Daniel: Praying for Restoration

Thanks very much, Dave. So keep your Bibles open there at Daniel 9. We're actually going to be looking at all of it. We didn't read all of it, but we will be looking at it all.

Daniel prayed, and let us pray.

Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. Give ear, O God, and hear.

We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy.

O Lord, listen. O Lord, forgive. O Lord, hear and act.

Father, please, would you give to us your Holy Spirit? Would he act in our lives and within our church to restore us as people and to restore us in the way you call us to live?

May your transforming work be done amongst us today. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Well, Daniel is longing to go home. He's been in captivity now for about 67 years.

When he was a young teenager, the Babylonians had come in, attacked his city, defeated and destroyed Jerusalem.

His people were carried away as slaves into exile.

And since that time as a young teenager, he has lived under foreign rule, facing constant opposition and persecution.

For Daniel, being away from home was a little bit like being separated from God.

He had no freedom to pray. He had no freedom to pray. That had been denied.

He had no temple to worship. That had been destroyed.

Everything around him that he saw and witnessed intensified his deep longing and desire to go back home.

Now that longing to go home is what all Christians should feel.

We live life in this world, but we know that this is not our true home.

As Peter in the New Testament tells us, it's like we ourselves are living in exile.

That we're strangers in a foreign land.

We're longing for something better.

Our true home. Our eternal home.

We're longing for this place of peace and security.

Joy and happiness.

We're longing that God would come again and restore everything.

And put things right.

And bring us home.

Well, Daniel chapter 9 is all about this prayer for going home.

Daniel 9 · chapter mention

A prayer for restoration.

And we're going to see how we can not only pray this prayer, but how we can also have it.

We're going to look at three things.

The promise of God.

The prayer to God.

And the answer from God.

So first, the promise of God.

Restoration.

The promise of God is found in the word of God, which is where we find Daniel.

Look at verse 2.

In the first year of his reign.

This is during the time of the Persians.

I, Daniel, understood from the scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet,

that the desolation of Jerusalem would last 70 years.

Isn't it interesting that as Daniel feels the pain and pressure of being away from home,

Daniel doesn't despair.

Instead, he is driven towards God's word.

And in his reading, he turns, we are told, to the prophet Jeremiah.

He had a copy of the prophecy of Jeremiah.

And here's what I think he was reading.

You might like to turn to it.

In Jeremiah chapter 29.

Jeremiah 29 · chapter mention

It's just back a few pages.

If somebody's got a page number, they could call it out and I'll help you along.

Jeremiah 29.

It's on page 789.

So Jeremiah 29 on page 789.

So Daniel has been reading Jeremiah, what we're going to read now.

And here's what I think he was reading.

Jeremiah 29 verse 10.

Jeremiah 29:10

So this is written 70 years before Daniel read it.

This is what the Lord says.

When 70 years are completed for Babylon,

I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise

to bring you back to this place.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord,

plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future.

Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me,

and I will listen to you.

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

I will be found by you, declares the Lord,

and will bring you back from captivity.

I will gather you from the nations and places where I have banished you, declares the Lord,

and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.

Back to Daniel 9.

What an amazing promise to read in the midst of facing the struggles of life

in a world that you know is not your true home.

And Daniel has picked up the book of Jeremiah and he started reading it,

and we can imagine him being so excited because now it's almost 70 years

since Daniel and God's people have been taken into exile.

His longing to go home is about to become a reality.

God had made this promise all those years ago to restore his people,

and Daniel has been reminded of it as he has read God's word.

So what does he do with the promise?

Well, look at chapter 9, verse 3.

Daniel 9, verse 3.

Daniel 9:3

So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition,

in fasting, in sackcloth and ashes.

The promise of God has motivated Daniel to ask God

to fulfil the promise that he has made.

God's word causes Daniel to start praying

for the very thing that God has planned and purposed to do.

So this promise is found in God's word,

but it is also found, or also rests, in the character of God.

Look at verse 4.

I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed,

O Lord, the great and awesome God,

who keeps his covenant of love with all those who love him

and obey his commands.

Through this prayer, Daniel is reminding himself

of the God that he has, the God who loves him.

He tells us in verse 4, he's great and he's awesome.

And God shows his greatness and his awesomeness,

again look at verse 4,

by keeping his covenant of love.

