Daniel Prays For Israel

JUNE 19, 2022 STUDY NOTES DANIEL 9:3-6 BIBLE TEACHER: CLIFTON JONES DANIEL PRAYS FOR ISRAEL INTRODUCTION Daniel had an-understanding of events related to his time-period through reading God’s Word, Dan 9:2 In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. Daniel understood that it was time for the fulfillment of what God said He would do for Israel When the 70 years are accomplished, then God will visit with God’s good word, Jer 29:10 For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. Daniel was studying God’s Word for the purpose of living according to God’s Word (Are we?) Many people today get excited about studying prophecy and learning the events of the future But they don’t get excited about living for Christ today and preparing for the future Understanding Biblical prophecy should motivate us to live for Christ daily If it doesn’t then we don’t really understand what we are reading We must understand how important it is to share the gospel of salvation with the lost today, 2Co 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) Pay attention to the emphasis, “Behold, Behold,” “behold now, behold now” Listen now, pay attention now, the time is “now,” now is the day of salvation Today is the day that God will hear the prayer of a repentant sinner seeking salvation Today the field is white unto harvest, Joh 4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. “Fields” is plural, fields are in every direction that we can look, look first at our community We must not waste away the opportunity of today, Joh 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. The time known as the day of salvation will come to an end and the Day of the Lord will begin The day of God’s grace upon a sinful world will end and the day of God’s wrath will begin Dare to be a “Daniel,” pay attention to God’s Word and seek the Lord’s will, pray like Daniel Dan 9:3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: Daniel set his “face unto the Lord God,” God had his attention, Daniel had read God’s Word Daniel believed what he had read, he took it literally, and his attention turned to prayer “To seek by prayer,” understanding todays current events should cause us to “seek by prayer” Someone has estimated that 125 verses in Daniel identify with his prayer life Many sermons have been preached from Daniel’s experience in the Lion’s den (Daniel 6) Sermons encouraging Christians today to be like Daniel, “dare to be a Daniel” Be of the Christian character of Daniel, his courage, commitment, and faith, which we need today Which will never happen until we dare to pray like Daniel, “to seek by prayer” “And supplications,” the word is plural, indicating several points of emphasis Daniel’s sincerity, his all-out earnest effort, strongly pleading with God, his state of humility Page 1 of 5 All of which is identified “with fasting,” Daniel’s denial of self in-order to focus upon God Daniel was determined that nothing would distract him as he prayed He was determined to give no attention to anything other than prayer as he came before God “Sackcloth” identified with Daniel’s mourning and despair because of his people, Israel Sackcloth also pictured Daniel’s total dependence upon God, he knew he needed God’s guidance “Ashes” signified his grief, humility, and self-denial, he sincerely grieved over the state of Israel “Ashes” were put upon the head to indicate the mourning of the soul and commitment of heart Sackcloth and ashes were an outward sign of the inward state of Daniel’s heart Daniel’s heart was like the heart of David when he prayed, Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. God is still waiting for His people to seek His face and come before him with a committed heart, 2Ch 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Daniel was praying and confessing his sins because he wanted to “hear from heaven” How strong is our desire to hear from Heaven today? Are we ready to hear from heaven yet? Your present desire for learning and living the Bible will answer those questions Do you really have a desire to live for Christ each-and every day? If not, then you are not reading and understanding Biblical prophecy America needs to experience God’s promise, “I will forgive their sin and heal their land” Which goes with the promise we find in, James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (Daniel’s prayer is an example for us, his prayer did accomplish much, Daniel 9:20-27) The promise goes with what we find in Hebrews, Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Daniel did) Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) Daniel knew that he was praying to his faithful God, who was faithful to keep His promises Dan 9:4 And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments; Daniel said, “I prayed unto the LORD my God,” what a testimony, may it be true of us today We talk about prayer every time we meet, we say we believe that prayer is the answer Can we honestly look back at last week and say, “I prayed unto the LORD my God?” Can we also honestly say, “And made my confession,” which means an acknowledgement True confession is first-of all an acknowledgment of God, identifying His personal worthiness God is worthy to be praised, 1Ch 16:34 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. (“O give thanks” is the same word translated “confession” in Dan 9:4) Psa 100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. (“Be thankful” is the same word as “confession” in Dan 9:4) True confession before God is an honest acknowledgment of God and then self, “I have sinned” We must identify sin as God sees sin, agreeing with God, 1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Confession is more than feeling sorrow because you got caught in your sin We are to confess because we are broken in spirit and our heart feels the hurt and guilt of sin David’s prayer for spiritual cleansing in Psalms 51 is a good example, Psa 51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out Page 2 of 5 my transgressions. (David said, “my transgressions”) Look at what he confessed, Psa 51:2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. David said, “mine iniquity” and “my sin,” he was miserable because of “his” sin That is why he confessed, Psa 51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. (David was in anguish, his heart was broken because of his sin) Where are the broken hearts today because of sin, even within the churches of today? God’s people must come before God and pray, confess our sins, seek God’s face, and God’s will Remember that Daniel was one who searched the scriptures, he knew what God had said, Lev 26:40 If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me; Lev 26:41 And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity: Lev 26:42 Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land. That is why Daniel “made his confession,” he knew that God would keep His covenant promises Daniel knew from scripture who he was praying too, “O Lord, the great and dreadful God,” “Great” emphasizes the importance of the one Daniel was praying too, the significance of God “Awesome” is the thought of “Dreadful,” “holy fear,” respect, reverence before our Holy God Daniel knew that he was praying to the Holy and “covenant keeping” God God’s covenant with Israel included blessing for obedience and cursing for disobedience Their disobedience is why Israel was in Babylonian captivity Listen close to Daniel’s