WEBVTT 00:00:00.479 --> 00:00:04.719 So tonight what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna read through Daniel's prayer for us. 00:00:05.759 --> 00:00:10.160 I know normally on Sunday evenings I we don't read at the beginning. 00:00:10.240 --> 00:00:13.839 I just kinda read and ramble, so I I work through the passage throughout the night. 00:00:14.160 --> 00:00:16.000 But tonight we're gonna hit it kind of differently. 00:00:16.079 --> 00:00:25.199 I'm gonna read the whole prayer first, starting in verse 3 down through verse 19. 00:00:26.480 --> 00:00:34.880 Daniel turned his face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleased for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. 00:00:35.119 --> 00:00:44.159 I prayed to Yahweh, my God, and made confession, saying, O Lord, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments. 00:00:44.240 --> 00:00:49.840 We have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules. 00:00:50.079 --> 00:00:57.359 We have not listened to your servants the prophets who spoke in your name, or to the kings, or our princes, or our fathers, and to all the people of the lands. 00:00:57.520 --> 00:01:01.280 To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame. 00:01:01.840 --> 00:01:12.239 As at this day to the men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which you've driven them, because of the treachery they've committed against you. 00:01:12.480 --> 00:01:19.680 To us, O Yahweh, belongs open shame, to our kings, to our princes, to our fathers, because we have sinned against you. 00:01:20.159 --> 00:01:30.159 To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him, and have not obeyed the voice of Yahweh our God by walking in his laws, which he said before his servants the prophets. 00:01:30.400 --> 00:01:35.120 All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice. 00:01:35.920 --> 00:01:43.200 And the curse and the oath that are written in the law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out upon us because we have sinned against him. 00:01:44.400 --> 00:01:51.519 He has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us, and against our rulers who ruled us, by bringing upon us a great calamity. 00:01:51.760 --> 00:01:56.959 For under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what has been done against Jerusalem. 00:01:57.200 --> 00:02:07.280 As it is written in the law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us, yet we have not entreated the favor of Yahweh our God, turning from our iniquities and gaining insight by your truth. 00:02:07.359 --> 00:02:17.680 Therefore Yahweh has kept ready the calamity and has brought it upon us, for Yahweh our God is righteous in all the works that he has done, and we have not obeyed his voice. 00:02:18.000 --> 00:02:28.159 And now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and have made a name for yourself, as at this day we have sinned, we have done wickedly. 00:02:28.960 --> 00:02:42.639 O Lord, according to all your righteous acts, let your anger and your wrath turn away from your city, Jerusalem, your holy hill, because of our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people have become a byword among all those around us. 00:02:42.800 --> 00:02:53.599 Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord, make your face shine upon your sanctuary which is desolate. 00:02:54.159 --> 00:02:57.039 O my God, incline your ear and hear. 00:02:57.360 --> 00:03:09.039 Open your eyes and see our desolations in the city that is called by your name, for we are we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy. 00:03:09.280 --> 00:03:12.639 O Lord, hear, O Lord, forgive. 00:03:12.879 --> 00:03:15.520 O Lord, pay attention and act. 00:03:15.840 --> 00:03:23.680 Delay not for your own sake, O my God, because of your city and your people which are called by your name. 00:03:27.520 --> 00:03:38.479 When Martin Luther, 1535 or so, went to a barber for a haircut, the barber had a choice to make. 00:03:39.120 --> 00:03:41.599 The barber you see was in an interesting position. 00:03:42.080 --> 00:03:46.560 He was in a difficult time financially. 00:03:47.280 --> 00:03:48.960 And there was a reward poster. 00:03:49.120 --> 00:03:52.639 In fact, just outside of the barber shop was a reward poster. 00:03:52.960 --> 00:03:56.479 Wanted dead or alive, Martin Luther. 00:03:57.599 --> 00:04:01.840 You would go to a barber back then, not just to cut your hair, but also for a shave. 