Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Daniel 9:17
Now therefore, O 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.
17. hearken unto the prayer, &c.] A reminiscence of 1Ki 8:28 (= 2Ch 6:19). Similarly Neh 1:6; Neh 1:11 (from 1Ki 8:29).
cause thy face to shine upon ] i.e. be favourable to: Num 6:25; Psa 68:1; Psa 80:3; Psa 80:7; Psa 80:19 (in a prayer for help, as here), Psa 119:135.
desolate ] The word ( shmm) used in Lam 5:18, ‘mount Zion, which is desolate ’ (cf. 1Ma 4:38 ), chosen perhaps at the same time with allusion to the transgression, or abomination, ‘causing appalment’ ( shmm, m sh mm), of Dan 8:13, Dan 9:27, Dan 11:31, Dan 12:11.
for the Lord’s sake ] The words in themselves occasion no difficulty (cf. Dan 9:19; Isa 48:11, ‘for mine own sake’), though for thy name’s sake would be more usual (Jer 14:7; Jer 14:21; Psa 79:9): Jehovah’s honour, or reputation, it is implied, would be impaired, if His sanctuary remained longer in a basement; out of regard to Himself, therefore, He is entreated to interfere. But the third person in the midst of a series of petitions in the second person, is very strange: it is probable, therefore, that either a letter or a word has dropped out in the Heb., and that we should read, either with Theod., Prince, for thine own sake, O Lord (cf. Dan 9:19), or with LXX, Bevan, Marti, for thy servants’ sake, O Lord as in the very similar appeal of Isa 63:17).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
17 19. The supplication becomes more urgent, especially in Dan 9:18-19.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Now, therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant – In behalf of the people. He pleaded for his people and country, and earnestly entreated the Lord to be merciful. His argument is based on the confession of sin; on the character of God; on the condition of the city and temple; on the former Divine interpositions in behalf of the people; and by all these considerations, he pleads with God to have mercy upon his people and land.
And cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary – Upon the temple. That is, that he would look upon it benignly and favorably. The language is common in the Scriptures, when favor and kindness are denoted by lifting up the light of the countenance, and by similar phrases. The allusion is originally, perhaps, to the sun, which, when it shines brightly, is an emblem of favor and mercy; when it is overclouded, is an emblem of wrath.
For the Lords sake – That is, that he would be propitious for his own sake; to wit, that his glory might be promoted; that his excellent character might be displayed; that his mercy and compassion might be shown. All true prayer has its seat in a desire that the glory of God may be promoted, and the excellence of his character displayed. That is of more consequence than our welfare, and the gratification of our wishes, and that should be uppermost in our hearts when we approach the throne of grace.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Dan 9:17-19
Cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate.
The Christians Duty to the Church in the Present Times
I. THE STATE OF THE CHURCH WHEN DANIEL WROTE WAS ONE OF RUIN AND DESOLATION. Jerusalem, the city of God was desolate and without inhabitant, and the temple, which was the dwelling-place of the mysterious glory, was desolate. The whole nation and the whole church had gone into captivity. But does God ever forsake His people, or desert His church? The promise of God, on which the church of Israel was founded, was made to Abraham, and it was an unconditional promise. This promise was strengthened and confirmed by an oath. Such being the promise of God on which the church was founded, it is evident he could not utterly forsake His church. He might, for wise reasons, withdraw His countenance for a season from it. But the undisturbed possession of the land of Canaan, and safety from all their enemies round about them in that land–all these were no part of the original promise to Abraham. They were in a subsequent promise; a conditional promise–a promise on the condition of obedience. Wherever these temporal blessings are alluded to, it is always connected with this condition of obedience. God never suffered His truth or His faithfulness to fail. God sent His people into captivity. They had sinned; they ,were disobedient. God will never forsake His people, but for their sins He will suffer them to lose all their temporal prosperity. Our only remedy against such judgments is that of Daniel–going like him before God, humbling ourselves in His sight, confessing our sins, and asking forgiveness.
II. THE CHARACTER OF THE PRAYER OF THE PROPHET. It is characterised by a deep sense of sin, a most bumble acknowledgment of the sinfulness of the nation and of the church; and although the prayer has general reference to Israel as a nation, it is impossible to read it without feeling that the prophet is also confessing his own sins while he confesses the sins of the people. Here is a spirit of heartfelt penitence, a spirit of confession, a full and ample acknowledgment that all the captivity of the nation, and all the desolation of the church, ware fully and amply deserved. He also acknowledged that Gods dealings had been all foretold and forewarned, and, therefore, the sins were sins against light and knowledge and warning, and thus the judgment of God was consistent with all the justice of God and faithfulness to His own word. In the prophets prayer there is also a spirit of deep humility, deep self-abasement, and at the same time an earnest spirit of pleading with God, that he would spare, and pity, and restore, the church of Israel. And if we plead the righteousness of God as Daniel did, we shall never plead in vain. Ask what you will, it shall be granted . . . There is an impressive lesson to us in connection with the general history of Israel. We ought to think a little of the blessings, and consider a little the sins, of our own nation of England, and our own Church of England. (M. Hobart Seymour, M.A.)
