God Answers Prayer: Daniel 10:1-9
God will do what it takes to help us join Him in His work. He doesn’t need our help, He wants it. God could snap His fingers and make things happen out of His will, but He wants us to be a part. He wants more than our adoration; He wants our relationship.
Daniel spent a significant amount of time mourning and praying. He doesn’t indicate why, but there are at least two likely reasons. Daniel was a prophet and known to be wise. His wisdom came from God; it would make sense for Daniel to fast and pray to gain wisdom.
Personally, I believe there is more here than a wise man’s routine. Daniel says he is mourning, not merely setting himself apart from certain foods by fasting. If we acknowledge the time reference given at the beginning of the chapter, Daniel’s mourning comes a little while after the first wave of Hebrew people had been released by Cyrus to return to Jerusalem.
This might sound like reason to celebrate, not mourn. Yet, we know the initial wave of Hebrew people returning found Jerusalem in great disrepair. Other people had moved into the area and resisted giving up the land they had claimed. Internal quarrels broke out between Jewish people over how to restore the land to its proper state. Given Daniel’s status in the Persian Empire, he would have been able to receive word from Jerusalem. He would know things progressed with great difficulty. This indicates a reason for Daniel to mourn.
At the end of this period of mourning, Daniel sees a vision of a great being. This is a vision and not a true physical encounter. Daniel himself calls it a vision, certainly he would know the difference. Furthermore, the people with him neither interact with nor show any indication of seeing the sight. Though they did not interact, the people with Daniel do feel the presence of the something terrifying and flee. God’s presence drew near to those gathered near Daniel and other people felt it. Even Daniel, who can see the vision, loses his strength in the presence of this vision from God. We may not always see God at work, but when God draws near, we will certainly feel it.
Daniel lives at a significant time of transition in God’s plan. The Hebrew people have reinvigorated their relationship with Him. The world is changing and becoming a world dominated by kingdoms and empires rather than tribes and nations. As the world changes, greed and rebellion are on the rise and going to get worse. As the world changes and God’s plan draws closer to its revelation, spiritually sensitive people like Daniel and the other prophets will receive declarations like this to help them understand God’s hand at work. God will do what it takes to help us be able to join Him in His work.
