Daniel 10: Lifting the veil on the angelic realm

Bible Study Series: Daniel, Babylon and the End Times

Daniel Chapter 10 Lesson: Lifting the veil on the angelic realm

by I Gordon

Daniel chapter 10 is a very interesting unique chapter in the Bible and it certainly contains some mysteries needing to be explained. Well, what we can anyway. It contains 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 battle that no one reports for it is one that no one sees. Yet it goes on day after day, 24/7, and has a major impact on the wars that we do see occurring around the planet. So what warfare am I talking about? Well, Daniel 10 pulls back part of the veil to reveal a battle that goes on in the invisible angelic realm.

So this message is a reminder of the spiritual battle around us, and one we are in despite it not being visible to the natural eye. There are certainly many mysteries in this regard and not all answers are given. But here is what we will look at:

• We'll start with a new revelation given to Daniel that left him exhausted and with a strong sense that he needs to seek the Lord... as difficulties do! 
• We'll touch on a vision Daniel saw of One who looks suspiciously like the Lord Jesus!
• We'll spend the rest of the study looking at what this chapter reveals concerning the hidden and quite mysterious world of angelic warfare

But before any of that... drum roll... yep, we'll start with a quiz. To set the scene and see what you know, here is an angelic quiz. Well, it's a quiz about angels. 

A message of conflict and war...

Dan 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.  (2)  At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks.  (3)  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 take place in the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia. It's 536 BC and Daniel, who is now in his mid to late 80's, is given another vision. The KJV and NKJV say 'The message was true, but the appointed time was long' but it is more accurately translated as a message of great conflict. And as we shall see when exploring the message in chapters 11 and 12, this concerns both conflict between nations and also persecution for the Israelites. But this chapter also contains a message concerning the angelic realm. You no doubt remember the time when the king of Aram sent his army to capture Elisha, and as Elisha's servant saw all the coming horses and chariots he became very frightened. What what was Elisha's response? He prayed for his servant saying

2Ki 6:17 "O LORD, open his eyes so he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

There was a whole angelic host surrounding and protecting them though normally unseen to the human eye. Well Daniel 10 tells us a little more about this unseen realm, showing the forces (both good and bad) influencing nations behind the scenes. So having received this vision, Daniel is stirred up and goes into a three week period of mourning and partial fasting. It is fair to say that he had a few things on his mind. There is no doubt that this vision was disturbing and we'll read later in verse 12 that Daniel did this fast to gain understanding concerning what he had seen. It is also likely that Daniel was concerned about the welfare of the Israelites who faced tremendous difficulty in attempting to return home from exile. Some also believe that Daniel was concerned that so few Israelites actually desired to return and were quite content to remain in Babylon. One one thing is certain - It is always good to take time to seek God when our hearts are heavy or we need understanding concerning God's way forward. That was Daniel and may we do likewise. 

A vision of Jesus?.. I think so.

Dan 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,  (5)  I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of the finest gold around his waist.  (6)  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.

This three week period all happened in the first month, at the time of Passover³. And nothing like another vision to shake you out of a mournful fast caused by the first vision! 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. We can't be dogmatic on it but given the description, the evidence seems to favor it being a vision of the Lord Jesus. It should be noted that this does pose some problems later in the chapter however. There are many similarities with the vision John was given in the book of Revelation when he saw Jesus in glory saying:

Rev 1:12-16  I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands,  (13)  and among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man," dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest.  (14)  His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire.  (15)  His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.  (16)  In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double- edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

In his commentary, Pastor David Guzik gives the following table comparing the similarities:

Description in Daniel 10	Description in Revelation 1
Clothed in linen	Clothed with a garment
Waist girded with gold	Girded about the chest with a golden band
Body was like beryl
Face like . . . lightning	Head and hair were white like wool
Eyes like torches of fire	Eyes like a flame of fire
Feet like burnished bronze	Feet were like fine brass
Sound of his words like the voice of a multitude	Voice as the sound of many waters

And you thought you felt small!

