Repentance and Mercy

March 10. 2013

Lesson: Daniel 9:3–14

Key Verses: Daniel 8–9

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Introduction

The key verses remind us that, as we recognize our sin against God, we repent acknowledging the glorious mercies and forgiveness we receive from him. For Christ the righteous is our advocate with the Father, the “propitiation for our sins” (1 John 2:1–2). Therefore, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us from all unrighteousness” (1:9). The prayers of the saints understand both the need of forgiveness and the giving of forgiveness by the grace of our Lord. John Calvin’s prayers, which he lifted up to his Father in heaven, came out of his study of the Word of God and was expressed before his students as he guided them through God’s Scriptures. The following prayer, part of Calvin’s Commentary on Daniel, reflects Daniel’s position before God (which helps us to lift up prayers nurtured by the Word of God). The prayer life of Daniel and Calvin were conditioned by their fellowship with God and his Word. Calvin prayed: “Grant, Almighty God, as no other way of access to thee is open for us except through unfeigned humility, that we may often learn to abase ourselves with feelings of true repentance. May we be so displeased with ourselves as not to be satisfied with a single confession of our iniquities; but may we continue in the same state of meditation, and be more and more penetrated with real grief. Then may we fly to thy mercy, prostrate ourselves before thee in silence, and acknowledge no other hope but thy pity and the intercession of thine only-begotten Son. May we be so reconciled to thee, as not only to be absolved from our sins, but also governed throughout the whole course of our life by thy Holy Spirit, until at length we enjoy the victory in every kind of contest, and arrive at that blessed rest which thou hast prepared for us by the same our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.”

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Daniel Prays—Daniel 9:3–4

Daniel, having served under the kings of Babylon all these years, hearing from God that the time of the end of the desolations is near, is drawn to his Lord in prayer. There was a need for a certain kind of prayer at this time; for the end of the desolations came with the remembrance of the transgressions which brought about the bondage of the people at the hand of their Lord. The people of God had sinned against their Lord. Daniel does the only thing that anyone can do to when God draws his people to himself by his mercy that they may know his forgiveness. Daniel prays a prayer of confession and repentance. Daniel gives to us an understanding of how to come before our Father in heaven in prayer.

Daniel first turns to the object of his faith. No prayer is worth anything if one does not know to whom he or she is praying. Prayer is an act of coming into fellowship with the Lord who is both our Creator and Redeemer. Daniel sets his face, determines to discipline himself so that nothing else takes his time or concentration, and sets (raises) his “face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications.” He communicates with his Lord with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. At the very beginning, Daniel expresses his grief and sorrow over sin, and his unworthiness, to come to his God.

Daniel now changes from using the term, ‘the Lord God,’ to the term, ‘the Lord my God.’ You have probably noted in your Bible that there are two ways to print the term ‘Lord.’ One is in block letters. The other is in lowercase with a capital L. When the term Lord is in block letters, ‘Lord,’ it is speaking about Jehovah, the ‘I Am’ God, in whom all things have their existence, the supreme and only God. Daniel implores the only God who is able to pardon his sins, and those of God’s people.

Daniel establishes the foundation upon which he can make such a request. We are to begin our prayers with “Our Father.” Not just any father or god, but to the Almighty God, our heavenly Father, the Divine Lord, the Triune God, who is of heaven, and who shall be glorified. Daniel further states that the Lord, to whom he has set his face, is an awesome God. He is awesome because, in his grace he has established and will keep his covenant “and mercy with those who love him, and keep his commandments.”  The foundation upon which Daniel, and our petitions and prayers also, rest is that of God’s covenant which he has kept with his people.

God will keep his covenant because he has so promised. We have that which he works in the heart of His people. They are those who love him, and keep his commandments. This does not mean that God will bless and have mercy because the people have, in and of themselves, loved and obeyed; for we are not able to do so. God, working in us his wonderful redemption in Christ Jesus, enables us to love and obey. These are signs that reveal that God is keeping his covenant. We rest upon God only. God, therefore, is keeping his covenant, because he is at work in and through us.

Discussion: To whom are we to pray?

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Rebellion—Daniel 9:5–14

“We have sinned!” When we confess our sins, we are not putting ourselves down, but rather are putting ourselves in the hand of God. God does not convict us of sin to browbeat us, but to heart-renew us. His purpose is to bring us to himself. The Lord has promised, by his mercy, to hold us and never let us go. Without the confession of sin, there is no forgiveness, no life in the believer, nor in the church. This sin is wickedness, rebellion, departing from the precepts, laws, and commandments of God. The sinner refuses to listen to the Word of God, those words which God has given to his people through his prophets, who spoke his Word before the kings and princes of this world.

Daniel then speaks of shame and unfaithfulness. Righteousness belongs to the Lord. It is righteousness that exalts a people. Even today, many are ashamed to be righteous before the world. They are ashamed of their Lord and his righteousness. Compromise is our sin. It is God who has driven Israel into bondage because of their unfaithfulness. They would rather conform to the world than to God, and would rather worship the idols of the enemy than he who redeemed them, who should be worshiped.

Daniel knows that he cannot find forgiveness within himself, or within his deeds. Yes, he has been faithful through the years. However, forgiveness rests only in God against whom we have sinned. There is not one of us that can claim that we have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and that we have consistently walked in His way.

It is confirmed that Israel is in bondage because “He spoke against us and against our judges who judged us, by bringing upon us a great disaster.” When God judges us, he will discipline us to bring us back. When we feel this judgment, it is not from the world, but from God. The sorrow of sin is that we wait so long to repent. So did Israel. Daniel and Moses saw that “all this disaster has come upon us; yet we have not made our prayer before the Lord our God that we might turn from our iniquities and understand Thy truth.” We have not, so often, prevailed upon God to forgive our sins, by confessing them.

Discussion: How is confession and forgiveness a part of our prayers to our Father in heaven?

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Lessons are based on the International Sunday School Lessons for Christian Teaching, copyright © 2013 by the Committee on the Uniform Series.