The Book Of Daniel.

The Book of Daniel.

Daniel 9:1-2 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans; [2] in the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.

Daniel here was studying the Word of God according to Jeremiah's prophesy. Jeremiah had reproved God's people for their great sin against Almighty God. The prophet also warned the people of God that they would be taken captive by the enemy. Jeremiah prophesied that their Captivity in Babylon would be for Seventy years. This is what Daniel was considering in this Chapter 9.

Daniel sought for an understanding as to the cause, circumstances, and the consequences of the Babylonian Captivity for God's Redeemed people.

As to the Cause of the Captivity, Daniel quickly understood that it was sin against Almighty God that caused God's people being carried captive to Babylon. Daniel prayed earnestly and confessed the sin of God's people which has offended the LORD.

Daniel 9:3-4 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: [4] and I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;

As he prayed, Daniel acknowledged the great sin that so offended God that He allowed the enemy to carry His people captive,

Daniel 9:5-6 we have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments: [6] neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.

Daniel unburdened his heart in prayer before God. He confessed the sin that had so gripped God's people, and he pleaded with God to forgive. (Daniel9: 7-19)

We have only space to introduce the Circumstances of The 70 year Captivity of God's people in Babylon. Their persecution was hard as they were held captive in a strange land. They were oppressed by a foreign culture and language. They were ordered on pain of death to worship a false god. They were subjected to the brutality of the enemy of their souls,

Psalm 137:1-4 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, When we remembered Zion. [2] We hanged our harps Upon the willows in the midst thereof. [3] For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; And they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. [4] How shall we sing The LORD's song in a strange land?

The Circumstances for God's captive people in Babylon were not good, weeping, discouragement, oppression, guilt, and shame all piled around and within these troubled hearts.

But on top of all this, in the reign of Ahasuerus real and evil persecution arose against God's people.

We will continue with this next time. DV.

Blessings in Christ. Rev Mervyn Cotton.