00:04:02.400 --> 00:04:10.400 They would have these blades that were long and could slit a person's throat easily, which is why you went to a professional barber for this. 00:04:10.719 --> 00:04:14.719 And lo and behold, Peter was the barber's name. 00:04:15.039 --> 00:04:20.160 I'm not sure how what the German version of that was, but American sized, Peter. 00:04:20.800 --> 00:04:26.079 And out his window he sees Luther walk in, and he recognizes Luther without a doubt. 00:04:26.720 --> 00:04:32.720 And he tells him to hold on a minute while he finishes his person he's working on now. 00:04:32.800 --> 00:04:33.600 And that guy leaves. 00:04:33.759 --> 00:04:34.720 Luther sits down. 00:04:34.800 --> 00:04:38.639 And Peter wrestles in his mind with what is he supposed to do? 00:04:39.519 --> 00:04:45.680 He could be a rich man here if he would just slit Luther's throat. 00:04:47.439 --> 00:04:56.959 And instead, Peter, who loved the Lord and heard Luther preach before, decided that he wanted to be rich in a different way. 00:04:58.160 --> 00:05:03.279 And so he asked Luther a question while he was shaving. 00:05:04.240 --> 00:05:08.160 He said, Luther, I I've heard that you are a great man of prayer. 00:05:09.439 --> 00:05:11.279 What is your secret to praying? 00:05:11.439 --> 00:05:14.800 Because Luther responded to say, Yeah, I often pray for an hour a day. 00:05:14.959 --> 00:05:19.040 And Peter asked, What is your secret to pray an hour a day? 00:05:19.199 --> 00:05:21.199 Because I can't even imagine praying an hour a day. 00:05:21.279 --> 00:05:25.759 I feel like I would be richer if I could pray an hour a day. 00:05:26.720 --> 00:05:28.800 And Luther had a two-fold answer. 00:05:29.040 --> 00:05:38.480 His initial answer was, What makes a good barber is being devoted to focusing on the task at hand, namely my face. 00:05:39.920 --> 00:05:49.680 So his first answer was, go ahead and hold on to that question for another ten minutes or so, which you can appreciate if you were in Luther's chair. 00:05:50.959 --> 00:05:59.600 When he's done being shaved, he told Luther, or Luther told Peter, This is the best question I have ever been asked. 00:06:00.319 --> 00:06:04.319 Which is an interesting response because he's had another 10 minutes of sitting there to think about it. 00:06:04.480 --> 00:06:06.959 He says, This is the best question I've ever been asked. 00:06:07.279 --> 00:06:11.519 Normally, he said, after I preach, people come up to me and ask me theological questions. 00:06:11.680 --> 00:06:13.839 They're asking me questions about the sermon. 00:06:15.680 --> 00:06:19.759 But you're asking me how you can grow in riches. 00:06:20.800 --> 00:06:22.959 So you deserve a rich answer. 00:06:23.279 --> 00:06:26.879 And Luther said, Let me get back to you. 00:06:27.759 --> 00:06:29.279 And left him there. 00:06:30.000 --> 00:06:37.199 And so poor Peter had a chance to take Luther's life, lost that, had a chance to learn about prayer, and has nothing to show for it. 00:06:38.480 --> 00:06:40.079 Months went by. 00:06:40.560 --> 00:06:42.160 No sign of Luther. 00:06:43.199 --> 00:06:45.680 Eventually Luther returns. 00:06:46.639 --> 00:06:50.160 And out of curiosity, raise your hand if you know what Luther brought with him. 00:06:50.480 --> 00:06:52.399 Does anyone know the story? 00:06:53.360 --> 00:06:56.720 Taylor, I'm not calling on you, but praise the Lord that you know. 00:06:57.120 --> 00:07:04.240 Luther comes back and brings him a book that he wrote to his barber. 00:07:05.279 --> 00:07:06.879 And he published it. 00:07:07.279 --> 00:07:11.439 And he brought his barber the first copy off of the presses. 00:07:11.759 --> 00:07:13.680 It's called A Simple Way to Pray. 00:07:13.759 --> 00:07:15.360 And you can still buy it today. 00:07:15.920 --> 00:07:17.839 Yeah, you can probably get an online version. 00:07:17.920 --> 00:07:21.839 I'm sure it's in the public domain now, copyright 1535 in Germany. 00:07:23.600 --> 00:07:33.199 A simple way to pray, dedicated to Master Peter, Luther calls him, the masterful barber who wanted to be rich in the right way. 00:07:34.399 --> 00:07:37.600 Luther's answer to Peter very simple. 00:07:37.920 --> 00:07:41.360 Actually, surprisingly simple, but he spends a book to develop it. 00:07:42.879 --> 00:07:46.319 There's four things you need to do to pray well. 00:07:46.720 --> 00:07:50.240 First, you need to memorize the Lord's Prayer. 00:07:50.720 --> 00:07:53.839 Second, you need to memorize the Ten Commandments. 00:07:54.079 --> 00:07:57.120 Third, you need to memorize the Apostles' Creed. 00:07:57.439 --> 00:08:00.879 And fourth, you need to pray through those things. 00:08:01.120 --> 00:08:02.480 That's what you do. 00:08:03.279 --> 00:08:06.079 And so, how does that look? 00:08:06.720 --> 00:08:13.360 And Peter said right away, I mean, as as he's talking to Luther with this, he says, Wait, am I supposed to just repeat those prayers? 