Does God hold entire people groups accountable for sin? Is there any biblical foundation for something like national repentance? Are Christians so individually viewed by God that there is no connection between the sins of our ancestors and us living today? These questions are all in play as we approach a portion of the story from that Old Testament great, Daniel. As Israel had been suffering for their sins for nearly seven full decades, Daniel, a devout and faithful servant of God, did something peculiar. He confessed the sins of his ancestors as if they were his own, and he repented on behalf of generations who went before him. From Daniel’s example we need to consider if our own families, churches, cities or nation might be missing God’s very best for the present hour, simply because nobody has ever owned the sins of our forefathers. Daniel’s honesty, humility and thirst for righteousness compelled him to leave no sinful stone unturned as he went before his God with an unusual, unpopular confession.
An Unusual, Unpopular Confession
Does God hold entire people groups accountable for sin? Is there any biblical foundation for something like national repentance? Are Christians so individually viewed by God that there is no connection between the sins of our ancestors and us living today? These questions are all in play as we approach a portion of the story from that Old Testament great, Daniel. As Israel had been suffering for their sins for nearly seven full decades, Daniel, a devout and faithful servant of God, did something peculiar. He confessed the sins of his ancestors as if they were his own, and he repented on behalf of generations who went before him. From Daniel’s example we need to consider if our own families, churches, cities or nation might be missing God’s very best for the present hour, simply because nobody has ever owned the sins of our forefathers. Daniel’s honesty, humility and thirst for righteousness compelled him to leave no sinful stone unturned as he went before his God with an unusual, unpopular confession.
0 Comments