Daniel 10
The Book of Daniel • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Transcript
I. Introduction
I. Introduction
The Remaining Chapters
Chapters 10-12 are all one thought.
Chapter 10 contains 5 parts.
Daniel’s concern (v. 1-3)
The Coming of that “Certain Man” (v. 4-9)
The Communication of the Angel (v. 10-12)
The Conflict in the Spirit World (v. 13, 20)
The Cause of the Angel’s Coming (v. 14-21)
I. The Concern of Daniel
I. The Concern of Daniel
In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar. The message was true, but the appointed time was long; and he understood the message, and had understanding of the vision. In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.
Daniel is concerned about this vision.
He says, “the message was true” “the appointed time was long.”
Daniel is concerned about his nation.
In the book of Ezra 1 you can see that Cyrus has given a decree allowing the people of God to return to their home…but the majority of the people have grown comfortable living where they are.
Daniel is concerned about warfare.
There was an occupying force in Jerusalem that was causing war against those who wanted to return.
The Lesson of Daniel’s Concern
God will always take the initiative.
In every circumstance, good or bad, God is going to be the initiator of conversation. This vision that Daniel had was given by God. It wasn’t something Daniel obtained, but it was something that was given.
When we get the glory
There is a fine line that we walk between getting the glory and giving God the glory. We have to acknowledge at all times and in all circumstances that God is the giver of all wisdom and understanding. That He is the revealer of mysteries, and He is the foundation of our faith in Him.
God will always use His people
Sometimes we want to use God to get off the hook. We say, “Well, if God wants it to happen like He told He wanted it to happen, then it will happen.”
Notice Daniel’s Initiative
Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words.
Daniel’s concern was so great, that it moved Him to an actionable response.
Notice Daniel’s Actions
Too many Christians get it wrong when it comes to the actionable response. We see a crisis, we get troubling news, we see a need, and we are ready to jump in the car, we are ready to get on the bullhorn, we are ready to rush into the fire.
This is drastically different than the response Daniel had.
Not Reaction
Notice v. 12 “set your heart to understand, humbled yourself.”
When trouble comes into our life, God doesn’t want a reaction. He doesn’t want you to go and “take care of the problem.” Because when we react, we mess it up and make it worse than it would have been if we’d just left it alone.
To live in a state of reaction means to live in a state of impulse.
Eph 4:14 describes this type of reactive Christian living as “childlike”.
that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
Not inaction
I also want you to see that Daniel’s action was not simply “inaction”.
I have come because of your words.
If Daniel would have never taken an actionable response, he would have never heard from that angel God sent to minister to Him. It says right there in black and white, “I have come because of your words.”
So, a Christian does not need to respond by reaction, they do not need to respond by inaction….but a Christian needs to respond by proaction.
What is proaction?
Farmers are proactive. They aren’t idle; they prepare the soil, they water the plants, they ensure there is plenty of sunlight. This is proactive behavior— Waiting on God is not about inaction; it’s about actively engaging with Him through prayer and obedience, trusting that He will bring forth His promises in His timing.
v. 12 says, “I have come because of your words.”
Look at the proaction that Daniel takes….Daniel knows the solution is out of his hands…and here how he is proactive.
In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.
Proactivity in the life of a Christian is defined by their surrender to God’s provision.
Daniel’s heart was heavy because a majority chose to stay in captivity…and those that did leave were heavily resisted.
v. 2-3 say that Daniel humiliated himself before God. He ate nothing pleasant, and he did not anoint himself. When Daniel submitted to humiliation, then God heard his prayers. “I have come because of your words.”
The only way that I can figure that God heard Daniel because he humiliated himself, is because humiliation is the opposite of pride. I don’t think Daniel did this in jest either. I don’t think that this was a public display. I think that Daniel did this in private, willing to submit himself to humiliation.
Why humiliation? Because of sin. Daniel was acknowledging the humiliation that rebellion has brought his people.
v. 2-3 also say that Daniel was dedicated to repentance. It says he did this for 3 whole weeks.
I think most Christians fall short in their life because of a lack of consistent worship. They worship, nothing happens, and then they move on and forget it.
