Their resolve was to obey God's commands come what may. Their faithfulness was overruled by God and wondrously rewarded despite all threats. Their motto of 'no compromise' earned for Daniel the title 'the greatly beloved' on three separate occasions -- chapter 9:23, and 10:11 and 19. In the synoptic Gospels God speaks of 'His dearly beloved Son', and there can be little doubt that Daniel is a type of the Messiah of Israel who was to come into this world.
In the title of Psalm 90, Moses was called 'the man of God', who in Exodus 33:11 spoke to the Lord 'face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend'. Surely each one of us comes into His presence as an individual, based on the glorious reality that Christ alone is the One Mediator between God and man, the place where we both can meet.
Abraham was actually called 'the friend of God', not once, but three times -- in 2 Chronicles 20:7; Isaiah 41:8, and James 2:23. How blessed he was! It was his faithfulness in believing God's word against all the odds that gave Abraham this unique epithet.
David, yes David, this great warrior, Israel's favourite king, who sinned so grievously but so genuinely repented, and of whom God wrote, 'I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, which shall fulfil all My will', how can we ever fathom the depth of God's love, mercy and grace! Our wonder is even more profound when we read in Psalm 89 those sublime words which God spake concerning this man, in verses 19 to 37. They will indeed cause you astonishment!
I have found David My servant ... My faithfulness and My mercy shall be with him ... I will make him My firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth ... If his children forsake My law ... then will I visit their transgression. Nevertheless My lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him ... My covenant will I not break. His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before Me. It shall be established for ever.
But then we remember that we are dealing with One Who has revealed to us, once unbelieving Gentiles, that we have been blessed with a hope that transcends anything we can ask or think or imagine, and has made us 'sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus' (Eph. 2:4-7).
Daniel a prisoner in a foreign land, among a people that knew not the One True God, surrounded by powerful enemies jealous of his eminent position, and of being the favourite of the king, lived in fear of his life daily. This king, however, had not absolute power as had Nebuchadnezzar; he was limited by the laws of the Medes and Persians. Had he not been forced to condemn Daniel to the den of lions?
It was the angel Gabriel who was sent by God to strengthen Daniel and to say those immortal words, '... for thou art greatly beloved' (9:23). Then again, two years later, after Daniel had said 'my comeliness was turned to corruption', One Who could well have been the Son of Man Himself, repeated the identical words: 'O Daniel, a man greatly beloved' (10:11), and the archangel Michael yet again affirmed these gracious words in verse 19, 'O man greatly beloved ...'.
We too can surely take heart and be strengthened in our walk and witness as we remember Paul's words in his epistle to the Ephesians:
To the praise of the glory of His grace, (i.e. God the Father), wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved (i.e. the Son). In Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace: wherein He hath abounded toward us ...' (Eph. 1:6-8).
N.J. DREDGE