Daniel 10

Last Time

We Looked at the 70 7’s (Weeks) of Daniel

The Angel Gabriel was Sent to Daniel to Inform Him of What was Going to Happen to Jerusalem and the Jewish People in the Coming Future

Daniel was Told of the Messiah’s Coming and How He was Bringing Blessings of Restoration to His People

But There was Also Coming a Great Destruction Upon Jerusalem

Introduction

These Last 3 Chapters of the Book of Daniel All Make Up One Long Vision

We are About to Get into Some Crazy Stuff in this Last Vision

I Want to Ask Everyone to Have an Open Mind with Your Bible

To Pretend that Your Bible is Something You Can Fully Comprehend and Understand is to Be Extremely Arrogant

We are About to Look About Things that Pertain to the Spiritual Realm

Things that Might Make Us Feel Uncomfortable

Because of that, We Need to Keep an Open Mind

There are Things that We Can Read About in the Bible that are Difficult to Understand

And We are Guilty of Ascribing Easy/Comfortable Answers to Difficult Texts

Don’t Water Down Your Bible to Make its Messages Fit Your Current Understanding

Open Your Mind to Accept What the Bible is Actually Telling You

Even if it Doesn’t Fit with What You’ve Always Been Taught or What You Currently Believe

Daniel 10

Daniel 10:1 (NASB)

In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar; and the message was true and one of great conflict, but he understood the message and had an understanding of the vision.

In 536 B.C., Daniel Receives a Message About a Great Conflict/War

When this Message and Vision Came to Daniel, He’d Been Mourning and Fasting from Delicacies for 3 Straight Weeks

He Also Hadn’t Been Keeping Up with Daily Hygiene

He was Mourning Like a Person Mourns Over the Dead, Sin, or Disaster

Why was He Mourning?

The Text Doesn’t Tell Us

But 2 Years Prior to this, Cyrus Allowed the Jewish People to Make Their 1st Return Back to Judah

And Right Around this Point in Time, the Samaritans are Oppressing the Jewish People in Judah, Causing Them to Suspend the Rebuilding of the Temple

It’s Possible that He Knew About These Troubles Back Home

At the End of the 3 Weeks, Daniel was on the Bank of the Tigris River

And He Saw a Terrifying Vision of a Man

He was Dressed in Linen

He Wore a Belt of Pure Gold

His Body was Like a Shiny Gemstone

His Face was Like Lightning

His Eyes Were Like Flaming Torches

His Arms and Feet Were Like Polished Bronze

And His Voice Sounded Like a Crowd of People

This is an Interesting Discription of this Human-Like Figure Because it Sounds Very Similar to the Same Person John the Apostle Saw in Revelation 1:13-15

Revelation 1:13–15 (NASB)

and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash.

His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire.

His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters.

We Aren’t Told Who the Man is that Daniel Sees

But the Man Who Looks Just Like Him that John Sees is Jesus

It Seems Very Likely that Daniel is Seeing Pre-Incarnate Jesus

So I Will Be Referring to This Man as Jesus Throughout the Rest of the Book

Those Who Were With Daniel Ran Away in Dread, Even Though They Couldn’t See What Daniel was Seeing

Daniel was Alone, Extremely Weak Out of Fear, and was as Pale as a Dead Person

When He Heard Jesus Speak, He Collapsed to the Ground and Fell into a Deep Sleep

John’s Interaction with Jesus was the Same in Revelation 1:17, as Well

Revelation 1:17 (NASB)

When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last,

Then a Hand Touches Daniel and Lifts Him onto His Hands and Knees

We Aren’t Told if this Hand Belonged to Jesus or an Angel

Later We are Told that Angels are at the Scene as Well

Daniel 10:11–12 (NASB)

He said to me, “O Daniel, man of high esteem, understand the words that I am about to tell you and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling.

Then he said to me, “Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words.

Jesus or the Angel Tells Daniel that He is Precious to God, and that He Shouldn’t Be Afraid

Daniel’s Prayers Have Been Heard by God

And Jesus or the Angel Have Come to Respond to Daniel’s Prayers

Here’s Where Things are Going to Get a Little More Strange

Daniel 10:13 (NASB)

“But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia.

We are Told that the Prince of the Kingdom of Persia was Stopping Jesus/Angel from Coming to Daniel for 21 Days (the 3 Weeks of Mourning)

But Then Michael (a Chief Prince) Came to Help

What We are Seeing from this Verse is that There are Battles Taking Place in the Unseen Spiritual Realm

This Kind of Stuff Might Make You Uncomfortable Because We Don’t Ever Talk About it

But We See Strange Things Like this Mentioned in Several Places Throughout the Bible

We Shouldn’t Try to Explain These Things Away

We Should Open Our Minds to What the Bible Tells Us

There are So Many Things Within the Spiritual Realm that We Know Next to Nothing About

Angels are Capable of Influencing Human Affairs

This Includes Influencing Governments Through Their Leaders

We Know that There Were Other Angels that Sinned with the Devil

They are Called Demons in the NT

The Bible Tells Us that the Idols that Were Worshiped By the Gentile Nations Were Actually Demons

Psalm 106:37–38 (NASB)

They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons, And shed innocent blood, The blood of their sons and their daughters, Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; And the land was polluted with the blood.

