Nine. Daniel chapter nine Daniel chapter eight, we have prophecy that Daniel received during the reign of Belshazzar, that is the last king of Babylon just before the city was conquered by per by the Medes and the Persians, just before the Daniel five record of the handwriting on the wall. And Daniel receives this this incredible prophecy that foretells the rise and fall of the Persian Empire and the rise of the Greek Empire and particularly of one sector of it following the death of Alexander and the and a king called Antiochus that would come from that and persecute the Jews would cause the sacrifices to cease for between six and seven years, twenty three hundred days, and all of that is history to us. It was future to Daniel, but it's history to who? It's history to us and we can look back and we see how exactly detail by detail that prophecy came to pass with Persia, with Greece, with Antiochus, with Jerusalem, and the people who rose up then to take back the temple and begin the sacrifices anew.

A man who is a type of the Antichrist to come. As we get later into the book of Daniel next week again, we'll be talking a bit about the Antichrist and the Antichrist and Antiochus who attacked Israel back before the time of Christ are very similar, very powerful, very well spoken, very bloodthirsty, and in both cases, cause the sacrifices in the temple to what? To cease, Okay? For a period of time. So the Antichrist will do very similarly when he comes on the scene.

But now we're to Daniel chapter nine. So we moved ahead a few years. We're now into the reign of Darius who day who Daniel serves under. When we get to Daniel chapter six, you remember the story about how Daniel's co rulers, governors were jealous of him and needed to find some way to get rid of him because they feared the king was gonna put him over all of them. And so they couldn't find any fault with him as far as his governance went or as far as of integrity went.

So the only thing they figured they could get Daniel on was what? Was his faithfulness to his God. Only one thing was more important to Daniel than his responsibilities in the kingdom of Darius, and those were his responsibilities in the kingdom of God. They came first. And so, you know the story, they got the king to sign a petition.

Nobody could pray to anyone but the king for thirty days. Of course, Daniel wasn't going to follow that because he was going to pray to who? He's going pray to his God. He wasn't going to pray to some man. He wasn't going to cease talking to his God.

And so he got thrown the lions down. Of course, in the end, it wasn't Daniel that suffered at the the mouths of the lions, it was those who accused him that ended up suffering because God was faithful and delivered him. So, this probably took place before that. By a matter of months or years, Daniel is up probably around 80 some years old at this point in time. He's not a young man.

And so this is another vision, prophecy that's going to come to Daniel later in this chapter, but there's a very important setup in the first 23 verses before we actually get to the prophecy, okay? And that really ties into Daniel six and Daniel's prayer life because what we read here in Daniel one is about is is his prayer. The actual words he prayed that led to the answer to that prayer that we're going to read about next week at the conclusion of the chapter. So let's start by reading in verse one. Daniel nine verse one.

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. So first, we're gonna look at the prophecy of Jeremiah of which Daniel speaks here, okay? Daniel, again now 80 some years old, has it pretty well at this point in his time. He is one of the higher rulers in the Medo Persian Empire, whereas he was a captive in Babylon.

He stood on his own two feet, I believe, in the Medo Persian Empire. He was no longer a captive. He was he was a confident confident of the king. But despite all of the praise and the upward mobility and the luxury that Daniel would have afforded over many of his peers and certainly a lot of his people, Daniel had not forgotten his people. He had not forgotten his heritage.

He had not forgotten his God. History is important. Some today would like to erase our history or change it because it is foundational to the decisions we make today. We learn from our history, the good and the bad. Daniel's history was important.

It is the history of Israel chosen by God to be his people. And Daniel had not forgotten that. So he read what scriptures he had, including certainly parts of the Pentateuch, first five books, the law of Moses, which he would likely have had access to. Among others, the prophecies of Jeremiah, which he refers to here. Jeremiah was in the generation preceding Daniel.

As Daniel was being taken captive around June by Nebuchadnezzar, Jeremiah would have been preaching in Jerusalem concerning the coming judgment of Jerusalem. He was the last prophet in Jerusalem of which we read that proclaimed God's message before the city fell. He wrote his Lamentations over the fall of the city in the book we have titled by that name, Lamentations. But Jeremiah not only wrote of the fall of Israel, but he also wrote about the restoration of Israel beginning with a return to the city of Jerusalem. Daniel is reading those portions of scripture from Jeremiah as we meet him here in chapter nine.

