Deeper Reflection
There is a principle behind these words that God spoke to Daniel: “But as for you, Daniel” (v.4a). God called Daniel to serve Him in the pagan courts in exile for a particular purpose: to receive and understand prophetic visions that reveal God’s plan for world history (Dan 1:17). This is clearly fleshed out in the whole book of Daniel. The career of Daniel’s call was coming to an end in Daniel 12 with “But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words…” Daniel would not live to see God fulfilling the visions given to him. God’s “as for you, Daniel” call and role was to just receive and understand the visions.Each one of us does have from God a particular “as for you” call and role for our lives in our times. In God’s covenant promise of blessing, land and descendants to Abraham, God foretold that his descendants would be enslaved and oppressed 400 years in Egypt, but He would bring them back to Canaan (Gen 15:13-14, 16). But God said to Abraham, “As for you” he would die in peace at a good old age (Gen 15:15). Abraham had his “as for you” call and role in the Abrahamic covenant that has its ultimate fulfilment in Jesus Christ (Gal 3:8-9, 13-14). David had his “as for you” call and role from God: “after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, he fell asleep” (Acts 13:36). God wants us to know and fulfil in our lives our “as for you” call and role, but we must walk with Him with faithful commitment.