DIAMONDS FROM DUST #8
DANIEL 9:1-23
LISTEN TO GOD BEFORE YOU
READ YOUR BIBLE FIRST
“It was the first year of the reign of Darius the Mede who was made king of the Babylonians (by Cyrus). During the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, was studying the Scriptures. I learned from the Word of the Lord, as recorded by Jeremiah the prophet, that Jerusalem must lie desolate for seventy years.” —Daniel 9:1-2
“God says this to you: ‘You will be kept in Babylon for 70 years. But then I’ll keep my gracious promise to bring you back to your home again. For I know the plans I have for you’ says the Lord. ‘I have good plans for you, not plans for your disaster. My plans will give you hope and a future. In those days when you pray, I will listen.’” —Jeremiah 29:10-12
FOCUS MY
“So I turned my face to the Lord God, SEEKING him…” —Daniel 9:3a
EXPRESS MY DESIRES WITH
“And I began pleading with God earnestly in prayer…” —Daniel 9:3b
“I poured out my heart, baring my soul to God…” —Daniel 9:4a
“Then my people will join together in tears to seek the Lord. And they will
ask the way to Jerusalem and they will start back home again.” Jeremiah 50:4b-5a
DEMONSTRATE MY
“And I started fasting and went without food, and to show my sadness I put on rough clothes and sat in ashes.” —Daniel 9:3c
Why fast?
THANK GOD FOR HIS
“Then I said ‘Lord, you are a great and awesome God! You always fulfill your promises of constant love to those who love you and keep your commands.’” —Daniel 9:1-2
I HUMBLY
“We have sinned and done wrong. We have rebelled against you and ignored your commands and rejected your laws! We have refused to listen to your servants, the prophets, who spoke your messages to our kings and leaders and parents, and to everyone else in our nation.” —Daniel 9:5-6
“We have brought disgrace and shame on ourselves … because we’ve been unfaithful to you. This is true of all of us, including our kings, leaders, and parents.” —Daniel 9:7-8
“We paid no attention to you when you told us how to live, the clear teaching that came through your prophets.” —Daniel 9:10
“We kept on sinning, never giving you a second thought, oblivious to your clear warnings. —Daniel 9:13
“… now, all the other nations mock us.” —Daniel 9:16b
“O God, listen to me and hear my request … We do not ask because we deserve help, but because you are so merciful.” —Daniel 9:18
GOD’S RESPONSE TO DANIEL
“While I kept on praying and confessing my sin and the sins of my people, and pleading with the Lord, suddenly the angel Gabriel appeared in my vision
and said ‘Daniel, I’ve been sent to help you understand God’s plan. The moment you began praying, an answer was given, and I’m here to tell it to you, for God loves you very much.’” —Daniel 9:20-23a
GOD’S PROMISE TO HIS PEOPLE
“If my people, who are called by my name, will HUMBLE themselves and PRAY and SEEK my face and TURN from their wicked ways, then I will HEAR from heaven and will FORGIVE their sin and HEAL their land!” —2 Chronicles 7:14