal. The reason is that other biblical writers refer to this seventy years as well, and they seem to be taking it as symbolic. For example, in 2 Chronicles 36:20-22, the chronicler refers to the exile taking seventy years, yet he marks it as beginning with the conquest of Judah by Babylon (586 BC) and ending with the establishment of the kingdom of Persia (which would have been 539 BC. So, other writers see the seventy years as symbolic as well, and this should lead us not to press it literally. All of this, then, brings us back to Daniel and the fact that he probably read Jeremiah eagerly hoping that the “seventy years” before God would restore his people might soon be over. And in that hope, he prays.
Seeing what God Word decreed, Daniel prayed. Seeing what God’s Word said would take place, Daniel prayed. The odd thing about this is that sometimes we’re tempted to say, “If God is in control of all things, why should I pray.” Daniel’s response seems to be that prayer is only valuable and possible because God is in control and is directing history. If he’s not, then, we might ask, why pray to him? I wouldn’t ask my two-year-old son to help me build a house but someone who is competent to do so. Therefore, God’s control and sovereignty are a motivation to prayer.
But specifically we see Daniel pray to the Lord, confessing the sin of the people. In verse 4, Daniel says, “I prayed to the LORD my God and made confession …” He then goes on to declare that though God is faithful in his love and commitment, they have sinned, acted wickedly, done wrong, and rebelled. They have not listened to God’s servants. They are shameful. They have not obeyed God’s voice by walking in his laws but have turned aside, refusing to obey. And he declares that it is all Israel that has been complicit in this.
Now, if it is indeed Jeremiah 25:11-12 and 29:10-14 that Daniel read, then Jeremiah would have reminded him Israel was in exile as an act of judgment from God and would one day turn to God, cry out to him, and be heard. Therefore, Daniel begins to do just this, crying out to God, confessing their sin. And this scene is a reminder to us that God has graciously given his Word to us in order to instruct our prayers.
Daniel prays in line with what God reveals that he has ordained. And how exciting that must have been. But we are in the same position as Daniel in that we too have the Word. We too know much of God’s will. And we too can allow the Word to direct us in knowing how we should pray.
I think this is one of the most ignored blessings from our Lord – the gift of his Word in instructing us how to pray. I feel somewhat confident that if I were to ask you, “In most situations, how do we know God’s will?” that you all would answer by telling me that we look to God’s Word. Indeed, there are some things the Bible does not address and we seek God to grant us wisdom, but much is revealed to us. In fact, in Romans 12:1-2, we prove what God’s will is by renewing our minds to his truth, showing, I think, that the normal way of knowing God’s will is found simply in learning the content of the Scriptures.
So then, it should be for easy to answer the question, “How do we pray according to God’s will?” Of course, the answer is that most of the time this involves simply praying that which God has revealed in his Word. Now, yes, I’ll acknowledge that the Bible did not provide a direct answer on whether or not I should have gone to Louisville to get my Ph.D. over the last two years. There are indeed circumstances in life where God’s will is not clear. But, dare I say, that is the exception more than the rule.
Let me give you an example of what I mean. If tomorrow I found out that I had cancer and it looked like I would soon die, then would we know whether it’d God’s will to heal me or not? No. Would I want you to pray for me to be healed? Yes. God tells us that we can let our requests be made known to God, and that’d be my request. I would want to stick around to care for my wife and children and to continue to labor with you all. However, more than that, I’d long for you all to take up God’s Word, look to see what God’s will for his children is, and begin praying those things for me.
As you look to see that we’re instructed to consider others better than ourselves, I’d hope that you’d pray for me that I would not let my bout with cancer lead me to turn my attention away from others and merely to myself but to long to exalt and serve others. As you read that we’re to not grow anxious, I hope that you’d pray that I would walk in peace and trust. As you read that God is shaping us by his Spirit to be loving, joyful, patient, and kind, I hope that you’d pray that these things would flow out of me where the world might expect anger and bitterness, even backbiting because I perceive others are in a better position that me. Do you see? There is much that you could pray for, knowing it’s God’s will, as you let the Word instruct you in how to pray.
And could you imagine your joy if you were able to see these things grow and develop in me? It would be the best thing for me and the most joyous thing for you. Therefore, I want to encourage us, even as Daniel did, to allow the Word to instruct us in how we should pray, pray God’s clear will for one another, and then know deeper joy as satisfaction recognizing the graciousness of God’s ways. Do not ignore this gracious provision that God has given us as we walk through this life.
