Encountering the Word of God

INTRO

When Micah and I first met, I had a 95 Chevy C1500.

It was my first truck and I bought it with my own money.

I was working at Myers’ Drug Store in San Angelo and I had just gotten off work.

The sun was just beginning to set and I got to my truck and turned the key…

Nothing.

I though the battery might be dead, but I didn’t know.

So I opened the hood and stared at it for a minute.

My dad was a master mechanic and even taught automotive classes at a technical school.

He taught me all the parts of the engine.

But as I stared under the hood, I recognized all the different parts, but I had no idea what was going on.

It was a humbling experience to call for help, but I wanted to understand what was wrong with my truck.

I need help to understand.

This is how I felt looking at Daniel 10 when I started to prepare for this sermon.

It didn’t take long to see that Daniel was in need of understanding as well.

Chapter 10 begins the last vision and the last section of the book of Daniel.

Chapters 11 and 12 contain the vision itself, today we are going to journey with Daniel as he is strengthened and equipped to understand the word revealed to him through this true vision of great conflict.

We need strength and understanding to face the challenges and battles that the word of God promises we will face.

IN John 16:33, Jesus says

John 16:33 ESV

33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Here is the main thing I want us to see in Daniel’s life:

When we encounter the Word of God humbly, seeking to understand, we will experience His love, courage, peace, and strength.

Let’s take a journey with Daniel as he encounters the word of God revealed in this last vision.

TEACHING

Daniel 10:1–3 ESV

1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a word was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar. And the word was true, and it was a great conflict. And he understood the word and had understanding of the vision. 2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks. 3 I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks.

These first three verses help us understand why Daniel is fasting and humbling himself.

Remember what Daniel has been through:

His home and people are destroyed by the Babylonian armies

He is taken away from his family into captivity to brainwash him into becoming a Babylonian and no longer a Jew

New foods, new names, new gods, new culture

This is the same Daniel that stood firm against the brainwashing and remained faithful to God, even as the Babylonians were conquered by the Persians and Medes.

He was faithful to his God even when it meant being thrown to the lions

Last week we see his heartfelt prayer of repentance for his people and God answered with a vision and God moved Cyrus to release the captives back to their homes

But the book of Ezra tells us it didn’t go well

They returned exiles rebuild the altar in the temple and start laying the foundation of the temple

But the surrounding peoples oppose them and now Daniel has heard the discouraging word that the work has stopped.

Daniel is fasting, seeking understanding from God

Have you been there? Trying to remain faithful but not understanding what God is doing.

1. When we encounter the word of God, we must humble ourselves.

This is where Daniel is when he starts fasting

Wondering what God is doing and what the future holds for God’s people

Daniel need a word from the Lord, so he prepares himself by humbling himself through prayer and fasting

What does this look like for us?

One way is to do exactly what Daniel does, fast and pray.

Fast like Daniel - bread and water for a day

Pharisee fast - lunch one day to lunch the other

Fast for some time consuming task - like scrolling facebook, Tiktok, or some other social media app, use the time to seek the Lord through His word

Just like Daniel God hasn’t left us in the dark

He hasn’t abandoned Daniel through all the trials over 70+ years

and God hasn’t abandoned Daniel now

He’s revealed His word to Daniel and one is coming to help Daniel understand

We get to listen in and take in all that Daniel saw

Daniel 10:4–9 ESV

4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river (that is, the Tigris) 5 I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. 6 His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude. 7 And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision, but a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves. 8 So I was left alone and saw this great vision, and no strength was left in me. My radiant appearance was fearfully changed, and I retained no strength. 9 Then I heard the sound of his words, and as I heard the sound of his words, I fell on my face in deep sleep with my face to the ground.

Daniel has fasted for three weeks seeking to understand what God is doing in his life and the life of his people

Suddenly he sees a vision!

It’s not clear who this man clothed in linen is but it’s clear this is a supernatural being

It may be Gabriel, now we are getting a description of his appearance.

Or it could be an appearance of God in before Jesus comes in the flesh

Imagine you are camping near a river watching the water go by and this guy shows up!

Look at verse 6: his body is like beryl - beryl is a gemstone

It’s clear and has a gold tint to it

So this man’s body is clear with a gold sheen

His face is the like lightning!

I love to go outside when a thunderstorm is coming and watch the lightning jump between the clouds

But have you ever been near where lightning struck?

The hair on your arms and head starts feeling staticky and then boom! you’re blinded by the brightness

and the huge thunder crack is deafening

Imagine that brightness coming from his face

and his eyes are as bright as torches! Like a 900,000 lumen LED flashlight

And look at his arms and legs

they are like the gleam of burnished bronze

Have you ever caught the sun’s reflection off a metal roof or off the windshield of a car

and not only is his appearance overwhelming, when he speaks, it sounds like a room full of people carrying on a conversation

And Daniel is all alone when he sees it

look at verse 7

Daniel 10:7 ESV

7 And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision, but a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves.

