Daniel prayed for the sins of his people Israel in the ninth chapter of his book. Verse 20 sums up Daniel’s prayer: “And while I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God…” (Daniel 9:20 KJ2000) Daniel prayed for his people Israel and for the holy mountain of his God. Israel means “ruled by God” and speaks of the people who believe in God and who desire his rule over their lives. Remember, Jacob did not begin his life with the name “Israel.” He received it after he “prevailed” with God, that is, after he sought God’s face and God counted him as an overcomer. Daniel did not pray for the rest of the world, all of whom lived in disobedience to God. He only prayed for Israel, for those to whom the Law had been given and who had deliberately rebelled against that Law. He prayed for those who could still repent and get on with God, who could still possibly overcome and rule and reign on God’s holy mountain, the New Jerusalem.
Nehemiah and the people of his day prayed similarly. The Word says, “And the descendants of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.” (Nehemiah 9:2 KJ2000) We see several things here. First, these people were descendants of Israel. They represent those over whom God rules. Second, they separated themselves from strangers. The word strangers here means “sons of foreigners.” They separated themselves from those over whom God did not rule, those of other nations. Third, they confessed their own sins. Fourth, they confessed the sins of their fathers, of the Israelites who lived before them and who had departed from God’s ways.
We see this pattern continue in the New Testament. James teaches us, saying, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” (James 5:16 KJ2000) James does not tell us here to go out into the world to the stranger (as in Nehemiah), the one who does not know God, and confess our sins to him. No, he means for us to go to another like ourselves, one who obeys God. When we confess our sins to one another we practice righteousness. We show that we are not perfect yet in our flesh, but that we maintain spiritual perfection before God by repenting of our sins. When we repent, then we are indeed accounted righteous. Then, and only then, may our prayers be heard and answered. As John says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9 KJ2000)
What does Jesus say about praying for the world or confessing the sins of the world? He says, “I pray for them [his disciples]: I pray not for the world, but for them that you have given me; for they are yours.” (John 17:9 KJ2000) Yet, he did not pray only for these few disciples he had made in his short ministry on earth. He also said, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also who shall believe on me through their word.” (John 17:20 KJ2000) So, Jesus prayed (made intercession for) all of his disciples and all those who would believe on him through the word of his disciples. Yet, he did not pray for the world. Why not? Because, “they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” (John 17:16 KJ2000) Prayer and confession, therefore, remain duties we owe to those who have believed upon Jesus through the word of his disciples, not duties we owe to the world.
Yet, Jesus did not forsake the world. The Scripture says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17 KJ2000) And, remember the great commission: “And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go you therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:18-20 KJ2000)
The disciple’s duty, therefore, is to take God’s truth into all the earth. While doing that he is commanded to keep himself pure by confessing his sins. Part of his responsibility is to cover the sins of his (believing) brothers by confessing their sins, as exemplified by Daniel and Nehemiah. Yet, John even teaches that we do not pray and cover all the sins of the brothers. “If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.” (1 John 5:16-17 KJ2000)
In summary, none of the Biblical types and shadows teach us to confess the sins of unbelievers. It is true that Jesus died for their sins and that they will ultimately be “saved.” Their salvation, though, will come to fruition through the application of “the lake of fire” in the future. This same lake will also purge the dross of the Christians who “sinned unto death” as John says. These are the ones who, like all unbelievers, must partake in the future of the second death. These are the Christians who had their names blotted from the Book of Life. (Revelation 3:5)
