This week February 29-March 6, 2020, we will be studying the 9th chapter of Daniel. This lesson will give us the prayer of Daniel and God's answer. As we go through our life's journey prayer is an integral part of life especially during the crucial moments where challenges assails us. This is true with Daniel as well.

The ram and the he goat were shown to Daniel in vision "in the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar." Dan. 8:1. Daniel was "astonished at the vision, but none understood it." Dan. 8:27. The time, moreover, had elapsed, and Jerusalem was still a waste. So later "in the first year of Darius," who "was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans" (Dan. 9:1), Daniel was shown "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." Dan. 9:2. Jerusalem, however, was still a desolation, though the time of the people's captivity according to prophecy was fulfilled and the vision was still "none [not] understood,' as is clearly seen from Daniel's prayer:

"...I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: and I prayed unto the Lord my God....O Lord, according to all Thy righteousness, I beseech Thee, let Thine anger and Thy fury be turned away from Thy city Jerusalem, Thy holy mountain: because for our sins and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of Thy servant, and his supplications, and cause Thy face to shine upon Thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake.... (3Tr 32)

A. Daniel's Prayer:

1. Studying the Scriptures. Dan. 9:1-2

Even Daniel spending time to understand the prophecy, so we must do as well! He found out that Jerusalem would remain devastated for 70 years while he lived in Babylon.

In the course of time, with the fulfillment of the seventy years of which Jeremiah prophesied (Jer. 29:10), God once more brought Israel into their own land. But as the years wore on, replacing the old generations with new ones, Israel again lost sight of their Strength, this time so completely that when the long-looked for Messiah finally came, they rejected and crucified and spat on Him!

It must be remembered, too, that there are frequent instances, as the Holy Scripture also reveal, of His using ungodly nations to punish those who profess to believe in and to follow God, but whose hypocritical practices put the lie to their profession. (See 2 Chronicles 36:14-21). This He does to awaken them to the fact that they have become hypocrites. Notable among such nations were Assyria and Babylon -- those by whom God punished rebellious Israel. (See 2 Kings 17; 2 Chronicles 36). The result of the sins of God's people (rebellion - Lev. 26:31-35; 2Chron. 36:17-21) brought devastation for 70 years while Daniel and his friends lived in Babylon (Jer. 25:11-12; 29:10).

Application:

Daniel studied and understood the prophecy through Jeremiah the prophet. We must study the Scriptures as well, and we will find:

• an accurate description of what the world we're living in now.

• a prophetic story of the conflict between good and evil.

• the culmination and the establishment of the Kingdom of Glory (God's Theocratic Kingdom Dan. 2:35, 44, 45; 7:27). Inspiration declares, "The Saviour turned from them to entrust to others the privileges they had abused and the work they had slighted. God's glory must be revealed, His word established. Christ's kingdom must be set up in the world. The salvation of God must be made known in the cities of the wilderness; and the disciples were called to do the work that the Jewish leaders had failed to do. {AA 16.1}

For deeper study please click this site: https://sites.google.com/view/meatindueseason/6-the-establishment-of-the-kingdom-of-glory?authuser=0

• our role in God's plan and how to cooperate with Him.

• the current events that shows as it was reveal in prophetic timeline.

• ultimate hope of peace and prosperity that the world cannot give.

2. Acknowledging their sin. Dan. 9:3-14

Like Moses and Elijah, Daniel's prayer was an intercessory one (Exo. 32:11-13; (1Kings 18:41-46). His unselfish prayer brought a speedy response from heaven. The speed of light is altogether too slow a velocity for heavenly beings to span the immense universe of God.

Daniel felt in need and offered a prayer to his God which is recorded in Dan. 9:4-19. This short prayer of only fifteen verses can be read in less than five minutes, but we may suppose he was very careful in his prayer and took his time: Perhaps ten or even twenty minutes. Quoting Daniel's own record: "And whiles I was speaking, and praying....Gabriel whom I had seen in the vision....being caused to fly swiftly, touched me....and said, O Daniel,...at the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee." Dan. 9:20-23. Here is a record of a rate of speed that is altogether beyond human comprehension. The prayer to heaven and the angel to earth was accomplished in less than twenty minutes. Heaven only knows how an angel can make that tremendous, unspeakable distance in but a few minutes. There would be no trouble, difficulty, or any delay on that most glorious journey after Christians once start on the way. But we surely are slow to start, and that is our only problem that we must solve in regards to the distance, and the journey from earth to heaven. (1SR 207)

Application:

We cannot afford to dally with the tempter, -to persist in one wrong habit, to cherish one darling sin; we must acknowledge our inability to remove one spot or stain of sin.

