Lesson on Repentance

 Lesson on Repentance

Daniel’s Prayer 

Daniel 9:1-19 

Daniel chapter 9 is one of the most formative chapters in the entire Bible. It holds a key to understanding biblical prophecy—especially the book of Revelation. At the time Daniel wrote this chapter, he was seeking the Lord about the future of Israel. As he prayed and read the Scriptures, he experienced deep repentance. Chapter 9 is his prayer of repentance for himself and his nation. 

Israel ignored God’s commands on many occasions. They did this even after clear warnings in Deuteronomy and the Old Testament. God didn’t give His commands to ruin anyone’s fun or to set up impossible rules. He gave them to protect His people and to ensure their prosperity. And yet, Israel rebelled—again and again.

In our series, “A Trip Through Time,” we’ve explored key themes. These themes have shaped my understanding of how God interacts with Israel. One was the Sabbath, and the other was learning and growing. Both have a lot to say about how we walk with God.

As we continue our series, “A Trip Through Time,” we will look at Daniel chapter 9. This chapter puts the subject of repentance front and center. This chapter reveals how God interacted with Israel in the past. It also offers insights into His future plans for them.

Let's read Daniel 9:1–19 together. As we go through it, I'll share thoughts on repentance. These lessons matter for our walk with God today.

Daniel 9:1-23 (NKJV) 1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the lineage of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans-- 2 in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years [specified] by the word of the LORD through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. 

[Daniel declared, "I understood by the books," emphasizing that his pursuit of knowledge was extensive. By choosing the term "books" instead of "Bible," "Scripture," or "Moses," he highlights that his study has included everything he could find. Additionally, his reference to Jeremiah reveals his quest to grasp the intricacies of prophecy. This leads us to a powerful moment of reflection—Daniel’s heartfelt prayer of repentance as he confronts the profound truths unveiled in his studies.]

3Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

 [Fasting, wearing sackcloth, and covering oneself in ashes are powerful acts of deep sorrow. In Jeremiah 8:6, God speaks of repentance and says, “No man repented of his wickedness, Saying, ‘What have I done?’” Repentance is rethinking and realizing we have been wrong so that our gut-level reaction is “What have I done!” Repentance is not penance. Penance is something we do—punishing ourselves. Daniel was not punishing himself when he fasted, wore ashes and sackcloth, He was overcome with grief. He was not trying to earn God’s favor. He was sad, extremely sad. Consider this—Verse one says it was the first year of King Darius. From this, we know that by now Daniel is an old man. All of his life he has been an exalted man, an advisor to kings. And now, in his old age, he realizes he has been wrong his whole life. The sackcloth and ashes and the words of his prayer reflect Daniel saying, “What have I done, what have I done, what have I done? I have been wrong these 80 years!] 

4And I prayed to the LORD my God, and made confession, and said, “O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, 

[These words reflect Daniel’s understanding of God’s character. This understanding goes beyond fleeting emotions; it demonstrates a depth of self-awareness and his ability to confront his own feelings, such as anger over the destruction of his people and city, as well as his years spent as a slave to his enemies. Are you honest enough to face your anger toward God, your disappointment with Him? Until we face these things we do not see God as great, loving, and One who keeps His covenant.]

5 “we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments. 6 “Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our princes, to our fathers and all the people of the land. 

[God granted Daniel wisdom greater than any of his peers. He made the choice to eat only kosher foods in the Babylonian royal palace and God blessed Him for this. Daniel prayed three times a day and God saved him from being eaten by lions. But now in the words of his prayer we see that Daniel was thinking the Jews were suffering because they were righteous. His great sorrow is realizing he has been wrong. He and his people were suffering because they had refused to listen to God.  Daniel recognized that God had been reaching out to His people through prophets and teachers for many hundred of years. (I say teachers because Daniel says “precepts.”) God is reaching out to you, yet again today. Do these words strike a cord with you? Does your spirit burn within you? That is not me. It is the Spirit of God asking you to come home to Him.]

7 “OLord, righteousness [belongs] to You, but to us shame of face, as [it is] this day--to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those near and those far off in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of the unfaithfulness which they have committed against You. 8 “O Lord, to us [belongs] shame of face, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. 9 “To the Lord our God [belong] mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him. 10 “We have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets. 11 “Yes, all Israel has transgressed Your law, and has departed so as not to obey Your voice; therefore the curse and the oath written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against Him. 12 “And He has confirmed His words, which He spoke against us and against our judges who judged us, by bringing upon us a great disaster; for under the whole heaven such has never been done as what has been done to Jerusalem. 13 “As [it is] written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us; 

[Daniel recognizes that God is just and fair in His actions. God established a covenant with Israel and communicated with them continuously. He warned Israel repeatedly through His covenant and through His prophets, but they refused to listen.]

13 “As [it is] written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us; yet we have not made our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities and understand Your truth. 

[The root of this catastrophic failure lies in a single oversight: “We have not prayed before the LORD our God to turn from our iniquities and understand Your truth.” God makes it clear that there is truly only one reason anyone faces condemnation: the choice to reject His gift of salvation. Jesus has already paid the price for every sin. According to John 3:18, “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” This powerful truth emphasizes the importance of accepting the gift offered to us.]

14 “Therefore the LORD has kept the disaster in mind, and brought it upon us; for the LORD our God [is] righteousin all the works which He does, though we have not obeyed His voice. 15 “And now, O Lord our God, who brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and made Yourself a name, as [it is] this day--we have sinned, we have done wickedly! 16 “O Lord, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people [are] a reproach to all [those] around us. 

[Daniel is pleading for compassion. He doesn't make excuses or try to downplay anyone’s actions; instead, he acknowledges Israel's accountability. We must come the same way. If your heart is not at that place, only an appeal to God for mercy will make any difference.]

17 “Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and for the Lord’s sake cause Your faceto shine on Your sanctuary, which is desolate. 18 “O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies.

[Do you see these words “righteous deeds?” This is Daniel’s repentance(re-thinking). He and his people had been thinking they presented their supplications because of their righteous deeds.]

19 “O Lord,hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.”

[Daniel earnestly seeks the restoration of his people and city, not because they have earned it, but purely because of God's inherent nature. God is overflowing with love and mercy, ready to save anyone who sincerely reaches out to Him.]

20 Nowwhile I [was] speaking, praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God, 21 yes, while I [was] speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, reached me about the time of the evening offering. 22 And he informed [me,] and talked with me, and said, “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand. 23 “At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell [you,] for you [are] greatly beloved; therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision:

[The moment we turn our hearts toward God, He responds with open arms. When we seek wisdom and understanding, He generously grants it to us. The Psalms teach us that the Lord shares His secrets with those who fear Him. 

Psalms 25:14 (NKJV) The secret of the LORD [is] with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant.

The Bible assures us that He reveals His ways, guiding us on our journey. As the angel conveyed to Daniel, he comes to impart the skill to truly understand. The Holy Spirit is sent to us by God’s Son, Jesus, and He empowers us and gives us understanding. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you understanding as you read God’s word!]

John 14:26 (NKJV) “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 

1 John 2:27 (NKJV) But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyoneteach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.