He said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.” While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling. Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words.” Daniel 10:11–12 NKJV
This precious answer to Daniel’s prayer must have filled his heart with adoration toward the living God. Daniel’s heart was deeply burdened because of Israel’s captivity. He fully realized that the sin of his beloved nation was responsible for this, and he desired nothing less than the mind of God about it. Therefore, Daniel fasted and prayed for three full weeks, and God responded. God gave Daniel a great vision of the glory of His own blessed Son, “a certain man clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Uphaz” (v. 5). At this sight, Daniel was totally deprived of strength and was in a deep sleep with his face to the ground (v. 9).
Then an angel touched him and spoke to him the words in our verses above. Daniel is assured that his words were heard from the first day that he had prayed, and his honest humbling of himself before God was carefully noted, even though the angel had been hindered by opposition for three weeks (v. 12). This was satanic opposition, and yet how wonderfully God overruled it. Now Daniel might have the fuller privilege and experience of undividedly seeking God’s face in lowly self-judgment and in dependent confiding prayer.
This is an encouragement for us not to be discouraged when the answers to our prayers are not as prompt as we might desire. When the answer does come, it is all the more precious if we have continued steadfastly in prayer. We may even receive a fresh glimpse of the great glory of the Lord Jesus.