Main Verse: “The people who know their God will be strong and take action.” — Daniel 11:32

The Nature and Attributes of Jehovah

To truly understand the courage and strength that come from knowing God, we must first grasp who Jehovah is in His revealed nature and attributes. Jehovah is the eternal, self-existent One, whose personal name conveys the meaning “He Causes to Become.” This emphasizes His active role in fulfilling His purposes and promises throughout human history. He is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent—yet also righteous, loving, and just. His holiness separates Him from all imperfection, and His love motivates all that He does for the redemption and restoration of humanity.

Jehovah’s power is not arbitrary but moral and purposeful. His might sustains creation, but His holiness governs His every act. Unlike the false gods of the nations, Jehovah is not a projection of human imagination; He is the living and personal God who reveals Himself through His Word and His works. Scripture reveals that Jehovah is “slow to anger and abundant in loyal love and truth” (Exodus 34:6). He does not change (Malachi 3:6), nor does He grow weary (Isaiah 40:28). His consistency and moral perfection make Him utterly reliable, a foundation of stability for those who trust Him.

To know Jehovah, therefore, is not merely to recognize His existence but to enter into a covenantal understanding of His revealed person—His moral attributes, His faithfulness to His promises, and His sovereignty over all creation. Courage arises not from our own confidence but from this unshakable assurance that Jehovah’s power and wisdom are always directed by His righteousness and love.

Knowing God Versus Knowing About Him

There is a vast difference between knowing about God and truly knowing Him. Many people possess information about Jehovah from Scripture or tradition, yet they have not entered into the relational knowledge that transforms character and fuels faithfulness. Knowing God in the biblical sense involves intimate fellowship and obedient faith. The Hebrew word yadaʿ, translated “know,” often implies relational closeness and experiential understanding rather than intellectual awareness.

Daniel 11:32 draws a sharp distinction between those who merely profess faith and those who truly know their God. The historical context of Daniel’s prophecy reveals a time of persecution, deception, and compromise. Yet, in the midst of apostasy, a remnant would “know their God,” and this knowledge would empower them to “be strong and take action.” It is not theological sophistication that produces courage, but genuine acquaintance with the living God.

This kind of knowledge is cultivated through the study of His Word and the practice of prayerful obedience. As the psalmist declared, “Those who know Your name will trust in You, for You, O Jehovah, have not abandoned those who seek You” (Psalm 9:10). The more we know His name—His revealed character—the more steadfast our trust becomes. Knowing about God fills the mind, but knowing God transforms the heart. One may recite facts about His attributes yet remain unchanged; only through submission and reverence does knowledge become the strength that resists fear and compromise.

The Strength That Comes from Intimacy with God

When Daniel prophesied that those who know their God would “be strong,” he referred not to natural courage or self-confidence but to divine empowerment that results from intimate fellowship with Jehovah. This strength is moral and spiritual rather than physical, sustained by conviction that rests on God’s immutable promises.

Throughout Scripture, strength and courage are always linked to God’s presence and Word. When Jehovah commissioned Joshua to lead Israel into Canaan, He commanded, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified, nor be dismayed, for Jehovah your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). The foundation of courage was not Joshua’s leadership ability or Israel’s numbers, but Jehovah’s companionship and faithfulness to His Word. The same is true for all who trust in Him today.

Spiritual strength comes when faith clings to Jehovah’s revealed truth even when circumstances appear overwhelming. The psalmist wrote, “Jehovah is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? Jehovah is the stronghold of my life; of whom should I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1). Fear fades where the presence of God is recognized. When believers cultivate intimacy with Him through study, meditation, and obedience, courage becomes the natural fruit of their relationship. They do not rely on fluctuating emotions but on the steadfast character of Jehovah, who never fails.

This intimacy also transforms how we face adversity. Those who know God personally do not interpret suffering as abandonment but as an opportunity to prove His faithfulness. They recall His past deliverances and promises, drawing renewed strength from His unchanging nature. Thus, the knowledge of God does not exempt His people from hardship but equips them to endure it victoriously.