00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:14.720 Because that's what that won't take an hour. 00:08:14.879 --> 00:08:18.639 You learn those things, you can you can recite them all by memory in three minutes. 00:08:20.000 --> 00:08:21.439 And Luther says, No. 00:08:21.680 --> 00:08:26.639 What you do is you memorize them and then you pray through them. 00:08:27.199 --> 00:08:32.639 And this is why, by the way, on Sunday nights that we do the opening prayer at the beginning of the service, the way that we do. 00:08:32.799 --> 00:08:36.159 I read the scripture passage and then we pray through the scripture passage. 00:08:36.320 --> 00:08:40.639 The prayer is basically the content from what we just read, but applied to us. 00:08:41.519 --> 00:08:50.240 You know, so you can think, just to use an example, our Father who's in heaven, holy be your name. 00:08:50.320 --> 00:08:53.360 Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 00:08:53.600 --> 00:08:57.679 And so your prayer might look like God, you are exalted above us. 00:08:57.919 --> 00:09:00.720 We are not you, we don't have access to the knowledge that you have. 00:09:00.879 --> 00:09:03.840 We have limited knowledge because you're in heaven and we're not. 00:09:05.039 --> 00:09:08.159 Nevertheless, we declare that you're holy and we're not. 00:09:08.639 --> 00:09:11.039 And we pray that your will would be done here on earth. 00:09:11.200 --> 00:09:17.200 And you start praying about the things that are in your mind in relationship to God's will being done on earth in conforming your will to God's will. 00:09:17.360 --> 00:09:20.080 And that's just the first sentence of the Lord's Prayer. 00:09:20.320 --> 00:09:22.639 Do that through all three of those things, Luther says. 00:09:22.960 --> 00:09:25.919 Lord's Prayer, the Ten Commandments, and the Apostles' Creed. 00:09:26.879 --> 00:09:32.559 Now I say that because as we get into Daniel 9 tonight, this is one of the most remarkable prayers in the Bible. 00:09:32.720 --> 00:09:35.200 It's one of the longer prayers in the Bible. 00:09:35.519 --> 00:09:39.840 And it is certainly called out here as an example of how to pray, I think. 00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:42.240 This is why it's inspired and given to us. 00:09:42.399 --> 00:09:49.200 And what's noteworthy about it is how much of Daniel's prayer is just praying through two different scripture passages. 00:09:49.600 --> 00:09:56.159 He's praying through a section in Jeremiah 25, and he's praying through a section of Deuteronomy 25. 00:09:57.360 --> 00:09:59.679 That's basically the content of his prayer. 00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:02.720 But he works his way through it. 00:10:03.039 --> 00:10:05.039 Let's look at this prayer more closely tonight. 00:10:05.279 --> 00:10:10.799 The first year of Darius, the son of Ahazarius, by descent of Med, and this is likely Cyrus. 00:10:11.200 --> 00:10:12.960 I think Darius is probably the title. 00:10:13.120 --> 00:10:15.039 We talked about this back in Daniel chapter 6. 00:10:15.200 --> 00:10:20.559 By descent Amede, remember the two horns that we looked at last week that were of unequal sizes. 00:10:20.720 --> 00:10:27.039 The Medes are the ones that combined with the Persians, but Darius was more clever and the Medan horn grew bigger. 00:10:27.279 --> 00:10:31.360 He was king over the realm of the Chaldeans, he'd conquered the Babylonians the first year of his reign. 00:10:31.519 --> 00:10:40.240 Now, this is the year that Daniel was betrayed by the king's advisors, was trapped, and was fed to the lions. 00:10:40.399 --> 00:10:42.720 I mean, he didn't get all the way fed to the lions, but you know what I mean. 00:10:42.799 --> 00:10:46.159 They passed the rule that nobody can pray except to King Darius. 00:10:46.639 --> 00:10:50.320 Darius signs the rule, Daniel then throws open his window and prays. 00:10:50.559 --> 00:10:56.399 And, you know, when we looked at that chapter, we made the point about how significant it is that Daniel had integrity enough to pray. 00:10:56.639 --> 00:11:00.879 He wouldn't alter his prayer patterns, which are obviously well known because they thought they could trap him. 00:11:01.039 --> 00:11:07.600 Nevertheless, it's worth thinking what was going on that year that would drive Daniel to pray in that way? 00:11:08.799 --> 00:11:10.960 And this is where Daniel, I think, answers that question. 00:11:11.039 --> 00:11:12.559 It's the same timeline. 