Yet Daniel 9 also reminds us that God gives us another gracious gift, namely, he disciplines us so that we might turn to him.
Daniel acknowledges that the people are suffering because of what God said. They might have doubted because punishment did not come immediately, but God is true to his word. And part of his word was that if they did not obey his commandments that he would punish them. Daniel is saying, “Look, this is what has happened. This is what is happening.” This is not unlike a parent who says to a child, “I’ll spank you if you hit your sister” and then spanks the child after he proceeds to hit his sister. Daniel acknowledges this.
But the real tragedy is in verse 13. There, Daniel declares, “As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us; yet we have not entreated the favor of the LORD our God, turning from our iniquities and gaining insight by your truth.” Then, again, Daniel declares that they have not obeyed, and that God is righteous in his actions.
The real tragedy is that Israel had not let their judgment lead them to turn to the Lord. Now, for us, we’re in a different position. We are not under the law as Israel was, but it is true that God has told us that he will discipline us because he loves us. It is true that God still refuses simply to give his people over to their sin. If you belong to him, he will discipline you. God has made that clear, and God’s Word is as true now as it was then.
So, if the Lord disciplines you, it is not so that you might run from him; it is so that you might turn from your sin and run to him. Just the other night as I had to spank Luke, I witnessed the joy of him turning to me in his tears and hugging me. We just sat there on the bed, hugging each other, as his heart had become so soft toward me and pliable (at that moment) to my commands. And, thinking of this text, I thought, “This is why God disciplines us.” It is one of the gracious gifts he gives us – his discipline throughout this life so that we might not wander from him.
Last week Ray exhorted us strongly to accept the truth by faith that God loves us. I’m encouraging you now to see that love demonstrated in his discipline for you, and do not respond to it by running from him. Rather, thank him, joyfully repent, and run to him in thankfulness that he loves you enough not to let you go. What a gift is his promised discipline for his children.
Additionally, God gives us the gift of revealing his nature and actions to us so that he might serve as a solid foundation for us throughout this life.
As Daniel prays, he continually shows that his confidence in prayer is based upon God’s nature and actions as God has revealed this to him. In verses 15-19, note how much Daniel bases his prayer on God’s character and gracious actions. Daniel prays, “And now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and have made a name for yourself, as at this day, we have sinned, we have done wickedly. \"O Lord, according to all your righteous acts, let your anger and your wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy hill, because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people have become a byword among all who are around us. Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord [important because God has chosen to honor himself through his people], make your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate. O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations, and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.\"
Because Daniel knows God and knows what he has done, he prays in confidence. He prays to a God he knows. God wants this for us. This is why he has revealed his nature to us. This is why he has revealed his actions to us – so that we might walk in faith before him. Interestingly, this is a beautiful cycle, as you pray according to his Word and delight in watching him answer your prayers, and as you allow his loving discipline to lead you to flee not away from him but to him, you’ll find your heart knowing and trusting him more. Then, you’ll grow in your confidence as you pray according to his Word. You’ll grow in your knowledge of him. And then, even as you pray for things that his Word does not directly address, you’ll find that your heart has been shaped by learning about God through meditating upon those things the Word does address. Again, do not deny yourself the pleasure of resting in who God is as you pray.
He is a God who loves you more than anyone in this room does. He is a God who is more faithful than anyone in this room does. He is a God who has demonstrated his love and commitment to you greater than anyone in the world has, even as he sent his own Son to die for you. Therefore, trust him, and let your knowledge of him give you confidence to seek him in prayer again and again. The more you know who God is, you’ll want to pray to him more and more.
Daniel 9 also reminds us that God responds in love to our prayers to him.
Verses 20-23 tell us that before Daniel had finished praying, in fact, at the beginning of Daniel’s prayer, God had sent Gabriel to answer Daniel. But listen to the exact wording. Daniel tells us that while he was still speaking in prayer, Gabriel came to him and said, “O Daniel, I have now come out to give you insight and understanding. At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved. Therefore consider the word and understand the vision” (9:22-23).
As soon as God started praying, God sent Gabriel to bring a word to him. Why? Gabriel says, “Because you are greatly loved.”
Now, I know it’s tempting to think that Daniel is this great figure, who’s so important to God and that you’re nothing. But that is simply a lie. Daniel is greatly loved and so are you. And the proof is in the sacrifice of Christ for you.
