DANIEL 10---THE MYSTERIOUS MAN
THE BOOK OF DANIEL....END TIMES PROPHECY....
Is The Book Of Daniel fact or fiction?
Creative ghost-writing by some later unknown or pure truth written by Daniel?
Does The Bible tell us?
WHAT does Jesus say about Daniel?
FORTUNATELY OUR JESUS knew the critics WOULD come; HE SAW IT thousands of years in advance, & so HE takes away ALL DOUBT on the matter. He tells us that IT WAS Daniel who wrote the book of Daniel: “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet.” (Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14)
But what FEW CRITICS ASK IS THIS: WHY such a strong attack AGAINST the Book of Daniel?
WHY has the lost world & satan SOUGHT to DISMISS & ERASE the words of Daniel?
Simply because Daniel contains MORE fulfilled PINPOINT ACCURATE prophecies than ANY other book in the Bible.
In New Testament prophecy, Daniel is referred to MORE than ANY other Old Testament book.
At times, governments EVEN prohibited preaching from the Book of Daniel because it reveals God’s knowledge of the future, and it shows that in the end the Lord God and His people WIN.
It BEARS repeating…JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF CONFIRMS DANIEL TO BE THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH….I BELIEVE JESUS CHRIST, THAT SETTLES IT FOR ME, Amen?
Turn with me now to DANIEL 10...
Daniel 10 - Circumstances of the Final Vision of the Mysterious Man.
Verses 1-3 tells us Daniel’s state of heart.
“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.”
“In the third year of Cyrus”…By this time, the first wave of exiles had returned under the leadership of Ezra recorded in Ezra 1-2.
“The message was true, but the appointed time was long”…Daniel 10 sets the stage for the spectacular prophecy (message) of Daniel 11, which describes a time of great persecution and testing for the people of Israel.
“Mourning three full weeks”…Why was Daniel in mourning? Some think it was because so few Jews had returned with Ezra from exile. Others believe it was because Ezra faced severe opposition in rebuilding the temple.
Daniel did NOT go back with Ezra’s group of exiles because he was about 84 years old at this time. Daniel KNEW he could serve the exiles better from his high position in government than he could with them in Jerusalem.
“I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth”…It would be wrong to call what Daniel did "fasting." The Biblical idea of fasting is to abstain from food altogether. Daniel definitely practiced a form of self-denial, but it was not fasting.
Verses 4-6 tells us Daniel sees a glorious man on the banks of the Tigris River.
“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.”
“A certain man clothed in linen”…Commentators divide over the identity of this certain man. Some BELIEVE this is Jesus, noting that the description is remarkably like what John saw in Revelation 1:12-16.
DANIEL 10:4-6 REVELATION 1:12-16
Clothed in linen
Clothed with a garment
Waist girded with gold
Girded on the chest with a golden band
Body was like beryl
Face like . . . lightning
Head and hair were white like wool
Eyes like torches of fire
Eyes like a flame of fire
Feet like burnished bronze
Feet were like fine brass
Words like voice of a multitude
Voice like many waters
BUT MOST BIBLE SCHOLARS, say the certain man is an unnamed angel of high rank, noting RIGHTLY, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT IT….that OUR Jesus would NOT NEED the assistance of Michael, mentioned in Daniel 10:13.
We also know that Ezekiel SAW angelic figures clothed in linen in Ezekiel 9:2.
Verse 7 tells us Daniel’s companions are terrified, yet unseeing.
“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.”
“I, Daniel, alone saw the vision”…This shows that there was something supernatural about this vision. Daniel saw what he saw regarding the glorious man, but his companions could not see it.
This is like the latter instance of Saul, who later become PAUL on the road to Damascus, when his companions could NOT hear the same voice from heaven that Saul heard. These cases remind us that we can be close to the presence and power of Jesus Christ, yet STILL MISS the message through lack of spiritual perception.
Verses 8-9 tells us Daniel’s reaction to the sight of the man.
“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.”
As godly as Daniel was, he was "undone" by this vision of the glorious man. Daniel’s experience shows us that even the holiest of men fall short before God and even His Heavenly associates.
The message to Daniel.
Verses 10-11 tells us The "certain man" introduces himself to Daniel.
“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.
Daniel was laid out in weakness by this experience, he was strengthened by the touch of a hand.
This is the SECOND TIME Daniel is called GREATLY BELOVED in Daniel 9:23. Each time it is in relation to Daniel's being favored with a great and significant revelation of the future.
Charles Spurgeon says it best of this experience…“I know of no greater blessing that can happen to any man and woman here, than to be assured by the Spirit of God that they are greatly beloved of the Lord.”
“Stand upright”…When it was time for Daniel to hear and understand, he needed to stand at attention.
Verses 12-14 tells us The angel explains his coming to Daniel, and the opposition he faced on the way.
“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. 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. 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.”
“From the first day . . . your words were heard”…God responded to Daniel’s prayer the very moment he made his request known. Daniel had been in great and serious prayer for three full weeks.
“I have come because of your words”…We can't pass this over lightly. An angel was dispatched because of Daniel's prayer. This is another of many reminders in the Book of Daniel that PRAYER MATTERS. It isn't merely a therapeutic exercise for the one who prays. Prayer REACHES Jesus. TOUCHES Jesus.
