“Yeah, whiles I was speaking in prayer; even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. And he informed me and talked with me and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee, for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.” {Daniel 9:21-23}
“And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.” {Daniel 10:19}
How wonderful is it to be loved by God, but not only to be loved by him but also to be so greatly loved that he would have angels sent to teach you wisdom and understanding of what is going to happen in the future. Yes, that was Daniel, the man of God who was greatly loved by Him.
What made God loved him so much? I think it’s because he talked to the Lord and sought his face all the time. The Bible states that Daniel made a point to talk to the Lord (or pray) three times a day. I’m sure Daniel did not just talk to the Lord three times a day. I’m sure in his heart he was always thinking about him, communing with him, and loving him. The Book of Daniel shows how many times Daniel would get into a trance or have a vision and see the kingdoms of this world as God would see it, and have it revealed to him what was happening. Not just in his time, but also what was going to happen in the future, even in our time. I can imagine these visions didn’t just last a minute or so and Daniel went on his merry way. There were even times he would be in prayer for weeks – seeking the Lord’s face and receiving his revelations. Not only that, he also made supplications and prayers for his people and asked God for forgiveness for his people. It seems to me all Daniel ever wanted to do was to be in the presence of God all the time. No wonder God loved him so much.
I believe Daniel became the special person he was because of his desire to spend the time talking to the Lord and seeking God’s face.
Today we have it so easy. We have it even so much better than Daniel did. Back in his days he would go into prayer and fasting for days and God would send an angel to him to show him things and understand things. Today we have God himself to show us things – through His Holy Spirit – through His Son Jesus Christ who lives inside our hearts. We have God speaking to us all the time now, if we just make the time to talk to Him. God doesn’t just send an angel to speak to us and reveal things, he has his own Spirit to speak to us and reveal things. That is amazing, for who can be greater than God? How blessed are we!
What made Daniel great was his relationship with God. He wouldn’t have been able to save his own life and the life of his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were their Chaldean names), if he didn’t know who God was. And I mean, not just know about God, but knowing God himself, because he talked to him and sought him.
The king dreamed a crazy dream one night and when he woke up he couldn’t remember it. He remembered enough that he dreamed something of significance, but for the life of him he couldn’t remember it. Then king-like, he rounded up all the Chaldeans, magicians and astrologers in his kingdom and demanded that they tell him what he dreamed of but forgot. Well, when the astrologers told him what he was asking for was impossible, he went into a tirade and commanded that all the wise men in the kingdom shall be killed.
“For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.” {Daniel 2:12-13}
Daniel and his friends happened to be some of those wise men, and when Daniel found out the captain was commanded to slay all the wise men because they couldn’t tell the king his dream, lo and behold Daniel went straight to the king and actually asked the king to give him time and assured the king that he would give him the answer. Incredible isn’t it? Talk about faith in God! Not in himself but in God. Having such an assurance that God will come through for him and will reveal the dream to him. In the night as Daniel was sleeping the Lord did reveal the dream and the meaning of it to him. The next day he was able to stop the captain from killing everyone because he had the answer the king was looking for.
Interestingly enough too, Daniel didn’t just get up and leave his house without first acknowledging God’s greatness and thanking the Lord for showing him the dream. He said to the Lord:
Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise and knowledge to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness and the light dwelleth with him. I thank thee and praise thee O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter. {Daniel 2:20-23}
He didn’t forget to thank the Lord for showing him the dream and the meaning of it. Not only that, he also spoke of how great and awesome God is. Daniel praised the Lord. This is exactly what makes Daniel special. He not only seeks after God to find answers, he also acknowledges the Lord and praises him and loves him for being who he is and how great and awesome he is.
This is the kind of relationship the Lord is looking for from each and every one of us: a relationship that is filled with thanksgiving for everything, even the smallest thing, that he’s done for us. When we are quick to point out to him how much we appreciate him, we bring him nearer to us. That’s what the Bible states that God dwells in the praises of his people.
“But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. {Psalm 22:3}
When we praise the Lord we bring him near to us. When we love him like this, there is nothing he will not do for us the next time we need his help again.
Daniel was special because he made God special in his life. He acknowledged him all the time. He made a point to talk to the Lord and praise him, and made supplications to him three times a day. Not only that, he set aside days to spend time with God in fasting, asking for his grace and his mercies for his people Israel who were in bondage and servitude to a heathen nation, Babylon.
Daniel was special in that at an early age he refused to be a part of such a heathen and idolatrous nation as Babylon. He refused to eat the food and drink the wine that was served at the king’s household because they were first offered to the idols. This was a big deal back then, especially when the king commands that they should eat the food that was served at the king’s table. But Daniel refused to have anything to do with their heathen practices. Daniel wanted to follow the Lord with his whole heart and do what was pleasing to him. So, Daniel became the man God greatly loved.
We might look at Daniel and say, “Yeah, that’s Daniel, not me. No way I could be like him.” Yes, we sure can. Daniel’s greatness did not stem from his own strength. Daniel’s strength was in his relationship with God. He looked to God all the time, and so can we. If we make it a point in our lives to talk to the Lord all the time, we are being like Daniel. If we acknowledge his goodness and his mercies in our lives, and spend some time talking to him, we are being like Daniel. When we tell him how much we need him to come and bring his Holy Spirit to move in our hearts to bring us back to him and to cry out for the lost, we are being like Daniel. If we consistently do this, the Lord will come to us and will bring us closer and nearer to him. His love in our hearts will grow so we will have the strength and the desire to refuse to conform to the unclean practices of our world. We will become like Daniel. The Lord will love us too as he did with Daniel. We too will hear him say to us, “You are greatly loved.”
“…The people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits. And they that understand among the people shall instruct many…” {Daniel 11:32-33}
“Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God as he did aforetime.” {Daniel 6:10}
“He delivereth and rescueth and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.” {Daniel 6:27}
“O my God, incline thine ear and hear; open thine eyes and behold our desolations and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousness, but for thy great mercies. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.” {Daniel 9:18-19}
“But thou O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased.” {Daniel 12:4}
“Many shall be purified and made white and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly and none of the wicked shall understand: but the wise shall understand.” {Daniel 12:10}
“And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.” {Daniel 12:3}
