Confession and Mercy

Thank you, brother.

Well, this morning we continue in the book of Daniel.

We've made it to chapter 9, and we get a chance to glimpse the prayer life of Daniel.

And we will look this morning at why he prays and how he prays and what he prays.

And I would ask, if you will, in honor of the Word of God,

if you would stand as I read Daniel chapter 9 through verse 19.

Daniel 9 · chapter mention

In the first year of Darius, the son of Ahasuerus, by descent Amid,

who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans,

in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books

the number of years that, according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet,

must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, 70 years.

Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer,

and pleased for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.

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.

We have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled,

turning aside from your commandments and rules.

We have not listened to your servants, the prophets,

who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers,

and to all the people of the land.

To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us opens shame.

As at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem,

and to all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away,

and all the lands to which you have driven them,

because of the treachery that they have committed against you,

to us, O Lord, belongs open shame.

To our kings, to our princes, to our fathers,

because we have sinned against you.

To the Lord our God belongs mercy and forgiveness.

For we have rebelled against him

and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God

by walking in his laws, which he set before us

by his servant, the prophets.

All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside,

refusing to obey your voice.

And the curse and oath that are written in the law of Moses,

the servant of God, have been poured out upon us

because we have sinned against him.

He has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us,

and against our rulers who ruled us

by bringing upon us a great calamity.

For under the whole heaven there has not been done anything

like what has been done against Jerusalem.

As it is written in the law of Moses,

all this calamity has come upon us,

and we have not entreated the favor of the Lord our God,

turning from our iniquities and gaining insight by your truth.

Therefore, the Lord has kept ready the calamity

and has brought it upon us.

For the Lord our God is righteous in all his works that he has done.

And we have not obeyed his voice.

And now, O Lord our God,

who brought your people out of the land of Egypt

with a mighty hand,

and have made a name for yourself,

as at this day we have sinned,

we have done wickedly, O Lord,

according to all your righteous acts.

Let your anger and your wrath turn away

from your city Jerusalem,

your holy hill,

because for our sins

and for the iniquities of our fathers,

Jerusalem and your people

have become a byword

among all who are around us.

Now, therefore, O our God,

listen to the prayer of your servant

and to his pleas for mercy.

And for your own sake, O Lord,

make your face to shine upon your sanctuary,

which is desolate.

O my God, incline your ear and hear.

Open your eyes and see our desolations

in the city that is called by your name.

For we do not present our pleas before you

because of our righteousness,

but because of your great mercy.

O Lord, hear.

O Lord, forgive.

O Lord, pay attention.

O Lord, act.

O Lord, delay not.

For your own sake, O my God,

because your city and your people

are called by your name.

Let's once again pray.

God, I pray that the words,

the powerful words of Scripture here

will touch our heart deeply this morning.

I pray that you would move us

to seek after you.

You would move us, God,

to be humble before you.

Father, open our spiritual ears

and our spiritual eyes

that we might hear and see

from your word this morning.

I pray in your name.

Amen.

You can have a seat.

Amen.

Notice,

and I do hope you all have your Bible open before you.

We will turn a couple of places

and I will be pointing to several portions of the text.

Notice how this chapter starts

in the first year of Darius.

You know that's different than chapter 8?

If we looked at chapter 8, verse 1,

we see that there was a different king.

It was Belshazzar.

Belshazzar was the king,

one of the latest king of Babylon,

the kingdom of Babylon.

Now we have here,

Darius is the king,

who is a Mede by birth.

He is part of the Medeo-Persian kingdom.

So some time has passed

between the visions of chapter 8

and what we see here,

the prayer of chapter 9.

Do you remember the end of chapter 8

after Daniel had seen this vision,

after he was full of dread

and sorrow and heaviness?

You remember in the previous chapter,

in verse 27,

it says,

I, Daniel, was overcome

and I lay sick.

The vision that he saw,

as we heard preached last week,

was a vision that pointed forward

and what he saw

were beastly kingdoms

that would be ruling

as time would progress.

And each of those kingdoms

progressively would persecute

the people of God.

And he was overcome with sorrow,

so much so that the word of God

said he was sick for some days.

But a point that was made last week

was this,

but after that time,

the word of God says,

then I arose

and I went about the king's business.

He stepped back into life.

He stepped back into his responsibilities.

But it's my belief

that the sorrow

and the vision

would not leave him.

And so here we are,

at least a year or two,

maybe just a year,

maybe less than a year,

it's hard to know,

removed from the visions

that certainly are still

in his thinking.

He hasn't lost the picture

of what God showed him

and explained to him.

And I love

what we can discover

by looking

in the word.

We see this beautiful prayer

of Daniel.

We want to spend time

looking at

why he prayed.

We want to look at

how he prayed.

And we want to look at

what he prayed.

