(Daniel) Twenty One Days of Prayer — Willie Mullan

Daniel 10 and the Mystery of Prayer

Please meet with Daniel, Daniel chapter 10 and I make bold to say to Mike that this is one of the greatest chapters not only in the book of Daniel but I think it's one of the great chapters of the Bible.

Because you might rightly say to me all the chapters in this Bible are great and that is very true. But then you know sometimes when one has to give a week's Bible readings here and there sometimes I take a Bible reading, Bible week of readings on great chapters of the Bible.

And I call them great because there are chapters that bring doctrines to us and revelations and give us an insight into things that we don't find in other chapters. Think of Genesis 1 and we get the doctrine of creation and the doctrine of the creator.

Think of Hebrews chapter 1 and there you get the great story of the sweet fellowship between the father and the son in times past through the prophets. The father spake unto the fathers about his son.

And there are great chapters just like that right on through. And this is a great chapter this evening because it gives us an insight into what goes on in the heavenlies when men and women get really down to pray.

That's why I think it's one of the great chapters. I think that this is an inspiring chapter because you are going to see an old man of 86 years of age and I have thought to prove his age for you an old man of 86 years of age getting down to pray something through not just saying prayers not just bowing his knee at the bedside for a moment or two an old man of 86 years of age getting the grip of God's throne and determining in his own heart to pray this matter right through and staying there for 21 days.

No food, no washing, no anointing praying it through and I venture to say that not one of us know anything about it. I trust we shall learn what it really means to get alone with God. It's much easier to sing choruses than do this I assure you.

And it's much easier to come to the Bible class than do this. Blessed are those choruses and Bible classes. This is a man getting alone with his God and determining in his soul to see it through in prayer.

This is the mighty thing we are getting an insight into what this means in the heavens. This scares the devil you know he's got to get his choruses going now if there's such a man around and so it's an inspiring chapter when you come to look at it from that angle.

It's a very interesting chapter because you see all heaven moving to reach and answer this man's prayer all heaven. I tell you.

All heaven moving. This is most interesting.

And then I think it's a great chapter. Not only because it gives us an insight into this and inspires us to pray and it's interesting to watch all heaven moving. But we get an instruction here about principalities and powers and the rulers of the darkness of this world.

I don't know whether we've ever stopped to consider this phrase the rulers of the darkness of this world. Who are these rulers that are determined to keep the world in darkness. Well there's instruction here for us.

It's an interesting chapter. It's an inspiring one. It's an instructive one. It's an indispensable one. The modernists would love to tear it out. And they have tried. They say it doesn't come, does it not?

We shall see. I tell you if they could tear this chapter out. We haven't this instruction anywhere else in the book that I know. That's why I say it's one of the great ones. And it's not only inspiring and interesting and instructive and indispensable.

It's an intricate chapter. There are difficulties. I admit that we've got to face them. Honestly why some of the greatest expositors in the world are all at sixes and sevens with each other as regards this chapter.

So one must think how to wear the shoes from off his feet. When we come here we're on very holy ground. It's ground that the devil doesn't want us to be on. And all the forces of hell will be against this bible reading this evening.

And then we take fresh courage because we're living in the age of grace. And the holy ghost the comforter has come. And Jesus promised us when he the spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth.

So depending on the holy ghost we're coming to this great chapter this evening. I've called it twenty one days of prayer. You see first of all in those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. And it's the same word that we had last week in the chapter.

It's the word weeks. Weeks. It's the word sevens. But it was sevens of years last week from the context. And it's quite easy to see that it's sevens of days this week. It's three sevens of days. It's twenty one days.

Three full weeks. See what verse 3 says. I eat no pleasant bread. Neither tin flesh nor wine in my mouth. Neither did I anoint myself at all till three whole weeks were fulfilled. Twenty one days of prayer.

Daniel's Chronology from Nebuchadnezzar to Cyrus

My what a blessing to see you this evening. And when you realise that the same Daniel is somewhere above 86 years of age let's get the first verse in now in the third year of Cyrus king of Persia now that's very interesting isn't it those of you who know this book and I think by now you should know it.

