ABOUT DANIEL

The children of Israel, basically Judah, were in captivity in Babylon for many years. In the 6th chapter of the book of Daniel, shortly after Babylon was overthrown by the Medes and the Persians and Darius the Median began to reign, he appointed 120 princes and set them over the affairs of the kingdom. He then appointed three presidents who these princes were to report to. Daniel was one of these three presidents and interestingly, he was the most preferred because he excelled far above the others. As a result of this, Darius the king thought to make him his topmost official. Out of jealousy, his colleagues sought to set him up. To their frustration, all their efforts proved abortive because he was diligent and 100% faithful in discharging his responsibilities.

Daniel 6:4(NKJV)

So the governors and satraps sought to find some charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him.

But there was a way to get at him—his faith.

Daniel 6:5(NKJV)

Then these men said, "We shall not find any charge against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the law of his God."

They knew well that unlike other nations, Jews were monotheists (i.e., they believed in and worshipped ONLY ONE GOD). With this information, they devised a plot against him.

Daniel 6:6-9(NKJV)

6 So these governors and satraps thronged before the king, and said thus to him: "King Darius, live forever! 7 All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter." 9 Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.

Following this, something interesting happened.

Daniel 6:10(NKJV)

Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.

Now this has been a topic of controversy amongst many: Why on earth would Daniel decide to pray with his windows open? Couldn't he have prayed covertly? Wasn't it his lack of watchfulness that made him end up being caught?

Truly, it was because his windows were open that he was caught. Perhaps he wouldn't have been caught if he left them closed.

However, was his decision to open his windows an act of showoff or lack of watchfulness?

Not at all.

There are two things to note.

First, he was simply praying the way it had been ordained for exiles during King Solomon’s prayer on the day of the dedication of the temple in Jerusalem hundreds of years earlier (1 Kings 8:22–53, 2 Chronicles 6:12–42).

2 Chronicles 6:1-11(NKJV)

1 Then Solomon spoke: "The Lord said He would dwell in the dark cloud. 2 I have surely built You an exalted house, And a place for You to dwell in forever." 3 Then the king turned around and blessed the whole assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel was standing. 4 And he said: "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who has fulfilled with His hands what He spoke with His mouth to my father David, saying, 5 'Since the day that I brought My people out of the land of Egypt, I have chosen no city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house, that My name might be there, nor did I choose any man to be a ruler over My people Israel. 6 Yet I have chosen Jerusalem, that My name may be there; and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.' 7 Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel. 8 But the Lord said to my father David, 'Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for My name, you did well in that it was in your heart. 9 Nevertheless you shall not build the temple, but your son who will come from your body, he shall build the temple for My name.' 10 So the Lord has fulfilled His word which He spoke, and I have filled the position of my father David, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised; and I have built the temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel. 11 And there I have put the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord which He made with the children of Israel."

Follow closely.

2 Chronicles 6:18-21(NKJV)

18 "But will God indeed dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built! 19 Yet regard the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O Lord my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer which Your servant is praying before You: 20 that Your eyes may be open toward this temple day and night, toward the place where You said You would put Your name, that You may hear the prayer which Your servant prays toward this place. 21 And may You hear the supplications of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and when You hear, forgive.

Follow closely.

2 Chronicles 6:36-40(NKJV)

36 "When they sin against You (for there is no one who does not sin), and You become angry with them and deliver them to the enemy, and they take them captive to a land far or near; 37 yet when they come to themselves in the land where they were carried captive, and repent, and make supplication to You in the land of their captivity, saying, 'We have sinned, we have done wrong, and have committed wickedness'; 38 and when they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, where they have been carried captive, and pray toward their land which You gave to their fathers, the city which You have chosen, and toward the temple which I have built for Your name: 39 then hear from heaven Your dwelling place their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive Your people who have sinned against You. 40 Now, my God, I pray, let Your eyes be open and let Your ears be attentive to the prayer made in this place.

You see this was not something Daniel made up. Just as it was ordained, whoever was praying to the God of Israel from the land of captivity must do so facing the direction of the temple in Jerusalem. So he did.

Second, he never prayed that way to draw the attention of his enemies. He was simply praying the exact way he had always been praying right from time.

Daniel 6:10(NKJV)

Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.

So, in this narrative, Daniel simply prayed the way Jews in captivity were directed to, and in this same manner he prayed all the days of his life.

Victor Ibosiola

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