Verse 10: “We have not listened to the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in His laws which He has set before us by the hands of His servants, the prophets.”

Laws: Torah

Note: We see a relationship between God’s instruction (His law) and the prophets. Prophecy should bring about a renewal, that will bear itself out in faithful obedience to the instruction and the Word of God. This is not only for the people who lived in the Old Testament times. This is also applicable for us today (Romans 8:4). We will not fulfil the righteousness of the law if we do not know the commandments of God.

Verse 11: “For all of Israel has transgressed Your law, and they have turned without listening to Your voice; and You have set upon us the curse and the oath, which is written in the law of Moses, the servant of God. For we have sinned against Him.”

The curse and the oath, which is written in the law of Moses: Deuteronomy 28:15-68

Verse 12: “And He has established His word which He spoke unto us, and to our judges who have judged us, to bring upon us this great evil – which has never been done under all the heavens as has been done to Jerusalem.”

Never been done: Israel has suffered like no other people have suffered. They have paid back double for their sins (Isaiah 40:2)

Verse 13: “Just as it is written in the Law of Moses: all this evil has come upon us because we have not sought the face of the Lord our God, to turn from our iniquity and to be wise in truth.”

Evil: Not according to God’s good and perfect will. God did not want to exile Israel and cause her to suffer. That was not His good and perfect will. He wanted to reward them for faithfulness. However, when we live in a way that is unfaithful God is going to be faithful to His Word and is going to bring judgment.

We have not sought: The people did not want to walk in God’s truth, so they did not seek Him in order to repent. Repentance would have brought about a renewal – a spiritual change. Daniel was unique. He was praying, he was spiritually sensitive, and he was prophetically driven. Do not underestimate the value of one person. One man or woman who are insightful to God’s truth, living and speaking it out, can bring change in others. That is the call upon every believer. We need to be committed to that (Matthew 28:18-20).

Verse 14: “And the Lord was diligent concerning the evil and brought it upon us. For righteous is the Lord our God over all of His deeds which He has done, but we have not heard His voice.”

Diligent: Serious. God was faithful to bring this judgment upon Israel. He is diligent about punishing evil, and He is equally diligent to reward good.

Righteous: Because God is righteous He punishes evil and rewards good.

We have not heard: Are we sensitive to the voice of the Lord? Are we listening to Him so that we are able to obey Him?

Verse 15: “And now, O Lord our God, who brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and made Yourself a name, as it is this day – we have sinned, we have done wickedly.”

Brought Your people out of the land of Egypt: Daniel’s prayer is a prayer that prepares people for redemption. There are two ways to understand redemption – there is a physical redemption and there is spiritual redemption. When the Lord took the people out of Egypt that was a physical redemption. After the Babylonian captivity was completed the Lord again took the people back to the land of Israel. The final outcome of redemption, however, is the establishment of the Kingdom – when God brings the people back to the land, in the last days, for the return of Messiah.

Verse 16: “My Lord, according to all your righteousness, Your anger has come and Your wrath upon our city of Jerusalem, and upon Your holy mountain, because we have sinned. And for our iniquity, and that of our fathers, all this has come about. Jerusalem and Your people have become a disgrace to all those around us.”

All this: This judgment has come about because of sin. This teaches us that God does not wink at, or think lightly of, sin.

Your people have become a disgrace: Israel was supposed to be a testimony to the nations. Instead of being a testimony for righteousness and of the truth of God they had become a disgrace, a poor witness. Despite this, God did not cast them aside eternally -just for a period of 70 years.