Daniel 10

Let’s continue on with our series on Daniel. First let’s again recall some  key notes so far.

We have learned the meaning of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the statue. The ancient civilisations of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome impress man with their value and strength just like the gold, silver, bronze and iron of the statue. However we learned that Heaven has an opposite perspective on these same 4 empires. Instead the 4 empires are inhumane Beasts. They get more grotesque and fearsome as history progresses.

We discovered that the ancient Babylonian harlot religion described in Revelation 17 has never gone away. Incredibly, the ancient throne of Satan mentioned in the letter to the Pergamon church was moved to a museum in Berlin in 1930 and was an inspiration for Adolf Hitler and even though Hitler was defeated, a one world religion of tolerance is emerging in our lifetimes and this should be another warning to us to get ready for the soon return of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Jeremiah had prophesied that the Jews would go into captivity for 70 years. This was fulfilled in 605 BC by Nebuchadnezzar. Then in 539 BC the empire of Babylon came to an end when the Medes and Persians invaded the city of Babylon and killed Nebuchadnezzar’s son Belshazzar. Daniel remembered the prophecy of 70 years captivity and realised that the 70 years were coming to an end. He began to seek the Lord, confessing his sin and the sins of his people and was given a vision. An Angel explained that there would be 70 weeks until a sixfold purpose of God was completed and this would begin at the command to rebuild Jerusalem in 445 BC about 90 years after Daniel’s lifetime.

Daniel 9:24

“Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, 

1. To finish the transgression, 
2. To make an end of sins, 
3. To make reconciliation for iniquity, 
4. to bring in everlasting righteousness,
5. To seal up vision and prophecy, 
6. And to anoint the Most Holy.

Of special note is the third in the list of results: “to make reconciliation for iniquity.” Jesus accomplished the atonement for sin by His death on the cross. We know that Jesus fulfilled these first 3 purposes however all 6 will only be completely achieved when the Son of Man comes who we now know is Jesus.

We also learned that the prophetic clock stopped at 69 weeks when the Messiah was cut off (Jesus was crucified) and so we are waiting for the final week of 7 years, which will start ticking when the little horn, the Son of Perdition, the Antichrist emerges right at the end of the age just before the Son of Man, Jesus comes on the clouds. 

So let’s move now to Daniel 10. 

Daniel 10-12 constitute a single prophecy but we will cover just Daniel 10 today.

Daniel 10:1-3

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.

History tells us that the 3rd year year of Cyrus’s reign over Babylon was around 536 BC which was near to the end of the 70 years of captivity when Daniel was a very old man, about 90 years old. 

Daniel understood that the message was true but the appointed time was long and it was obvious that God did not have Daniel as part of his plan to rebuild Jerusalem, it was God’s will for him to finish his ministry in Babylon.

Sometimes a personal promise of God is not fulfilled in our lifetime. Yet it requires faith in our lifetime to keep believing. The message is true but the appointed time is long. Chapter 11 of Hebrews affirms this truth.

Hebrews 11:39-40

And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.

And yes, God’s promise through Jeremiah was coming true. Cyrus had made a proclamation 2 years earlier that can be found in the book of Ezra.

Ezra 1:1-4

Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying, Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the Lord God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah. Who is among you of all His people? May his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel (He is God), which is in Jerusalem. And whoever is left in any place where he dwells, let the men of his place help him with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, besides the freewill offerings for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.

This was not the edict we talked about last Sunday to rebuild Jerusalem in 445 BC which started the 70 weeks prophecy. However Cyrus’s proclamation to rebuild the temple meant that the 70 years captivity had come to an end. The Jews were allowed to leave Babylon and go to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. 

Nevertheless it was going to be a very difficult task after 70 years away, in a temple that was in ruins and overgrown and in a city with other occupants by now.

1. Only 50,000 took up the offer to go back to Israel, the vast majority decided to stay in Babylon where they were established and comfortable. 
2. The people of Israel encountered tremendous opposition to rebuilding the temple.

