Page 252 - Daniel

Daniel’s prayer is a beautiful example of obedience. After announcing
the curses of the covenant, with the final curse resulting in exile (Deut.
28), God promised to restore the people if they would repent (Deut.
30:1–5). Daniel prayed on behalf of all the Jewish exiles, acknowledging
God’s righteous judgment because of the nation’s sin and asking God to

restore the city of Jerusalem, the temple, and the people in exile.
Encouraged by knowing of God’s intention to restore Jerusalem,

Daniel sought to make adequate preparation to present his confessions
and petitions to the Lord. Every possible element of preparation was
included. First, he turned his face “to the LORD God,” meaning that he
turned away from other things to concentrate on his prayer. This implies
faith, devotion, and worship. Daniel’s activity in prayer had a specific

end expressed by the word “seeking,” which anticipated his hope to find
ground for an answer to his prayers.
Daniel’s attitude of mind and steadfastness of purpose was

supplemented by prayer and supplications, that is, prayer in general and
petition specifically. This was accompanied by every known auxiliary aid
to prayer: namely, fasting, that he might not be diverted from prayer by
food; sackcloth, a putting aside of ordinary garments in favor of rough
cloth speaking of abject need; and ashes, the traditional symbol of grief
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and humility. In a word, Daniel left nothing undone that might possibly
make his prayer more effective or more persuasive.

While God honors the briefest of prayers, as Nehemiah 2:4 indicates,
effective prayer requires faith in His Word, proper attitude of mind and

heart, privacy, and unhurried confession and petition. Daniel’s humility,
reverence, and earnestness are the hallmarks of effective prayer. Daniel
began his prayer by stating his reliance on the fact that the majesty of
God’s person and the greatness of His power are manifested especially in
His fulfilling His covenant promises and showing mercy to those who
love Him and keep His commandments. As Glueck has brought out in his
study of the term “steadfast love” ( esed), the term connotes not only

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forgiveness but loyalty in keeping His covenant with Israel, in stark
contrast with the inexcusable disloyalty of the people of Israel. Daniel
thus began by assuring himself of God’s greatness and goodness.