God doesn't forget his people.

He doesn't give up on his people.

He doesn't abandon his people.

God's character demands that he keeps his promise.

I have promised to restore you

and I will restore you.

So Daniel turns to prayer,

knowing that this God, his God,

is faithful and loyal

and will do what he says he will do.

That's the trust, the confidence that he has.

And we know from history,

about three years after Daniel read this

and prayed this prayer,

when the 70 years were up,

God's people were allowed to return home,

back to Jerusalem,

to settle in their own land.

God did keep his promise.

And what I want us to grasp is this,

that this is the same promise keeping God

that we know and that we have access to.

God has plans to prosper us.

God has plans not to harm us.

God has plans to give us a hope and a future.

So what are those plans?

Are we somehow to return to the land like Daniel did?

Well, no, in the full story of Scripture,

we know that this plan for a future and a hope

is so much more and so much greater.

Turn with me.

Keep your finger in Daniel 9

and go forward to 1 Peter.

It's on page 1217.

It's on page 1217.

1 Peter, chapter 1.

1 Peter 1 · chapter mention

Verse 1.

It's on page 1217.

And here we read these words.

Peter actually picks up this theme of exile.

And he says,

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

to God's elect,

this is God's people,

strangers in the world

who've been scattered.

So God's people have been scattered

throughout the world

and they feel like strangers.

They're in exile.

And then look what he goes on to tell them.

Verse 3.

Praise be to the God and Father

of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In his great mercy,

he has given us new birth

into a living hope

through the resurrection

of Jesus Christ from the dead

and into an inheritance

that can never perish,

spoil or fade,

kept in heaven for you.

Who through faith

are shielded by God's power

until the coming of salvation

that is ready to be revealed

in the last time.

This is God's plan for you.

This is God's promise for you.

He will come and gather up those

who have been scattered,

who do not feel at home

and are longing for their eternal home.

God has promised

promised

and God will deliver

on his promise.

So first we have

the promise of God,

restoration.

Second,

the prayer to God

which is all about

confession

and reputation.

God has made the promise

to restore his people.

He is going to bring them home.

But to experience

this,

we've got to listen carefully

to Daniel's prayer.

It starts,

first of all,

with confession of sin.

Daniel 9 verse 5.

Daniel 9:5

Listen to his prayer.

We have sinned

and done wrong.

We have been wicked

and have rebelled.

We have turned away

from your commands

and laws.

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.

Do you see what's going on here?

Before there can be

restoration,

there must be

confession.

Before restoration,

there must be

confession.

You see,

the reason why

they were in captivity

in the first place

is because of their sin.

Look at verse 7.

Lord,

you are righteous,

but this day

we are covered

with shame.

The men of Judah,

the people of Jerusalem

and all Israel,

both near and far,

in all the countries

where you have scattered us,

because of

our

unfaithfulness

to you.

Yes,

it's true,

Nebuchadnezzar,

the king of the Babylonians,

had come and defeated

God's people

and destroyed

God's temple.

But the reason

why this happened

was because of their sin.

The reason why

they are not at home

presently

is because they had

turned away from God

and did not

listen to God.

So before you

and I can experience

restoration,

we must take

responsibility

for our action.

Daniel,

through the prayer,

is pleading

that we take ownership

for what we have done.

Regret

is not enough.

This is not a prayer

of regret.

Regret simply means

feeling sorry for yourself.

There's no heart change.

Repentance

is what is required.

Repentance

owns

our behaviour

and longs

for God's mercy

and looks to him

to change

our heart.

Verse 15.

Now,

O Lord,

our God,

who brought

your people

out of Egypt

with a mighty hand

and who made

for yourself

a name

that endures

to this day,

we have sinned.

We

have done wrong.

O Lord,

in keeping

with all

your righteous

acts,

turn away

your anger

and your wrath

from Jerusalem,

your city,

your holy hill.

There must be

confession

and it's no

different for you

or I.

If we are to

experience

God's restoration

in our lives,

we've got to

face up to

our sin.

Sin is too

serious.

It can't

be ignored.

We can't

pretend it's

not there.

And Daniel

was saying

to the people

and he's

saying to us

and God

is saying

to us,

there is

no moving

on.

There is

no going

home.

There is

no restoration

until it

is dealt

with.