Why,

how,

and what

he prayed.

Why did he pray?

I believe that part

of the reason

is he has this

ongoing sorrow

for the people of God.

But if you look

at verse

two,

listen to what

the word of God

says there.

In the first year

of his reign,

that is Darius' reign,

I, Daniel,

perceived

in the books.

Perceived

in the books.

What is he talking about?

He's talking about

the scrolls.

He's talking about

the word of God

and he even refers

to Jeremiah.

A passage out of Jeremiah.

I love the word

perceived

because what does

it share with us

is that the word

of God spoke

to him.

He read

the word of God.

Where do you go

personally

when you're overcome

with sorrow?

Where do you go

when there's a heaviness

that won't leave?

When life is difficult,

where do you go?

I believe Daniel

went to the word

of God

to read.

You know,

the word of God

ministers in a powerful way.

The word of God

is living and active

and sharper

than any two-edged sword.

It pierces

to the dividing

asunder of soul

and spirits.

It's profitable

for instruction,

for correction,

for training

and righteousness.

The word of God,

church,

is where we should

also go.

And it's beautiful

how the word of God

speaks to us.

So Daniel

perceives

in the word of God

this truth

that comes out

of Jeremiah.

We'll read it

in Jeremiah

Jeremiah 25 · chapter mention

chapter 25.

But I want you

to hear

that he has hope.

After the visions,

there seems

to be no hope.

But now he reads

in Jeremiah

and hope

surges within him.

So I'll read

from Jeremiah

Jeremiah 15 · chapter mention

chapter 15

starting in verse 3.

And I just ask

that you would listen.

If you want to turn there,

you can,

but there's no reason

to turn.

Just listen to the word

of God

in the book

of Jeremiah

that perhaps

is the section

of the scroll

that he read

in reference

to the people

of God

in this time.

Now remember,

Jeremiah preceded

Daniel.

Jeremiah was around

at the time

when Nebuchadnezzar,

the king of Babylon,

captured Israel

and took them

captive.

And the word of God

says,

starting in verse 3,

for 23 years

I have spoken

persistently to you.

Who's he talking to?

The people of God.

The nation

of Israel.

For 23 years

I have spoken

persistently to you,

but you have not

listened.

You have neither

listened nor

inclined your ear

to hear.

Although the Lord

persistently sent

to you

all his servants

the prophets

saying,

turn now

every one of you

from his evil way

and his evil deeds

and dwell upon

the land

that the Lord

has given to you

and your fathers

from of old

and forever.

Do not go after

other gods

to serve

and worship them

or provoke me

to anger

with the work

of your hands

that I will do

you no harm.

Yet you have not

listened to me

and I just want us

to remember

that phrase

because we're

going to hear it

multiple times

this morning.

You have not

listened

to me.

The children

of Israel

refused

to listen

to the prophets.

As a matter of fact

the New Testament

declares

that they killed them.

They killed

the prophets

because they didn't

want to hear

the message

that the prophets

had.

And what was

the message?

Repent.

Serve the Lord

your God.

Honor Him.

Obey His commands.

They didn't

want to do it.

They wanted

to go their

own way.

And what is

true here

as Jeremiah

shares it

is exactly

what they've

done.

We continue.

Yet you have

not listened

to me

declares the Lord

that you might

provoke me

to anger

with the work

of your hands

to your own

harm.

