Daniel 9:1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans;
2 In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.
3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:
1) How did Daniel understand?
Daniel understood by the word of the Lord coming through the prophet Jeremiah. We can understand God more by referring to His Holy Word. © For even though he was an excellent Prophet, yet he daily increased in knowledge by the reading of the scriptures. GBN
(1 Co 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 1 Co 2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.)
Prophecy of the seventy years divinely given to Jeremiah is so powerful that another OT prophet referred to it. This has NOT happened all that much in scripture.
2) And I set my face unto the Lord God...
Preparation for prayer begins with the mind of God. Colossians 3:2 Set your affection {affection: or, mind} on things above, not on things on the earth. With fasting ... (mortifying the things of the flesh); sackcloth, and ashes (soberness, seriousness).
3) If God is sovereign, do we need to pray?
1-3 Daniel learned from the books of the prophets, especially from Jeremiah, that the desolation of Jerusalem would continue seventy years, which were drawing to a close. God’s promises are to encourage our prayers, not to make them needless; and when we see the performance of them approaching, we should more earnestly plead them with God. MHCC
and as he saw nothing that indicated a speedy termination of their oppressive captivity ACC
Oftentimes we want to see some indications of God’s word before we pray?