“Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength. Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground. And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and [upon] the palms of my hands” (Daniel 10:8, 10).

Undoubtedly, Daniel, during those three weeks of praying and fasting, honored the deliverance and restoration themes of the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. It’s so amazing and divinely orchestrated to discover Jesus, the great Restorer and Deliverer, personally coming to Daniel to begin answering his prayer soon after those great events ended. Incredible as it may seem, the prophecies Daniel was seeking to clarify (Daniel 8 and 9) ended in deliverance and restoration for God’s people.

It is stunning that this prophet personally sees God, in the form of a man, when He is Priest, King and Judge. Well could Daniel have said, “Mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 6:5b). When man encounters Jesus, something happens. The expose’ of Daniel’s response is a lesson for all until the end of time.

“‘I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves…. And there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength’ (verses 7, 8). All who are truly sanctified will have a similar experience. The clearer their views of the greatness, glory, and perfection of Christ, the more vividly will they see their own weakness and imperfection. They will have no disposition to claim a sinless character; that which has appeared right and comely in themselves will, in contrast with Christ’s purity and glory, appear only as unworthy and corruptible.”[1]

“True holiness and humility are inseparable. The nearer the soul comes to God, the more completely is it humbled and subdued. When Job heard the voice of the Lord out of the whirlwind, he exclaimed, ‘I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.’ It was when Isaiah saw the glory of the Lord, and heard the cherubim crying, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts,’ that he cried out, ‘Woe is me, for I am undone!’ Daniel, when visited by the holy messenger, says, ‘My comeliness was turned in me to corruption.’ Paul, after he had been caught up into the third Heaven, and heard things that it was not lawful for a man to utter, spoke of himself as ‘less than the least of all saints.’ It was the beloved John, that leaned on Jesus’ breast, and beheld his glory, who fell before the angels as one dead. The more closely and continuously we behold our Saviour the less we shall see to approve in ourselves.”[2]

What happened when Daniel saw Jesus? “Then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground” (10:9). Later, in grand scenes in the courtroom of heaven, John saw the 24 elders “fall down before him that sat on the throne” (Revelation 4:10), “the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb” (Revelation 5:8). “And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshiped him that liveth for ever and ever” (Revelation 5:14).

These scenes describe the ultimate response to the eternal presence – bowing down prostrate before Him – the only response that created beings can have to the Eternal. To fall prostrate before our Maker is respect, worship and honor that purity and holiness demand. To the sinner, a vision of Jesus lays bare the corruption of the heart. As that picture of our Savior becomes ever more clear, the soul longs for restoration, to be exactly like Him and yearns to come into harmony with His character.

“One ray of the glory of God, one gleam of the purity of Christ, penetrating the soul, makes every spot of defilement painfully distinct, and lays bare the deformity and defects of the human character. It makes apparent the unhallowed desires, the infidelity of the heart, the impurity of the lips. The sinner’s acts of disloyalty in making void the law of God, are exposed to his sight, and his spirit is stricken and afflicted under the searching influence of the Spirit of God. He loathes himself as he views the pure, spotless character of Christ.

“When the prophet Daniel beheld the glory surrounding the heavenly messenger that was sent unto him, he was overwhelmed with a sense of his own weakness and imperfection. Describing the effect of the wonderful scene, he says, ‘There remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.’ Daniel 10:8. The soul thus touched will hate its selfishness, abhor its self-love, and will seek, through Christ’s righteousness, for the purity of heart that is in harmony with the law of God and the character of Christ.”[3]

When one witnesses a theophany or angelic appearance (e.g., Daniel 8:16-18, Joshua 5:14, Ezekiel 1:28, Revelation 1:17), the splendor and majesty of something so much greater and more wonderful causes the human frame to sink into nothingness. When that occurs only celestial aid can rescue and restore. For those who resist and rebel, the glory of an encounter with Jesus becomes a burning fire (II Thessalonians 2:8), and they cry, “hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb” (Revelation 6:16). Daniel’s companions ran away and hid. Who were they? We aren’t told. But they are a metaphor for all those at the very end of time who have some vision of Jesus and seek to distance themselves from Him – never to return.

A most unusual revelation continues regarding this encounter. Though he lost all his strength and was in a “deep sleep” on the ground, “Yet heard I the voice of his words”! What did Jesus say to him? (10:9). We aren’t told. In the heart of this beloved prophet were hid and cherished those words that were undoubtedly very personal. Wonder of wonders! Jesus took time out of administering the billions of worlds and countless beings that pulsated harmony and love in His infinite realm to visit with Daniel!

“Daniel’s privileged status as one especially precious to God resulted from his complete absorption in the will and glory of the Lord to whom he had yielded his heart.

“Though James 5:16 tells us that the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective, we may not realize the mighty forces that are unleashed when we really devote ourselves to intercession before the throne of grace.”[4]

For those individuals who are day by day seeking an experience with Jesus, every encounter is one of new growth, ever more bonding and coming nearer to His heart. That is exactly what happened here. Daniel testifies that when he fell prostrate to the ground like one unconscious: “A hand touched me”! (Daniel 10:10). Jesus touched him. Amazing – indescribable. John writes exactly the same thing. Right after he fell at Jesus’ feet as one “dead,” He laid His right hand (the hand of covenant and promise) on him. No sooner do we fall and the precious Savior touches us, ready to help and lift us up.

