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Daniel was a man of prayer. As I mentioned in my previous message, his prayer is described in four chapters: chapter 2, chapter 6, chapter 9, and chapter 10. Tonight, we shall look at chapter 6, where his prayer is mentioned for the second time.

In order to understand what transpired in the sixth chapter of Daniel, I want to give you a quick historical background of this chapter. In Daniel chapters 1 to 5, we find that the scene was Babylon. The events in chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 took place in the Babylonian Empire. But now, in chapter 6, the entire scene shifted from Babylon to Medo-Persia.

In chapter 2, we find how God revealed His plan to Nebuchadnezzar, His plan of the four world kingdoms that will come one after another. By the time of chapter 6, the first kingdom had already been replaced by the second one; that is, the Babylonian kingdom was defeated by the Medo-Persian kingdom. So now the Persian kingdom was in power. In 539 BC, the last king of the Babylonian Empire, Belshazzar, was defeated, as we find in chapter 5.

So now the Medo-Persians took over, ruling the whole world, so to speak. The events in chapter 6 took place in the Medo-Persian court, and the king at that time was King Darius. I want you to turn to Daniel chapter 5 for a quick look at verse 31, where it says, “And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.” That is, Darius the Median took over the kingdom of Babylon, and he has now become the person responsible for ruling Babylon.

Also, please look at verse 1 of chapter 6 for a better understanding of the historical background. It reads, “It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; and over these three presidents, of whom Daniel was first, that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.”

So now the whole world is being ruled by the Medo-Persian Empire, and by this time, Daniel would have been in his mid-80s. Remember, he was a teenager taken into Babylon that was in 605 BC. Now, the Babylonian kingdom lasted for 70 years; that is what we find in the history of the world. So 15 plus 70 gives us 85. By this time, Daniel would be in his mid-80s.

In chapter 2, when Nebuchadnezzar had a dream and Daniel interpreted it for him, he was still a young man in his mid-teens. But now he is an old man, a very experienced man, having served in the Babylonian court for nearly 70 years. So by this time, Daniel is a very experienced man.

But interestingly and most strikingly, we find one of his life principles that he is still maintaining: that is his prayer life. When he was a youth, faced with a crisis, he prayed. We saw him pray in chapter 2. Now, in chapter 6, again we find him praying. That means for a very long period of his Christian life, he has been a prayerful man, indeed a man of prayer.

So chapter 6 contains deep lessons for us all. This evening, we shall be looking at this chapter, particularly how Daniel spent his time in prayer. For the sake of the time frame we are in, I will not be covering all the details of this chapter; rather, I will be focusing on the prayer life of Daniel. So this is a lesson from the prayer life of Daniel, part two.

Now, in order to understand the situation, let me give you the setting. The setting is found in verses 1 to 9 of this chapter. Now, remember Darius has become the person ruling in Babylon. There are a lot of controversies concerning the identity of this Darius, but I will not enter into that controversy. I just want to give you this: conservative scholars have come to the conclusion that this Darius was another name for Gobryas, who was under King Cyrus, a subordinate of Cyrus, the Medo-Ruler of the Babylonian province.

So, in other words, there are no historical errors whatsoever in the entire Book of Daniel, and particularly in chapter 6 of Daniel. By the way, the Book of Daniel is one of the most attacked books in the Old Testament. Many liberal scholars—so-called scholars—try to find problems with the historicity and the accuracy of the historical account of Daniel. But we can be thankful to the Lord that He has raised many able and faithful conservative scholars who stood up to defend the historicity of the Book of Daniel.

So what we find in Daniel chapter 6 is historically true and accurate. We can rely on it and we can believe it for sure. Now, Darius appointed 120 princes to help him rule over this kingdom, and over these 120 princes, he appointed three presidents, and Daniel was the first of these presidents. In today’s terms, we may compare him to a prime minister— a prime minister who is under the king.

So, Daniel had a very important position in the Kingdom of Medo-Persia. Remember that he had a very long experience during the Babylonian era. During the Babylonian era, he served as a high official in the Babylonian court, so his experience and ability must have been noticed by this Medo-Persian king. So, he appointed him to be the first of the three presidents who were over the 120 princes.

Interestingly, and most strikingly, people who were working in the Persian court tried to find fault with Daniel. They tried every means, but they couldn’t find any fault or any occasion or error to put him in a difficult spot, except one thing. That is told in verse 4 and verse 5. Let me read it to you: “Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.”

Then said these men, “We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.” Except in the matter of his absolute devotion to his God and his absolute obedience to the teaching of God's word available at that point of time, they couldn’t find any other occasion—no fault, no error at all. What a testimony!

What a testimony! Remember, Daniel was working in a non-Christian court, a non-Christian palace. There must have been many temptations, sure enough. There must have been a lot of temptations. Yet he remained faithful during the reign of Babylon, and now even during the time of the Medo-Persian Empire.

The people who tried to accuse him, remember, were very powerful. The presidents and the princes were powerful people. They had access to the records of the country, the records of their government. That means they could open and check all the files available. Yet they found no fault or error at all in the life of Daniel. What a testimony!