Prayer for the Church
A true-hearted believer does not live for himself. Where there is abundance of grace, and great strength of mind in the service of God, there is sure to be a spirit of unselfishness. No presence of mighty monarch or of his festive guests could turn him aside from delivering his fateful message. Yet Daniel was not satisfied. Whatever might be his own condition, he remembered what Jerusalem was, and what the people to whom he belonged were; and, in the depths of his soul, he sorrowed notwithstanding all that Gods grace had wrought within himself. I firmly believe that, the better a mans own character becomes, and the more joy in the Lord he has in his own heart, the more capable is he of sympathetic sorrow; and, probably, the more of it he will have. Daniel was also a man of many visions. With the exception of John, whom Daniel greatly resembles, it has scarcely fallen to the lot of any man, unless it be Ezekiel, to have so many wondrous visions of God; yet his visions did not make him visionary. There are many persons who could not be trusted to see the tip of an angels wing; for they would become so proud, ever afterwards, that there would be no holding them; but he who is fully consecrated to God may see vision after vision, and he will make a practical use of what he sees, and try to find out something to be done, something to be repented of, something to be prayed for, something that shall be for the good of the Church of God. Daniel had also been studying the prophecies, and he knew, by what he had discovered, when certain predictions would be fulfilled; but he was not, like some students of prophecy in our day, utterly unpractical. They seem to be so taken up with the future that they do nothing in the present. What Daniel learned from the study of the Sacred Books he turned to practical account; and finding that a certain time was near, of which good things were foretold, be set his face toward the Lord, and began to pray–not for himself, but for his people, many of whom were at Jerusalem, hundreds of miles away from him or scattered in various places all over the face of the earth. For them, he used that bright and sparkling eye which had looked up into the fires supernal. Let it never be said that the Church of God has no feeling of patriotism for the Holy City, for the Heavenly Land, and for her glorious King enthroned above. To us, Christian patriotism means love to the Church of God.
I. First, then, Daniel speaks of THE HOLY PLACE: thy sanctuary. Of course, he refers to the temple at Jerusalem, which was then in utter ruin. It had been broken down and burned by the Chaldeans; and Daniel, therefore, rightly calls it desolate, but fervently prays that God would cause His face to shine even upon its ruins. My first remark is, that the temple at Jerusalem was typical of the Church of God. So we learn that, as the temple was typical, so also it was unique. There was but one temple, and there is but one Church. The temple at Jerusalem was, further, the fabric of wisdom. It could only have been built by a Solomon; and Solomon found a band of men, whom God had prepared to carry out the extraordinary work of the temple; for, from its marvellous foundations, which have been lately uncovered, even to its topmost pinnacle, it excelled all the architecture which the world had ever seen. But the Church, which God is erecting, is a far more wonderful work of a wisdom infinitely superior to that of Solomon. When it shall be all finished, it will be the marvel of all intelligences as they see what a matchless sanctuary God, and not man, has reared, and note how, in every single detail, His infinite wisdom is manifest. The temple that Solomon built was also the result of great cost. Immense wealth was lavished upon it; and you do not need that I should try to tell you at what cost the Lord is building up His true sanctuary here among men. The cost of any one of us, if we are indeed living stones, no arithmetic can ever calculate. Again, the temple, of old, was the shrine of Gods indwelling. It was the one place, under the old dispensation of types, now done away with, where God dwelt in visible manifestation amongst his ancient people. We are told that a peculiar light shone between the wings of the cherubim over the ark of the covenant, and from that pillar, which looked like a cloud by day, and flamed like a mighty beacon by night. It was there that men must go, or, at least, to that spot that they must look, if they sought the Lord; and therefore it was that Daniel worshipped and prayed with his windows open towards Jerusalem. At the present time, the one place, in all the world, where God dwells, is His Church. You can find Him anywhere upon the earth as the Creator; but the glory of the Godhead comes out most brilliantly in redemption, for it is of His redeemed people that it is written, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. The temple at Jerusalem was also the place of Gods peculiar worship; and where is God worshipped now but in His living Church? The temple at Jerusalem was also the throne of Jehovahs power. It was out of Zion that He sent forth His rod; and from that sacred shrine that He spoke, by His ancient prophets, the Word that was full of power. Who could stand against Him when He was angry, and spoke in His fury out of His holy place? And Christs power, through the Holy Ghost, still goes forth from His Church.