Daniel has the proactive attitude of a farmer…patience and assurance.
He was comfortable waiting on God because he had a firm conviction that the provision of God was going to spring up just like a plant from the ground.
It’s kinda like cooking gravy. The reason that some people can’t get that dark brown gravy is because they won’t let it cook long enough. They get impatient and want to pour the water in before it gets good and brown. Sometimes they want to fake it by adding some coloring to it, try to flare it up…but a good cook knows how to take their time and get that gravy nice and dark.
An experienced cook knows, “If I let it cook long enough, it will get nice and brown.” An inexperienced cook thinks, “I can’t wait on this gravy all day…I need to add some of my own invention to make it work.”
The experience Christian knows, “If I wait on God, He will answer me, no matter how long it takes.” An inexperienced Christian thinks, “I can’t wait all day…I need to add some of my own invention to make this work.”
Proactivity in the life of a Christian is defined by their surrender to God’s provision…no matter how long it takes.
II. The Coming of that “Certain Man”
II. The Coming of that “Certain Man”
Now on the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, that is, the Tigris, I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Uphaz! His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like torches of fire, his arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, and the sound of his words like the voice of a multitude.
And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision; but a great terror fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. Therefore I was left alone when I saw this great vision, and no strength remained in me; for my vigor was turned to frailty in me, and I retained no strength. Yet I heard the sound of his words; and while I heard the sound of his words I was in a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.
I want to do a little test with you that I heard David Jeremiah do with his people one time:
Whatever I say, I want to hear you say the opposite:
Cold
Dark
Big
God
Some people are dead set that this was a preincarnate Jesus. I think that this was just an angel. The reason I think this is because of v. 13
But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.
I don’t think that Jesus needs help against the forces of darkness. Saying that would make Jesus equal to another…and Jesus is far above any…He has no equal except for God and the Spirit…both of whom submit to His authority.
The Form of the Angel
One interesting concept we get here is that Daniel describes this angel as a “certain man.” Meaning that this angel took on the form of a man.
I believe this to be true, that at times, there have been angels that have walked among us in the form of men.
Sodom and Gomorrah is the perfect example…who was it that came to Lot? It was two angels.
Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground.
How do we know they came in the appearance of men?
And they called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them carnally.”
These angels who came to Sodom were obviously in bodily form, because the men of that city saw them as such.
The Guardianship of Angels
Not only do I believe that angels take on bodily form as men, I believe they guard little children and the saints of God.
“Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.
For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways.
Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?
These ministering spirits are angels.
I believe what Daniel is experiencing here is an angel of God sent to deliver the message of God.
What does this section mean for us?
Very plainly, that when our surrender to God is complete, and His plan is brought forth, it is going to 2 things.
It is going to generate fear.
And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision; but a great terror fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.
There is a fear and a reverence associated with doing to will of God. It is not going to be a comfortable task. The things that God is going to call you to do are hard, they are inconvenient, and they far surpass your logic and understanding.
It doesn’t make sense to give 10% of your money to God…but He commands it. It doesn’t make sense to forgive someone who has intensely hurt you…but He commands it. It doesn’t make sense to leave behind all your belongings, move to a foreign nation, and witness to a group of people that may or may not be saved…and yet He calls people to it.
So, when the command of God comes, don’t try to make sense of it…just do it.
2. When you walk in the commands of God, sometimes you do it alone.
Therefore I was left alone when I saw this great vision, and no strength remained in me; for my vigor was turned to frailty in me, and I retained no strength.
Christians get discouraged following God when they don’t get enough support. They’ll say, “I know God called me to do this, but no one will help me, I am so alone…I don’t think God wanted this.”
Here’s the key…God didn’t mean it for anyone else…He meant it for you. If God called you to it, obey it, and don’t trust in results, trust in His calling and His promise.
III. The Communication of the Angel
III. The Communication of the Angel
Suddenly, a hand touched me, which made me tremble on my knees and on the palms of my hands. And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.” While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling.
Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words.
God’s presence is terrifying, but His grace is sufficient.
There is Daniel, and now he is alone because of this great happening and this awesome power that is there.
