Daniel’s prayer in chapter 9 is one of the most heart-felt and powerful prayers of Scripture. It is part of Daniel’s hope-filled pleading with God to bring an end to the exile. In the midst of this, Daniel again encounter Gabriel the angelic messenger who instructs him about the end of the exile and future hope.
Sermon OutlinE
“So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.” (Daniel 9:3)
Exile and the Question of Faith (Daniel 9:1)
Exile Faith and Scripture (Daniel 9:2-3)
Exile Faith and the Prayer of Repentance (Daniel 9:4-10)
Exile Faith and the Prayer for Restoration (Daniel 9:11-19)
Exile Faith and Apocalyptic Answers (Daniel 9:20-27)
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- What sort of circumstances most often impel you to pray?
- This week, we continue our series on Daniel by looking at chapter 9. Take some time to be still before God, then ask God to speak to you before reading Daniel 9:1-27 aloud.
- Background: Daniel 9 occurs “in the first year of Darius” (539 BC), when the Persians defeated the Babylonians (see Daniel 5:30-31).
- Daniel’s motivation for prayer is “the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet” (9:2). This is found in Jeremiah 25, specifically vss 10-11. Read those verses aloud. What does this tell you about how Daniel reads Scripture?
- What stands out to you from the first part of Daniel’s prayer (9:4-10)? How does Daniel understand who God is and what God’s people have done?
- The next part of Daniel’s prayer begins as he admits his people deserve God’s punish- ment (9:11-14). In light of God’s covenant with Israel, summarized in Deuteronomy 28, why do you think Daniel believes the exile is justified?
- Daniel concludes his prayer (9:15-19) by repenting for his people’s sin. What does Daniel ask for? How does he appeal to God’s character here?
- How might the church today need to repent? As you think about this, take some time to pray a repentance prayer today, including yourself humbly in that as well.
- Daniel 9 concludes with the appearance of Gabriel, who brings a response from God. What stands out to you about Gabriel’s words to Daniel (vss 20-23)?
- Gabriel’s vision involves a cryptic “seventy ‘sevens’” that relate to the future. What does Gabriel say will happen through this period (vs 24)?
- Scholars have diverse views on verses 25-27. Most see the first seven ‘sevens’ as referring to the return from exile and rebuilding of Jerusalem in the time of Ezra and beyond. From there, however, views diverge about the remaining ‘sevens’ as referring to either the coming of Antiochus IV and his desecration of the Temple in 168 BC, or the death of Jesus and eventual destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.
- Gabriel concludes with an affirmation that an “end…is decreed” (9:27). In what way does the sense that there is an end decreed by God encourage you? If you are with a small group, discuss that with one another and pray for one another. If you are studying on your own, write it down and share it with someone.
DIG DEEPER
- Pray through Daniel’s prayer this week as part of your daily time with God. You may also want to pray through other prayers similar to Daniel 9 this week:
- Ezra 9:6-15
- Nehemiah 9:5-37
- Nehemiah 1:5-11
- Psalm 79