In this Episode, we come close to the end of Daniel's life, and we see that God is still using him. Daniel receives a message from Gabriel an angel. A message so overwhelming for Daniel, he faints - 3 times! What could be that overwhelming? A battle with the Kings of Persia and Greece that was so difficult that this angel had to call in Michael the Archangel to help him! Are these real earthly kings or Satan's minions? Tune in and join us as we delve into Daniel chapter 10!
Thanks for tuning in! Be sure to check out everything Proverbs 9:10 on our website, www.proverbs910ministries.com! You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Rumble, YouTube, Twitter, Truth Social, and Gettr!
In this Episode, we come close to the end of Daniel's life, and we see that God is still using him. Daniel receives a message from Gabriel an angel. A message so overwhelming for Daniel, he faints - 3 times! What could be that overwhelming? A battle with the Kings of Persia and Greece that was so difficult that this angel had to call in Michael the Archangel to help him! Are these real earthly kings or Satan's minions? Tune in and join us as we delve into Daniel chapter 10!
Thanks for tuning in! Be sure to check out everything Proverbs 9:10 on our website, www.proverbs910ministries.com! You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Rumble, YouTube, Twitter, Truth Social, and Gettr!
Episode 110 – I Feel Faint
Welcome back! We are on part 10 of our 12 part series on the book of Daniel, Reading Between the Lions. And good news, the text in chapter 10 is a little less complex than 9 was.
Chris, before we jump into the text for today, I want to take a minute and talk about something. We have seen over and over in the book of Daniel some pretty amazing visions, dreams, and events. We even said the book of Daniel is an exception as usually God does the extraordinary through ordinary means, but in Daniel, He does a lot of extraordinary things outright. And God gives Daniel some very specific prophecies about far future people and events as we have seen.
Yeah, and this is called predictive prophecy. Predictive prophecy is defined as, “a prediction of present, near future and distant future events where there is nothing known definitely about that event or even that it would occur except by God. It is also NOT predicting something that is known to be planned in the future. That is simply prediction, not prophecy.” Now you would except the unbelieving world to be skeptical of this, but there is skepticism by those professing to be Christians, and it’s been going on since Jesus’ time.
It has. But it began to get much worse once the eyewitnesses to Jesus and the Apostles began to die. In fact, the book of Daniel has been a frequent target. Many who profess to be Christians say that the book of Daniel was not written by Daniel and is not prophecy, but instead, it is history, written by a historian, and was written after the events described in it actually happened. We have said before that Daniel did write the book of Daniel. He says so. So to say he didn’t, you would have to concede that God allowed a lie to be put into His Word, and worse, that God perpetrated a lie pretending that He is omniscient and knows everything that happens in the future, and that He is omnipotent and sovereign over everything that happens.
Well, then at that point, you may as well toss the whole Bible out. What would be the point in studying God’s Word if it was deceitful and a lie? Here’s what one scholar wrote about believing that Daniel did write the book of Daniel and that God is omniscient and omnipotent and would have absolutely not problem prophesying about specific far future events, “This theological conclusion will forever be unacceptable to some, in that same way that some saw Lazarus raised from the dead and still refused to believe that Jesus was the Christ. In spite of indisputable evidence, the prophet will remain under attack, which assault inadvertently reminds us of the apologetic potency of the book of Daniel.”
So the point of us telling you all of this is that there are some incredible supernatural things in Scripture that are hard for our natural minds to grasp. And at some point if you say you are a Christian, you either believe everything the Bible says as the inerrant, inspired Word of God, or you don’t. I’ve known people who say they believe some things in Scripture, but not all. I remember this person saying that the creation account in Genesis, isn’t a literal account, it’s just a story God put in there that would be easy to understand, but that’s not actually how creation happened.
And that’s heresy. Genesis says its an account, meaning factual retelling. Just like Daniel is part predictive prophecy written by Daniel hundreds of years before the events unfolded. Either you believe all of what God says in His Word or you don’t. As 2 Tim 3:15 says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God.” It’s a package deal, you can’t pick and choose. Okay, I think that was a good point. But let’s delve into Daniel chapter 10 now.
Okay. Let’s start by reading verse 1, “In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a word was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar. And the word was true, and it was a great conflict. And he understood the word and had understanding of the vision.” So in just the first verse, there’s a few things we are being told.
