Daniel 10:8-14

Daniel 10:8

Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.

 

Since Daniel was still a ruler in the kingdom, these men that were with him might have been his security detail but since they left him and fled, Daniel was now left all alone to see this great vision.  This is another example of God’s effectual calling.  If God wants to call one man in a group, He may cause the others to flee.  Since the vision was so great, Daniel had no strength left in him. For some reason it left him weak in body but we must remember he was also in his mid-eighties.  Then Daniel, who had a beauty or comeliness about his appearance, was now changed to what he called corruption.  The word “corruption” in the Hebrew carries with it the meaning of “destroyed.”  His joyful and full countenance was destroyed because of the intensity of the vision.  His strength or power was gone.

 

Daniel 10:9

Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground.

 

Even in his low physical condition Daniel was able to hear the words which were spoken to him.  When Daniel heard the words which were spoken, he became like one who was in a deep sleep with his face to the ground.  It may be describing Daniel in a position of worship not knowing who was speaking to him at that moment.  Daniel 8:18 (KJV) Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright.  Daniel was in this position once before when he met Gabriel who spoke to him in a previous vision.

 

Daniel 10:10

And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands.

 

Then a hand touched him which was probably one of the angels who attended the Lord Jesus Christ.  It might have been Gabriel as before.  The hand helped Daniel from a prostrating position to a kneeling position which would have helped him to be able to stand upright.  The angel took care with Daniel knowing his age and frailty of body. 

 

Daniel 10:11

And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling.

 

Gabriel tells Daniel that he is a man who is greatly beloved.  This also shows the fact that Daniel was a saved man because the love of God is qualified which means He loves His own.  John 13:1 (KJV) Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.   Daniel is now told to understand the words of the vision and he is to stand upright which was now easier to attain since the angel helped him half way in the previous verse.  The angel states that he was specifically sent to Daniel as we saw in a previous verse when all the men who were with him fled.  It was the effectual call of God.  As Daniel heard the words spoken to him, he stood there trembling.  He was literally shaking either in fear of what he was seeing or what he was hearing.

 

Daniel 10:12

Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.

 

Gabriel knew that Daniel was in a state of fear at this point so he tells Daniel not to fear.  He also reassures Daniel that from the first day that he started praying about understanding of the vision and while he was undergoing that 21 day fast, that his words were heard by God.  Gabriel now tells him he has been sent by God to give him understanding in the vision as he prayed and fasted for 21 days.  This verse gives the Christian good understanding about prayer.  Just because we do not receive an instant answer to prayer, does not mean that our words have not been heard by God.  God will hear our prayers at the moment we pray but the timing of an answer is fully in His power.

 

Daniel 10:13

But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.

 

Daniel had been praying and fasting for twenty one days which was the exact time that the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood him.  Daniel 10:2 (KJV) In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks.  Now this is not speaking of the physical king of Persia but is talking about the false gods, the demons, who empower these false religions of these ancient empires.  Ephesians 6:12 (KJV) For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  Daniel literally wrestled in prayer with the rulers of darkness.  It is a great mystery as to why this happened but let us claim that it was a testing program for Daniel as it is with us.

It is a scene behind the scenes of a spiritual battle in the heavenlies.  The earth is not the only place where these spiritual battles take place but also in the spiritual realm.

 

To help break the gridlock of the spiritual resistance, Michael now comes to help and penetrate the forces of evil.  Now many take Michael to be the Lord Jesus Christ.  The name Michael means “one who is like God.”  No angel can ever be like God plus it was Michael that came and broke up the resistance of the evil spirits.  As an Archangel, if Gabriel was unable to break through, how could another angel break through to Daniel?  This is a good question.  If we are to find out who Michael is, we always go the Scriptures for understanding.  Jude 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.  Jude 9 is very clear that Michael is an archangel.  The words in the Greek behind archangel carries with it the meaning of “Chief Messenger.”  Who is the Chief Messenger?  It is none other than Christ Himself.  This is not to say that Christ is a created angel, far from it, but it is another title and function of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

To understand who the Chief Messenger is we need to go back to Malachi where he describes the Messiah, that is, Christ, as the Messenger of the Covenant.  Malachi 3:1 (KJV)   Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.  Who came to bring the New Covenant?  Who died to effect the New Covenant?  It was Christ who brought in the new Covenant by His sacrifice on Calvary.  Just because a cult like the Jehovah’s Witnesses call Christ Michael but describes Him as a created angel should not take away from the truth of who Michael really is.  The Bible is the authority and not a cult.  Let’s take a look at another Scripture passage concerning Michael.

 

Revelation 12:7-9 (KJV)   And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,  {8} And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.  {9} And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

 

In Revelation 12:7-9, we read of another war but this was in Heaven between the forces of Satan after his rebellion and the angelic army of Michael who prevailed against Satan and cast him and his rebellious angels out of Heaven.  Only God would have the power to cast an entire army of rebellious demons out of Heaven.

 

Hebrews 1:1-2 (KJV)   God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, {2} Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

 

In Hebrews 1:1-2, we read in these last days, which is the period from the cross to the last day that Christ is going to be the chief spokesperson in these last days.  No angels, prophets, or apostles but Christ is the one who will speak in these last days because revelation is now complete and we have the Bible in its completed form. 

 

Then Gabriel states that he remained there with the kings of Persia.  This meant that he was among the rulers of darkness in the spiritual realm detailing to them the future plans that the Lord Jesus Christ just gave to him and that the powers of darkness had no recourse but to be obedient to whatever Christ commanded.  This was not Daniel speaking but Gabriel.

 

Daniel 10:14

Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days.

 

Now Gabriel comes to Daniel and tells him the meaning of the vision and how it will affect his people in the latter days.  This vision would also not be fulfilled in the lifetime of Daniel but was for a future time.  There are two different people groups which Daniel belonged to.  One was the physical nation of Israel and the second was the spiritual nation of Israel, which was the eternal church.  Both of these will be included in the final prophecy.

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