So, let us take a moment to look at those prophecies from Jeremiah. So, hold your place in Daniel and turn with me back a few pages to the book of Jeremiah, okay? Book of Jeremiah. Before Ezekiel, before Daniel's Ezekiel, before Ezekiel is Jeremiah, okay? Jeremiah 25 and verse eight.

Therefore, thus saith the Lord of hosts, because you have not heard my words. This is Jeremiah speaking to the people of Judah. Behold, I will send and will take all the families of the North, saith the Lord, and Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land and against the inhabitants thereof and against all these nations round about and will utterly destroy them and make them an astonishment and in hissing and perpetual desolations. Moreover, I will take from them the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness and the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride and the sound of millstones and the light of the candle. And this whole land shall be a desolation and an astonished astonishment.

And these nations shall serve the king of Babylon, next two words, seventy years. Jeremiah says this is coming. The Lord is coming upon Israel, Judah, and the nations round about. They will suffer at the hand of Nebuchadnezzar for seventy years, and it won't be fun. Alright.

You back? Okay. I'm back there. Okay. It says here, the voice of mirth, the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the bride.

The the greatest celebrations in Israel apart from the commanded ones, the feast, the tabernacles, and Passover, and and Pentecost and all of those. Despite those, the greater celebrations outside of those in Israel were weddings. In the Hebrew community, weddings were a multi day affair, okay? They were a sign that everything was what? Everything was well and good and life went on despite the hardships but the wedding ceremonies were going to what?

They're going to cease. I'm sure people still got married but it wasn't with the fanfare that it used to be. Because of how badly Jerusalem had been destroyed at the hand of pharaoh and the people that had been taken from there. It was bitter days for Israel. Men like Daniel had been taken away captive.

Due to their emulsion and other pagan cultures, the Jews were not able to practice many of their biblical commands or relish their cultural expressions. Most of which were all intertwined with their worship of God. Some were still suffering at the hands of others in their homeland without a city, without a temple. It had been a bitter time and one which they long to be over. Even Daniel.

Worse, it was all their what? It was all their fault. Jeremiah said, if you don't turn back to the Lord, this is coming. So did Isaiah. So did Moses.

He said, God will bless you in this land if you are faithful to him but if you turn from him to idols and you turn to him from him to wicked practices rather than bringing a blessing, he'll bring a what? And he will scatter you. And that's exactly what happened in the days of Jeremiah. But there is a time limit. How long?

Seventy years. Turn if you would to Jeremiah 29. Jeremiah twenty nine ten and eleven. Okay. Is that an amber alert or Yes.

Okay. Jeremiah twenty nine ten eleven. For thus saith the Lord, that after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon, I will visit you and will perform my good word toward you in causing you to return to this place. What is this place? This place is Jerusalem.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you an expected end. Back to verse 10, for thus saith the Lord that after what? Seventy years be accomplished. So, Daniel read these prophecies and Daniel was immediately affected by them. When he realized that God himself had put a time limit on their suffering in this manner and upon their return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city and to begin to rebuild their their nation and to begin once again to practice the things that God had commanded them to do.

And Daniel was excited and Daniel was moved and Daniel was burdened and it drove him to his knees to speak with God. To speak with God about it in sorrow, but also in what? But also in hope because the seventy years, remember Daniel's in his eighties and he was taken as a teenager, the seventy years was just about over. He may not have had an exact date. He may not have known which attack to use as his measuring stick, but he knew the seventy years would be over soon.

And so, in sorrow for his people, but in hope for their return, Daniel went to his knees. His verse three, and I set my face unto the Lord, unto the Lord God to seek by prayer and supplication with fasting and sackcloth and ashes and I prayed unto the Lord, my God. So, next, we see Daniel's prayer. So, we see Jeremiah's prophecy and Daniel's prayer and the first thing we see about Daniel's prayer, it is a prayer of faith because when Daniel read these words, his heart jumped inside of him and he went to the Lord believing that soon, soon their captivity would be over and they would be able to return and begin. Again, in first John five fourteen and fifteen, it says this, and this is the confidence that we have in him, that we have in the Lord.

If we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. Now, John says, we have this confidence as children of God. If we are his children, then when we pray, our father in heaven will what? Will hear us. And if we pray according to his what?

Will. We will see our petitions what? Answer. According to his will. Notice that little part right there.

