Exposition by C.H. Spurgeon
Daniel 9:1-11
Verses 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; 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 was himself a prophet, but he studied the inspired
prophecies of Jeremiah. If such a man need read Scripture, how much more
ought we! Whatever light we may suppose to dwell within us, we shall do
well to walk by the more sure word of prophecy.
3-5. And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer
and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: 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; We have sinned, and have
committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by
departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:
Daniel certainly had rebelled less than any of his countrymen,
and yet he is the first to make confession on their behalf. So, my
brethren, when we have confessed our own sins, and have found mercy, then
we should begin to be intercessors for others. We should make confession
for the sins of our families, for the sins of our city, for the sins of
our country. If no longer need we plead for salvation for ourselves
because we have obtained it, let us give the full force of our prayers
for the benefit of others.
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.
It greatly increases sin when we sin against warnings sent from God. Daniel
confesses this.
7-9. O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us
confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the
inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that
are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them,
because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee. O Lord,
to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to
our fathers, because we have sinned against thee. To the Lord our God
belong mercies and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against him;
What a gracious verse that is! Surely it might be printed in
letters of gold, and every trembling, penitent sinner might look at it
till at last beams of light should dart into the darkness of his despair.
10, 11. Neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to
walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.
Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they
might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the
oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we
have sinned against him.
“This article originally appeared here at Bible Bulletin Board.”
