4. The Continual, Settled, Individual Prayer Life of Daniel
The Continual, Settled, Individual Prayer Life of Daniel
"Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime." (Daniel 6:10)
I have chosen this passage in chapter 6 to show a little of the private prayer life of Daniel before we consider the two other portions. Here we find the real secret of this man’s greatness. Daniel was a captive in Babylon and yet in this instance he was not subject to the laws of the king, he was not subject to the directions that were imposed upon him, He was really concerned about doing the will of God. He knew God’s will, and whatever the circumstance or occasion, he was governed by that will in spite of the danger and opposition that this aroused. He was a true and faithful man. In this chapter God reveals to us the secret of his power and of his faithfulness, it was his private life in prayer that was never hindered. Upon hearing the king’s command he "prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did aforetime". It was not a sudden burst of energy in prayer because the circumstances were difficult and his life was in danger, it was his continual practice. It was not something that was forced upon him, it was his joy. My dear friends, what a wonderful way to view prayer life, to see the settled disposition of Daniel, praying three times a day. I am perfectly sure that Daniel allowed nothing to interfere with the moments when he bowed his knees in prayer before his God. He was a great man, he had great responsibilities in administration and yet he could find time, three times a day, in settled portions to pray. We do not know how long, but he did it, it was his settled life, praying, praying, praying. We will consider later the substance of his prayers.
It says also that he prayed "to his God". I like that. It was not a God who was far off as far as Daniel was concerned, it was his personal God, One whom he knew in personal communion. God was a reality to him. God was not an abstract conception of the mind, but He was a living, glorious God to whom he could turn at all times and in all situations and find an answer, and who was also day by day in communion, his joy, his delight and his life. Is this your experience in prayer? Is this my experience in prayer? Is God near to us, or is He far off? Oh, what a challenge! We need brothers and sisters with a knowledge of God in this way, because God does listen to the prayers of His people and God delights to answer those prayers when they are in accord with His revealed will. The righteousness of the man was a living witness to the reality of His connection with God. In Ezekiel 14:1-23 Daniel is linked with two other men, Noah and Job, and God said ’Suppose these three men come with their righteousness it would not alter the situation in Israel, it is so bad’. But by the very mention of this, God is drawing attention to the righteousness of these three. Daniel was a righteous man, that is, he lived his life recognising the rights of God and obeyed those rights whatever the cost, and for this reason his prayers had power. James tells that "The prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (5:16), but Proverbs tells us that ’the prayers of evil men are an abomination to God’ (28:9). We also read in 1 John "if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us" (5:14). This is the great secret of prayers that really work, they are in accord with the will of God.
It is evident that Daniel was fully in the knowledge of God’s will. This is indicated by him opening his window towards Jerusalem. When the temple was dedicated, Solomon prayed to God saying, ’If the time ever should come when the nation is so unfaithful that it is taken into captivity, if there are those who would pray towards this temple then hear them, maintain their right, and grant them compassion on the part of those that hold them captives’ (2 Chronicles 6:36-39). Here we find a man in full possession of that knowledge. He has not forgotten God’s word, he has not forgotten that prayer, for God gratified the prayer of Solomon, ’Yes,’ He says, ’my ear will be towards the temple, and not only my ear by my eye, and my heart continually’ (2 Chronicles 7:12-16).
God’s interests were centred in that place. Unfaithfulness in the nation had taken them away from that centre, but that never altered the fact the God was deeply concerned about His centre and His name that was placed there. And we find a man in captivity remembering that word and, in the full knowledge of that, praying accordingly that God would listen to his prayer; and He did. In the den of lions, and in all circumstances, God came to the help of His servant. His God was able to deliver him as He delivered the three young men (Daniel 3:1-30). Oh, what a wonderful God Daniel proved Him to be! and while the king spent a sleepless night Daniel was perfectly complacent in the midst of the wild animals, God having closed their mouths, exerting creatorial power on the behalf of His servant. What a God!
Daniel was concerned about the interests of God. Three times as he bowed his knees day by day, opening his window towards Jerusalem. I am sure he was not always praying for personal help and encouragement, he was throwing out his heart’s desire that the people of God would no longer be bound in captivity, but be led out of captivity to God’s centre, to enjoy God’s thoughts as He had purposed for His people. I believe that would be the main burden of Daniel’s prayers as he bowed his knees in the presence of God, for God to come in in this way. And God maintained the rights of His servant. When other kings died, Daniel continued and prospered (5:31, 6:1-3). The change of the ruling dynasty made no difference at all to Daniel’s life, he went on smoothly continuing to do the things that pleased God. What a man he was! This again was the result of his prayer life, the righteousness that was in his life and his desire for the furthering of the interests of God. These were the things that sustained him and they came to evidence in a remarkable way.
Another point is that Daniel kneeled when he prayed. Oh, if we have time, kneel. Let us bend our knees in the presence of the supreme majesty of God, and indicate our reverence towards Him. However great the blessings He has given to us, we are still creatures, and failing ones at that. Oh, what a privilege to physically bow our knees, indicating that we recognise the supremacy, the greatness, and the glory of God.
