This verse reveals that trials can serve God’s greater purpose by refining His faithful people.
Daniel records the words, “And some of those who have insight will fall, in order to refine, purge and make them pure until the end time; because it is still to come at the appointed time” (v.35). This verse highlights how even the wise—spiritually insightful individuals—may experience hardship or setbacks. Historically, Daniel wrote these prophecies around 530 BC, during the time when the people of Judah were in exile, having witnessed the fall of Jerusalem to Babylon years earlier. The promised trials serve a divine purpose: refining the character of God’s followers, stripping away impurities in order to prepare them for future challenges. These difficulties contribute to a greater plan that will unfold at the “appointed time,” reminding believers that nothing happens outside God’s divine schedule.
By saying “…in order to refine, purge and make them pure…” (v.35), the scripture highlights the redemptive angle of suffering. The phrase underscores that God can use tribulations as a cleansing fire—a process of spiritual growth (see James 1:2-4). The imagery of refining, akin to purifying precious metals, offers encouragement that hardships need not be meaningless. Even though Daniel personally lived centuries before Jesus’ birth, this principle resonates with the New Testament’s teaching that God disciplines those He loves to create deeper faith and conformity to Christ’s character (Hebrews 12:5-6).
“…because it is still to come at the appointed time…” (v.35) places these events firmly within God’s sovereign timeline. Daniel, who lived during the reigns of Babylonian and later Persian rulers, reassures the exiled community that, despite present struggles, history is moving toward God’s ultimate fulfillment. From the vantage point of later centuries, we see these words echo through the ages, pointing to the culmination of God’s redemptive plan. By trusting that these trials have a divine purpose and timing, faithful individuals can find hope for ultimate restoration and purity.
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Daniel 11:35 meaning
Daniel records the words, “And some of those who have insight will fall, in order to refine, purge and make them pure until the end time; because it is still to come at the appointed time” (v.35). This verse highlights how even the wise—spiritually insightful individuals—may experience hardship or setbacks. Historically, Daniel wrote these prophecies around 530 BC, during the time when the people of Judah were in exile, having witnessed the fall of Jerusalem to Babylon years earlier. The promised trials serve a divine purpose: refining the character of God’s followers, stripping away impurities in order to prepare them for future challenges. These difficulties contribute to a greater plan that will unfold at the “appointed time,” reminding believers that nothing happens outside God’s divine schedule.
By saying “…in order to refine, purge and make them pure…” (v.35), the scripture highlights the redemptive angle of suffering. The phrase underscores that God can use tribulations as a cleansing fire—a process of spiritual growth (see James 1:2-4). The imagery of refining, akin to purifying precious metals, offers encouragement that hardships need not be meaningless. Even though Daniel personally lived centuries before Jesus’ birth, this principle resonates with the New Testament’s teaching that God disciplines those He loves to create deeper faith and conformity to Christ’s character (Hebrews 12:5-6).
“…because it is still to come at the appointed time…” (v.35) places these events firmly within God’s sovereign timeline. Daniel, who lived during the reigns of Babylonian and later Persian rulers, reassures the exiled community that, despite present struggles, history is moving toward God’s ultimate fulfillment. From the vantage point of later centuries, we see these words echo through the ages, pointing to the culmination of God’s redemptive plan. By trusting that these trials have a divine purpose and timing, faithful individuals can find hope for ultimate restoration and purity.