But not

only must

we confess

our own

sin.

Part of

this also

means that

we go on

to seek

the reputation

of God.

Look at

verse 17.

Now,

our God,

hear the

prayers and

petitions of

your servant.

For your

sake,

O Lord,

look with

favour on

your desolate

sanctuary.

Give ear,

O God,

and hear.

Open your

eyes and

see the

desolation

of the

city that

bears your

name.

This is

your city,

your people.

God was

so involved

with his

people,

he loved

and treasured

his people

so much,

he had

given them

his own

name.

His

reputation

was wrapped

up in the

lives of

these people.

God

and the

God

was

involved

in the

God

whom

they

said

they

followed.

God

was

involved

intimately

with them.

But the

problem is

they had

dragged the

name,

the reputation

of God

through the

mud.

Just back

up a little

bit to the

end of

verse 16,

the second

half of

verse 16.

He says

our sins

and the

iniquities

of our

fathers

have made

Jerusalem

and your

people

an object

of scorn

to all

those around

us.

God

had become

a joke.

No one

was taking

God

seriously

because they

didn't care

for the

reputation

of God.

They were

living as

they pleased.

If God's

people were

going to

experience

anything

of God's

restoration,

that had

to change.

Verse 19,

O Lord,

listen,

O Lord,

forgive,

O Lord,

hear and

act for

your sake.

O my

God,

do not

delay

because

your city

and your

people

bear

your name.

This is

about

transformation.

And what

about us?

What about

this reputation

of God

being restored

in our

lives?

Well,

when Jesus

died on

the cross,

he exchanged

names

with us.

He took

my name

and in

its place

he gave

us his

name.

and because

we now

bear his

name,

we can

enter in.

That name,

the name

of Jesus

on our

lives,

guarantees

our future

hope.

It gives

us access

to our

eternal

home.

It gives

us access

to our

heavenly

father.

It gives

us the

confidence

and the

assurance

to come

to him.

Christ

took our

sinful

reputation

so that

we might

gain his

perfect

reputation.

He gave

us his

name so

that we

would live

for God

in this

world,

so that

people who

look at

us and

see us

would be

drawn towards

the love

and the

beauty of

God and

experience

his

restoration

in their

lives.

Before

there is

restoration,

there must

be confession

and a

seeking

after the

reputation

of God.

So God

has given

his promise,

Daniel has

responded in

prayer,

and third,

God gives

his answer.

Look at

verse 23.

As soon

as you

began to

pray,

an answer

was given

which I

have come

to tell

you,

for you

are highly

esteemed,

which means

you are

treasured,

you are

loved,

my child.

I will

answer you.

Therefore,

consider the

message and

understand the

vision.

So here's

God's answer

to Daniel's

prayer,

and it's not

straightforward,

it comes by

way of a

vision,

and as we've

been seeing

over the

last few

weeks,

when Daniel

has a

vision,

it's really

not

straightforward,

it's a

bit complicated,

and we're

going to

get into

a whole

lot of

numbers here,

but we'll

explain that

in just a

minute.

But what I

want us to

focus on

here is,

God's

answer is

full of

expectation,

of hope,

of a

future.

Look at

verse 24,

here's how

the answer

starts.

77s are

decreed for

your people.

77s.

I thought

we were in

church,

not in

school.

What are

we to

make of

77s?

Well,

here's my

take and

my understanding

of it,

and I

think this

is how

most of

the

commentators

go on

this.

We're not

to take

it literally.

We're not

to take

these numbers

literally,

but symbolically.

First,

remember,

Daniel was

told that

they would

return after

70 years.

That 70

years was

a set

period of

time.

But here

he's talking

about 77s,

or if you

like,

70 times

7.

So you

can do

the maths

on that

one.

In other

words,

this is a

time that

is going

to last

much longer

than 70

years.

It's going

to go

on and

on and

on and

on.

second,

the number

7 in

the Bible

represents

perfection

and

completion.

So you

read some

of these

visions here

and in

Revelation as

well.

Whenever

7 comes

up,

it tends

to refer

to perfection

and completion.

So 70

times 7

means a

multiplication.

That means

perfection

times perfection.

Now we

put all

that together

and we've

got this

timescale

that is

going on

and on

and on

to which

there seems

no end.

And it

is marked

by absolute

perfection

and completion.

