10 DANIEL'S VISION OF A MAN

Transcription

1 The Wise Shall Understand Daniel Chapter 10 DANIEL'S VISION OF A MAN Lesson 14 Daniel 10:1-21 Dan 12:10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. John Walvoord writes in his commentary on Daniel chapter 10 that, The final three chapters of the book of Daniel record an extensive revelation of prophetic future which is without parallel anywhere else in Scripture. 1 He also states that, The last three chapters constitute the fourth vision of Daniel which gathers together the significant threads of prophecy, especially as they relate to the Holy Land and to the people of Israel. These last three chapters present God s rule over Israel in the near and far future. It commences in Daniel s day and takes us up to the ushering in of God s Millennial Kingdom. 2 The entire contents of chapter 10 serve as "an elaborate introduction" for Chapter 11. Chapters 10 and 11 are the most important chapters in Daniel, and the least understood. 3 Because of this, we need to take a look at the critic s attacks that are heaped upon chapter 11 in particular. Skeptics We now need to look at what is referred to in academic circles as Higher Criticism. It is also called the JEDP or Documentary Hypothesis, and is of German theological thinking. The JEDP Hypothesis theorizes that several writers wrote the Pentateuch instead of Moses. They believe that they can detect evidences of these individual writers, which they name J for the Jehovist, E for the Elohist, D for the Deuteronomist, and P for the Priestly writer. This theory basically postulates that the Jews faked their own history during the Babylonian captivity. 4 There are many that have fallen into this liberal trap, preferring to accept what their liberal professors tell them. When they are informed that there are valid alternatives and are offered the suggestion where they might find them, they state: I don t have time, or, I m not interested, or the ultimate put-down I don t want to be preached at. They conclude that the Bible can only be fables of man s invention; and that other supportive arguments are not scientific, scholarly or otherwise worthy of consideration, after all men wrote the Bible. Universities still teach and support the Documentary Hypothesis, but listen to the words of a renowned Jewish scholar, Cyrus Gordon: When I speak of commitment to JEDP... I am at a loss to explain this kind of conviction on any grounds other than intellectual laziness or inability to reappraise. He goes on to say that a professor of Bible at a leading university was convinced that the JEDP hypothesis was in error but that I shall go on teaching the old system... because... I should have to unlearn 1 John F. Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1971, p Renald E. Showers, THE MOST HIGH GOD, Bellmawr, NJ: The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, Inc., 1982, p Henry Allen Ironside, DANIEL, Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers, Inc., 1911, 1920, Revised 1996, p Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, p Arthur E. Bloomfield, THE END OF THE DAYS: A STUDY OF DANIEL'S VISIONS, Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 1961, p Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, p Edward J. Young, BA, Th.M., Ph.D., Literary Criticism of the Pentateuch, article in Guthrie, Moyer, Stibbs, Wiseman, ed., THE NEW BIBLE COMMENTARY: Revised, Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.,

