Daniel 9:11
Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.
All Israel broke God's law by turning away so as not to obey His voice, and because they sinned against Him the curse and the oath written in the law of Moses was poured out upon them. It is the confession of Daniel's earnest intercessory prayer, sought with fasting and sackcloth and ashes and tears and humiliation after he was astonished and made sick by the vision of the evening and the morning. Though greatly beloved, he took the guilt of his people as his own and confessed shared sin, for nearness to God exposes defects under the law and leads to humiliation rather than boasting of holiness. He pleaded for his people, city and holy mountain not on their own righteousness but on God's righteousness and great mercies, and his prayer laid hold of infinite power so that heaven was moved, angels were sent with light, and rebellious Israel was again taken into favor with restoration and further probation. The same departing transgression now belongs to God's people in self-confidence, in neglecting light and working contrary to His expressed commands, and Daniel 9:3-19 is given as the model for humble, united, persevering prayer that confesses sin, gives God glory, and finds pardon and preparation for the coming of the Lord.
Confession in Daniel's Prayer
All Israel transgressed God's law by departing so as not to obey His voice, turning away and refusing obedience and breaking the law by departure from God's word. Because they sinned against Him, the curse and the oath written in the law of Moses the servant of God was poured out and fell upon them for their disobedience. The permitted consequence was the humbling of Israel by idolatrous nations and the desolation of Jerusalem through seventy years. The prayer expresses sorrow and deep contrition over that desolation.
The verse belongs to Daniel's earnest prayer of confession and humbling before God, offered with fasting, sackcloth and ashes, tears, confession and humiliation. He sought the Lord God by prayer and supplications after fainting and being sick, astonished at the true vision of the evening and the morning that none understood. He came before God as a sinner and pleaded for the people he loved.
Daniel took the people's guilt as his own with sorrow and humiliation, including himself in confession of shared sin rather than claiming personal sinlessness. Even though he was greatly beloved by God, he acknowledged that he and the people had sinned rather than denying it. Closeness to God leads to confession of defects exposed by the law rather than boasting of holiness.
He pleaded for Jerusalem, His holy mountain, His city and people called by His name, and for God's honor to be preserved. He pleaded for the people's restoration not on the basis of their own righteousness but according to God's righteousness and great mercies. His plea was that anger and fury be turned away, offered in full, earnest and complete humbling with deep awareness of sin and dependence on God, humbling himself before God and giving Him the glory due His name.
His spirit of intercession laid hold of infinite power for the restoration of Jerusalem, and all heaven was interested. His prayer was heard because it was earnest and not in vain, and ministering angels came to give God's communication in vision. God had mercy on His rebellious people and took them again into favor, giving Jerusalem restoration, a second temple, and another probation.
Prophecy and Present Application
Daniel 9:11 stands within the seventy-weeks prophecy on which the first disciples based their proclamation that the appointed time was fulfilled and the kingdom of God was near at hand. That same prophecy foretold the death of the Messiah, so they proclaimed the right message at the right time without recognizing the foretold death contained in the very scripture on which their message rested. Daniel 9 holds the key for ascertaining the commencement and termination of the 2300 days, and between Daniel 8 and Daniel 9 there is an unmistakable connection.
The judgments of God witnessed in San Francisco and in many places are a standing warning opening what Daniel saw in vision would be, and the great things to take place are still before the living who shall see these judgments to the end. The chapter calls God's people to seek Him in humble, contrite, united prayer, assembling together, confessing sins, repenting before God, and continuing in united prayer until He manifests Himself with power, with the plea for Him to hear, forgive, and act for His people. Daniel's prayer was heard because it came from sincere, unfeigned lips, showing that God is ready to hear the contrite person and answer petitions, and His willingness to help those who come to Him in faith abides, so that the same God will hear present prayers when approached as Daniel approached Him with trust, unceasing prayer, and communion of soul with God.
The same condition of transgression by departing so as not to obey His voice belongs to God's people now in self-confidence and presumption, in not heeding the light and testimonies of His Spirit, in departure from His expressed commands and working contrary to His messages. It is seen in selfishly gathering facilities to a few favored places and neglecting other parts of the field, the needs of the people in the large cities, and the Southern field, and those who have received light show this departure by failure to heed the messages given them. When those who claim to believe the truth practice the truth and offer such a prayer as Daniel's, that neglect will end.
Daniel's prayer is offered as a model for humbly examining one's own experience before God and for asking the Holy Spirit to work on our behalf. Daniel 9:3-19 is to be made our own prayer, offered in humility holding together lowliness in view of the cost of redemption and a true sense of value as purchased at infinite cost to use every capability to God's glory unto perfection and completeness in Christ. It teaches humility before God while never obliterating the line of demarcation between God's commandment-keeping people and those who have no respect for His law. The verse is to be read by one who has departed from the faith or been reproved as the pattern for humbling the heart, confessing that the Lord's will has not been done and that there has been departing and departure from the faith acknowledged in sight of enemies who have seen it, and making a change as Daniel the greatly beloved did.
Those who pray as Daniel prayed confess their sins and find pardon, live wholly for God's glory, and are faithful and true as Daniel was. They are not asleep but keenly alive to exposure to the enemy's malignant devices, see their only safety in keeping the commandments of God, stand in their lot and in their place guarded by heavenly ministering intelligences, and make thorough work for eternity. So prepared for the Lord's coming and the last great controversy without fanciful speculation, this is a truth ministers are to press home upon all within reach of their voice.