Sunday, January 31, AM

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Sunnyside Baptist Church "Covenant Faithfulness" Daniel 9:1-27

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Well good morning to you all.
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I apologize for the quality of my voice here but I'm glad to be able to be here and I'm not contagious as far as I know.
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So I did I had a negative test back in December so all is fine.
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No actually I had a negative test on Friday so all is well. Anyway we want to welcome you to Sunnyside Baptist Church this morning.
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We're glad that you're here with us to worship the Lord together, to enjoy fellowship with one another, to encourage each other in the faith, build one another up in Christ.
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So we're grateful for the Lord's mercy to bring us together here this morning. So a couple of announcements to to bring to your attention.
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One in your bulletin is in regards to Operation Christmas Child. Grateful for all those who gave through the course of the last year and we're beginning the process of collecting items for for this year.
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So hats, mufflers, and gloves are always needed. So winter winter clothing items are helpful.
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So anything you can supply along those lines will be will be a much appreciated.
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Next Sunday after the after the morning service there will be a brief meeting about a 10 -minute meeting down in the fellowship hall after the service to speak with those who might be interested in standing outside the abortion mill abortion clinic that is in our neighborhood to pray there and if the
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Lord gives opportunity to speak with people. But if you're interested in doing that at any point along the way please attend that meeting.
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They're also going to be talking about Abolition Day at the Capitol that will be in February and gathering together for a rally to abolish abortion.
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First in our state and then in our nation. So be thinking about that, praying about that.
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That will be next Sunday morning February 6th after the morning service in the fellowship hall for about 10 minutes to to talk about that.
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This morning we'll be not only enjoying our regular time of worship together but we'll also be sharing together in the
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Lord's Supper. So as we as we sing, as we pray, as we read
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God's Word, as you hear God's Word preached, let all those things prepare your hearts to meet around the
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Lord's table in fellowship with the Lord this morning. Flock groups will also meet today.
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At least some of them will be meeting today at various times in the second half of the day.
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So be mindful of that. Wednesday will be our regular Wednesday evening time of meal at 545 and then tag for the kids and prayer time for the adults at 630.
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So we hope that you can come and be a part of that. Our Friday verse for this week comes from Psalm 103 and the hundred and third
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Psalm is a great Psalm to memorize and to be able to meditate upon.
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And so it begins with these well -known verses verses 1 through 4. Bless the
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Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me. Bless his holy name.
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Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Who forgives all your iniquity?
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Who heals all your diseases? Who redeems your life from the pit? Who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy?
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So as you have opportunity this week, read over, meditate upon, and maybe even try to memorize those verses from Psalm 103.
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All right. All right. As we prepare our hearts to worship the
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Lord together this morning, we want to take a few moments just for each one of us individually to be still before the
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Lord to know that he is God and that we are his and we gather together to proclaim his greatness and majesty.
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And then after a few moments, then Brian's gonna come and lead us in prayer. All right.
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So let's go to the Lord. Heavenly Father, what a privilege to be here this morning with these brothers and sisters in Christ.
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May you strengthen the bond between us and between you.
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As our quote says on the bulletin from Charles Spurgeon, God promises to keep his people and he will keep his promises.
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What an assurance of our faith. So this morning,
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Lord, would you enlighten us by your word, lighten our hearts with music and song and praise and remind us whose we are.
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We are yours. May our allegiance, our love, our loyalty, our obedience be to you, oh
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God, and to none other. May we find joy and peace and satisfaction in our souls this day.
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In the name of Christ, our savior, we pray. Amen. Do you stand with me for our call to worship?
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The good news. The gospel is the good news. And the greatest gift that God gave us was salvation, sending the son of the
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Lord Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins. And today, as we remember that sacrifice and that wonderful gift of salvation, we just well in our singing and our reading and our worship of Christ, just be to Christ.
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Our passage this morning is found in Psalms chapter 74, starting this new chapter today.
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And the psalmist is appealing to God for the destruction in the land of Israel.
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So read with me together. Oh, God, why do you cast this off forever?
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Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture? Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old, which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage.
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Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt. Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins.
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The enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary. Your foes have reward in the midst of your meeting place.
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They set up their own signs for signs. They were like those who swing axes in a forest of trees and all its carved wood.
