by Salome Kalitas | 16 July 2018 08:46 pm07
Blessed be the name of our Lord and Savior, JESUS CHRIST.
In this chapter, we see Daniel passionately seeking to understand the fate of his people, Israel, and their nation. He deeply desired to know how long they would remain in a foreign land. Daniel resolved to seek the answer diligently through multiple ways, including reading the Scriptures, fasting, and prayer until he received a revelation.
As we read:
Daniel 9:1-2 (ESV):
“In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the lineage of the Medes, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans,
2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of years for which the word of the Lord had come to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.”
From this passage, we see that Daniel read books (plural), not just a single scroll. Among these was the book of the prophet Jeremiah. In his study, he encountered the following prophecy:
Jeremiah 29:1-10 (ESV):
“These are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the remaining elders among the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.
2 This was after King Jeconiah and the queen mother, the eunuchs, the officials of Judah and Jerusalem, and the artisans and smiths had departed from Jerusalem.
3 The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom King Zedekiah of Judah had sent to Babylon to King Nebuchadnezzar, saying,
4 ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon:
5 Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their produce.
6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, do not decrease.
7 Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.’
8 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, nor listen to dreams you dream,
9 for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, declares the Lord.
10 For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill my good word to you, to bring you back to this place.”
This prophecy shows that God told the people of Judah, through Jeremiah, that because of their rebellion and sin, they would be exiled in Babylon for 70 years, after which God would restore them to their land.
Even though all the Jews were living in exile, Daniel personally resolved to seek understanding of the exact times he was living in. As Jesus said:
Matthew 7:7 (ESV): “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”
Daniel’s diligent search revealed that only two years remained of the 70-year exile—68 years had already passed. This is why Daniel is described in Scripture as a man of wisdom and great love for understanding the times.
Just as Daniel sought to understand the timing of God’s plan, God has set appointed times for His children regarding the end times and the spiritual Babylon. God does not force understanding upon anyone; only those who earnestly seek and study will know His plans.
Studying Scripture is vital to uncovering hidden mysteries, as Daniel exemplified. Even today, the spirit of the Antichrist operates, including within churches, but only the wise—guided by the Holy Spirit—can discern it. Understanding even the “name of the beast” requires wisdom, for it is coded numerically (666, Vicarivs Filii Dei).
Revelation 13:17-18 (ESV):
“So that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.”
Jesus also instructed us to observe the signs of the times:
Luke 12:54-56 (ESV):
“When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming,’ and so it happens.
55 And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and it happens.
56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?”
Thus, understanding the times we live in is crucial. Signs such as the restoration of Israel after over 2,000 years of dispersion (re-established as a nation in 1948) indicate that the return of Christ is near.
Jeremiah 24: compares Israel to a fruitful fig tree, symbolizing the nation’s regrowth. This is the generation that will witness the return of Christ the same generation Daniel foresaw for Israel’s restoration.
After understanding the prophetic books, Daniel turned to God in prayer, confessing the sins of Israel:
Daniel 9:3-19 (ESV):
“Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas, in fasting, in sackcloth and ashes.
4 I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying, ‘O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments…
5 we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules…
15 Lord, according to all your righteousness, let your anger and wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain; because for our sins and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people have become a reproach to all who are around us.
17 Now, O our God, hear the prayer of your servant and his pleas, and for your own sake, Lord, make your face shine on your sanctuary, which is desolate.’”
Daniel’s humility mirrors Christ’s intercession: though perfect, Jesus prayed and fasted on our behalf:
Hebrews 5:7-10 (ESV):
“In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.
8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.
9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,
10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.”
Like Daniel, we are called to humility and persistent prayer, even when blessed with gifts or positions. Christ exemplified ultimate humility by washing the disciples’ feet (John 13:4-15) despite being God incarnate.
Daniel 9:24-27 (ESV): outlines the 70 weeks:
“Seventy weeks are decreed upon your people and your holy city, to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy.
25 Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and rebuild Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again…
26 And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off…
27 And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering.”
2 Peter 1:10 (ESV): reminds us: “Therefore, brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble.”
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (ESV): warns: “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”
May God bless you as you study His Word diligently.
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