Daniel 10:19
And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace 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. And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace 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.
Overwhelmed and left without strength by the glory of the vision by the river, Daniel was met by a messenger in human form who touched him and reassured him of deep divine love, freedom from fear, peace, and repeated courage, and the very speaking imparted divine power that enabled him to stand, listen, and ask for more. The vision came directly from God in answer to earnest prayer with fasting, confession, humiliation, and tears, showing that such prayer is heard and brings heavenly help amid the conflict between good and evil. The love shown him honored his lofty principle, untarnished honor, and spotless record amid corrupting influences, yet his confession of sin shows that clear knowledge of God produces humility and dependence rather than self-esteem. That strengthening fitted him to receive prophecies with skill and understanding that he himself did not fully grasp, because the light was especially for the last days when its events would be fulfilled. The same divine strength and glory is offered to God's people now, assuring self-sacrificing workers that they are deeply loved and need not fear, and making them strong and courageous for witness, missionary effort, and spiritual conflict as they trust in God rather than in themselves.
Vision and Messenger
The verse belongs to a vision received directly from God by the Hiddekel River as a communication in answer to prayer. Daniel had fasted and afflicted his soul and prayed most earnestly in tears with confession and humiliation, and his fasting and prayer were not in vain, for his prayer was heard. Called greatly beloved, he was told not to fear and was given peace and strength by a heavenly messenger whose words strengthened him so that he could respond and ask the messenger to speak, illustrating heavenly help given amid the conflict between good and evil.
Heavenly beings are appointed to work out the prayers of those laboring unselfishly for the cause of God, and even the very highest angels in the heavenly courts are appointed to work out prayers for its advancement. Each angel has a particular post of duty which he is not permitted to leave for any other place, because if he should leave the powers of darkness would gain an advantage. In Daniel's experience one like the appearance of a man came again and touched him and strengthened him, called him greatly beloved, told him not to fear, gave him peace, and told him to be strong, and when he had spoken Daniel was strengthened and made able to listen and ask his lord to speak.
The revealed glory had left Daniel without strength to endure the sight, for he was unable to bear the heavenly light. The messenger therefore comforted him, told him not to fear, gave him peace and strength, and strengthened him by divine power so he could hear the message sent from God. Needing heavenly help to endure the angel's presence, Daniel was touched and given strength and then made able to listen, for the angel's glory was more than he could bear so the angel came in human form. The angel came to tell him he was greatly beloved and to give him skill and understanding, and bade him be strong and be strengthened, appearing as a man so Daniel could bear his presence. This shows God's wisdom in sending Christ as a man and not as an angel, for fallen humanity could not have endured Him in any higher form, but Christ likewise came in humanity because people could not endure His glory, divinity taking humanity upon Him that humanity might touch humanity.
God calls Daniel greatly beloved because he kept lofty principle and untarnished honor with a spotless record in the courts of Babylon, where surrounding influences would have ruined him had he yielded to temptation and where plotters watched eagerly for unfaithfulness but could detect no stain, and the love in the title comes from the unfallen universe. Yet though identified as greatly beloved by God, he confessed that he and his people had sinned. His experience illustrates that a clear knowledge of God produces humility and a contrite spirit rather than self-esteem, as seen in one called greatly beloved. Even a faithful servant of God responds to divine holiness with humility and depends on God for strength, having lost his strength before the angel and needing help, and shows humility when receiving communication from heaven. Reassured by the messenger who called him greatly beloved and told him not to fear but to be at peace and strong, Daniel was strengthened by his words and then asked him to speak.
Strengthened for Prophecy
Overwhelmed before the vision and left without strength to endure the sight, Daniel was touched and reassured by a messenger in the form of a man who called him greatly beloved, told him not to fear, and gave him peace with the repeated charge to be strong. The words themselves strengthened him by divine power, for strength came through the assurance of peace and the help spoken to him. Thus made able to stand firm, he was enabled to listen and to ask his lord to speak and continue speaking. Even as a faithful and beloved servant he responded with humility and dependence on God for strength when receiving communication from heaven.
The strengthening prepared him to receive what the angel was about to reveal, giving him skill and understanding for important prophecies. The angel came in human appearance so Daniel could bear his presence, since he could not endure the sight of the angel in glory. Those prophetic revelations were not fully understood by Daniel himself.
The light given through Daniel's visions was especially for the last days, and the events they foretold were then in process of fulfillment and would soon come to pass. The same divine strength and glory that commanded him to be strong is offered to God's people in the last days. By it they are to receive the glory revealed to Daniel, understand prophetic truth, and give a clear message in proclaiming it clearly.
Courage for God's Work
The words are the Lord's assurance to His self-sacrificing workers that they are greatly loved, that they need not fear, and that they are called to be strong and courageous because He is with them in their work. They are encouragement to move steadily forward, trusting His help at every step. God gives that strength through His Spirit to those who walk with Him in humility and trust Him as true and faithful, so that they are found in peace and are made strong and courageous. His love calls His people to doubled strength, to hold fast integrity in careful words, to attend meetings and bear free testimony that the Lord loves them and they love the Lord, and to let all understand that their witness is for the truth, with assurance that the Lord will be their Helper.
The assurance to be strong can strengthen a fearful and exhausted person through divine help to speak despite weakness, linked with the promise that the Lord has sent an angel to sustain. In the same way, after the angel spoke Daniel was strengthened and made able to respond and ask his lord to continue speaking. So also during a vision the command to write was accompanied by strengthened nerves, so that a trembling hand became steady and could write readily. Daniel himself was greatly loved by God and was told not to fear but to receive peace and strength.
The command to be strong, yea, be strong gives strength for taking hold of God's work with God as sufficiency and efficiency. It calls especially young men and young people to make a covenant with God by sacrifice and to enter decided, wholehearted, intelligent, unselfish missionary effort in the long-neglected cities. That effort includes giving Bible instruction, selling books containing present truth, and doing skillful work in hunting and fishing for souls by circulating present truth. The strength commanded is for taking hold of His work of circulating present truth.
The call to be strong is encouragement to hold fast to God's power and to remain steadfast while facing difficult conduct from a fellow worker, helping him rather than becoming discouraged. It is encouragement to continue God's work despite troubling doubts and misleading claims. The words be strong, yea, be strong are a call to courage and strength in spiritual conflict. Strength for the struggle comes from the Lord, not from human courage or self-reliance, so that those who trust in God receive strength and help for service and can triumph over unseen foes, while those who rely on themselves face defeat.