00:11:12.879 --> 00:11:26.480 I, Daniel, in the book of verse 2, perceived in the books, or scrolls would be a better translation of that, the number of years that according to the word of Yahweh to Jeremiah the prophet must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely 70 years. 00:11:26.639 --> 00:11:34.159 So what he's saying here is that he was studying Jeremiah, the prophet Jeremiah, who wrote at the beginning of exile. 00:11:34.320 --> 00:11:36.720 Jeremiah was writing when Daniel was alive, by the way. 00:11:37.360 --> 00:11:39.120 Jeremiah has since gone away. 00:11:39.279 --> 00:11:43.840 The book of Jeremiah was uh completed well before Cyrus was king. 00:11:45.200 --> 00:11:53.440 What's fascinating about this is that in that short time period, you know, we're dealing with 70 years here have gone by, Jeremiah's already recognizes Scripture. 00:11:53.600 --> 00:12:00.879 And you should file that away in your mind for your liberal friends that say the books in the Bible were chosen by committee in, you know, 320 A.D. 00:12:01.039 --> 00:12:06.240 and they, you know, got in a smoke-filled room and said, you know, I'll give you 2 John if you take out 3 Peter kind of stuff. 00:12:06.399 --> 00:12:07.840 I mean, that's just nonsense. 00:12:08.159 --> 00:12:09.279 Nonsense. 00:12:10.080 --> 00:12:12.960 And you have examples, it's the New Testament, 1 Timothy 5. 00:12:13.039 --> 00:12:15.919 Paul quotes Luke and calls it Scripture. 00:12:16.480 --> 00:12:18.799 Peter quotes Paul and calls it scripture. 00:12:19.039 --> 00:12:28.480 Here is an example of Daniel, a few decades after it was completed, reading the prophet Jeremiah and recognizing it, identifying it as Scripture. 00:12:31.039 --> 00:12:33.519 It's the word of Yahweh through Jeremiah. 00:12:33.840 --> 00:12:36.480 And beyond that, Daniel's not just reading it. 00:12:36.720 --> 00:12:43.200 And you need to keep this in mind for next week, by the way, because when we get to the 70 weeks next week, people say, oh, you know, what's wrong with you guys? 00:12:43.279 --> 00:12:49.679 So you want to take out calculators and figure out the end times and you know, calculate the number of days between this and that. 00:12:50.960 --> 00:12:54.159 This is exactly what Daniel does with Jeremiah at the beginning of the passage. 00:12:54.240 --> 00:12:57.039 He's studying Jeremiah, chapter 25, verse 11. 00:12:57.120 --> 00:12:57.919 Let me read it for you. 00:12:58.159 --> 00:13:03.600 This whole land shall become a ruin and a waste, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon for 70 years. 00:13:03.759 --> 00:13:12.240 After 70 years are completed, I'll punish the king of Babylon and that nation and the land of the Chaldeans for their iniquity, declares Yahweh, making the land an everlasting waste. 00:13:12.399 --> 00:13:18.559 Daniel's studying this, and he's getting out his calendar, and he's doing some math here, and they didn't have the years like we have years. 00:13:18.639 --> 00:13:21.200 So this is actually a little bit of work, is the point here. 00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:27.360 It wasn't just like, you know, 1976 minus 70 equals 1906 kind of thing here. 00:13:27.600 --> 00:13:30.639 You have to actually add up the king's reigns. 00:13:31.120 --> 00:13:34.720 Know how long they reigned, add the numbers together and arrive at this. 00:13:34.799 --> 00:13:39.039 And Daniel's studying this, and it's occurring to him, this is about the time. 00:13:40.320 --> 00:13:42.159 Exile should be over. 00:13:44.080 --> 00:13:50.480 And of course, Jeremiah goes on to write one of the most misappropriated verses in the Bible. 00:13:50.799 --> 00:13:52.240 Jeremiah 29, verse 10. 00:13:52.320 --> 00:14:02.960 Thus says Yahweh, when the 70 years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you the promise and bring you back for this place, for I know the plans I have for you, declares Yahweh. 00:14:03.200 --> 00:14:07.600 Plans for your welfare, not for your evil, to give you a future and a hope. 00:14:07.840 --> 00:14:10.559 And you will call upon me and pray to me, and I will hear you. 00:14:10.799 --> 00:14:14.399 Admit it, you guys have that bumper sticker and that poster in your room, don't you? 00:14:15.120 --> 00:14:17.279 Were you in Babylonian captivity? 00:14:17.840 --> 00:14:18.639 Take it down. 00:14:18.720 --> 00:14:20.000 No, I'm kidding you. 00:14:20.480 --> 00:14:22.320 Don't rip it off your dentist wall. 00:14:22.399 --> 00:14:23.440 It's okay. 00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:34.000 But just know that's the context of this verse where God says, 70 years are going to get up, and at the end of 70 years, I will take you back to Israel, because I have a good plan for you. 00:14:34.159 --> 00:14:37.600 God's plan for the Israelites was not to leave them in Babylon. 