Do you know how the chapters go. Well chapter 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 all has to do with Nebuchadnezzar the great king of Babylon. That's an easy way of knowing Daniel. 1, 2, 3, 4 all belong to the reign of Nebuchadnezzar.

And then you want to watch this because it's chapter 5 and then it misses 6 and 7. It's chapter 5 and 8 that belong to Belshazzar. You see the chapters are not in chronological order but 1, 2, 3, 4 belong to Nebuchadnezzar.

And then 5 and 8 belong to Belshazzar. And then 6 and 7 and 9 belong to Darius. And then 10 we find Cyrus the king of Persia. So that you can see at a glance that Daniel lived right through the reign of Nebuchadnezzar right through the reign of Belshazzar right through the reign of Darius right into this very time in this chapter.

And here's a very interesting fact if you go back to the book of Ezra let's go back to Ezra just for a moment. 1 and 2 Samuel 1 and 2 Kings 1 and 2 Chronicles. And then comes the book of Ezra. Now take your time and find a place and you young ones who are here and you don't know your Bibles any.

Well if you open the first part of your book just behind the back there you'll find directions to the page. And I have all the sympathy in the world with you. Because when I was first saved and went to church if the picture preached out of anywhere only Matthew, Mark, Luke, John I couldn't find it.

I hadn't a chance. I used to just open it anywhere and pretend but that's no good. You're getting on. No well like that. And you got Ezra. Well 2nd Chronicles is before Ezra and the last chapter is chapter 36.

Do you see verse 22. Verse 22 now in the first year of Cyrus see where we were reading tonight. It's the third year of Cyrus. Now way back there in 2nd Chronicles just before Ezra. Verse 22. Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia that the word of the Lord spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished.

The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and put it also in writing saying thus says Cyrus king of Persia all the kings of the earth have the Lord God of heaven given me and he has charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem which is in Judah.

Who is there among you of all his people. The Lord his God be with him. Let him go up now. This is the first year you see just to fulfill what Jeremiah had said. Jeremiah had said that God would take his people as captives into Babylon and keep them for 70 years.

Now the 70 years are gone. It's all the fact I want out of it. And if we come to the conclusion that Daniel was brought as a captive to Babylon at the age of 16 some of the scholars believe he was 14.

Some believe he was 15. Some believe he was 16. It's very difficult to be exact. Old Testament computerism isn't altogether correct. But he was somewhere about 14 or 15 or 16 we'll say 16. And as he came to Babylon as a young prince captive at the age of 16 70 years have gone.

Now these kings have all run the course. Jeremiah's prophecy is about to be fulfilled. He's 86 years of age. Let's get that settled. Now some people ask me if the king of Persia let the captives go back two years before this because it's the first year that the king let them go back.

Why did Daniel not go back? It's a very good question because in the third year he's still in Babylon. And I believe maybe the answer is found in the book of Ezra. You know when these captives had the liberty and the opportunity to go back not very many of them responded at all.

A great multitude had made their home in Babylon and I believe that Daniel stayed to pray them out of it. But we'll find out as we go on with the story this evening. I'm only proving his age so we'll not ponder that anymore.

We'll go back to Daniel 10. So you can see this old man 86 years of age bowing down before his God holding on to the throne for 21 days. I want you to look at those days of devotion that Daniel had. I want you to notice this phrase in verse 3.

I ate no pleasant bread. Neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth. Neither did I anoint myself at all. I want you to see this old man got down before God and denied himself. I want you to get that because I can tell some of you young ones if you're going to learn to pray at all you'll have to deny yourself.

And I'll tell you this is not easy. You know if you're going to really pray if you're going to really get alone with God you'll have to learn what it meant when Christ said enter into thy closet and shut thy door.

Because you've got to get alone you've got to deny yourself. You know when you're really praying something through something that's burdening you something that you must get right before God then you'll have to deny yourself food.

