Daniel 9:7-14 – Live circumspectly.

In Daniel 9:7-14, Daniel continues his prayer by acknowledging and confessing Israel’s sins against God as a nation. He recognizes that the punishment that Israel was facing was a result of their sins, as sin always has a price to pay. Israel’s humiliation before the nations included the destruction of their beloved city, Jerusalem, and the temple and the captivity of their people in Babylon. 

Daniel’s prayer is a poignant reminder of how Israel had taken their privilege as God’s people lightly despite being blessed by God and given the privilege to serve Him. They had not just violated the covenant with God but had done so blatantly and disrespectfully. Their shameful predicament was a result of their disobedience. Although God had shown compassion and forgiveness, Israel had rebelled against Him and refused to seek His forgiveness. They had also ignored the prophets’ teachings and messages sent by God to warn them. 

Israel had also failed to keep God’s covenant through the law of Moses, and their disobedience led to the curses stipulated in the covenant, including the destruction of their land and exile in a foreign land. All of this had been predicted in the covenant, and their calamitous experience affirmed what God had warned them would happen if they broke the covenant.   

The importance of repentance and obedience to God can never be overstated. Sin always brings consequences, and so will disobedience to God’s word. Never take God’s blessing for granted; instead, offer Him our lives in grateful and faithful service. Furthermore, always take the messages He gives seriously. Be circumspect in our walk with Him. Be obedient and mindful that every action has a consequence.   

Daniel 9:4-6 – First step to a restored relationship with God.

Prayer is an important God-given tool for accomplishing His purpose and plan. It is an essential component for spiritual growth and advancement. Being diligent in this spiritual habit will help us to build a firmer and deeper relationship with God. It allows one to draw near, talk with God, and seek His guidance. One can also seek God’s forgiveness and express gratitude for His blessings through prayer.  Prayer releases divine enablement, leading to one’s spiritual transformation. No one can accomplish God’s assignment without prayer; one needs to make prayer a daily habit. 

And Daniel 9 is an excellent chapter on the lesson of prayer. This chapter shows all the essential elements of a victorious prayer. We shall take some time to digest Daniel’s prayer in this chapter. In Daniel 9:3-6, we see the need to acknowledge God’s greatness and confess our flaws.  

Firstly, we can see that though the prophet was confessing Israel’s failure, he highlighted God’s faithfulness and greatness and made them His primary focus. Daniel referred to their relationship with God and how they, as a nation, had failed Him. Here was where the Faultline lies: their relationship with God.   

Notice how Daniel refers to God as the “Great and awesome God.” And indeed, God was, has always been, and will always be. He then goes on to admit how Israel, as His privileged people, had violated and spurned their position and did not act responsibly.  

He admitted that God could not be blamed for their captivity, for He did not leave them without any help. Their failure was evident. Israel had “sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly and rebelled, even turning aside from God's commandments and ordinances.” The nation’s leadership, from kings to princes and elders, did not heed the voice of the prophets God had sent to them. 

We must recognize that any failure in life begins when we neglect our privileged position and fail to fulfill our responsibilities as God’s people. However, we should not blame God for our failures. He has provided us with guidance, His word, and godly counselors to steer us in the right direction. Let us not overlook these invaluable resources and strive to align ourselves with God's will. 

Whether we hold a leadership position or are just a member, we must never underestimate the significance of maintaining an unbroken connection with God. To restore our relationship with Him, our first step is to acknowledge His faithfulness, identify our flaws, and openly confess our failures.  As the Lord Jesus urges us in Revelation 2:5, “Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first….” This call to self-reflection and repentance should inspire us to strive for a restored relationship with God.

Daniel 9:1-3 – We must pray.

Despite the warnings, God’s covenant people resisted His plan for them. They even oppressed the prophets He had sent to warn them. The Prophet Jeremiah explicitly told them God would discipline them.  In Jeremiah 25:11, the Prophet told them, “This whole land (Judah and Jerusalem) will be a desolation and a horror, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years.” It was no secret that the people of Israel would be in captivity for seventy years, and the tenure was almost up. 

