A Prayer Of Daniel

by G. Jarvie, Glasgow | Category: Prayers Of Scripture | Nov 1973

"0 Lord, hear; 0 Lord, forgive; 0 Lord, hearken and do; defer not; for Thine own sake, 0 my God, because Thy city and Thy people are called by Thy name" (Dan. 9:19).

There are few prayers recorded in the Scriptures that are so intense and touching as the prayer of Daniel in chapter 9. It was his habit to spend three times of prayer each day, with his window open toward Jerusalem (Dan. 6:10). Daniel knew, from the prophecy of Jeremiah (29:10), that the seventy years of captivity were nearing an end. He set his face to seek the Lord for forgiveness for his people. He knew the prayer of Solomon, and the promise of the Lord to him (2 Chron. 6:38; 7:14). And so Daniel prayed with "supplications, with fastings and with sackcloth and ashes". The promise of God was conditional, and Daniel set out to fulfil the conditions that they should "humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land". The prayer of faith is prayer according to the will of God.

Daniel was now an old man, having been nearly seventy years in Babylon. He had gone there with the first captives. He could hardly hope to return to Jerusalem himself. But he loved God, and he loved the city of God, and the divine dwelling place. And so, fasting and clothed in sackcloth he cried,

"0 Lord, the great and dreadful God; ... we have sinned... our kings, our princes, and our fathers, ...0 Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, ... to the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses... Yea, all Israel have transgressed Thy law ... yet have we not entreated the favour of the LORD.... Therefore hath the LORD watched over the evil, and brought it upon us... Now therefore, O our God, hearken unto the prayer of Thy servant....0 my God, incline Thine ear and hear... for we do not present our supplications before Thee for our righteousnesses, but for Thy great mercies."

While Daniel was praying, the angel Gabriel touched him about the time of the evening oblation. When Daniel began to pray, the angel had been sent. I am come to tell thee" the angel said, "for thou are greatly beloved". What a testimony to this man of God I What a mighty thing prayer is, when it is from our hearts, and according to the will of God! The poet has written "Prayer moves the Hand, that moves the world, To bring deliverance down."

How much we wrong our own souls when we do not pray earnestly about the things that God wants to do and give. "Therefore will the LORD wait that He may be gracious unto you ... blessed are all they that wait for Him" (Isa. 30:18).

Was Daniel's prayer answered? Abundantly so

"In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD, by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation.... Whosoever there is among you of all His people, his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD, the God of Israel" (Ezra 1:1-3).

About 170 years before this, Isaiah the prophet had written about Cyrus, and what the Lord would call him to do for His people (Isa. 44:28). And so Daniel's prayer fitted in with the purpose of God. The prophecies of Isaiah and Jeremiah found their fulfilment through the prayer of Daniel, the man of God.

Is there such a relation between our prayers, and what happens? Certainly there is if we are praying in the Holy Spirit, that is, in the will of God. It is cause and effect. Let our prayers embrace all men, for God willeth that all men should be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth. Let us ask in faith (Mark 11:22-25), and in the Holy Spirit (Jude 20). God is waiting for us to come to Him.

"0 Saviour, we have nought to plead,

On earth beneath, or heaven above;

But just our own exceeding need,

And Thine exceeding love."

G. Jarvie, Glasgow | Nov 1973
Prayers Of Scripture