Dan 10:7-9  And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision; but a great terror fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.  (8)  Therefore I was left alone when I saw this great vision, and no strength remained in me; for my vigor was turned to frailty in me, and I retained no strength.  (9)  Yet I heard the sound of his words; and while I heard the sound of his words I was in a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.

It is interesting that those with Daniel at the time didn't see the vision but were filled with fear and took off! This was a message and vision for Daniel alone, as is often the case for God's prophets, and not one that just anyone could bear. We read that Daniel was left frail, without any strength, with his face to the floor. It is true to say that anytime in scripture where 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 the almighty God. And fair enough too! For Daniel, as godly as he was, the vision of this One left him floored, quite literally, which is probably not a bad thing anyway because his face had turned a grim shade of grey!  

But do not be afraid...

Dan 10:10-12  Suddenly, a hand touched me, which made me tremble on my knees and on the palms of my hands.  (11)  And he said to me, "O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you." While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling.  (12)  Then he said to me, "Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words.

A hand touched and reassured Daniel and set him on his feet. God always has a way of putting us back on our feet when we are down. 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 earlier vision of Jesus and this is now the hand of another who wakes and comforts him. This messenger had come in response to Daniel's prayer. Let's not underestimate prayer! Let's not underestimate its role in spiritual warfare! God sent this message in response to Daniel praying and humbling himself. The inference is that had Daniel not prayed the angel wouldn't have been sent. In short, revelation, strengthening and encouragement came because Daniel prayed. Let us remember that in our time of need. Now the angelic 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 and this is also God's word of comfort for all who flee for shelter in Christ. You are esteemed - don't be afraid! 

The angel also tells Daniel that as soon as he started humbling himself and praying he 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 fasting and seeking God for three weeks, why did it take all that time for the angel to get to him? Hmmm. Good question. I'm glad you asked, for this gets us to the main message for this lesson. And if you know the next verse then you know the answer. It is a bit unusual but let's see why it took three weeks for the angel to arrive...

So who is the Prince of Persia?

Dan 10:13-14  But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.  (14)  Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come."

What 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. Truly, I don't think we have any idea what is going on around us in the unseen realm! So in this chapter we read of three 'princes':

1. The prince of Persia (vs 13)
2. Michael, one of the chief princes (vs 13)
3. Later the prince of Greece is mentioned (vs 20)

All three are angelic beings but two of them are not on the good side anymore. The 'prince of Persia' and later the 'prince of Greece' are fallen angelic beings. They have have  been assigned to the specific areas and kingdoms, in this case the Medo-Persian and Grecian Empires, to influence them for their ungodly purposes. Clearly, there is far more than meets the eye when it comes to the influences upon both nations and individuals. You probably know the following verse about the fall of Satan. Here is the familiar (hopefully) verse:

Isa 14:12 'How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth...'

But do you know what it says next? It says 'You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations!' Yeah - that is what he does. That is the enemy's purpose - to weaken the nations. 

But that is what he does. He works constantly to try blind, deceive and ultimately destroy that which God loves! And not being omnipresent like the Most High God, Satan has other powerful fallen angels under him to do his bidding in the countries of the world. The 'prince of Persia' was one of these and was obviously a powerful angelic being because he could prevent this other angelic messenger getting through to Daniel. But notice that Michael, called 'one of the chief princes' came to this messenger angel's help so that Daniel could receive the interpretation of the vision he had seen. Michael is not the only 'chief prince', but he is of a higher order and has greater authority and power to help this other messenger break through to Daniel.⁵ 

So do all nations have these angelic beings assigned to them? The Bible doesn't go into this in detail but there are some clues that this is so. Apart from what we have seen here in Daniel 10, I'll draw your attention to a very interesting verse in Moses' song from Deuteronomy 32. It should be noted that there are different translations of this verse so what I give here is how the 70 Jewish scholars that worked on the Septuagint translated it in the 2nd century B.C:

Deu 32:8-9  When the Most High divided the nations, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the nations according to the number of the angels of God.  (9)  And his people Jacob became the portion of the Lord, Israel was the line of his inheritance.

