FOCAL TEXT BACKGROUND Daniel 10:1-21 Ephesians 6:10-18 lesson 12 The Power of Prayer MAIN IDEA The mystery of prayer is the key to victory in spiritual warfare. QUESTION TO EXPLORE When have you sensed the unmistakable touch of God on your own life? STUDY AIM To understand that my most powerful prayers start with a burden and don’t stop until an answer comes QUICK READ Daniel experienced a vision of a glorious man who revealed that Israel’s peace and BIBLE freedom would not last. STUDY GUIDE 119 120 FAITH UNDER FIRE: A STUDY OF DANIEL Introduction Daniel was left alone. He was probably in his eighties or nineties when the events of Daniel 10—12 occurred (these three chapters are one complex vi- sion). He had seen the destruction of his homeland as a youth, endured trials and persecution, rose to the highest ranks in the Babylonian Empire, served at least three Babylonian rulers and then was forgotten. He was called on again in his old age to come from obscurity to interpret the vision of the handwriting on the wall but was taken into captivity once again by the Per- sians. He served at least two Persian rulers, watched his friends all die, and the remaining faithful Israelites leave him to return to Jerusalem (led by Zerubbabel and Joshua). Once again, he was referred to as Belteshazzar as a reminder that he was in a foreign land. Daniel received one last vision. He demonstrated how we are to receive a Word from God in prayer. Daniel 10:1-21 1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a revelation was given to Daniel (who was called Belteshazzar). Its message was true and it con- cerned a great war. The understanding of the message came to him in a vision. 2 At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. 3 I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over. 4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, 5 I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. 6 His body was like topaz, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude. 7 I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; those who were with me did not see it, but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves. 8 So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless. 9 Then I Lesson 12: The Power of Prayer 121 heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground. 10 A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. 11 He said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling. 12 Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. 13 But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twen- ty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. 14 Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.” 15 While he was saying this to me, I bowed with my face toward the ground and was speechless. 16 Then one who looked like a man touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began to speak. I said to the one standing before me, “I am overcome with anguish because of the vision, my lord, and I feel very weak. 17 How can I, your servant, talk with you, my lord? My strength is gone and I can hardly breathe.” 18 Again the one who looked like a man touched me and gave me strength. 19 “Do not be afraid, you who are highly esteemed,” he said. “Peace! Be strong now; be strong.” When he spoke to me, I was strength- ened and said, “Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength.” 20 So he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? Soon I will return to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I go, the prince of Greece will come; 21 but first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth. (No one supports me against them except Michael, your prince. Understanding the Revelation Only Came Through Prayer (10:1, 4-6) Daniel 10:1 provides a revelation and its understanding, though both are far from easy to comprehend. His vision was fantastic and has perplexed schol- ars for over 2500 years. How many people did he see, one or two? There were 122 FAITH UNDER FIRE: A STUDY OF DANIEL two. Who were they? One was the angel Michael. The second man is harder to name. He who was dressed beautifully and who shone brilliantly has been equated by some with Jesus in Revelation 1, but that seems unlikely since he struggled for three weeks to get to Daniel, and then only with the aid of Mi- chael. Surely, Jesus could have defeated His foe much more easily, unless He intentionally limited Himself. Some have speculated that it was Gabriel from the previous chapter or yet another unnamed angel, but those are indeed mere speculations. Certainly, the individual is a representative of Heaven, coming to answer Daniel’s prayer. Daniel Made Great Preparation for Prayer (10:2-3) Daniel prayed for three weeks. This does not mean he prayed a few times within those three weeks, but rather that he was in constant prayer. His prayer included mourning. The Hebrew word mitabbel is only found three times in the Bible and in each it means deep, grieving, mournful lamenting. In 1 Samuel 16:1, God asked Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul?” indicating that Samuel was in deep grief and mourning of the calamitous and dramatic experience of Saul’s sad demise as Israel’s first king. Samuel never wanted Saul to be king. He reluctantly agreed but was still hopeful, nonetheless. His reign was a catastrophe. Samuel must have been dwelling on all the sorrowful details in his lament. Likewise, in Ezra 10:6, Ezra was mourning over the sinful disobedience of the people of God while they were in exile. Daniel 10:2 is the third time in the Bible that this word is used. God pulled back the veil to the future and Daniel mourned for the situation Israel was in and for what was to come. In each of these three circumstances, the one praying was mourning on behalf of others. Daniel demonstrates a type of depth our prayer lives should include, and he did so for three weeks. What if God’s people had such heartfelt prayer for our communities? Daniel also fasted from choice foods, meat, and wine during this time. Fasting is a spiritual discipline that is not practiced as much today as it has been. There are different kinds of fasts: full fast of abstaining from all food and drink (other than water) for an extended period of time, partial fast (as is here) where only a little amount of items are consumed or a specific fast where a particular item is given up for a period of time. Many people practice Lesson 12: The Power of Prayer 123 specific fasting during the Easter season (Lent). Fasts are to be focused and purposeful where the person fasting is thinking and praying for God to reveal something, or work in a special way. Daniel fasted for his vision to be under- stood. We can fast for our lost friends, family, or neighbors. We can fast for our own personal revival or renewal. We can fast for our church or communi- ty. Daniel’s fast also included no lotion. He was in a hot and dry environment and was forgoing the comfort of personal care, which may seem trivial until we consider the value of our air-conditioned homes, ointments, cream, pow- ders, and comforts we use regularly. Daniel’s intention was to focus as little on himself as he could to give all attention to God’s revelation. We should have that same devotion in detail to hearing God’s voice too. Angels Though the Bible says a lot about angels, it only provides the name of four. Michael and Gabriel are both mentioned in Daniel and elsewhere. Abaddon (also known as Apollyon) is mentioned in Revelation 9:11 and is the angel of the abyss. Lucifer is the fourth angel mentioned, but of course, he was the chief fallen angel. He is named in Isaiah 14:12, but in Hebrew, his name would be Heylel (hay—lell). The intra-testament books list three others: Raphael, Uri- el, and Jeremiel.