II. Now, secondly, I must speak upon THE EARNEST PRAYER: Cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary. And, first, I note that it is a prayer quite free from selfishness. Daniel does not even say to the Lord, Cause thy face to shine upon me. Have not you sometimes felt that you could almost forego the light of Gods countenance yourself if He would but bless His Church? Further, Daniels prayer was the child of thought. He had thought over the condition of the temple at Jerusalem; and, thinking over it, he had become troubled in hie mind. It was lying desolate, but he knew that there was a promise that it should be rebuilt. He thought over these two things; he let his soul lie a-soak in the truth about Gods sanctuary, and then he prayed. It was also, a prayer which cast itself entirely upon God: Cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary. He does not say, Lord, send more prophets; or, Raise up new kings; or, Do this or that; but only, Cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary. Oh, that we might learn how to pray so that God should be the subject as well as the object of our supplications! O God, thy Church needs thee above everything else! There was also great faith in this prayer: Cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary. Daniel seems to say, Lord, it scarcely needs thy command, it only wants thee to smile upon thy sanctuary, and all shall be well. But, Daniel, the temple is all in ruins. Ah! saith he, that is true; but, Lord, cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary. The face of God is as the sun when it shineth in its strength. The favour of God is not merely something to His Church, but it is everything; the revelation of His love to Hie people is not simply a blessing, but it is all the blessings of the covenant in one. It was, however, a very comprehensive prayer; because, wherever Gods face shines upon His Church, note what happens. First, her walls are rebuilt. Desolations, when God shines upon them, glow into perfection. When the Lord shines upon a church, then its worship will be acceptable unto Him; even the humblest form of it will he acceptable in His sight. Then, too, truth will be proclaimed in all its clearness. We shall not have to complain of the cloudy preaching of which we hear so much nowadays. Then, too, we shall see the beauty of holiness in all the members of Gods spiritual Church. O Lord, cause thy face to shine upon thy Church, that all thy people may walk in the beauty of holiness! Then, also, there will be delightful fellowship. And, then, there will be power in the testimony. With Gods face shining upon His sanctuary, His Word goes forth from His servants with energy and force which none can resist. Join in this prayer. Do it for the Churchs own sake. Join in this prayer also for the worlds sake. If the Church has not the Lord to shine upon her, what is the poor world to do? And, then, for Gods sake, for Christs sake, for the Holy Spirits sake, for a lifeless church is a dishonour to God.
III. THE CONDUCT THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH THIS PRAYER. Well, first, we shall consider the state of the Church. Some professing Christians do not seem to me as if they ever thought of the Church at all. The next thing for us to do is to lay to heart the evil or the good of Zion. Consider it well, and then he grieved if you see sin triumphant, or error rampant, and do not perceive that the cause of God is advancing in the world. Then, if we begin to think, and begin to care, we shall try to do what we can for Gods Church. It is all very well for a man to pray, but the value of his prayer very much depends upon its sincerity, and that sincerity will be proved by his doing something that will help to answer his own prayer. The little finger would be missed if it were cut off, and there is not a tiny valve near the heart, nor a minute vessel anywhere in the human system, which could he taken away without inflicting an injury upon the whole body. Just so is it in the Church of Christ; we cannot afford to spare any part of the mystical body of Christ. But what use are you for the well-being of your fellow-members? But when we have done all that we can, let us pray much more than we have ever done. Oh! for a praying Church! (C. H. Spurgeon.)
The Depressed State of the Cause of God Deplored
1. Observe how Daniel deplores the desolations of Zion, and confesses his sins which had caused them. Daniel felt more as a saint for the ruin of the church than as a patriot for the desolations of Judea.
2. Observe how fervently Daniel prays for the restored favour of God to his people, and for the fulfilment of His gracious promises to them. He found in prayer his resource and refuge. Every good man has a steadfast assurance of the efficacy of prayer. This conviction causes them to fly to prayer, and to persevere till they succeed. Note what a prevailing plea Daniel employed–he appeals to Gods own honour, to His own interest in His Church. (A. W. Coggeshall.)