1 Corinthians 10:20 (NASB)

No, but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers in demons.

These Demons, Under the Leadership of Satan, Have Been Against God and His Special People Since the Beginning

And We are Getting a Tiny Glimpse of the Warfare that Takes Place Just Outside of Our View in the Spiritual Realm All the Time

Now that Jesus/Angel has Finally Made it to Daniel, He is Going to Tell Daniel What is Going to Happen to the Jewish People in the Future

Daniel Became Speechless Until Jesus/Angel Touched His Lips

Daniel was in Pain and Had No Strength Because of the Vision He was Seeing

Then Jesus/Angel Touched Him Again and Gave Him Strength

Daniel 10:19–21 (NASB)

He said, “O man of high esteem, do not be afraid. Peace be with you; take courage and be courageous!” Now as soon as he spoke to me, I received strength and said, “May my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”

Then he said, “Do you understand why I came to you? But I shall now return to fight against the prince of Persia; so I am going forth, and behold, the prince of Greece is about to come.

However, I will tell you what is inscribed in the writing of truth. Yet there is no one who stands firmly with me against these forces except Michael your prince.

More Spiritual Battles Were Yet to Come with the Demon(s) of Persia as Well as Greece (the Next World Power)

Michael is Called “Your Prince”

Scholars Believe this Means that He was a Powerful Arch Angel Assigned to Protect God’s Chosen People

Starting in Chapter 11, We Will See an Extreme Amount of Prophetic information About the Future of the Jews and the Great Conflict/War Mentioned in Daniel 10:1

Application

We Are At War

There’s No Doubt About it, the Bible Describes to Us that We are at War

Not with Physical Enemies Such as Foreign Nations, But With the Spiritual Powers that are Working Against Us in the Spiritual Realm

Angels are Fighting and Serving on Our Behalf (Heb. 1:14)

But We Can Fight Back Too

Ephesians 6:10–18 (NASB)

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.

We Don’t Have the Strength to Fight Against the Spiritual Forces By Our Own Power

We Must Rely on God’s Strength

James Said If We Submit to God and Resis the Devil, Then Satan Will Flee From Us

How Do We Submit to God and Rely on His Strength in Battle?

Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.

God Offers Us Armor that Will Protect Us Against the Powerful Forces of Darkness

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

This Right Here is Exactly What Daniel’s Vision was Showing Us

There are Spiritual Forces Seeking to Destroy Us

Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

God’s Armor Will Help Us to Stand and Resist the Evil Forces

Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

God’s Armor Consists of Accepting and Trusting God’s True Word

And Choosing to Rid Ourselves of Sinful Behavior and Live Righteously

and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Sharing the Good News of Jesus and His Kingdom is Part of God’s Armor

When We Spread the Gospel of Christ, We are Transforming Enemies into Allies

We are Destroying the Work of Demons in People’s Lives

When Jesus Sent His Disciple on the Limited Commission, He Told Them that He was Watching Satan Fall from Heaven Becuase of Their Work in Spreading the Word About the Kingdom (Luke 10:18)

in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

A Strong Faith/Trust in God Will Keep Any of the Wicked Spiritual Forces from Leading Us Away

Faith Isn’t Just Belief in God or the Gospel or God’s Word

Faith is Trusting in God’s Promises

Knowing that He Will Keep Every Single One

If God Promises Victory Over Satan, I Believe it, and I Will Stand Firm in Opposition to the Devil

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

The Helmet of Salvation Refers to Our Knowledge and Hope of Jesus’ Return, Our Resurrection, and Eternal Home with God

With that as Our Hope, Satan and His Demons Have Their Work Cut Out for Them

The Sword is Our Offensive and Defensive Weapon Against the Lies and Tricks of the Evil Forces

Jesus Used God’s Word in this Way Against Satan in the Wilderness

With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,

Our Final Piece of Armor is Prayer Itself

Not Only Praying for Ourselves in Asking God’s Help and Guidance

But Also Praying for Our Brothers and Sisters Who are Fighting Alongside Us

It May Not Always Feel Like it, But Prayer is tan Effective Weapon of Warfare Against the Evil Forces

Daniel was a Firm Believer in Prayer, and it Always Proved to Be His Greatest Weapon Against the Devil

We are at War with the Spiritual World that is All Around Us But We Cannot See

Angels are Fighting Against the Evil Forces on Our Behalf

But We are Expected to Take Up Arms in the Battle as Well

Sometimes We are Going to Lose a Few Battles

But We Know Who Wins the War

If We Stay Loyal to Him, Victory Has Been Promised to Us