The Longed-For Relationship—Daniel 10:1-11:1
Notes
Transcript
We live in a broken world. It’s been broken since Adam and Eve ate the fruit in the Garden of Eden. Every generation has experienced this brokenness. In some ways, we have all experienced the same brokenness. In other ways, each generation has their own twist.
In the generation of technology, where everyone is so connected, through social media, texts, phone calls, and who knows what else, we are having a crisis of relationships. Everyone is so connected, yet so many people feel so alone.
Just because people know things about me, doesn’t mean that they actually know me. And deep down inside, we all yearn to be known by someone.
God created us this way. The need for community. That’s one of the reasons why Genesis 2 says:
The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
Unfortunately, because of sin, even though we yearn to be known, we are scared of it, because too often we have been hurt.
So, we are stuck in the world that we are in, connected, yet isolated, yearning, yet scared.
And in the midst of all of it, God reaches out his hand and says: Know me and let me know you. The holy God invites us into a relationship. As we read this passage, we will see that God allows us to know him, He strengthens us to speak with him, he empowers us to serve him, and he protects us to dwell with him.
Before we read this passage, some notes for the background. This vision that Daniel has is three years after the hand appears on the wall to Belshazzar, foretelling of the fall of the Babylonian empire that night.
The Persians take over. Cyrus is moved by God to send the first group of Israelites back to Israel within his first year. These exiles return under the leadership of Zerubbabel, the governor, and Joshua, the high priest. They clear the temple area, resume the daily sacrifices, and the lay the foundation for the new temple. But, then the work stops.
For 15 years, the work is paused until God sends the prophet Haggai.
Daniel 10 occurs around the time that the work stops. Daniel probably hears about the pause and is alarmed.
Let’s read Daniel 10 before we start.
In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a revelation was given to Daniel (who was called Belteshazzar). Its message was true and it concerned a great war. The understanding of the message came to him in a vision.
At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.
On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. His body was like topaz, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.
I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; those who were with me did not see it, but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves. So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless. Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground.
A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. He said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling.
Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.”
While he was saying this to me, I bowed with my face toward the ground and was speechless. Then one who looked like a man touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began to speak. I said to the one standing before me, “I am overcome with anguish because of the vision, my lord, and I feel very weak. How can I, your servant, talk with you, my lord? My strength is gone and I can hardly breathe.”
Again the one who looked like a man touched me and gave me strength. “Do not be afraid, you who are highly esteemed,” he said. “Peace! Be strong now; be strong.”
When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength.”
So he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? Soon I will return to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I go, the prince of Greece will come; but first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth. (No one supports me against them except Michael, your prince.
And in the first year of Darius the Mede, I took my stand to support and protect him.)
As I said, in this passage, we will see that God allows us to know him, He strengthens us to speak with him, he empowers us to serve him, and he protects us to dwell with him.
Before we dive in, will you pray with me.
1. To Know Him
1. To Know Him
The Holy God invites us into a relationship with him. He allows us to know him.
This is a point that we could have made before this time. Daniel has this rare privilege where God talks with him, yes, through dreams. But he still talks with him.
And in this dream, as Daniel is in anguish because of what is happening, or not happening, in Jerusalem, God sends an angel, but this is not just any angel.
I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. His body was like topaz, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.
This description that we see in Daniel 6 is very similar to the description that Ezekiel sees of the cherubim in the throne room of God.
I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the north—an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal, and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. In appearance their form was human, but each of them had four faces and four wings. Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze. Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. All four of them had faces and wings, and the wings of one touched the wings of another. Each one went straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved.
But, the one that Daniel sees only has one face. Which is less freaky, I guess.
But, in the sending, God also gives a glimpse of himself, because the description is also very similar to that of Jesus in Revelation 1. This isn’t Jesus, but Daniel gets a taste of who God is, from the angelic beings closest to God, in the moment of his anguish.
The story of the Bible is the story of God inviting his creation to know him.
At the beginning of time, God created the world, placed Adam and Eve as his special creations. He would come and walk with them in the cool of the evening. But, then Adam and Eve chose to go their own way, to turn away from a relationship with their creator to a relationship with their own desires.
And this world has been a mess ever since. And we have been incredibly alone in our mess ever since.
Then, Jesus came:
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Jesus came to earth, dying on the cross for our sins, so that whoever puts their faith in him alone will be reconciled to God. Our sins will be forgiven and we can know our creator and be known by our creator again. Not academically, but as a friend. And through that friendship, everything wrong in this world is made right.
He allows us to know him.
2. To Speak with Him
2. To Speak with Him
The Holy God invites us into a relationship with him. He strengthens us to speak with him.
