Daniel Prays in Sackcloth as Gabriel ComesBible World
9:22Daniel 9:22
And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.
Gabriel came to Daniel while he was still speaking in prayer, confessing his sin and the sin of Israel, being caused to fly swiftly and touching him about the time of the evening sacrifice to talk with him. He was sent to give Daniel insight and comprehension of the light and truth he and his people needed, opening to him future events reaching to the coming of the Redeemer. His coming resumed the unfinished explanation of the earlier vision in Daniel 8, whose element of time had been left unexplained when Daniel fainted and none understood it. He gave the unmistakable key to the 2300 days by the seventy weeks, which mean literally cut off and were cut off from the 2300 days as specially pertaining to the Jews, beginning together from the commandment to restore Jerusalem. The swiftness of the answer before the prayer was finished shows that God hears contrite, wholehearted, earnest prayer for wisdom and gives increased ability and power from heaven, and those who now seek Him with cleansed hearts will likewise have their prayers heard and answered.
Gabriel's Visit in Prayer
The one who came was Gabriel, the same angel seen in the vision at the beginning, caused to fly swiftly to Daniel while he was still speaking in prayer, confessing his own sin and the sin of Israel and presenting his supplication before God, touching him about the time of the evening sacrifice to talk with him. He came in swift answer before the prayer was finished, because Daniel prayed most earnestly in tears with fasting and affliction of soul, with sackcloth and ashes, confession and humiliation, laying hold of the throne of infinite power for the restoration of Jerusalem and for God's honor. All heaven was interested in that supplication, his prayer was heard, and it was not for nothing.
In this communication Gabriel spoke directly with Daniel and told him he was greatly beloved. When Daniel could not endure his appearance, he strengthened him and revealed himself as a man. He came commissioned to give Daniel skill and understanding, meaning insight and comprehension. That gift was the light and truth he and his people needed, with a view of future events extending to the coming of the Redeemer and opening the mysteries of future ages. Daniel's earnest search to know and understand the truth brought him into communion with heaven's messenger, and his petitions were heard and answered.
The visit shows the work of ministering angels and the close connection between heaven and earth. Heavenly agencies commune with earthly men to reveal what shall take place. Daniel received that heavenly communication with humility rather than pride.
Explanation of the Vision
Gabriel came again to impart the skill and understanding needed to grasp the vision, resuming the unfinished explanation from Daniel 8 in fulfillment of the command to make Daniel understand it. The element of time had been left unexplained there because Daniel fainted, became sick, and none understood it. The point to be made clear on his return was the period of the 2300 days unto the cleansing of the sanctuary.
The explanation continues the earlier vision by addressing that omitted point of time, and Daniel 9 supplies the unmistakable key to when that 2300-year period begins. It corrects Daniel's belief that the 2300 days ended with the seventy years of captivity, showing instead that the seventy weeks begin the explanation of the 2300 days.
Gabriel dwells chiefly upon time, directing Daniel back to the earlier vision and explaining it through the seventy weeks beginning with the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem. Those seventy weeks represent 490 years and literally mean cut off, being cut off from the 2300 days as specially pertaining to the Jews, with the two periods beginning together. On historical and chronological evidence they are reckoned from the year 457 B.C. and extend to the crucifixion.
The seventy-week prophecy of this chapter supplied the time basis for the first disciples' proclamation that the time was fulfilled and the kingdom of God was at hand. That same scripture foretold the Messiah's death and marked the end of the seventy weeks, which the disciples did not understand when they preached. They rightly proclaimed the time from it but wrongly expected the earthly kingdom to be set up then, holding popular errors that blinded them to the foretold death. In delivering that right message at the right time despite misapprehension they fulfilled the will of God and then suffered disappointment, paralleling Miller and his associates with Daniel 8:14.
Daniel's revelations were not fully understood even by him, and some prophetic writings were sealed until the time of the end.
