Daniel (Greek) 8:19-27: a reflection

19He said, “Behold, I will make you know what will be in the latter time of the indignation; for it belongs to the appointed time of the end. 20The ram which you saw, that had the two horns, they are the kings of Media and Persia. 21The rough male goat is the king of Greece. The great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. 22As for that which was broken, in the place where four stood up, four kingdoms will stand up out of the nation, but not with his power. 23“In the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors have come to the full, a king of fierce face, and understanding dark sentences, will stand up. 24His power will be mighty, but not by his own power. He will destroy awesomely, and will prosper in what he does. He will destroy the mighty ones and the holy people. 25Through his policy he will cause deceit to prosper in his hand. He will magnify himself in his heart, and he will destroy many in their security. He will also stand up against the prince of princes; but he will be broken without human power. 26“The vision of the evenings and mornings which has been told is true; but seal up the vision, for it belongs to many days to come.” 27I, Daniel, fainted, and was sick for some days. Then I rose up, and did the king’s business. I wondered at the vision, but no one understood it.

Daniel is given a vision of things to come, of kingdoms rising and falling and a fierce ruler yet to arise. And the vision leaves him shaken. I, Daniel, was overcome, he says, and lay sick for some days; I was appalled by the vision, and did not understand it. He is given a glimpse of the future, but not full understanding; and yet, when he recovers, he rises and goes about the king's business. He returns to his ordinary duty though the vision remains a mystery to him.

Notice what Daniel does with what he cannot understand. The vision troubles him deeply; he does not grasp its meaning; it is sealed for a time far off. And yet he does not become paralyzed by the mystery, or abandon his daily responsibilities to fret over what he cannot know. He rises, and does the king's business. He carries the unresolved mystery, and still goes on faithfully with the ordinary duties before him.

That is a wise way to handle what we cannot understand. We are often given glimpses of things, of the future, of God's ways, that trouble us and that we cannot fully grasp; and we can be tempted to let the mystery paralyze us, to abandon our ordinary duties while we fret over what we cannot resolve. But Daniel shows another way: to carry the unresolved mystery, and still rise and do the work before us. When you are troubled by what you cannot understand, do not let it paralyze you or pull you from your daily faithfulness. Carry the mystery, entrusting to God what you cannot grasp, and rise to do the ordinary duties before you, as Daniel rose and did the king's business. Faithfulness in the ordinary does not wait on understanding the mysteries; go on with your work, and leave the sealed things to God.

Lord, Daniel was given a vision that shook him, so that he lay sick for days, appalled and not understanding it; and yet, when he recovered, he rose and did the king's business, carrying the unresolved mystery and still going on faithfully with his ordinary duties. Teach me that wise way to handle what I cannot understand. I am often given glimpses of things, of the future, of your ways, that trouble me and that I cannot fully grasp; and I can be tempted to let the mystery paralyze me, to abandon my ordinary duties while I fret over what I cannot resolve. But Daniel shows me another way: to carry the unresolved mystery, and still rise and do the work before me. When I am troubled by what I cannot understand, keep me from letting it paralyze me or pull me from my daily faithfulness. Help me carry the mystery, entrusting to you what I cannot grasp, and rise to do the ordinary duties before me, as Daniel rose and did the king's business. Faithfulness in the ordinary does not wait on understanding the mysteries; help me go on with my work, and leave the sealed things to you, Lord.