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They broke down with hatches and hammers. So if you would open your psalms for worship, hymnal page 74 a and we're going to sing that passage that we just read.
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We'll sing verses one through three. Mhm. Mhm. A song.
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You're a child. Yeah. Yeah.
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Yeah. Yeah. Oh, yeah.
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This song out of Psalms 51 10 through 12 is create me a clean heart.
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Mhm. Mhm. Mhm.
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Mhm. Mhm. Mhm. Oh, so there was a handout for next song in the back.
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He centers poor and wretched. Sing all five verses. Come on.
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Oh, yeah. Thank you.
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Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
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Yeah. Today we'll be reading from Isaiah chapter 14 verses 12 -13.
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How you are fallen from heaven,
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O dawn star, son of dawn. How you are cut down to the ground, you who lay the nations low.
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You said in your heart, I will ascend to heaven above the stars of God. I will set my throne on high,
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I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds.
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I will make myself like the most high. But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit.
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Those who see you will stare at you and ponder over you. Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook the kingdoms?
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Who made the world like a desert and overthrew its cities? Who did not let his prisoners go home?
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All the kings of the nations lie in glory, each in his own tomb.
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But you are cast out, away from your grave, like a loathed branch.
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Clothed with the slain, those pierced by the sword. Who go down to the stones of the pit, like a dead body trampled underfoot.
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You will not be joined with them in burial, because you have destroyed your land. You have slain your people.
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May the offspring of evildoers never more be named.
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Prepare slaughter for his sons because of the guilt of their fathers. Lest they rise and possess the earth and fill the face of the world with cities.
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I will rise up against them, declares the Lord of hosts. And I will cut off from Babylon name and remnant, descendants and posterity, declares the
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Lord. And I will make it a possession of the hedgehog and pools of water.
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And I will sweep it with the broom of destruction, declares the Lord of hosts. Please join me in prayer.
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Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us the ability to meet here today, Lord, and read your word.
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I pray that you will use today to work in the hearts of the congregation,
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Lord. And help them understand who you are and that they will be blessed by your word,
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Lord, in today's sermon. In Jesus' name I pray, amen. You may be seated.
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Our next song is out of Psalm 130. It's I Will Wait For You.
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The depths I call to you, Savior.
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The depths I cry to you. Places I will call you to me anew.
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And here I cry for mercy, Lord. Where you do count my sinful ways.
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How could I come before your throne?
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Yet full forgiveness meets my gaze.
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I stand retained by grace. I will wait for you.
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I will wait for you. On your word I will rely.
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I will wait for you. Surely wait for you.
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Till my soul is satisfied. So put your hope in God alone.
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Take courage in his vow to save.
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Completely and forever one. My Christ emerging from the grave.
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I will wait for you. I will wait for you. On your word
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I will rely. I will wait for you.
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Surely wait for you. Till my soul is satisfied.
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Now he has come to make a way.
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And God himself has made a price.
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That all who trust in him today. Mightily in his sacrifice.
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I will wait for you. I will wait for you.
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On your word I will rely. I will wait for you.
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Surely wait for you. Till my soul is satisfied.
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I will wait for you. I will wait for you.
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Through the storm and through the night.
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I will wait for you. Surely wait for you.
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Your love is my delight.
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Praise God. Praise God.
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Oh Lord. Praise God.
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Praise God. Let's go to the
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Lord together. Heavenly Father we come before you today.
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And we thank you for your many provisions in our lives. That you know exactly what we need.
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And you so abundantly supply. We thank you that we can trust you.
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That you are good and everything you do is good. That every good and perfect gift comes down from you.
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Our Father of light. With whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.
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We thank you that your word is true. And always reliable.
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And powerfully addresses our current situations.
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The state of our hearts. The need of the hour. As we come together today to rejoice.
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In the person and work of Jesus Christ. And as we celebrate his resurrection from the dead.
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That we live in his world. I pray that you would give us grace to hear your word.
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And respond with an amen. That you would have your way in us.
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And we pray all these things for the sake of Jesus Christ. The one with whom you are well pleased. Amen.
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I invite you to open your Bibles and turn with me to Daniel chapter 9.
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Daniel chapter 9. Daniel is a book of riddles.