“The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me”…Since this prince is able to oppose the angelic messenger to Daniel, we know this is more than a man. This prince is some kind of angelic being, and we know he is an EVIL angelic being because he opposed the word of God coming to Daniel and stood against the angelic messenger.
The word PRINCE has the idea of a ruler or authority. This fits in well with the New Testament idea that angelic ranks - including demonic forces - are organized and have a hierarchy (Ephesians 1:21; Ephesians 6:12; Colossians 1:16; Colossians 2:15).
Apparently, this was a demon of HIGH rank that opposed the answer to prayer. On three occasions, Jesus referred to Satan as the prince of this world (John 12:31; 14:30, and 16:11).
“Withstood me twenty-one days”…Since the angel was dispatched immediately and Daniel's period of prayer and self-denial was 21 days (the three full weeks of Daniel 10:2), we see that the answer to the prayer was delayed by the prince of the kingdom of Persia.
There may be hindering factors of which a praying Christian knows nothing as he wonders WHY THE ANSWERS to his requests are delayed. Nevertheless, he is to KEEP ON praying.
“Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me”…In other passages Michael is associated with the battle between good angels and evil angels (Revelation 12; Jude 1:9).
“Came to help me”…This phrase may be the most compelling reason to think that this "me" is not Jesus, despite the remarkable similarity between the certain man of Daniel 10 and the vision of Jesus in Revelation 1. Though Jesus received angelic assistance as an incarnate man (Mark 1:13; Luke 22:43), it is difficult to think of JESUS THEN STILL IN HIS HEAVENLY GLORY AND POWER….REIGNING SUPREME…that Jesus would STILL NEED or RECEIVE angelic help BEFORE His Human Birth in Jerusalem.
“Now I have come”…why did God allow such a conflict? He certainly could have blasted away in a moment any demonic opposition. God’s plan probably was to use the time of delay to develop Daniel as a man of PERSISTENT prayer.
Persistence in prayer is not necessary because God’s reluctance needs to be overcome. It IS necessary to TRAIN us.
Daniel success makes us reflect on our failures. How much angelic assistance or insight has never been realized, or greatly delayed, because of a lack of persistence in prayer?
“What will happen to your people in the latter days”…The vision of Daniel 11 and 12 is focused on the LATTER DAYS, though it also MIRRORS SOMEWHAT the closer time of Antiochus Epiphanes.
Verses 15-19 tells us Daniel is strengthened in his weakness.
“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.”
Daniel started on the ground (Daniel 10:9), then stood up (Daniel 10:11), and now is back on his face again.
“Because the vision my sorrows have overwhelmed me”…The ancient Hebrew word translated sorrows has the thought of twisting or writhing pain. It is used several places for labor pains in childbirth. Daniel is so severely affected by this vision that he can barely breathe, much less deal with prophetic complexities.
Daniel 10:20-11:1 tells us The angel introduces his message to Daniel.
“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. Also in the first year of Darius the Mede, I, even I, stood up to confirm and strengthen him)."
“I must return to fight with the prince of Persia”…Daniel was about to receive the answer to his prayer, but the battle was not over for his heavenly messenger. First he must battle the prince of Persia, then the prince of Greece. God is watching out for Israel, working behind the scenes in the spiritual realm.
The heavenly warfare is to be directed against FIRST Persia and THEN Greece, because each of these in turn will have power over God’s people (ISRAEL…this is NOT referring to Gentiles Christians=The Church, which Jesus WOULD begin, pay for & insure with HIS death on Calvary long AFTER Daniel’s time.
“No one upholds me against these, except Michael your prince”… Michael seems to be an angelic guardian of Israel, battling against the demonic representative of Persia or any other who opposes God's people. On earth, Israel seemed lowly and weak but in the heavens Israel had the MIGHTIEST of ALMIGHTY GOD’S WARRIOR CHIEF ANGELS representing them.
DANIEL 10 tells, teaches, and shows us that our prayers ARE heard. It tells us that there ARE reasons for a delayed answer. It tells us that Satan and his demons FEEL the power of our prayers and the love and power of Almighty God and Jesus Christ response to them.
DANIEL 10 TELLS/TEACHES US TO:
SET OUR FACE IN PRAYER.
Do not STOP praying.
Do not STOP believing.
Do not STOP trusting.
SATAN AND HIS DEMONS CAN NOT STOP YOUR ANSWERS.
THEY CAN NOT STOP OUR JESUS CHRIST.
THE ANSWERS ARE ON THE WAY.
And Satan and his legion of demons can NOT stop them....
We need to be about JESUS’ BUSINESS.
DANIEL 10 SHOWS US THAT WE ARE AT THE VERY DOOR OR REVELATION 3:1.
OUR JESUS COULD APPEAR IN THE CLOUDS, AND CATCH US UP TO HIM ANY MINUTE....
SO WE NEED TO SET OUR FACE AND PRAY FOR THE LOST.
SET OUR FACE AND WITNESS, SHINE & SHOW JESUS WHILE WE MAY.
AND BE WATCHFUL.
LOOK UP…LOOK TO THE EAST…
OUR REDEMPTION DRAWS NIGH.
EVEN SO, COME NOW LORD JESUS!