Lessons for Prayer Today
The account of Daniel's prayer and its results shows that God is willing to help all who come to Him, and that He is ready to hear the contrite heart. Those who seek Him wholeheartedly and ask for wisdom in faith may receive increased ability and power from heaven, for Daniel's skill and understanding came from God in direct response to prayer. Seeking the Scriptures and praying for clearer understanding of Bible truth belong to true sanctification. In answer to Daniel's prayer he was given the light and truth he and his people needed, together with a view of future events extending to the coming of the world's Redeemer. His example teaches that time given to meditation and prayer brings heavenly help and wisdom through a messenger sent in response to prayer.
The coming to give skill and understanding proves that simple petitions uttered in broken sentences from a burdened heart are heard when the helpless soul casts itself upon Christ the Burden-bearer, and to every such one Christ promises peace through taking hold of His strength. God heard Daniel's confession of sin, iniquity, wickedness and rebellion against His precepts, judgments and prophets, and gave assurance that the prayer would be answered. The intensity and earnestness of that prayer with fasting, sackcloth and ashes drew Daniel nearer to God. The same holds now as with Daniel, who prayed with earnestness and fervor under the moving of the Holy Spirit and was answered with skill and understanding from heaven. Those whose hearts are cleansed from selfishness and who seek the Lord with all the heart, praying in the Spirit with tenderness and love and yearning for wisdom and a deeper realization of the Saviour's love, will have their prayers heard and answered even as his were, and then the Word will be proclaimed with power.
God likewise hears the prayers of His people in answer to earnest prayer, comes to their deliverance, and makes known what is soon to take place, as He answered Daniel by sending a messenger to give him understanding. Gabriel, whom Daniel had seen in the vision at the beginning, was caused to fly swiftly and touched him about the time of the evening oblation while he was still speaking in prayer and confessing his own sin and the sin of Israel and presenting his supplication, to talk with him and give him skill and understanding. This means that heavenly agencies commune with earthly men to reveal what shall take place. With great things before us, God's people must learn the lessons He has given and seek the Lord and become sanctified in speech and heart in order to understand and not be left in darkness.
Gabriel came to Daniel while he was still speaking in prayer, confessing his sin and the sin of Israel, being caused to fly swiftly and touching him about the time of the evening sacrifice to talk with him. He was sent to give Daniel insight and comprehension of the light and truth he and his people needed, opening to him future events reaching to the coming of the Redeemer. His coming resumed the unfinished explanation of the earlier vision in Daniel 8, whose element of time had been left unexplained when Daniel fainted and none understood it. He gave the unmistakable key to the 2300 days by the seventy weeks, which mean literally cut off and were cut off from the 2300 days as specially pertaining to the Jews, beginning together from the commandment to restore Jerusalem. The swiftness of the answer before the prayer was finished shows that God hears contrite, wholehearted, earnest prayer for wisdom and gives increased ability and power from heaven, and those who now seek Him with cleansed hearts will likewise have their prayers heard and answered.
Gabriel's Visit in Prayer
The one who came was Gabriel, the same angel seen in the vision at the beginning, caused to fly swiftly to Daniel while he was still speaking in prayer, confessing his own sin and the sin of Israel and presenting his supplication before God, touching him about the time of the evening sacrifice to talk with him. He came in swift answer before the prayer was finished, because Daniel prayed most earnestly in tears with fasting and affliction of soul, with sackcloth and ashes, confession and humiliation, laying hold of the throne of infinite power for the restoration of Jerusalem and for God's honor. All heaven was interested in that supplication, his prayer was heard, and it was not for nothing.
In this communication Gabriel spoke directly with Daniel and told him he was greatly beloved. When Daniel could not endure his appearance, he strengthened him and revealed himself as a man. He came commissioned to give Daniel skill and understanding, meaning insight and comprehension. That gift was the light and truth he and his people needed, with a view of future events extending to the coming of the Redeemer and opening the mysteries of future ages. Daniel's earnest search to know and understand the truth brought him into communion with heaven's messenger, and his petitions were heard and answered.