Obedience as the Expression of Knowing Him

Obedience is not the pathway to knowing God—it is the inevitable expression of truly knowing Him. When a believer perceives Jehovah’s holiness and majesty, the only fitting response is submission. “By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments” (1 John 2:3). Genuine knowledge of God is inseparable from conformity to His will.

The command to “be strong and take action” in Daniel 11:32 does not suggest reckless zeal but deliberate obedience. The Hebrew phrase implies standing firm and doing great exploits—acts of faithfulness rooted in conviction. This courage flows from the confidence that obedience to Jehovah’s Word is always right, regardless of opposition.

History bears witness to men and women who displayed this kind of courage because they knew God. Moses stood before Pharaoh because he trusted in Jehovah’s deliverance. David faced Goliath not with bravado but with faith in the living God. Daniel himself defied decrees that forbade prayer, because he valued obedience to Jehovah above personal safety. In each case, courage was the visible manifestation of inward devotion.

Those who truly know Jehovah find that obedience becomes their delight rather than their burden. His commandments are not grievous, for they reflect His own righteous character. Obedience then becomes a declaration of love and trust. As Jesus said, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him” (John 14:23). To know God is to walk in His ways; to walk in His ways is to display courage in a hostile world.

The Fear of Jehovah as the Beginning of Wisdom

True knowledge of God begins with reverential fear. “The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight” (Proverbs 9:10). This fear is not terror of punishment but deep respect for His authority, holiness, and justice. It is a moral awareness of God’s greatness that produces humility and obedience.

Without the fear of Jehovah, courage degenerates into arrogance. The fear of Jehovah purifies motives and anchors faith. It teaches us that courage is not defiance of authority but alignment with divine truth. When believers fear Jehovah rightly, they fear nothing else. This was the secret of Daniel’s steadfastness in Babylon. Though surrounded by idolatry and political intimidation, he feared Jehovah more than men. His reverence produced unyielding courage.

Wisdom begins when we recognize Jehovah’s rightful dominion over every sphere of life. His commandments define righteousness; His purposes determine destiny. To fear Him is to acknowledge His sovereignty and to conform to His will. Such fear dispels anxiety, for we know that all things are under His control. It was this reverential awe that empowered the prophets, apostles, and faithful ones throughout Scripture to act with unshakable resolve.

Therefore, courage and wisdom grow together. As we deepen in our understanding of Jehovah’s majesty, we act more decisively for His glory. The fear of Jehovah is not a hindrance to strength—it is its foundation. Those who revere Him walk securely, for they know that He upholds the righteous and frustrates the plans of the wicked.

Standing Firm Because We Know His Character

In times of moral decline, persecution, and uncertainty, the people who know their God stand firm because they understand His character. They have learned through Scripture and experience that Jehovah is faithful to every promise, just in every judgment, and loving in every discipline. They do not measure His goodness by their comfort but by His revealed Word.

Standing firm does not mean mere resistance; it means active loyalty to Jehovah in thought, word, and deed. The early Christians who faced opposition from Rome did not yield because they knew the risen Christ and trusted His promise of resurrection. Their courage was not born of rebellion but of faith. Likewise, modern believers who know Jehovah’s truth are called to stand unmoved amid the shifting values of a corrupt world.

When Daniel foresaw that “the people who know their God will be strong and take action,” he described more than mere human perseverance; he foretold the triumph of faith that refuses compromise. Those who know Jehovah do not need to search for courage—it flows naturally from the conviction that He reigns supreme. They remember His deliverance of Israel, His faithfulness to His covenant, His victory in Christ, and His coming Kingdom.

Knowing God transforms fear into faith, hesitation into obedience, and weakness into endurance. Every act of courage in Scripture arose from confidence in God’s unchanging character. Therefore, the call to “be strong and take action” is, at its heart, a call to intimacy with the living God. The more deeply we know Him, the more steadfastly we stand, for His strength becomes our own.

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