The Christian in Time of National Calamity
1.. What God is here entreated to behold. Our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name. However the developments may vary, the principles of Gods administration are, like His nature, immutable. Desolations are still the punishment of iniquity, deliverance is still vouchsafed in answer to prayer. The desolations of Jerusalem, as we are expressly told, were the direct consequence of her sin. Who can deny that the prophet pourtrayed but too faithfully our own metropolis when he said concerning the doomed and devoted city, no longer holy to the Lord–In thee, have they set light by father and mother; in the midst of thee have they dealt by oppression with the stranger; in thee have they vexed the fatherless and widow; thou hast despised mine holy things, and hast profaned my Sabbaths. Happily for us, the correspondence is not complete. In Jerusalem the degeneracy was total, the delinquency was universal. But it is not so among ourselves. And if the effectual fervent prayer of even a single righteous man availeth much, how can we doubt that the combined and concurrent supplications of the Church will find entrance into the ears of the Lord God of Sabaoth?
2. The manner in which we should entreat the Lord. Our special entreaty this day, whether in the house of prayer, in the domestic circle, or in the solitude of the inner chamber, should not only be that of contrite and lowly supplication, but of earnest intercession also. (T. Dale, M.A.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 17. And cause thy face to shine] Give us proof that thou art reconciled to us.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
1. Here the prophet is most concerned for the sanctuary, and place of worship, a type not only of the church, and the worship of God, but also of Christ; because in all these the Lord is greatly concerned in honour, especially considering,
2. His argument, for the Lords sake; for Christs sake, the Messiah, who is meant here: which I prove,
1. Because the concurrent testimony of the best interpreters, and the synod of Sardis, is for this interpretation.
2. Because this construction is most agreeable to the text and the Hebrew: the contrary is against it, and forced and figurative, when there is no need of it.
3. The plurality of persons is expressed thus.
4. The word Lord is often attributed to Christ in the Old Testament, Psa 110:1; and in the New Testament, Luk 1:43; 2:11; Joh 20:28; Rev 17:14
5. Because the Jews had none else to trust to for salvation, Joh 14:13; Act 15:11; Eph 3:12; 1Ti 2:5. Thus in the Old Testament, Psa 80:15-17; for the Sons sake, whom he calls the Son of man, Dan 9:17, for so the Chaldee paraphrase, for the King Messiah. So upon that place, Psa 72:1,
Give the king thy judgments, and thy righteousness to the kings son, i.e. the King the Messiah. 2Sa 7:21,
For thy words sake, i.e. Christ, Joh 1:1; 2Sa 12:25, He called his name Jedidiah, because of the Lord, of whom Solomon was a type.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
17. cause thy face to shinemetaphorfrom the sun, which gladdens all that it beams upon (Num 6:25;Mal 4:2).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Now therefore, O our God,…. This being our miserable case, and the seventy years’ captivity being at an end, and thou still our covenant God, whom we profess and worship:
hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications; which he had put up in an humble manner, consisting of various petitions for grace and mercy before expressed:
and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate; the temple; its walls demolished, its altars thrown down, and the whole in ruins; a melancholy scene! the Lord, suffering these things, seemed to frown upon it, and upon his people, that used to serve him there; wherefore it is entreated that he would smile upon it again, and upon them, and cause it to be rebuilt, and his worship restored in it: and this is asked
for the Lord’s sake: that is, for Christ’s sake, who is Lord of all, especially of his chosen people, by creation, redemption, and marriage, as well as by their own consent and profession; and for whose sake, and in whose name, all requests are to be made to God, he being the only Mediator between God and man; and for the sake of whose blood, righteousness, and mediation, all the blessings of goodness are given unto men; and who also was Lord and proprietor of the temple, and was to come into it, as well as was the antitype of it.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
His next prayer is, Do thou who art our God hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine forth In these words Daniel wrestles with distrust, not for his own sake privately, but for that of the whole Church to whom he set forth the true method of prayer. And experience teaches all the pious how necessary this remedy is in those doubts which break into all our prayers, and make our earnestness and ardor in prayer grow dull and cold within us, or at least we pray without any composed or tranquil confidence, and this trembling vitiates whatever we had formerly conceived. As, therefore, this daily happens to all the pious when they leave off the duty of prayer for even a short period, and some doubt draws them off and shuts the door of familiar access to God, this is the reason why Daniel so often repeats the sentence, Do thou, O Lord, hear the prayer of thy. servant David also inculcates such sentiments in his prayers, and has the greatest necessity for acting so. And those who are truly exercised in praying feel how God’s servants have good cause for such language whenever they pray to him. But I will complete the rest to-morrow.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(17) Cause thy face to shine.See Num. 6:25. The meaning is let thy works show the fulfilment of thy Word.