So God's

answer to

Daniel is

he's giving

him a

picture of

full and

final

restoration.

And he

begins to

give us an

insight of

what it's

going to be

like.

Look at

verse 24

we'll read

it all.

Seventy

sevens are

decreed for

your people

this long

time that

goes on

and on

of perfection.

A time

decreed for

your people

and your

holy city

to finish

transgression,

to put an

end to

sin,

to atone

for wickedness,

to cover it

up once and

for all,

to bring in

everlasting

righteousness,

righteousness,

to seal up

vision and

prophecy,

that is to

bring in

fulfilment of

all that's

been said,

and to

anoint the

most holy,

God's

king.

God's

answer to

Daniel is

so much

more than

Daniel expected.

Daniel just

wanted to

go home to

his earthly

city in

Jerusalem,

just down

the road.

That was

what he was

praying for.

God's

answer to

Daniel is

a promise

that is

bigger and

greater than

he could

ever imagine.

This was

full and

final restoration

in not an

earthly city,

but an

eternal city.

Sin and

suffering free,

where there

would be the

end of sin,

where there

would be

everlasting

righteousness.

This is the

answer that

God gives.

And what we

see in the

rest of

chapter 9 is

that this

answer is

expanded in

three ways.

So he fills

out this

answer in

three ways.

First, he

shows us

what it's

going to be

like, what

this home is

going to be

like.

Look at

verse 25.

No one

understand this.

From the

issuing of

the decree

to restore

and rebuild

Jerusalem

until the

anointed one,

the ruler,

comes,

there will be

seven sevens

and sixty-two

sevens.

Now again, I

don't want us to

get caught up in

numbers here,

but simply to

see this as

periods of

time.

seven sevens

refers to the

time when

Daniel and

God's people

return home to

build the

temple.

They're going

to be brought

back from

exile to their

homeland.

And that

initial time is

going to be a

time of peace

and security,

joy and

happiness.

The people

will settle

and they'll

begin to

rebuild,

but it will

be a limited

time.

Because God

wants them to

understand that

while God is

bringing them

restoration,

it is only

partial

restoration.

It's only a

taste of what

is to come.

In other words,

the return from

exile to their

homeland is just

a picture of

the final

restoration that

is to come.

It's like the

starter before

the main

course.

It's the

crumbs before

the big

meal.

And it's

exactly the

same for us.

God is giving

us an insight

to say,

when you

turn to

Christ,

that is

only the

beginnings.

It is only

the taste

of what is

to come.

The new

life that

you have

now is

nothing

compared to

the eternal

life and

the blessings

that are to

come in the

future.

So he

begins to

give us a

picture of

what it will

be like.

And it will

be just like

Daniel returning

home to his

land for

peace and

security,

joy and

happiness.

But he

also tells

us what

to expect

while we're

waiting for

the home.

So look at

verse 25

again.

The end of

it he says

there will be

seven sevens

and sixty-two

sevens.

So this

sixty-two

sevens is

talking about

to another

period of

time which

is a bit

longer.

He says it

will be

rebuilt with

streets and

a trench but

in times of

trouble.

Look at the

end of

verse 26.

He says the

end will come

like a flood.

War will

continue until

the end and

desolations,

trouble, have

been decreed.

So this

sixty-two

sevens is

referring to a

time which

follows the

return to

exile right

into the

future.

And he's

telling us that

it's not going

to be an

easy time.

Look at

verse 26.

After the

sixty-two

sevens the

anointed one

will be cut

off.

The anointed

one was

Jesus Christ,

the one to

come.

He will be

rejected and

ignored.

He will be

crucified.

But that's

not just going

to happen to

Jesus.

God's people

will continue

to live in

times of

trouble.

war.

There will

be continued

opposition in

persecution.

In other

words, he's

telling Daniel

and us

that we are

to have a

measured

expectation.

A measured

expectation.

Don't get

ahead of

ourselves too

quickly.

Don't think

that just

because we've

become Christians

that all of a

sudden we're

going to get

all the future

blessings right

here, right

now.

That is not

the case.

He's saying

we are to

prepare for

suffering now

and glory

later.

We are to

prepare for

suffering now

and glory

later.

So he shows

us what to

expect.

