Importance Of Prayer In Daniel 6

Daniel is a young Jewish man from Jerusalem who was taken into captivity in Babylon. In Babylon he serves different kings through their reigns while still remaining faithful to God. Daniel faithfully prays on his knees three times a day facing Jerusalem from his home, “Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before” (Daniel 6:10). Without prayer Daniel wouldn’t have been able to interpret dreams, visions, have survived the lion’s den, or been able to bring acknowledgment to God. Daniel’s prayers play an important role in the book of Daniel. Daniel had a relationship with God and it was because he communicated with Him through prayer. My thesis is the role and significance of prayer

He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men” (Daniel 2:48).
The Role and Significance of Prayer in Daniel 6
In Daniel chapter 6 prayer plays a significant role. In the beginning of this chapter, Daniel under the reign of Darius is appointed to be one of three administrators for 120 satraps (Daniel 6:1). Daniel is in a high political power. This made the other administrators and satraps envious of Daniel. This resulted in them proposing a new law to the king in Daniel 6:6-9:
So these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and said: “May King Darius live forever! The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den. Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” So King Darius put the decree in

Sackcloth and ashes refer “to the symbolic accompaniments of Daniel’s seeking. Wood observes that ‘sackcloth and ashes’ reflect the degree of his burden. At a foundational level these terms are associated with death and grieving. They thus provide a necessary picture of repentance which requires a genuine view of human mortality and consequently of the humility required of human beings before their Creator and Judge” (McLain 274). Through these actions it is observed that Daniel didn’t rush into his prayer, he took his time, “Daniel’s prayer-petition for divine mercy and favor was no empty formulaic prayer. His prayer was genuine, as evidenced by grief as if from the edge of the grave” (McLain 274). Daniel begins his prayer by addressing God being personal, powerful, and great: “He acknowledges God’s greatness because it will take a great God to accomplish what Daniel is about to request. He appeals to God’s personality because it will take a personal God to listen to the confession of multiple offenses and to react with mercy and grace” (McLain 277). Daniel ends his prayer with “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” (Daniel 9:19) Daniel is pleading for God’s mercy, overall the prayer is about “mercy for Israel and glory for God” (Dean R. Ulrich 2). This