As established earlier, Darius the Medes and King Cyrus of Persia refer to the same person. Daniel 9 shows that what happens in this chapter was triggered by Daniel's reading of Jeremiah's writings. 

This took place in the first year of Darius’ reign. In other words, Babylon had already fallen into Medo-Persia’s hands, and Darius was on the throne. The end of Israel's Babylonian captivity was almost up and within sight.  But as yet, the people of Judah's release had not occurred.  

When Daniel read Jeremiah’s writing concerning the duration of their time in captivity, it precipitated his intense prayer for his beloved nation. Verse 3 indicates that Daniel intensifies his prayer, not only supplicating and praying for the country but also fasting and taking time to repent on the nation's behalf, highlighting the significance of these spiritual practices in maintaining faith and purpose in challenging times. 

The lesson we take away is certainly Daniel's attitude. He had not lost sight of God's plan and purpose for His people.  So, he prayed for God’s people. Prayer is a powerful tool we cannot afford to neglect. In prayer, we connect with God, the higher power. And in Him, we will find guidance, comfort, and strength to accept and achieve His will. Prayer also has numerous benefits for us. It will help us to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, promoting positive emotions and improving our overall well-being. We do well to incorporate prayer into our daily routines. We need to be in an attitude of prayer in our uncertain times. Remember to pray without ceasing.

 

 

Daniel 8:27 – Remaining steadfast in God.

Daniel 8:27 shows us the importance of perseverance in the face of adversity. Though utterly exhausted, sick, and perplexed by his vision, Daniel did not give up. He mustered his strength instead, shook off his weariness, and returned to his duty in the king's business. 

It is easy to give up and throw up one’s hand when encountering a tricky situation. How would you react if you were in Daniel's shoes? How have you responded to things you did not fully understand? 

This verse teaches us that we should not give up or resign ourselves easily to defeat when we face difficult situations. Instead, we should take a step back, gather our strength, trust God, and continue to do what needs to be done. We should keep pushing ourselves to move forward and not let the challenges we face overcome us. 

In addition, this verse shows us the deep significance of having faith in God. Despite facing immense difficulties, Daniel held onto his faith firmly, resolutely, and unwaveringly, trusting God’s plan even when what he was told was yet unfulfilled. We should emulate Daniel and anchor our lives on the unwavering hope that our God will never fail us, even in our darkest hour. Like him, trusting God, we can overcome adversity and continue to do what needs to be done, no matter how difficult the circumstances.

Daniel 8:24-26 – The certainty of Prophecy

Antiochus Epiphanes IV, a pivotal figure in the Seleucid dynasty, is the king to whom Daniel 8:23 refers. He was not just any king but a significant player in the historical tapestry of God's timeline. Described as insolent and skilled in intrigue, he was determined and crafty, making him a formidable figure. 

Daniel 8:24 reveals a profound truth about Antiochus Epiphanes IV. His might was not his own, meaning he was just a tool in the hands of God. Unwittingly, he was doing God's bidding. With that power, he would bring destruction on an unprecedented scale, even among the holy people, God's chosen ones.   

Verse 25 suggests that Antiochus was a shrewd man. With his shrewdness, he would influence successfully through his deceit and craftiness. He was also proud and self-exalting. Many would be lulled into complacency and a sense of false security before he attacked them. Besides, he even dared to oppose God, the Prince of princes. However, his reign would end abruptly. The last line of verse 25 says, “he will be broken without human agency.” 

History has it that Antiochus’ godless campaign knew no bounds. He defied God and attacked the temple and the sacrificial system of the Jews. He set up a statue of Zeus on the altar of the temple, burned the Word of God, massacred many Jews, and even sacrilegiously sacrificed a swine on the altar.     