And third,

he shows us

what's going

to happen

at the very

end.

let's read

verse 27

and again

we'll just

pick out the

main things

here and

not get

too caught

up in the

minute detail.

He,

verse 27,

so here it's

talking about

an enemy

of God.

He will

confirm a

covenant with

many people.

So he's going

to bring many

people to

himself.

For one

seven, this

period of

time.

In the middle

of the seven

he will put

an end to

sacrifice and

offering.

So he's going

to be opposed

to all that

God does.

And on the

wing of the

temple he

will set up

an abomination

that causes

desolation

until the

end that

is decreed

is poured

out on

him.

Now I

think this

one seven

refers to

the time

at the

very end

just before

Christ returns.

And up

until that

time,

until Christ

returns,

there's going

to be

hatred

towards

God.

There

will be

an enemy

and there

is an

enemy

that is

against

God

and against

his people.

But look

what it

tells us

at the

very end

of verse

27.

Until

the end

that is

decreed

is poured

out on

him.

So God

is telling

us that

there is a

specified

time that

has been

set in

God's

calendar

time that

will

God's

ultimate

enemy,

Satan

himself,

will be

destroyed

once and

for all.

That time

has been

decreed.

That end

will come.

The enemy

will be

destroyed

once and

for all

and God's

people will

enjoy full

and final

restoration

at that

time.

God

gives us

a picture,

a glimpse

of you

into what

is to

come.

So all

the troubles

that we

see around

us today,

all the

troubles that

we may be

in today

and that

we experience

today,

God says

you will

walk through

them.

But I

will be

with you

and I

am bringing

you towards

a final

end

when the

enemy and

all his

opposition

will be

destroyed

and his

end will

come.

Do you

see what

Daniel prayed

for in

all of

this?

He was

praying for

something

really small.

I just

want to go

home,

home to

my land.

And God

answered his

prayer by

giving him

something so

much greater

and superior,

an eternal

home.

our true

home.

And we

are to

pray this

big

prayer,

these

eternal

things in

mind,

that God

would come

and restore

people today

and restore

people for

an eternal

future to

come.

God

as we

finish,

go with

me please

to 1

Peter

again.

It's on

page

1217.

1

Peter.

And let's

just read

these few

verses

by way of

reflection,

by way of

meditation.

salvation.

This is

what is

ours in

Christ.

Let me

read from

verse 3

and just

follow along

and be

amazed at

what we

have,

what we

have to

face,

and what

is to

come.

praise be

to the

God and

Father of

our Lord

Jesus

Christ.

In his

great mercy

he has

given us

new birth

into a

living hope

through the

resurrection

of Jesus

Christ from

the dead

and into

an inheritance

that can

never perish,

spoil or

fade,

kept in

heaven for

you.

Who

through faith

are shielded

by God's

power until

the coming

of that

salvation

that is

ready to

be revealed

in the

last time.

In

this

you

greatly

rejoice,

though now

for a little

while you

have had to

suffer grief

in all

kinds of

trials.

These have

come so

that your

faith of

greater worth

than gold,

which perishes

even though

refined by

fire,

may be

proved

genuine

and may

result in

praise,

glory and

honour when

Jesus Christ

is revealed.

Though you

have not

seen him,

you love

him,

and though

you do not

see him

now,

you believe

in him

and are

filled with

an inexpressible

and glorious

joy,

for you

are receiving

the goal

of your

faith,

the salvation

salvation

of your

souls.

Let's

pray.

Let's

pray.

Our

Father God,

we pray that

you would

expand

our vision,

not to

be so

confined to

our little

lives in

this little

space and

time right

here,

right now,

but you

would expand

our vision

to see the

grand and

great

restoration

that you

are bringing

about

and that you

will one day

bring to its

full and final

conclusion.

until that

day,

Father,

would you do

your work in

our lives?

Would you

cause people,

our community

and ourselves

as well to be

people of

confession,

seeking your

reputation?

And we

pray that

people will

know the

restoration that

you alone can

bring of

new life,

forgiveness of

all of our

sins,

the promise

of your

spirit,

of life to

come in

the new

heaven and

the new

earth.

We thank

you for all

that you

have given

to us.

We thank

you for

this wonderful

plan,

a plan not

to harm

us,

a plan not

to do us

any difficulty,

a plan to

prosper us

and give us

hope and a

future.

thank you

Lord.

Amen.