Daniel 10:1-14
Sometimes God answers the prayers of His own at once. In Daniel 9:21 His word comes to Daniel while he is still praying. Sometimes on the other hand, as in this chapter, He delays His intervention so as to put to the test the reality of our desires and the constancy of our faith. But even if at times we have to pray for a long while before we receive an answer, let us never conclude that God does not listen (1 John 5:14). He assures Daniel that his prayer has been heard from the first day. This v. 12 shows us the moral state that is acceptable to God and is accordingly able to open communication with heaven. Let us hold on to Daniel’s secret: he set his heart to understand and chastened himself.
If we compare the vision of vv. 5, 6 with that of John on the isle of Patmos (Revelation 1:13-16), we understand that the One who appears here in all the attributes of sovereign righteousness can only be the Messiah who was cut off (Daniel 9:26) and who will also be glorified. In the presence of such a Person, the godliest of men is overcome with mortal dread. (To be the channel of divine revelation, death must first work in us – 2 Corinthians 4:12). But the same gracious word comes to assure Daniel, and later John, "Fear not"; "O man greatly beloved, fear not" (vv. 12, 19).