2 as well as restudy and rethink. It is easier to go on with the accepted system of higher criticism for which we have standard textbooks. 5 Says Herman Wouk (This Is My God) concerning the higher critical theories propounded by the German Wellhausen and his followers: It is a hard thing for men who have given their lives to a theory, and taught it to younger men, to see it fall apart. 6 The Jewish scholar, Yehezkel Kaufmann, relates concerning the present thinking of Wellhausen: Yet biblical scholarship, while admitting that the grounds have crumbled away, nevertheless continues to adhere to the conclusions. 7 The reasons that this theory is still preferred are that it is a convenient way to dispose of most supernatural elements in the Old Testament, including prophecy. The higher critics are at work again. The prophecies that follow are so historically specific that they say these prophecies are history posing as prophecy written after the events of the days of Antiochus Epiphanes in 167 BC. The problem with this point of view is that at that time, without prophecy, no one could have predicted the fourth empire, the Roman, which had not yet conquered. 8 Skeptical Critics The sceptical [sic] critics of modern Germany, in their discussion of the Old Testament, completely ignore the opinions of Christ, as they do also the indubitable opinions of the Jews of New Testament times. These German critics deliberately leave out a whole mass of vital evidence bearing on the subject, which sceptics [sic] or infidels though they may be it is most unscientific for writers, professing to be serious historians, to rule out of court and treat as if it had no existence. (Andrew Craig Robinson, Church Family Newspaper, March 24, 1921). 9 Jesus validated Daniel as a true prophet. If Daniel was not, then Jesus was deceived and He is not the Christ. In Matthew 24:15 and 21 Jesus was referring to the same prophetic events as Daniel did in his prophecies, particularly Daniel 9:27 and Daniel 11:31. MAT 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:). 21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. DAN 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week [Tribulation]: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. DAN 11:31 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. In Matthew 24:30 and again in Matthew 26:64 Jesus referenced the prophecy of Daniel 7: Josh McDowell (compiler), MORE EVIDENCE THAT DEMANDS A VERDICT, San Bernardino, CA: Here s Life Publishers, Inc., revised edition, 1975, 1981, pp. 174, McDowell (compiler), MORE EVIDENCE THAT DEMANDS A VERDICT, pp. 174, McDowell (compiler), MORE EVIDENCE THAT DEMANDS A VERDICT, pp. 174, John Phillips, Jerry Vines, EXPLORING THE BOOK OF DANIEL, Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers, 1990, pp. 157, 158, Phillips, Vines, EXPLORING THE BOOK OF DANIEL, p

3 MAT 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. MAT 26:64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. DAN 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. Jesus quoted from Daniel 9:27, and again from Daniel 11:31 and 12:11 about the coming abomination of desolations. Jesus referred to Daniel 12:1 confirming the woes coming on the Jewish people. Jesus quoted from Daniel 7:13 to describe His Second Coming and from where He referred to Himself as the Son of Man. Jesus description of the resurrection in John 5:28 and 29 endorses Daniel 12:2. Jesus describes the coming of the righteous in Matthew 13:43, a paraphrase of Daniel 12:3. All these the critics fail to acknowledge because they don t believe in miracles or prophecy, their hearts are hardened. 10 Daniel Sees a Vision DAN 10:1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision. The third year of Cyrus was 536BC. 11 By this time, as a result of Cyrus decree in 538BC (Ezra 1:1, 2), many Jews had returned to Jerusalem. Some remained in Babylon, including Daniel who was well advanced in age and probably too old to risk the journey. He also had an important position in government. 12 Many Jews had remained in Babylon because they were born there or were at ease there. 13 EZR 1:1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, 2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. "The time appointed was long" Daniel was seeing something that was far into the future. The Hebrew for "appointed time" (tsaba or saba gado) has more than one meaning, usually rendered warfare, so that Young's Literal Translation reads: "the thing is true, and the warfare is great!" It may also mean a great task or involved great suffering so that it may indicate that it involves great stress and suffering over a long period of time for the people of Israel. Again, it may also refer to a great conflict which threatens the very existence of Israel. 14 Daniel indicates that he understood the vision. Most probably he could only understood it in a general way, because, as we shall see, chapter 11 is so specific to future history that he could not possibly understand all of the details. 15 DAN 10:2 In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. 3 I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled. 10 Phillips, Vines, EXPLORING THE BOOK OF DANIEL, pp. 218, Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, p Showers, THE MOST HIGH GOD, p Phillips, Vines, EXPLORING THE BOOK OF DANIEL, p Showers, THE MOST HIGH GOD, pp. 139, 140. Ironside, DANIEL, p Phillips, Vines, EXPLORING THE BOOK OF DANIEL, p Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, p Bloomfield, THE END OF THE DAYS: A STUDY OF DANIEL'S VISIONS, p Showers, THE MOST HIGH GOD, p Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, p

