Examing Our Life in Light of The Certainty of God's Word

Examining our Lives in Light of the Certainty of God’s Word.
Daniel 9-12
“Therefore, the Lord has kept the calamity in store and brought it on us; for the Lord our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done, but we have not obeyed His voice.”
Chapters 9-12 of Daniel are remarkable for several reasons. First, Daniel is given a prophecy that accurately describes the history from his day to the arrival of the Messiah. In chapter 9, Daniel describes 70 prophetic weeks that will come. The first 69 weeks (each consisting of a 7-year period) point us to the arrival of the Messiah. Determining the exact starting point of the 69 weeks has led to two views. The first is that the 69 weeks begin with the decree of Nehemiah in 450 BC. If this date is correct, then the 483 years predicted by the prophecy culminate in the triumphant entry of Christ into the city of Jerusalem. The 2nd view is that the 69 weeks begin with Ezra in 457 BC. In this case, the first 7 weeks would end with the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem in 408 BC, and the next weeks of years would end with the beginning of Christ’s ministry in A.D. 27. In any case, what is remarkable is that Daniel’s vision predicts the year of the arrival of the Messiah. Understanding the 70th week has led to fierce debate among biblical scholars. Some find their fulfillment in the destruction of Jerusalem in 69 AD, while others understand it to refer to a yet future event, which is then described in the book of Revelation as the great tribulation period.
However, in the debate, we cannot overlook the most important principle: namely, that God controls history and determines the events that occur.  But this brings us to the other principle that Daniel emphasizes in chapter 9, and that is the importance of our personal response to God.  God is a just and holy God who brings both judgment upon sin and salvation to those who seek Him.  As Daniel was reading the words of Jeremiah, he discovered that the exile of Israel was to be for 70 years.  Daniel reflects on the fact that this exile was a result of the sins of the people, and if Israel was to be restored, they needed to seek God and his forgiveness.  Therefore, in response, he acknowledges the sins of the nation and seeks God’s forgiveness.
The lesson we learn from Daniel is threefold.  First, we learn that God is the one who controls the nations and the history of humanity.  We do not need to fear the present, nor do we need to fear those who are elected to lead our nation.  God is the one who is ultimately in control, and He is moving history to His predetermined conclusion.  Second, we need to recognize our own sin and seek God’s forgiveness and cleansing.  God will not allow sin to go unpunished.  Just as he brought judgment upon Israel, so he will bring judgment upon us for our sin.  Sin is never taken lightly, and God will condemn those who reject him. Third, God is a compassionate and forgiving God who welcomes those who seek him.  Faith is more than just belief in the existence of God; it is the act of surrender to him and “walking in his teachings which he set before us through His servants the prophets” (9:10).  In the prophetic accuracy of the Bible, we are also reminded of the moral accuracy of the Bible.  God not only has revealed his plan for human history, he has also revealed his moral law that we are to follow.  Thus, we need to ask ourselves, “Are we following his instructions for us?”