Daniel paid a high price for receiving this vision. He received a revelation he could not understand, a vision he must keep to himself. If this were not enough, the experience so drained his strength that he lay sick and exhausted for days.
SESSION 10:
Daniels 70 Sevens
(Daniel 9:1-27)
Introduction
In the ninth chapter of Daniel, Daniel concludes that the 70-year period of Israel’s captivity is virtually over, and that return of Jews to their own land is imminent. With this hope, Daniel begins to pray for himself and his people.
We also know at this time Daniel was appointed a high political position.
! (Dan. 6:1-3).
1 It seemed good to Darius to appoint 120 satraps over the kingdom, that they should be in charge of the whole kingdom, 2 and over them three commissioners (of whom Daniel was one), that these satraps might be accountable to them, and that the king might not suffer loss. 3 Then this Daniel began distinguishing himself among the commissioners and satraps because he possessed an extraordinary spirit, and the king planned to appoint him over the entire kingdom
Daniel was about 80 years old here
Daniel, even as he sees the prophecy about the returning to Jerusalem about to be fulfilled,did not stop working, but remained faithful to his employer and faithful to his God. By remaining faithful to his employer, Daniel remained faithful to His God.
Correction from last week’s timeline:
Cyrus assumes the Throne 538/537 bc Ezra 1:1-4
All predicted in Is. 44:28-45:4
In Cyrus first year, he released the captives: 538/537 Captivity period continued and the events recorded in the Book of Daniel transpired.
538,37 Jews freed ( 1st year of Cyrus) and allowed to return to Jerusalem - the 70 year captivity is over.
About Chapter Nine:
This is Daniels third vision
In Daniel we have been given an overview of the Gentile Nations, now we will receive an overview of the God’s chosen people and their future.
Remember, Belshazzars feast occured between chapters 8 and 9.
This is said to be the key to all prophecy!
The Structure of the Text
(1) The setting Verses 1-3
(2) Daniel’s prayer Verses 4-19
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Daniel’s prayer of confession Verses 4-15
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Daniel’s prayer of petition Verses 16-19
(3) Gabriel’s arrival and announcement Verses 20-27
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Gabriel’s arrival Verses 20-23
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Gabriel’s announcement Verses 24-27
The Setting
(9:1-3)
1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of Median descent, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans—
. first year of Darius-, in whose name Cyrus, his nephew, son-in-law, and successor, took Babylon, 539 B.C.
Under the Babylonian method of counting the year of assention (539) as the 1rst year, and the next calendar year as the second year, even though he only reigned 6 months, he is attribitued by some as ruling for two years.
It could be that
he reigned for 3 years, which still puts cyrus as sole ruler in 537 bc.
The date of this chapter is therefore 539 B.C., 3 years before Cyrus permitted the Jews to return from exile, and 67 years after Daniel had been carried captive at the beginning of the captivity, 606 B.C.
Darius - son of Ahasuerus or Xerxes--called Astyages by XENOPHON.
Ahasuerus was a name common to many of the kings of Medo-Persia.
made king--The phrase implies that Darius owed the kingdom not to his own prowess, but to that of another, namely, Cyrus.
Rabinic traditoin is that Cyrus gave Darius (Gobrias) the kingdom first as a dowry for his daughter.
King of the Chaldeons - we must note that the Jewish sages believe this first yeat
was still considered Babylon, and that the Medes and the Persians did not take over prophetically until Cyrus to the thronel.
2 in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which was revealed as the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet
Daniel might possibly have heard this prophecy of Jeremiah from his own mouth, before he went to Babylon; since the first intimation of it was in the first year of Jehoiakim, #Jer 27:1,7, and after this the prophecy might be sent to Babylon for the use of the captive Jews there;
and indeed a copy of all his prophecies was no doubt brought thither at the last captivity of the people;
so that it is easy to account for it how Daniel came by it; #Jer 25:12 29:10, which
Daniel carefully read over, thoroughly considered, and as he full well knew what was the epoch of them, or when they begun, he found that they were just ready to expire; and this set him to the work of prayer, as in the following verses.
for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years. 3 So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting (Sages believe when you fast, the loss of body fat is a litteral sacrafice to God!), sackcloth, and ashes.
