One Way Street

Daniel 9:18 KJV

O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.

Daniel 9:26 KJV

And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

There is a striking contrast between these two verses.

• In the first Daniel prays not according to his own righteousness but depending upon the mercies of God
• In the later, Messiah is cut off not for His own sins but for another's

Man depends upon the mercies of God because he is not righteous. God, who is all righteous, pays the absolute price because He is absolutely merciful. Our relationship with God is completely a one way street.

• From God to man flows freely mercy and grace and forgiveness and pardon
• From man to God flows … only need