Right. First, that this is the 3rd year of King Cyrus, so this chapter happens 2 years after chapter 9. This would have been pretty close to the end of Daniel’s life. This was also a significant time period because during the third year of the reign of King Cyrus, he went to Asia Minor to fight a war with the Scythians. His son Cambyses was left in charge and he forbade the Jewish people to continue rebuilding Jerusalem or the Temple. And that plays a part in the message Daniel receives.
The next thing we learn is pretty much a reinforcement of what we started out this episode saying. What is written in Daniel is true. It is predictive prophecy, and some of it is difficult to understand and difficult to accept, but it’s true. However, as we also see, Daniel understood everything that was shown to him.
And that’s an important point. The reason contextualization is so crucial is that while passages may seem mysterious and complex to us, the writer understood what he was being inspired to write. The prophets understood the prophecies they were given. That’s why we always have to first look at a passage of Scripture in light of the original hearing audience.
And another thing we see from just this first verse is that Daniel starts out differently in this chapter. He has not received a vision given to him in a dream this time, but, instead, he a word. The literal translation of “word” implies that Daniel received the prophecy in words this time, not a vision.
So let’s continue with verses 2 – 3, “In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks. 3 I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks.” Daniel was mourning. But why? Some think it’s because so few exiles went back to Jerusalem with Ezra – and we see that in Ezra 2:64-67. Others think it is because of the opposition Ezra was facing in trying to rebuild the Temple and Jerusalem from the people of the Northern Kingdom of Israel who had intermarried with foreigners and became the Samaritans, and we see that in Ezra 4:1-5
And we should note that Daniel did not return to Jerusalem with the exiles because he was 84 years old and had a high position in government with the Medo-Persians. He could better serve his people by staying in Babylon. But back to the reasons for Daniel’s mourning, Charles Spurgeon throws another possible reason for Daniel’s sorrow in the mix, “I think too that Daniel’s sorrow was occasioned partly by the repetition of those words to him: ‘The vision is true, but the time appointed is long.” So Spurgeon believes that Daniel is sad about the timeline of the message he receives. And we will see the words he quoted appear throughout the text as we go on.
Daniel was not fasting during this period, just abstaining from certain foods and wine and not using lotion. He was denying himself these pleasures because as John Calvin notes, “When thus deprived of all opportunity of rebuilding their temple, what could the Jews determine except that they had been deluded after returning to their country, and God had made a shew of disappointing expectations which had turned out a mere laughing-stock and deception? This was the cause of the grief and anxiety which oppressed the holy Prophet. We now understand why he mentions the third year of Cyrus, as the circumstances of that period, even at this day, point out the reason of his abstinence from all delicacies.” Calvin is referring to the fact that Cambyses forbade the Jews to rebuild the temple. He is saying that Daniel, and perhaps others, are wondering if the visions, prophecies, and encouragments to go back to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple were just a sick joke on God’s part.
Shows us that even someone as faithful and obedient to God as Daniel can have his moments of doubt in the midst of darkness. But God doesn’t leave Daniel there. Daniel says in verses 5 – 8, “ I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. 6 His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude. 7 And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision, but a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves. 8 So I was left alone and saw this great vision, and no strength was left in me. My radiant appearance was fearfully changed, and I retained no strength. 9 Then I heard the sound of his words, and as I heard the sound of his words, I fell on my face in deep sleep with my face to the ground.”
Okay, Daniel, you were sad and disappointed, how’s this for proof that God is in control of things! First question that pops in my head is who is this man? And probably the answer that pops into our head is that it’s Jesus. But there are some differing opinions as to his identity. Some definitely say it’s Jesus. And this man’s description is similar to the one we see of Jesus in Rev. 1:12 – 16. I’ll read a bit, “in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters.”
But there are others who do not think this is Jesus, but an angel who took the form of a man to visit Daniel and deliver the prophecy. And their reasoning comes from the verses that follow in Daniel 9:13 – 14, “The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, 14 and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.” The theory is that Jesus would not have needed Michael’s help to defeat the prince of Persia, who may not be a real person, as we will see.
