We read that Daniel, the prophet of God, was a man “greatly beloved” of heaven. He held a high position in the courts of Babylon and served and honored God alike in prosperity and trial, and yet he humbled himself and confessed his sin and the sin of his people. With deep sorrow of heart he acknowledged: “We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from Thy precepts and from Thy judgments: neither have we hearkened unto Thy servants the prophets, which spake in Thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto Thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither Thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against Thee.” {5T 635.3}

»Når jeg siger til den retfærdige: »Du skal visselig leve!« Og han stoler på sin retfærdighed og øver uret, så skal intet af hans retfærdighed tilregnes ham, men han skal dø for den uret, han øver. Og (630) når jeg siger til den gudløse: »Du skal visselig dø!« og han omvender sig fra sin synd og gør ret og skel, .... så skal han leve og ikke dø; ingen af de synder, han har gjort, skal tilregnes ham; han har gjort ret og skel, visselig skal han leve."