For the Lords sake.Comp. Dan. 9:19, because Thou art the Lord. Never does prayer rise higher, than when the soul humbly appeals to God as the sovereign lord of all, and patiently waits for Him to do as He pleases. (Comp. Psa. 44:9-26.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
“Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant, and to his supplications, and cause your face to shine on your sanctuary which is desolate, for the Lord’s sake (or ‘which is desolate because of the Lord’). O my God, incline your ear and hear, open your eyes, and behold our desolations and the city which is called by your name. For we do not present our supplications before you for our righteousnesses, but for your great mercies.”
Daniel’s prayer bring out the feelings of the faithful among the exiles about Jerusalem and the Sanctuary. All their thoughts were centred on them, and their restoration, as though God’s purposes could not go on without them. They felt that until Jerusalem and the Sanctuary were restored God’s name would not be vindicated, nor would Israel be able to rise again, and the thought tore at their hearts. They had not heeded the message of Ezekiel which turned their thoughts away from Jerusalem to the presence of God in His heavenly temple on ‘a high mountain’ away from Jerusalem in a portion which was ‘very holy’, far holier than Jerusalem (Eze 40:2 with Eze 45:2-8). See our commentary on Ezekiel.
Gabriel would also seek to turn his thoughts away from Jerusalem to the fuller purposes of God. True it would be rebuilt, but then both city and sanctuary would be destroyed before God’s final purposes came to fruition. He was pointing out that they were only secondary in the purposes of God for Israel and the world.
Now, however, Daniel pleads with God on behalf of the sanctuary and the city. And he does it, not on the basis of the people’s deserving, but on the basis of His mercy. He asks Him to hear his pleading and let His face shine on the sanctuary which was desolate, and to turn His eyes on the situation of Jerusalem. To ‘let His face shine on’ means to again accept it and restore it and make it His earthly dwellingplace (Num 6:25; Psa 80:3), and he is sure that once God takes a good look at Jerusalem and its devastation He will be moved for His own name’s sake to act on its behalf. His hope lies fully in the mercy of God.
‘For the Lord’s sake.’ A difficult expression in the context. Some see it as the equivalent of ‘For your sake, O Lord.’ Others as ‘desolate because of the Lord’. The latter may have been a well known saying, repeated here by Daniel verbatim.
‘The city which is called by your name’, or ‘on which your name is called’. Such a city was one over which the one named had exercised his sovereignty by conquest or restoration, or by virtue of great and memorable things done in it. The result was that men connected the name with the city. Thus Jerusalem was connected with the Name of YHWH.
‘For we do not present our supplications before you for our righteousnesses, but for your great mercies.’ He makes clear that that he recognises that if mercy is to be shown it will only be because God is merciful. There is no question of it being deserved in any way.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Dan 9:17. And cause thy face to shine, &c. And for thine own sake, O Lord, cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary, which is desolate.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
DISCOURSE: 1139
THE ANSWER TO DANIELS PRAYER
Dan 9:17-23. O 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 Lords sake. 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 righteous nesses, but for thy great mercies. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken, and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name. And whiles I was speaking, and. 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; yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, 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, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved; therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.
AN inquiry into prophecy is highly commendable; and more especially now that so many prophecies are on the very eve of their accomplishment. But it is not by study alone that we shall be able to attain the true interpretation of the prophetic writings. We must pray to God to reflect the true light upon them, and to enable us by his good Spirit rightly to apprehend them. This was the way which Daniel took, when he saw, by the writings of Jeremiah, that the seventy years of captivity were drawing to a close [Note: Jer 29:10.]: he could not tell the precise time from which they should be numbered; and consequently could not ascertain the period for their termination: but he was anxious to know when the happy time was to commence. He set himself therefore to study the prophecies of Jeremiah, and to seek instructions from God in a way of humiliation, and fasting, and prayer [Note: ver. 2, 3.]. The success which he met with deserves particular attention, inasmuch as it affords an encouragement to all to follow his example. Let us consider,
I.
The record here given
In this are two things to be noticed;
1.
The prayer of Daniel
[To enter into this aright, the whole chapter should be attentively perused. The first thing that strikes us in this prayer is, his just view of the Deity; of his majesty, as a great and dreadful God; his unchanging faithfulness, in keeping covenant and mercy to his loving and obedient people [Note: ver. 4.]; his justice, in all the judgments that he inflicts on the disobedient [Note: ver. 7.]; his mercy, in pardoning those who have rebelled against him [Note: ver. 9.]; and his truth, in executing every word that he has ever spoken [Note: ver. 11, 12.]. From this comprehensive view of the Divine perfections arose that just mixture of humility and confidence which is visible throughout the whole of his address.