4 In verse 2, Daniel was haunted by the vision of the four beasts and the seventy weeks, and he mourned because of the spiritual condition of the Babylonian Jews who had no regard for their brothers and sisters in Palestine. 16 This is much the same as Christians today grieve for those that cannot read the signs of the times and the coming tribulation. Remember that Daniel's first two visions (chapters 2 and 7) ended with the kingdom of Christ. In the second vision (the dream of the four beasts) the kingdom of Christ was preceded by the rise and fall of the Antichrist. The main purpose of the last three visions is to describe the rise, exploits, and downfall of Antichrist. The importance of this event in the end time can be seen in the amount of space given to it in relation to other prophetic events. 17 Pleasant bread is an expression indicating bread of pleasures, of desires (leavened bread), in contrast to bread of affliction (unleavened bread). Daniel fasted in preparation for the final vision. Omitting anointing oil indicated his grief for the affliction of Israel. 18 Daniel fasted for three whole weeks of days (21 days), rather than the weeks of years seen in the chapter 9 prophecy of the seventy weeks. 19 Amos and Samuel speak of this practice, except Daniel omitted the anointing with oil. 20 AMOS 6:6 That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph. 2 SAM 14:2 And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead: A Man Clothed in Linen DAN 10:4 And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel; 5 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: 6 His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. The time was the twenty-first day of Nisan (April). Being the first month, it would have been at a time of the new year celebration. 21 The Hiddekel River is the Tigris. 22 In verse 5, A certain man clothed in linen refers to Jesus Christ. 23 Notice the similarity to the description of Christ in Revelation chapter 1: 24 REV 1:12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. 17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: 16 Phillips, Vines, EXPLORING THE BOOK OF DANIEL, p Bloomfield, THE END OF THE DAYS: A STUDY OF DANIEL'S VISIONS, p Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, pp. 240, Showers, THE MOST HIGH GOD, p Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, pp. 240, Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, p Phillips, Vines, EXPLORING THE BOOK OF DANIEL, pp. 159, 241, 242. Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, p Showers, THE MOST HIGH GOD, p Phillips, Vines, EXPLORING THE BOOK OF DANIEL, p Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, pp. 242, 243. Showers, THE MOST HIGH GOD, p Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, p Showers, THE MOST HIGH GOD, p

5 A Man Clothed in Linen 25 Daniel 10:5, 6 Revelation 1:13-15 A certain man Like the Son of Man Clothed in Linen and girded with gold Body like beryl Face as the appearance of lightening Eyes as lamps of fire Feet like polished brass Voice like a multitude Long garment and golden girdle (Not mentioned) (Not mentioned) Eyes as flames of fire Feet like burnished brass Voice like many waters The appearance of the body of the man is like a gigantic transparent jewel reflecting the glory of the rest of the vision. 26 The interesting thing about this vision is that it is of Christ, not in His pre-incarnate appearance, but as He will appear when He returns to earth at His Second Coming. 27 This further reinforces the idea that the prophecies to come are for the time of the end. The Uphaz where the gold came from is possibly Ophir (see Isa 13:12). ISA 13:11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. 12 I will make a man more precious [scarce] than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir. DAN 10:7 And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. 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. 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. If this heavenly being was Jesus Christ, as it most likely is, we note that others who saw the Glory of God were similarly affected: ISA 6:5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. EZE 1:26 And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it. 27 And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about. 28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake. ACT 9:3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?... 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink. 25 Bloomfield, THE END OF THE DAYS: A STUDY OF DANIEL'S VISIONS, pp. 185, Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, p Noah W. Hutchings, DANIEL THE PROPHET, Oklahoma City, OK: Hearthstone Publishing, Ltd. 1990, 1998, pp. 261, 262. Daymond R. Duck, Larry Richards (editor), DANIEL: God's Word For The Biblically-Inept, Lancaster, PA: Starburst Publishers, 1998, p

