Walter Kaiser needs no introduction to students of the Old Testament, and his concern not just for understanding Old Testament rightly but also for preaching it faithfully is long evident in his work. In this new book he turns his attention to the subject of prayer, helpfully expounding eleven model prayers from the Old Testament Scriptures:
Abraham’s Prayer for a Wicked City
Genesis 18:22-33
Moses’ Prayer for Pardon for Israel
Numbers 14:13-23
Hannah’s Prayer in Thanksgiving for her Son
1Samuel 1:1-2:11
David’s Prayer in Thanks to God for his Dynasty
2Samuel 7:18-29; 1Chronicles 17:16-27
Solomon’s Prayer for a Listening Heart
1Kings 3:5-15
Solomon’s Prayer at the Dedication of the Temple
1Kings 8:22-53
Jonah’s Prayer in Thanksgiving for his Rescue
Jonah 2:2-9
Hezekiah’s Prayer for Dealing with an Arrogant Enemy
2Kings 19:14-19; Isaiah 37:14-20
Nehemiah’s Prayer in a Time of Distress
Nehemiah 1:1-12
Ezra’s Prayer of Confession for Corporate Sin
Ezra 9:6-15
Daniel’s Prayer in Confession of National Sin
Daniel 9:1-27
In this introductory chapter Kaiser surveys and draws lessons from other Old Testament examples of the need and value of prayer also:
The Example of the Israelites and Moses
Numbers 21:4-9
The Example of Jeroboam and the Prophet of Judah
1 Kings 13-14
The Example of Johanan and Jeremiah
Jeremiah 40-43
The Example of Zedekiah and Jeremiah
Jeremiah 21:1-2
Like Jesus’ disciples we want to know how to pray. The prayers recorded for us in Scripture are given, in part, to help us with just that concern, and Kaiser serves as an excellent guide. A valuable resource for understanding these passages of Scripture, for studying the subject of prayer, and for learning the practice of prayer.
Kaiser’s Introductory Paragraph
Prayer has always been the way God has chosen to show himself strong on behalf of those who called upon him. Thus it happened that when the sermons of a certain man of God seemed to be most effective in the conversion of many new believers in one local church, it became known to him and to others that these conversions were not the direct result of his preaching. Instead, while God certainly used the man’s preaching to bring many souls to Christ, the conversions also were influenced by the prayers of a faithful lay person who pleaded with God for the success of the preaching of the Word of God in that particular setting—and many responded to the call to faith. So it may be revealed in the Final Day that all the honor and praise for the supposed accomplishments of many whom we had thought were responsible for such success may not belong to them alone. Rather, the honor will belong as well to those who held up the arms of God’s workers in constant and faith- believing prayer….