The visit shows the work of ministering angels and the close connection between heaven and earth. Heavenly agencies commune with earthly men to reveal what shall take place. Daniel received that heavenly communication with humility rather than pride.
Explanation of the Vision
Gabriel came again to impart the skill and understanding needed to grasp the vision, resuming the unfinished explanation from Daniel 8 in fulfillment of the command to make Daniel understand it. The element of time had been left unexplained there because Daniel fainted, became sick, and none understood it. The point to be made clear on his return was the period of the 2300 days unto the cleansing of the sanctuary.
The explanation continues the earlier vision by addressing that omitted point of time, and Daniel 9 supplies the unmistakable key to when that 2300-year period begins. It corrects Daniel's belief that the 2300 days ended with the seventy years of captivity, showing instead that the seventy weeks begin the explanation of the 2300 days.
Gabriel dwells chiefly upon time, directing Daniel back to the earlier vision and explaining it through the seventy weeks beginning with the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem. Those seventy weeks represent 490 years and literally mean cut off, being cut off from the 2300 days as specially pertaining to the Jews, with the two periods beginning together. On historical and chronological evidence they are reckoned from the year 457 B.C. and extend to the crucifixion.
The seventy-week prophecy of this chapter supplied the time basis for the first disciples' proclamation that the time was fulfilled and the kingdom of God was at hand. That same scripture foretold the Messiah's death and marked the end of the seventy weeks, which the disciples did not understand when they preached. They rightly proclaimed the time from it but wrongly expected the earthly kingdom to be set up then, holding popular errors that blinded them to the foretold death. In delivering that right message at the right time despite misapprehension they fulfilled the will of God and then suffered disappointment, paralleling Miller and his associates with Daniel 8:14.
Daniel's revelations were not fully understood even by him, and some prophetic writings were sealed until the time of the end.
Lessons for Prayer Today
The account of Daniel's prayer and its results shows that God is willing to help all who come to Him, and that He is ready to hear the contrite heart. Those who seek Him wholeheartedly and ask for wisdom in faith may receive increased ability and power from heaven, for Daniel's skill and understanding came from God in direct response to prayer. Seeking the Scriptures and praying for clearer understanding of Bible truth belong to true sanctification. In answer to Daniel's prayer he was given the light and truth he and his people needed, together with a view of future events extending to the coming of the world's Redeemer. His example teaches that time given to meditation and prayer brings heavenly help and wisdom through a messenger sent in response to prayer.
The coming to give skill and understanding proves that simple petitions uttered in broken sentences from a burdened heart are heard when the helpless soul casts itself upon Christ the Burden-bearer, and to every such one Christ promises peace through taking hold of His strength. God heard Daniel's confession of sin, iniquity, wickedness and rebellion against His precepts, judgments and prophets, and gave assurance that the prayer would be answered. The intensity and earnestness of that prayer with fasting, sackcloth and ashes drew Daniel nearer to God. The same holds now as with Daniel, who prayed with earnestness and fervor under the moving of the Holy Spirit and was answered with skill and understanding from heaven. Those whose hearts are cleansed from selfishness and who seek the Lord with all the heart, praying in the Spirit with tenderness and love and yearning for wisdom and a deeper realization of the Saviour's love, will have their prayers heard and answered even as his were, and then the Word will be proclaimed with power.
God likewise hears the prayers of His people in answer to earnest prayer, comes to their deliverance, and makes known what is soon to take place, as He answered Daniel by sending a messenger to give him understanding. Gabriel, whom Daniel had seen in the vision at the beginning, was caused to fly swiftly and touched him about the time of the evening oblation while he was still speaking in prayer and confessing his own sin and the sin of Israel and presenting his supplication, to talk with him and give him skill and understanding. This means that heavenly agencies commune with earthly men to reveal what shall take place. With great things before us, God's people must learn the lessons He has given and seek the Lord and become sanctified in speech and heart in order to understand and not be left in darkness.