Calling and Purpose 52—Daniel, Dreams, Visions, Prophecies, and Prayers
[Read Calling and Purpose—Daniel and Captivity]
[Read Calling and Purpose—God Gives Daniel Wisdom and Courage]
[Read Calling and Purpose--Daniel Speaks Truth to Power]
[Read Calling and Purpose—Daniel Continues to Speak Truth to Power]
[Read Calling and Purpose—Daniel Survives the Lions]
Studies of Daniel’s life typically stop at the end of Chapter 6—with Daniel surviving the lions’ den. This is usually because the rest of the book of Daniel records dreams, visions, and prophecies. Why do we avoid reading the complete book…the difficult-to-understand parts? Is it our desire for comfort? Our need for certainty? Our discomfort with visions and prophecy?
If we persevere in reading ALL of Scripture, even the confusing (or scary) parts, we find treasure. In Chapter 7 (first year of King Belshazzar), Daniel sees a variety of mostly frightening things, including beasts with varying amounts of power, horns and a horn that uproots other horns, and thrones. Then Daniel sees God—the “Ancient of Days” take His seat. This is likely where the image of God as old with long white hair comes from: “His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool.” But, somehow we leave out the part of the description that goes like this: “His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.” There are clear echoes of this same scene in the Book of Revelation. God exists outside of time and before Creation. God is holy—ablaze—and worthy of our worship and service.
The beast with the horns is slain, and Daniel’s vision turns to “one like a son of man”—a reference Jesus used to describe Himself: “…there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”
Although Daniel is troubled (and we see in Chapter 8 exhausted) by his late-night visions, he is assured that ultimately, “the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.”
Daniel is privy to predictions of the future as well as overwhelming sights of God the Father and Jesus the Messiah. And, like us, still had to get up and go to work: “Then I got up and went about the king’s business.”
As Daniel does his job for the various kings, daily, faithfully for years…he also faithfully studies God’s Word for those same years (“I, Daniel, 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.” Chapter 9).
When he realizes that the end of the Babylonian (and Medo-Persian) captivity for the Jews is near, he “turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.” We have seen throughout the narrative that Daniel has been faithful in prayer all this time.
He begins with corporate confession, interlaced with traits of God’s character. He admits that the people (himself included) were deserving of the punishment they have received in being taken into exile. He reminds the Lord of past deliverance (from Egypt) and begs for God’s favor. Daniel asks “Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act!” because of God’s mercy. It’s an amazing prayer. How often do we deeply confess our individual and corporate sins? How often do we rightly view ourselves in relation to a Mighty, Holy God? How honestly do we ask the Lord to act because of who HE is, not because we somehow deserve His intervention?
Take time now and pray Daniel’s prayer (Chapter 9:4-19) for you and your faith community:
“Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land.
“Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame—the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you. We and our kings, our princes and our ancestors are covered with shame, Lord, because we have sinned against you. The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets. All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.
“Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you. You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing on us great disaster. Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem. Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come on us, yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth. The Lord did not hesitate to bring the disaster on us, for the Lord our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him.
“Now, Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong. Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn to all those around us.
“Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. Give ear, our God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. 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 city and your people bear your Name.”
Like Daniel, we live in the now and the not-yet. Jesus ushered in His Kingdom…and we are also to continue to pray “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” We may have the gift of prophecy, the ability to see visions or dream dreams from the Lord, the gift of interpretation, the deep knowledge of God’s Word. And, we also get up and go to jobs that oftentimes don’t seem to have a direct connection to God’s work in the world.
Our calling in these moments? Be faithful. Stay in God’s Word. Be consistent in prayer—both listening for and to God and talking with Him. Be in community with other believers. Cultivate humility—confess before God. Depend on the Lord’s mercy and not your own competence.
Additional Resources:
• Downloadable Resources--See Sample List of Interest Areas; Your Spiritual Gifts—A Study Guide; Knowing Your Unique Calling and Purpose Study Guide; Whole-Life Ministry: A Form of Worship, Grace-Giving, and Living into Your Calling.
Shirley Giles Davis, author of the God. Gifts. You. Your Unique Calling and Design workbook, Your Unique Design Class Guide, Your Unique Design Facilitator Guide, and Gifts-Calling-Purpose blog, is a consultant, coach, facilitator who has worked with faith-based organizations, nonprofit agencies, and leaders in a diversity of fields for over 30 years. She has also been Equipping Ministries Director at her church since 1999.
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