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In which the wisdom of God triumphs over all. Whether the riddles emerge in state craft.
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Where life and death are on the line. Or the riddles appear in dreams and visions.
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Which plot the arrival of the new covenant. God's wisdom answers in every case.
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As Christ is revealed. And although we are not in the middle of the book.
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We have come to the central theme. We have come to the pinnacle chapter of Daniel.
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In chapter 9. All of the stories and all of the visions thus far.
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Have built to this critical moment. And the visions to come. Which round out the rest of the book.
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They flow downstream from this spring. It's in Daniel 9 that we most clearly.
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Find the heartbeat of the prophet. And we receive. In a most concentrated fashion.
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The promises about Messiah. The theme for this chapter is covenant faithfulness.
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I invite you to stand with me as I read. Daniel chapter 9 verses 1 through 10.
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Here are the words of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
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By his spirit to the prophet Daniel. In the first year of Darius.
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The son of Ahasuerus of the lineage of the Medes. Who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans. In the first year of his reign.
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I Daniel understood by the books. The number of the years specified by the word of the Lord. Through Jeremiah the prophet.
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That he would accomplish 70 years. In the desolations of Jerusalem.
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Then I set my face toward the Lord God. To make requests by prayer and supplications. With fasting sackcloth and ashes.
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And I prayed to the Lord my God. And made confession. And said. Oh Lord.
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Great and awesome God. Who keeps his covenant and mercy. With those who love him. And with those who keep his commandments.
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We have sinned. And committed iniquity. We have done wickedly and rebelled.
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Even by departing from your precepts and your judgments. Neither have we heeded your servants the prophets.
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Who spoke in your name to our kings and our princes. To our fathers and all the people of the land.
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Oh Lord. Righteousness belongs to you. But to us.
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Shame of face. As it is this day. To the men of Judah.
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To the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And all Israel. Those near and those far off. And all the countries to which you have driven them.
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Because of the unfaithfulness which they have committed against you. Oh Lord. To us belongs shame of face.
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To our kings. Our princes. And our fathers. Because we have sinned against you.
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To the Lord our God. Belong mercy and forgiveness. Though we have rebelled against him.
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We have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God. To walk in his laws. Which he set before us by his servants.
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The prophets. This is the word of the
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Lord. Thanks be to God. You may be seated. We have set before us.
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A meal. And this meal. Takes us from. Genesis to Revelation.
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This meal testifies. To the passing away of the old covenant. And the arrival of the new covenant.
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The abundance of Eden. Which God enjoyed. With the first Adam. Is superseded by the banquet of Zion.
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Set out by the second Adam. The feasting and fellowship lost.
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In Genesis 3. Is seen not only restored. But then fulfilled.
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In Revelation 19 -22. The Passover meal.
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That God crafted. For the old covenant. Is here. Collapsed into the communion meal.
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The shadow. You see. Bows and. Backs away.
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From the blazing light. Of Christ. And if the trappings.
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Of the Lord's Supper seem to you. To be far less ornate. Than those feasts of old covenant life.
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You would be correct. The feasts and the ceremonies. Of the old covenant were far.
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More ornate. Far more involved. Many more moving parts.
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And yet. The person and work of Christ. Are far. Far. Better.
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Than all of those shadows. Of the old covenant. And now that the new has come.
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The old. Has passed away. As we come to Daniel chapter 9.
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It is important. For us to remember that that transition. From the old covenant to the new covenant. Has not yet occurred.
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In Daniel's time. It's certainly in view. Daniel 9 holds great promise.
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For the new covenant. But Daniel's prayers. Are offered to God in old covenant.
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Parameters. And his concerns. Are answered by. New covenant promises.
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It is important for us. To properly locate. The prayer of Daniel. And the concerns that he has.
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To locate. Those. Within the story.
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Of God's redemption. We will be greatly helped. To understand and apply. The principles of prayer.
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And confession and hope. When we remember. What context. Daniel is in.
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When he prays. And what does Daniel desire? What does he pray for?
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Well I only read the first 10 verses. He keeps praying. All the way down to verse 19.
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So you know your homework. For today. What does Daniel desire? What is he really after?
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What does he hope for? What is he asking for? I think that you will see.
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That he is looking for. Forgiveness. Mercy. The restoration of fellowship.
