Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Daniel 9:15
And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.
15. that hast brought, &c.] Deu 6:21; Deu 9:26; Deu 26:8; cf. Jer 32:21.
and hast made thee a name, as at this day ] verbatim (in the Heb.), though not quite literatim, as Jer 32:20 and Neh 9:10; to make oneself a name (i.e. to gain renown), also, Gen 11:4, and (of God) Isa 63:12; Isa 63:14, and (with a syn. in the Heb. for make) 2Sa 7:23.
we have sinned, we have done wickedly ] 1Ki 8:47.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
15 19. The confession passes now gradually into a supplication for help. Cf. Bar 2:11-12 a, 13 a, 14 a, 16 b, 17 a, 19.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt – In former days. The reference to this shows that it is proper to use arguments before God when we plead with him (compare the notes at Job 23:4); that is, to suggest considerations or reasons why the prayer should be granted. Those reasons must be, of course, such as will occur to our own minds as sufficient to make it proper for God to bestow the blessing, and when they are presented before him, it must be with submission to his higher view of the subject. The arguments which it is proper to urge are those derived from the Divine mercy and faithfulness; from the promises of God; from his former dealings with his people; from our sins and misery; from the great sacrifice made for sin; from the desirableness that his name should be glorified. Here Daniel properly refers to the former Divine interposition in favor of the Hebrew people, and he pleads the fact that God had delivered them from Egypt as a reason why he should now interpose and save them. The strength of this argument may be supposed to consist in such things as the following:
(a) in the fact that there was as much reason for interposing now as there was then;
(b) in the fact that his interposing then might be considered as a proof that he intended to be regarded as their protector, and to defend them as his people;
(c) in the fact that he who had evinced such mighty power at that time must be able to interpose and save them now, etc.
And hast gotten thee renown – Margin, made thee a name. So the Hebrew. The idea is, that that great event had been the means of making him known as a faithful God, and a God able to deliver. As he was thus known, Daniel prayed that he would again interpose, and would now show that he was as able to deliver his people as in former times.
As at this day – That is, as God was then regarded. The remembrance of his interposition had been diffused abroad, and had been transmitted from age to age.
We have sinned … – This turn in the thought shows how deeply the idea of their sinfulness pressed upon the mind of Daniel. The natural and obvious course of thought would have been, that, as God had interposed when his people were delivered from Egyptian bondage, he would now again interpose; but instead of that, the mind of Daniel is overwhelmed with the thought that they had sinned grievously against one who had shown that he was a God so great and glorious, and who had laid them under such obligations to love and serve him.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Daniel mentions this deliverance now, that God would please to put forth the same power in this deliverance out of Babylon, according to his promise, Psa 80:8; Jer 16:14; 23:7; this lie grounds his faith upon, Jer 32:13, read thence to the end.
1. How the Lord assured them they should return out of captivity, by the prophets making a purchase and sealing evidences, and laying them up safe.
2. How the Lord would certainly plague them notwithstanding for their wickedness.
3. How he would deliver them, as once out of Egypt.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
15. brought thy people . . . out of. . . Egypta proof to all ages that the seed of Abraham is Thycovenant-people. That ancient benefit gives us hope that Thou wiltconfer a like one on us now under similar circumstances (Psa 80:8-14;Jer 32:21; Jer 23:7;Jer 23:8).