6 It would therefore be understandable that Daniel felt the full weight of his unworthiness before the presence of God manifest. He was left without his normal strength. It would also be understandable that Daniel would feel unworthy in the presence of a messenger of God, let alone the glorified Christ, just as the apostle John did. 28 REV 22:8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. 9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. Another Angel DAN 10:10 And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands. 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. 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. 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. 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. Daniel was touched and raised to his knees, and finally to his feet. The one speaking now is most likely different from the Man clothed in linen, another angel, especially because the omnipotent Christ would not be hindered by an angel. He asks Daniel to stand to receive the words that he is commissioned to deliver. 29 There are those that believe that the Man dressed in linen is the same as the one that touched Daniel in these verses. They say that the Man dressed in linen could not refer to the glorified Christ because the Prince of Persia (Satan or one of his henchmen) withstood him for 21 days until Michael came to his aid (verse 13). For this reason some believe that the Man dressed in linen may have been a description of an angelic being, not the omnipotent Christ. 30 However, others believe that this can be answered by the fact that Christ could end the conflict with one word, but God's plan is not yet complete in the history of man. He would therefore restrain himself in this heavenly battle until the course of man's history in God's plan is played out on Earth. 31 However, it is most likely that, beginning in verse 10, this is another angel, rather than the Man dressed in linen. 32 Daniel s words were heard from the moment he began his prayer. As indicated here, there may be spiritual influences that can hinder the response. Prayer requires patience. Notice in verse 12 that there are several requisites for successful prayer. From the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand shows that the condition of man s heart is the first. To chasten thyself before thy God is the second. This can further be divided into subcategories. Determination, desire to learn (teachableness), and repentance are necessary for successful prayer. Once all of these conditions were met then God heard Daniel s words from the first day and responded. But sometimes we ask for wrong things (condition of the heart) and God gives us time to reconsider by a change of our heart condition. We see in verse 13 that determination and singleness of purpose are necessary as a test of the condition of man s heart if we are to receive the answer to our prayers. Often we find that man is doubleminded, and therefore flip-flops on his priorities and his requests. JAM 1:8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. 28 Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, p Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, pp. 245, Bloomfield, THE END OF THE DAYS: A STUDY OF DANIEL'S VISIONS, p John F. Walvoord, THE PROPHECY KNOWLEDGE HANDBOOK, Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1990, p Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, pp.242, Hutchings, DANIEL THE PROPHET, pp. 266, 267. Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, pp. 242, Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, pp. 245,

7 One objection to this being Christ is that He was hindered twenty-one days by the prince of Persia, a fallen angel, and needed help from the angel Michael. However, this objection may be answered by the fact that Christ could permit this if He had a purpose in doing so. There is certainly evidence in Scripture that Christ allowed Satan certain things if it suited Christ s sovereign purposes. He permitted Satan to tempt Him, and angels assisted Him after that same temptation (Mat 4:11). 33 Notice that unseen forces are working to hinder answer to prayer. The prince of Persia was a fallen angelic being. This is power in the heavenlies. Angels are powerful, but they are no match for the Son of God. Look at the power of a single angel in 2 Chronicles. 2CH 32:20 And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven. 21 And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword. Satan is called "the prince of the power of the air" and "the prince of this world." EPH 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: JOH 14:30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. Paul spoke of the spiritual warfare that each Christian faces. EPH 6:12 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. Notice that Daniel was under the earthly control of the prince of the earthly Persian Empire, Cyrus. Notice also that the angelic being described as the prince of the Kingdom of Persia in the heavenly realm was the one that hindered God s messenger. Earthly kings and spirits of darkness in heavenly places rule earthly kingdoms. Therefore the forces controlling this world are the seen and the unseen, the material and the spiritual. This is reality. This is what we contend with. But, those that are with us are greater than those that are against us: 2KI 6:15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? 16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. 17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. Michael was the commander of God s army. Kingdom of Persia. He was more than a match for the prince of the REV 12:7 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. Satan made an all out attempt to prohibit Daniel from receiving this vision because the content of the next chapter, Chapter 11, is his unmasking in the "latter days." 34 The term latter days refers to the prophetic 33 Showers, THE MOST HIGH GOD, pp. 141, Bloomfield, THE END OF THE DAYS: A STUDY OF DANIEL'S VISIONS, p