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Between God and his people. What he desires is. Communion. What he desires is something that.
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Is realized. Even in the ordinance. Set in front of us. Throughout Daniel chapter 9.
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Here is the controlling. Thought we are going to see. That God's covenant faithfulness.
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And that means. Him keeping his promises. That means him loving his people.
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Based on who he is. And not who they are. God's covenant faithfulness.
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Manifests. Is revealed. It shows up. God's covenant faithfulness.
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Manifests in Christ. For all the saints. For all the saints. So when the old covenant saints.
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Who were circumcised. Of heart. When they. Wanted to know how faithful God was.
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They would look at the shadows. And the types. And the promises of Christ. And as new covenant saints.
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When we want to know how faithful God is. How good he is. That he keeps his promises. That he loves us.
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Based on who he is. And not who we are. We also look. Where he is revealed.
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His covenant faithfulness. And that is. The person and work of Jesus Christ. God's covenant faithfulness.
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Manifests in Christ. For all the saints. This morning what we are going to do.
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Is simply look at the first two verses. Of Daniel chapter nine. To remind ourselves.
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Of some very important events. That have already occurred. In the history of Israel. How it is that Daniel has come to this particular position.
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At this particular time. We need to understand the setting. For the prayer.
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That he offers to the Lord. Daniel chapter nine.
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Verses three through nineteen. Gives us a wonderful look. Into the prayer life of an old covenant saint.
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A prophet in exile. After the destruction of Jerusalem. And the temple. And this is one example.
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Of many long form prayers. That we have in the bible.
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We can read. Hannah's prayer. We can read. David's prayers.
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We can read Jeremiah's prayers. We can even go to the new testament. And read the prayers of Jesus.
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And the setting. Of all of those prayers. Matters.
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When the saints. And our savior prayed. We should think. About. What was going on in that time.
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What were the covenant conditions. What had been revealed about. Redemption.
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I say this because we need to. Remember about. What Daniel is praying.
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He's praying an old covenant prayer. And I say that not to say this. I'm not saying that it has nothing to teach us.
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Far from it. I'm not saying that it's wrong headed. Far from it. I'm not saying we should ignore it.
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Far from it. What we need to recognize. Is that Daniel prays from an old covenant concern.
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And that the new covenant. Is yet to come. We need to sort our understanding.
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Of Daniel's prayer. According to Christ. Not according to our current.
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Sociopolitical situation. Not according to our. Felt needs.
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Not according to. Our lived. Experiences.
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We should be reading. Daniel's prayer. According to Christ. Where is
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Christ. At this moment. When Daniel is praying. What has been revealed about him.
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Thus far. What has he accomplished. And what is yet to come. In his manifest.
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Reign. The only alternative we have. To reading. God's holy word in the light.
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Of Christ. The only alternative is to read our own experiences. Our own emotions. And our own cultural ethos into the text.
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And who knows where we will end up. Then. And so we will give.
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Perhaps. And apparently an inordinate amount. Of attention to the setting. Of old covenant.
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Concern. In verses one and two. Now there are two considerations going on.
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In verses one and two. There is. A set of timing and authority.
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In verse one. And there is a set of timing and authority. In verse two. Which one is the more.
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Important. Connection for Daniel. Which one is controlling his thoughts.
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And his prayers. Growing up in. Guthrie. Our church and school were located down in the flood plains of the town.
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And there were a lot of. Empty city blocks. Spread all around our. Dilapidated white cinder block buildings.
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That had survived the floods. All of the abandoned houses. Had been demolished and the debris removed away.
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So we had a lot of open area down there. And the city. Would use it for carnivals and festivals. One carnival came through every year.
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And offered those infamous rides. You know the kind. You get strapped in.
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Some half worn loose. Restraining straps. And then you get hurled around.
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As fast as the motor can turn you. So you can feel like an astronaut in training. The flimsy belts.
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Fastened across your body. They don't really keep you in place. It's those G forces. That are doing that.
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And as long as the rattling bolts. Of that rust bucket ride hold together. The centripetal force.
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Keeps you in place. And it doesn't matter. If the restraints. Across your body are a threadbare.
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Brand new. You can even replace them in the middle of the ride. And it wouldn't matter. I say all this because there are two.
