At the start of chapter 9 we find Daniel, now a very important man, still making sure that he has time for God. He was a great politician, a prime minister to one of the most powerful kings on earth and yet he knew what his priorities had to be.
Daniel also knew that he was a great prophet. He brought God’s word, interpreted dreams, and sees angels and yet he still buries himself in scripture; consulting the prophecies of the former prophets of God. And it was from the prophet Jeremiah that he knew that the Jews time in captivity was nearly up.
Daniel’s reaction to this understanding is very interesting indeed. God has already said, through Jeremiah, that the captivity would end after 70 years. This was a promise. But Daniel does not just sit around wanting for this to happen. This is a huge indication that prophecy is not destiny but potential. God’s word, foretelling future events, is intended to drive us to our knees in prayer and to drive us to action. It is not intended to supersede these things.
This is exactly what Daniel did. Driven by the knowledge that the time was coming when the Jews would be free, he pleaded with God to make it so. But also did more than that. He confessed his own sin AND the sins of the nation before God. It seems clear to me that if we are seek God for mercies to be given to our street, our city, our nation then we must first humble ourselves and bring the sins of these place to God. We can, and should, ’stand in the gap’, and plead for mercy for the areas in which we live.
Here Daniel has set us an astonishing example of firstly how to read the bible (with excitement, anticipation, and readiness to act on it) and also how to pray.
How can we apply these things today?
Over to you.