prayer, “Keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him” “Them that love Him” is not a reference to them that” say-so,” but to them that “do-so” We learn from scripture that not everyone who is saved is living as though they love God, 1Co 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. (“Brethren” refers to those who are saved, yet they were “carnal”) Love for God is more than an emotional expression, something easy to say, especially in a prayer Don’t come to church on Sunday and say, I love God, and then spend the week loving the world Those “that love Him” refers to those who are continually loving Him, even in times of trial, Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. Our love for Christ does not exempt us from the trials of life, but it strengthens us to face them Our love for Christ will keep us from loving the world and will motivate us to persevere trials Our love for God will continue to trust and obey God even in the trials of life, Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (“His purpose” is why we must study, learn, and live God’s Word) Through our love for God, we experience what God has prepared for us, 1Co 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. Those “things” are not the unknowns of the New Jerusalem or the eternal state They are not “things” identifying the blessings of heaven following life after death They are the blessings of this life in the realm of the Holy Spirit, in and through the Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit applies them to our life, we experience them as we continue to “love God” They are most meaningful when we experience them in the times of trials and troubles The emphasis is not “things” have been prepared for those God loves, but for those that love God The evidence of loving God is not a profession of the tongue but a life of obedience to God Jesus said, Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. The word “keep” means to keep an eye on something, to watch and guard it, to carefully obey it Page 3 of 5 Nothing will take the eye off-of Jesus for the one who loves Him, not even trials of life Jesus said those who obey Him are the ones who love Him, Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Exactly what Daniel said, “to them that keep his commandments” You prove that you love God by keeping His commandments, but Israel had not obeyed God, Jer 7:13 And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not; Daniel knew from his study of God’s Word the truth of Israel and the promises of God for Israel God’s Word reveals the truth of our sin, the truth of the world we live in, and America’s sin Dan 9:5 We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments: “We,” Daniel includes himself, confession must begin with self, his prayer is “we” and “us” “We have sinned,” should be heard in the prayers of a Sunday morning worship service While we are praying for self, our church family, and especially in our prayer for America Our present American lifestyle is identified in Daniel’s prayer, we must pray for America America’s sins parallel the sins of Israel, we must pray for America as Daniel prayed for Israel “And have committed iniquity,” gross, wicked, immoral acts of sin, harmful acts of sin “And have done wickedly,” we stand guilty of sin and iniquity, we deserve punishment, Psa 106:6 We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly. “And have rebelled,” we openly and willingly opposed and disobeyed God’s authority over us America is now a rebellious nation, disobeying God’s Word, refusing His authority over us Because of Israel’s “rebellion,” God kept them out of the Land of Canaan for 40 years, Num 32:13 And the LORD'S anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed. Daniel said, we have “departed from thy precepts,” we turned away from the Lord We turned away from His “precepts,” His instructions to us, His commands for us “And from thy judgments,” referring to the ordinances of God, they refused to listen to God Keep America in mind as you read the next verse Dan 9:6 Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. Israel had not listened to God, which is why the previous verse is true Americans watch the news daily and continually ask, why are these things happening? Americans are asking, why is there so much iniquity and wickedness in America today? America is not going to the right source for their answers, government does not have the answer Government rules, regulations, or new laws will not solve the wickedness of crime in America The problem is, America has not listened to God, they have departed from the Word of God We can take Daniel’s reference to Israel and put America’s name in place of it, it fits God sent messengers, servants, and prophets to Israel, they spoke God’s Word to them The message had gone to all throughout the land, from the king to the pauper, Jer 32:32 Because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger, they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Jer 32:33 And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face: though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction. (The early school days of America taught children the Bible) Israel refused to listen to the voice of God as He spoke through His servants, the prophets Page 4 of 5 God’s blessings did not get their attention, which taught they should serve and worship God Instead, they turned aside from the divine precepts and ordinances of God (Sounds like America) They had defiantly set themselves against God, refusing to hearken unto God’s Word God had been patient with Israel, 2Ch 36:15 And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place: 2Ch 36:16 But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy. God sent messengers to Israel, instructing them, Israel mocked them (Sounds like America) Israel mocked God’s messengers and despised God’s message, “until there was no remedy” The word “remedy” has the meaning of “healing,” healing would now be a long process Healing would now come through the discipline of God, God’s judgment upon Israel’s rebellion Which was the Babylonian Captivity, 2Ch 36:20 And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia: Israel’s Babylonian captivity was predicted by Jeremiah, Jer 25:11 And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. CONCLUSION Daniel had studied the prophecy of Jeremiah and knew of the 70 years of captivity Daniel also knew of God’s covenant with Israel, which will ultimately be fulfilled God’s answer to Daniels prayer reveals the fulfillment of God’s covenant with Israel, Dan 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. “Seventy weeks” is a time-period of 490 years determined by God, all of which will be fulfilled 483 of those years have already literally been fulfilled, there is a final 7 years yet to come Which is determined upon “thy people,” the nation of Israel (Watch events surrounding Israel) Which is determined upon “thy holy city,” Jerusalem (Watch events concerning Jerusalem) Six promises will be fulfilled: (1) To finish the transgression (2) To make an end of sins (3) To make reconciliation for iniquity (4) To bring in everlasting righteousness (5) To seal up the vision and prophecy (6) To anoint the “Most Holy” All of which will literally be fulfilled because of the first and second coming of Jesus How close are we to the return of Christ and the fulfillment of Daniel’s 70 th Week? Study and understand Biblical prophecy and I think you will agree with the song Page 5 of 5