as at this dayisknown.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And now, O Lord our God,…. The Lord of the whole earth in general, the sovereign Ruler of the universe, and the God of Israel in a special and peculiar manner; which is used to encourage faith in prayer, and carries in it a tacit argument or plea with God to be heard, in what he was about to say in behalf of Israel; and to which purpose also is the following description of God, from an ancient benefit he had granted to that people:
that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand; which though it may be considered as an aggravation of their sin, that after this they should behave so wickedly, as to be carried captive for their sins, out of the land they were brought into; yet it seems to be mentioned to put the Lord in mind of his former favours to them, and of his promise that he would bring them out of Babylon, as he had brought them out of Egypt, Jer 16:14:
and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; by the many wonders wrought in Egypt, and at the Red sea, when Israel was brought from thence; as particularly by slaying the firstborn of Egypt, dividing the waters of the sea, and destroying the Egyptians in it, as Saadiah observes; the memory and fame of which continued to that day, and will continue throughout all ages: and the prophet suggests, that he would also get a name or renown in the world, and among his people, should he deliver them from their present captivity; but for this they had nothing to plead but his promise and mercy; for, as for them, they were obliged to confess themselves sinners, and unworthy of such a favour:
we have sinned, we have done wickedly; the prophet knows not how to leave off confessing sin; there had been so much committed, and there was so much need of confessing it.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
After Daniel has sufficiently confessed the justice of those judgments which God had inflicted upon the people, he again returns to beg for pardon. First, he would conciliate favor for himself; next, he would stir up the minds of the pious to confidence, and so he sets before them that proof of grace which ought to avail to support the minds of the pious even to the end of the world. For when God led his people out of Egypt, he did not set before them any momentary benefit merely, but he bore witness to the adoption of the race of Abraham on the condition of his being their perpetual Savior. Therefore, whenever God wishes to gather together those who have been dispersed, and to raise their minds from a state of despair to cheerful hope, he reminds them of his being their Redeemer. I am that God, says he, who led you out of Egypt. (Lev 11:45, and often elsewhere.) God not only commends his own power in such passages, but denotes the object of their redemption; for he then received his people under his care on the very ground of never ceasing to act towards them with the love and anxiety of a father. And when in their turn such anxiety seized upon the faithful as to lead them to apprehend their own utter desertion by God, they are in the habit of seizing upon this shield — God did not lead our fathers out of Egypt in vain. Daniel now follows up this reasoning- Thou, O Lord our God, says he, who hast led forth thy people; as if he had said, he called upon God, because by one single proof he had testified to all ages the sacred character of the race of Abraham. We observe, then, how he stirs up himself and all the rest of the pious to prayer, because by laying this foundation, he could both complain familiarly, and fearlessly request of God to pity his people, and to put an end to their calamities. We now understand the Prophet’s meaning, when he says, the people were led forth from Egypt.
He afterwards adds another cause, God then acquired renown for himself, as the event evidently displayed He here joins God’s power with his pity, implying, when the people were led forth, it was not only a specimen of paternal favor towards the family of Abraham, but also an exhibition of divine power. Whence it follows, his people could not be cast off without also destroying the remembrance of that mighty power by which God had acquired for himself renown. And the same sentiment often occurs in the prophets when they use the argument: — If this people should perish, what would prevent the extinction of thy glory, and thus whatever thou hadst conferred upon this people would be buried in oblivion? So, therefore, Daniel now says, By bringing thy people from the land of Egypt, thou hast made thyself a name; that is, thou hast procured for thyself glory, which ought to flourish through all ages unto the end of the world. What, then, will occur, if the whole of thy people be now destroyed? He next. adds, We have done impiously, and have acted wickedly In these words Daniel declares how nothing was left except for God to consider himself rather than his people, as by looking to them he would find nothing but material for vengeance. The people must necessarily perish, should God deal with them as they deserved. But Daniel here turns away God’s face by some means from the people’s sins, with the view of fixing his attention on himself alone and his own pity, and on his consistent fidelity to that perpetual covenant which he had made with their fathers.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
b. REQUEST
TEXT: Dan. 9:15-19
15
And now O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.
16
O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, let thine anger and thy wrath, I pray thee, be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are round about us.
17
Now therefore, O our God, hearken unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lords sake.
18
O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies sake.
19
O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God, because thy city and thy people are called by thy name.
QUERIES
a.
Why remind God of His mighty work in delivering Israel from Egypt?
b.
Why Daniels interest in the holy city and the sanctuary?
c.
Why pray all this for thy great mercies sake?
PARAPHRASE
And now, O Lord our God, my petition for my people. You brought great renown to your name when You delivered Your people from Egypt with a display of miraculous power. And now, though we of the captivity have sinned so terribly and are full of wickedness, have mercy and deliver Your people again as before. O Lord, I beseech You, as is befitting Your absolute righteousness and merciful love, withdraw Your wrath from Your city Jerusalem, the city which You consecrated for Your purposes. All the heathen nations round about us speak derogatory things of us and they reproach Your holy Name because Your city lies in ruins as a result of our sins, and sins of our fathers. We deserve our chastening but, I pray that You will hear Your servants prayer, Lord, and let Your face radiate in benevolence and good-will upon Your sanctified city, restoring it to its former glory only to establish Your glory, O Lord. O my God, bend down Your ear and listen to my plea. Open Your eyes and direct your gaze upon our wretchedness, and see the desolation of the city which is Yours. We do not ask because we deserve anything but simply in order that Your righteousness and mercifulness may be displayed before the nations. O Lord, hear me I plead; O Lord forgive your penitent people I pray; O Lord, act on behalf of Your own gloryYour people and Your city bear Your name and our Love for You cannot bear to hear You reproached because of our humiliation.
