Dan. 9:1-14, Daniel’s prayer, Fall down and repent

Dan. 9:1-14, Daniel’s prayer, Fall down and repent

1-14,
1.In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom—
2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years.
3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.
4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: “Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments,
5 we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws.
6 We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land.
7 “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.
8 We and our kings, our princes and our ancestors are covered with shame, Lord, because we have sinned against you.
9 The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him;
10 we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets.
11 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.
12 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.
13 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.
14 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.

(Sermon Summary)
    God uses people of the Word and prayer. It is the same with Daniel being used. He would risk his life every day to pray (6:10, Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before) and read his words (2). He learns that God gave Jeremiah in the first year of Darius (about 539 B.C.), that is, the period of the Babylonian captivity was 70 years for the sins of the Israelites (2). He confesses the sins of himself and of his people and asks for God's mercy and love (3,5,6). Let's listen carefully to the words given to me today and put them into practice.

1. Read the (      ) diligently (1-2).

  Although the world's government is changing and he is busy taking on a major role as prime minister, he does not neglect the Word and prayer life (1-2). He read the book of Jeremiah (25:11, ... and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years.; 29:10, This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place.) and heard the voice of God. Are youreading and studying the Word as in Acts 17:11(Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true) these days? What is God’s message given to you these days?

2. Pray based on the (          ) (3-4a)
  We must pray to understand the Word and pray with the Word we have received. Daniel repents of the sins of himself and the nation based on the words he realized. He fasts, puts on sackcloth and ashes, and repents by prayer and supplication. So were Abraham, Moses, and Elijah.
 
3. (                ) and pray for the community (4b-14)

1) Daniel prays to God who keeps his covenant and shows unchanging love (4b). 2) He confesses the sins of the nation and repents. They sinned, rebelled and did evil, rebelled and departed from the law and repented that they had not heard the word of the Lord (5-6). 3) He also confessed the desolation of the country (2,17,18) and the shame, curse, and calamity suffered by the nation (7-16). 4) But he asked God's forgiveness and mercy (9,18, 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). 5) Finally, he asked the Lord to listen, forgive, hear, and act quickly (19, 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.”). Brothers and sisters, like Daniel, let us pray, confess, and repent this way today. Let us humbly ask God for mercy and forgiveness. Pray only for God's justice, glory, and name. Read the Word deeply, pray based on the Word, repent of the sins of yourself and the community, experience the Lord's mercy and forgiveness, complete restoration, and the blessings of salvation (2 Chro. 7:14,  if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land). I pray that you all become blessed saints who save your neighbors by evangelizing the life of Jesus. Amen. 

 *Word, Word, repent