Give ear, O God, and hear, open Your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears Your Name. We do not make request of You because we are righteous, but because of Your great mercy. Daniel 9:18 (Daniel 9)
As Babylon falls, Daniel reads Jeremiah’s prophecies and does the math. He realizes the time of captivity was nearing an end and restoration was nigh. Daniel is fully Hebrew/Jew as he prays a beautiful prayer of corporate and individual contrition. He acknowledges their sins throughout the history of God’s covenant people and knows this alone brought judgement. Daniel asks for mercy, not because they deserve it after their suffering, but because God is Good.
Here again, scripture seems to confuse more than it answers, but while Daniel was praying, Gabriel came with news of Hope. Scholars argue the details, but the big picture is this: Daniel was able to predict the rebuilding of Jerusalem, the coming of Jesus, the year and duration of His ministry and its end with His atoning death. A mysterious time (by man’s linear understanding) to the future, when evil will be bound forever, leaving Peace to rule the faithful, is still to come, but documented as part of this vision.
I once bought into the old adage, ‘The more you read/know, the less you understand’. Reading the ancient prophets can make one’s head spin, but as I have studied and prayed, I no longer accept this as true or even possible, because God doesn’t operate this way. He brings order and rest to all He touches. Daniel saw a time of complete finality that was filled with great and everlasting Hope and Peace. I don’t have to be a nuclear physicist to see the stars and I don’t have to do calculus to know that God has always had a miraculous plan to save me from my carnal self. He gave His only Son to die for me. It’s as simple as 2+2=4.
Blessings,
Gretchen