Have you ever received some news that you think is just too good to be true, only to find out later that it really IS true? I bring that up because we’ve arrived at the final three chapters of Daniel and these are arguably three of the most controversial chapters in the entire Bible. Why? It’s not because they bear particularly good news. In fact, they foretell times that will be bad for the nation of Israel, and bad for the rest of the world as well. What makes them controversial is their accuracy. Some “scholars” would argue that Daniel couldn’t have possibly written these chapters because they too accurately describe historical events which occur several hundred years after Daniel lived. I believe, as do most legitimate biblical scholars, that Daniel received this vision and accurately conveyed it in writing while he was still alive.

I’m going to break this post up into three parts. As I’ve already said, the final vision that Daniel records occupies three chapters – Daniel 10-12. They are identified with the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, which would set the vision in 536 B.C, or 3 years after the vision recorded in Chapter 9 (which I discussed previously).

“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.“

We know from 2 Chronicles 36:23 and Ezra 1:1-4 that Cyrus had issued a decree in his first year as king of Persia to allow the Israelites to begin returning to Jerusalem. This was in fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy of a seventy-year exile and which prompted Daniel’s prayer for repentance and mercy in Chapter 9. There is no indication that Daniel returned to Jerusalem. He was probably 90+ years old at this point. He, however, was still actively interceding through prayer on behalf of his people.

“In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks. I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks. On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river (that is, the Tigris) 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.“

A couple of things stand out to me in this introduction to the vision that Daniel had. First, he was in mourning for a period of three weeks and was persisting in prayer during that time. We’re going to learn in the next section the significance of the three weeks, but it shows Daniel’s persistence and understanding of how to persevere in troubled times. He stuck to it and devoted his energy to prayer, even without (at the time) direct understanding of how God might be working.

The second thing I notice is that Daniel was really startled by the person who brought him the vision and interpretation. His companions were shaken and fled, even though they didn’t see the messenger, and Daniel himself apparently fainted. He was startled somewhat when Gabriel came to him in Chapter 8, but not to the degree that he was here.

“And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. And he said to me, ‘O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you.’ And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. Then he said to me, ‘Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. 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, 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.’“

This is one of the passages in Scripture which very clearly illustrates for us what the apostle Paul was referring to in Ephesians 6:12 – “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” This messenger informs Daniel that for the three weeks (twenty-one days) that Daniel has been praying, he has been fighting against the “prince” of Persia. I believe that Daniel, being always sensitive to spiritual things and led by God’s Spirit, sensed the spiritual conflict that was ongoing and this is what caused him to mourn and pray.

The English translation here uses the word prince and kings to refer to spiritual and earthly, respectively, beings. The messenger says that he was being withstood (embattled) by the prince (demonic oppressor) of Persia while he was in the presence of the (human) kings of Persia. God was using the kings of Persia (Darius, Cyrus, etc.) to carry out his plan of release of His people to return to Jerusalem. However, the Greeks are coming soon (as we’ll see in the next passage) and they are the next instrument of God. The “prince” of Persia is resisting God’s efforts and God’s representatives are fighting against them.

The messenger also references Michael as an angel, or a “chief prince”, who came to provide relief so this messenger could come bring Daniel the message that God wanted him to have. At this point, Daniel is still pretty upset.

“When he had spoken to me according to these words, I turned my face toward the ground and was mute. 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. How can my lord’s servant talk with my lord? For now no strength remains in me, and no breath is left in me.’“

Daniel’s vision gives further information about the heavenly beings that he sees. He identifies one “in the likeness of the children of man”, or in other words one who looks more similar to a human than the messenger that he is talking to. We know from other scriptures that there are a variety of spiritual beings – seraphim, cherubim, angels, archangels, messengers, princes, demons, etc. Daniel receives encouragement and strength from some of these creatures – yes, creatures. They are all part of God’s creation. The only one talked about in the Bible who is NOT created is Jesus. Jesus is God Incarnate, not a created being!

The introduction to the vision continues:

“Again one having the appearance of a man touched me and strengthened me. 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.’ Then he 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. 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. And as for me, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to confirm and strengthen him.’“

Daniel is strengthened and becomes able to engage the messenger in conversation. The messenger asks him a rhetorical question (“Do you know why I have come to you?”) and then proceeds to answer it. He then tells Daniel a final three things by way of introducing the vision we’ll read in Chapter 11 and 12.

1. The fight against the spiritual forces associated with Persia will continue for awhile, but the result of that battle will be to open the door for Greece to advance into the region.
2. The events that Daniel is about to be shown are written into God’s plan and will definitely happen – there is no changing them.
3. The messenger once again references being supported by Michael, and we learn that Michael is the “prince” who is in charge of contending on behalf of Israel. This makes me wonder if this Michael is the same being that we read about in other Old Testament passages. For example, Joshua encounters the commander of the Lord’s army in Joshua 5:13-15. David sees the angel of the Lord striking down the people of Israel in judgment for David’s sin in 2 Samuel 24:15-17. The Bible doesn’t say this – it’s only conjecture on my part!
4. This messenger, who is apparently the angel in charge of overseeing Persian activities on behalf of God, indicates that he has been supporting the kings of the Medes and Persians since day one of Darius’ reign. This is after king Cyrus, which seems to me to indicate that it was after Cyrus that the demonic “prince” of Persia began to openly resist God’s work in using the Medes and Persians with His people. Therefore, this messenger was assigned to the empire to keep things (spiritually) under control. This last statement is actually the first verse of Chapter 11, but it makes more sense when placed with the end of Chapter 10.

I think Daniel recognized that this vision was going to be pretty “heavy”. He was spiritually sensitive enough to have recognized the spiritual battle occuring over the past 3 weeks and the appearance of the messenger was probably pretty warlike and rather disconcerting to him. Sometimes our encounters with God can be unnerving. But we must remember that He is faithful and just. We who are Christians should remember that we have God’s Spirit within us and be willing to listen to him. Perhaps it won’t always be things we’re overjoyed to hear, but we can rest assured that God is in control and we can trust him!

I’ll explore the details of the vision the messenger laid out in Chapter 11 next time!