And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb.
The verse belongs to the visions in Daniel 9 and 10 in which ministering angels came to Daniel to bring communication from God. Daniel had fasted and afflicted his soul and prayed earnestly in tears with confession and humiliation, and his prayer was heard and was not in vain. The angel came to tell him he was greatly beloved, to give him skill and understanding, and to tell him what would befall his people in the latter days.
Daniel responded by setting his face toward the ground, falling prostrate, becoming speechless, trembling, and losing strength. His reaction expressed humility, reverent fear, awe, and human weakness before heavenly purity, showing how little self-exaltation he had. He mourned and chastened himself before God rather than claiming innocence or personal sinlessness.
He bowed down and became unable to speak because the divine glory and unveiled heavenly brightness presented to him was too great for him to endure. The heavenly messenger then veiled the brightness of his presence and appeared in humanlike form as a man. He touched Daniel on the lips and strengthened him so he could speak and hear God's message, and touched him again to give him strength and peace with the command to fear not and be strong.
The verse illustrates that people cannot bear the full revelation of divine glory at once, so God gives light according to what they are prepared to receive. The light Daniel received direct from God, including the vision by the Hiddekel of which this verse is part, was given especially for these last days, is now in process of fulfillment, and all the events foretold in it will soon come to pass. Because human beings cannot bear unveiled heavenly brightness, the verse shows the wisdom of God in sending Christ not with power and arms nor even in the light of an angel but as a man, with divinity taking humanity upon Him so that humanity could touch humanity.
The direct communication in which Daniel was struck dumb reveals a wonderful connection between the universe of heaven and this world. The things revealed to Daniel were afterward complemented by the revelation given to John on the isle of Patmos, so the books of Daniel and Revelation belong together and should be carefully perused. The verse teaches that true greatness is the humility of one who humbles himself, confesses sin with contrition of heart, and receives forgiveness and strength from God, while exalted position in itself amounts to nothing and righteousness and truth alone give honor.
The verse belongs to the visions in Daniel 9 and 10 in which ministering angels came to Daniel to bring communication from God. Daniel had fasted and afflicted his soul and prayed earnestly in tears with confession and humiliation, and his prayer was heard and was not in vain. The angel came to tell him he was greatly beloved, to give him skill and understanding, and to tell him what would befall his people in the latter days.
Daniel responded by setting his face toward the ground, falling prostrate, becoming speechless, trembling, and losing strength. His reaction expressed humility, reverent fear, awe, and human weakness before heavenly purity, showing how little self-exaltation he had. He mourned and chastened himself before God rather than claiming innocence or personal sinlessness.
He bowed down and became unable to speak because the divine glory and unveiled heavenly brightness presented to him was too great for him to endure. The heavenly messenger then veiled the brightness of his presence and appeared in humanlike form as a man. He touched Daniel on the lips and strengthened him so he could speak and hear God's message, and touched him again to give him strength and peace with the command to fear not and be strong.
The verse illustrates that people cannot bear the full revelation of divine glory at once, so God gives light according to what they are prepared to receive. The light Daniel received direct from God, including the vision by the Hiddekel of which this verse is part, was given especially for these last days, is now in process of fulfillment, and all the events foretold in it will soon come to pass. Because human beings cannot bear unveiled heavenly brightness, the verse shows the wisdom of God in sending Christ not with power and arms nor even in the light of an angel but as a man, with divinity taking humanity upon Him so that humanity could touch humanity.
The direct communication in which Daniel was struck dumb reveals a wonderful connection between the universe of heaven and this world. The things revealed to Daniel were afterward complemented by the revelation given to John on the isle of Patmos, so the books of Daniel and Revelation belong together and should be carefully perused. The verse teaches that true greatness is the humility of one who humbles himself, confesses sin with contrition of heart, and receives forgiveness and strength from God, while exalted position in itself amounts to nothing and righteousness and truth alone give honor.