Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Daniel 10 - Spiritual Warfare

What is the secret to understanding prophecy? It is in Daniel 2:20-22 (ESV):  Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.

The last vision which God gave to Daniel is recorded in the three closing chapters of Daniel. To get a comprehensive view of the entire vision, I suggest we read chapters 10-12 as a unit at one sitting. The prophecy of chapters 10-12 covers the same period as that of chapter eight, taking us from the time of the Persian and Grecian empires, even unto the end of the age. Historians have proven that the predictions of 11:1-35 have already been fulfilled, in the deeds of actual men who lived on earth many centuries ago. But from 11:36-12:13, the vision takes us on to yet future events, all of which will be literally fulfilled after the church has been raptured to be with the Lord.

Basically Daniel receives a revelation of the future that 1) involves the nation of Israel, 2) the last days and 3) a great war. Daniel 11 contains an amazing revelation of Israel’s history, culminating in the rise of Antichrist in the final days before the return of Christ.

The second half of Daniel contains four visions:

  1. Daniel 7:1-28: The vision of the four beasts.
  2. Daniel 8:1-27: The vision of the ram and the goat.
  3. Daniel 9:1-27: The vision of the seventy weeks.
  4. Daniel 10:1-12:13: The vision of the time of the end.
In the tenth chapter, therefore, we find the beginning of the final vision recorded by Daniel.

(1) In the *third year of the reign of King **Cyrus of Persia, Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar) had another ***vision. It concerned events certain to happen in the ****future -- times of *****war and great hardship -- and Daniel understood what the vision meant.

  • *third year: Daniel must have been at least ninety years old when God gave him this remarkable revelation. By this time, the first wave of exiles had returned under the leadership of Ezra (Ezra 1-2), but most had stayed back in Babylon because they were doing well there.
  • **Cyrus: Cyrus had begun his reign in the Medo Persian Empire 558BC, however, he wasn't reigning over the City of Babylon until 538/537 BC. The "3rd year of Cyrus" would have been the year 535 or 534 BC. (Source Bible Expositor's Encyclopedia)
  • ***vision: Hebrew, mareh, means revelation. What vision? At the end of this chapter in verse 21, Gabriel says he will explain the "book of truth" which we take here to be the thing that was true. So, the vision is the one running through chapter 11 to the middle of chapter 12. It carries us through the centuries until Michael stands at the resolution of the problem which was the focus of the 2300-day vision. In fact, all the visions of Daniel cover the conflict of the ages, each taking a different viewpoint.
  • ****future: While the vision itself refers mostly to the next 200-300 years after the death of Daniel, there are also hints that it also refers to some end-time events as well.
  • *****war and great hardship: "The revelation in the vision given to Daniel on this occasion shattered any hope the prophet might have had that Israel would enjoy her new freedom and peace for long." - Pentecost, "Daniel," p. 1365.

(2) When this vision came to me, I, Daniel, had been in *mourning for three weeks.

  • *mourning: 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.

(3) All that time I had eaten no rich food or meat, had drunk no wine, and had used no fragrant oils.

(4) On *April 23, as I was standing beside the great Tigris River,

  • *April 23: This date reveals that Daniel fasted through the Feast of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

(5) I looked up and saw a man dressed in linen clothing, with a belt of pure gold around his waist.

  • Ray Stedman (www.raystedman.org/old-testament/daniel/the-other-side-of-prayer): "To Daniel, alongside the Tigris river and to John on the island of Patmos, many centuries later, as they were praying, the curtain dropped that separated them from the invisible spiritual kingdom and they were able to see the very One to whom they had been speaking in prayer. Now that Person was there all the time -- it was not that he suddenly appeared -- but Daniel and his friends could not see him until the curtain suddenly dropped and their eyes were opened. They then saw the invisible world of spiritual beings around them and especially this great figure whose eyes were like flaming torches and whose face shone like the sun in its strength. Actually, if we can equate this figure as one whom Daniel and John both saw, it was the Lord Jesus Christ revealed to them in this marvelous way, unveiling the glory and majesty of his being. There is a similar story in Second Kings, Chapter 6, concerning Elisha the prophet. Elisha and his servant were in the little city of Dothan in Palestine, and the king of Syria was angry with Elisha. He sent down a great army by night, when Elisha was asleep, and surrounded the city. In the morning when the servant of Elisha woke and saw the armies of the Syrians all around the city, he came running in to his master and cried, "Elisha! Elisha! Look out there!" Elisha saw the armies of the Syrians surrounding the city. The servant cried, "What will we do? What will we do?" Elisha said, "Don't worry. Those who are with us are far more than those who are with them." The servant said, "What do you mean? There's no one here with us. We're all alone in the city." Then Elisha prayed, "Lord, open this young man's eyes." And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man and he saw that the mountains were full of horses and chariots of fire. Then he realized what Elisha meant when he said, "They who are with us are more than they who are with them..." (2 Kings 6:15-17). This is what the New Testament means when it says, "Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world..." (1 John 4:4 RSV). There are greater forces on behalf of those who know God and are servants of his, than there are against us. What had happened to Daniel was simply that the curtain had dropped and he saw the One to whom prayer was being addressed."
  • It's time for the next great debate question of Chapter 10: Who is this guy Daniel sees? There are two views. One is that it is "just" an angel. The other is this is Jesus.

