DANIEL'S PRAYER

 

In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes,  (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom— 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.

 

     Good morning this is a powerful portion of scripture.  I will spend the next six weeks teaching  you about real intercessory prayer and how we can and must move the hand of God or face the same type of desolation Judah had faced.

 

     These first three verses are the background for the prayer of Daniel.  These three verses establish the time, place and reason why Daniel prayed.   It was the first year of Darius son of Xerxes.  Darius was crown prince of the Persian Empire. He was the eldest son of the Persian king Xerxes I and his wife Amestris, the daughter of Onophas. His younger brothers were Hystaspes and Artaxerxes, and his younger sisters were Rhodogyne and Amytis.  He was a Mede by descent.  So this is the time of the Medo Persian empire.  He was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom.  The Medo Persian empire at the time was the largest empire at the time.  It ran from the Mediterranean to India and 127 provinces.  Daniel was in charge of the Babylonian portion. 

 

     So here is Daniel in the first year of Darius’ reign, looking over the scriptures and the word of God.  He is reading the scroll and writings of Jeremiah.  He was reading Jeremiah 25:11, where God tells Jeremiah that Jerusalem would be empty, uninhabited and desolate for 70 years.  You see God had Spent 400 years telling Israel and Judah to repent, turn from idols, being immoral and unjust.  He sent prophet after prophet and in time they refused and judgment came.  Daniel had been part of that judgment.  Nebuchadnezzer was that hand of judgment.  Daniel was among the Jewish nobles who had been transported to Babylon with Jehoiakim,  Scholars put Daniel at 15-18 when he was taken the Babylon.  In Daniel 9, he is in his late eighties or nineties. 

 

     Daniel was pouring over the Jeremiah 25:11, meditating, seeking the meaning, wanting to understand how  and why it could happen.  Daniel does 6 things which are at characteristics of intercessory prayer. 

 

1.      He turned or sought the Lord.  Matt 6:33, seek ye first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you.  You want something from God seek the Lord.

2.     Pleaded with him.  Daniel was asking the Lord interceding, begging God on behalf of his people.  This was to be a protracted event.  It was not just for a couple days.  Daniel would do long periods of fasting and prayer.

3.     Daniel was in prayer.  He was a man of prayer.  We know Daniel prayed three times a day as a habit this is found in Daniel 6.   In fact his prayer life was even known among his enemies and that consistency put him in the Lion’s den.  Do people know you for your prayer life?  This portion gives us a glimpse of what Daniel prayed about.  James says the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous person avails much.  I cannot stress the purpose of intercessory prayer enough.

4.     He petition God.  A prayer of petition is a request to God that asks him to fulfill a need. Jesus said to bring our every need to God in his name and assures that “whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.” (John 16:23) Through petition one can ask for God's help with every need no matter how great or small.  Daniel was asking God about this scripture, when and how would it be completed and the people return.  Most scholars tell us that Daniel saw that the time of 70 years was almost over and he was pleading for God to return the people.  In fact many believed Daniel was the reason Cyrus granted the request for the people to return.  That he brought Isaiah’s 43:25, 45:8 to Cyrus attention.  This is based on his position, place and authority in the empire. 

5.     Daniel fasted.  There are four types of fasting. 

a.     The Normal Fast which is a short fast for one or two day.  Going without food

b.     The Absolute Fast which can be from 3 days to 40.  Usually just water or liquids

c.      The Partial Fast.  Going without some type of food for a period of time.

d.     The Rotational Fast.  Skipping meals one or two a day for a period of time to prayer.

 

We do not know which one Daniel did.  But here are ten benefits to fasting

 

Benefits of Fasting and Prayer

2.1 1 – Deeper Intimacy with God

2.2 2 – Answers to Fervent Prayer

2.3 3 – Develop Humility before God

2.4 4 – Gain Wisdom and Understanding

2.5 5 – Authority over Demonic Strongholds

2.6 6 – Repentance and Salvation

2.7 7 – Personal Victories in Your Life

2.8 8 – Gaining Heaven’s Perspective

2.9 9 – God’s Protection and Help

2.10 10 – Commissioned to Ministry

 

6.      He put on sackcloth and ashes.  This term refers to the ancient Hebrew custom of indicating humility before God by wearing a coarse cloth, normally used to make sacks, and dusting oneself with ashes.  Daniel was serious.  Remember here you have the second in command of Babylon used to the finest lifestyle humbling himself before God.

Wearing sackcloth and pouring ashes on himself.  This is serious.  Daniel wanted to hear, understand and know what God wanted for himself and the Jews.  We need to have that same experience.  Our nation is turning from God.  We are seeing this right now.  This is urgent church.  We are on a knife edge.  Our nation is on a rapid descent to destruction.  If we do nothing God will hold us accountable.  This is our moment.  I know I cannot stand idly by.  We must pray.  God revive the church, heal our land, bring revival and restore our land.  Next, week we will start looking at the first of five part of the prayer of Daniel.   I encourage you to join me over the next five weeks to pray for ourselves, family, church, city, province and nation.