Chris, the angel theory makes more sense. First, whenever Jesus made an appearance in the Old Testament (Theophany), or after His resurrection (Christophany) He never received, nor needed, any assistance from anyone else. In fact, in Revelation, we see in chapter 16 at the battle of Armageddon, He completely defeats Satan and all evil by merely saying, it is done. It is ludicrous to think that He would have had to call in Michael, the archangel, for help. In fact, in the book of Jude, Michael, who is the only angel to have the title archangel, which probably means he is the most powerful angel, goes up against Satan as we see in Jude, verse 9, “But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.” So even the most powerful of angels, Michael, deferred to God for dealing with Satan.
And we will get to this Prince of Persia being a demonic being in a minute. But first, it seems strange that Daniel’s companions could not see the man yet were terrified. There was something so supernatural about the appearance of this man, that even though they couldn’t see him, they either heard him or sensed his presence and were terrified. This same thing happens when Paul is met on the road to Damascus by Jesus in Acts 9:3-7. Acts 9:7 says, “The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.”
Daniel, who does see him, turns deathly pale and is so overwhelmed that he fainted. Angels reflect the image and glory of God. It’s understandable that Daniel was overwhelmed by its appearance. Ian Duguid notes, “The angelic messengers reflect the image of the glorious God whom they serve, so to look on the angel is tantamount to viewing God Himself. They seek to communicate through the vision some aspect or aspects of God’s nature that will be important for the message that will follow.”
Daniel is called “beloved” by the angel. This is the second time Daniel is referred to as “beloved” or “highly esteemed.” This indicates he is dear and precious to God. This is exactly how God feels about us if we are His children. After Daniel faints, the angel helps him to his knees and then orders him to stand up and pay attention. Daniel does but is still shaken, understandably. The angel tells Daniel that God responded to his prayer right away, but the angel was detained from coming to him for 21 days. This is a big deal - God dispatched an angel to Daniel because of his prayer! And it’s not that Daniel gets special privileges from God, He does the same for us if we belong to Him. Hebrews 1:14 says this about angels, “Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?”
Chris, this is a perfect example of why prayer is important. Although God is unchangeable, He hears our prayers and He does respond – albeit not always by sending an angel, but He does always hear and respond. And who knows, He may send an angel! So let’s talk about this Prince / King of Persia that resisted the angel for 21 days. He was not the human leader of the kingdom of Persia, he wasn’t even a man. While Daniel was mourning and praying for 3 weeks, a spiritual battle was going on.
This prince is a fallen angel (one of Satan’s minions). This angel that appears to Daniel couldn’t defeat him alone and needed the help of another prince, Michael, the arch angel, to beat him. Scripture does talk about angels having rank. Michael is the only angel given the title archangel, so he may have been the head of them all. Scripture also talks about fallen angels. 2 Peter 2:4 says, “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment.”
And it wasn’t a sign of respect that this minion of Satan is referred to as a king / prince of Persia. Paul refers to Satan as the prince of this world in Eph 2:2 when he says, “you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.” Jesus, too, refers to Satan as the ruler of this world. Again, not a title of respect.
So who is the evil minion in Daniel 10 that the angel couldn’t defeat alone? Ligoneer Ministries says this, “Michaels’ opponent in Daniel 10 is clearly an enemy of God and His people, a demon with strong influence on the Persian empire. Although Scripture does not refer directly to the prince of Persia as a “territorial spirit,” it does seem that there are angelic beings, good and evil, assigned to individual lands and kingdoms. For instance, Deuteronomy 32:8 speaks of national borders fixed ‘according to the number of the sons of God.’ There are also the cherubim assigned to guard the territory of Eden after the fall of Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:24).”
Just to throw some diversity of opinion in here, John Calvin has a different take on this passage. He does believe the prince / king of Persia is a real man. Cambyses to be exact. Remember Cyrus, his father was king (which makes him a prince), but while Cyrus was off fighting a war, Cambyses was ruling (which makes him a king). Calvin says this: “There is some probability in this explanation, because the Israelites were still under the Persian monarchy, and God may have furnished some assistance to the kings of Persia for the sake of his own people. But I think the angel stood in direct opposition and conflict against Cambyses, to prevent him from raging more fiercely against God's people. He had promulgated a cruel edict, preventing the Jews from building their temple, and manifesting complete hostility to its restoration. He would not have been satisfied with this rigorous treatment, had not God restrained his cruelty by the aid and hand of the angel.”
