Daniel's eschatological prophecies were quoted or referred to the most 600 years later when the New Testament was being composed. Few have been esteemed by God as highly as the prophet Daniel, and he was noted for his deep love for God's people.

He was at least 80 years old, around the year 538 B.C., when he learns of what would be known as "Daniel's 70th week" (Dan 9:20-27). After making this confession, the angel Gabriel came and spoke, "O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you insight with understanding. At the beginning of your supplications the word was issued, so I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed; so understand the message and gain understanding in what has appeared" (Dan 9:22-23, LSB).

1. What can we learn from Daniel's confession that God thought well of? A good method of study is to break the passage up into parts. What do you observe of Daniel's attitude in the opening of his confession?

3) So I gave my face to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

4) And I prayed to Yahweh my God and confessed and said, "Alas, O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, (Dan 9:3-4, LSB)

2. What do you observe of Daniel's acknowledgment of sin?

5) we have sinned and committed iniquity and acted wickedly and rebelled, even turning aside from Your commandments and judgments.

6) Moreover, we have not listened to Your slaves the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers, and all the people of the land. (Dan 9:5-6, LSB)

3. What do you observe of Daniel's characterization of God's judgment?

7) "To You, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame, as it is this day—to the men of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and all Israel, those who are nearby and those who are far away in all the countries to which You have banished them, because of their unfaithful deeds which they have committed against You.

8) O Yahweh, to us belongs open shame, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. 9) To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against Him; 10) nor have we listened to the voice of Yahweh our God, to walk in His laws which He put before us through His slaves the prophets.

11) Indeed all Israel has trespassed against Your law, even turning aside, not listening to Your voice; so the curse has been poured out on us, along with the oath which is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we have sinned against Him. (Dan 9:7-11, LSB)

4. What do you observe of Daniel's understanding of God and the people of God? What does Daniel acknowledge?

12) Thus He has established His words which He had spoken against us and against our judges who judged us, to bring on us great calamity; for under the whole heaven there has not been done anything like what was done to Jerusalem. 13) As it is written in the law of Moses, all this calamity has come on us; yet we have not entreated the favor of Yahweh our God by turning from our iniquity and acting wisely in Your truth. 14) Therefore Yahweh has watched over the calamity and brought it on us; for Yahweh our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done, but we have not listened to His voice. 15) "So now, O Lord our God, who have brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a strong hand and have made a name for Yourself, as it is this day—we have sinned; we have acted wickedly. (Dan 9:12-15, LSB)

5. What do you observe of Daniel's petitions as a man at least 80 years old? What is his attitude?

16) O Lord, in accordance with all Your righteousness, 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.

17) So now, our God, listen to the prayer of Your slave and to his supplications, and for Your sake, O Lord, let Your face shine on Your desolate sanctuary.

18) O my God, incline Your ear and listen! 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 righteousness of our own, but on account of Your abundant compassion.

19) O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, give heed 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 9:16-19, LSB)