Lesson 10 - Daniel 10

• HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

  10:1 states "the third year of Cyrus king of

  Persia." Babylon fell in October 539 BC, so

  depending on the particular way of counting

  time by the Mesopotamians, the first year of

  the reign of Cyrus corresponds to 538 BC.

  Therefore, the third year of his reign for the

  spring began in 536 BC and ended the

  spring of next year.
• Ezra 1 and 2 tell us that many Jews returned

  in 538 BC. The anguish that bothers Daniel

  is the fate of those who returned, since

  according to Ezra 3 and 4, there was

  opposition from the Samaritans to the

  arrival of the Jews and the rebuilding of the

  Temple (Ezra 4:4, 5). This crisis leads to

  fasting and prayer of the prophet and the

  Lord responds in an extraordinary way, as

  recorded by the text of Daniel 10 to 12.
• The crisis has spread well beyond the life of

  Daniel. During the reigns of Cyrus and his

  son Cambyses (530-522 BC) the

  reconstruction work virtually stopped.

  Finally, the Lord would act in Judah

  through the ministry of Haggai and

  Zechariah (Ezra 5:1, 6:14), and King Darius

  the Great (522-486 BC) would authorize the

  completion of the sacred building (Ezra 6:1-

  12 ) which was completed in 516 BC (Ezra

  6:15).
• THE FAST OF DANIEL

  The prophet was fasting and he avoided

  festive meal and even the toilet that makes

  every respectable person (2 Sam 12.20;

  14:2, Ecclesiastes 9:7 -10). Every Jew

  should eat lamb during the Passover, and

  according to Jewish tradition, four cups of

  wine. Daniel longed for the liberation of his

  people as in the past in Egypt, so it would

  refrain from Passover until the nation and

  the temple were safe.
• THE FAST OF DANIEL

  The Hebrew expression suggests

  that the weeks were full weeks. For

  that one week should be complete

  it must start and conclude after

  seven days, therefore they

  culminated in the Saturday, the

  seventh day.
• THE MAIN CHARACTER OF THE VISION

  This Heavenly Being (10:4-6) is no

  other than Jesus.
• Ch 2 DANIEL PRAYS WITH HIS FRIENDS

  GOD GAVE THE DREAM AND ITS INTERPRETATION
• Ch 6 DANIEL PRAYS 3 TIMES BY DAY

  GOD SEND HIS ANGEL AND CLOSED THE LIONS’ MOUTHS
• Ch 9 DANIEL PRAYS FOR HIS CITY AND THE TEMPLE

  GOD SENT GABRIEL WITH THE 70 WEEKS PROPHECY
• Ch 10 DANIEL PRAYS FOR HIS PEOPLE


  GOD SENT JESUS WITH A MARVELOUS PROPHECY
• CONECTION BETWEEN DANIEL 10 AND REV

  1.John was the recipient of the visions of his

  book on the “Lord’s day”, like Daniel (Rev

  1:10)

  2. Jesus is described in the same way in both

  chapters (10:4-6; cf. Rev 1:12-15).

  3. Both fell in ground before the Lord (10:7-9;

  cf. Apoc. 1:16).

  4. Both were exiles at the time they received their

  visions.

  5. Daniel was took captivity when he was 18.

  John became a disciple of Jesus at the same

  age.
• CONECTION BETWEEN DANIEL 10 AND REV 1 (con)

  6. Daniel had been in captivity for seventy

  years. John received his vision on AD 96

  and had not seen Jesus personally for

  almost seventy years.

  7. John was the same age as Daniel at the

  time they received their visions.
• CONECTION BETWEEN DANIEL 10 AND REV 1 (con)

  CONCLUSION: The vision of Daniel 10 to12

  and Revelation 1 are the bridge that joins

  the prophecies of these books.
• DANIEL IN VISION


  “A day-vision or trance is here

  distinguished from a night vision or

  prophetic dream such as Daniel records in

  chapter seven. The effect of the vision on

  Daniel's companions is the same here as

  when Jesus appeared to Saul on the

  Damascus road (Acts 9:3-7; 22:6-9).
• Symptoms of a prophet in vision

  • The strength left the prophet (10:8).
  • He fell to the sound of the voice of the Heavenly Being (10:9).
  • He prophet was gradually strengthened (10:10).
  • He stood up to the angel's command (10:12).
  • He spoke when the angel touched the lips (10:16).
• DANIEL IN VISION


  He was in a trance, like Peter (Acts 10:9-11)

  and Paul (2 Cor 12:1-2), and Ezekiel (Ezek

  8:1-3; 11:24-25), unconscious of his

  immediate surroundings for the time being,

  his attention so fully absorbed in the things

  he is shown that he seems to take part in

  them (Dan 12:5-9; Rev 1:10; 5:4-5; 21:5;

  19:10)
• THE PRAYER

  • It's amazing to think that three weeks of

  fasting and cry of the prophet were really

  unnecessary for the Lord addressed. “Since

  the first day... your words were heard”

  (Dan 10:12).