Maybe we wouldn't be prepared for that. Maybe the smells that come from the kitchen wouldn't allow you to do it. You have to shut the door on food at times. And you have to shut the door on friends at times.

Sometimes I just tell my wife it doesn't make a matter who comes. You just tell them that I'm with God. Maybe they think I'm dodging. And you can think whatever you like. If you go ahead with the thinking what you think doesn't worry me.

You've got to shut the door on food. You've got to shut the door on friends. You've got to shut the door on fun. Now you give up your fun too. Got to shut the door on fools. Because usually when I get down to pray there's always some fool at the door.

I think the devil sends them round. Well I just send them away. I'll tell you this is the great matter of this praying business. You know there are bottles that have been engaged here that have never been put on the page of history.

And never will. You see this is 21 days of denying yourself. Have a look at verse 11 here just for a moment. The angel who came to Daniel when he had prayed for 21 days. And we'll not hurry this the angel said, he said unto me O Daniel, a man greatly beloved I can tell you whether the folks talked about them or not.

Heaven loved them. Sometimes when the critics are turned away at the door they could say all sorts of things about you. I'll tell you heaven doesn't say a word. Yes, he said unto me O Daniel, a man greatly beloved understand the words that I speak unto thee and stand upright for unto thee am I now sent.

And when he had spoken this word unto me I stood trembling. And he said unto me fear not Daniel for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand. This is what it was all about. You know he got down before God.

And I want you to watch the rephrase set thine heart. Because in this great matter of prayer it is the heart that matters. It is not your language. Nor how quick you can get through it. Nor how fast, nor how loud nor how dramatic.

No, not at all. It's the heart that counts. You know that the psalmist knew this he said if we regard iniquity in our hearts the Lord will not hear us. And if you're going through the whole day thinking about sex or naked women you must stop praying for the Lord will not hear you.

He just shuts his ears to that sort of thing.

You're a bluff to the Lord. It's the heart that can't see it.

And it's the same for husbands and wives. If you're barging and buckling it out and eating the face of one another at home Peter said your prayers will be hindered because your thought life can hinder your prayer life.

And your home life can hinder your prayer life. You know if you're going to pray at all you have to set your heart. That's the thing that we're trying to get across. You see it's the desires of the heart and it's the heart that's right with God.

You know he sets his heart to understand. I want you to watch that as you understand. What? It says from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand. What was Daniel praying about at all?

Look in verse 14 the angel said now I am come to make thee understand what shall be told by people in the latter days. That's what he was after. You know there was just a little remnant and it went back with effort.

But there's a multitude in this land of idols and Daniel's burgeoned about God's people. And he's getting down before God. And he's gripping the throne. And he's honestly wanting to know what's going to befall this people in the latter days.

And you know the devil doesn't like you to be anxious about the people of God and their goods. He doesn't like you at all. And so you can see that Daniel denied himself. And you can see these days of desiring before God.

And I want you to watch this phrase in verse 12 it says. For from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand and to chasten thyself before thy God. You know this was between this man and God.

He got along with God. It was God's throne. It was God's face. It was God's ear. It was God that Daniel got before. This was a real business. You know if you're anxious about prayer and how to pray one of the great books of the Bible for you is the book of Daniel.

For Daniel will teach you in one of the chapters when to pray three times a day. Never fail. Even when he faced the lion's den he just went on as he did the four times three times a day it's the best medicine you'll ever get.

They write it on the medicine bottle now three times a day. But I can tell you this is better medicine. And if we could just dedicate our lives that somewhere each day maybe in the morning maybe at noon maybe at night but three times a day somewhere I shall get along with God.

Do you know is Daniel would teach you when to pray. And I'll tell you that this chapter tonight will teach you how to pray. And if you go through the rest of the chapters you'll find for what you should pray.

But I haven't the time to go into the what you'll find them. Do you remember he prayed for the secret and he found it in the night. He's praying for understanding of the nation just now. And I believe it's maybe falling on some of the shoulders of the saints at this time to really get to grips with God about our problems.

