Daniel 9-10

Scripture Thought (What I Learned):

I learned two VERY important principles from Daniel 9-10. First in Daniel chapter 9, I learned that bad things happen to us, because we need to learn from those experiences to help us change our evil ways. It is like an alcoholic who gets a DUI and spends time in jail… that might make that person change. God does the same thing, if his people misbehave, bad things will happen until they turn from those evils and walk in his path.

The second thing I learned was that the moment we decide to not do evil and follow in God’s commandments, that is the same day he will listen to us and help us! “…for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understanding… thy words were heard…” (Daniel 10:12)

Chapter 9: Daniel prays for Israel

Daniel fasts, confesses and prays for all Israel, confessing the sins of the people. Daniel knows from Jeremiah that the Babylonian exile will last seventy years. The curses in the Law of Moses (towards the end of Deuteronomy) have come to pass. Daniel asks that God forgive and restore Jerusalem.

“…all this evil is come upon us… that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.” (Daniel 9:13) Essentially, when we ask God, ‘why did this have to happen?’ we need to ask ourselves, what did we do to bring this upon ourselves?

As he prays, Daniel is visited by Gabriel. Gabriel says that in seventy weeks (meaning seventy sets of seven years, ie, 490 years), reconciliation will be made for iniquity, everlasting righteousness will be brought in, and the Most Holy anointed. From the command to restore Jerusalem to the coming of the Messiah, there will be seven weeks and sixty weeks ((7+62) x 7 years = 483 years). The Messiah will be cut off, but for the sake of others, not for himself. This is when Jesus will come and be crucified, so that he can atone for our sins through his blood. The people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. There will be a flood, and desolations are determined until the end of the war. The coming prince will make a covenant with Israel for the final unit of seven years, completing the seventy weeks prophesied for the Jewish people and Jerusalem. The covenant will be broken in the middle of this final seven year period. On the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, until the consummation is determined.

Chapter 10: Daniel sees the Lord

Daniel sees the Lord and others in a glorious vision. Daniel’s vision occurs in the third year of Cyrus’ reign. Daniel has been mourning for three weeks on the banks of the Tigris, Daniel sees a glorious man clothed in linen, girded with a golden belt; his face was like lightning, his eyes like torches of fire, his arms and feet were like burnished bronze, and his voice like that of a multitude. Daniel’s companions do not see the vision – but they are terrified nonetheless, and flee. The glorious man says he has faced opposition from the prince of the kingdom of Persia, and was helped by the prince Michael. Daniel feels overwhelmed by weakness, but is reassured and told to be strong. The glorious person says he must fight the prince of Persia and then the prince of Greece. Michael assists him. He has confirmed and strengthened Darius.