Scholars aren’t sure and the record isn’t clear exactly when Gabriel is introduced into the scene. It is certain that when the narrative begins in verse 12 that Gabriel is speaking and Jesus (Michael) comes to help him in verse 13 during the Persian crisis. Ellen G. White gives assistance here, suggesting that the 11th verse is when Gabriel enters the scene.

“Gabriel now appeared to the prophet, and thus addressed him: ‘Oh Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling.’”[5]

Daniel is on his hands and knees. Gabriel now orders him to “stand on your feet” (10:11), “Don’t be afraid” (10:12, 19). Within this restoration discourse Daniel is affectionately called “greatly beloved” (10:11, 19; cf. 9:23). “No matter how ominous these messages might seem to you and your people, you are loved and the best things will eventually occur to your people.” Recall the Hebrew word dabar? Due process will happen!

All these amazing encounters were a preamble to what Gabriel was about to reveal. There were still unanswered questions from Daniel 8. In verse 1 Daniel finally grasped the meaning of the mareh vision. But what about the chazown vision? That was to be sealed – but not before considerably more detail is given. And – that is exactly what Gabriel is about to do!

Daniel calls the vision of Jesus “this great vision.” What word does he use for vision? Mareh! That is still part of the great theme of how God’s people will corporately become part of the everlasting covenant. That vision has seen:

•   2300 evenings and mornings to

•   Holiness of God’s people or church (referenced in the ram)

•   Their adjudication and eternal righteousness established

•   The part God’s people must have in that occurring

•   The 70-week period of probation

•   The restoration – Redeemer Jesus who is Priest (Pastor/Intercessor), Judge (metes out judgment on wicked) and King (the one in charge)

•   The assurance that all legal issues will be settled in favor of God’s people

In the midst of the chazown vision, describing the end-time hostility and opposition toward God’s people, comes the beautiful message (the mareh vision) that assures Daniel and the reader that everlasting righteousness will come in. The presence of Jesus is an incredible affirmation through God’s foreknowledge of all that will occur after the 2300 atonement years:

•   Unfailing intercession

•   Judgment

•   Restoration

•   Kingdom

Gabriel now tells Daniel, “Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision [chazown] is for many days.” This “is clearly eschatological.”[6] “Normally, the phrase ‘the latter days’ describes events that will occur just prior to and include the coming of the kingdom of God.”[7]

Isn’t that most interesting! Gabriel was sent to help Daniel understand the Daniel 8 chazown vision. He reminds Daniel and all his readers that this was for the end of time. Daniel needed to grasp the mareh vision of hope first. Why? Because the chazown vision is all about Satan’s opposition to a holy people and the everlasting covenant. It is about persecution, conflict between good and evil and the mystery of iniquity. But – at the end, God is victorious.

With uncanny insight, E. G. White saw this and warned of the trials ahead, using a theme from Zechariah.

“Zechariah’s vision of Joshua and the Angel applies with peculiar force to the experience of God’s people in the closing up of the great day of atonement. The remnant church will be brought into great trial and distress…. Satan … has gained control of the apostate churches; but here is a little company that are resisting his supremacy. If he could blot them from the earth, his triumph would be complete….

“Their only hope is in the mercy of God; their only defense will be prayer. As Joshua was pleading before the Angel, so the remnant church, with brokenness of heart and earnest faith, will plead for pardon and deliverance through Jesus their Advocate. They are fully conscious of the sinfulness of their lives, they see their weakness and unworthiness, and as they look upon themselves they are ready to despair. The tempter … points to their … defective characters. He presents their weakness and folly, their sins of ingratitude, their unlikeness to Christ, which has dishonored their Redeemer….

“But while the followers of Christ have sinned, they have not given themselves to the control of evil. They have put away their sins, and have sought the Lord in humility and contrition….

“As the people of God afflict their souls before Him, … the command is given, ‘Take away the filthy garments’ from them, … ‘Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.’ The spotless robe of Christ’s righteousness is placed upon the tried, tempted, yet faithful children of God. The despised remnant are clothed in glorious apparel, nevermore to be defiled by the corruptions of the world. Their names are retained in the Lamb’s book of life, enrolled among the faithful of all ages…. Now they are eternally secure from the tempter’s devices. Their sins are transferred to the originator of sin…. ‘A fair miter’ is set upon their heads. They are to be as kings and priests unto God. While Satan was urging his accusations and seeking to destroy this company, holy angels, unseen, were passing to and fro, placing upon them the seal of the living God. These are they that stand upon Mount Zion with the Lamb, having the Father’s name written in their foreheads…. the hundred and forty and four thousand …

“Christ is revealed as the Redeemer and Deliverer of His people.”[8]

Now a sacred and awesome task lies ahead. We must study and grasp chapter 11. It shows two rises of the papacy. It outlines details of the final conflict between good and evil. But the most wonderful and hope-driven message comes early in chapter 12 (which ends the Daniel 11 vision). God’s people are delivered from evil – eternally – and soon – very soon!