(6) His body looked like a dazzling gem. From his face came flashes like lightning, and his eyes were like flaming torches. His arms and feet shone like polished bronze, and his voice was like the roaring of a vast multitude of people.

  • Revelation 1:12-16: When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. And standing in the middle of the lampstands was the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were bright like flames of fire. His feet were as bright as bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was as bright as the sun in all its brilliance.
  • If you read the text carefully, I believe that you can see that there are actually two people talking to Daniel.

(7) I, Daniel, am the only one who saw this vision. The men with me *saw nothing, but they were suddenly terrified and ran away to hide.

  • *saw nothing:
    • Acts 9:7: The men with Saul stood speechless with surprise, for they heard the sound of someone's voice, but they saw no one!

(8) So I was left there all alone to watch this amazing vision. My strength left me, my face grew deathly pale, and I felt very weak.

(9) When I heard him speak, I fainted and lay there with my face to the ground.

  • Ezekiel 1:28: All around him was a glowing halo, like a rainbow shining through the clouds. This was the way the glory of the LORD appeared to me. When I saw it, I fell face down in the dust, and I heard someone's voice speaking to me.
  • Isaiah 6:5: Then I said, "My destruction is sealed, for I am a sinful man and a member of a sinful race. Yet I have seen the King, the LORD Almighty!
  • Revelation 1:17: When I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, "Don't be afraid! I am the First and the Last.

(10) Just then a hand touched me and lifted me, still trembling, to my hands and knees.

  • A second being now appears, an angel sent to help Daniel. It does not seem likely that it is the same person he first saw, the man clothed in linen with eyes like flaming torches.
  • God strengthens us when we are weak.

(11) And the man said to me, "O Daniel, *greatly loved of God, listen carefully to what I have to say to you. Stand up, for I have been sent to you." When he said this to me, I stood up, still trembling with fear.

  • *greatly loved of God:
    • A literal translation of greatly loved would be “man of preciousness.”
    • Daniel was the beloved prophet as John later was the beloved apostle (John 13:23).
    • Three times in Daniel, God calls Daniel "highly esteemed" or "greatly loved" - Daniel 9:23, 10:11 and 10:19.

(12) Then he said, "Don't be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer.

(13) But for *twenty-one days the **spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then **Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him there with the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia.

