Dan. 9:3-4; Rom. 3:21-26, Meeting the Present Crisis (5)

We are meditating on Daniel’s praise for His God.

(ii)   His mercy, v4.  It makes perfect sense that in the same verse that Daniel worships God for being “great and fearful,” he also worships God for His mercy.  In this praise Daniel is quoting from Ex. 20:6. That is how we can grow in the knowledge of God: seeing how God describes Himself.  In Exodus it is God speaking after giving the first two of the Ten Commandments.  You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image.  The LORD then reminds Israel He is a “jealous” God, but also showing mercy to those who love Him and keep His commands.  This is important in the context of Daniel’s prayer.  “Mercy” is chesed, the term often translated “lovingkindness,” referring to God’s general goodness to His people.  That goodness is based in God’s covenant relationship with His people, as Daniel also notes.  God made a covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their descendants.  The goodness/mercy of God was to be enjoyed as those people loved Him (Deut. 6:4-5) and kept His commands (Deut. 6:6-9).  So pay attention: Daniel’s prayer is full of the knowledge of God’s word!

(iii)                        His faithfulness. v4,12.  The beginning of the prayer speaks of God’s faithfulness in that He keeps His covenant and the promise of goodness associated with that covenant.  We like that aspect of God’s faithfulness, don’t we.  He keeps His promises of goodness.  But do we praise God for His faithfulness in His promises to judge and to chasten His people.  That is the point of v12.  Quite often, our crisis is of our own making.  It is the result of sin.  Do we exalt God when He faithfully brings great hardships on us because of the path of evil we choose.

(iv)                     His righteousness. v7,14,16.  As always, in a prayer of confession, we must come to the place where we fully praise God for His righteousness.  Dealing with the “crises” in our lives will always require accountability on our own part, taking responsibility when we confess our sins.  Often, the easiest escape from accountability is to blame God for our problems.  In fact, the only way to deal with the crises is to rely on God, which begins by recognizing that He has been, is and will be righteous in everything.  Daniel does this. “O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face …the LORD our God is righteous in all the works which He does … O LORD, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away.”  Note the huge point here.  How can God turn away His anger and maintain His righteousness?  Only if SOMEONE satisfies God’s righteousness.  Daniel is asking for Jesus (Rom. 3:21-26)!