It is the belief of our author, Jeremiah, this book. Is the belief of our author here that prayer is more about changing our heart to line up with God's than it is about moving our God's heart to line up with ours. And I would have to agree. Prayer is more about us getting in line with who? With God and his will than trying to get God to move in line with ours.

Why would we want to change God's perfect will? Why would we want God to do something other than that which he knows to be right and good and perfect. Daniel having seen and believed in the plan and the words of God was moved to pray for its soon fulfillment. There was no no doubt in Daniel's mind that what he was praying was in line with God's will. Why?

Because he had he'd read it here. God said, I'm going to do this. So, Daniel got on his knees and said, God, I'm waiting. God, move. God, forgive us and help us to get out of your way.

And to be ready to receive your promise and your blessing once again. Not to change God's heart but to change the heart of who? God's people. And himself to be prepared to receive the answer and not blow it as they had done before. The greatest prayer war, prayer warriors often quote the word of God when they pray.

They're not trying to change God's will but to see it come to what? Come to pass. In the best way, for themselves and for those they love. For their good and God's glory. They are claiming God's word and faith and they're going to God saying, God, you you said this, you promised this.

I believe you. Now, I'm asking you. Show me. Move the hearts of my people, my friends, my neighbors, intervene in the heart of those that you love. You would certainly not want to be praying contrary to God's will.

For his will is best and right. This was the problem with some to whom James wrote in the book of James, whom James rebuked when he said in James four three, you ask. Well, first of all, he said, you don't receive because you don't what? Ask. And then he says, you ask and receive not because you ask amiss in error that you may consume it upon your lust.

In other words, you you ask what? Selfishly. You don't ask in accordance with God's will. You ask contrary to God's will for things that you should know God does not want for you. And then, when you don't receive the answer you want, then what happens?

You're disappointed and frustrated and mad. God didn't hear my prayer. A loving God doesn't give you what you want if what you want is going to do you what? It's going to do you harm or others harm. That little phrase up here, if we ask anything according to his will, is important.

We can't just simply gloss over it. In James chapter one, it says this, if any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God to give us to all men liberally and abrade it not and shall be given him but let him ask in what? Faith. Nothing wavering. For he that wavers is like the wave of the sea, driven with the wind and toss for let not that man think that he shall receive anything from the Lord.

If you need wisdom, if you don't know his will, then what? Then ask. There's times we don't know his will. God says ask If we believe in him, we believe in his word. We believe in his promises.

Then, then, he will show us the path and the way and his will. But if we don't believe that he's going to do what he says he's going to do. If Daniel had got on his knees, not in faith, then we wouldn't have the rest of this that we're about to read here in a few minutes. And you can see as Daniel prays that Daniel believes. Daniel believes.

And God answers. Now, God doesn't answer in Daniel nine with the restoration of Jerusalem but he answers in bringing comfort to Daniel concerning the restoration of Jerusalem, okay? Because he's praying in faith. A lot of times, we don't see answers to prayer because we ask amiss. Because we don't ask in line with whose will.

God's will. We're asked for things we know aren't his will or we're certainly not sure. And then, when we should know, when we should believe, we don't. Sometimes, we're just going through the motions and surprisingly enough, we don't see an answer because, well, we're just praying because it's the thing what? It's the thing to do.

The more sure that you are, that the thing for which you're praying is God's will, the more faith you can have, that you'll see it happen, that you'll get your answers from the Lord. We see Daniel's prayer of faith. We see Daniel's prayer in fervency, in fervency. In, here it says in Daniel nine three, I set my face on the Lord God to seek my prayer and supplication with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. What is the fasting, the sackcloth, and ashes about?

That is to demonstrate his what? His fervency, his seriousness, his dedication to this. This isn't just motions he's going through. This isn't just a religious right. This isn't something he just prays for and forgets about and goes on to the next thing.

This is so burdened his heart that soon his people might go back to the land and then they might go back with clean hearts to worship their God that he drops everything and he stops eating while he prays and he puts on rough clothes, sackcloth, and he sits in dust and ashes. In biblical times, particularly in the Old Testament, these were signs that you outward signs that you were serious about what you were doing. Daniel was serious. James five sixteen says, confess your faults one to another and pray for one another that you may be healed. The effectual, next word, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

That word fervent is also what? Important. It's important. We have become so casual about our prayers. They are routine and lacking in both faith and fervor.