The next thing to be observed in Daniels prayer is, his deep humiliation before God. On the subject of his own and his peoples sins, he so accumulates expressions as to shew that he thought he could never sufficiently abase himself before his God [Note: ver. 5, 6.] In a Word, nothing but shame and confusion of face seemed to him to be suited to his condition as a sinner; though of all the saints in the Old Testament he seems to have been the most perfect; not one thing during the course of a long, and public, and laborious life being laid to his charge, either by God or man.
His earnest pleadings with God are vet further deserving of especial regard. He seems as if he would take no denial, yea, as if his spirit could brook no delay [Note: ver. 19.]. Every thing that might be supposed to influence the Deity is brought forward as a plea, to incline him to have mercy on his afflicted people: the consideration of Gods former mercies to them in Egypt [Note: ver. 15.]; a regard for his own honour, since they still bare the same relation to him as ever [Note: ver. 19.]; and a love to the promised Messiah, whose glory would ultimately be promoted by it [Note: ver. 17.]. All these pleas shew how earnest and importunate he was, even like Jacob when wrestling with the Angel, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.]
2.
The answer given him
[How marvellous was the condescension of God, in sending the angel Gabriel to give unto his servant an answer of peace! But here it will be peculiarly profitable to compare the answer with the prayer:O Lord, hear! O Lord, defer not! Go Gabriel; fly with all possible expedition: do not so much as look back to behold my glory: mind nothing but your errand: tell him, in answer to what he is saying, To me belongeth shame and confusion of face, O Daniel, thou art greatly beloved. In answer to his request, that I would not defer, tell him that at the very beginning of his supplications the commandment was given thee to go and answer them from me: and, whereas he has only prayed for information respecting the redemption of my people from Babylon, which Jeremiah predicted to be wrought in the space of seventy years from the time of his prophecy; tell him of that infinitely greater redemption which that typifies, and which is now to be accomplished in seventy weeks of years; explain to him every thing relating to the vicarious sufferings of the Messiah, and the righteousness which He will bring in thereby for the deliverance and salvation of a ruined world [Note: ver. 2427.]. And let this answer be to all the future generations of mankind a memorial of my grace, and a pledge of my condescension to all my praying people.]
Instead of dilating much on the circumstances of this instructive history, we have merely glanced at them, that we may more largely dwell upon,
II.
The instruction to be gathered from it
Behold then here,
1.
The nature of prayer
[Prayer is an application of the soul to God for some desired blessing. But it will be proper distinctly to notice its constituent parts.
There must be, in the first place, a just apprehension of the Divine perfections. If we view not God as a Being of infinite majesty, and holiness and power, we shall not approach him with that reverential fear that becomes us: and if his goodness, and mercy, and truth, and faithfulness be not borne in mind, we shall be destitute of all those encouragements that are necessary for the support of our souls. The greatest of men must never for a moment forget the former, nor the vilest of men the latter. Abraham, Moses, Job, Isaiah, were all abased, as it were, in dust and ashes, by their discoveries of God; whilst, on the other hand, the very murderers of the Lord of Glory had in one moment their terrors dissipated, and their souls revived, by a single glimpse of God, as reconciled to them in Christ Jesus. A partial view of God will lead either to despondency or presumption; but a just view of him will call into exercise all the best feelings of the heart, combining activity with confidence, and fear with love [Note: Here a distinct view may be taken of all the perfections before mentioned.]
Next, there must be a contrite sense of our own extreme tin unworthiness. No prayer can come up with acceptance before God, which docs not proceed from a broken and contrite spirit, Angels who have never fallen may offer praises without any other kind of humiliation than that which proceeds from a sense of their utter meanness and insignificance; but a sinner, though redeemed, must never forget that he is a sinner, or neglect to blend contrition even with his most exalted services. In heaven itself the redeemed cast their crowns before the Saviours feet, in acknowledgment that they receive them altogether from him, and that they desire to wear them only for the advancement of his glory [Note: Here the nature of real humiliation maybe more fully traced, in reference to that of Daniel.]
Connected with our contrition there must be an earnest pleading with God. This is the very soul of prayer. True it is, that God does not need to be prevailed upon by our importunity, as though he were of his own nature backward to assist us; for to exercise mercy is his delight: but he requires importunity in us, as the means of exciting in our hearts, and of evidencing in our prayers, a deep sense of our need of mercy [Note: This also may be briefly illustrated.]