Some versions, like the RSV and the popular ESV, translate it 'he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God' where the phrase 'sons of God' points to angelic beings as it does in other early writings like Genesis 6 and Job 1:6, 38:7. Other versions, working from the Hebrew Masoretic Text, render it 'he set up boundaries for the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel.'. If the Septuagint is correct, and it does seem to fit the context better in my opinion, it indicates that the borders of nations were set in place according to the number of angelic beings that were to operate in each area. Thus, when the angel came with a message from the Lord for Daniel, a fallen angel of that area, called 'the prince of the kingdom of Persia' withstood and temporarily prevented this heavenly messenger in their God given assignment. All very interesting!  

So getting back to our story, finally with Michael's help, the angelic messenger from God broke through to 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. For now, let's see the impact this had on Daniel. 

Need a second touch... Or a third?

Dan 10:15-19  While he was saying this to me, I bowed with my face toward the ground and was speechless.  (16)  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.  (17)  How can I, your servant, talk with you, my lord? My strength is gone and I can hardly breathe."  (18)  Again the one who looked like a man touched me and gave me strength.  (19)  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 cope with for any 80 year old don't you think? 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 is very similar to that of our Lord Jesus and is likely to be the Lord. 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. Daniel said 'My strength is gone and I can hardly breathe' and immediately we read 'the one who looked like a man touched me and gave me strength' So once Daniel spoke of his helplessness, grace and enabling was on hand.⁶ The fact is that we all need multiple touches from this One who can and does strengthen us! In fact, the very words of this man imparted strength into Daniel and our experience is no different. Our need is to 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.' And as we do so we are strengthened in our spirit just and food strengthens our physical bodies.

The ultimate warfare still to come...

Dan 10:20-21  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;  (21)  but first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth. (No one supports me against them except Michael, your prince.

We see from this passage that it isn't just Persia that has fallen angelic beings assigned to them. The coming rise of the Grecian Empire under Alexander the Great (still 200 years in the future at this time) will be overseen behind the scenes 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. I love how Michael, this great warrior, is called 'your prince' in this verse. That is, this chief prince is Israel's protector - then and now! And isn't it interesting that here we are today, 2500 years later, and the same 'prince of Persia' is still stirring up trouble in the region, seen in Iran's (the leadership and military, not the common people) hatred of Israel. Nothing ever changes until it is all resolved by the Lord!

It is also interesting that this angel's message was coming from 'what is written the Book of Truth'. The Bible speaks of various heavenly 'books' and though a little mysterious, this seems to be one such heavenly book containing the prophetic events still to come. 

What is the Book of truth? It was probably “God’s record of truth in general, of which the Bible is one expression” (John F. Walvoord, Daniel: The Key to Prophetic Revelation, p. 250). The messenger was about to tell Daniel God’s plans for Israel under Persia and Greece (Dan 11:2-35) and later in the Tribulation (Dan 11:36-45) and the Millennium (Dan 12:1-4).
Bible Knowledge Commentary

So we have been given a glimpse of the influence that the angelic realm has into the affairs of men. And yet the ultimate fulfilment of this influence is still in the future for in the book of Revelation we again are given a glimpse into the unseen work of these fallen spirits. And this time, it is in preparation for the ultimate battle just prior to the return of Jesus! We read:

Rev 16:13-14  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.  (14)  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.

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 at Armageddon. But even today, when you see the same hatred of Israel being stirred up all around the world, know for certain that this is being influenced by unseen forces and it is demonic. 

Conclusion

As we conclude, it is fair to say that Daniel chapter 10 does not give us all the answers about the unseen angelic realm. We must admit that a lot remains a mystery. But it does give us a glimpse into the unseen and reminds us that we all are in a spiritual battle. The holy 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 armor 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.'

And we can give thanks that:

Psa 34:7  The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.

In the next two studies we will look at the message of conflict that the angel had to battle to bring to Daniel. And we should know for sure, that if there was a struggle, it is worth hearing!

God Bless!

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FOOTNOTES