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Intersecting factors. Intersecting factors mentioned twice. In Daniel chapter 9 verses 1 and 2. Timing and authority.
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One set of those factors. Is like that seat belt. That you could take it or leave it.
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Or change it out. The other set of factors. Is like those G forces pinning you.
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In place. One doesn't really affect the saint. Anywhere near as much as.
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The other. And we're going to see how these things. Work in the prayer life of Daniel.
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We begin with. The. Not so important. Restraint straps.
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The timing and authority. Of the current political situation. Daniel chapter 9 verse 1.
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The first year. Of Darius the Mede. In the first year of Darius.
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The son of the Hazaras. Of the lineage of the Medes. Who was made king over the realm of the
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Chaldeans. Now. What's confusing for readers of the Bible. Is that the names.
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Darius and Hazaras. Show up again. In the story.
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Of the empire of Medo -Persia. These are. Royal names used both by.
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The Medes and the Persians. The Medo -Persian empire. Was complex. They had a cultural.
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Unity but. Differing groups. The Medes then the Persians. They had upwards of four different.
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Imperial capitals. A complex empire. But as we saw.
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In Daniel chapter 8. The Medo -Persian ram. That went and conquered.
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The known world. The first horn was the smaller horn. Of less power.
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And that was the Medes. And the second horn which was much larger. Was the Persian horn. The one that got all the fame and glory.
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In the history books. So when we read about this Darius. The son of an
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Ahasuerus. These are the Medes. Not later on. Not the Darius.
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Of the Persians. Under whose reign. The temple was rebuilt. Not the
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Ahasuerus of later times. Whose bad advisor Haman.
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Tried to have all the Jews killed. This Ahasuerus and Darius. Aren't the same as those two.
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These are the Medes. Who came much earlier. This Darius is the one we read about. At the end of Daniel chapter 5.
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Daniel chapter 5. Verses 30 and 31. That very night Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans. Was slain.
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And Darius the Mede received the kingdom. Being about 62 years old. That Darius.
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Which means that the old regime. Had been defeated. The emperor had fallen.
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Long live the emperor. The empire had passed away. New empire.
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But basically the same story. Here in the first year. Of Darius the Mede. He was large and in charge.
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And looking forward to making a bunch of changes. That would consolidate his power.
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We can read about the organizational changes. That Darius the Mede put in place. At the beginning of Daniel chapter 6.
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He wanted a tight control. Over his empire. And so he reorganized things.
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New agendas. Were being set. A whole new order was in motion. The great reset had occurred.
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And neither hope in the state. Nor fear of man. Was the proper response. To the
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Medo -Persian ascendancy. Remember also. This was the same
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Darius. Who agreed with his advisors. To consolidate his new power. By establishing a 30 day quarantine.
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On any prayer except to him. All loving neighbors. And righteous citizens would comply.
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This was the greater good. Mandated by the state. Except Daniel did not comply.
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He went to his window. As he had done every day. From his youth.
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And he faced the promised land. Well. The now devastated and destroyed.
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Jerusalem and Temple. Piles of rubble. But yet Daniel was resilient.
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In his hold. Upon the shadows of Christ. He feared the Lord. Not man.
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And he prayed according to the word of the Lord. Not according to the creed. Or mandate of man.
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And what was he praying about? What was
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Daniel praying about? There in his upper room. Facing out. The promised land.
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He just got word. He wasn't supposed to do that. But what was he up there.
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In the first year of Darius the Mede. What was he praying about? Well we see that in Daniel 9.
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And we see that the controlling factors. Of Daniel's prayers. Was not about Darius and his first year.
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Or Darius and his new mandate. But God's word. And the promise.
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Of 70 years. That was what controlled his thinking. The 70 years of Jeremiah's prophecy.
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Verse 2. In the first year of his reign. I Daniel understood by the books. The number of the years.
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Specified by the word of the Lord. Through Jeremiah the prophet. That he would accomplish 70 years. In the desolations.
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Of Jerusalem. Now there was obviously. An effect upon Daniel.
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When they transitioned from Babylonian rule. To Medo -Persian rule. Remember that Daniel was there in the last night.
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Of the Babylonian Empire. He was there interpreting the handwriting on the wall. To Belshazzar.