It is rarely easy to leave our comfort zone to do God’s will. There are many lessons for us in that aren’t there!

This left Daniel feeling discouraged and sad. Sometimes it feels like mourning and fasting haven’t changed the present situation but God is about to respond.

Daniel was in mourning for 3 weeks, fasting. Denial of self was a mark of Daniel’s humility. Of all God’s people captive in Babylon, he was the most righteous, the most faithful, the most prayerful, if anyone deserved to see the fulfilment of God’s promise it was Daniel. But Daniel did not see himself that way. He saw himself as a sinner just like everyone else. 

Then Daniel has a vision which is overwhelming.

Daniel 10:4-6

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.

V4 He’s beside the Tigris, about 20 miles from the city of Babylon when he sees the vision. 

This is an OT appearance of Jesus as it so closely matched to the Son of Man John saw.

Revelation 1:12-15

Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters;

It is the Son of Man who Jesus referred to himself as.

Daniel 10:7-9

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. 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.

V7 the other men reacted with fear and ran away and hid.  The other men when Paul encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus were left speechless. When God really turns up, there is a physical effect on our bodies. They stop working normally ! Daniel’s strength drains away and the other men felt fear at the change in the spiritual atmosphere. When people encounter the real Holy presence of God, it is normal to feel fear. For Daniel, all his strength drained away and he fell into a deep sleep.

The effect on the human body is to make it collapse before a holy God. If this was the effect on a righteous man such as Daniel, do you think anyone who wants to challenge God on Judgement Day will be physically able to do that? That is why we need a new body, why we must be born again ! 

We have no comprehension of what it is like to stand before a Holy God. The way some atheists talk, shaking their fist at God, they have no idea ! No proud person can stand before the Lord. 

This should give us pause to think. Is our worship just emotion or an actual  encounter with the presence of God. A good worship leader isn’t there just because they’re a good musician or singer. They are there to lead us to worship the Lord and that comes with a sense of weakness in his presence. That’s why it’s a blessing to have Matthew lead us in worship, who takes that responsibility seriously and combining the music and bringing us back to the Word and the Gospel so that we’re not just being led along by the emotion of beautiful songs but by Truth as well. That’s why the Scripture tells us to examine ourselves when we take Communion.

Hebrews 10:28-31

Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Jesus is our friend but portraying him as some casual, easy going guy as some do is not the reality of what it is like to be brought before him in all his glory. Even as Christians, we need to retain a healthy fear of the Lord. Certainly Daniel experienced what it was like to be brought before the Lord.

Daniel 10:10-14

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. 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.”

Key Verse

Daniel 10:14

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.

Daniel is awakened from his sleep by an angel’s hand touching him. From v10 it’s the Angel he hears. The Bible says that Angels are sent to minister to those who are to receive salvation (Hebrews 1:14). The Angel reassures Daniel by telling him he’s loved and to stand up. Boy it’s good to hear from God when you’ve been low spiritually.

Standing up is hard when all your strength has left you. On top of that, as soon as the Angel touched him he starts trembling. 

The Angel tells him not to fear. He says as soon as he set his heart to understand and to humble himself before God, his prayers were heard. Daniel had been going through a hard time of mourning. The 70 years were coming to an end but there didn’t appear to be any progress. What was wrong? Sometimes we have a word from the Lord but things aren’t working out as we expect. Some people don’t even pause to think why. They try all kinds of solutions without seeking the Lord. Daniel was seeking the Lord, confessing his sin and praying. It is good for us to ask ourselves why we have all the problems we face. Often the answer is we made some poor choices. Sometimes the circumstances have changed, things aren’t what they used to be. It is good to try and understand why but it is better to do what Daniel did and pray. 

His first step had already been to start confessing his sin and the sin of his people. But so far nothing seemed to have changed. Now the Angel had arrived to tell Daniel that he was beloved and to give him an explanation of what had been happening.