Therefore

thus says

the Lord

of hosts

because you

have not

obeyed my

words

behold

I will

send for

all the

tribes of

the north

declares

the Lord

and for

Nebuchadnezzar

the king

of Babylon

my servant

and I will

bring them

against this

land

and its

inhabitants

and against

all the

surrounding

nations

I will

devote

them

to

destruction

and make

them a

horror

a hissing

and an

everlasting

desolation

doesn't sound

real good

you notice

he declares

the reason

that they're

now a

desolation

why was it

they wouldn't

listen

to the

voice of

God

they wouldn't

respond

to the

voice of

God

they hardened

their hearts

they turned

away from

him

they served

other gods

they went

their own

way

verse

10

moreover

I will

banish

from

them

the

voice

of

mirth

and the

voice

of

gladness

the

voice

of

the

bridegroom

and the

voice

of the

bride

the

grinding

of the

millstones

and the

light

of the

lamp

this

whole

land

shall

become

a

ruin

and a

waste

and these

nations

shall

serve

the

king

of

Babylon

70

years

we look

back

at

Daniel

and we

see what

he says

here

as he's

stepping

into

prayer

he says

this

as he

shares

it

with us

I

Daniel

perceived

in the

books

the number

of years

that according

to the

word of

the

Lord

to

Jeremiah

the

prophet

must

pass

before

the

end

of

the

desolations

of

Jerusalem

namely

70

years

do you

see why

he might

have had

hope

the

declaration

of

Jeremiah

was

that it

would

be

70

years

they

would

be

desolate

and I

believe

Daniel

reads

Jeremiah

the

prophet

and hope

springs up

within him

because he

sees

the

declaration

the

truth

of

God

and what

God

said

that it

will be

70

years

and Daniel

probably

goes

okay

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

we're

almost

there

we're

almost

there

God

would

you

free

us

God

would

it

be

possible

for

you

to

do

a

work

that

would

give

us

freedom

to

take

us

out

of

this

place

of

slavery

and

we

see

here

as we

look

at

his

prayer

he

says

then

then

meaning

in

response

to

what

God

showed

me

in

the

perception

of

God's

word

in

the

book

of

Jeremiah

then

I

turn

my

face

to

the

Lord

God

seeking

him

by

prayer

and

please

for

mercy

with

fasting

and

sack

cough

and

ashes

does

that

sound

passionate

to

you

let

me

ask

this

when's

the

last

time

you

prayed

like

that

when

is

the

last

time

you

were

so

struck

by

your

sin

and

the

offense

that it

is

to

God

in

this

case

it's

demonstrated

by

him

sending

the

enemies

of

the

people

of

God

to

destroy

the

city

to

destroy

the

nation

to

send

the

people

of

God

away

from

the

city

and

the

nation

of

Jerusalem

and

Israel

the

offense

was

great

the

sin

was

great

do

we

see

our

own

sin

do

we

recognize

the

rebellion

of

our

own

sin

are

we

ever

disturbed

by

our

sin

do

we

allow

sin

to

reside

in

our

life

and

just

stay

there

and

have

a

home

there

you

have

a

room

there

you

put

flowers

in

the

room

you

allow

it

to

stay

you

allow

it

to

run

its

course

do

you

even

get

excited

by

sin

do

you

chase

it

do

you

pursue

it

church

do

we

see

the

offense

that it

is

against

the

holy

God

when

is

the last

time

that

you've

been

on

your

knees

weeping

before

God

in

confession

of

sin

you

know

what

God's

call

to

us

his

church

repentance

yes

we're

in

the

kingdom

many

of

us

are

Christians

many

of

us

are

born

again

but

do

you

not

see

that

sin

is

still

rebellion

against

the

holy

God

we

don't

lose

our

relationship

but

we

miss

out

on

the

intimacy

we

miss

out

on

the

blessing

that

God

declares

in

his

word

and

we'll

see

that

here

in

a

couple

minutes

but

I

want

you

to

hear

the

passion

with

which

Daniel

prays

and

hear

his

prayer

so we

see

why

he

prayed

the

desperation

the

desolation

of the

people

of

God

we

see

how

he

prayed

with

incredible

passion

with

hope

because

he

knew

about

this

God

what

did

he

know

about

this

God

we're

getting

ready

to

see

look

at

how

he

begins

his

prayer

and

inside

of

this

prayer

I

see

four

distinct

elements

of

this

prayer

four

distinct

elements

of

this

prayer

and

the

first

one

is

this

look

at

verse

four

I

prayed

to

the

Lord

my

God

and

I

made

confession

saying

O

Lord

the

great

and

awesome

God

you

know

that

refers

back

to

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 7:21

chapter

7

verse

21

verse

9

also

talks

about

this

great

and

awesome

God

who's

able

who's

worthy

of

praise

he

declares

from his

heart

I

know

who

you

are

you're

the

great

and

awesome

God

you're

my

God

who

keeps

covenant

you know

if you

read the

Old

Testament

you can't

help but

know

that

God

is a

covenant

keeping

God

every

single

promise

that

he's

ever

given

he has

fulfilled

every

promise

he

has

or

will

there

are

some

promises

that

are

future

every

promise

he's

a

covenant

keeping

God

and

steadfast

love

who

keeps

his

covenant

and who

keeps

steadfast

love

with those

who

love

him

he

is

a

God

of

steadfast

love

his

love

never

fails

his

love

never

ends

we

sneak

down

as