00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:45.279 I think the punishment for a coach that uses that verse in a halftime speech should be 70 years in exile, personally. 00:14:46.879 --> 00:14:49.360 Alright, one year for every time he uses it. 00:14:50.720 --> 00:14:52.720 Now, why 70 years, by the way? 00:14:52.799 --> 00:14:54.480 Why did Jeremiah say 70 years? 00:14:54.559 --> 00:14:56.240 Why does Daniel arrive at seventy years? 00:14:56.320 --> 00:14:59.120 And that's from Leviticus 25. 00:14:59.279 --> 00:15:03.919 For six years you will sow your field, for six years you'll prune your vineyard, gather its fruits. 00:15:04.080 --> 00:15:06.639 In the seventh year there will be a Sabbath for the rest of the land. 00:15:06.799 --> 00:15:08.240 It'll be a Sabbath to Yahweh. 00:15:08.320 --> 00:15:11.120 You shall not sow your field, you shall not prune your vineyard. 00:15:11.279 --> 00:15:12.480 So work the land for six years. 00:15:12.639 --> 00:15:14.559 Seventh year, don't touch it. 00:15:15.360 --> 00:15:16.399 Let the things grow. 00:15:16.559 --> 00:15:17.519 Naturally eat that. 00:15:17.759 --> 00:15:21.120 Store up your crops for the six years, eat that, like Joseph did in Egypt. 00:15:21.279 --> 00:15:24.159 I mean, this just conceptually is a very good plan. 00:15:24.399 --> 00:15:26.240 Economically, it's a good plan. 00:15:26.480 --> 00:15:28.320 You should have savings in your account. 00:15:28.480 --> 00:15:34.720 If you get to a situation in life where you're able to save, rather than get the nicer car, why not save a little bit? 00:15:34.960 --> 00:15:36.559 And this is a very good principle in life. 00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:37.919 Joseph demonstrated it. 00:15:38.000 --> 00:15:39.279 It's written into the law. 00:15:39.519 --> 00:15:41.840 Work for six years and leave your land for a year. 00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:42.720 Let it rest. 00:15:42.960 --> 00:15:47.200 This is good in an agricultural sense, so you don't overutilize your land. 00:15:47.360 --> 00:15:48.960 It's a command to them. 00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:56.720 And on top of that, every 49 years, or seven sevens, which remember that we'll we'll see that again next week. 00:15:56.879 --> 00:16:05.440 Leviticus 25, verse 10 says, The fiftieth year, after the 49 years, the seven Sabbaths, you'll proclaim liberty throughout the land to all of its inhabitants. 00:16:05.519 --> 00:16:07.360 It will be a year of Jubilee for you. 00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:10.879 Everybody goes back to their property, which was given to their clan. 00:16:10.960 --> 00:16:12.720 The fiftieth year is a jubilee for you. 00:16:12.799 --> 00:16:17.120 You'll neither sow nor reap what grows in itself, nor gather the grapes from the undressed vines. 00:16:17.200 --> 00:16:18.159 It is a jubilee. 00:16:18.320 --> 00:16:19.519 It's holy to you. 00:16:19.840 --> 00:16:21.440 Eat the produce of the field. 00:16:21.679 --> 00:16:25.039 In this year of the Jubilee, you shall return to your own property. 00:16:25.279 --> 00:16:28.159 The Israelites are supposed to price their land that way. 00:16:29.200 --> 00:16:36.159 You know, you sell somebody your house or your farm in the first year, it's worth a lot because he gets to live on it for 49 years. 00:16:36.399 --> 00:16:43.440 You sell it to him 49 years since the last year of Jubilee, it's worth a quarter because he gets to live in it for 10 minutes, and then he's got to go back to you. 00:16:44.000 --> 00:16:52.799 I mean, their whole system, their whole structure, their whole theocracy, the way the whole Testament law, the Levitical law was supposed to work, hinged on the Sabbath years. 00:16:52.960 --> 00:16:55.919 Slaves were released after they had worked for six years. 00:16:56.799 --> 00:16:59.519 All Israelite slaves were released in the year of Jubilee. 00:16:59.840 --> 00:17:01.519 All property went back to their families. 00:17:01.679 --> 00:17:10.079 I mean, this is a massive economic structure built into the Levitical law that Israel kept exactly zero times. 00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:16.079 And so God punishes them for it. 00:17:18.240 --> 00:17:19.279 He punishes them. 00:17:19.599 --> 00:17:21.279 Says, you're not going to keep the Sabbath? 00:17:21.599 --> 00:17:22.079 Fine. 00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:23.759 Then you will be in exile. 00:17:24.160 --> 00:17:26.960 They were in the land for 490 years. 