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The very night that Belshazzar was killed. And the city of Babylon fell to their enemies. But more important to Daniel.
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Was these 70 years. 70 years. That drove Daniel to his knees.
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In prayer. When would God fulfill the promise? When would God. Fulfill the promise of the 70 years.
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And say now is the time. That wasn't. Initially clear. To Daniel.
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Daniel had read the scrolls of Jeremiah. He found the prophecies. And we would locate them in chapters 25 and 29.
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But he had read them. And what was going on. In that time.
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In 605 B .C. Years before.
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The destruction of Jerusalem. When. Daniel was very young.
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In 605 B .C. Babylon had finished off. Their enemies. The Assyrians.
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And their Egyptian allies. In a climactic battle. Called the Battle of Carchemish. After that.
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No one had any kind of ability. To oppose Babylon. They were the sole remaining superpower.
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In the ancient near east. And although. God was using Babylon. As an instrument of judgment.
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To bring judgment against all these different nations. Babylon being evil. In and of herself.
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Would also face her own destruction. In God's good timing. And that was 70 years.
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This was promised in. Jeremiah chapter 25 and verse 12. Then it will come to pass.
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When 70 years are completed. That I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation. The land of the Chaldeans for their iniquity.
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Says the Lord. And I will make it a perpetual desolation. In chapter 25.
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The Lord sends word by Jeremiah and says. Look I put Nebuchadnezzar in charge. Babylon is the ruler of the roost now.
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And you all need to submit to his rule. As part of your punishment. And if you decide to resist.
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And rebel against Babylon. Here's what's going to happen. You're going to lose. Also it's a disaster going to come upon you.
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And in fact he'll come and destroy you. And he'll take you away captive. And it will be disaster.
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And the people of Judah. True to form. Did not listen to the word of God. Did not care about Jeremiah's preaching.
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Did not submit to Nebuchadnezzar's. Divinely appointed supremacy. And due to the rebellion. They suffered a number of defeats.
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Three defeats. And three forced exiles. By the forces of Nebuchadnezzar.
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The final event in 586 BC. Destroying Jerusalem and the temple. So Jeremiah 25 talks about 70 years.
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And then. Later on after the second exile. Before the final destruction.
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Jeremiah sends word to the exiles. Living in Babylon. In Jeremiah 29. Remember that Daniel's among them.
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Jeremiah sends the word of the Lord to the exiles. Already in Babylon. False teachers are telling them.
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Hey it's going to be alright. Pretty soon we're going to pack up. And we're going to go home. And nothing bad is going to happen. Jeremiah writes and says.
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No you're going to be there a while. So here's what you need to do. Build houses. Live in them. Get married.
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Have children. Make sure they get married and have children. Plant gardens. Harvest their crops.
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And pray. For the prosperity of your oppressors. Do not decrease.
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But thrive. Be abundant. Why would God want his people to live that way?
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And to be abundant? Why would he want them to be that way? Because God had a promise. That after 70 years.
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He was going to bring them back to the land. And he wanted them to live in hope. And not in despair.
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Jeremiah 29 verses 10 and 11. For thus says the Lord. After 70 years are completed at Babylon.
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I will visit you and perform. My good word towards you. And cause you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think towards you.
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Says the Lord. Thoughts of peace. Not of evil. To give you a future and a hope. Now check back to the first year of Darius the
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Mede. Daniel up in his room. Praying. Breaking the law. Praying to God.
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What's he praying about? He's praying thoughts of peace. And not of evil.
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He's praying about a future. And a hope. When Daniel takes to prayer.
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Even in the face of tyranny. He had great hope. There was a future for his people. A future in the promises of God.
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And so this notation here. Of the 70 years. This is hugely significant.
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For the life of the old covenant saints. This matters a great deal. To Daniel. 70 years.
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That's a number. That's an assurance. That's a promise. That God would restore his people.
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That he would bring them back. And at the same time. The fulfillment of those 70 years was not immediately clear.
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To Daniel. That's part of the reason why he's praying. When are the 70 years up?
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I'm ready for them to be up right now. I want to go home now. That's why he's praying.
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There are three possible starting points. To count to 70. And of course.
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If you have three different starting points. Of counting to 70. There are three different ending points. To anticipate.
