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Daniel

Daniel 9

Daniel's Prayer
Seventy Sevens

20 He (the Lord) carried into exile to Babylon the remnant, who escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and his successors until the kingdom of Persia came to power. 21 The land enjoyed its sabbath rests; all the time of its desolation it rested, until the seventy years were completed in fulfillment of the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah. (2 Chron 36:20-21)

 

The Lord called for a Sabbath of the land every seven years.  As the Lord put his people in exile for 70 years in Babylon, the 70 sabbaths that were owed to the land were paid for the 490 years they had not been honored.  At the completion of this time, Daniel was moved to prayer. 

 

Daniel 9:1-3

In chapter six we saw the beginning of the reign of Darius under Cyrus the king of Persian.  Chronologically, this chapter is right around the same time as Daniel's trip to the lion's den.  The year would be around 538B.C.  The identity of Darius is a problem that hasn't been sorted out yet.  There is no extra-biblical documentation to agree that Darius reigned (yet).  Scholars narrow it down to three choices:

  1. Mistaken identity – they are alluding to Darius Hystaspes
  2. Persian governor Gubaru
  3. Another name for Cyrus.

Regardless, he was ruler over Babylon during this time.

 

Daniel either knew of this relevant passage in Jeremiah or he had just discovered it in the scriptures.  This is a relatively short time after Jeremiah wrote these prophecies and Daniel, and presumably other Jews, already considered Jeremiah's writings as scripture.  This is a fascinating contrast to the disrespect they showed Jeremiah when he spoke the words to the people prior to captivity.  The scriptures were the 'word of the Lord'.  The word 'Lord' in verse 3 is the first use of the proper name Yahweh in the book of Daniel (Note: it appears a total of eight times in this chapter, but nowhere else in Daniel.)  This word given through Jeremiah said the captivity wouldlast seventy years.  We can read the same passage Daniel was reading at Jeremiah 25:11:

11 This whole country will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years.

 

12 "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.

In chapter 29 Jeremiah details the letter he wrote to the Jews in captivity.  He told them how to live in Babylon as captives.  They were to live as normal lives as possible.  Then in 29:10-12 he said this:

10 This is what the Lord says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

 

It is also possible, if not likely, that Daniel was aware of the prophecies of Isaiah toward Cyrus.  (See Isaiah 44:28; 45:1-4;13)

 

There are numerous debates whether the 70 years is specific or a round number; as well as debates on when it started and so forth.  I would tend to believe it is specific until proven otherwise, and it won't likely be proven otherwise when there seems to be so much 'range' in the dates given.  Maybe more importantly, we know the Babylonian reign had ended when Cyrus conquered Babylon and killed Belshazzar.  This alone would inform Daniel that the end of captivity was near.  Daniel wants verse twelve to be about him.  He would call on the Lord and offer the prayer in the knowledge that the Lord would listen. 

 

Daniel was moved to set his face on the Lord.  (Note: The word 'Lord' in verse three is Adonai.)  This was to turn away from other things to concentrate on this one thing; to give himself to this cause in faith, with devotion and a heart of worship.  This wasn't a flippant two second prayer in hopes the Lord might send a response just as quick.  He was deliberate and focused in preparation with the expectation of hearing from the Lord on this matter.  He humbled himself in sackcloth and ashes, afflicted himself in fasting and pleaded in prayer and petition.  He is identifying with Judah and the sin of all of Israel.  He is mourning for the state of this country and the damaged covenant.  He longs for the restoration of both.  He sets aside food as he hungers for his God. 

 

Daniel 9:4-6

Daniel had no basis for approaching God but his desire that God glorify himself by showing mercy to Israel when they deserve exile, if not annihilation.  But God is rich in mercy and grace and wants to pardon the repentant.  He must have said this to His people hundred times, through numerous prophets prior to captivity.  Daniel's prayer is one of confession regarding the shortcoming of the nation and adoration for God.  It must have been very comforting know of God's love and grace when he also knew of the breadth and depth of their depravity and sin. 

 

It is God's faithfulness that Daniel appeals to.  Those who love the Lord would see and experience His loyal love.  His promises never fail.    

25 To the faithful you show yourself faithful,

to the blameless you show yourself blameless,

26 to the pure you show yourself pure,

but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.

27 You save the humble

but bring low those whose eyes are haughty. (Isaiah 18:25-27)

 

Daniel, very simply, confesses to the Lord.  Its important to note the 'we' in verse 5; Daniel is identifying with his fellow countrymen.  He could have easily said it was 'those' people!  He is interceding with his people, standing in the penalty box with them.  Daniel's Christ-likeness is noteworthy.

