Daniel 9:1-23
As an overarching theme for this sermon series we will consider Peter’s conclusion regarding eschatology and daily life: 2 Peter 3:11-18. Eschatology is not intended to be informational, but transformational as it gives the believer incredible hope and trust in God.
Perhaps this is most clear in Daniel’s interruption of his visions in chapter 9 to share a deep and personal prayer - one that is borne out of Scriptural obedience, dependence on God’s character and identification with God’s covenant people.
“The first year of Darius” has been a contentious opening sentence for decades, as ancient records have proven that Xerxes I was the ruler of the Medo-Persian empire - and he was from Persia. Two strikes against the record of Daniel.
Darius means “he who holds the scepter” and is likely a title, rather than a proper name. In 547 BC Xerxes managed to unite the tribes of Media and Persia against the Lydian empire in the west (modern-day Turkey). He accomplished a major victory against Croesus in Thymbra, even though he was outnumbered 2:1. Xerxes laid siege against its capital, Sardis, which capitulated 14 days later. Thus Lydia became the first of three empires to fall to the bear (the three ribs in its mouth - Daniel 7). Xerxes set his sights on Babylon and conquered its mighty capitol in 539 BC (Daniel 5).
The Nabonidus Chronicle names two generals in this conquest of Babylon: Ugbaru en Gobryas. The Cyrus cylinder indicates that Xerxes marched on from Babylon to strengthen his Northeastern border. He left Ugbaru as governor of Babylon. He died three weeks later and Gobryas became governor for at least fourteen years. This is the man that transitioned the Babylonian monarchy to Persian rule with 120 Satraps and 3 commissioners. This is the man Daniel calls Darius, de Mede (6:1), charged with ruling the Kingdom of the Chaldeans (9:1), and who served under King Xerxes (6:29).
So the setting for chapter 9 is a change of power and politics - unsettling times... times that result in the lion’s den conspiracy of chapter 6.
Biblical Promises and Prayer
Daniel was studying the prophet Jeremiah in chapters 25, 27 and 29. Here God confirms that the captivity will last seventy years. 538 BC is also the year of Xerxes’ proclamation recorded in 2 Chronicles 36 and Ezra 1 releasing the Jews back to their land.
Jeremia 29:11-14 prompts Daniel to dramatically turn to God for mercy. He prays this beautiful prayer of penitence and exultation as he humbles himself before God - with fasting and in ashes. As I was studying this text I read the following by John Piper:
"The weakness of our hunger for God is not because he is unsavory, but because we keep ourselves stuffed with “other things.” Perhaps, then, the denial of our stomach’s appetite for food might express, or even increase, our soul’s appetite for God." (John Piper, A hunger for God)
Daniel’s is a humble attitude. He brings himself low, mourning for the sins of his people which brought about this terrible consequence and fasting to “search for [God] with all his heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). This seriousness about God is what I believe prompts Gabriel’s address in Daniel 9:23: “you are highly esteemed”. So much of what Daniel does and says here is instructive to us - especially the simple obedience to what he reads in Scripture and the seriousness wherewith he approaches God. I have chosen five applications to share with you this morning:
1. Let Scripture enrich your prayer life with His promises and bow “before His face”. (:2-3 en 3a, 20)
2. Let God’s character anchor your prayers in a strong dependence (trust) on Him. (9:4, 7, 9, 14, 16 en 18)
3. Enlarge your need for God without minimizing your sin and accept consequences. (9:5-8, 9-11a, 11b-14 cf. Deut. 28-29)
4. Promote UNITY by identifying with each other’s guilt and shame and to be priests for one another. (9:5-16 ~ third person)
5. Seek Him “with all your heart” with the conviction that “He will be found” because He loves you. (9:3, 20-23a, Jer. 29:10-14 ~ cf. Rom. 8)
Do you acknowledge as Daniel does that He is the most high God?
