Prevailing Prayer

Is it possible that 70 years of exile were decreed for Israel because God knew the nation would take that long to truly repent? If so, it would reveal something incredible about our relationship to God as He promises to discipline those He loves (Hebrews 12). He even plans what that discipline should be and for how long. I get this idea from the intercessory prayer Daniel makes in chapter 9. 

Daniel 9:13–14 (ESV) As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us; yet we have not entreated the favor of the LORD our God, turning from our iniquities and gaining insight by your truth. 14 Therefore the LORD has kept ready the calamity and has brought it upon us, for the LORD our God is righteous in all the works that he has done, and we have not obeyed his voice.

Sometimes it takes a while before we learn to return to God. Israel was a prime example. Daniel stipulates that the lack of seeking God's favor had prolonged the exile, yet God had known beforehand and announced through Jeremiah that 70 years would be the timeframe. He is loving enough to set the right amount of discipline so that we break and come back to Him. 

Daniel also repeatedly makes clear that even this terrible time of exile was ultimately for God's glory among the nations. 

Daniel 9:15 (ESV) And now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and have made a name for yourself, as at this day, we have sinned, we have done wickedly.

The Lord's name was glorified in Israel's trouble. Why? Because, as bad as it was, they would not be utterly abandoned but would return in unfathomable favor. No other nation from the ancient world has this profound a resurrection story.

Later in his prayer, Daniel makes sure that even the hearing and answering is about God's glory and renown among the nations. 

Daniel 9:19 (ESV) O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.”

At this point in Daniel's story, the exile is not even half over. There are many years remaining and many prayers to be offered, which will be seemingly ignored for decades. But they are never forgotten. God answers Daniel's prayer not with immediate return or a shortening of the event. He answers Daniel's prayer with clarity, sending his messenger angel, Gabriel, to give Daniel insight into what is about to transpire. 

Daniel 9:21–23 (ESV) while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice. 22 He made me understand, speaking with me and saying, “O Daniel, I have now come out to give you insight and understanding. 23 At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved. Therefore consider the word and understand the vision.

There are a few key points about prayer that we should take away from this. First, Daniel clearly "speaks" his prayers; he doesn't simply "think" them. Daniel makes the prayer a petition for God's glory. Daniel continues to seek God until God shows up. And when God's messenger arrives, the moment is drenched in love. Daniel, "greatly loved" by God, will see God's timeline for history even if he won't experience it himself. 

What prayers are you praying at this moment? Are they for your renown or for His? Are you willing to pray even if you don't get to see the fulfillment of the answer? Daniel models a heart for God's purpose to prevail no matter what. He loves the people, the nation of Israe,l and seeks God's goodness over them. 

In Christ, we have a true and better Daniel who ever intercedes for us, seeking the Father's glory in our story, making sure to comfort us with understanding of the times so that we can see His plan will prevail even if we don't live to experience it.