COMMENT
Dan. 9:15-19 . . . WE DO NOT PRESENT OUR SUPPLICATIONS BEFORE THEE FOR OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, BUT FOR THY GREAT MERCIES SAKE . . . This is the key phrase of the entire second half of Daniels beautiful prayer. The deep humiliation and concern for Gods glory must serve as a model for the attitude in all true prayer!
Daniel begins his petition to the Lord in the attitude that above all else he wishes the Lord to act to glorify His Own Holy Name just as He did in His miraculous deliverance of weak, humiliated, sinful Israel from Egypt.
The next concern (Dan. 9:16) is that God withdraw His desolation of the Holy City and Holy Land and Holy People, not from any selfish motive on Daniels part, but in order that Gods righteousness, mercifulness and power may be vindicated before the eye of the heathen world which has taken great delight in mocking Jehovah God and Jehovahs people because of their seeming powerlessness at the heathens hands.
Dan. 9:17-19 are emphatic repetitions of Daniels concern that only the glory of God be upheld. Daniel is not concerned that the people be delivered in order to enjoy physical ease and comfort. Daniel is not interested that the people be delivered in order that their wounded pride be avenged. His only interest is that Gods holiness and faithfulness be vindicated. After all, sinning man deserves only judgment. If he is delivered at all, it will be entirely due to the very nature of GodHis mercifulness and loving-kindness.
This is the whole point of prayer! God seeks contrition and penitence in prayer in order that He may do for man what He has made up His mind to do for man all along! It is not the eloquence of mans prayers, nor the quantity of them that move God to actionif this were so, answer would come on the basis of merit. It is the attitude! Prayer does not change thingsmen are changed, they are so changed that they are driven to their knees in deep contrition an dependence; and God can then act as He has said He would act, and wants to act, from the beginning of the world. God cannot act to bless any man if that man does not pray, believing, trusting, repenting. It is not God who changesit is man who changes. Man changes and God acts. God also acts when man does not change to conform to His will, but this action (judgment) is simply in accordance with what God has said He will do when man refuses to repent.
Daniels prayer that God will act in the interest of His Own Perfect Will is as God wishes. God only wants us to be better than we are, but He knows that this can only come as a result of mans seeking to glorify his Creator and Redeemer. So it is that God acts to glorify His Own Name, not out of selfish egotism, but in order to bless His creation and His creatures. One has only to read such passages as Eze. 20:9; Eze. 20:14; Eze. 20:22; Eze. 20:44 to understand that God acts for the sake of His Own Name. The inevitable result of God acting to glorify His name is that the man who accepts and acts in accordance with Gods way is thereby made a partaker of Gods glory (cf. 2Pe. 1:3-4).
And this is the way Jesus taught us to pray, Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed by thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven . . . Jesus is our divine example in sacrificing oneself wholly to glorify God (cf. John 17).
In answer to his prayer Daniel receives, not just an interpretation of a phrase in Jeremiahs book, but an unfolding of Gods program for the ages, which is in effect this: Not only am I, the Lord, going to fulfill this promise of deliverance after 70 years of captivity, but I am going to fulfill all my promises, and this is the pattern after which they shall be fulfilled (as outlined in the succeeding Dan. 9:20-27).
QUIZ
1.
What is the key phrase of this second part of Daniels prayer?
2.
What historical action of God does Daniel use as the basis of his prayer?
3.
What is Daniels main emphasis in his prayer?
4.
Why do we say God does not change but that man must?
5.
What other scripture express the idea that God always acts to glorify His Own Name?
6.
When man, by faith accepts the above premise and acts in accordance with it, what is the inevitable result?
7.
What example do we have to show that glorifying God is our mission?
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(15) Thou hast brought.The mention of past mercies moves Daniel to pray that future mercies may be granted. His language is founded partly upon Jer. 32:17-23, and partly upon Isa. 63:11-16. The Babylonian exile is frequently compared by Isaiah (e.g., Isa. 51:9-10) to Egyptian bondage. Daniel reproduces the thought in this verse.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
15. By Jehovah’s marvelous deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage he had gotten for himself “a name even for this day” (an exact quotation from Jer 32:20). After this mention of God’s mercies in the past the sins of Israel appear to the prophet even worse than before.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“And now, O Lord our God, you have brought your people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and have made for yourself a name as at this day. We have sinned, we have done wickedly. O Lord, in accordance with all your righteousness, let your anger and your fury, I pray you, be turned away from Jerusalem your city, the mountain of your holiness, because for our sins and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people have become a reproach to all who are round about us.”