Daniel sees this spiritual being reflecting the holiness of God and he falls on his face, having no strength. Those around him, even though they don’t see the vision, run away because of what they sensed.
This is a normal experience for someone who interacts with the holiness of God.
Isaiah had that same reaction when he was transported through a dream into God’s presence, in Isaiah 6.
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple.
He saw the cherubim and heard their praise, and he responded:
“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”
He thought he was going to die.
But, then, the same thing happens to both Isaiah and Daniel. And angel, acting for God, touches them.
The verse here in Daniel is so short but so powerful.
As Daniel is on his face, without strength, the only thing that could describe him is comatose, because his terror.
A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. He said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling.
He was given the strength to get on hands and knees through touch. And then by the words of the angel, Daniel could stand.
Later, as the angel speaks, Daniel has the ability to talk with him and bring his requests, share his concerns.
In Isaiah, we see a different touch. The angel purifies Isaiah’s lips so that he could speak.
In Jesus, we are purified so that we can invest in our relationship with our creator. We can speak with him, not through someone else. Not through rituals. Not through sacrifices, we can speak with the one who created all things out of nothing.
Not only are we purified to speak. We are given the strength to stand in his presence and approach his throne boldly.
Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
He strengthens us to speak with him.
3. To Serve Him
3. To Serve Him
The Holy God invites us into a relationship with him. He empower us to serve him.
Well, after Daniel stands up trembling.
We read:
Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.”
There is a task that Daniel has, to relay the future to the people of Israel. Daniel is speechless hearing this and is overcome with anguish.
Again the one who looked like a man touched me and gave me strength. “Do not be afraid, you who are highly esteemed,” he said. “Peace! Be strong now; be strong.”
When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength.”
God, through the angel, gives Daniel the strength he needs to see the vision, and he will give him the strength to relate the vision. Which is why we have this written for us today.
That is the thing about a relationship with the creator and sustainer of the universe. When we lack strength, we can crawl before his throne and ask. Even when we don’t have the strength to ask him and all we have are groans.
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
As we invest in a relationship with God, through Jesus Christ, we experience the truth of those famous verses in Isaiah:
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
He has prepared good works for us to do, a purpose to complete. And he gives us the strength to accomplish those things. He touches when need it. He speaks to us when we need it.
He empowers us to serve him.
4. To Dwell with Him
4. To Dwell with Him
The Holy God invites us into a relationship with him. He protects us to dwell with him.
Now this vision is pretty quirky. You have this angel. You have Michael, one of the chief princes of angels. You have the prince of Persia battling against them. You have the Prince of Greece coming later on.
So he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? Soon I will return to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I go, the prince of Greece will come; but first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth. (No one supports me against them except Michael, your prince.
And in the first year of Darius the Mede, I took my stand to support and protect him.)
What is going on?
Well, the thing that we’ve been talking about off and on for a couple weeks. The cosmic battle going around us. The spiritual warfare that Paul talks about in Ephesians 6. The prince of Persia and the prince of Greece is cryptic ways of talking about demons.
We know that Satan and his forces of darkness are raging against God and the forces of light.
We read about this in another way in Rev 12
Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.
Interestingly, the only people in the Bible that we read about Satan actually tempting are Eve, Job, Jesus, Judas, Paul and Ananias.
Satan is not God. He doesn’t know everything. He can’t be everywhere at all times. He has his own fallen angels doing his bidding. So, it is probably the case that we have never actually been tempted by the devil directly, but by those fallen angels.
Here in Daniel, we read about the cosmic battle. Michael and this other angel taking their stands to support and protect the people of Israel and Darius king of the Medes during this cosmic battle.
Spiritual warfare can be a controversial issue. If you want to talk more about it, great. We can.
But I don’t want us to get caught in the weeds with the big picture: “we must not forget the central teaching of Daniel 10: the amazing truth that God’s people are not in the conflict alone. The Bible as a whole calls us to the life of a warrior in a world of conflict. But God does not send us out to fight on our own or even to pool our resources with other Christians. No, he sent his Son to first win the battle. He defeated evil by dying on the cross. He shows us that the way of victory is through love and sacrifice, not hate and greed. He gives us confidence to face abuse today because “our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us,” when he comes to rescue us for the last time.”
God protects us because he has already won the battle on the cross and one day he is going to take us to dwell with him in a world where this cosmic battle will be no more.
Praise God. Even so, come Lord Jesus.
Do you know him? Have you entered into a relationship with him that allows you to know him, strengthens you to speak with him? empowers you to serve him, and protects you to dwell with him?
If not, come talk to me today.