00:17:27.200 --> 00:17:30.079 And so they will be in exile for 70. 00:17:30.640 --> 00:17:32.160 There you go, my friends. 00:17:32.480 --> 00:17:33.920 Sorted out there. 00:17:35.599 --> 00:17:38.000 Second Chronicles 36, verse 21. 00:17:38.240 --> 00:17:42.640 To fulfill the word of Yahweh by the mouth of Jeremiah until the land has enjoyed its Sabbaths. 00:17:42.799 --> 00:17:46.640 All the years that it lay desolate, it kept its Sabbath to fulfill the seventy years. 00:17:46.720 --> 00:17:51.599 So if you're taking notes, 2 Chronicles 36, 21, that's the verse where it connects the two. 00:17:51.759 --> 00:17:56.799 The Sabbath years, the year of Jubilee, brought together with Jeremiah's prophecy about the exile. 00:17:56.960 --> 00:17:58.559 Daniel has all of this. 00:18:00.640 --> 00:18:02.480 He's putting it together. 00:18:02.880 --> 00:18:04.799 And it dawns on him this is the time. 00:18:04.880 --> 00:18:09.759 And so Daniel says, God says we're going back to our land soon. 00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:11.119 This year sometime. 00:18:11.440 --> 00:18:12.319 Next year, maybe. 00:18:12.559 --> 00:18:13.200 Soon. 00:18:15.839 --> 00:18:17.359 What should he do? 00:18:18.559 --> 00:18:20.160 Should he pack his bags? 00:18:21.039 --> 00:18:22.559 Get some travel brushers? 00:18:22.799 --> 00:18:24.799 After all, God has said it's going to happen. 00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:30.240 What's amazing about this is what Daniel's response is, is that he prays for it to happen. 00:18:31.680 --> 00:18:35.200 And that is a staggering point about the sovereignty of God in prayer, isn't it? 00:18:35.359 --> 00:18:41.759 Daniel's response to knowing, to realizing that God says this is going to happen, his response, okay, I believe you, Lord, this is going to happen. 00:18:41.839 --> 00:18:42.880 What should I do? 00:18:43.119 --> 00:18:44.559 Go and pray about it. 00:18:44.799 --> 00:18:47.680 And pray that God will do it. 00:18:48.400 --> 00:18:50.000 And this is the prayer we write about. 00:18:50.079 --> 00:18:52.079 It's saturated with Scripture. 00:18:52.640 --> 00:18:54.079 It begins in verse 5. 00:18:54.240 --> 00:18:57.200 Well, in verse 3, it begins with desperation before he even prays. 00:18:57.279 --> 00:18:59.039 He puts on sackcloth and ashes. 00:18:59.279 --> 00:19:00.079 He fasts. 00:19:00.559 --> 00:19:01.839 He looks disheveled. 00:19:01.920 --> 00:19:04.160 He puts the sign of mourning on him. 00:19:04.640 --> 00:19:06.559 And isn't this happy news? 00:19:06.799 --> 00:19:09.680 Isn't this great news that the exile is about to be over? 00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:19.599 No, he approaches us from a mournful position because he wants God to know that the sin of the people still breaks him. 00:19:19.839 --> 00:19:26.720 Seven years might be enough to punish the people for neglecting the Sabbaths, but seventy years does not atone for sin in a heart. 00:19:26.799 --> 00:19:27.680 And Daniel knows that. 00:19:27.839 --> 00:19:30.799 Seventy years does not make his heart less sinful. 00:19:33.440 --> 00:19:36.480 He's repentant, even though this isn't even his sin. 00:19:36.559 --> 00:19:37.839 He was a boy. 00:19:40.799 --> 00:19:43.920 From his desperation comes to adoration, verse 4. 00:19:44.079 --> 00:19:45.839 I pray to Yahweh my God. 00:19:46.559 --> 00:19:47.680 He begins his prayer. 00:19:47.839 --> 00:19:49.920 This is the Acts model of praying. 00:19:50.079 --> 00:19:52.400 You know, the adoration, confession, Thanksgiving, supplication. 00:19:52.480 --> 00:19:53.359 Daniel follows it here. 00:19:53.440 --> 00:19:54.960 He begins with adoration. 00:19:55.200 --> 00:19:58.000 He says, I begin to pray to Yahweh my God and make confession. 00:19:58.079 --> 00:19:59.759 But before he gets the confession, look what he says. 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:02.079 O Lord, the great and awesome God. 00:20:03.200 --> 00:20:05.200 This is our Father who art in heaven. 00:20:05.359 --> 00:20:06.640 This is the first commandment. 00:20:06.799 --> 00:20:11.039 Have no other I'm the God who brought you out from Egypt. 00:20:11.119 --> 00:20:12.559 Have no other gods before me. 00:20:12.799 --> 00:20:20.079 The great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments. 00:20:21.279 --> 00:20:22.640 He starts with adoration. 00:20:22.720 --> 00:20:25.599 Notice that he also starts, this is going to be important for the end of the sermon here. 00:20:25.680 --> 00:20:28.960 Notice that he also starts with a conditional phrase. 