Page 69 - Daniel

that Daniel’s ultimate deliverance also extended to the other wise men.

DANIEL’S PRAYER ANSWERED (2:19–23)

2:19–23 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the
night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. Daniel answered and
said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong
wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings
and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those
who have understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows
what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. To you, O God

of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom
and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you,
for you have made known to us the king’s matter.”

The vision Daniel received apparently was not just a dream but a
supernatural revelation given to him in his waking hours. Possibly both
he and his companions prayed on into the night, and the vision came

when Daniel was awake. The nature of the revelation required both a
vision and its interpretation as the image was a visual representation.
Hence a vision was more proper than a dream, although frequently God
revealed secrets to prophets in dreams as well as visions.

Daniel’s immediate response was to offer a hymn of praise in which he
blessed God for answering his prayers. The hymn reveals both Daniel’s
deep gratitude and the depth and comprehension of his faith. The first
phrase of his psalm, “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,”
reflects, as does the entire psalm, Daniel’s acquaintance with hymns of
praise found in the Psalms and other Old Testament passages. In praising

“the name of God” Daniel was speaking of God in His revealed character.
W. H. Griffith Thomas writes, “The name stands in Holy Scripture for the
nature or revealed character of God, and not a mere label or title. It is
found very frequently in the

Old Testament as synonymous with God Himself in relation to man….
In the New Testament the same usage is perfectly clear.” He cites as
illustrations Proverbs 18:10; Psalms 74:10; 118:10; Matthew 28:19; John
1:12; 2:23; 3:18; 5:43; 10:25; 17:6, 26; Philippians 2:10. 17