But that which gives to prayer its chief efficacy is, a humble affiance in the Lord Jesus Christ. Our blessed Lord tells us, that whatever we ask in his name we shall receive. It is his mediation alone that procures acceptance for our prayers: and then only do they come up with a sweet odour before God, when they are presented in his censer, and are perfumed with the incense of his prevailing intercession [Note: Here it may be shewn what attention is paid to this throughout our whole Liturgy.].]
2.
Its efficacy when duly offered
[God will not cast out the prayer of faith: hut his answers to it shall be sure, speedy, and effectual. Never said he to any, Seek ye my face, in vain: and the accumulation of promises which he has given us on this subject, leaves us no room to doubt, but that he will grant us, in answer to our prayers, such blessings as he knows to be best for us [Note: Mat 7:7-8.]. If he give us not the thing we asked for, he will give us that which on the whole is far better, and which, if we had known what was best for us as he does, we should have asked. The time previous to his answer may appear to our impatient minds long: but his answers shall not be protracted beyond the fittest season. The parable of the unjust judge shews us how the importunate widow prevailed at last: and the instruction which God founds upon it is this: Shall not God avenge his own elect, who cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily, i. e. as speedily as will conduce to their greatest benefit. Moreover, his answers shall be commensurate with all our necessities. However wide we open our mouth, he will fill it. David says, I cried to the Lord; and the Lord heard me at large: thus will he hear us at large, supplying all our wants according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus, and giving us exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think.]
Address
[Let every one in his place and station be as Daniel, a man of prayer. Others besides Daniel have had immediate answers to prayer [Note: Act 10:30-31.]: and God promises that we also shall be answered as speedily as ever Daniel was, if it will really be for our good [Note: Isa 65:24.]. If any one be discouraged for want of an answer to his prayers, let him remember that God may have answered them already, though unperceived, and in a way not contemplated by the suppliant himself. An angel is mentioned by the prophet Zechariah as answered, not in the way that lie had desired, but with good and comfortable words [Note: Zec 1:12-13.]. And Paul, when praying for the removal of the thorn in his flesh, had it not removed, but sanctified, and grace given to him to improve it aright [Note: 2Co 12:9.]. Know then, whether you see it or not, that God both does, and will, answer your petitions. Only let them be humble, and believing, and they shall never go forth in vain.]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
Dan 9:17 Now therefore, O 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.
Ver. 17. Now therefore, O our God. ] Since thou hast shown us our sins, and seen our reproach, whereof we are sure thou art very sensible. Psa 79:4
Hear the prayer of thy servant.
And his supplications.
And cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary.
For the Lord’s sake,] i.e., For thine own sake, or for thy Son Christ’s sake, the mediator and advocate of his people: for so he was in the Old Testament also, Heb 9:15 like as still he is the high priest of the New. And while the people were praying outside, the priest was offering incense within the temple, Luk 1:9-10 so is Christ interceding for us while we are praying. “Whatsoever therefore ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” Col 3:17
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
cause Thy face to shine. Reference to Pentateuch (Num 6:25, Num 6:26). App-92.
for the LORD’S* sake. Septuagint reads “for Thy servants’ sake”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Dan 9:17
Dan 9:17 NowH6258 therefore, O our God,H430 hearH8085 H413 the prayerH8605 of thy servant,H5650 and his supplications,H8469 and cause thy faceH6440 to shineH215 uponH5921 thy sanctuaryH4720 that is desolate,H8076 for the Lord’s sake.H4616 H136
Dan 9:17
“Now therefore, O 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.”
The word “therefore” is used to mean that everything said before was so that one could say what was coming next. Daniel is pleading for God to hear his prayer which listen, heed and acknowledge. Daniel is pleading for mercy and for the release of his nation so that they can be first and foremost, forgiven of their sins, and secondly for their deliverance from bondage.
“and cause thy face to shine”
When upon Mount Sinai, God allowed Moses to see Him as a He passed by. Moses was allowed within a few feet of the literal presence of God and saw His glory (Exo 33:18-23), and when he returned to the camp of the Israelites, the skin of his face visibly glowed and this frightened the Israelites so that when Moses talked with them, he would cover his face with a veil (Exo 34:30-35). This event obviously made quite an impact on the Israelites because in the Psalms and writings of later prophets, the term “cause thy face to shine” was used numerous times. Sin was said to cause God to hide His face from man, (Isa 59:2). Even back in the times of Adam and Eve, when Cain was driven away for the murder of his brother Abel, he quoted “and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth” (Gen 4:14). When God’s face was said to be turned away, it represented the disfavor of God and shame on His people. It was therefore understood to be a sign of God’s favor and approval when His face shined upon His children.
