Daniel 10.13-The Prince of Persia Opposed the Elect Angel Speaking to Daniel for Three Weeks Until Michael Came to His Aid
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Tuesday March 4, 2014
Daniel: Daniel 10.13-The Prince of Persia Opposed the Elect Angel Speaking to Daniel for Three Weeks Until Michael Came to His Aid
Lesson # 308
Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 10:1.
Daniel 10:1 During Cyrus’s third year, king over Persia, a message was revealed to Daniel who was called by his name Belteshazzar. Specifically this message was truth and concerning a great conflict because he understood this message, yes he possessed understanding concerning this revelation. 2 During those days, I myself, Daniel caused myself to enter the state of mourning for three weeks. 3 I never ate expensive choice food or meat. Also, wine never entered into my mouth likewise I never anointed myself with oil until the end of the three weeks. 4 Then, on the twenty-fourth day of the first month while I myself was beside that great river, namely the Tigris, 5 while I lifted up my eyes, I then stared as behold there was a certain man dressed in linen. Specifically, his waist was girded with gold from Uphaz, 6 his torso like chrysolite, his face like a glittering appearance, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms as well as his legs like the appearance of polished bronze, and in addition the sound of his words like the sound of a large crowd. 7 Now, I myself, Daniel alone saw this revelatory vision while the men who were with me never saw this revelatory vision. However, a great panic fell upon them. In fact, they fled because they were hiding themselves. 8 Thus, I myself was left alone while staring at this great revelatory vision. However, absolutely no strength was left in me. Also, to my dismay, my facial appearance was transformed into a deathly pale state. Indeed, I retained absolutely no strength. 9 However, despite this, I could hear the sound of his words. In fact, as soon as I myself heard the sound of his words, I myself was then caused to enter the state of being in a deep sleep on my face, yes my face to the ground. 10 Then, behold, a hand touched me. Next, it set me trembling on my knees and the palms of my hands. 11 Immediately after this, he said, “O Daniel, a precious man. Please understand the message which I myself am about to communicate to you. Therefore, please stand in your place because for your benefit, I have been sent.” Consequently when he communicated this statement for my benefit, I stood shaking. 12 Then, he said to me, “Please do not be terrified, Daniel, because from the first day that you applied your heart in order to understand as well as to humble yourself in the presence of your God, your words were heard. Consequently, I myself have come because of your words.” (My translation)
Daniel 10:13 “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.” (NASB95)
Daniel 10:13 “But the ruler over the Persian kingdom stood opposing me twenty-one days. Then, behold, Michael, one of our chief rulers came to help me because I myself was left there opposing the kings ruling over Persia.” (My translation)
The unidentified elect angel speaking with Daniel and who came to give to him God’s answer to his prayer on behalf of Israel lifts the veil over the activities among the angels of God and Satan.
He informs Daniel that the ruler over the Persian kingdom stood opposing him for three weeks, which according to Daniel 10:2 was the amount of time Daniel spent mourning over his people the Jews.
As we noted many were not returning to their homeland from Babylon while those who did return were facing stiff opposition.
That “the ruler over the Persian kingdom” is a non-elect angel of Satan is indicated by a couple of factors.
First, a human ruler would have absolutely no ability whatsoever to defeat an elect angel in combat since angels are a higher creation than mankind and have superior abilities to that of mankind.
The elect angel who came to deliver an answer to the prayer of Daniel fought this ruler over the kingdom of Persia.
The human ruler over the kingdom of Persia in Daniel’s day would have no chance in combat against an elect angel like the one who came to serve Daniel.
That this ruler over the kingdom of Persia is a non-elect angel who belongs to Satan’s kingdom is clearly indicated by the fact that he opposes the angel who came to deliver God’s answer to Daniel’s prayer.
“The ruler over the Persian kingdom” was delegated authority over the Persian kingdom by Satan and the Persian kingdom corresponds to the modern state of Iran.
When Daniel received this visit from this unidentified elect angel as recorded in Daniel chapter ten, Persia was the superpower of the world.
They had defeated Babylon and were now a world-wide empire, which was according to the prophecies recorded in Daniel chapters two and seven.
Thus, the angelic ruler who opposed this elect angel attempting to give Daniel God’s answer to his prayer for Israel was delegated authority by Satan to rule over the Persian kingdom.
