Seeking His Face in Earnest Prayer
Daniel 9:4-6: I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: Our Lord –the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments. “We have sinned and committed iniquity, we done wickedly and rebelled, even departing from your precepts and your judgments. 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.
Seeking His Face in Earnest Prayer,Daniel sought the face of the Lord with emotional pleads during a time of prayer and fasting in the first year of King Darius of Chaldeans; the son of Ahasuerus, of the linage of Medes. He praised and acknowledged the faithfulness and integrity of God: a God who is great and awesome; who keeps His covenants with those who love Him and those who keep His commandments-“… showing mercy to a thousands generation to those who, love Him and keep His commandments. Parallel to the commandment of Christ said: If you love me keep my commandment. (Deuteronomy 5:10, John 14:15)
Daniel continued in prayer by confessing he and his fellow Jews disobeyed the commandments of God’s law – they practice idolatry, harden their heart toward God, and engaged in endless abomination, etc. (Jeremiah 29:23,) Everyone who sins breaks the law, in fact, sin is lawlessness: the works of the law is written on the hearts of men, their conscience also bearing witness and between them their thoughts accusing or else excusing them, in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ…. (1 John 3:4, Romans 2: 11-16) Daniel acknowledged Israel including those who were in authority, kings, princes, fathers, did not listen to prophet Jeremiah who spoke from the mouth of God (Jeremiah 25:11-14, 29:10-23).
“God who at various times and in various ways spoke in time to the fathers by the prophets has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things through whom also he made the world. (Hebrews 1:1-2)
We are all prone to sin, due to the adamic nature, if we say we have no sin, we deceives ourselves and the truth is not in us, however, if we acknowledge our sin, confess it to the Lord, He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9) May we go boldly to the throne of grace to seek His face and confess our sin, as Daniel did , in prayer and supplications for himself and others, because Christ is able also to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him- our advocate! Jesus said: repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations beginning at Jerusalem (Luke 24:47).
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.” (1 john 2: 1)
Pause & think
- What is a covenant and what are the different covenants God made with men?
- What is sin and how did Adam and Eve sin, and did sin exist before the law? ( Romans 5:13, 1 John 3:4, 1 John 5:17, James 4:17)
- What are the difference between sin, iniquity, and transgression?
- To whom should confession be made and how often should confession be made? (John 16:8, 1 john 1:8, 1 John 3:9)
- How did Daniel approach God in prayer?
Daniel 9:7-14
Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame—the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you.
We and our kings, our princes and our ancestors are covered with shame, Lord, because we have sinned against you. The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him;we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets. All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.
Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you. You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing on us great disaster. Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem.
Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come on us, yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth. The Lord did not hesitate to bring the disaster on us, for the Lord our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him.
Seeking His Face in Earnest Prayer,Daniel declared the characteristics of the Lord our God as being righteous, everything He does is right, God is merciful, the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His faithfulness never comes to an end, His mercies are new every morning, and Lord our God is forgiving, He shows mercy to a thousand generation to those who love Him and those who keep His commandments.
Daniel humble himself and confess to Lord our God no one is righteous before Him, stipulating the imperfection of men: men are unfaithful, God is faithful, men is of Adam, prone to sin, and God is Holy, Just and True- He cannot look upon sin and sin separates us from God.
Daniel confessed Israel disobeyed God intentionally by acting corruptly before God, they did not served in His kingdom, and they not turn from their wicked works, as a result, the consequences of not obeying God’s Law that came by Moses would come upon them. (Deuteronomy 28, 30).
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17
Seeking His Face in Earnest Prayer,Daniel acknowledged Israel should have sought the favor of God, turn from their sin to God and obey the truth of His word. Since Israel neither sought the face of God nor asked for his grace, a Just God would not relent to act justly.
The works of the Lord’s hands are honorable and glorious, verity and justice, and are done in truth and uprightness. Righteousness and justice established His throne; mercy and truth are before His face, and He rules with a scepter of righteousness. His throne is established in heaven and His kingdom rules over all.
The Lord Our God expected Israel; particularly the leaders to adhere to His stature, precept and law, and keep His testimonies. Daniel knew the Lord our God, does not deal with us according to our sins nor punished us according to our iniquities, he asked God to show mercy. “ The Lord our God is merciful and gracious, long suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth.” (Exodus 34:6).
Jesus said: But go and learn what this means: “I desire mercy and not sacrifice, for I came not to call the righteousness but sinners to repentance”. (Matthew 9:13)
Pause & think
- What does it means that God is Just?
- What is the difference between rebellion and transgression against God?
- How does God’s compassion influence you to seek Him while He may be found?
- How does Daniel contrast between the nature of God and the sinful nature of men, enable us to appreciate the depth of God’s love?
Daniel 9:15-19
Now, 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. Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, and your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn to all those around us.
“Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. Give ear, our God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.
Daniel in faith remembered the Lord is faithful in all generation: The Lord mighty hand and outstretched arm delivered the children of Israel from Egypt and made a name for himself, as it is this day. Daniel remembered how God granted favor to Him and Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-negro in the sight of the King Nebuchadnezzar and they were granted exemption from eating at the king’s table. He also remembered how the God not only delivered them from the mouth of the Lion, but also how God shut the mouth of the Lion and it did not hurt him.
Seeking His Face in Earnest Prayer,Daniel asked the God to turn away His anger, and wrath from Jerusalem, the city of the great king, and His holy hill, Mt. Zion. He confessed the sin and iniquities of Israel, made them a scorn to all those around them. “Why should the surrounding nation say where is their God?” Daniel pleaded to God and asked Him to lift up the light of His countenance on His sanctuary: a Holy place dedicated to God, a house of prayer, a place where God meets man.
“ Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected and not man.” (Hebrews 8:1-2)
Seeking His Face in Earnest Prayer,Daniel asked God to hear, His ears is not dull that He cannot hear nor His hands short that He cannot save. He asked God to open His eyes and see from His Holy habitation the desolation of the city, Jerusalem the city of the great king, and His people who bear His name to delivered them .He asked God to speedily intervene for His great name sake.
Jesus said: Ask and it shall be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door shall be opened to you. (Matthew 7:7).
Daniel asked God to listen and forgive according to multitude of mercies. The Lord does not abhorred the prayer of the destitute, He hear their cry and save them. Jesus said: Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to you Holy Father, keep through your name, those whom you have given me, that they may be one as we are. Jesus in prayer asked our Father to not take us out of the world but keep us from the evil one. (John 17:11, 15)
Pause & think
- How does remembering the testimonies of God strengthen your faith?
- Identify the attributes of prayer and supplications?
- Why is it importance to glorify God in prayer and supplications?
- What is the purpose and significance of the sanctuary?
- What are the works of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary?
May we pray without ceasing for each other with repentant hearts toward God and show mercy to others as the Father has shown us mercy to the praise of His glory and grace. Jesus said:Let not your heart be trouble.You believe in God, also believe in me.(John 14:1-27, Matthew 11:28-29)