What a testimony! When I read this portion of God's word, this chapter of Daniel, I find myself humbly reflecting before God. And I believe that is true of you—a believer working with non-believers in high court, ruling not just one country but the entire world. A lot of pressures, a lot of temptations in many forms, yet remaining intact. What a testimony! We need many Daniels today; indeed, we need many Daniels today.

But this enemy did not stop with their evil plot. So they came to the king and suggested a very wicked plan, suggesting to him that he should issue a decree that within 30 days no one should make any petition, no one should pray except to the king himself. The king did not know their secret plan, their evil plot, so he agreed with their suggestion and signed the decree.

Now, once the decree is signed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, that signed decree cannot be changed. So that is the situation we have here.

And when that decree was known to Daniel, that is where we come to verse 10. Please look at verse 10. “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.” Amazing testimony! A humbling testimony for us all. A humbling testimony.

Now let’s try to remember some elements in his prayer. First of all, he had his windows open toward Jerusalem. In other words, he prayed facing toward Jerusalem. Now, why did he do that? The answer is found in 1 Kings 8, verses 46 to 52, where we find King Solomon dedicating his beautifully built temple. In his dedicatory prayer, Solomon prayed that if his people sin, and if the Lord judged them and sent them to foreign lands, if they repent and admit their sins and pray from that land, please hear their prayers.

In short, that is the prayer of King Solomon. So Daniel took that prayer seriously. For Daniel, that prayer of Solomon was very important. The people of Judah, the people of Israel, when they were taken into captivity in other lands, the land of the Gentiles, when they repent and pray facing toward Jerusalem, Solomon requested that

the Lord would hear them.

So Daniel literally applied that portion of God's word. By this time, it has been nearly 70 years since Jerusalem was destroyed. Jerusalem was destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC. Of course, it's less than 70 years, but it's quite close.

For many years, it lay desolate, yet it remained the theocratic center of the earth. Jerusalem remained the theocratic center of the earth. Daniel's love for Jerusalem and his love for his homeland, as represented by the city, Jerusalem and its beautiful temple, is certainly evident here. Although now in a foreign land, yet his mind and heart can see the beautiful Jerusalem, the beautiful temple.

So facing toward that, taking Solomon's prayer seriously, he prayed. Of course, in today’s context as believers of the New Testament, we do not need to face Jerusalem when we pray. This is not a commandment for us; it is not a binding teaching for us New Testament believers. We should not do the same as Daniel did, facing Jerusalem.

But we appreciate his seriousness in taking the words of Solomon. In that point of time, during the time of Daniel, that was still applicable. But the situation has now become totally different in the New Testament after the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to save us. In John chapter 4, we find the Lord teaching the Samaritan woman that everywhere men can worship the Lord in spirit and in truth.

Now secondly, observe in verse 10, not only did he face toward Jerusalem, but what did he do? He kneeled upon his knees three times a day. That means he prayed by kneeling upon his knees. This expresses the posture of his prayer. I believe it shows his humbleness and his seriousness. He was humble before God, and he was very serious in his prayer.

By saying that, I do not mean that when we pray not by kneeling, we are not serious, nor are we humble. We do not have to extend to that kind of obligation. But in the case of Daniel, what he did was certainly remarkable. It is certainly remarkable, and he did it three times a day. Please remember this. The idea of three times a day is probably taken from the Book of Psalms, number 55:16 and 17, where we have the Psalm of David telling us this: "As for me, I will call upon God, and the Lord shall save me. Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, pray, and cry aloud, and he shall hear my voice."

Of course, we can pray more than three times. In fact, in the New Testament, in First Thessalonians, we are told to pray without ceasing. So, praying three times a day was the Old Testament teaching that Daniel followed. There’s nothing wrong with praying three times a day, and it would be better if we pray more than that—24 hours a day. Of course, in our hearts, we can pray that.

But the amazing thing we need to know is this: How could Daniel pray three times a day? Remember his work—his office. He was the first of three presidents. These three presidents were over 120 princes. Need I say he must have been extremely busy? Extremely busy! Yet, he could find time to pray three times a day. It is indeed very challenging for us. Many times, we try to find excuses. "I'm busy, I'm busy. I have no time to read the scripture. I have no time to go to prayer meeting. No time, no time."

If we are in a valiant situation, many of today’s Christians might never pray. Is it not true? But let us ponder upon this point: Daniel prayed three times a day despite being extremely busy in his work. And not only that—please note also another element in his prayer: he gave thanks before his God.

At such a time as this, is there any reason to give thanks at all? A reasonable question indeed! He was in a very difficult situation. His life was in danger. From the human point of view, he would soon be killed in the den of lions. He was bled against by people of authority, and the king himself had agreed to carry out the plot. Yet, he did not stop from praying. He did not stop from praying, and he did not excuse himself from giving thanks.

