So Much From So Little – Part 1 Series

Daniel 9: 20 - 27

So Much From So Little – Part 1

20 Now while I was speaking, praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God, 21 yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, reached me about the time of the evening offering. 22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand. 23 At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved; therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision: 24 “Seventy sevens are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy. 25 “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven sevens and sixty-two sevens; The street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times. 26 “And after the sixty-two sevens Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, and till the end of the war desolations are determined. 27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the seven He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate.”

We have come now to what is probably one of the most crucial passages in the bible .Everyone who has been a believer and have studied the bible look forward to this portion of the book of Daniel. In just a few verses there is so much controversy. Here are just a few of the topics that are of interest that chapter 9 initiates;

1. 70 weeks

2. Christian era gap

3. Last week

4. Tribulation – Pre, Mid, or Post

5. New Temple

6. Peace treaty

7. Abomination that makes desolate

8. A Coming Prince

9. Command to rebuild Jerusalem

10. Breaking of Peace Treaty after 3 ½ years.

Now I know how you hate some teachings stretched out in many sessions. However, to do our topics justice I believe in this case we need to take a serious look at all these potential areas.

Let us take these amazing verses one at a time, shall we.

20 Now while I was speaking, praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God, 21 yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, reached me about the time of the evening offering. 22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, “O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand. 23 At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved; therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision.

We are possibly to understand that Daniel had begun praying at first light and that he had prayed through the day. The evening oblation was the time of the evening offering which would have been offered before the light died if there had been a temple in Jerusalem. It was a time observed by the faithful in Israel for worship and prayer, because the sacrifice could no longer be offered.

Here we learn the vital lesson that God’s response is prompt and not dependent on the volume of our prayers, as our Lord Jesus Himself would make clear We read in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 6, “7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

Daniel had not wasted his time. It had brought him nearer to God. Now he would learn what God was going to do in the future. His prayer had been the final touch to the prayers of all the faithful throughout the world. And he was to hear, and consider and understand.