He reminds God as the Lord that by His great and powerful deliverance from Egypt He had established what He was, He had ‘made for Himself a Name’ which had continued to this day. He admitted that in themselves they deserved nothing. They had sinned and done wickedly. But He asked God to reveal the righteousness that all good men knew that He had, by turning His anger away from Jerusalem His city, from His holy mountain so that the reproach of non-Israelites round about, in what they said about YHWH, might be shown to be false. Thus it was to be for the sake of His own holy name (‘that they might know that I am the Lord YHWH’ was a regular cry on the lips of God through Ezekiel), not for the sake of His totally undeserving people who had brought this judgment on Jerusalem.
‘The mountain of your holiness.’ All that was left of Jerusalem at this time was the mountain and huddles of ruined buildings, some of which had probably been made barely habitable by people struggling to survive.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Dan 9:15 And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.
Ver. 15. And now, O Lord God, that hast brought thy people. ] Thanksgiving is an artificial begging; and every former mercy is a pledge of a future. 2Ch 20:10 ; 2Ch 7:12
And hast gotten thee renown.
We have sinned, we have done wickedly.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Dan 9:15-19
15And now, O Lord our God, who have brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and have made a name for Yourself, as it is this daywe have sinned, we have been wicked. 16O Lord, in accordance with all Your righteous acts, let now Your anger and Your wrath turn away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; for because of our sins and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people have become a reproach to all those around us. 17So now, our God, listen to the prayer of Your servant and to his supplications, and for Your sake, O Lord, let Your face shine on Your desolate sanctuary. 18O my God, incline Your ear and hear! Open Your eyes and see our desolations and the city which is called by Your name; for we are not presenting our supplications before You on account of any merits of our own, but on account of Your great compassion. 19O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and take action! For Your own sake, O my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people are called by Your name.
Dan 9:15 who brought Your people out of the land of Egypt The Exodus fulfilled God’s promise of Gen 15:12-21. The symbolism from Genesis 15 conveys the concept that God and God alone can accomplish this act of deliverance and promise. In point of fact the OT is as much an account of YHWH’s grace and mercy as is the NT. The character of God has not changed (cf. Mal 3:6), but the covenant requirements have been modified because of mankind’s (even redeemed) inability to keep the covenant (cf. Jer 31:31-34; Eze 36:22-38). The covenant is still conditional, but structured so that the Messiah’s performance replaces human performance as the means and basis of redemption (cf. Isaiah 53; 2Co 5:21).
has made a name for Yourself God wanted to use the family of Abraham to reach all the world in reconciliation (cf. Gen 12:3; Exo 19:5-6, see Special Topic: YHWH’s Eternal Redemptive Plan ). The Exodus was for the ultimate purpose of world evangelism (cf. Exo 9:16; Neh 9:10) as much as national promise!
Dan 9:16 in accordance with all Your righteous acts In Dan 9:7 Daniel attributes righteousness to God; in Dan 9:14 Daniel elicits the covenant claim, the Lord our God is righteous; and now in Dan 9:16 Daniel appeals to the character of God (cf. Dan 9:17; Dan 9:19), not the disobedience of His people (cf. Dan 9:18), as the reason to restore Israel (cf. Dan 9:20), so as to complete their calling of being a light to the nations!
thy city Jerusalem, Thy holy mountain God was connected with His people and His temple on Mt. Moriah (cf.Dan. Dan 9:20). The ancients linked deities to national groups. Daniel asked God to act for His own Names’ sake (cf. Dan 9:17-19; Eze 36:22-38). God’s desire and design is still world evangelization (cf. Mat 28:18-20; Luk 24:47; Act 1:8).
Dan 9:17 for Your sake, O Lord This is repeated in Dan 9:19. Daniel supplicates YHWH to act so as to accomplish His purposes of world-wide witness and redemption through Israel.
let Your face shine on This reflects the blessing formula of Num 6:24; Num 6:26, which is also reflected in Psa 80:3; Psa 80:7; Psa 80:19.
The next verse also uses human physical terms to address God (anthropomorphism). Daniel asks the eternal, spiritual One to:
1. shine His face on, Dan 9:17
2. incline His ear, Dan 9:18
3. open His eyes, Dan 9:18
4. O, Lord, hear, Dan 9:19
Dan 9:18 not. . .on account of any merits of our own, but on account of Your great compassion Daniel is praying much like Moses, in that he appeals to God’s character (cf. Dan 9:17; Dan 9:19) for forgiveness and unmerited deliverance to Jerusalem, the temple, and the people as a whole (cf. Dan 9:19), not any deserved or attained righteousness on Israel’s part. This is the OT incipient concept of justification by grace through faith (cf. Gen 15:6; Rom 4:3; Gal 3:6).