Then Daniel feels a hand touch him…and I imagine that his heart pounded just a little bit harder, and he began to sweat just a little bit more.
God’s Presence is Awesome and Promotes Fear
Why do I say His presence promotes fear?
v. 10 says, “While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling.” Now, if you agree with me that this in an angel, then I can only imagine if it were the hand of God.
That’s why when someone flippantly comes to me and says that God has told them to do something, I seriously doubt their encounter. Why? Because when God comes, it is a humbling experience. It is a time when the presence of God is over your life and it creates this fear and trembling in you.
The biggest reason for this fear and trembling is that usually God is asking you to do something either you don’t want to do, or something you think you cannot do.
In Exodus 3:11, God calls Moses.
But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”
In this case, I think it was something Moses didn’t want and didn’t think he could do.
In Judges 6:15, God calls Gideon.
So [Gideon] said to Him, “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”
In Mark 8, Jesus tells the people plainly that He has to suffer death…and Peter did not want that to happen.
He spoke this word openly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.
Jesus was saying to Peter, “I have to die…it’s what God commanded Me…and you, Peter, have to be okay with that.”
Peter says, “Now, Jesus, that’s not what I want, and You can’t go around saying things like that.”
Jesus tells him
But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”
When Jesus unveils His plan to people and to churches, it’s terrifying…because it defies everything that we expected, and God gives us instructions and commands that we cannot accomplish ourself.
This has so much to do with His presence because when we get into His presence we get instructed in His will.
His Grace is Sufficient
Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words.
This angel, after scaring the fire out of Daniel, has brought with him the grace of God. Each time after God delivers His commands to people, He always follows it with a promise.
Now, the promise we discussed this morning in Matthew 28:20 is the same promise that God has given many times.
Joshua and God’s Promise
There is Joshua, and he has taken control of the rebellious nation Israel in place of the most gifted, patient, loving leader they could have asked for…and God has now commanded Joshua to go into the Promised land and take it.
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Does that sound familiar? All throughout the Bible you can see that promise take place time and time again.
Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard.”
God’s presence may be terrifying, but His grace is sufficient, and His promises are sure.
God is telling Daniel, He is telling us… “I am faithful to answer and help you, you can trust me.”
Really, all the fear and anxiety in our life stems from an inability to rest in the promise that God is with us wherever we go.
IV. The Conflict in the Spirit World
IV. The Conflict in the Spirit World
But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.
This is a glimpse into the unseen spiritual world. That there is a reality that angels and demonic forces are going toe-to-toe in a spiritual battle over your life.
In America, at least majority America, has become so blind to this reality of spiritual warfare. It’s become comical to us. We don’t take it seriously.
The spiritual struggle is the struggle that lies at the core of every other struggle that we see in the world.
Who is the Prince of the Kingdom of Persia?
Now, this is an interesting title. From just this title it seems like there are certain demonic forces that inhabit certain domains here on earth.
If you think strategically, that might make perfect sense. If we think of the demons as part of satan’s army, then it’s appropriate to believe that he has them stationed in the places that he sees fit to accomplish his demonic work on earth.
This “prince” is not king Cyrus.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
This is not a man being referred to here. We think based on what we see.
Now, there may be a force of darkness occupying the institutions of the world, and because we are so blind to the spiritual realities, we place the blame on people. Paul very clearly teaches that we are not wrestling against flesh and blood, but we are wrestling against the rulers of darkness in the spiritual realm.
The forces of darkness are powerful
Now this prince of Persia was a formidable opponent against one of God’s angels.
God’s angels are exceedingly powerful
And it came to pass on a certain night that the angel of the Lord went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five thousand; and when people arose early in the morning, there were the corpses—all dead.
If the prince of darkness can stand against an angel, he is also exceedingly powerful.
The forces of darkness interfere in God’s work
Wherever God seeks to accomplish His greatest work, you can expect the greatest resistance.
Right now, many of you are praying for God to work in your life and in the church, and you have not properly prepared yourself to deal with spiritual warfare. If you think that you can meander on through your Christian life without any sort of resistance then you are blind the spiritual realities of this life.
The Forces of darkness can delay God’s work, but they cannot stop God’s work.