8 program unfolding in the book of Daniel, indicating the entire history of Israel culminating in the Second Coming. 35 Notice that Jacob referred to this same program. GEN 49:1 And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days. Verse 14 supports the rendering of "tsaba" in verse 1 as "appointed time." "Thy people" is not limited to the Jews for we find in Matthew 3:9: 36 MAT 3:9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. Not only to Jews, but God is reaching out to the Gentiles as well. Notice in the illustration below, that the Old Testament prophets prophesied according to their understanding of the world in their time. OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT PROPHECY 37 In verse 14, the phrase, the latter days as indicated by both Old and New Testament prophecies means the same thing from different perspectives. The Old Testament prophet could see only the peaks of mountains as he gazed further off into the distance. The valleys were concealed from his view. The New Testament prophet had a clearer view of the same event with parts of the valley exposed to view from his perspective. The Old Testament prophet saw the First Coming and the Second Coming, but missed the Church Age and the Rapture. These last terms would not be understood during Old Testament times. In Daniel chapter 9, Daniel saw the First Coming (Peak A). In chapter 11 he saw the Second Coming (Peak C), but missed the Church Age and the Rapture (Peak B). 38 The era of Antiochus Epiphanes was of great concern to Daniel, and was the first peak (Peak X) that came clearly into focus that concerned his people, the Jews Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, p Bloomfield, THE END OF THE DAYS: A STUDY OF DANIEL'S VISIONS, p Phillips, Vines, EXPLORING THE BOOK OF DANIEL, p Phillips, Vines, EXPLORING THE BOOK OF DANIEL, p Phillips, Vines, EXPLORING THE BOOK OF DANIEL, pp. 163,

9 Daniel was Touched DAN 10:15 And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb. 16 And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength. 17 For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me. Verse 16 commences with one who looked like a man touched my lips. Many scholars believe that this may refer to the pre-incarnate Christ, but this is uncertain. 40 In verse 17, though, Daniel, a servant of the Lord, believed that he was speaking to Him, who he served, further reinforcing the possibility that this was the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ. 41 DAN 10:18 Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me, 19 And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me. Daniel had been touched three times. The first touch strengthened Daniel but left him trembling (v10). The second touch enabled him to speak (v16). The third touch strengthened him even more {v18). 42 The heavenly visitor spoke peace and encouragement to Daniel. He told him to be strong. War in the Heavenlies DAN 10:20 Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come. 21 But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince. Not only were things happening on earth, but in heaven as well. Satan's prince of Persia would be vanquished and replaced by the prince of Greece. The vanquishing of Satan's prince of Persia would ensure that the Persian Empire on earth would be defeated and replaced by Alexander s empire of Greece. 43 Verse 20 indicates that there is war in the heavenlies and that the heavenly visitor was returning to that battle. 44 This verse also shows why peace on earth is an impossible goal. There are powerful forces of evil that "secretly ruled the world from an extraterrestrial dimension." 45 The successful campaign against the prince of Persia also resulted in the ending of the Babylonian captivity of the Jews by Cyrus the Persian in 538BC. 46 Verse 21 reveals, that in heaven, accurate records are kept. One difference between the records kept on earth and those of heaven is that the records of heaven are written in advance. The idea expressed here is that God has prewritten the course of history. The beginning and the end are clearly in focus in the eternal realm. 47 This verse shows that Michael is the angel, or prince, that God has placed over His people Israel Phillips, Vines, EXPLORING THE BOOK OF DANIEL, p Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, p Hutchings, DANIEL THE PROPHET, pp. 272, 273. Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, pp. 248, Duck, DANIEL: God's Word For The Biblically-Inept, p Bloomfield, THE END OF THE DAYS: A STUDY OF DANIEL'S VISIONS, p Showers, THE MOST HIGH GOD, pp. 146, Duck, DANIEL: God's Word For The Biblically-Inept, p Phillips, Vines, EXPLORING THE BOOK OF DANIEL, p Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, p Showers, THE MOST HIGH GOD, p Bloomfield, THE END OF THE DAYS: A STUDY OF DANIEL'S VISIONS, p Showers, THE MOST HIGH GOD, pp Duck, DANIEL: God's Word For The Biblically-Inept, p Showers, THE MOST HIGH GOD, p Ironside, DANIEL, p

10 The Lesson to Ponder According to John Walvoord: The entire experience of Daniel in this chapter is on the one hand a reminder of human weakness and insufficiency, and on the other, of divine enablement which will strengthen Daniel for his responsible task of recording this great revelation. 49 The message to us in this chapter is spelled out in Daniel 10:12. DAN 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 [prayer] were heard, and I am come for thy words. We must do as Daniel, we must set our hearts to understand God s words, we must repent, and we must pray. God will provide the strength. 49 Walvoord, DANIEL, The Key to Prophetic Revelation, p