00:20:29.519 --> 00:20:39.519 That God keeps covenant, his set is the word, covenant love with those who love him and, and here's the conditional phrase, keep his commandments. 00:20:40.160 --> 00:20:43.599 Did Israel maintain their covenant relationship with God? 00:20:43.759 --> 00:20:44.079 No. 00:20:44.240 --> 00:20:46.400 They broke it by refusing to do the Sabbath. 00:20:46.720 --> 00:20:56.240 So God has subjected them to the curses of the commands, not to his covenant love, not with his steadfast love, because they did not keep his commandments. 00:20:56.480 --> 00:21:06.720 We love to talk about God's love is unconditional, and there's a sense in which it is, but there's a huge sense throughout the Bible that God's love is extremely conditional. 00:21:07.920 --> 00:21:16.000 Clearly in the Mosaic covenant, he will give them this covenant love if they keep his commandments, which the Israelites didn't do. 00:21:16.079 --> 00:21:20.400 So he begins with desperation, then to his adoration, not a confession. 00:21:20.640 --> 00:21:24.480 And he's going to follow confession, verse 5, all the way down through verse 15. 00:21:24.720 --> 00:21:26.079 One confession after another. 00:21:26.160 --> 00:21:28.799 And I'm not going to read it all again to you, except for verse 5. 00:21:28.960 --> 00:21:30.480 Look at all the synonyms in here. 00:21:30.720 --> 00:21:37.680 We have sinned, we've done wrong, we've acted wickedly, we've rebelled, we've turned aside from your commandments and rules. 00:21:38.319 --> 00:21:40.400 He's got a thesaurus out there. 00:21:42.799 --> 00:21:46.240 He is broken about their sin. 00:21:46.960 --> 00:21:50.880 He begins with God, your holy, and then goes right into confession. 00:21:53.839 --> 00:21:56.799 Verse 5, verse 8, verse 11, verse 15. 00:21:56.960 --> 00:21:59.599 The first word of this in verse 5, by the way, we have sinned. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:01.200 The word is repeated in verse 8. 00:22:01.279 --> 00:22:02.319 It's repeated in verse 11. 00:22:02.400 --> 00:22:03.599 It's repeated in verse 15. 00:22:03.759 --> 00:22:06.640 It means it's the normal Old Testament word to miss the mark. 00:22:06.720 --> 00:22:10.720 It's the word from the Benjamites who could hurl a rock and split the hair. 00:22:10.880 --> 00:22:12.160 Sin is failing to do that. 00:22:12.319 --> 00:22:14.799 Sin is aiming for God's glory and missing. 00:22:15.039 --> 00:22:17.359 Sin is being a fallen creature. 00:22:17.440 --> 00:22:18.720 It's not being perfect. 00:22:18.880 --> 00:22:21.119 It's the generic word for sin. 00:22:23.039 --> 00:22:26.720 If you have, if there's moral daylight between you and God, you have sin. 00:22:26.880 --> 00:22:27.920 That's this word. 00:22:31.039 --> 00:22:32.720 We are sin, sinners. 00:22:32.880 --> 00:22:33.759 We have sin in our life. 00:22:33.920 --> 00:22:36.799 All have sinned, the scripture says, and fall short of God's glory. 00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:38.240 That's the reality. 00:22:38.960 --> 00:22:40.559 That's the generic term. 00:22:41.200 --> 00:22:46.559 Then he moves on to the word that's translated here for done wrong. 00:22:47.680 --> 00:22:49.279 Sometimes translated wickedness. 00:22:49.440 --> 00:22:51.200 It's used again also in verse 15. 00:22:51.279 --> 00:22:56.799 It's the word that's used in 2 Kings 20, verse 35, when the prophet comes to Israel and says, You guys are going into exile. 00:22:57.920 --> 00:22:59.839 Because you have done wrong. 00:23:01.359 --> 00:23:03.119 You've acted wickedly. 00:23:03.519 --> 00:23:05.759 Look at this next word, rebelled. 00:23:06.640 --> 00:23:08.160 And that's the word used in verse 5. 00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:09.920 It's repeated down in verse 9. 00:23:10.079 --> 00:23:13.039 At the end of verse 9, we've rebelled against him. 00:23:13.440 --> 00:23:18.480 That's the common word used in the Old Testament in the Torah for the Israelite rebellion in the wilderness. 00:23:18.640 --> 00:23:20.000 They revolted against God. 00:23:20.160 --> 00:23:21.359 This is not a small word. 00:23:21.440 --> 00:23:23.519 This is open rebellion against God. 00:23:23.680 --> 00:23:27.759 And so notice the funnel here of Daniel's description of sin. 00:23:27.920 --> 00:23:30.640 Generically, you're not God in your morality. 00:23:30.880 --> 00:23:33.759 More specifically, you're doing bad things. 00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:36.960 More specifically, you're rebelling against God. 00:23:38.079 --> 00:23:39.599 That's the nature of sin. 00:23:39.839 --> 00:23:42.160 Sin is open rebellion against God. 00:23:42.319 --> 00:23:44.559 It's wanting to be God and not God. 00:23:46.319 --> 00:23:50.000 It's saying if I was God, I would do this my way, so I'm going to do it my way. 00:23:50.160 --> 00:23:51.359 That's the nature of sin. 00:23:51.519 --> 00:23:52.640 It is rebellion. 