Daniel 9:20-27
Understanding can come through
- There is always a need for confession – Proverbs 20:9
When prayers are not answered immediately – there is a
Praying like Daniel
Prophecy given to Daniel (vv. 24-27)
70 ‘sevens’ – each ‘seven’ is a year (70 x 7 = 490 years)
7 ‘sevens’ (v. 25) + 62 ‘sevens’ (v. 25) + 1 ‘seven’ (v. 27)
- 7 x 7 = 49 → years to rebuild Jerusalem
- 62 x 7 = 434 → additional years until Messiah comes
- 1 x 7 = 7 → years of Tribulation
Artaxerxes made a decree allowing Nehemiah to r estore & rebuild Jerusalem (Neh 2:1-8)
Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday (Matt 21:1-17, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, John 12:12-19)
Sermon Talks
- Read Daniel 9:20-27 as you prepare to work through the sermon talks.
- How can prayer bring understanding?
- Read and discuss the following verses about the importance of prayer. Jeremiah 29:12, Philippians 4:6-7, 1 Thes 5:16-18, James 5:16, 1 John 5:14-15.
- How did God view Daniel according to verse 23? How would it change your daily prayer life to approach God with the firm belief that you are deeply loved and “highly esteemed” by Him?
- List some reasons why God might choose not to answer our prayers the way we want or in the time we want.
- What was most interesting to you as we broke down the meaning of the 70 sevens?
- We live in the tension between Christ’s first coming (death & resurrection) and His second coming. How can we maintain hope and live righteously in a world that is often marked by turmoil and spiritual conflict?
- Gabriel was sent to give Daniel “insight and understanding” (v. 22). How can we balance relying on the Holy Spirit for spiritual wisdom with the hard work of studying scripture in our daily lives?
- In the end, God wins! This was true for Daniel and the Jewish people. It is also true for those who put their faith in Jesus Christ. As born-again believers in Jesus, we win and get the joy of spending eternity in His heaven. Praise God!
- Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you in a time of prayer. Begin by praising God for who He is and what He has done in your life. Praise Him for your salvation.