youths without blemish, handsome and skilful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to serve in the king's palace, and to teach them the letters and language of the Chaldeans (Daniel 1:4). Among them were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah (Daniel 1:6). Daniel served several Babylonian kings, was thrown into a den of lions and was delivered by God. He was famous for interpreting the dreams of the kings.
From the book of Jeremiah, Daniel learned that their captivity would last for 70 years. It was during the first year of the reign of King Darius.
in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years which, according to the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years (Daniel 9:2).
Here are the texts of Jeremiah.
This whole land shall become a ruin and a waste, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.
Then after seventy years are completed, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity, says the LORD, making the land an everlasting waste (Jeremiah 25:11-12).
For thus says the LORD: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfil to you my promise and bring you back to this place (Jeremiah 29:10).
Daniel prayed and confessed the sins of his people to the Lord. At the end, Archangel Gabriel appeared to Daniel and made the Seventy-Week prophecy.
Daniel knew very well their captivity was due to their rebellion against God. But God was faithful. He would do whatever it took to keep His promises. God kept covenant and steadfast love for those who loved Him and kept His commandments. But the Israelites failed to do their part.
we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from thy commandments and ordinances;
we have not listened to thy servants the prophets, who spoke in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land (Daniel 9:5-6).
God was righteous. Therefore, His punishment was justified. But God told us, through Ezekiel, that He did not find pleasure in seeing the wicked perish. Instead, He wanted to see them turn back to Him. Following a similar line of thought, Daniel appealed to the mercy and forgiveness of God.
To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness; because we have rebelled against him,
and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God by following his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets (Daniel 9:9-10).
Daniel recalled the curse of Moses to show that God's punishment was justified. Therefore, the only way out was to appeal to the mercy of God.
O my God, incline thy ear and hear; open thy eyes and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name; for we do not present our supplications before thee on the ground of our righteousness, but on the ground of thy great mercy (Daniel 9:18).
This reminds us of the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector in Luke. Both of them went up to the Temple to pray. In his prayer, the Pharisee recounted his merits, his righteousness.
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank thee that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.' (Luke 18:11-12)
The prayer of the Pharisee was not too bad. He was grateful to God for giving him opportunities to practise his faith. Thanksgiving is an essential element of prayer. The Pharisee had done it right in this part. However, he was carried away in recounting his own righteousness. This Pharisee had not read Daniel!
In contrast, the tax collector knew very well his state of sinfulness. He appealed to God's mercy instead of his own righteousness. He did not bargain with God. The tax collector prayed just as Daniel did.
But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' (Luke 18:13)
God will be merciful, for His own sake. Daniel appealed to God to take action for His own sake (Daniel 9:17, 19). God has promised and God is faithful. He delivered the Israelites from Egypt with mighty acts to make them a showcase to the whole world. Despite their repeated rebellions, God will do whatever it takes to keep them prosperous. God is the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, the God of Daniel and the God of Jesus.
O LORD, hear; O LORD, forgive; O LORD, give heed and act; delay not, for thy own sake, O my God, because thy city and thy people are called by thy name (Daniel 9:19). Amen.
אֲדֹנָ֤י ׀ שְׁמָ֨עָה֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י ׀ סְלָ֔חָה אֲדֹנָ֛י הַֽקְשִׁ֥יבָה וַֽעֲשֵׂ֖ה אַל־תְּאַחַ֑ר לְמַֽעַנְךָ֣ אֱלֹהַ֔י כִּֽי־שִׁמְךָ֣ נִקְרָ֔א עַל־עִֽירְךָ֖ וְעַל־עַמֶּֽךָ׃
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