What Daniel was to be told is that for the past 3 weeks, while he had been sad and praying, there was a unseen war going on that explained why even though the help was on its way, hadn’t arrived in those 3 weeks. 

But when the thing you are struggling with is to do with your faith, your Church, your ministry, you’d better know that you’re involved in a spiritual war.

V13. The prince of the Kingdom of Persia stopped him for 3 weeks before some help came in the form of Michael one of the chief princes. Even the Angel has trouble getting through. The spiritual opposition was very strong. The Devil is a strongman. He can attack you in many ways. We need to be clothed in the armour of God especially if we’re in ministry. The real reason for the discouragement and defeat Daniel was encountering was spiritual warfare. 

Now the Angel was going to provide the answers Daniel was looking for. The vision that Daniel had seen of Jesus was to do with the end times, many days off in the future. It was not something for him to be troubled about now.

God was going to bring about an end to the 70 years of captivity but there was far more he was going to do for the Jews in the future. 

Daniel 10:15-17

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.” 

Daniel acknowledges his weakness and sin, we would do well to follow his example. Because Daniel sort the Lord in humility, in fasting and prayer, Heaven answered.

Daniel 10:18-21

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.” 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.

The Angel told him 3 things - not to fear, peace and be strong. And these words strengthened Daniel. When we are in a spiritual war, we need to pray. The answer will come and at the same time we will lose our fear, we’ll have peace and we will be strengthened. We need God to help us when we’re in a spiritual war, we will not defeat the enemy on our own. As soon as we pray, the help is on its way !

And notice the Angel says he will tell Daniel the Scripture of Truth. We need the Word of God in our fight. Jesus defeated the Devil in the Wilderness with the Word of God. 

Behind the earthly governments The demonic realm has a hierarchy of authority which is military in fashion (Ephesians 6)

The realm of flesh and blood is not what we are fighting against.

The demonic realm behind the kingdom of Persia was very strong and could only be defeated by Michael, the chief commander of the armies of heaven.

The devil works very hard to keep us from the word of God and does not want us to know prophecy as It tells us that God will win. 

We need to pray !! We don’t know what is going on in the spiritual world. We are not aware of it. Have we been facing trial and tribulations. We need to enter into spiritual warfare. There is demonic resistance particularly when we are in frontline ministry like the Church. This means war. We can’t turn up in our jandals and Hawaiian shirt.

We need to persevere in prayer.

There are good angels and there are fallen angels. The devil is against the Church, against marriages, against families, ruling over nations. The godly heritage of New Zealand has been abandoned in less than one generation and replaced with licentiousness, who do you think is behind that. Watching the news we feel like we’re going crazy.

The devil though must remain within God’s appointed borders and what will fulfil GOD’s purposes. Therefore we should not be afraid in the battle despite the difficulty and discouragement we may feel when under attack.

The devil has been cast out of heaven. Michael is the great archangel who watches over Israel. Which Angel has been watching over New Zealand and do you think that same Angel is ruling over New Zealand now. We need to pray, we need to take up the fight.

Once we understand that we are up against evil spiritual forces, that changes our perspective. When we are dealing with depression, we need to realise there are spiritual forces that could be attacking us, it is not necessarily something that can be medicated. Learn to recognise the signs. Conflict in close relationships, attacks on all sides, things that make us react emotionally. The devil has many people and situations that can cause you trouble. 

If nothing has changed in the physical realm, consider whether this may be a spiritual attack. Come out boldly against the demonic realm when we come under attack.

The devil is a murderer, a liar, a thief. Do you think what Hitler did with the Holocaust was just humanity, what about abortion, religious terrorism, evolution, governments changing the definition of marriage, bringing in euthanasia, efforts to legalise drugs, all these things that are so anti God, the list is long. The devil has a foothold in our Parliament. The Beehive has been taken over by a Hornets Nest and there will be no more honey instil it’s destroyed and we bring back the bees.

Ephesians 6:10-20

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.