So we have 2 very credible and solid Biblical theologians having a difference of opinion of this passage. That happens sometimes, as we have seen, with prophetic Scripture. Just to finish up through verse 14 that we read, the angel tells Daniel he is giving him a message regarding the future of the Jewish exiles and the nation of Israel.
Let’s continue with verses 15 – 19, “When he had spoken to me according to these words, I turned my face toward the ground and was mute. 16 And behold, one in the likeness of the children of man touched my lips. Then I opened my mouth and spoke. I said to him who stood before me, “O my lord, by reason of the vision pains have come upon me, and I retain no strength. 17 How can my lord's servant talk with my lord? For now no strength remains in me, and no breath is left in me.” Again one having the appearance of a man touched me and strengthened me. 19 And he said, “O man greatly loved, fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.” And as he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”
Twice in these verses, we see Daniel again fainting and / or falling to the ground. Daniel says he is overcome with anguish because of the vision. The literal translation for the Hebrew word for anguish is writhing in pain. It is the same word used in for describing labor pains as we see in Isaiah 13:8 when Isaiah is prophesying about the destruction of Babylon. “Pangs of anguish grip them, like those of a woman in labor.” The angel replies to Daniel, “O man greatly loved, fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.” Again, these would be the same words God would say to us. It’s just a beautiful encouragement
And it’s what Daniel needed to strengthen him. He is now ready to hear the message in full. Verses 20 -21 finish out the chapter, 20 Then he(the angel) said, “Do you know why I have come to you? But now I will return to fight against the prince of Persia; and when I go out, behold, the prince of Greece will come. 21 But I will tell you what is inscribed in the book of truth: there is none who contends by my side against these except Michael, your prince.
The angel tells Daniel that even with calling in Michael the archangel, the fighting is not over. This angel has to return to continue fighting with the prince of Persia and now, also, the prince of Greece. Again, most commentators believe these are demons who are directing things (of course, only because God has allowed them to) in the kingdoms of Medo-Persia, and then after, Greece. And also again, John Calvin and some others believe the angel is speaking about the human kings of Persia and Greece: Cambyses of Perisa and Antiochus Ephiphanes of Greece.
All of this falls right into the prophecy Daniel has already received in chapters 7 - 9. It’s all related. And it’s related whether these are the earthly kings of Cambyses and Antiochus or whether they are minions of Satan. Remember, in all of the prophecies Daniel had received, there was some element of it being about an earthly kingdom / king, but also alluding to a supernatural evil. The 4th beast from chapter 7 and Antiochus and Titus being allusions to the antichrist in chapters 8 & 9. So this doesn’t necessarily have to be a one or the other. This message Daniel receives could be about the earthly kings while also pointing to the supernatural kingdom of Satan. We don’t and can’t know for sure, but it really doesn’t matter nor does it change how we interpret and apply the teachings in this book.
Speaking of books, let’s finish with the text by talking about this Book of Truth the angel mentions? This book of Truth is the decree or Word of God. As Benson’s commentary says, “God’s decrees are spoken of as if they were committed to writing and registered in a book.” In other words, whatever God says is as good as and as permanent as being written down in a book.
So let’s finish out the episode talking about a few takeaways. What does this passage mean for us? Jesus has already been victorious; and through Him, His people are, too. Whether supernatural evil kings or corrupt cruel earthly kings, it doesn’t matter. We don’t have to fear either. Doesn’t mean they can’t hurt us, but they can’t destroy us and they can’t win against us because Jesus has already been victorious on our behalf. Whatever happens in the future before Jesus comes back, we can rest in the knowledge that He is sovereign over everything and He is victorious over everything. If we belong to Jesus, there is nothing we have to fear.
As Paul tells us in Romans 8:28 – 35 – “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?”
And that’s a great place to end today. Thanks for tuning in! Please remember to follow us on whatever platform you watch or listen on, and if you like what you hear, please leave a review. And don’t forget that both our books, No Half Truths Allowed – Understanding the Complete Gospel Message, and The Bible Blueprint – A Guide to Better Understanding the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, are available on all major book outlets.
Have a blessed day!