Daniel

in his

prayer

he

declares

who God

is

out loud

he's

not

praying

for my

benefit

and your

benefit

he's

praying

personally

to God

he's

recording

it

for our

benefit

but

he's

praying

to

God

and

he's

declaring

who

God

is

he's

worshiping

God

he's

recognizing

the

sovereign

God

is

able

and

he's

worshiping

him

he's

adoring

God

he

says

in

verse

7

to

you

oh

Lord

belongs

righteousness

he is

a

righteous

God

in

verse

9

to

you

oh

Lord

belongs

mercy

and

forgiveness

he is

a

God

of

mercy

he is

a

God

of

righteousness

he's

a

God

of

forgiveness

he is

a

holy

great

and

awesome

God

he is

the

one

who

keeps

covenants

he is

the

one

who

has

steadfast

love

that's

the

God

to

whom

he

prays

do

we

pray

like

that

you

know

the

Lord's

prayer

starts

like

that

too

doesn't

it

anybody

know

the

Lord's

prayer

I'm

going

conveniently

forget

it

somebody

tell me

the

Lord's

prayer

our

father

who

aren't

in

heaven

what

hallowed

be

thy

name

our

father

who

aren't

in

heaven

hallowed

be

thy

name

you

know

that

when we

go to

prayer

it would

be

beneficial

if the

focus is

not on

us

the focus

is on

him

and

Daniel

does

just

that

and I

want you

to see

what he

does

next

as he

focuses

his heart

on a

holy

God

and he

understands

who he

is

and based

on who

God

is

he says

God

I

confess

to you

he doesn't

say they

have sinned

he doesn't

say my

fathers

and my

cousins

and my

brothers

and my

uncles

and all

those

leaders

those sorry

leaders

he doesn't

say they've

sinned

he doesn't

say the

nation

sinned

he said

we sinned

he acknowledges

that he's part of

the whole

thing

we

as a

whole

nation

he prays

on behalf

of a

nation

and he

says we

have sinned

not only

does he

say this

one time

but if

you read

the text

he says

it

four times

we have

sinned

verse 5

we have

sinned

verse 8

we have

sinned

I can't

find the

verse number

verse 11

over and

over and

over and

over he

acknowledges

the sin

of the

people

who were

called

by God's

name

and what

type of

sin does

he acknowledge

I want

you to

listen to

what he

says

and I

want you

to remember

what we

just read

in Jeremiah

he says

this in

verse 5

we have

sinned

and we

have done

wrong

we have

acted

wickedly

we have

rebelled

we have

not

listened

verse 9

he says

we have

not

obeyed

we have

transgressed

we have

turned aside

we have

refused

to obey

your

commandments

we have

not

listened

we have

not

obeyed

we have

not

listened

we have

not

obeyed

we have

sinned

and to

us

belongs

open

shame

why

listen

there

was

one

nation

on

the

planet

that

God

had

revealed

himself

to

this

nation

of

Israel

he had

shown

a mighty

hand

on their

behalf

he had

given

them

promises

that

were

shocking

the

blessing

that

God

chose

to

declare

that

he

would

pour

on

his

people

he

would

fight

on

their

behalf

and

what

did

they

do

they

turned

their

back

on

him

they

went

their

own

way

they

worshipped

false

gods

they

spit

in

his

face

figuratively

and

Daniel's

acknowledging

this is

who we

are

this is

what

we've

done

brothers

and

sisters

how

do

you

view

yourself

do

you

view

yourself

in a

similar

way

when

you

think

about

who

you

are

do

you

see

yourself

in

this

sinful

way

you

know

the

word

of

God

declares

that

there's

none

righteous

no

not

one

there's

no

one

who

understands

there's

no

one

who

seeks

God

that

all

together

in

and

of

our

self

left

to

our

own

ways

that

we're

worthless

you

know

sometimes

we

read

this

and

we

think

we

tend

to

think

yeah

man

they

were

bad

good

grief

I'm

glad I

wasn't a

part of

that

crowd

you

know

I'm

not

like

that

I

just

can't

imagine

they

did

that

stuff

why

would

they

do

that

stuff

if

God's

right

there

I

mean

he's

in

their

midst

he's

shown

miracles

he's

done

all

these

crazy

things

why

would

they

do

that

you

know

we

tend

to

walk

in

the

same

way

and

somehow

our

eyes

are

blind

to

our

own

sin

do you

realize

that

gross

immorality

and what

we view

as slight

immorality

is both

immorality

do you

realize

that God

views both

as sin

and their

rebellion

against him

do you

realize

that both

are in

essence

absolute

refusal

to honor

and obey

and follow

God

I just

fear

church

that we

don't

see

the

depth

of our

own

sin

I

think

sometimes

we

think

that we

cleaned

up our

life

a little

bit

and we

are in

better

place

as far

as our

sin

and

honestly

if the

Holy Spirit

is within

he is

genuinely

doing a

work

in our

life

he is

genuinely

changing

us

through

sanctification

he's

generally

giving us

more

and more

and more

of a

desire

to honor

and serve

God

we have

a new

heart

if we're

a Christian

that new

heart

desires

to worship

and honor

God

you know

what God

does

over time

he keeps

showing

sin

and showing

sin

and showing

sin

and showing

sin

how do

we respond

to it

when God

shows us

our sin

it's my

prayer

and my

hope

church

that we

say

oh

God

God

forgive

me

it's my

hope

that we're

grieved

over

our

sin

so much

so that

we turn

away

from it

and we

say

God

by your

mercy

please

forgive me

please