So, do you think that God chooses to turn his back on those whom he loves when they pray? Of course not. He’s not only equipped us with the Word to instruct us how to pray and revealed himself to us so that we can trust him when we pray, he’s also reminded us that he loves us and will respond to our requests even more lovingly than devoted parents do in this world.
God responds to your prayers because he loves you. Now, yes, he may respond differently than you think is best. He left Paul’s thorn in the flesh to keep him humble, knowing that was what was best for him. But even then, he gave him grace that would sufficiently uphold him. He loves you, and is graciously responding to your prayers.
Just recently I was in a conversation with a friend who was wondering why God had not provided for him financially, when all of the sudden a bird landed near him. He told me then that he reminded himself that he was of more value to God than the sparrow whom God feeds daily. That is right. God might not give you what you think you need, but he is always lovingly lavishing his grace upon us in response to our prayers as we are of great value to him and greatly loved.
Finally, we see that God reminds us that he’s doing more than we ask or think.
Gabriel’s answer to Daniel is complex. You’d think that Gabriel would come and say, “Daniel, thanks for asking about the end of the exile. It’s going to happen on this day in this year.” Daniel would have been happy. He would have graciously received from God the answer for which he was longing. But instead, Gabriel starts talking about seventy weeks, everlasting righteousness, an end of sacrifice and offering, and the end of a desolator. What is going on here?
Here’s what I think is going on. Daniel is asking when God will bring about the joyous deliverance from Babylon, and God comes and gives him much more than that. Some see 70 weeks as a literal 490 years and try to work out a schedule of what exactly God is predicting to Daniel and when, but this is hard to imagine since we’ve already seen one instance from Jesus’ own lips where he clearly does not mean the number to be taken literally. But with the numbers symbolizing completeness, it is best to see them as figurative, even as Jesus uses this exact number figuratively.
It’s best to see this in connection with the year of Jubilee. In Israel’s history, every seventh year they were supposed to have a sabbatical year where the land would get a rest from sowing and harvesting. Then, after seven of these seven year period (i.e., after forty-nine years), Israel was commanded to celebrate a year of Jubilee. In that year, debts would be forgiven, slaves would be set free, land would be returned to the original owners. It was no doubt a year that was meant to symbolize God’s great act of deliverance in which his people would be truly free from our debts, our sin, from Satan, and from death. So if the seven sevens (49 years) pointed to Jubilee, perhaps what is going on in this text is that Gabriel is pointing Daniel to a time after 490 years, which would be like Jubilee times ten, or a great Jubilee.
That is, Daniel wants to know when the exile will end and God will free his people, and Gabriel comes to tell Daniel that God is intent on doing much more than freeing his people. In fact, Gabriel says in verse 24 that during this period of time, God is going to bring about: (1) the finishing of transgression, (2) the end of sin, (3) the atonement of the wicked, (4) the bringing in of everlasting righteousness, (5) the sealing up of vision and prophecy, and (6) the anointing of the most holy place (v. 24).
He then tells him that shortly (after one “week”) word will go out for Jerusalem to be rebuilt. Then, after sixty-two weeks which is a troubled time, the anointed one shall come and make a covenant with us (even as Jesus makes the New Covenant, sealed with his blood), but he will be cut off and have nothing – probably a reference to the Messiah dying for his people. Then, one will come who will destroy Jerusalem and the temple (v. 26). However, even as the Messiah’s actions will put an end to offerings and sacrifice (as they are no longer needed), so even the wicked one who destroyed the temple will be put to an end (v. 27). That is, in the seventieth week, everything necessary for the restoration of all things will be done. It doesn’t mean that the world is now perfect but that everything Jesus did in his obedience to death and his resurrection made certain full salvation. Everything has in principle been accomplished through his work. This is the message that Gabriel tells Daniel.
But what good is this kind of answer? Well, it shows Daniel that God will do much more than Daniel is asking or imagining in his prayer, and this is the same God that we serve. His Word directs us how to pray. He lovingly disciplines us to bring us to him. He reveals himself and his actions so that we might trust him and rest in him. He lovingly responds to our prayers. And even when we ask him for hope, he reminds us that he’s doing more than we can ask or imagine. That was the message to Daniel, and that message applies to us today.
Therefore, as we come to the table this morning, let us freshly walk in faith before our God who graciously provides us everything necessary to walk in life and godliness. Amen.