Daniel again demonstrates his considerable knowledge of the law of Moses. When speaking with God on one occasion, God told Moses that sometime after his death, the Israelites would “rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them” (Deu 31:16). God then went on to say in verse 18, “And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evils which they shall have wrought, in that they are turned unto other gods.” When Daniel asked God to let His face shine upon the desolated sanctuary in Jerusalem, he was asking for God’s approval in the rebuilding and restoration of the temple and in the broader sense, was asking God not to hide His face from them any longer.
“for the Lord’s sake.”
To understand what Daniel meant here, we must look to something he said in the end of his prayer; “for thy city and thy people are called by thy name”. The people of God were scattered throughout the Medo-Persian empire at this time, which included Babylon. The city of Jerusalem was devastated, the walls were torn down and the temple was laying in ruins. Daniel used the words “sanctuary that is desolate” to describe the condition of the temple in this verse. These enslaved and scattered Israelites were known to be the children of a God who they rightfully claimed to be the one true and living God.
It is important to realize that not only was God angry with the Israelites, but He was also ashamed of them. His face was not shining on them, meaning His face was hidden from them in shame. It was not due to any act of God that He was shamed, rather it was wholly the actions of the Israelites that did it. God’s chosen people, the people He called the children of God had abandoned Him in the face of the world and gone “whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land” (Deu 31:16). In Deu 31:17 of the same context, God said “they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day. Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us?” The God who had delivered the Israelites from Egyptian bondage and helped them throughout the conquest of Canaan and had a temple built to His name in Jerusalem had His children scattered throughout a foreign land in slavery and His temple lay in ruins back in the devastated city of Jerusalem.
God was rightfully ashamed of His people and because of their actions, He had to let them come to the state they were in and in so doing had to endure the scorn that was sure to come from the gentiles over the treatment of the Israelites. The gentiles among whom the Israelites were living would look at the condition of His followers and draw conclusions from that. Their conclusions would inevitably be that their God had abandoned them. The conclusions they drew could cover a wide range of other possibilities such as whether or not their God was powerful enough to shelter them if He even existed. There is no end to what the Gentiles would believe about God with His people enslaved and their temple and capitol city destroyed.
Daniel knew God was ashamed of his people and he knew why. And for His sake, for His reputation, he was appealing to God for forgiveness. Daniel knew that God’s reputation among the gentiles had been damaged and he knew that it was wholly the responsibility of the Israelites that brought this on to Him. Daniel wanted more than anything for his people to return to Jerusalem. rebuild the city, rebuild the temple, and re-establish God’s reputation among the gentiles of the earth.
The Hebrew writer wrote of God and who He was unashamed to claim as His own: Heb 11:16, “But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city”. It is significant to note that in this chapter of Hebrews, which is sometimes referred to as God’s hall of faith, those who God was unashamed of were those whose obedience was set forth as an inspired example for Christians of the time and for all ages since.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
cause: Num 6:23-26, Psa 4:6, Psa 67:1, Psa 80:1, Psa 80:3, Psa 80:7, Psa 80:19, Psa 119:135, Rev 21:23
thy sanctuary: Lam 5:18
for: Dan 9:19, Joh 16:24, 2Co 1:20
Reciprocal: Num 6:25 – The Lord 1Ki 8:28 – Yet have thou 1Ki 8:44 – toward the city 1Ki 18:37 – Hear me 1Ch 17:19 – thy servant’s 2Ch 6:19 – Have respect 2Ch 6:35 – hear thou Neh 1:6 – thine ear Job 12:9 – the hand Psa 17:6 – incline Psa 25:16 – for I Psa 31:16 – Make Psa 34:15 – and Psa 65:2 – thou Psa 74:3 – the perpetual Psa 106:8 – he saved Psa 130:2 – let thine ears Isa 37:17 – Incline Isa 48:9 – my name’s Jer 31:9 – come Lam 1:9 – behold Eze 12:20 – General Eze 20:22 – wrought Hag 1:4 – and Mat 26:44 – prayed
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Dan 9:17. Sanctuary that is desolate is in reference to the condition of the temple in Jerusalem. The captivity had just been ended, but the Jews had not yet rebuilt it which they will later on. For the Lord’s sake means that he prays for the holy place to be restored for His sake, not that the people deserved the favor.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
9:17 Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to {l} shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the {m} Lord’s sake.
(l) Show yourself favourable.
(m) That is, for your Christ’s sake, in whom you will accept all of our prayers.