Deeper ReflectionIn the third year of Cyrus” (v.1), Daniel learned that his people in
Jerusalem were greatly discouraged by the hostile opposition that
they met in their work of restoration. He then sought God in prayer
with mourning and fasting (vv.2-3). In Daniel’s earnest seeking of God,
there was also “the desire for further revelation to clarify” the “Seventy
Weeks” vision (Dan 9:24-27).
41 God responded to Daniel with “a
word”
“revealed” to him (v.1). Dabar for “word” is repeated three times in the
verse. No content is given in this “word”, because verse 1 “summarises
chapters 10 to 12 as a whole, introducing the motifs of the reliability of
the revelation Daniel is given, the conflicts chapter 11 describes, and the
understanding Daniel is given.”
42The interlinked movements of the Word of God and prayer in Daniel 9
to 10 is noteworthy: From the Word (Dan 9:1-2) to prayer (Dan 9:3-19),
from prayer (Dan 9:3-19) to the Word (Dan 9:20-27), from the Word
(Dan 9:20-27) to prayer (vv.2-3), and from prayer (vv.2-3) to the Word
(v.1, Dan 10:4-12). The chained movements begin and end with the Word
of God.When we go through discouraging times of difficulty and uncertainty, our
only anchor and compass is the Word of God. The Word is
“true” (v.1),
because it is
God’s Word, and God is true and cannot lie (Heb 6:17-18).
When our faith is tested, the test is
if we really believe that God and
His Word are true. Oftentimes, adversities tell us that God and His Word
are not reliable. Who or what do we believe in then?
41 Earnest C. Lucas, Daniel, Apollos Old Testament Commentary (Apollos, IVP, 2002), 274
42 John E. Goldingay, 290