Because I don't think they're getting anywhere. I think it's muddled right, left and center. Maybe the man of God will have to settle it. I wonder are there men in this province being shut in with God.

I don't know. I can tell you that there are great things in this chapter these devotional days of Daniel. You can see him denying himself. You can see his desiring before God. You can see him depending solely upon the Lord.

The Vision of the Heavenly Messenger

And I want you to watch now exactly what happens. It says verse 2. In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. I eat no pleasant bread, neither confessional wine in my mouth neither did I anoint myself at all.

So three whole weeks were fulfilled. And in the four and twentieth day of the first month as I was by the side of the great river which is Hedickel then I lifted up mine eyes and looked and behold a fetid man clothed in linen whose loins were girded with fine gold of Eupheus.

His body also was like the barrel and his face of the appearance of lightning and his eyes as lamps of fire and his arms and his feet like in colours of polished brass. And the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.

This is a wonderful vision that Daniel is having. And this is where one of the difficulties of the chapter comes in because so many of the great and valued expositors say that this is the Lord Jesus. And to be frank I don't accept that.

I'll tell you for why in a moment you know I know why they do this. I know quite well. Let's go away back to the book of the Revelation. And we're at Revelation chapter one. Revelation one. And John here is on the isle of Patmos.

And you remember that he was in the spirit on the Lord's day. Verse ten. I was in the spirit on the Lord's day and had behind me a great voice out of a trumpet saying I am Alpha and Omega. The first and the last verse twelve.

I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned I saw seven golden candlesticks. And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the son of man. There's no doubt who the Alpha and the Omega is none at all.

He's the son of man. I asked two Russellites at the door once who's John looking at here. This person says that he's Alpha and Omega. And this verse says he's the son of man. Says that's right. He was the son of man.

I say that's good for you now because if you go back up the chapter to verse eight you'll find something else. Have a look at verse eight. Now I am Alpha and Omega. Is that the same person? The beginning and the ending saith the Lord Jehovah is the word which is, which was, which is to come the Almighty.

Keep the first two words and the last two. I am the Almighty. Now the boys were in the fix at the door because they've got to say he's God. And the wee one said to the big one said you were wrong when you said this.

I said you lie out of it. You don't know what you're talking about. So he says friends Jesus Christ is God manifest in flesh. There's no problems about that. He's Alpha and Omega. He's the beginning and the ending.

He's Jehovah, he's the Almighty. But John's looking at the son of man. He just sees him like he was on earth. He was always called the son of man. But look at how he's called. Verse thirteen. Son of man called with a garment down to the foot and get about the breast with a golden girdle.

You know he's in the robes of the high priest. Now because the son of man is our great high priest. That's how John saw. Look at his head and his hair. It's white as snow like wool. He's the ancient of days.

His eyes were as the flame of fire. He can see through you. He's the judge of all the earth. And it goes on down and it ends the same of the vision in Daniel. His countenance was as the sun shineth in its strength.

Then just because that Christ is revealed like this in Revelation 1 many of the great scholars come to the conclusion that this vision given to Daniel that this is the Lord Jesus coming to them. Now I'm afraid I can't accept that.

I know that the vision is very nearly the same. I know that there are many things it is said here. His body also was like the burl his face as the appearance of lightning his eyes as lumps of fire. His arms and his feet like in colour to polish dust.

And the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. I know that. But I'm going to show you in a moment that this one who came to Daniel this one was the one that God had sent with the answer when Daniel began to pray.

And this one was kept back from doing the job for 21 days. And I want to know from the scholars who kept my Lord back for 21 days. Because I just don't know anybody who would be able don't start to talk to me like that.

I don't accept that no this is an angelic being. And remember when man was made in the image of God some of the great angels like the archangel like some of the great messengers of the throne they have a likeness to the glory of the Lord.

And one day we shall bear the glory in full. Now I shall prove that this is an angelic being that was sent from God to answer Daniel's question. Here's something I think we must gather up as we go along.