  • No longer impact the reality that no matter

  how insignificant and lonely that could be

  the prayer of the prophet, had spiritual

  consequences, and global effects.

  • What great power is behind the prayer!
• THE PRAYER

  • The delay of the answer was more than test

  the prophet’s faith.

  • There are more complicated circumstances,

  as the cosmic struggle between Christ and

  Satan, that prevent the answers come

  immediately.

  • The insistence of Daniel reminds us that the

  Lord wants us to persevere. “Constants in

  prayer” (Rom 12:12) reminds us of the

  Apostle Paul.
• STRUCTURE

  A Circunstances of the vision, 10:1-3

  B Meet a celestial Being, 10:4-6

  C Daniel speaks with an angel, 10:7-12

  D CENTER Michael, 10:13

  C’ Daniel speaks with an angel, 10:14-20

  B’ Celestial Support, 10:21

  A’ Circumstances of the angel, 10:21-11:2a
• Michael

  Archangel, chief of the angels, led the angels in their fight against the armies of the Enemy
• Michael

  • Prince of the armies of God
  • Divine being, not to be worshipped
• Christ will come with "voice of the archangel"


  1 Thes 4:16, John 5:28-29
• Meaning of "Michael"

  "Who like God?" Only Jesus fills that requirement
• Only God can be worshipped, and this character at any time prevents such an act
• The Scriptures indicate that Christ will come with "voice of the archangel"
• The name "Michael" in Hebrew means "Who like God?" Only Jesus fills that requirement
• DANIEL 10:13

  A But the prince of the kingdom of Persia

  opposed me twenty-one days.

  B So Michael, one of the chief princes,

  came to help me,

  A’ and I left him there with the prince of

  the kingdom of Persia
• Ahad


  Can be used in the sense of cardinal "one", or ordinal "first"
• Ahad


  "the first of the chief princes"
• The phrase "one of the chief princes" is not saying that Michael is one of a group of princes and is equal to them
• The phrase "one of the chief princes" is simply placing Michael among their peers, not saying he is equal to others
• Revelation 12:7 says that Michael is the chief of all angels
• The heavenly army has many different categories or divisions with their respective leaders
• Christ Jesus is the Leader over them and about them
• THE CENTRAL MESSAGE

  • The Scriptures remind us that divine help came in

  support of the people of God to protect him from

  his enemies (Num 10:35, 36; Jud. 15:19, 20; Hab

  3:12, 13; Ps 68).

  • The idea of different gods who cared for the

  nations was common in the ANE (cf. 2 Kings

  18:33-35).

  • On the other hand, the Bible speaks of a heavenly

  council (1 Kings 22:19; Job 1:6, Psalm 82) where

  there are beings in favor of the God of heaven but

  also in opposition to him (cf. Job 1:7-10 ) which

  will ultimately be punished (Isa 24:21, Eze 28, Ps

  82).
• THE CENTRAL MESSAGE

  • The nature of the opposition can be understood in

  two ways. First, as a legal opposition (cf. Job 1, 2,

  Zech 3). Secondly, as a military war, an idea

  suggested by the verb Laham at 10:20. Although

  the term is understood in a metaphorical way

  (Deut 20:4) and not a melee fight.
• IN THE LATTER DAYS

  • For an understanding of the prophecy in

  chapter 11 verse 14 is important. This text

  tells us that the vision is concerned with the

  people of God and their destiny. Other

  nations are mentioned only if they affect the

  lives of God’s chosen people.

  • The use of this key escathological phrase

  indicates that the scope of the vision in

  chapters 11-12 will be the same as that in

  chapters 2 and 7.
• WHO IS “ONE IN HUMAN FORM” (10:16,18)?

  • The fact that Daniel calls him "my Lord" (10:16,

  17, 19). It applies not only to the Deity, but also

  human beings (Gen 20:4, 23:6, 11, 15; 24:14, 18;

  33:8, 13; Ex 32:22, etc.). And also to angelic

  beings (Zech. 1:9, 4:4, 5, 13, 6:4).

  • He notices that he was with the kings of Persia (cf.

  10:13) and he must return to keep fighting the

  Prince of Persia (10 : 20).
• WHO IS “ONE IN HUMAN FORM” (10:16,18)?

  • Again Michael is mentioned in the 3rd person

  (10:21). Gabriel who announced to the prophet's

  vision of 8:1-12 (cf. 8:16), is visiting him again to

  explain the Seventy Weeks (9:21). It is logical to

  propose that who appears in this apocalyptic

  section of the book (Chapters 8-12) is the same

  angel. The mention of Darius the Mede (11:1)

  suggested identifying the angel Gabriel (cf. 9:1).
• STRUCTURE OF 10:21-11:2a

  A But I am to tell (nagid) you

  B what is inscribed in the book of truth (emeth).

  C There is no one with me who contends (hazaq)

  against these princes

  D except Michael, your prince.

  C’ As for me, in the first year of Darius the

  Mede, I stood up to support (hazaq) and strengthen

  him.

  B’ "Now the truth (emeth) to you.

  A’ I will announce (nagid)