The angel speaking with Daniel then tells him something that was very impressive and astounding to this angel, namely one of the archangels of God came to his aid.
Michael’s name means “who is like God?” and poses a rhetorical and negative question, one demanding a negative answer meaning “who is like the God?” No one!
This is significant for this angel’s very name and presence stands as a rebuke and refutation to Satan’s boast in Isaiah 14:14b, “I will make myself like the most High,” i.e., “I will be like God.”
Michael, the archangel, is the guardian of the nation of Israel (Dan. 10:13, 21; 12:1; Jude 9).
In Daniel 12:1 he is called the great prince and in Jude 9 he is “the archangel,” i.e., first or chief of the angels and he fought with Satan over the body of Moses (Jude 9; 2 Peter 2:11).
Michael defends the Jews in the tribulation from the wrath of Satan (Revelation 12:7) and during the midway point of Daniel’s seventieth week, he and his legions of elect-angels will expel Satan and his legions from heaven (Rev. 12:7).
The reason why Michael came to the aid of the elect angel who came to give God’s answer to Daniel’s prayer is that this angel was left alone opposing the kings who ruled Persia and who obviously were under the authority of the fallen angel who is described as “the ruler over the Persian kingdom.”
Thus, the angel speaking with Daniel is revealing to him that Michael was sent by God to come to his aid because he was left alone fighting with not only the ruler over the Persian kingdom but also the kings who were under the authority of the ruler of the Persian kingdom.
Daniel 10:13 as well as 20-21 teach the principle that the elect-angels are involved in spiritual combat with the non-elect or fallen angels but this passage also teaches that the elect-angels render service to believers (cf. Hebrews 1:14).
The ruler over the Persian kingdom and the kings who were subordinate to him were opposing this one elect angel, thus, God sends Michael to come to help him.
This angelic ruler from the kingdom of darkness was preventing this elect angel from delivering to Daniel God’s answer to his prayer for Israel.
This angelic dictator over the nation of Persia did not want information to get to Daniel regarding the future of both Persia and Greece.
More importantly, this fallen angel that withstood the elect-angel did not want presented to Daniel the future of the nation of Israel.
This information regarding the future of Israel, Greece and Persia is finally revealed to Daniel by the elect angel twenty-one days after the angel was dispatched from the throne room of God and this information regarding the future of these three nations is revealed in Daniel 11.
If it were not for Michael who defends Israel, this unidentified elect angel would never have reached Daniel.
Now, Michael was able to defeat the prince of Persia because of one simple principle: Victory or defeat in angelic warfare is gained by the application of power and the withdrawal of the inferior force.
So we have here in Daniel 10:13 God delivering a message about the future of Israel, Greece and Persia through an angel of lower rank than the Prince of Persia who represented Satan’s forces.
The fact that Satan is the god of this world and has delegated authority to other fallen angels to rule over the various nations of the earth indicates that Satan influences the human rulers and governments of planet earth.
Thus, God the Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul in First Timothy 2:1-8 commands Christians to pray for human governmental rulers.
Daniel chapter ten reveals the relationship between the believer’s prayers and angelic warfare.
Daniel did not receive an answer to his prayer immediately since he had to wait three weeks until the elect angel delivering God’s answer to his prayer received help from the archangel, Michael.
The answer to Daniel’s prayer which is recorded in Daniel 11:2-12:7, presents information regarding the future of the nation of Israel during the times of the Gentiles and specifically in relation to the nations of Persia and Greece.
No wonder the non-elect angels under Satan who ruled these two nations did not want this information to get to the human race through Daniel who would publish this information, which is now in the book of Daniel.
So Daniel’s prayer for the nation of Israel was a threat to the kingdom of darkness.
Furthermore, Daniel 10:13 also teaches that because the fallen angels can cause a delayed response to a believer’s prayer, the believer should persevere and continue in prayer until they receive an answer.
One of the characteristics of a productive prayer life is perseverance (Matt. 26:39-44; Luke 11:9-10; 18:1-8; 21:36; Rom. 12:12; 15:30; Acts 1:14; 6:4; 12:5; Eph. 6:18; 1 Thess. 5:17; 1 Tim. 5:5; 2 Tim. 1:3; Col. 1:9; 4:2, 12; Heb. 10:22).
Daniel kept praying for three weeks until he received an answer to his prayer request.