Daniel chapter 9 opens with a recognition by Daniel that the days of captivity for the people of Judah that was spoken of by the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 25:11-12) was coming to an end. The 70 year captivity by the Babylonians was the result of disobedience and sinful behavior by the people of Judah and that judgment had now run its course. The Persians conquered the Babylonians and Daniel understood that to mean that it was time for the people of Judah to repent of their sin and turn back to God and seek His blessing to restore them back to their home in Jerusalem. Daniel begins his prayer to the Lord by humbling himself, confessing his own sin and then begins to confess the sin of the people and acknowledges their disobedience to the Lord and His Law. He acknowledges the Lord as righteous and calls on Him to forgive the people and restore them to Himself. The answer to his prayer is delivered by the angel Gabriel who provides a detailed description of events that are intended to reveal what will transpire in the future for the people of Judah and Israel. The angel Gabriel declares that “Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make and end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place” (Daniel 9:24). The full description of the vision details what will happen not just in the immediate future of the Jews but all the way forward toward  the time of the end known as the Tribulation which the Apostle John describes in greater detail in The Revelation. I will be continuing this series on Daniel at Valley View Church beginning after the New Year (2013) begins. For more information feel free to contact me at mikesouthwick@gmail.com and if you are interested check out the tabs at the top of the home page (http://goodnewsbiblestudies.com) and click on Old Testament Studies for the full slide presentations and answers to the fill ins.

Lesson 9 – Daniel’s Prayer – Looking Forward to the Future – Daniel 9 (Student Copy)

Lesson 9 – Daniel’s Prayer – Looking Forward to the Future – Daniel 9 (Teacher Copy)