Spiritual Warfare // Beyond the Veil
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Daniel 10
Daniel 10
OPENING REMARKS
We are now entering the final few chapters of the book of Daniel. So far as we have studied this ancient text we have been struck by the incredible prophetic visions that God gave to Daniel and Nebucharnezzar.
We have seen how these dreams and visions that God gave to these men accurately predicted future events in world history, including the rise of specific empires, rulers and nations.
We know that some of these prophetic dreams and visions speak of events which are still future for us here in the 21st century.
We have seen how God rules both in the heavens and on the earth. He is the One who raises up empires and casts them down again. His purposes are accomplished and no one can thwart what He has planned to do.
We have seen God’s power to rescue His faithful people from disaster; rescuing Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from the flames and Daniel from the Lion’s Den.
Finally, in Daniel’s life we see a type of Christ. A man devoted to God in prayer and fasting, praying constantly on behalf of God’s people. A man committed to setting himself apart from the world, separating himself unto God to live a life of holiness. A man who feared God above men.
The book of Daniel spans a period of roughly 60-70 years in Daniel’s life, from his time being inducted into Babylonian culture under Nebuchadnezzar to the fall of Babylon and the rise of the Medo -Persian empire in the early 530’s BC.
Chapter 10 is really unique in the whole of the Bible. Because it draws back the veil between the natural and the supernatural realms and we catch a glimpse of what is actually going on in the heavenlies. We see how spiritual warfare actually works.
Chapter 10 through 12 deal with Daniel’s final vision. Chapter 10 is really the preface to this final vision, we find Daniel having been lamenting and fasting for a period of 3 weeks. It is the 24th Day of the month of Nisan, the month of the passover, Daniel has been praying, lamenting and fasting for 21 days. He has been so grieved that he hasn’t even been looking after his body by anointing himself with oil.
Why was Daniel in such a state? Why was he mourning? Do we know anything of what brought this season of lament about? I believe we can make an inferrance from scripture here.
We know that this all took place in the third year of Cyrus king of Persia. By this time, 42,360 Jews have already returned to Jerusalem to begin rebuilding the temple under Ezra. Work had begun, they had rebuilt the altar, they had laid the foundations but soon enough some of the people of Samaria came wanting to help the Jews rebuild the temple, but the Jews refused. From that day, the Samaritans and others put the Israelites in fear and work on the temple ceased, they downed tools and nothing happened for the rest of Cyrus’s reign.
No doubt Daniel would have heard about this and would have been deeply grieved. By this time he was an old man, he had waited his whole life in hope of seeing God’s house in Jerusalem rebuilt. He had seen some of his people return from exile, he had heard that the burnt offerings had begun once again on temple mount. But now, when everything seemed to be moving in the right direction work was suddenly stopped. And Daniel lamented.
Lament, mourning and sorrow have their place in Christian devotion. We read the Psalms and we find David regularly in a place of lament.
Lament - a passionate expression of grief or sorrow.
He pours out his heart to God in lament as he tries to make sense of injustice, betrayal and failure. We find Jesus weeping at the death of Lazarus. We find Paul praying with tears for his brothers and sisters in Christ under persecution.
Sorrow, grief, disappointment. These emotions that rise up in us aren’t wrong, they aren’t unbelief, they aren’t soulish devils that must be supressed or exiled. They are supposed to be poured out to God in prayer. They have their place in our walk with God. We aren’t supposed to be like the stoics, shunning emotion, giving it the stiff upper lip. Neither are Christians supposed to be positivists, who must never say, think or feel anything negative or sad. We are allowed to look at the world and feel sorrow. We are allowed to grieve over injustice. It’s in feeling helpless that we recognise our limitations, we recognise our need to pray, to bring our cares before the One who can do all things.
Daniel lamented because he wanted to see God’s will done in the rebuilding of Jerusalem. When we look out at the world today there should be a place for lament in our hearts that we cry out to God for the lost, we lament that millions in this nation have shut their ears to the gospel. Sometimes lament is the birthplace of revival.
