Holy Message

Daniel 8:15-19 While I, Daniel, was watching the vision and trying to understand it, there before me stood one who looked like a man. 16 And I heard a man’s voice from the Ulai calling, “Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of the vision.” 17 As he came near the place where I was standing, I was terrified and fell prostrate. “Son of man,” he said to me, “understand that the vision concerns the time of the end.” 18 While he was speaking to me, I was in a deep sleep, with my face to the ground. Then he touched me and raised me to my feet. 19 He said: “I am going to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath, because the vision concerns the appointed time of the end.”
 
ONE constant truth of Scripture is the fear that accompanies God’s holy character. The terrified Daniel falls flat on his face before Gabriel, the Messenger of God. Remember Daniel’s visons come in a dream. He is in a deep sleep, and the Holy Spirit reveals God’s holiness. There are surely very, very few people in the world’s history who could claim such a submissive, loving, honoring faith as Daniel demonstrated. Yet, even he is terrified of the one from God. Holy fear and worship before God is our only appropriate response.
    As we have seen in previous passages, Gabriel explains the visions. We have learned his revelations to understand God is pointing Daniel and the Jews – and then us – to know our LORD God is very purposeful to form history to his will.
    Gabriel addressed Daniel as “son of man” because, as we’ve noted earlier, the prophet is representing his people before God. It also points to the difference between Gabriel and Daniel. Gabriel acknowledges Daniel’s humanity and his weaknesses. Gabriel speaks graciously to God’s chosen man, called to God’s purpose. This is not to be confused with Son of Man given to the Son of God, who represents all mankind before the Living God.
    “The time of wrath” and “ time of the end” means God’s judgment at a future time from the day of the vision. It could be soon, some number of years from Daniel’s lifetime or at the end of time. In essence, Gabriel is saying the vision is about a time God has ordained. It is God’s day, his time. Other prophets used “Day of the Lord” to denote a time God had chosen to act.
    Graciously, God once again interprets a dream for Daniel. The living God had chosen and prepared the faithful Jew to serve while exiled in Babylon. Through Daniel God revealed himself to his people then, and now to his church. There is much to know. Each of us whom God has called, have graciously received the understanding of salvation. Our minds are to continue knowing and understanding God’s words to know our role in life. And, most importantly, we are to know God’s holy character. I pray we are listening with prostrate hearts and worshipful minds for God’s holiness to penetrate our souls.
 
Revelation 4:11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”