In the New Testament, in First Thessalonians 5:18, we are told to give thanks in everything. Although this epistle had not been written in the time of Daniel, Daniel understood the principle of giving thanks to the Lord for everything, for every situation.

Give thanks in everything. In Philippians 4:6-12, it states: "In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God." In such a situation, a Spirit-filled man of God, Daniel, still found reason to thank God. Why? Because he was a man of prayer. He had his life completely trusting in God. So whatever circumstance comes to him, for him, nothing happens by chance. Everything comes by the providence of God. Therefore, in every situation, he can give thanks to his God.

Lastly, look at the last part of verse 10: "As he did aforetime." This tells us that his prayer habit—three times a day, giving thanks, opening his windows toward Jerusalem—all these were what he did on a regular basis. He did not do these things when he was in a crisis. He did not wait for a crisis time to pray to God like that. No! That had been a part of his life. He had been a man of prayer. He prayed when crisis came; he prayed when everything was peaceful. He had a regular habit of prayer.

What an amazing life! Psalm 112, verse 7 and 8 describe such a person: "He shall not be afraid of evil tidings. His heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. His heart is established; he shall not be afraid until he sees his desire upon his enemies." What it means is this: A person who prays regularly in times of crisis, as well as in times of peace, his heart is fixed. He is not afraid of anything because from the bottom of his heart he knows that God is absolutely in control. He controls everything, and nothing happens by chance. If that is the case, there is nothing he needs to fear. So he can be praying confidently at any time.

Now, as the story goes on, this prayer life of Daniel—his godly life, his godliness, his faithfulness to his God, and his faultless life as a government official—was used by his enemies to bring him down. Finally, under the command of King Darius, he was thrown into the lion’s den. We know this story. He was miraculously saved by God. God shut the mouths of lions that no harm came to Daniel, and the next day he was safe and alive. No harm at all came to the body of Daniel. Amazing miracle! Amazing deliverance of God for His faithful servant.

But let's remain focused on his prayer life—how prayerful he was in times of difficulty and in times of peace. He prayed. Amazing testimony indeed!

Now let me recap what we have learned tonight. At least three things—three lessons—are obvious from this incident. Of course, our God is in control, and our God can save us and deliver us miraculously. It is His desire, and His purpose, and will.

But our focus is on the life of the Christian concerning prayer. Now in the life of Daniel, the first thing we want to notice is this: He had a regular habit of prayer. He had a regular habit of prayer—praying three times a day, facing toward Jerusalem. Of course, all the details cannot be applied for us today in our time and era after our Lord has come on the cross. But this principle still remains the same, and the need for a regular habit of prayer—not just in times of need and in times of tragedy, but in times of peace and prosperity. Our prayer life should not change.

Daniel's prayer life remained the same in any circumstances. Also, please remember that he was the first president of three, serving over 120 officials or princes—a very busy man, holding a very important position. Yet he could still find a regular habit of prayer.

Do we really have an excuse for not coming to church prayer meetings? Do we really have any excuse for not praying individually, as a family, as a church? Let us examine ourselves. We should pray individually, as a family, as a church. And we should have a regular habit of prayer, and that shouldn’t change under any circumstances, whether we are in trouble or whether we are in peace. That should remain the same.

Secondly, we are to give thanks to the Lord in any circumstances. That is even more clearly taught in the New Testament, as I have just pointed out. First Thessalonians 5:11-18 teaches us to pray without ceasing. In everything, give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Daniel's situation was such that many would find the occasion to blame God rather than to thank Him. Is it not true? Despite his faultless life, he was plotted against, and he was in danger. Who, in such circumstances, would not blame God? Only people who are truly godly, who are truly prayerful, would not blame God. Because these kinds of people understand God's heart and God’s plan.

They always communicate with their God, and they completely trust in their God. Because of that, they understand God’s plan—nothing can happen by chance. So whether it is a bad situation or a good situation, they understand that it comes from the hand of a loving Father. Therefore, they can glorify God; they can give thanks even in such situations.

And above all, thirdly, this prayer life of Daniel shows us his complete trust in his God—his complete trust in his God. He had a childlike faith in his God. He trusted in God's sovereignty; he trusted in God's sole authority; he trusted in God's goodness and faithfulness. Therefore, he prayed.

So, dear friends, let us remember this lesson from the life of Daniel. Daniel was truly a man of prayer. He prayed when crisis came, and he prayed when everything was going smoothly. He prayed despite being extremely busy in his work—three times a day. And he found reasons to give thanks in a very critical and unfavorable situation.

Why? Because he completely trusted in his God. Let that be true of each and every one of us. May the Lord help us to learn and listen from him.

Let us pray. Our dear Father in Heaven, we thank You for Thy servant, the Prophet Daniel, who lived a most exemplary life for us to emulate. We want to learn from him. Help us to be a prayerful people, a prayerful family, a prayerful individual believers, and a prayerful church. May Thou help us to look up to Thee, to trust in Thee completely. We thank You for tonight that many of us can come. May Thou bless us, for we pray all these things in Jesus' name. Amen.