Daniel's Prayer

This prayer of Daniel comes at a very difficult time in history and reveals to us much about Daniel’s character and more importantly God’s character.

Daniel’s prayer is a beautiful example of how to pray in a way that is both bold and humble.

This is not only an example of prayer that we can model our prayers after, it is also an example of how we should react to God’s judgment. Especially His judgment against a particular nation.

Daniel 9:1-3

605 BC-538 BC

We see that Daniel was a student of the Word and a man of prayer.

We know from Daniel 6 that he was deeply devoted to prayer.

Daniel 6:10 ESV

10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.

This prophecy from the book of Jeremiah is found in

Jeremiah 25:11–12 ESV

11 This whole land shall become a ruin and a waste, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. 12 Then after seventy years are completed, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity, declares the Lord, making the land an everlasting waste.

Daniel responds to this with devotion and with emotion.

Daniel 9:4-6

We see from the very beginning of Daniel’s prayer he is making this contrast between God’s faithful love [hesed] and our own unfaithfulness.

Take a look at 2 Kings to see the rebellion that brought on the punishment of this judgement from God.

Before the judgment God had issued many warnings to them including through Jeremiah and offered them many opportunities to repent and turn back to Him.

Daniel takes responsibility!

Daniel 9:7-10

God is righteous in His judgment of us.

Daniel continues to appeal to God’s proven character of compassion and forgiveness despite our rebellion against Him.

God’s compassion is greater than our rebellion.

Daniel 9:11-14

God had kept His promise and carried out His Word. God’s judgment is righteous because He has warned us beforehand of the consequences of our sin.

The city of Jerusalem and God’s holy temple lay in ruins as Daniel prays this prayer.

Yet even after all these things the people have continued in their rebellion and refused to acknowledge their sin and turn back to God, and so have we.

Daniel 9:15-16

“Now’ begins Daniels appeal to God to redeem and restore them.

Although God is justified in His anger against them he pleads for God to turn away from His anger.

Daniel 9:17-19

It is not for selfish reasons that Daniel makes his request but ultimately for the glory of God. Because Israel represented God among the surrounding nations their destruction could be perceived as God not being real or not being powerful.

Daniels concern is that God would be glorified in the redemption of His people.

Daniel is not depending on his own righteousness but on God’s proven character.

Daniel 9:20-23

The answer that God gives to Daniel is much greater than what he has asked for.

God did not only answer Daniels temporary request of the restoration of Jerusalem, but points Him forward to the ultimate answer to all of life’s questions and problems: Jesus Christ. The one who would bring true and lasting restoration not just for Jerusalem but for all nations and peoples.

Ephesians 3:20 ESV

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,

God is sovereign. He is orchestrating events from an eternal perspective. We can not fully grasp or understand all that God does. Nevertheless we are called to be people of prayer, and many times God will do abundantly more than we could ever ask or think according to His perfect will and plan in response to our prayers.