Daniel has been mourning and crying out to God for 21 days straight, he has been depriving his body of fine food and drink, he is worn out, exhausted when suddenly there on the river bank is this figure, like a man but with a face like lightening, eyes like fire and a voice like the sound of a multitude.
WARFARE
As we unpack what this all means I want for us to see the following:
That there is an unseen realm.
That figures who exist in this unseen realm actually influence events in the seen realm, pull strings behind world leaders, powers and governments, help or hinder God’s people.
That when we pray, we are influencing events in this unseen realm. We are engaging in spiritual warfare.
VERSE 7
Daniel’s friends don’t see this figure but they sense something that sends them running for cover.
VERSE 8-9
Daniel’s strength immediately leaves him and he falls to his face and into a deep sleep.
This sounds just like John’s encounter in Revelation 1:17
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last,
VERSE 10-11
Often in scripture when angelic beings show up people are immediately petrified or completely incapacitated. The words that usually accompany angelic encounters in scripture are ‘do not fear.’
11 And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly beloved, give heed to the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you.” While he was speaking this word to me, I stood up trembling.
When God sends a messenger to His people there is always a word of comfort. This angelic being tells Daniel that he is greatly beloved.
Knowing that you are the beloved of God is the most life giving truth in the universe. Have you been brought to your knees by life, have you caught a glimpse of God’s awesome holiness and now you’re acutely aware of all your failings? Hear those words you are ‘greatly beloved of God.’
The Angel tells Daniel to stand to his feet.
What significance does this have? Standing up as opposed to sitting or lying down signifies attentiveness and readiness. Like in an army barracks when the commanding officer performs a roll call, the soldiers must all stand to attention, to show their attentiveness and that they are at the officers command. I think in these days the Lord is wanting His church to stand, to be in a place of readiness for the unfolding of His words, to be prepared to face our enemies however they might manifest themselves.
What does it mean for us to stand? It means that we become extremely vigilant both in our study of Gods word and also in prayer, as watchmen. We are alert to both what God has said and also to what He is doing in the earth. We know the times that we live in and are ready to play our part, whatever that may mean for us.
“As soon as God’s word becomes known through you, the devil will afflict you, will make a real doctor (theologian or teacher) of you, and will teach you by his temptations to seek and love God’s word.’ - Luther
Be of good comfort, Master Ridley, and play the man; we shall this day light such a candle by God’s grace in England as shall never be put out’ - Latimer
VERSES 12-13
There’s something really interesting that this messenger from God says to Daniel in verses 12 and 13. He tells Daniel that as soon as Daniel began to pour out his heart and pray his words were heard on the first day and this angel was sent to Daniel. But from the time of this angel receiving the decree to visit Daniel he has been held back by this character who he calls The Prince of the kingdom of Persia for 21 days, the exact length of Daniels period of prayer and fasting.
There are several things we have to make note of here:
This messenger was sent because of Daniel’s words - Daniel’s prayer was the cause of this heavenly decree. What can we learn here; that prayer is effective. That prayer actually impacts what goes on in the heavenly realm, prayer can move spiritual powers and beings like pieces on a chess board. God has chosen prayer as the means by which He accomplishes His sovereign purposes on the earth.
Now even though heavenly powers and forces began to organise and deploy from the first words of Daniel’s prayer, Daniel knew nothing about it. He had no feeling or unction or revelation that anything was happening until the 21st day when this messenger arrived. Sometimes we think that because we don’t get an instant answer to prayer that it isn’t working, Daniel 10 shows us that that way of thinking is utterly wrong! Daniel’s answer was given the moment he began praying but there was a delay in him receiving the answer. We’ve got to stop thinking about prayer like it’s a vending machine, select the thing we want, pray and there it is! Prayer is more like a battle field, or like a game of rugby or american football, the ball needs to get moved up the field consecutively, there needs to be strategy, consistency and endurance in our praying, there is an enemy D-FENCE which is trying to thwart God’s answer to our prayers. If we want to get the ball over the line so to speak and see that prayer get answered, sometimes it takes more than just one prayer.
