Daniel 10: 14 “My People”

Here’s my fairly literal translation of these verses:

¹⁴And I have come to cause you to understand what will happen to your people in the latter of the days because yet the vision to days.

I think just a few miscellaneous observations from these verses and I will have to (reluctantly) move on. As you can see above, the literal translation from the Hebrew doesn’t seem to make much sense in English. However, the NIV translates it fairly consistently with everyone else, reading, “Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.”

From the last post, don’t forget our angel friend here. Why is he here? Because he is a servant of the Most High God. He has literally been sent straight from heaven to express the Lord’s grace to this redeemed sinner on earth named Daniel. What a thrill and a joy would that be for you or me? Then realize this angel is a thinking, intelligent, responsible being just like you. God loves this Daniel and so does this angel. What a joy it must be for him just to get to do this!

Notice here too, the text is telling us exactly why the angel is here – to explain to Daniel the future of his people Israel. Back in v.2, people surmise all the reasons why Daniel was praying. However, the angel specifically says, “Since the day you set your mind to understand…your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.” Regardless of whatever else was going on, obviously, what Daniel was praying about was the future of the Jewish people.

For us gray heads, that should come as no surprise. Remember Daniel is probably around 90 years old. He knows his time is short, and what weighs heavily on his soon departing heart? The future of his people. And, my gray headed friend, what fills your mind and prayers these days? Is it not your family? Is it not the longing of your heart to know that each one will know the Lord and live a blessed life? You want to know, “What will happen to my people.” I’m quite sure that is true of all believers in all ages, for Daniel and for us.

I would also suggest part of what drives that concern is seeing things which are not as we would wish. Remember Daniel’s prayer from chapter 9? In verse 11 there he observed, “All Israel has transgressed Your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.” It had to be a grief to him that Cyrus had granted the decree for them to return to Israel, yet relatively few did. Also, being such a godly man himself, it had to break his heart to see what looked to him like a general disregard for God amongst his people.

Back to us gray heads, I’m guessing your world and mine aren’t much different. Like Daniel, we’ve been praying for our families not just a few years but decades. No doubt we see many great blessings but also great concerns. “What will happen to my family in years to come?” we wonder. I would suggest we can take great encouragement from the fact that the Lord can send an angel to Daniel and tell him exactly “what will happen to his people in years to come.” The Lord already knows and He has it completely under control. And here is my thought for each of us, though we may die with many unanswered prayers, we will be leaving that family in the hands of the infinitely kind prayer-hearing God.

Just knowing that should encourage us, but then, for me personally, I read so many times in the Bible verses like:

Deut. 7:9 – Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.

Psalm 102:28 – The children of Your servants will live in Your presence; their descendants will be established before You.”

Psalm 103:17 – But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear Him, and His righteousness with their children’s children.

Psalm 112:1,2 – Blessed is the man who fears the Lord…His children will be mighty in the land; the offspring of the upright will be blessed.

I know the Lord also says, “I will have mercy on whom I’ll have mercy,” and salvation is totally His sovereign choice, but I read so many verses like the above from cover to cover in the Bible and try to tell myself, “If words mean anything, are not those verses assuring me of God’s blessing on my family – even if it must come to pass long after I lie moldering in my grave?” And I believe the same is true of you. If the blood of Jesus has made you clean, then you are clean, and you may breathe your last breath is complete assurance of the Lord’s kind care of your family.

While I’m at it, if we read ahead, what we will find is that the plan for Daniel’s people sadly will involve a lot of pain. In the end, he dies assured the Lord is totally in control and will do good to his people. However, having said that, I am quite sure it is a kindness of the Lord that He doesn’t tell you and me how He’ll get our families to the place of blessing. Although our sun rises and sets on our children and their families, each one is still a sinner, and, unfortunately for most of us, one of the only ways the Lord can get our attention is to put us through a lot of pain. Let’s just say I like the end of the story for what the Lord has planned for my family, but I’m glad I don’t know what all it will take for Him to save them, then to train them in holiness. I like the Lord’s promises, but I think I’ll leave the details to Him!

Us grayheads can leave this world, knowing “my people” are firmly in God’s hands!