Deeper Reflection
Understanding of the visions” (Dan 8:16; 9:23; 10:1), which reveal the will and ways of God in world history is a key motif in Daniel. The Hebrew words for “understanding” – bin and binah – occur 26 times. Daniel understood much of the visions that God gave him. But at the end of his prophetic career, we hear Daniel saying, “I heard but could not understand” God’s ways in “these wonders” (v.8a). Daniel pursued the matter: “What will be the outcome of these events?” (v.8b). But Daniel’s question was not answered. Instead, the divine answer was, “Go your way, Daniel”, for the ways of God revealed is also concealed “until the end time” (v.9). Daniel had to be contented with his “could not understand” and rest in God’s wisdom. Daniel and we can only understand the “a time, times, and half a time” (v.7) symbolically and theologically, but not with mathematical precision. We cannot understand God’s ways is part of biblical discipleship. “How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!” (Rom 11:33) must be our theological anchor.But we must stand in God’s Word. Having spoken of God’s ways in “these wonders”, a heavenly being “raised” both his hands “toward heaven and swore by Him who lives forever” – the faithful and everlasting God – that all that God has planned and purposed for the future of His people (cf. Dan 10:14) “will be completed” (v.7). Behind the divinely designed transient half of seven times is the everlasting God. Daniel 1 to 11 is about God’s sovereign control and the book ends with God’s faithful commitment as the apex.