Danielनमुना

Several years ago Lucy and I had the chance to meet Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury. He told us that unless God intervenes to help, the church in this country will be over. (And he has subsequently launched the annual ‘Thy Kingdom Come’ prayer initiative from Ascension Day to Pentecost.)

Daniel 9 stands as a model prayer of intercession in the Old Testament, (alongside Moses’ prayer in Deuteronomy 9, and the intercession of Amos in Amos 7).

This is what we can learn from Daniel’s intercession ….

1) Daniel approaches God based on what God himself has said; ‘I 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’. Daniel 9:2 and Jeremiah 29:10-14.
We need to do the same: 2 Chronicles 7:14 ‘If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face then I will hear from heaven and heal their land’.

2) Confess our sins. Daniel identifies with his people and begins with six phrases that get straight to the point confessing his nation’s sins; v4-6. Daniel does not avoid the issue, pretend, give excuses, or blame others. He says it straight six times in a row with no deviation; ‘We have sinned and done wrong …’

3) He worships and praises God for his faithfulness, stating that God has been righteous in all His dealings with His people; v7-14.

4) Daniel then praises God for all He has done for His people throughout their history; from saving them from Egypt to establishing them in the land.

5) In v17 Daniel asks God to intervene and restore ‘your desolate sanctuary’, ‘see the desolation of the city that bears your name’.

6) Daniel asks God to act for the sake of the honor of God’s name.

‘We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy … for your sake, my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your name’, v19.

7) Daniel is passionate: Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! v19.

Two key things then happen.

1) An angel tells Daniel that as soon as Daniel started to pray, God began to answer.

2) The answer that God gave was far greater than what Daniel had prayed for. Daniel had prayed for Jerusalem to be restored. But in His answer, God told Daniel about the coming of ‘the Anointed one’, v26.

As royal priests in the living temple our Heavenly Father is building, disciples of Jesus will both identify with and confess the sins of our nation, and intercede for our nation and people group. We shall also bless our nation, just as Aaron was commissioned to bless his people; Numbers 6:24-27.


I invite you to pray with me;

Lord, the great and awesome God who keeps His covenant of love with those who love Him, we have sinned and done wrong, we have been wicked and rebelled. Lord, you are righteous, but the church has been covered with shame. Lord, you are forgiving, but we have transgressed your law and turned away from your commands. Lord, you have established your church over many centuries. Now Lord, hear the prayers and petitions of your servants. For your sake look with favour on your desolate church. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay, because your people bear the holy name of Jesus, in whose name we pray. Amen