We need to come to Jesus in penitence and humility of soul and rely wholly on the merits of our crucified Saviour.

We must dwell upon the matchless love and compassion of Jesus, and not upon our own unworthiness and sinfulness. If we look to ourselves, all will be darkness; but Jesus is all light and life, and we have only to "look and live." We may "look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame." What tenderness, what mercy, what love, are here manifested! {SW, February 9, 1904 par. 12}

3. Asking for Grace. Dan. 9:15-19

Daniel's Irrefutable Arguments in His petition to God:

• verse 16 - God's righteousness and justice

• verse 17 - God's glory and love

• verse 18 - God's great mercy

• verse 19 - God's vindication of Himself and His name.

JESUS’ NAME IS THE CONNECTING LINK IN PRAYER BETWEEN HUMANITY AND GOD.—In Christ’s name our petitions ascend to the Father. He intercedes in our behalf, and the Father lays open all the treasures of His grace for our appropriation, for us to enjoy and impart to others. “Ask in My name,” Christ says. “I do not say that I will pray the Father for you; for the Father Himself loveth you. Make use of My name. This will give your prayers efficiency, and the Father will give you the riches of His grace. Wherefore ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.” {Pr 217.1}

They should be encouraged to ask largely, and expect without a doubt the riches of his grace; for through Jesus we can come into the audience chamber of the Most High. Through his merits we have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Oh, that we may have a deeper experience in prayer! With confidence we may come to God, knowing what it is to have the presence and power of his Holy Spirit. We may confess our sins, and right there, while asking, know that he pardons our transgressions, because he has promised to forgive. We must exercise faith, and manifest true earnestness and humility. We can never do this without the grace of the Holy Spirit. We must lie low at the feet of Jesus, and cherish no selfishness, reveal no self-uplifting, but in simplicity seek the Lord, asking for his Holy Spirit as a little child asks bread of his parents. {ST, October 3, 1892 par. 5}

B. God's Answer:

4. Explaining the vision. Dan. 9:20-24

In verses 16 and 20 Daniel uses the term "holy mountain", "city Jerusalem" as the subject of his prayer to God. He uttered his supplication in behalf of God's people. Remember our Lesson 3 From Mystery to Revelation, Daniel wrote, "the stone was cut out of the MOUNTAIN" (Dan. 2:45, 35) which refers to God's people as also used in this chapter (9).

God swiftly commanded Gabriel to touch and guide Daniel to understand the vision given and be assured of the blessings for humanity, as it was revealed that after 70 weeks Jesus would have to do the following:

• To finish the transgression

• To make an end of sins

• To make reconciliation for iniquity

• To bring everlasting righteousness

• To seal up the vision and prophecy

• To anoint thee Most Holy

The seventy weeks are actually 490 years. Mark that during these 490 years, Daniel's people, the Jews, were to make an end of sin and make reconciliation for their iniquity, or else be hopelessly given up.

5. The Prophetic Calendar. Dan. 9:25-27

"Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for Himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And He shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations He shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate." Dan. 9:3-27. (3Tr 33)

"And after threescore and two weeks," prophesied Daniel, concerning Christ's ministry and His death, "shall Messiah be cut off, but not for Himself:...and He shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week He shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease." Dan. 9:26, 27.

That this is prophetic time, reckoned by the year-day rule of Ezekiel 4:6, is seen from the fact that there were seven years from the time Christ was baptized to the time the apostles were permitted to take the gospel to the Gentiles. During this period, Christ confirmed or fulfilled the covenant. "In the midst of the week," or at the end of three and one half years, He was to be crucified, thus causing the earthly sacrifice to cease. (3Tr 56)

Just what was to take place during the first seven weeks or 49 years I am not prepared to say, but in the end of the next 62 weeks, or 434 years the Messiah was to be cut off, crucified. During the remaining week, the 70th, He was to confirm the covenant with many, and in the midst of it He was to be cut off, crucified; that is, there were to be 3 1/2 years from His baptism to the crucifixion, and 3 1/2 years after the crucifixion in which He was to confirm the covenant. This completes the 70 weeks and brings us to the time to apostles were commanded to go out and preach the Gospel to the Gentiles: One named Cornelius (a Gentile), and Peter (a Jew and an Apostle) were both given a vision: Cornelius was instructed to see Peter and Peter was commanded to meet Cornelius. See Acts, chapter 10. The Jews as a nation failed to make an end of sin and were therefore rejected, given up.