Until now, Daniel could not pray the prayer of chapter 9, for God had commanded the Jews not to pray for Israel (see Jeremiah 7:16; 11:14; 14:11).
God had warned the Jews judgment was coming, a warning they ignored.
But here in chapter 9 in the first year of Darius, the period of divine judgment had ended. Babylon had been judged, and the time for the return of the Jews was drawing near.
Daniel tells us the events of this chapter occur during the “first year of Darius.” This is a significant time indicator. It means that Belshazzar has already died, the Babylonian empire has ended, and the Medo-Persian empire has now taken its place (see chapter 5).
Daniel’s words inform us that the events of Daniel 9 must have taken place at least 12 years after he received his second vision in chapter 8.
It also means the events of this chapter occur at a time very near that described in Daniel 6, as Daniel was rising to power and prominence and as his peers were arranging to bring about Daniel’s evening in the den of lions.
Could it also be that Daniel’s prayers toward Jerusalem three times a day in chapter 6, which he would not cease to pray, were like his prayer in chapter 9?
When God created the nation Israel and brought them out of Egypt, He gave them His law and made a covenant with them. He promised to bless His people if they kept His covenant and curse them if they rejected and disobeyed.
A part of the curse was the threat of captivity in a foreign land. A part of His promise was Israel’s restoration, if they repented and once again kept His covenant:
(Leviticus 26:27-28, 32-35, 38-45;
The inspired historical account of 2 Chronicles describes the very events God had prophetically foretold:
(2 Chronicles 36:15-23).
Specifically, we are informed in the first verses of chapter 9 that Daniel’s prayer in our text was the result of an observation Daniel had made concerning one of Jeremiah’s prophecies. Jeremiah had warned the Jews for years that God’s judgment was coming in the form of the Babylonian captivity. When it came, the false prophets tried to assure the people it would not be for long. Jeremiah warned that the length of Judah’s captivity would be 70 years.
After the 70 years of captivity ended, two things would happen: first, the Babylonians would be punished for their severity toward the Jews, and second, the Jews would return to Israel where they would rebuild the temple.
(Jeremiah 25:1-14
29:1-14; Zechariah 1:12-17).
Here we have a prophet in scripture reading a prophet in scripture.
Lets see what Daniel was reading - turn to Jeremiah 29:10-13
10 For thus says the LORD: Only when Babylon's seventy years are completed will I visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place.
11 For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.
12 Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you.
13 When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart,
Jer. 29:10 Key verse - 70 years of exile
This will end when they seek God with all their heart.
- Daniel realizes the 70 years are almost up and he Imediatly goes to prayer.
(Dan 9:4-19) is a record of Daniels prayer - please read this sometime - it is powerful!
- For now, we realize Isreal is still in exile in Babylon, and Daniel realizes the 70 years prophecied by Jeremiah is almost up. They will return to God's land!
Why were they in excile?
Lev. 25:1-4 - the law that states every 7th year they had to give the land a 1 year sabath or rest.
II Chron. 36:15-21 - Isreal never gave the land it's sabath - for 490 years.
- they owed God 70 years of sabaths for the land.
- God said in II Chron. that their state had "no remedy"
- these are the last words you want to hear from God!
- Thank God He is a God of grace - that our sins are cleansed by the Blood of Jesus Christ!
- Jesus paid for all our sins - though we deserve death we live in Christ! PTL!!
Back to the Land - Where is Isreal today? - they went back to the land and became a nation again in 1948 - this was clearly prophesied in scripture!
-Are they giving the land its Sabath every seven years? - NO.
-Loophole lease - 6 years they farm the land - the seventh they lease it out (generally to Christians) who farm it that year and share the proffit with them.
The pharisees are still with us - when will Israel learn? - you will find this out!
Back to Daniel - he prays the prayer of repentance for the entire nation.