You can see the majesty of this person without any trouble. I say the majesty of the messenger. His body was like the bell. There was a glory about it. If you go to verse 11 you can see the authority of the messenger.

And he said unto me O Daniel, a man greatly beloved. Understand the words that I speak unto thee and stand upright for unto thee am I now sent. This was a sent messenger. He had come from the glory because Daniel got down to pray.

And you not only see the authority of the messenger but in a moment or two you are going to see the hostility against the messenger. You see he goes on talking to Daniel in verse 12. Fear not Daniel. For from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand and had chastened thyself before thy God thy words were heard.

And I am come for thy words. But the prince of the kingdom of pleasure withstood me one and twenty days. That's the point he was kept back. He was sent. Alright. He came from the glory. He's an angelic being.

Oh but somebody was bigger than him. Somebody kept him back for 21 days. Don't come round telling me there's somebody bigger than the Lord. Because I don't accept that I would think if the scholars would read a bit they would get it.

That's the value of bible readings. Now let's get the hold of something else to see this angelic being comes. He's sent from heaven. He was sent on the very first day that Daniel began to pray. He's been kept back for 21 days.

And now he suddenly appears. It says in verse 7. And I Daniel alone saw the vision. For the men that were with me saw not the vision but a great quaking fell upon them so that they fled to hide themselves.

You know I think this is very important just to notice. It would be possible for an angelic being to visit this meeting and some one of us see this being and the rest would not see it. Aren't you to get that.

But it would not be possible for this angelic being to come to this meeting without you feeling his presence. Even if you couldn't see the person his presence would make itself felt because the men that were with Daniel saw not the vision.

Only Daniel saw the vision but a great quaking fell upon them so that they fled to hide themselves. They were conscious that there was some other presence. There wouldn't be able to explain it. Sometimes when we preach at meetings you can feel God drawing very near to the meeting.

Sometimes I have felt a hush in the meeting that I can't create. And I think we get conscious that God is very near. I just thought I would point that out as we went on with this basic. Therefore I was left alone.

Prayer, Solitude, and the Heart's Condition

And it's a great thing to be left alone when God wants to talk to you. I think for you young preachers would you let me talk to you for a moment unless you young fellows get alone with God the congregation is going to pass you on some yipsip about all day and every day and here and there and younger and you think you're so clever you can walk in and hold the people when you can't and you'll lose out and you'll be no good.

And you can't warm up your heart. You'll have to be alone with God. And when you're alone whether it's an old sermon or not I'll tell you this. You'll come out fresh because unless you go in you needn't come out to the folks.

Now Daniel was alone saw this great vision and there remained no strength in me. Do you see what this revelation did to him. My eye can catch the boys on every time they come to me and say they have revelation.

Because you know you couldn't get a heart big enough for them. Oh I can see them you know. And the character came down to me one night and he said Mr. Mon now you should see him demonstrating this. He must have thought I was a fool you know.

But I was watching him carefully. Oh I have the greatest vision I've ever had. God came into the room filled the room with light and he told me that Mr. Mon was the greatest man in this world. God help him for being such a liar.

You know he was all charmed about it. He was working himself up he was exalting himself. It was all fresh from beginning to end. I'll tell you where you'll find him tonight up in the pub. He's in the pub now.

I've seen him come along drunk there. Sometimes I'd just pass him by. But one night I was in there saw them really just talk to him and said you the boy that had the vision he would never say it. I tell you if you got near to the Lord it would not have stopped of you.

There'd be no boasting about it. You'd keep on your hold. My dear friends if you get near to God you never talk about yourself at all. You're just a wee fellow miserable wee fellow. That's all St. Daniel.

He was a great man he says therefore I was left alone and saw this great vision. And there remained no strength in me for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption and I retained no strength. Yet heard I the voice of his words.

And when I heard the voice of his words then was I in a deep sleep on my face and my face toward the ground. Now I want you to get the other part because it's the other part that's important that's really important.

