Deeper Reflection
Right from the beginning, we are told that “Daniel understood all kinds of visions and dreams” (Dan 1:17). It was a special gift from God to serve God’s purposes. In Daniel 1-6, we see Daniel interpreting for the Babylonian kings their dreams and visions (Dan 2:1-45; 4:1-27; 5:1-28). But in Daniel 7-12, Daniel himself received dreams and visions from God (Dan 7:1; 8:1-2; 9:20-21; 10:1). By way of broad summary, “the visions of Daniel 2, 7, 8 and 10-12 are to be understood as complementary presentation of the same realities”⁴⁸ , and “the four-kingdom sequence in Daniel 2, 7, 8 and 10-12 will establish the framework within which the seventy weeks of Daniel 9 must be understood”⁴⁹ .These visions are the Word of God, as “word” and “vision” are synonymous (v.1). For Daniel, understanding the Word of God through these visions was a journey – a journey of Daniel 7-12. In this journey, there were times when “there was none to explain” the visions to him (Dan 8:27) or when he was called to “gain understanding of the vision” (Dan 9:23). Having the gift of understanding “all kinds of visions and dreams” (Dan 1:17) does not mean Daniel understands them naturally and automatically. Understanding the Word of God is heart work and hard work. Daniel “set” his “heart on understanding” the Word from God (v.12). And he sought to understand God’s Word prayerfully and intensely with mourning and fasting for three weeks (vv.2-3, 12). God “gives wisdom, knowledge and understanding from His mouth”, resulting in knowing Him; but the prerequisite is diligent seeking and searching (Prov 2:4-6).

---

⁴⁷ Psalm 119:29-34 ⁴⁸ James M. Hamilton Jr., With the Clouds of Heaven: The Book of Daniel in Biblical Theology, New Studies in Biblical Theology (IVP, 2014), 104 ⁴⁹ James M. Hamilton Jr., 87