This messenger from heaven had to fight his way past the prince of the kingdom of persia and needed help from another prince named Michael. Who are these princes? What is meant by that? Well, we’re not talking about earthly princes here, we are talking about the kind of princes that Paul makes mention of in Ephesians 6:12
12 For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
We’re talking about powerful spiritual beings who rule in the heavenly places; angels and demons. We know that this messenger that Daniel is talking to is from God, and he receives help from one of the chief princes Michael in his fight against this prince of the kingdom of persia. This Michael therefore is the archangel Michael, a powerful, high ranking angel in God’s army, who seems to have this special remit of fighting the forces of darkness. This prince of the kingdom of persia is a high ranking demon, or fallen angel who is influencing the kingdom of Persia. He doesn’t want to see God’s purposes come to pass, he doesn’t want God’s people to have hope and so he tries to block God’s word from coming to His people. Isn’t that interesting! One of Satan’s main objectives is to keep the people of God from the word of God.
This demon was called the prince of the kingdom of Persia, he’s a high ranking demon with a specific remit, to rule over the earthly kingdom of Persia. Behind every earthly power, empire, government there are demonic princes seeking to rule and influence them. Whether Putin’s Russia or Biden’s United States be assured that there are princes of the demonic realm involved trying to gain control. I believe this is why we are encouraged to pray for our leaders and those in authority over us. They might not understand that there are dark forces seeking to manipulate them, but we do, and therefore we must pray for them all, whether we agree with them politically or not.
1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity.
Imagine if Daniel had given up and stopped praying on the 20th day? Would help have come from Michael or not? Would this messenger have reached Daniel? We don’t know. But this passage teaches us the importance of perseverance in prayer. That as we pray, there is a battle raging in the heavenlies, heavenly decrees are issued on the basis of the prayers of God’s people. Knowing this does it make you suddenly feel like praying more?!
Some theologians think this heavenly figure with the fiery eyes and voice like a multitude is actually a pre-incarnate visitation of Jesus, however the fact that this messenger has to have help from Michael to defeat this demon of the kingdom of Persia would suggest this isn’t actually Jesus but rather a high ranking angel.
Furthermore - There are two qualities about Daniel’s prayer that this angel makes mention of; 1) that he set his heart to understand and 2) that He humbled himself before God. In our prayers and in our study of God’s word to us in the scriptures we want to have these two attitudes; to seek to understand and secondly to humble ourselves under God. Not seek to tell him what he should or shouldn’t do but to be ready to accept whatever answer or word comes our way.
2 Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few.
VERSE 14
This angel tells Daniel that he has come to make him understand things that are to happen to the nation of Israel in the future.
VERSE 15
Hearing this message from the angel strikes Daniel mute, he loses his strength and says there is no breath left in him.
If having a face to face encounter with a spiritual being does this to you, then we see again the absolute necessity of Jesus coming in the flesh as a man, so that we could understand Him, so that humans could stand in His presence and recieve God’s word without dying! We see how far God was prepared to stoop down so that humanity could be saved.
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
VERSES 16-19
We read that another angel comes and strengthens Daniel, this wasn’t a man, but one who had the appearance of a man. This is just how Daniel spoke of the angel Gabriel in previous chapters. Daniel is strengthened and can once again hear from the angel with fiery eyes.
VERSES 20-21
This messenger from heaven is about to reveal to Daniel what is to come in the days ahead. We’ll read more of that in chapters 11 and 12. But what he says here at the end of chapter 10 tells us once again that after the Persian empire there will come the Greek empire, and that this empire too will have a demonic prince ruling over it, seeking to manipulate it.
Every earthly kingdom, every government ruled by men no matter which nation; west or east, Christian or Muslim has a demonic principality called by the same name which wants to have dominion over it. And through the prayers of God’s people, His archangels fight against these dark powers to ensure that they don’t get their way! How incredible to get this glimpse of what is happening in the heavenlies as we pray!
And the Archagel Michael seems to be the angelic defender specifically over God’s people. So the true church of God also has a mighty angelic representative in the heavenlies to do battle on her behalf.
Knowing this does it give you more confidence to pray? Does it make you think more seriously about what you pray for? Does it encourage you to persist in prayer, to continue praying for things that you haven’t yet seen answered?
Prayer (Pray for Ukraine/Russia situation)