Soft. Do we really care that God's will is done? Thy kingdom come, thy what? Will be done. Do we want to see his will done?

Do do we, are we serious about that? No matter what the cost, and the cost is going to be heavy. But the reward is going to be what? Greater. Do you really care about your friends and your neighbors and their their salvation?

Their spiritual condition their condition at all Do you really care about God's glory being revealed? In a world that desperately needs to see it? Do we really want to see revival? Do we really want victory over sin? Does God want you to get victory over sin?

Do you have to wonder if that's God's will? No. We don't. So so don't play around. Get serious.

It tells a story and Jesus tells a story in the New Testament about the this widow lady that was being wronged by someone else and she went to a lawyer and she didn't have any money. So she pleaded with the lawyer to help her, but she didn't have any money. And the lawyer just ignored her, pushed her aside, get out of my way. Why? Because she didn't have any what?

Any money. He wanted to make money. I mean, lawyers like to make money. Other people do too. We pick on lawyers, but but she kept after him and she kept after him and she kept after him and she kept after him until finally, he threw up his hands and he said, okay, woman, I'll do it.

And what was the point Jesus was making? Well, the point Jesus was making is of an unjust lawyer who really doesn't care about this lady. Well, eventually, respond to her request because she keeps coming back time and time again. Do you think don't you think that a god who loves you and cares about you is going to answer your prayers? If you keep one, if you keep asking, if you keep asking him.

The problem is we ask him once or twice or three times, maybe a month in between and nothing happens because we're not what? We're not serious. Who knows that? God knows that. God knows that.

The outward demonstration was not as important as the earnestness in his what? In his heart that we can see because of the outward demonstration of his fasting and sackcloth and ashes that we see here. As was fasting in particular What is fasting? Fasting is the giving up of other things for time spent in prayer with who? With God.

Now, a lot of times when we talk about fasting today, people talk about fasting as a way of restoring one's health or losing weight, okay? Is that the purpose of fasting in the Bible? No. That is not the purpose of fasting in the Bible. It may result in that in some form or fashion but that is definitely not the purpose of fasting in scripture.

The purpose in fasting is to show your earnestness of your heart as you pray or go to God about something that is very, very, very, very important to you. It is more important than that twisting of your gut in hunger. And so, you show your fervency for a time by putting that thing above eating a meal or two to spend in time prayer and time with who? With God. With this need.

Had some things to say here. I just want to read from the book concerning fasting in particular. It's he wrote in the Old Testament culture, there were certain things that accompanied fervent prayer. First in this passage from Daniel, he put on sackcloth, the garments of mourning. In the book of Job, it says that he prayed fervently while sitting on an ash pile, putting ashes on his head.

It also says that praying fervently was accompanied by shaving off the hair of his head. That wouldn't be too hard for me. In other places in the Bible, we are told that praying was so agonizingly fervent that it was accompanied by crying, tearing clothes, fasting sign, groaning, sweating blood. In our culture today, that sort of fervency would seem fanatical. We might be confronted by men in white coats carrying straight jackets.

But I believe we have tilted the opposite direction, presenting an emotionless uninvolved relationship with God. When Daniel prayed fervently, he also fasted. What is the reason for this largely ignored practice of fasting? We don't talk much about fasting today but when we read the Bible, there's something that really catches our attention. Jesus fasted.

The apostle Paul fasted. In the Old Testament list, Isaiah, Daniel, Esther, David, Hannah, Elijah, Ezra, Nehemiah, Zechariah, and others fasted. So, just a few people. Actually, quite a few people. In church history, we read about Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox, Jan and John and Charles Wesley, Greg Mueller, and many more who also fasted.

We are not commanded to fast. You can't not going to find a place in New Testament says, thou shalt what? Thou shalt fast. We do see commands thou shalt what? Not in those words.

We do see commands to pray. Pray without what? Pray without ceasing. But not specifically fasting. We're not commanded to fast and we are not to do it in an outward expression of piety.

The Pharisees, they fasted once or twice a week. They did it on the same one or two days every week. Jesus said, they went out in public like this for me. I'm fasting. I gotta get close to the mic here.

And and because they wanted to show off and let everybody know how pious they were. That's not the purpose of fasting is to impress other people with your piety. Jesus said, if you fast, clean your face, anoint it with oil, walk out with a smile on your face, and don't let everybody know of the the pain in your in your gut because you're not eating. Because fasting is for God and not for others. Let's see here.