And behold a hand touched me and I want you to watch the word touched as we go through the chapter I'll gather them together afterwards and set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands. And he said unto me O Daniel a man greatly beloved understand the words that I speak unto thee and stand upright.

And that's a pretty good indication that this was an angel. Pretty good indication because it would be quite right to bow before the Lord. And you know when the Lord walked on the water and got into the boat it says that all the disciples worshipped him in the boat they worshipped him.

And when the old Scottish divine was preaching once a night he said there wasn't a blessed Unitarian in the boat because the Unitarians can't worship the Lord because they don't believe he's God. But if you believe he's God you can worship.

But this is just an angel. And he says now you just stand upright. And I think it goes on to prove it more than that unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me I stood trembling my this book's a great book how perfectly it is written.

Then said he unto me fear not Daniel for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand and to chasten thyself before thy God. Thy words were heard. You know he got right through. Once did he get the hold of this.

My he really got through to the full. Thy words were heard. And I'll tell you this if you can be absolutely sure that God hears you. If you know that he hears you this New Testament says then you have the petition that you desire of him.

Oh Daniel got right through. But Daniel didn't know that he had got right through. And it said this thy words were heard and I am come for thy words. But the prince of the kingdom of God who withstood me one and twenty days.

Now let's think about this prince for a moment or two. You know the chapter began in the third year of Cyrus king of Persia. Now what's the difference between the king of Persia and the prince of Persia.

Now there is no doubt at all that this was a great angelic being that was sent from heaven to answer Daniel's prayer. There is no doubt in your mind. Some of the scholars believe it was the Lord Jesus.

I know it was a great angelic being. Now when it talks about the prince of the kingdom of Persia do you think it's talking about an ordinary human. Because I would give you more marks than that you would know right.

Well on the seat where you sit that no human could keep an angel back for twenty one days. So we are not talking about a human. Now we are entering into something else. That's really wonderful. You see.

Let's go to Ephesians for a moment. Paul's letter to the Ephesians. And we are now at the sixth chapter. Paul's letter to the Ephesians chapter six. I'm commencing to read at verse ten. And Paul said finally my brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might put on the whole armor of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

For we believers wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities against powers against the rules of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness. In my presence I want you to see the enemy here outlined before you principalities.

Do you know what that means? We wrestle against principalities against powers. Here's a great phrase against the rules of the darkness of this world. Against wicked spirits. It is translated once against wicked spirits in heavenly places.

You see over the kingdom of Persia was the king called Cyrus at that time. But then over him although he didn't know it there was a prince one of these principalities one of these powers one of these rulers of the darkness of Persia.

And there's a man in the nation now and he's going to get white. Ah well we'll have to stop them says the devil from getting white. So he sent this mighty principality. He's called the prince of Persia.

He's not a human being. He's one of these rulers of the darkness. You know friends over this province of ours we've had many prime ministers. But let's get this in tonight that over all the prime ministers that we've ever had or are ever likely to have the devil has designated one of his great princes and he's the prince of Austria.

That's what he would be called as we could understand. And let me tell you he's done a great job for the devil. He's done a great job. I'm sure the devil's thinking of decorating him just now. You know there was an old man who dreamed a dream once and he thought he could see the whole army of the devil.

And the devil is walking up and down the ranks looking at all these principalities and these powers of his and all these rulers of the darkness. And he's saying to them there's a little province down yonder and they're getting more light and more light and more light.

And what are you fellas doing about it. And one of them stepped forward and said said sir I've got the folk attracted to the football. And the devil says that's no good. You ought to stop that. And another one said this and another one said that.

And they all stood and the devil said I'll tell you what's wrong with you. You don't know there's an old woman away down in a wee cottage down yonder and she's on her knees from morning to night and she's praying the blessing of God down upon the place.

You'll have to take her. And I'll tell you this. You just examine it just in your own logic tonight. It doesn't matter how big it touches. It doesn't matter how many folks we have. It doesn't matter about the financial end.