I am telling you, God is working in too many ways in our church and in the lives of the people for there not to be a great resistance mounting.
I have heard this before, that if you want to be a hero of the faith, the first thing you need to do is get on Hell’s most wanted list.
You see, the truth is this…we will be attacked, we will be persecuted, we will be blind-sided, but we will never be defeated. Even in death the Christian is victorious.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
This “prince of Persia” is a demon who is influencing Cyrus.
Lehman Strauss says this, “In Daniel 10 ‘the prince of the kingdom of Persia’ (verse 13) and ‘the prince of Grecia’ (verse 20) are evil spirits who entered into rulers of world governments to influence those governments to oppose the people of God and the Word and work of God. What we have here is an actual case of demonism in world government.”
It may not be Cyrus, but this demonic power is influencing him, just like demonic forces influence all world leaders.
That is why it is vitally important that we pray for our leaders. They are either tools of God, or they are pawns of the devils, either way, it is not them who we need to be wary of, but it is the darkness that drives them.
Further Spiritual Conflict
Then he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? And now I must return to fight with the prince of Persia; and when I have gone forth, indeed the prince of Greece will come.
This angel came to deliver the news to Daniel and then tells him he has to go back and fight, because “the prince of Greece will come” and get into this fight as well.
Think about this prophetically…what nation arose after the Medo-Persian nation? It was Alexander the Great and the nation of Greece.
Now, I told you that satan will interfere in God’s plans, but he cannot stop them…
Here is what Strauss says, “Satan was at that time ready with a trained angel awaiting the rise of those few wandering Grecian tribes into a vast and influential empire. But the omniscient and omnipotent God was prepared for the attack upon His people two centuries in advance.”
V. The Cause of the Angels Coming
V. The Cause of the Angels Coming
Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come.”
When he had spoken such words to me, I turned my face toward the ground and became speechless. And suddenly, one having the likeness of the sons of men touched my lips; then I opened my mouth and spoke, saying to him who stood before me, “My lord, because of the vision my sorrows have overwhelmed me, and I have retained no strength. For how can this servant of my lord talk with you, my lord? As for me, no strength remains in me now, nor is any breath left in me.”
Then again, the one having the likeness of a man touched me and strengthened me. And he said, “O man greatly beloved, fear not! Peace be to you; be strong, yes, be strong!”
So when he spoke to me I was strengthened, and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”
Then he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? And now I must return to fight with the prince of Persia; and when I have gone forth, indeed the prince of Greece will come. But I will tell you what is noted in the Scripture of Truth. (No one upholds me against these, except Michael your prince.
This angel has come to tell Daniel of the prophetic future of Israel. In chapter 11, we are going to again walk through the prophecies of the 70 weeks. We have lived right now in 69 of those weeks. We are in an interim period called the church age, and the antiChrist will arrive on the scene at the beginning of the 70th week. That is when it will commence.
The Spiritual Toll
But to get this type of information is spiritually exhausting.
When he had spoken such words to me, I turned my face toward the ground and became speechless.
This revelation, laying eyes on the bloodshed, on the captivity, on the suffering, on the calamity of his nation was too much for Daniel to bear…he was left speechless as the truth was given to him.
Chuck Swindoll give these 5 insights on Spiritual warfare and prayer
Believer’s prayers are immediately heard by God.
Demonic forces delay answers to prayers.
Wrestling in prayer is exhausting work.
Following wearisome times in prayer, strength returns in extra measure.
Overcoming demonic forces is not a once-and-for-all matter.
Will God allow us to be spiritually oppressed?
Yes.
Will God build us back up?
Yes.
How does this text point us to Jesus?
Here’s what John Piper says…
Exalting Jesus in Daniel Conclusion: How Does This Text Point to Christ?
Take the supernatural seriously and realize that we are in a warfare that cannot and should not be domesticated by reinterpreting everything in the biblical worldview so that it fits nicely with secular, naturalistic ways of thinking about the world. Be ready for the extraordinary as well as the ordinary ways that evil spirits work. Don’t be presumptuous, as though demons were weak; and don’t be anxious, as though they were stronger than Jesus. (“Angels and Prayer”).
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