Recently I had the privilege of being in Germany and Holland and what a sight it was to see 900 brothers and sisters bowing their knees when it was time for prayer. It touched my heart. Oh that this reverence might mark us. Here it is individual, but there is no reason it should not be collective when the situation is suitable. C.H.Mackintosh felt that not bowing the knee was an indication of irreverence when there was opportunity to do so, that it was showing a casual attitude in the presence of the great and glorious God, who is infinitely beyond us.[1] This kneeling in prayer is a physical action that indicates a recognition of the supremacy and greatness of the eternal God. Have you ever felt compelled to bow the knee? I do not mean compelled by power, but compelled because you feel it is the right thing to do to bow the knee. It may be a casual attitude to begin with, but the Lord says, ’No. There must be nothing casual in my presence. Bow down in the acknowledgement of my supremacy’. And we have good examples, supremely, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, as we see Him kneeling in the garden of Gethsemane. Bowed down with the weight of the approaching cross and all that that meant, He kneeled and He prayed (Luke 22:41). Paul (Acts 20:36), Solomon (2 Chronicles 6:13), Ezra (Ezra 9:5) and many others bowed their knees in the presence of God or of Christ.
Finally, "he kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks". Daniel was a captive, having no liberty. He may have had a good position, yet he was not privileged to go back to his country and his people and share in all that that country stood for, yet still he prayed and gave thanks, acknowledging the situation that was upon him and his people as the just judgment of a holy God, thankful that he could still enjoy this happy communion with his God. Oh, my dear friends, this is a tremendous lesson, this private attitude of prayer on the part of Daniel. I ask myself, as I will ask you, do we spend sufficient time in prayer? Oh, that Daniel’s example may stimulate us privately, and in our homes, and in the prayer meeting. Here is Daniel praying privately, but we may extend this attitude to our prayers in our homes and in the meetings. It was a joy this morning to bow my knees with the couple I am staying with and to cover many interests in prayer. Thank God for homes where husband and wife (and children too, if possible) bow down together in this family attitude of prayer, being a settled matter that nothing puts aside (unless something extraordinary happens with which the Lord would appreciate and have sympathy with). And when the young are brought up in the attitude of prayer, as they get older it is a simple thing to continue. Collectively, prayer is the power of our assemblies, specific prayers for specific needs, and not only in connection with the company, but in international matters too.
I want to go over very briefly the things that I think would mark Daniel in his prayer as he opened his window towards Jerusalem. First of all, he would be occupied with the land, depopulated because of the unfaithfulness of the nation. It was a good land, a land that flowed with milk and honey, but there was something greater than that, it was God’s land, "The land is mine" (Leviticus 25:23), and in sovereign goodness He gave it to the nation of Israel, not because they were greater and better than any other nation (indeed they were smaller than the other nations - Deuteronomy 7:7), but He gave it to them as a gift. It was the inheritance, and all God’s thoughts were centred in that land, and Daniel would pray for it. Then, specifically Daniel would pray for Jerusalem because God’s name and all God’s interests were placed there, and Daniel would pray specifically for the house that was built where His name was (2 Chronicles 6:12). And finally Daniel would pray for the name of Jehovah Himself. Think of these things, the land, the city, the house and the name. I believe these things would characterise the prayers of Daniel. But then you say, ’That is all historical. What does it mean for us today?’ I believe it means a lot. We sang together and we prayed together at the start of the meeting about the salvation of precious souls, never let us forget this in our prayers. How much we need it, but there is something that is greater than that, and that is the rights of God according to His revealed will in His word. God has indicated how Christians should gather together to the name of the Lord Jesus (Matthew 18:20), without any human organisation, without anything to direct them in the sense of authority as far as man is concerned. God has given precise instructions regarding these things. Today the church is His ’land’ and His people brought to Him through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ is where His interests are centred. There is an administration of love in the Headship of Christ and in the power and service of the Holy Spirit, and there precisely is where Christ is to be found "where two or three are gathered together in [His] name" (Matthew 18:20). I believe this is what the land, the city, the house and the name represent for us today. These are the things that have been attacked by the power of the enemy, but in Christ all these things are secure and can never be overthrown.
What we want to see in these last days is an increase of interest in relation to gathering to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, without any human organisation whatsoever, because it is not necessary where the Headship of Christ is in operation, where every member of the body is subject to the direction of the Head, where the Holy Spirit has free direction to move amongst His people to guide them, to direct them and to inspire them and where we are all governed by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; everything is done and said in consistency with that great and glorious name. Is that too much to hope for in these last days?, not if we are obedient, not if we accept the word of God as our guide, not if we are prepared to subject our own wills to the will of God as revealed in His precious word. It is not only an ideal, it is a glorious possibility, and what a wonder it would be if it did come to pass, that in the last days before the church period closes there might be a revival of interests and enthusiasm in these wonderful truths so that when the Lord does come He will find those who are faithful to His word.
Well, the wicked men came to Daniel and found him praying. Their actions in banning prayer to anyone other than king Darius did not interrupt Daniel in his prayers, he kept on praying to God. The time then came when they arrested him and put him into the den of lions, and we know the rest of the story, God looked after his servant.