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So which one is it? In 609. During the battle of Megiddo.
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Good King Josiah died. Battling Pharaoh Necho. Pharaoh Necho replaced him with a puppet king.
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Named Jehoiakim. Who was a tribute king. Before Pharaoh.
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And then before Nebuchadnezzar. Now you can look at those days. The death of Josiah. And a wicked
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King Jehoiakim. You can look at that as the beginning. Of the desolations of Jerusalem.
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After all. Babylon had already become a world power. They had already in 612 B .C. Destroyed Nineveh.
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They were on the rise. D -Day had already happened. It was only a matter of time before Assyria was gone.
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And Babylon was the only remaining superpower. It was pretty clear. So you could start counting at 609
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B .C. As the desolations of Jerusalem. And the ascendancy of Babylon. If you fast forward 70 years from that turning point.
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You find Daniel. In prayer. During the first year of King Darius.
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539 B .C. So 609 B .C. Josiah dies. Babylon is on the rise.
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If you count 70 years forward from that. We come to this moment right here. Daniel 9. Daniel praying.
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About the 70 years. Is it now? Is it now? A second way to count to 70.
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Is the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. In 586 B .C. Jerusalem is destroyed.
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Or the temple is destroyed. Is that the beginning of the 70 years of desolation? For Jerusalem? Mentioned. If you go 70 years out.
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From 586 B .C. You come to 516 B .C. And Ezra chapter 6 verse 16 says.
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In the sixth year of Darius the Persian. The second temple was completed and dedicated.
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That's 70 years. But the third and the correct way.
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Of starting to count to 70. Was the year that Jeremiah gave. The prophecy.
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Of the 70 years of Babylonian dominion. In 605 B .C. Babylon finished off Assyria. They swept down to Judah.
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Nebuchadnezzar took captives. The first batch of exiles he took away to Babylon. Daniel was among them.
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And if you go from 605. And you fast forward 69 years. To 536
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B .C. You find the first year of Cyrus the Persian. The first year of Cyrus the Persian. And we read in Ezra chapter 1.
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In his first year. He says that the Lord told him. To decree the rebuilding.
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Of the temple in Jerusalem. So what happened. In the 70th year.
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Ezra 3 says that the very next year. The 70th year. The foundation of the temple was laid.
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It was dedicated to the Lord. And the worship of God. Restarted again.
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There in Jerusalem. How do we know that's the right way to count to 70? Because Ezra chapter 1.
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Verse 1. In 2 Chronicles 36. Tells us so. Which is awfully convenient.
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With three sets of 70. That are really compelling. The Bible says which one is which. And that's amazing.
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And although that's convenient for us. Daniel didn't have that yet. He wasn't told that yet.
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So what's going on with Daniel? Babylon has been defeated. The Medo -Persian
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Empire. Has come to power. Daniel has lived in exile for nearly 7 decades. And they clearly saw that the promise.
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Of 70 years in God's word. Could be fulfilled. At the very first possible moment.
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He prays accordingly. Isn't that great? Posture of faith.
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Trusting in God's word. It's not about. The Medo -Persian Empire. And all the promises.
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That Darius the Mede is making. About a bright new tomorrow. Daniel doesn't pin his hopes.
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Or expend his despair. On the political shift. He goes before the Lord. In the fear of God.
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And seeks the mercy and forgiveness. Of the covenant keeping God. Timing of God's promise.
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And the authoritative standard of God's word. Those are the controlling factors. In Daniel's life.
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The transition from one regime. To the other has an impact. But Daniel is prayerfully. Seeking understanding of the times.
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By applying the promises of God's word. To his situation. These promises are all encompassing.
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Because they're all important. Their fulfillment signals progress. Toward the new covenant. To be revealed.
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In that restored Jerusalem. And at that rebuilt temple. You see the shadows of Christ.
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The city of Jerusalem. The temple. All that went on there. They have been destroyed.
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They're just piles of rubble right now. But when those dissipated shadows.
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Are reshaped. That only affirms. The future revelation.
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Of the substance who is Christ. The city of David. The throne of David. The high priest.
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The sacrifices. The altar. The ark. The feasts. The rituals. All of these things showed.
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In shadow. The person and work of Christ. Pointing to the hope of the new covenant.
