Daniel Chapter 10 Bible Study Commentary: Lifting the veil

Book of Daniel Bible Study Commentary Chapter 10

Daniel Chapter 10: Lifting the veil

by I Gordon

Daniel chapter 10 is an interesting unique chapter in the Bible and contains some mysteries needing to be explained! It is one of conflict and warfare but not exactly the type you are likely to see on the 6 o'clock news! When you turn on the news you see wars, battles and conflicts. People not getting on, races not getting on, nations not getting on.  [1]  But Daniel 10 speaks of a war that no man reports for it is one that no man sees. Yet it goes on day after day and has a major impact on the wars that we do see on planet Earth. Daniel 10 lifts the veil that covers the natural and spiritual realms to reveal a battle that goes on in the invisible angelic realm.

So this commentary and bible study is a reminder of the spiritual battle that goes on around us, and one in which we are in despite it not being visible to the natural eye. There are certainly lots of mysteries in this regard and not all answers are given. But this chapter still remains as a fascinating and unique glimpse behind the scenes in the spiritual realm. So let's have a look.

A message of war...

Daniel 10:1-3 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a revelation was given to Daniel (who was called Belteshazzar). Its message was true and it concerned a great war. The understanding of the message came to him in a vision. At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.

The events of this chapter took place in the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia. Daniel, who is now in his mid to late 80's, is given another vision and message. It is a message of great conflict and this has been recorded for us in Daniel chapters 11 and 12. It is a message of war between nations and coming persecution for the Israelites. But, as previously mentioned, it is also a message behind the scenes showing the puppet masters pulling the strings.

Now we read above that Daniel had been in mourning for three weeks when this prophecy was given to him. We are not told why he was in mourning  [2]  but he had been doing a partial fast during that time when the vision and message came.

A vision of Jesus?.. I think so.

Daniel 10:4-6 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of the finest gold around his waist. His body was like chrysolite, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.

Well, nothing like a vision like that to shake you out of a mournful fast! As Daniel looks up he sees one very impressive looking man. Scholars debate whether this is a vision of Jesus or whether it was an angel but the weight of evidence seems to favour the former thought. Certainly there are many similarities  [3]  with the vision John was given in the book of Revelation when he saw Jesus in glory saying...

And you thought you felt small!

Daniel 10:7-9 'I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; the men with me did not see it, but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves. So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless. Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground.'

Anytime in scripture that a person encounters the majesty of God there is an overwhelming sense of their own inadequacy. Whether it is Moses, Isaiah, Daniel or John the result is the same. There is a convicting sense of your own 'smallness' and inadequacy in the light of an almighty God. Fair enough too. For Daniel, as godly as he was, the vision of this man left him face to the floor which is probably not a bad thing anyway because his face had turned a grim shade of grey!  [4]  He then fell into a deep sleep. Scripture doesn't tell us how long this was for but it may have been sometime.

But do not be afraid...

Daniel 10:10-12 A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. He said, 'Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you.' And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling. Then he continued, 'Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.

But a hand touched and reassured Daniel and set him on his feet. Sure, his knees were still knocking pretty loudly but at least he is up! Some believe that the hand that touched Daniel is that of an angel who had been sent with a message for Daniel and is separate from the vision of man on the river bank recorded earlier. That is how I take it. It seems Daniel was in a deep sleep after seeing the vision of Jesus earlier and this is now the hand of another who wakes and comforts him. The messenger reassures Daniel that he is highly esteemed and not to be afraid. This reminds us of the earlier words of Gabriel when he came to Daniel in chapter 9. But this is God's word of comfort for all who flee for shelter in Christ. The angel also tells Daniel that as soon as he started humbling himself and praying  [5]  the angel was sent.

So, the question has to be asked... If the angel was sent when Daniel started humbling himself, and Daniel has been in that state for three weeks, then why did it take all that time for the angel to get to him? Hmmm. Good question. Glad you asked. And if you know the next verse then you know the answer. A bit unusual but let's see why it took three weeks for the angel to arrive...

So who is the Prince of Persia?

Daniel 10:13-14 But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.'

What a remarkable insight into the angelic realm we are given in this passage! This angel was restricted from getting to Daniel for 21 days (3 weeks) because of another called the 'prince of Persia' who resisted him and blocked his way. It was only when Michael, one of the chief princes arrived that this other angel was able to get through to Daniel. I think we have no idea what is going on around us!  [6]  This 'prince of Persia' is a demonic angelic being  [7]  that had been assigned to the Medo-Persian Empire to influence it... and not in a good way! It was obviously a powerful angelic being because it could prevent this other messenger getting through to Daniel. But notice that Michael  [8]  is called 'one of the chief princes'. He is not the only one, but he is of a higher order and has the authority and power  [9]  to help this other messenger break through to Daniel. Finally, with Michael's help, the angelic messenger from God can deliver what is going to be an amazing outline of future history and conflict. The angel's message will be the focus of the next two studies.

Need a second touch... Or a third?

Daniel 10:15-19 While he was saying this to me, I bowed with my face toward the ground and was speechless. Then one who looked like a man touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began to speak  . I said to the one standing before me, 'I am overcome with anguish because of the vision, my lord, and I am helpless. How can I, your servant, talk with you, my lord? My strength is gone and I can hardly breathe.' Again the one who looked like a man touched me and gave me strength  . 'Do not be afraid, O man highly esteemed,' he said. 'Peace! Be strong now; be strong.' When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, 'Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength.'

Clearly, Daniel was completely overcome by what he had seen. So much so that he said he could hardly breathe. That's a fair amount to take for a 80 year old! You will notice in the text that it seems that there are two different characters with Daniel. There is the angel who had come with the message for Daniel, but also 'one who looked like a man'. This is obviously the same one that Daniel had seen earlier whose description seemed very similar to that of our Lord Jesus. This one 'like a man' again touches Daniel and he receives strength. I guess for you and I, we should never underestimate the continual grace and strengthening that Jesus gives to us. Once Daniel spoke of his helplessness, grace and enabling was on hand.  [10]  The very words of this man imparted strength into Daniel and our need is no different. Read His word and hear His voice.  'For man does not live by bread alone, but by every word proceeding from the mouth of God.' 

The ultimate warfare still to come...

So he said, 'Do you know why I have come to you? Soon I will return to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I go, the prince of Greece will come; but first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth. (No one supports me against them except Michael, your prince. And in the first year of Darius the Mede, I took my stand to support and protect him.)

We see from this passage that it isn't just Persia that has demonic angelic beings assigned to them. 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. Fortunately, as we have previously seen, the nation of Israel also has angelic protection of the highest order in Michael, the archangel. So we have been given a glimpse of the influence that the angelic realm has into the affairs of men. The ultimate fulfilment of this influence however will occur just prior to the return of Jesus when we read:

'Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty.' (Rev 16:13-14)

The demonic influence upon earth will reach its climax when the kings of the whole world will be drawn by these spirits to battle against God and His people.

Conclusion

Daniel chapter 10 does not give us all the answers  [11]  about the unseen angelic realm. We must admit that a lot remains a mystery. But it does give us a glimpse and remind us that we all are in a spiritual battle. The angels are sent by God to render service to those who are His, yet a lot of this service, like the angels themselves, is unseen to the human eye.

We should however remember the familiar (hopefully) words of the apostle Paul who wrote:

'Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.'

In the next two studies we will look at the message that the angel had to battle to bring to Daniel. If there was a struggle, it must be worth hearing!