Dan 9:19 Even in an English translation one can feel the intensity ( a series of IMPERATIVES) of Daniel’s prayer!
SPECIAL TOPIC: WORDS FOR FORGIVENESS
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
hast brought, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Exo 6:1, Exo 6:6; Exo 12:41; Exo 14:18; Exo 32:11). App-92.
gotten Thee renown = made Thee a Name.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Dan 9:15
Dan 9:15 And now,H6258 O LordH136 our God,H430 thatH834 hast brought thy people forthH3318 (H853) H5971 out of the landH4480 H776 of EgyptH4714 with a mightyH2389 hand,H3027 and hast gottenH6213 thee renown,H8034 as at thisH2088 day;H3117 we have sinned,H2398 we have done wickedly.H7561
Dan 9:15
“And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly”.
Daniel knows that God delivered Israel out of the hand of Pharaoh of Egypt. His confidence that God is able to do it again is demonstrated in this prayer. And that is exactly what Daniel is praying for. He is carrying his petition for the liberation of his countrymen to the throne of God.
“and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day”
God was famous for His deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage. His reputation for this preceded the spies who came to the house of Rahab. When speaking to them she made this statement, “For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed” (Jos 2:10). Rahab used the word “we” in her statement. The deliverance of Israel by the hand of God was well published throughout Canaan even after four decades had passed. And Daniel’s statement, “as at this day” means it is still well known at least among the Israelites.
“we have sinned, we have done wickedly”
Daniel continually acknowledges the sin sins and wickedness of his people. Now to the list of terms used by Daniel to describe their sin is added wicked behavior. The sin of the Israelites was earlier characterized as trespass, rebellion, disobedience and departing from God’s law. Now we see Daniel adding wickedness to the list. The persistent sins of the people are repeatedly confessed and Daniel admits that the judgment which has fallen upon Israel is of their own sinful deeds and entirely their fault.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
that hast: Exo 6:1, Exo 6:6, Exo 14:1 – Exo 15:27, Exo 32:11, 1Ki 8:51, Neh 1:10, Jer 32:20-23, 2Co 1:10
and hast: Exo 9:16, Exo 14:18, Neh 9:10, Psa 106:8, Isa 55:13, Jer 32:10
gotten thee renown: Heb. made thee a name
we have sinned: Dan 9:5, Luk 15:18, Luk 15:19, Luk 15:21, Luk 18:13
Reciprocal: Num 23:23 – according Jer 14:21 – for
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Dan 9:15. The gratitude of the prophet is so great that he goes hack to the very beginning of Israels history as a nation. He recalls the deliverance from Egyptian bondage which was many centuries before; now the same people are just emerging from another bondage. However, there is a wide difference between the two eases. The former was imposed upon God’s people for no wrong on their part, while the latter was decreed by the. same God as a punishment for sin.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Dan 9:15. And now, O Lord, who hast brought thy people forth, &c. A form of supplication used in several places of Scripture, whereby devout persons entreat God to continue his favours, by recounting his former mercies toward them. And hast gotten thee renown, or, made thee a name, as at this day That is, even to this day, namely, by bringing Israel out of Egypt; and wilt thou lose the credit of that, by letting them perish in Babylon? Didst thou get renown by that deliverance which we have so often commemorated, and wilt thou not now also get thee renown by this which we have so often prayed for, and so long waited for? We have sinned, we have done wickedly Here Daniel confesses again Gods being just and good in all his ways; and that it was owing to themselves only that all these evils were come upon them.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
3. Daniel’s petition for restoration 9:15-19
Having laid a foundation for appeal in his confession (Dan 9:4-14), Daniel now proceeded to petition God to restore His people to the Promised Land.
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
He first referred to the Exodus, as a former demonstration of God’s power and faithfulness for His people, when they found themselves in a situation similar to that of the Babylonian exiles. Again Daniel stressed God’s reputation and Israel’s unworthiness, clarifying the basis for his appeal (cf. Dan 9:4-5).
"The deliverance of the people of Israel from Egypt is, in many respects, the Old Testament standard illustration of the power of God and His ability to deliver His people. By contrast in the New Testament, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is God’s standard of power (Eph 1:19-20). In the future millennial reign of Christ, the standard of power will be the regathering of Israel and their restoration to the land (Jer 16:14-15)." [Note: Walvoord, Daniel . . ., p. 211.]