Let me read that again. We're not commanded to fast. We're not to do it in outward expression of our piety but there's no denying that sometimes fasting promotes fervency in our praying. It's a time in our lives when we say no to our physical wants and desires and prioritize the spiritual realm. Something we don't do much, maybe something we should do more.

I don't call on church fasts because I believe that fasting is not so much a corporal thing, a a public thing, it is a what? It's a personal thing. But whether you fast or not, the issue is not fasting, the issue is what? fervency. And that's what we see from Daniel here.

And that's what we ought to see more. Prayers of faith in accordance with God's will and his word. Prayers of fervency. Because what we're praying for is important and the God to whom we pray really can change lives and move mountains. It is also David's prayer not only is a prayer of faith and a prayer of fervency but it is a prayer of contrition, of repentance, a prayer for forgiveness.

So often today, we look at what's going on around us. We look at our society. We look at our world. We look at our schools. We look in our churches.

We look in our homes and we find blame with somebody else other than who? Other than ourselves. We're very quick to point the fingers at everybody else. Hear what Daniel has to say in prayer. Verse four, and I prayed unto the Lord, my God, and made my confession.

And said, oh 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. 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. Oh Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee but unto us confusion of faces at this day. The men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, unto all Israel that are are near and that are far off.

Through all the countries whether thou hast driven them because of their trespass, they have trespassed against thee. It's not until the end of verse seven that we becomes what? They. But for the first few verses, Daniel doesn't say they, he says what? He says, we.

Who is he including? He's including himself. He's not just pointing fingers. They did this and they did this and it's not my fault, it's their fault. Are we not members of this community?

Are we not members of this society? Does this not fall also on our shoulders? We look at the world around us. We think, boy, it's terrible and and and look where we're going and what look at the morality and all this and we point fingers at our society that we are members of our society and some of this also falls on our shoulders and Daniel recognized that. His is not a a prayer pointing fingers at others.

Not just a prayer for them but for him. He concludes himself. Bible tells us Daniel here says to forgive us of trespasses and I seem to remember that in the New Testament too in Matthew six. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. In Psalm fifty one seventeen, David wrote the sacrifices of God or broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart, oh God, thou will not despise.

How did Daniel come to God? He came to God with a broken contrite heart and he said, God, we have forgive us Grant us once again thy blessing according to your promises and change our hearts He continues in verse eight, oh Lord, to us belong with confusion of face to our kings, our princess, and to our fathers because we, there's that we again, have sinned against thee. To the land, our God belong, to the Lord, our God, belongs mercies and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against him, neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord, our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants and prophets. Yea, all Israel hath transgressed thy law even by departing from thy even by departing that they might not obey the voice thereof, the curse is poured out upon us and the oath that is written in the law of Moses, the servant of God because we have sinned against him. He is alluding to scripture again back in the Pentateuch where Moses wrote, whereas God said, if you will be faithful to me, I will bless you and keep you in the land.

If you depart from me on the idols and wickedness, I will cast you out of the land. Daniel said, God, it happened just as you said because we ignored you. And it's our fault but you are a god of what? You're a god of love and righteousness and mercy Not only is it a prayer of contrition, it's a prayer of praise. Daniel puts the blame where the blame belong and he gives the credit where the credit belongs.

The blame belonged on the people of Israel. He includes himself. And the praise and the credit for the glory of who? Glory of God. God, this isn't your fault.

This is what? Our fault. We're a disobedient people. You are a faithful and righteous and praise the Lord as you have shown in your your your prophecy through Jeremiah. This has an end and you are also a what?

A merciful God. Our father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done. Hallowed be thy name, holy. Prayer should always include what? Recognition the righteous God to whom we pray.

Why does prayer matter? What matters? Because I serve a faithful God. It matters because I serve a merciful God. Matters because I serve a righteous God.

And that's why prayer matters. If God wasn't those things, then what good would it do? But it matters. So tell him about it. That's what Daniel did.

He said, we're in this mess because of us. Praise God. There is a way out of this mess because of who? Because of you. And we turn to you.

Continuing on, I think I was in verse 14. Therefore, hath the Lord watched upon the evil and brought it upon us for the Lord God is a righteous and all his works which he doeth for we obeyed not his voice. So, God simply said, this is what I'll do if you do this. We didn't do it. Here we are.