  • *twenty-one days: Same as the three weeks of mourning in verse 2!
  • **spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia was not Cyrus; he was an evil, fallen angel, evidently appointed by Satan to seek to influence Cyrus against the people of God. Had this king not issued a decree, permitting Israel to return to their land, and to rebuild the city and the walls? Satan did not like that! He has ever fought against God's ancient people, as well as against Gentiles who love Him. Undoubtedly, there is today an evil angel assigned to the United States to stir up all kinds of trouble and to influence leaders. There is one also assigned to Russia and to China, and to all the other countries of the world with other evil angels under them. These evil angels somehow relate to the countries of earth. There are also angels who are ministers of good, of justice and truth, and they are in conflict, the one with the other.
  • **Michael - means “Who is like God?”:
    • Michael is the prince who watches over the affairs and safeguards the interests of Israel. Gabriel is the prince who is especially and peculiarly interested in the good government of God in this world and is the strong supporter and contender for righteousness in the earth.
    • Michael is described as an "archangel" in Jude 1:9 (KJV):
      • Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said , The Lord rebuke thee.
    • Whenever we read of Michael in the Bible, it is always in the role of fighting for Israel. Does that mean there is another archangel assigned to the United States?
    • Revelation 12:7-12: Then there was war in heaven. Michael and the angels under his command fought the dragon and his angels. And the dragon lost the battle and was forced out of heaven. This great dragon -- the ancient serpent called the Devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world -- was thrown down to the earth with all his angels. Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, "It has happened at last -- the salvation and power and kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ! For the Accuser has been thrown down to earth -- the one who accused our brothers and sisters a before our God day and night. And they have defeated him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of their testimony. And they were not afraid to die. Rejoice, O heavens! And you who live in the heavens, rejoice! But terror will come on the earth and the sea. For the Devil has come down to you in great anger, and he knows that he has little time."
  • If the answer to Daniel's prayer was delayed by three full weeks, and GOD had to send Michael the archangel to defeat the enemy, and get His message through to Daniel, we do not need to wonder if some of our own prayers are not answered as soon as we would like for them to be. We recognize, therefore, that while there is a conflict going on here upon earth between the powers of righteousness and the forces of evil, a similar conflict is going on in the heavens above us, between the angels of GOD and the angels of Satan who are both struggling to influence the hearts and the actions of men.
  • Ephesians 6:11-13:  Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms. Use every piece of God's armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm.
  • Surely this is one of the most amazing passages of the Bible, for it helps us understand what is going on as reported in our daily newspapers. Why are we going through such a worldwide outbreak of murder, riot, violence, demonstration and unrest? It is not simply because students are not taught certain things in school, or that they are different from those in previous generations. Such explanations that are being offered today are superficial. They do not get at the heart of the matter. The explanation is right here: Men are not the final issue; their actions are not the final explanation of what goes on. Behind men are invisible powers at work, controlling the minds and thoughts of men. That is why things happen in the world the way they do.
  • Is there a demonic "prince" of the United States? I would argue yes, based on these verses.
  • If we could see the invisible, we would be amazed at the forces of good and evil all around us. My wife had such an incident not long after the death of our daughter where she encountered an evil, dark presence in the dark while praying.

(14) Now I am here to explain what will happen to YOUR PEOPLE IN THE FUTURE, for this vision concerns a TIME YET TO COME."

(15) While he was speaking to me, I looked down at the ground, unable to say a word.

(16) Then the one who looked like a man touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began to speak. I said to the one standing in front of me, "I am terrified by the vision I have seen, my lord, and I am very weak.

(17) How can someone like me, your servant, talk to you, my lord? My strength is gone, and I can hardly breathe."

(18) Then the one who looked like a man touched me again, and I felt my strength returning.

(19) "Don't be afraid," he said, "for you are deeply loved by God. Be at peace; take heart and be strong!" As he spoke these words, I suddenly felt stronger and said to him, "Now you may speak, my lord, for you have strengthened me."

(20) He replied, "Do you know why I have come? Soon I must return to fight against the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia, and then against the spirit prince of the kingdom of Greece.

  • The empires of earth and governments of the world are controlled and their activities governed by satanic forces. Satan is the god of this age. He is also the PRINCE of the power of the air. Over each kingdom, empire, nation and republic, there is an evil-ruling prince.
  • Bible critics have a difficult time with this. Daniel died long before the Grecian Empire and Alexander the Great rose to power. It appears that angels can be dispatched to go anywhere, at anytime in history.
  • The coming rise of the Grecian Empire under Alexander the Great (still 200 years in the future) will be overseen by the ‘prince of Greece’ as well.
  • The curtain is being lifted on the “great machine” whirling in the background that makes this world turn. We are getting a glimpse into what is going on behind the scenes.

(21) But before I do that, I will tell you what is written in the *Book of Truth. (There is no one to help me against these spirit princes except Michael, your spirit prince.

  • *Book of Truth: We learn from these verses that there is in God’s library a book called The Book of Truth. We know of at least two other books; there is the scroll on which the events of the end time are recorded, which the Lamb takes from the hand of God, the Father, (Revelation 5:1,7) and there is The Book of Life (Luke 10:20; Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12,15; 21:27) in which the names of those who believe in Jesus Christ for salvation are written. Somehow, these books are played out on earth, chapter by chapter in the lives of God’s creatures. What confuses us is that, in a way, we also write our own script as we playthe role God has assigned to us.
  • Chapter 11 begins the prophetic portion of this last vision which God gave to Daniel, presenting a foreview of Gentile dominion from the “first year of Darius” unto the battle of Armageddon and the return of Christ in glory. The chapter closes with the prediction that this “wilful king” “shall come to his end, and none shall help him.” And we know that it is the return of the Lord Jesus that will bring this to pass.
Daniel 11:1: I have been standing beside Michael as his support and defense since the first year of the reign of Darius the Mede.)

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