John Calvin Commentary Daniel 10:12

"Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel; for from the first day that thou didst set thy heart to understand, and to humble thyself before thy God, thy words were heard: and I am come for thy words` sake." — Daniel 10:12 (ASV)

From the angel’s command for the Prophet to be of a serene and tranquil mind, we gather the continuation of his fright, and his still being unable to listen with composure. And yet this trembling improved his teachableness. Without the slightest doubt, God desired to prepare His servant in this way to make him more attentive to his disciples, and yet this very terror prevented Daniel from summoning all his senses to listen to the angel's address.

The remedy is presented in these words, O Daniel, fear not. The angel did not wish to remove all fear from the Prophet’s mind, but rather to calm it, lest his trembling should prevent him from giving due attention to the prophecies which we will soon discuss. I have already said enough on the subject of this address.

As God knows fear to be useful to us, He does not wish us to be entirely free from it, as too great self-confidence would immediately produce slothfulness and pride. God, therefore, wishes our fears to restrain us like a bridle, but meanwhile He moderates this dread in His servants, lest their minds become stricken and disturbed, and thus unable to approach Him with calmness.

The angel adds, From the first day on which you began to apply your mind to understanding, and to humble yourself before God, your prayers were heard. This reason sufficiently shows in what sense and with what intention the angel forbade the Prophet’s fears—because, he says, your prayers have been heard. He was unwilling to banish all fear, but He offered some hope and consolation; and relying on this expectation, Daniel might wait for the revelation which he so earnestly desired.

He states his prayers to have been heard from the time he applied his mind to understanding, and from the time he humbled himself before God. These two points may be noted: first, by the word “understanding,” the angel informs us of God being favorable to the prayers of His servant, because they were sincere and legitimate.

For what spectacle did Daniel behold? He saw the condition of the Church entirely confused, and he desired some mark of favor, which might assure him of God still being mindful of His covenant, and of His not despising those wretched Israelites whom He had adopted. As this was the object of the Prophet’s prayer, he accordingly obtained his request, and the angel bears witness to God being moved by his pleas.

This passage, then, teaches us that if we desire our supplications to be both heard and approved by God, we must not give way to those foolish lusts and appetites which solicit and entice us. We should observe the rule prescribed here by the angel, and fashion our entreaties according to God’s will.

John says, We know that if we ask anything according to His will, He will hear us (1 John 5:14). This is the first point. The second is the addition of penitence to fervor in devotion, when the angel says, Daniel’s mind was afflicted or humbled. A second condition of true prayer is presented to us here: when the faithful humble themselves before God and, being touched with true penitence, pour out their groans before Him.

The angel, therefore, shows how Daniel obtained his requests, by suppliantly humbling himself before God. He did not utter prayers for the Church in a merely formal manner but, as we have previously seen, he united fasting with entreaty and abstained from all delicacies. For this reason, God did not reject his petitions.

He says, before your God; this expression from the angel implies that the Prophet’s supplication arose from true faith. The prayers of the impious, on the other hand, always repel the Almighty, and they can never be sure of His being favorable to them. In consequence of the hesitation and vacillation of unbelievers, this testimony to true faith is presented to Daniel—he prayed to his own God. The Apostle says, Whoever approaches God ought to acknowledge His existence, and His being readily moved by the pleas of all those who seek and invoke Him (Hebrews 11:6).

We should diligently note this, as this fault is most manifest in all ages: people often pray to God, but yet through their hesitation, they pour out their petitions into the air. They do not realize God as their Father. Another passage also reminds us how useless is the hope of obtaining anything by prayer, if we are agitated and tossed about in our emotions (James 1:6–7).

Unless faith shines forth, we should not be surprised if those who call upon God lose all their labor through their profanation of His name. Lastly, by this expression, the angel shows us how Daniel’s prayer was founded on faith; he had not sought God rashly, but was clearly persuaded that he would be welcomed among the sons of God. He prayed, therefore, to his own God, and for this reason, his petitions were heard. Then the angel adds, he came at his words; as it is said in the Psalms, God inclines with desire towards those who fear Him; (Psalms 145:19). And in this sense, the angel attends to Daniel.