The men who were with Daniel didn’t even see this being, but just felt the presence, the heaviness in the air

Have you ever been outside when a massive thunderstorm rolls in?

I was in San Angelo, having a 4th of July party with the college ministry at one of the elders house.

He was a commercial pilot and I saw the storm

The temperature dropped 20 degrees and a huge wind came from behind me as I was watching the storm

I told Dave that I was glad that storm was going the other way with the wind

He told me that the storm was pulling the wind its direction and it was about to be a bad storm

You could feel the weight as the pressure rolled in with that storm

We gathered everything up and in less than 2 minutes that storm was on us

Daniel’s companions felt the presence of this being and they got out quick to seek cover

In the awesome, brilliant light of the man in linen, Daniel’s color drained like it did in chapter 7, he is greatly alarmed

As Daniel hears the being speak he passes out!

Daniel 10:8–9 ESV

8 So I was left alone and saw this great vision, and no strength was left in me. My radiant appearance was fearfully changed, and I retained no strength. 9 Then I heard the sound of his words, and as I heard the sound of his words, I fell on my face in deep sleep with my face to the ground.

Wouldn’t you?!

Regardless of this man is, he is reflecting the very glory of God!

Daniel loses all strength, any glory he has is gone, and he finally passes out

Daniel’s “radiance appearance was fearfully changed”.

The Hebrew here reads “my splendor/glory was changed to ruin.”

In the light of Glory of God, our splendor is ruined.

What does Isaiah say when he’s confronted with the glory of God?

Isaiah 6:5 ESV

5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

2. When we encounter the word of God, our glory must diminish in the light of God.

This was what John the Baptist told his disciples when they saw everyone flocking to Jesus:

John 3:30 ESV

30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

How do we let our glory diminish in the light of God?

First, we let God say what is right and what is wrong.

It is too easy in our world to start making excuses for the sins of our culture.

Take a minute this week and look at what you watch, listen to, and read.

Do these things increase the glory of God, or the glory of man?

Do these things point to the goodness of what God calls good?

Or do they muddy the waters between right and wrong.

Or worse do they glorify sin and call God the monster.

We must encounter the word of God like Daniel and let His glory change our appearance into His likeness as the apostle Paul says:

Romans 8:28–29 ESV

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

We have been predestined to be conformed to Christ’s image, why do we spend so much time conforming ourselves to the world.

We need to be strengthened by God to live our lives faithfully.

This is exactly what Daniel needed, strengthening from the Lord.

Daniel will receive three touches from the Lord that will strengthen him to fully encounter the word of the Lord.

Daniel 10:10–14 ESV

10 And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. 11 And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. 12 Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. 13 The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, 14 and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.”

So Daniel was passed out on the ground

and a hand touched him and picks him up in his hands a knees

In Daniel 8, Daniel also passed out and the angel Gabriel touched him and made him stand up

Daniel 8:16–18 ESV

16b “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” 17 So he came near where I stood. And when he came, I was frightened and fell on my face. But he said to me, “Understand, O son of man, that the vision is for the time of the end.” 18 And when he had spoken to me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face to the ground. But he touched me and made me stand up.

The angel tells Daniel two very important things in verses 11 and 12.

He tells Daniel who Daniel is and he tells Daniel who God is

the same is true for us

3. When we encounter the word of God, we must understand who we are and who God is.

Daniel 10:11 ESV

11 And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling.

He tells Daniel that he is greatly loved.

This is how God feels about His children

Isaiah 54:10 ESV

10 For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

Jeremiah 31:3 ESV

3 the Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.

Romans 5:8 ESV

8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

1 John 4:9–10 ESV

9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

We are greatly loved by God, this tells us a lot about us, but also a lot about God.

He is a merciful and gracious God, He is also a God who hears His children and acts.

Gabriel told Daniel the same thing in Chapter 9

Daniel 9:23 ESV

23 At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved. Therefore consider the word and understand the vision.

But notice that Gabriel says “at the beginning of your please for mercy a word went out.”

But Daniel this time has been waiting for three weeks.

What kept Gabriel from coming?

Daniel 10:12–13 ESV

12 Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. 13 The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia,

The first day that Daniel set his heart to understand and humbled himself, God responded.

Gabriel has come because God heard Daniel’s words.

But here Gabriel pulls back the curtain a little bit and shows us behind the scenes of spiritual warfare.

The prince of Persia held Gabriel back for 21 days, three weeks, the exact time Daniel has been fasting and praying.

Who is this prince?

Well in the next part of this sentence he will talk about Michael as the chief prince who has helped the powerful angel Gabriel.

The prince of Persia and Michael the chief prince are supernatural being on opposite sides of the spiritual battle.

