Scripture Daily

Context No. 1414 of 4322 · Daniel (Greek)

Context · Reflection

Daniel (Greek) 10:12-21: in context

12Then he said to me, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel; for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard. I have come for your words’ sake. 13But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; but, behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me because I remained there with the kings of Persia. 14Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days; for the vision is yet for many days.” 15When he had spoken these words to me, I set my face toward the ground, and was mute. 16Behold, one in the likeness of the sons of men touched my lips. Then I opened my mouth, and spoke and said to him who stood before me, “My lord, by reason of the vision my sorrows have overtaken me, and I retain no strength. 17For how can the servant of my lord talk with my lord? For as for me, immediately there remained no strength in me. There was no breath left in me.” 18Then one like the appearance of a man touched me again, and he strengthened me. 19He said, “Greatly beloved man, don’t be afraid. Peace be to you. Be strong. Yes, be strong.” When he spoke to me, I was strengthened, and said, “Let my lord speak; for you have strengthened me.” 20Then he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? Now I will return to fight with the prince of Persia. When I go out, behold, the prince of Greece will come. 21But I will tell you what is inscribed in the writing of truth. There is no one who supports me against these except Michael, your prince.

An angelic messenger comes to Daniel, who has been mourning and praying for three weeks, and tells him something remarkable. Do not be afraid, Daniel; from the first day that you set your heart to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come because of them. But, the messenger says, the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, until Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me. Daniel, overwhelmed and drained of strength by the vision, is touched and strengthened, and told again: greatly beloved, do not be afraid; peace be to you; be strong.

This passage lifts a corner on something usually hidden: why an answer to prayer can be delayed even when the prayer was heard at once. Your words were heard from the first day, the messenger tells Daniel; the answer set out immediately. But it was delayed twenty-one days, held up by an unseen conflict, a struggle in the spiritual realm that Daniel knew nothing about, until reinforcement came. Daniel had spent those same three weeks in mourning and prayer, perhaps wondering why no answer came, not knowing that his prayer had been heard on the very first day and that the delay had nothing to do with God's willingness or attention. There is real encouragement in this for our own delayed prayers. The silence that follows a prayer does not mean it was not heard; heaven may have answered on the first day, and the delay we experience may be owing to things entirely beyond our sight. So the delay is not a reason to stop praying, as Daniel did not stop through his twenty-one days. And notice the tenderness with which the exhausted, frightened Daniel is treated: he is called greatly beloved, told not to fear, given peace, and strengthened for what he cannot bear on his own. The God who hears from the first day also stoops to strengthen the weary one who waits, calling him beloved and giving him the strength to stand.

When my prayers seem to meet silence, can I trust that they may have been heard from the first day, the delay owing to things beyond my sight, and keep praying as Daniel did, held by the God who calls the weary one greatly beloved and gives strength to stand?

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