  • Sinned – Serious crime or offense
  • Done Wrong – Acted unjustly
  • Acted wickedly – were wicked in their conduct
  • Rebelled – they did this in two ways:
    • Turned away from the commands and law – (codified, written word)
    • They failed to listen to God's servants – (spoken word)

 

The seriousness of the rebellion is evident in verse six, in that God's servants spoke to the kings, princes, ancestors and all the people.  Daniel is offering no excuses.  They had failed many times at every level.  It is his intention to leave no rock unturned, he is bringing every nuance of sin before the Lord.  Everything must be confessed to the fullest extent.

 

Daniel 9:7-11a

Verse 7 starts with the 3rd of 8 times Daniel uses 'Yahweh'.  God remained unchanging, righteous and perfect in every way.  He was perfectly just and right in his prosecution of justice towards his people.  By contrast, 'we' are covered with shame; the NKJV says that 'shame of face' belonged to them.  This was to have a countenance of shame.  Because God so identified with His people and He initiated the covenant, the shame they brought on themselves, disgraced Him.  Their sins were against Him. 

 

Even in the face of this rebellion, the Lord remained merciful and forgiving.  In Deuteronomy 28 they learned that to obey God was to live; to disobey was to perish in judgment.  Daniel speaks as the offending party, falling on the mercy of the offended, knowing they ought to perish.  Consider reading all of Deuteronomy 28; verse 63-65 are particularly noteworthy in light of this passage.

 

Daniel 9:11a-14

The curses Daniel is referencing are the curses of Deuteronomy 28:15-68.  They were numerous and due to the extent of Israel's sin; the curses were poured out on them.  The disaster was built into the covenant, so that in their unfaithfulness, God's justice is proves His faithfulness and righteousness.  God's wrath came down on them.  From the disaster they turned from their sin and gave heed to God's truth, the law. 

 

Daniel is done using the name Yahweh now.  His references are again to Adonai and Elohim.  One thought was that the use of Adonai was the acknowledge God's absolute sovereignty over his life. 

 

Daniel 9:15-19

Daniel pleads for restoration by noting God's reputation for this very thing.  He famously brought them out of Egypt and made His name great.  In light of God's reputation, Daniel asks the Lord to turn away His anger.  For Israel and Jerusalem to be an object of scorn was an offense to God and damaged his fame.  Daniel knows the Lord can remove this scorn and shame. 

 

Daniel pleas as a servant that the Lord not leave the sanctuary desolate.  To 'look with favor' was to 'make Your face shine'.  He prayed God would see the desolation of His city Jerusalem.  The city bears God's name, yet it was destroyed and desolate; the people bore God's name, yet they were scattered among the nations.  Daniel asks the lord to listen, hear, forgive and act. 

 

You can certainly hear the passion of Daniel's prayer and the intensity of the request.  Daniel was eight or so years old.  He prayed for his nation and his people to be restored to His God.  He longed for this for His kids and grandkids, for his friends and countrymen.  And, I suspect, Daniel hoped he might live to see the day.  But if not, I also suspect, He understood He would see the Promised Land in the next life, eternal life with the Lord.

 

Daniel 9:20-23

In chapter six (that parallels this chapter chronologically) we saw Daniel pray at his window as he faced Jerusalem.  There's no reason to think this prayer was offered any differently.  As Daniel spoke, prayed and confessed, Gabriel appeared to him.  To him 'the man' was a term meaning he appeared in humanlike form. 

 

The 'swift flight' is troublesome to translators and commentators.  It's not necessarily to convey Gabriel had wings, but that the Lord sent him to go swiftly to Daniel and deliver the message.  He left immediately but didn't arrive until the prayer was nearly over.   He arrived about the time of evening sacrifice (approx. 4pm).  There would have been no sacrifice in Babylon, but those longing for the Lord still kept time by the morning and evening sacrifices.

 

Gabriel brings insight and understanding; this seems to be his ministry.  He brings insight and understanding to God's word and hope.  We should note right off though, that Daniel's prayer was answered but not like he wanted it to be.  Daniel was 'highly esteemed'; understood as the 'best thing' or the 'most valuable' or 'precious treasure'.  Gabriel said the same to Mary when he explained to her that should would have a child.