Christ's own sacrifice at the end of the first 3 1/2 years replaced the sacrificial ceremonial system, and thus He caused the sacrifice to cease in the midst of the week. All this, time and event, you see, took place exactly as Gabriel predicted.

The 70 weeks are cut off from the longer 2,300-day period (Dan. 8:14), and have the same beginning. This prophecy is...

To finish the transgression -

• Christ is the fulfillment of the Law. The Lord Jesus gave to men a representation of the character of God in his life and example. The law of God is the transcript of the character of God. And in Christ they had its precepts exemplified, and example was far more effective than the precept had been. Christ founded his kingdom upon the law of God, and those who followed Christ, imitating his life and character, were pronounced loyal and true to all God's commandments. Jesus was a living illustration of the fulfillment of the law, but his fulfilling it did not mean its abolition and annihilation. In fulfilling the law, he carried out every specification of its claims. {ST, March 14, 1895 par. 9}

To make an end of sins

• Christ made an end of sin, bearing its heavy curse in His own body on the tree, and He hath taken away the curse from all those who believe in Him as a personal Saviour. He makes an end of the controlling power of sin in the heart, and the life and character of the believer testify to the genuine character of the grace of Christ. To those that ask Him, Jesus imparts the Holy Spirit; for it is necessary that every believer should be delivered from pollution, as well as from the curse and condemnation of the law. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, the sanctification of the truth, the believer becomes fitted for the courts of heaven; for Christ works within us, and His righteousness is upon us. Without this no soul will be entitled to heaven. We would not enjoy heaven unless qualified for its holy atmosphere by the influence of the Spirit and the righteousness of Christ. {1SM 394.3}

To make reconciliation for iniquity

• Then the work will move forward with solidity and double strength. A new efficiency will be imparted to the workers. Men will learn of the reconciliation from iniquity which the Messiah has brought in through his sacrifice. The last message of warning and salvation will be given with mighty power. The earth will be lightened with the glory of God, and it will be ours to witness the soon coming, in power and glory, of our Lord and Saviour. {RH, April 28, 1903 par. 12}

To bring everlasting righteousness

• That Jesus was anointed to preach the good news, news that He was to open the prison door of sin, to bind up the wounds of God's people, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, to comfort those who mourn, and to give all an opportunity to escape "the day of vengeance"; that because He was thus anointed He was fitted to comfort them that mourn in Zion, to bring beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the gift of praise in place of heaviness, that they might be called "trees of righteousness," and that God might thereby be glorified; that through the gift of the Spirit His people shall be enabled to build up the desolated places of many generations; that those who are called now are to be ministers of God "and they shall eat the riches of the Gentiles," and glory in them, and "strangers and aliens" shall be their shepherds and "vinedressers"; that then their shame and confusion will be changed into everlasting joy; that as God hates robbery, He will direct the work in Truth and make an everlasting covenant with them that know Him; that then their seed shall be known to the Gentiles and among the people and they will acknowledge that God has blessed His people; that because the anointed One clothes His people with the garment of salvation, and the robe of righteousness, the testimony of His children will be, "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord"; and as a bride adorns herself with jewels so the spiritual adornments, given through these gifts will bring on the "revival and reformation"; and that, as nature brings to fruition the seed sown in the ground, so the anointed One will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all nations. (2TG 41.29)

To seal up the vision and prophecy

• But that part of his prophecy which related to the last days, Daniel was bidden to close up and seal “to the time of the end.” Not till we reach this time could a message concerning the Judgment be proclaimed, based on a fulfillment of these prophecies. But at the time of the end, says the prophet, “many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” [Daniel 12:4.] {GC88 355.3}

To anoint the Most Holy

• The Saviour said, "I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." For the joy of seeing souls rescued from the hand of the destroyer, Christ endured the cross. He became the living sacrifice for a fallen world. Into that act of self-sacrifice was put the heart of Christ, the love of God; and through this sacrifice the mighty influence of the Holy Spirit was given to the world. It is through sacrifice that the work must be carried forward. Self-sacrifice is required of every child of God. Christ said, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." Christ gives a new character to all who believe. This character, through his infinite sacrifice, is to be the reproduction of his own. {PH004 5.3}

The Author of truth will be the finisher of the work. One truth, received in the heart, will make room for still another truth. And the truth, wherever received, quickens into activity the powers of the receiver. When our church members are truly lovers of God's word, they will reveal the best and strongest qualities, and the nobler they are, the more childlike in spirit will they be, believing the word of God against all selfishness. {PH004 6.1}