In verse 26, Daniel was told three things concerning this vision. Firstly, the accuracy of the vision would be unquestionable. The duration of Antiochus' persecution would be 2,300 days. Secondly, Daniel was to keep the vision a secret, for it was preserved for a later time. Thirdly, whatever Daniel was told would be for the future. It would not occur in his days.  

We are reminded that God uses all sorts of people for His purpose. Antiochus Epiphanes IV was a formidable figure in his time, but ultimately, his power was not his own, and he was simply a tool in God's hands. Secondly, we must be alert to the danger of pride and arrogance. These flaws had led to Antiochus' downfall. It will do us well not to be proud and arrogant. 

Finally, know that God ultimately controls history and that events unfold according to His plan. Although Antiochus was a powerful figure in his time, his reign ended abruptly, and he was "broken without human agency." This reminds us that, ultimately, our lives are all in God's hands, and we should trust Him to navigate life's trials and challenges.

Daniel 8:23 – Staying sure and steadfast in faith.

For Daniel and his fellow exiles, many of the events he foresaw were yet to unfold as they anticipated their future. They were awaiting their hope. As we reflect on these past events in our present time, we are blessed with the advantage of hindsight. We have more knowledge that Daniel and his contemporaries did not possess. 

In Daniel 8:23, we witness the emergence of a king who would be “insolent and skilled in intrigue.” This is a significant event, as it marks a turning point in the rule when the transgressors had run their course. The verse hints at a future that would be shaped by this king’s actions. This rule, of course, refers to the four kingdoms that arose after the death of Alexander the Great, setting the stage for a dramatic shift in power and influence. 

During the interim, Alexander’s legacy underwent significant transformations. The Seleucus and the Ptolemaic, the two most prominent of the four dynasties, ushered in a period of intense Greek influence on the Jews. This exposure led to a dilution of the Jewish faith. Greek customs and ideologies began to gain prominence among them. The worship system was not immune to this corruption, with positions of high priests being bought and sold, and even high priests themselves were promoting Hellenism.  

It was during this time that the king would emerge. History tells us that Antiochus Epiphanes IV is that king. We will look at him closer when we next discuss Daniel 8:24-26.      

For now, this verse teaches us the importance of being vigilant and aware of changes in our world. We must hold fast to our Biblical worldview and be devoted to God. This will help us to stay firm and steadfast in our faith and not allow the world’s ideologies to sway us from being faithful to God and our walk with Him. 

 

Daniel 8:20 -22 – God sovereignly controls history

Daniel’s vision of the ram and the he-goat in chapter 8 is additional information about the second and third beasts of the night visions recorded in chapter 7. They are referring to Medo-Persia and the Kingdom of Greece, respectively. 

Daniel 8:20 straightforwardly says that the ram represents Medo-Persia. And according to verses 21-22, the shaggy goat is the Kingdom of Greece. The goat’s noticeable horn we have established is Greece’s first king, Alexander the Great. He was a mighty conqueror who had conquered the world from Italy to India.  

How do we make out of the four horns in verse 22? Alexander died at age 33 suddenly of a strange disease. Though he had two sons who could have succeeded him on the throne, they were murdered. So, four of his generals divided and controlled the kingdom he had conquered. These were the four horns that arose after the noticeable horn was broken.

What could be the profound purpose behind this vision of the ram and goat? It's crucial to grasp that Daniel’s vision and its interpretation unfolded two centuries before the actual events.  These are not mere coincidences or human predictions, but divine revelations. The interpretation was so precise, down to the smallest detail, that some have speculated this book was penned much later. 

In these revelations, God has graciously provided a timeline for His people to understand the duration of the time of indignation and be prepared. This is not a timeline of fear or uncertainty, but one that offers comfort and reassurance in the knowledge that God's plan is unfolding. We cannot ignore the accuracy and reliability of God’s Word.  

For us, the word of God must be our guide for life. We must remember what Paul has said in 2 Timothy 3:16-17. The word is “inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” We must not neglect to study and apply what we have discovered to live a godly and transformed life.