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God had promised to bring his people. Out of exile. Back to the land. After 70 years. And for Daniel.
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That's what mattered. That was the controlling factor of his prayers. The authority of God's word.
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And the timing of God's promises. So. What are the controlling factors.
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Of your prayers? What are the controlling factors of your prayers?
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What is central to your. Abiding. In God? What is central to your communion.
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With Christ? As we gather around this table.
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To remember and to commune. To abide and to affirm. We are provided.
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Symbols of God's covenant. Faithfulness. Sustenance for our faith. Old covenant shadows.
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And promises have been fulfilled. They have been fulfilled. In the new covenant.
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Substance of Jesus Christ. Here at this table. We are reminded of.
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God's son. Gifted to us. The lamb of God. His righteous person.
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His redemptive work. We are reminded here of our need. Of his sacrifice.
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For us. We are reminded here of our satisfaction. In Christ. We are reminded of God's holiness.
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Offended by our sin. And his justice satisfied. In Christ. This is what ought to be controlling.
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In our prayers. That we would return here again and again. And remember who
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God is. And who we are. And how Christ by his person and work. Through the power of his Holy Spirit.
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Brings us to God. This should be central.
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This is not news. That pagan men are going to pagan. They are going to act as tyrants and fools.
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That's not new. I hate to break it to you but we ain't special. In our generation.
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Read some church history. Pagan men are going to pagan.
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They are going to rage against the holiness. And the truth and the authority. And the wisdom of Christ. They will rebel against the king of kings.
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And the lord of lords. They are going to worship the state. They are going to embrace the hideous as the holy.
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Political. Social. Economic. And cultural upheavals will occur. Like earthquakes and volcanoes.
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And tsunamis in our culture. Things are going to be shaken up. In our world.
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But. The saints of God in Christ. Keep coming back to have this meal.
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No matter what language we speak. What side of the world we grew up on. Or what century we are in.
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We keep coming back to have this meal. Why? Because it is here that we see.
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God's covenant faithfulness manifested in Christ. We strike anchor here. We come together here.
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We hold fast together here. The person and work of Jesus Christ. The controlling factors of our prayers.
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Upon this rock. Christ builds. His church.
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And the gates of Hades. Shall not prevail against it. And so.
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We must in light of Christ. Make our supplications and confess our sins. And seek our cleansing.
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And pray that all the promises of God. Will come to pass. It is not our times.
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And wicked authorities. Which should control us. It's God's sovereign governance of the world.
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And is bringing to pass. The promises of his word. And his good timing. That's what constrains our thinking.
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And our hoping. And our praying. And in considering our praying today.
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Where is Christ? What has he accomplished? And what is yet to come? Our good and perfect.
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Savior and Lord. Has risen from the dead. He's ascended to the right hand.
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Of the Father. And he reigns there at the right hand of the Father. Until all of his enemies are placed as a footstool.
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For his feet. And we come together in this meal. We have that hope in mind. First Corinthians 11 26 says.
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For as often as you eat this bread. And drink this cup. You proclaim the Lord's death. Until he comes.
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Let's pray. Father I thank you for. Your word. I thank you that your promises are true.
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And your word is. Fully. Authoritative. In everything.
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So Lord I pray that you would help us. That you would. Help us to grow in our faith.
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Help us to. Be strengthened and stabilized. By your word. And by your promises.
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Help us to worship you today. And commune together. Rejoicing in Christ. We pray these things in his name.
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Amen. Our song of communion is.
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Jesus paid it all. The. Savior say.
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Thy strength. Indeed. Is small. Child of.
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Weakness. Watch and pray. Find in me.
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Thy all in all. Jesus.
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Paid it all. All. To him.
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I owe. Sin. Had left.
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A crimson stain. He washed. It white.
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As snow. Lord. Now.
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Indeed I find. Thy power. And. Can.
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Change. And. The. Jesus.
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Paid. It all. All. To him.
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I owe. Sin. Had left.
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A crimson stain. He washed.
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It white. As snow. Oh. Oh.
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Oh. Oh. Oh.
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Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. I stand.
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In him. Jesus. To him.
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I owe. Had left.
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Jesus made it whole, all to Him I owe.
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Sin had left a crimson stain,
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He washed it white as snow.