Daniel 9:4-14
The occasion of this prayer is presented to us in the opening verses of Daniel 9. Daniel had served the kings of Babylon, starting with Nebuchadnezzar and ending with Belshazzar, a period of almost seventy years (605-539 B.C.). Babylon was now ruled by the Medes and the Persians. The fall of Babylon had been prophesied by Jeremiah (Jer. 25:11-12). Daniel’s prayer precedes a petition which he makes known in verse 17, asking God that His grace and mercy be made evident by the restoration of the temple and the city of Jerusalem.
In verse 4, Daniel addresses God as the great and awesome God who keeps the covenant and extends mercy to them who love Him and who keep His commandments. God does not need Daniel to tell Him who He is. Daniel’s words do, however, tell us that Daniel knows who God is. God is true to His promises and God extends mercy to them who love Him and to them who obey Him.
Daniel knows who God is and Daniel knows who Daniel is. He uses the collective pronoun, we, in describing himself and all who are under the covenant as sinners, undeserving of His grace — as sinners who have rebelled against God and departed from His ways.
In Daniel 1, we see a picture of Daniel as a teenager who sought not to defile himself. In Daniel 6, we a picture of Daniel as a man of eighty or more years of age who openly prayed to God three times a day, contrary to an edict issued by the king. It is reasonable to presume that Daniel sought to keep every bit of the law of Moses throughout his entire life. Despite his efforts to do good, Daniel could not separate himself from those who make no effort to do good. Daniel knew the scriptures. Daniel most certainly knew that he was among the “all” of Psalm 14:3 who have strayed. Daniel knew he was a sinner in need of a righteousness that he did not possess. Daniel knew that which is clearly stated in the New Testament — “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10).
In verse 6, Daniel confesses that both the leaders of the people and the people, themselves, have not listened to the prophets whom God has sent. Daniel does not see himself apart from the people. The Apostle Paul was moved by the Holy Spirit to state that it is not wise to measure self by using others as a measure (II Cor. 10:12). Daniel uses God, not men, to measure his righteousness. Daniel finds that all righteousness belongs to God. God’s people, regardless of their physical location (in Judah or in exile), are deserving of shame because they have been unfaithful to Him (v. 7).
Daniel’s prayer is addressed to God, but it is a prayer that speaks to us. In verse 8, Daniel states a second time that shame (confusion of face) belongs to the all inclusive “us”. In verse 9, Daniel confesses that God possesses a merciful and forgiving nature, that God, alone, can pardon those who transgress. God possesses the capacity to pardon us who have rebelled against Him. We cannot make ourselves right with God, but God can make us right with Him.
In verse 10, Daniel speaks both to us and for us. He speaks to us in that we need to face up to exactly who we are and where we stand with God. We have not obeyed His voice. God has made His ways known to us in His word through Moses and the prophets but we have not done as we knew to do. Daniel speaks for us if, and only if, we openly confess that it is beyond us to justify our wrongdoings. Daniel speaks for us if, and only if, we appeal to Him who shows mercy to them who repent of their wrongful ways.
As previously stated, Daniel is not informing God of anything that God has done or of any quality which God possesses. In addressing God in the manner in which he does, Daniel is speaking to God for us, declaring that we have heard and received His message. In verse 11, Daniel speaks for the entire nation. The entire nation was aware that they had turned from God and that the curse spoken of by Moses (Deut. 29:28) was upon them. The people had been uprooted and taken to Babylon in 605 B.C., 597 B.C. and in 586 B.C. The temple was destroyed in 586 B.C. None could deny the reality of God’s judgment.
In verses 12 and 13, Daniel reiterates that God has done that which He has stated in His word. “. . . yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God” (v. 13). The failure of the all inclusive “we” to repent provoked God to act.
Daniel acknowledged that “we have sinned” and acknowledged the consequence of that sin repeatedly but he was not ready to make his petition known to God until he issued this final acknowledgement. Daniel is now ready to ask God to lift up His name and restore His sanctuary.
Believers of today look to the return of Christ Jesus. We see the restoration of the nation of Israel in much the manner that Daniel saw the end of Babylon’s rule. We look to the parable of the fig tree (Matt. 24:32-34) as Daniel looked to God’s promise to bring an end to Judah’s captivity (Jer. 25:11-12).
Knowing that God is true to His every promise, let us declare God’s righteousness while we may. “… for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”
