Sermon Tone Analysis

As it happens, you have come to church on the Sunday we’re looking at the end of Daniel chapter 9.

Many regard it as the single-most difficult part of the book.

And the single most difficult part of the book of Daniel might well be one of the most difficult parts of the entire Bible.

So we’re going to wade into this difficult section of the book to see what we can see.

I think the only way to really do this is to take it bit by bit, piece by piece.

We’ll just see how far we can get.

We’re going to take this in two parts so we’re not here all morning.

A sigh of relief or an “amen” is entirely appropriate.

My feelings won’t be hurt.

There’s lunch waiting; I understand completely.

But let’s not forget: this is most important thing we do on a Sunday morning.

Listening to Barrett is not the most important thing; opening God’s Word to hear from Him, to hear what He has to say to us, that is absolutely the most important thing we do.

And what a privilege it is!

If you have your Bible (and I hope you do), please turn with me to Daniel 9. If you are able and willing, please stand with me for the reading of God’s Holy Word.

Daniel 9, verses 20-27:

May the Lord add His blessing to the reading of His Holy Word!

>The first half of Daniel 9 records Daniel’s prayer—a prayer of worship, confession, and pleading.

Daniel was reading the Scriptures and he understood from what the Lord said through the prophet Jeremiah that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years.

The Good News in all of this is that Daniel was pretty sure the 70 years was almost up.

You see, Babylon has fallen.

Belshazzar, the king of the Babylonians was killed and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom (Daniel 5:30-31).

This is some of what Daniel read in Jeremiah:

What Daniel took this to mean was that after 70 years of Babylonian captivity, the people of God would return to Jerusalem.

It was this promise that Daniel held on to.

He held onto this promise with all his might.

He held onto this promise for the entire time he was in exile.

“Lord, I know what you’ve said.

And I trust what you’ve said.”

This promise fueled Daniel’s prayers.

His prayer in Daniel 9 is not an isolated incident; remember that Daniel was thrown into the lions’ den because he prayed to the Lord.

Daniel was known to everybody around him as one who prayed.

This prayer in Daniel 9 is not the only prayer Daniel ever prayed; it’s just one of the prayers recorded for us.

And, boy am I glad it’s written down here for our sake.

We can learn a great deal from Daniel’s prayer and his commitment to prayer.

>Daniel’s prayer is a powerful prayer.

Sometimes God’s people have to wait months or years or even a lifetime for God to answer their prayer.

Not so with Daniel.

He reports in verses 20-21:

Even while Daniel was praying, the angel Gabriel came in swift flight.

God’s response to Daniel’s prayer was immediate.

Let’s pause here for station identification and a couple of thoughts:

Just because he appeared to Daniel, don’t expect Gabriel to show up when you pray; don’t expect any other angelic appearances for that matter.

And,

Just because the Lord saw fit to respond immediately to this prayer of Daniel’s, don’t expect an immediate answer to your prayers.

That’s not the point of this.

Gabriel’s appearance is proof that the Lord heard Daniel’s prayer.

What proof do we have that the Lord hears our prayers?

We know that God hears and answers the prayers of His repentant people.

We know that Jesus sits at God the Father’s right hand and is currently interceding on our behalf.

Christian, know this: Jesus is praying for you at this moment.

And know that you are invited to pray; know that God will hear your prayers.

Jesus is our Great High Priest, the One Mediator between God and us.

Our God neither slumbers nor sleeps.

He is the God who listens, the God who hears, the God who gives us only good things (though our idea of what “good” is is often different from what His “good” actually is).

Gabriel appears to Daniel, while Daniel is still praying.

And Gabriel let’s Daniel know that the Lord is going to answer Daniel’s prayer in the affirmative.

Gabriel has come to give Daniel wisdom and understanding about God’s plan for the future.

>There’s something, though, that we shouldn’t skip over.

It’s a detail that’s easily missed; a detail that doesn’t seem like a detail.

It might even seem to be one of those "throw away” phrases.

Look at the last part of verse 21:

About the time of the evening sacrifice...

The evening sacrifice was the daily burnt offering which was offered around 3:00 in the afternoon.

That is, in Jerusalem.

It’s been almost 70 years since Daniel had been in Jerusalem.

He’s been in exile.

He’s been living in a strange land for decades.

And yet, his watch is still set to Jerusalem time; his heart is still tuned to the temple system.

He hasn’t forgotten.

His thinking was still regulated the life and worship he experienced in Jerusalem.

His waking moments were dominated by God’s covenant purposes.

Daniel’s heart is focused on seeing God’s city restored so that the Lord’s name might be praised among the nations.

Daniel longed to re-experience the ancient sacrificial rites that reminded the people daily of their sin and their need for salvation.

Daniel’s heart is in the right place.

He isn’t praying selfishly or as one focused on himself.

He’s praying as he should be praying—worshipping and looking forward to the day when God’s people are able, once again, to worship Him in His temple.

At the time of the evening sacrifice Gabriel appeared to Daniel to let Daniel know what was to come.

“So,” Gabriel says, “consider the word and understand the vision.”

>Gabriel came to let Daniel know that a day was coming when God would act 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.

Daniel prayed for God to act, and act quickly.

Daniel prayed that the Lord would not delay.

And so Gabriel comes to let Daniel know that the Lord would, indeed, act.

Transgressions and sins—taken care of.

Reconciliation accomplished.

Everlasting righteousness established.

It’s very easy for us who live in light of the New Testament to see these statements pointing to the work of Jesus on our behalf.

Jesus came to die for our sins, to pay the price of our transgressions, to cover our wickedness.

He came to make us right with God—to reconcile us, to make us friendly again with the Holy God.

He lived the perfect life and He imputed (credited) His righteousness to us.

This is glorious news for Daniel, glorious news for us: The Lord has not cast His people aside.

He’s still dealing with them.

He’s holding on to them, and He will never let go.

Though they have sinned and rebelled and disobeyed, though they have fallen short and transgressed His law, the Lord is with them and He is for them.

Gabriel comes to say: “God is not through with you.

He’s not given up.

He hasn’t thrown in the towel.”

And here’s the wondrous truth: He never will.

He will never turn His back on you.

He will never be unfaithful.

He will never leave you or forsake you.