00:23:52.880 --> 00:23:55.759 You know, the punishment for rebellion is death. 00:23:55.839 --> 00:23:57.279 It's a capital crime. 00:23:57.440 --> 00:23:59.200 Even in the United States. 00:24:00.960 --> 00:24:02.640 That's this word here. 00:24:02.799 --> 00:24:08.480 And I hope, brothers and sisters, I hope that you see your sin as rebellion against God. 00:24:09.279 --> 00:24:13.839 Anything less than that is just, it's just mambi-pambi language. 00:24:13.920 --> 00:24:14.400 I mean. 00:24:32.559 --> 00:24:35.680 How often as adults, that's the way we apologize, though, isn't it? 00:24:36.000 --> 00:24:37.359 Oh, I messed up on this. 00:24:37.599 --> 00:24:38.559 My bad. 00:24:39.519 --> 00:24:40.720 No, that's not what sin is. 00:24:40.880 --> 00:24:43.119 Sin is rebelling against God. 00:24:43.839 --> 00:24:44.880 How bad is rebelling? 00:24:44.960 --> 00:24:46.640 It's what happened in the wilderness. 00:24:47.440 --> 00:24:49.759 The Israelites were in the wilderness, they rebelled against God. 00:24:49.920 --> 00:24:52.559 God opened up a hole in the ground and swallowed them. 00:24:53.119 --> 00:24:55.359 So they would learn not to complain. 00:24:56.319 --> 00:24:58.559 They would learn not to be sexually immoral. 00:24:58.799 --> 00:25:00.000 These things happened to them. 00:25:00.079 --> 00:25:07.039 They were sexually immoral, and God had snakes go into the camp and bite them. 00:25:09.279 --> 00:25:11.839 God had a lance spear some of them. 00:25:12.160 --> 00:25:23.680 These things are recorded so that you might learn not to be sexually immoral, so that you might learn not to be complaining against God, so that you might learn not to be covetous like some of them were, or grumblers like some of them were. 00:25:23.759 --> 00:25:25.440 That's the word for rebellion. 00:25:27.920 --> 00:25:34.480 And then this last phrase in verse 5, turning aside from your commandments. 00:25:35.119 --> 00:25:36.400 That's an animal word. 00:25:36.640 --> 00:25:37.680 The animal gets out. 00:25:37.839 --> 00:25:40.000 He gets out, he escapes, he runs away. 00:25:40.079 --> 00:25:41.119 He's supposed to be on the path. 00:25:41.759 --> 00:25:42.880 See you later. 00:25:44.480 --> 00:25:53.839 We have a neighbor who lets their dog out, train the dog with those electric shocker things, now lets the dog out, and for the longest time, the dog doesn't have a collar. 00:25:53.920 --> 00:25:56.880 For the longest time, the neighbor just has to say, Hey, Jag is the dog's name. 00:25:56.960 --> 00:25:59.440 Hey, Jag, shock, and Jag comes back. 00:26:00.000 --> 00:26:02.000 But Jag has learned now. 00:26:02.640 --> 00:26:06.240 He's learned that when he hears the word shock, it's not all there. 00:26:06.880 --> 00:26:08.319 And he has a look in his eyes. 00:26:08.400 --> 00:26:09.839 I can see the look, even from my window. 00:26:09.920 --> 00:26:11.759 I can see the look in Jag's eyes. 00:26:12.079 --> 00:26:13.839 Where he's sizing it up. 00:26:14.240 --> 00:26:17.599 Should I run or should I stay? 00:26:17.920 --> 00:26:19.839 And if there's a deer back there, forget about it. 00:26:19.920 --> 00:26:24.400 Jag is wily coyote style, just a roadrunner, I guess, is the run that runs. 00:26:24.480 --> 00:26:25.920 Just the puff of smoke gone. 00:26:26.079 --> 00:26:27.119 That's this word here. 00:26:27.279 --> 00:26:28.640 That's what sin does. 00:26:28.799 --> 00:26:31.119 It is turning aside is a small minor thing. 00:26:31.200 --> 00:26:32.079 It sounds like in English. 00:26:32.160 --> 00:26:33.200 No, it's the puff of smoke. 00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:33.759 It's gone. 00:26:33.920 --> 00:26:34.880 It's the look in your eye. 00:26:34.960 --> 00:26:36.640 It's I know I'm supposed to stay. 00:26:36.880 --> 00:26:38.160 Thank you very much, God. 00:26:38.240 --> 00:26:39.359 I'm out of here. 00:26:39.599 --> 00:26:42.799 I'm going to run my own way, chase after what I want to chase after. 00:26:42.880 --> 00:26:43.680 That's this word. 00:26:43.839 --> 00:26:46.400 It's used here in verse 5, but then again in verse 11. 00:26:46.640 --> 00:26:51.359 By the way, in the Septuagint, this word is translated into Greek as the word for apostasy. 00:26:53.599 --> 00:26:56.480 This is the concept of you just apostasize. 00:26:56.640 --> 00:27:00.000 You're done with being in God's family and you are out. 00:27:03.359 --> 00:27:07.279 Another word used later on, this for sin here is verse 7. 00:27:07.680 --> 00:27:09.680