Michael fights alongside Gabriel in the army of God, while the prince of Persia fights against these righteous angels.

He is a demonic angel, maybe even Satan himself since Persia is the superpower of the day.

If you read in the book of Esther, you can see the demonic influence in Haman who seeks to wipe out the Jews.

Even though Michael comes to help Gabriel, we have to remember that good and evil are not equal.

God is all powerful and could have sent Gabriel immediately like he did before.

I’m not sure why God doesn’t send him sooner.

Can you relate to the waiting?

Daniel was mourning and fasting, but the answer doesn’t come.

Daniel’s reaction to these words is to drop his face to the ground and all his words leave him.

Daniel 10:15 ESV

15 When he had spoken to me according to these words, I turned my face toward the ground and was mute.

Maybe this is where you are today.

you’ve been praying for God to answer something for you.

Why am I facing this illness?

Why can’t I find someone?

What are you doing God?!

And now you just feel numb and tired, voice shot from crying out.

God hears

He cares

from the day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself, God sent the word out

Why hasn’t it come?

We get a fleeting glimpse behind the curtain to see that there are spiritual forces battling in the supernatural realm.

We must understand who we are as greatly loved children, and understand who God is, our loving father, who hears us, and walks with us.

As Daniel stands head down and silent, another touch comes, this time to give him the words to say

Daniel 10:16–17 ESV

16 And behold, one in the likeness of the children of man touched my lips. Then I opened my mouth and spoke. I said to him who stood before me, “O my lord, by reason of the vision pains have come upon me, and I retain no strength. 17 How can my lord’s servant talk with my lord? For now no strength remains in me, and no breath is left in me.”

The angel give Daniel the strength to speak, but all Daniel has the strength to say is that he has no strength, how can he talk to this angel?

I’ve felt this way, haven’t you?

You’re one your knees before the Lord, but just have no strength to speak.

What a wonderful kindness we have in Christ.

The Apostle Paul tells us that even when we don’t have the words to speak that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us:

Romans 8:26–27 ESV

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

God the Spirit intercedes for us as God the Father works all things for our good so that we might be conformed to the image of Christ.

God helps us in our weakness just like he helped Daniel, look at verse 18 and 19

Daniel 10:18–19 ESV

18 Again one having the appearance of a man touched me and strengthened me. 19 And he said, “O man greatly loved, fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.” And as he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”

Again the angel touches Daniel and he is strengthened to hear the words again.

Let’s hear these words again too

Daniel 10:19 ESV

19 And he said, “O man greatly loved, fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.” And as he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”

This is who we are—greatly loved!

This is who God is—the One in control, so we don’t have to fear!

But here’s something new: peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.

4. When we encounter the word of God, we must be strengthened by the peace of God.

But don’t you understand Gabriel, the exiles they’ve returned to the land, but it’s not going well

Peace be with you

But I just got out of the lions den, who knows what they’ll through at me next

Peace be with you

Maybe we could add, I’ve got these bills I can’t pay

Peace be with you

My child is so far away from the Lord

Peace be with you

Hear these words from the Apostle Paul

Philippians 4:6–7 ESV

6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The peace of God surpasses all understanding

It’s better than all understanding

Gabriel tells Daniel

Look I’ve come to bring you understanding but you have something better already!

THe peace of God!

It’s better! It’s better!

We could see all the spiritual battles happening right now

His peace is better!

We could know exactly what the plan is and how it’s going to happen

His peace is better!

But what about…

His peace is better!

Or…HIS PEACE IS BETTER!!

Be strong, be courageous, because God’s peace is better

Daniel is strengthened by these words

Daniel 10:19 ESV

19b And as he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”

Daniel is ready now to encounter the word of God.

Are you ready?

When we encounter the Word of God humbly, seeking to understand, we will experience His love, courage, peace, and strength.

Do you need more love in your life?

The holy love of God, who knows everything about you, but loves you anyway?

Do you wish you were more courageous?

We need the courage that only God can give to live faithful lives like Daniel did as exiles in our own culture.

Do you want to feel at peace even when life’s crazy?

We need the peace of God, which surpasses every circumstance and trial.

What about strength? Do you need strength to face tomorrow, or even to get through today?

We need God to strengthen us just like He did Daniel.

We must seek God humbly in his word and allow His strength to show through our weakness.

But God doesn’t just work through the Bible as the Word of God.

God came to us as the Word of God in Jesus Christ.

The author of Hebrews says that in these last days God has spoken to us by his Son.

The word that was revealed to Daniel shook him and he needed strength to receive it.

Today if you haven’t received the strength that comes through Christ Alone, then there is a fate much worse that the final chapters of the Book of Daniel.

There is an eternity separated from the God of all lights and spent in darkness.

Place your faith and trust in the God who loves you, gives you strength and courage, and brings peace to your heart in this life and into eternity.

προσευξώμεθα