Verse 15 and now, oh Lord, our God, that has brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and has gotten thee renowned as it is this day. We have sinned, we have done wickedly. Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee. Let thine anger and fury be turned away from this thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain because of our sins for the iniquities of our fathers. Jerusalem, thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us.

Now, therefore, oh our God, hear the prayer of thy servant and his supplications and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate. For the Lord's sake, for your glory. Oh my God, incline thy ear and hear up and thine ear and hear, open thine eyes, and behold our desolations in the city which is called by thy name, for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousness. But for thy great mercies. Two men went into the temple to pray.

Jesus said, one was a Pharisee, one was a publican. The Pharisees said, Lord, I thank you that I'm not like that no good Republican and not republican, publican over there, and a tax collector. And the tax collector got down his knees, wouldn't as much lift his head up to heaven in contrition and in humility and in desperation and what did he ask God for? Mercy. Jesus said, which one of them do you think went home?

With forgiveness Which one's prayer do you think was heard? It wasn't the Pharisee, it was the one. Tax collector. Pharisee was depending upon his righteousness. The tax collector, upon the mercy of who?

Mercy of God and that's exactly what Daniel says here. Says, for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses but for thy great mercy. So, if only the fair, the religious leaders of Jesus's day, would have sat on that verse for a little bit rather than trying to earn the favor of God by their righteousness. For our righteousness is what? Guilty rags.

But the mercies of God are new every morning. Praise the Lord. Daniel said we've sinned. We've messed up. God, you've punished us.

As you said you would do and it's our fault. We did it. But Lord, I've read this passage and Lord, I believe your word and I I plead for your mercy and I plead for your mercy in behalf of my people. Lord, send us Verse 19, oh Lord, hear, oh Lord, forgive. Oh Lord, hearken and do, defer not for thine own sake, oh my God, for the city and thy people are called by thy name.

For Lord, for thy glory and thy glory alone. Fulfill your promise, forgive our sins, and heal our land. Second Chronicles seven fourteen, we sang. We started this evening. A prayer of faith, a prayer of fervency, a prayer of contrition, a prayer of praise.

And what was God's answer? And while I was speaking and praying. Now, in this case, God doesn't always answer like this but before Daniel got done praying, God had already sent a what? He already sent the answer to Daniel's prayer. Well, I was speaking and praying and confessing my sin and the sin of my people, Israel, and presenting my supplication with before the Lord, my God, and for the holy mountain of my God.

Yea, whilst I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, of whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning being caused to fly swiftly touched me about the time of the evening oblation and he informed me and talked with me and said, oh Daniel, I am now come for to give thee skill and understanding at the beginning of thy supplications, the commandment came forth and I am come to show thee for thou art greatly beloved. Therefore, understand the matter and consider the vision and we'll get to the vision starting in verse 24 next week. But notice this, the angel said, as soon as you started praying, I was sent. Not sent to take Israel back. That was already in the works but sent to bring comfort and an answer to the man on his knees.

God cares. God cared for Daniel's comfort and peace concerning his people and the promise. He might not live to see it. But God sent him an angel right there and then to let him know. It's in the works.

It's going to happen. I will finish what I started. I will keep my promise and I hear you. We may not get the totality of the answer we want today or tomorrow. But if our prayer is true, our humility true, God is not going to just leave us flailing.

If any man last lack wisdom, let him want. But ask to God, ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him. If you're serious, God will help you. If you're serious, God will show you. If you need comfort and you come to him, he will comfort you.

And if you pray according to his will, he will do it. That's what he promises in his word. We need to be a bit more like Daniel. I do believe. Let's pray.

Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord for the precious promise, many promises of your word. Lord, may we claim them in faith. May we recognize the mighty hand of God in our own lives. May you forgive us of our sins for Lord we have sinned and we sin and we sin far too much. We cannot lay all the blame at the feet of others.

Lord, forgive us restore us, and revive us. Use us to be the light that you've called us to be. Lord, be with those we love who have needs. Show yourself mighty in their behalf. Particularly for those who need the Lord, for those who need comfort, for those who need peace, for those who need victory over sin, Turn their heart intervene in their life Use us, we pray.

In Jesus name, amen. Take your Bibles if you would. I mean,