Daniel's Vision And Fasting Experience
The prophet Daniel experienced profound physical and emotional reactions to the divine visions he received, often accompanied by periods of fasting and prayer. One such instance is recorded in Daniel 8, where Daniel saw a vision and sought its meaning [1, 9]. The intensity of this vision caused him to faint and become sick for several days, leaving him amazed but without full understanding [2, 13].
Later, in Daniel 9, Daniel "set his face to the Lord God, to seek by prayer and petitions, with fasting and sackcloth and ashes" [3]. This act of seeking God through prayer and fasting was a response to his concern for his people and their future [12]. The practice of fasting as a means of seeking divine favor or expressing repentance is also seen elsewhere in biblical tradition, as noted by Tertullian, who references Ahab's fasting in response to Elijah's prophecy [10]. Tertullian also discusses various forms of dietary restriction as partial fasts, indicating a broader understanding of abstinence in ancient Christian thought [11].
In Daniel 10, Daniel recounts another significant vision, which he alone saw [4]. This vision had a powerful physical impact on him: "no strength was left in me and my complexion grew deathly pale, and I did not retain any strength" [4]. John Gill notes that this chapter serves as an introduction to subsequent prophecies and describes Daniel's mourning and fasting as preparation for the vision [7]. Adam Clarke suggests that this vision, along with the following two chapters, details the succession of Persian and Grecian monarchies and the persecutions of the Church [8]. Matthew Henry describes this as a single, extended vision and prophecy communicated to Daniel through "express words" rather than signs and figures [6]. The divine messenger encouraged Daniel not to fear, acknowledging that Daniel had "set thine heart to understand" from the first day [12]. The visions often left Daniel deeply troubled and grieved in spirit [5].
Sources
- Daniel “Daniel 8:15 (BSB) — While I, Daniel, was watching the vision and trying to understand it, there stood before me one having the appearance of a man.”
- Daniel “Daniel 8:27 (LITV) — And I, Daniel, was faint. And I was sick for days. Afterwards, I got up and did the king's business. And I was amazed at the vision. But there was no understanding.”
- Daniel “I set my face to the Lord God, to seek by prayer and petitions, with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. -- Daniel 9:3”
- Daniel “Daniel 10:8 (LEB) — And I myself, Daniel, alone saw this great vision, and as a result ⌞no strength was left in me⌟ and ⌞my complexion grew deathly pale⌟, and I did not retain any strength.”
- Daniel “Daniel 7:15 (ASV) — As for me, Daniel, my spirit was grieved in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.”
- Daniel (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Daniel 10 (introduction): This chapter and the two next (which conclude this book) make up one entire vision and prophecy, which was communicated to Daniel for the use of the church, not by signs and figures, as before (ch. 7 and 8), but by express words; and this was about two years after the vision in the foregoing chapter. Daniel prayed daily, but had a vision only now and then. In this chapter we have some things introductory to the prophecy, in the eleventh chapter the particular predictions, and Dan 12:1-13 the conclusion of it. This chapter shows us, I. Daniel's solemn ”
- Daniel (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Daniel 10 (introduction): INTRODUCTION TO DANIEL 10 This chapter is an introduction to the prophecies contained in the two following chapters; and begins with an account of Daniel's mourning and fasting, preparatory to the vision he had, Dan 10:1, and of the appearance of Christ to him, with the time and place of it; who is described by his clothing, and the several parts of his body, which were very glorious, he appearing in a human form, Dan 10:4, then follows an account of the effects it had upon him, Dan 10:7, and of what encouragement and strength he received from him, by w”
- Daniel (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Daniel 10 (introduction): This and the two following chapters give an account of Daniel's last vision, wherein the succession of the Persian and Grecian monarchies is described, together with the wars that should take place between Syria and Egypt under the latter monarchy. The last part of the vision (from Dan 11:36) seems to relate chiefly to the persecutions of the Church in the times of Antichrist, till it be purified from all its pollutions; after which will follow that glorious kingdom of the saints spoken of in the seventh and eighth chapters. This chapter begins with an ”
- Daniel (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Daniel 8:15: Here we have, I. Daniel's earnest desire to have this vision explained to him (Dan 8:15): I sought the meaning. Note, Those that rightly know the things of God cannot but desire to know more and more of them, and to be led further into the mystery of them; and those that would find the meaning of what they have seen or heard from God must seek it, and seek it diligently. Seek and you shall find. Daniel considered the thing, compared it with the former discoveries, to try if he could understand it; but especially he sought by prayer (as he had done Dan 2:18), and h”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — CHAP. VII.--FURTHER EXAMPLES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT IN FAVOUR OF FASTING. (part 2): had fasted.(10) This remedy even Ahab acknowledges. When, after his transgression and idolatry, and the slaughter of Naboth, slain by Jezebel on account of his vineyard, Elijah had upbraided him, "How hast thou killed, and possessed the inheritance? In the place where dogs had licked up the blood of Naboth, thine also shall they lick up,"--he "abandoned himself, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and slept in sackcloth. And then (came) the”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — CHAP. IX.--FROM FASTS ABSOLUTE TERTULLIAN COMES TO PARTIAL ONES AND XEROPHAGIES. (part 1): This principal species in the category of dietary restriction may already afford a prejudgment concerning the inferior operations of abstinence also, as being themselves too, in proportion to their measure, useful or necessary. For the exception of certain kinds from use of food is a partial fast. Let us therefore look into the question of the novelty or vanity of xerophagies, to see whether in them too we do not find an operation alike of ”
- Daniel (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Daniel 10:12: Then said he unto me, fear not, Daniel,.... Perceiving him to shake and tremble, and to be intimidated at his presence, he speaks comfortably to him, and encourages him to lay aside his fears, that he might be more capable of attending to what he was about to say to him; and which had a tendency of themselves to remove his fears, and increase his confidence in the Lord: for from the first day thou didst set thine heart to understand; not so much the former visions which he had an understanding of, as the future state of his people; or rather, the reason of their pr”
- Daniel (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Daniel 8:27: And I Daniel fainted and was sick certain days,.... Or, "then I Daniel fainted" (x); after he had seen the vision, and had thought upon it, and considered the afflictions that were to come upon the people of God, and the condition the temple, and the worship of it, would be in; these so affected his mind, that he not only fainted away, and was struck with a kind of stupor and amazement, but had a fit of illness upon him, which continued some days; such a nearness and sympathy there are between the soul and body: afterwards I rose up; from the bed in which he had lai”