 

Daniel 9:24

The Lord decreed 'seventy sevens' for Israel and Jerusalem.  The bad news for Daniel was the transgression was not finished.  Israel had a future but not the future Daniel had hoped for, one that would start with a pardon and then take them to Jerusalem for restoration and rebuilding.  While they would return and build the temple, transgression was not finished and therefore the judgment was not complete.  The seventy sevens was the outlook to accomplish what Daniel had longed for:

  • The end of sin
  • The atonement for their wickedness
  • An everlasting righteousness. 
  • To anoint the Most Holy Place

 

Daniel was to 'know and understand' that from the decree to rebuild until the Anointed One comes there will be a time period.  It will be a time of 7 sevens and then 62 sevens.

 

Daniel 9:25

There are seemingly endless theories and debates around what 'word' that goes out.  What restoration and rebuilding?  The ideas range from the decree of God in verse 23 to Cyrus, to Artaxerxes and many more.  There are problems with the many theories out there.  Most only fit partially, a few fit well but fail to explain timing.  One, fits well and the timing is reasonable and that is the one put forth by Sir Robert Anderson.   A word was to go forth to restore and rebuilt Jerusalem; the time between this decree and the 'Anointed One, the ruler' was to be seven sevens and sixty sevens.  There are many anointed ones in scripture but only one who can put an end to sin and bring everlasting righteousness.  Anderson lays it out like this:

  • Artaxerxes decreed the rebuilding of Jerusalem in 445B.C. (As given to Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.)
  • The first 7 weeks of years is for the rebuilding of the wall.  There are many who dispute this.
  • Then there would be 62 weeks of years until the coming of the Anointed One. 

 

Anderson calculates this time using the prophetic year of 360 days and even accounts for leap years.  He comes up with 173,880 days.  The decree was given on March 14th of 445 B.C. so that puts the coming of the Anointed One on April 6th of 32A.D.  This is the day, according to Anderson that Christ presented Himself to Israel as their King, the Anointed One.  We know this as the Triumphal entry, Palm Sunday.   

 

 

During the 7 weeks the city of God would be rebuilt. The rebuilt city won't be built in peace as Daniel had hoped, but in times of trouble (the culmination of which was the time of Jacob's trouble – Jeremiah 30:7).  The rebuilt city is one with streets and a trench, implying fortifications for defense of the city.  From then, 62 weeks later, the Anointed will be put to death.  The NKJV states it this way:

  26       "And after the sixty-two weeks

Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself;

The Anointed One is put to death but it was done for others. 

 

An army will come like a flood upon the city after this cutting off.  This army will consist of the people of the 'ruler to come'.  This was the Roman army in 70A.D. under command of Titus.      He is final fulfillment of the little horn of Daniel 8.  The people of the prince to come are the Romans since the prince will come from a restored Roman empire (the ten toes of iron and clay).  The Romans destroyed the city and the temple in 70A.D.    Then the end will come 'like a flood'

 

Should the Jews have known the time when their Messiah would come?  It had been given to them.  Jesus said this in Luke 19:42-44.

 "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you."

The Temple sacrifices were no longer needed, the lamb of God, the final sacrifice had come.  They failed to recognize this.  The judgment was the destruction of the city and temple.  Much like the withering of the fig.  It stood as an example of the religious system that no longer bore any useful fruit.  It had run its course.  The temple, the sacrifices and everything about the law pointed, like a sign, toward Jesus.  The sign was now no longer needed.

 

War will continue until the end.  For the Jews, the war never ends.  They have been attacked, killed, systematically purged and still today there are rockets lobbed at them while threats are made about their annihilation.  They have never been able to let down their guard.  In the U.N. (the place that is supposed to be a world peace), they are constantly derided for being the source of conflict in the middle east.  It will not change until the end. 

 

The prince himself makes his entrance in the 70th week when he makes a covenant with many for this time.  He will likely be the person who brings about peace in the middle east, but it will be a façade.  Many will be fooled by this man, he will deceive a world that won't know better because they have not prepared themselves for this time.  In the middle of this treaty, he will end the sacrifices and offering; he will set up an abomination causing desolation.  He will defile the temple and the altar bringing about the decreed end.  We know this 'decreed end' is the Great Tribulation that ends with the coming of the Lord.

 

If Daniel was worn out and exhausted at the end of chapter 8, he probably needed a vacation after this vision.  The chapter ends somewhat abruptly and we don't get to hear or see Daniel's response to the vision.  It was the answer to his prayer; like many answers from the Lord, not exactly what he had in mind, yet greater, more complete and amazing than he could have imagined.  

 

©2018 Doug Ford