DANIEL — LESSON 13

Scriptures for Lesson 13 are taken from Ezra 1 and Daniel 10.

In Daniel chapter 10 we began a study of Daniel’s fourth and last vision. In Lesson 12, we studied Daniel’s vision of the Prophecy of seventy Weeks where God answer’s Daniel’s prayer about what will happen to Israel following the seventy years of captivity in Babylon. Daniel chapter 10 is the prologue or introduction to Daniel’s last vision which we will study in Daniel chapters 11 and 12. Chapter 10 sets the stage for this last and fourth vision which gathers together the significant threads of prophecy, especially as they relate to the Holy Land and to the people of Israel.

[Ezra 1] (1) In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing: (2) “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: “‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. (3) Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them. (4) And in any locality where survivors may now be living, the people are to provide them with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.’” (5) Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites — everyone whose heart God had moved — prepared to go up and build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. (6) All their neighbors assisted them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with valuable gifts, in addition to all the freewill offerings. (7) Moreover, King Cyrus brought out the articles belonging to the temple of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and had placed in the temple of his god. (8) Cyrus king of Persia had them brought by Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. (9) This was the inventory: gold dishes 30, silver dishes 1,000, silver pans 29, gold bowls 30, matching silver bowls 410, other articles 1,000. 10 In all, there were 5,400 articles of gold and of silver. Sheshbazzar brought all these along with the exiles when they came up from Babylon to Jerusalem.

Cyrus released the Jews, ended their exile according to God’s schedule in 539-538 BC. We learned in Lesson 12 that Zerubbabel, a descendant of King David and Jeshua the High Priest led over 42,000 Jews back to Jerusalem and they began to rebuild the temple. You notice in verse 7 that King Cyrus the gold and silver bowls and plates that the Babylonians took from the temple in Jerusalem when they destroyed it in 586 BC.

[Daniel 10:1] (1) 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.

Our time frame now is about 536 BC. The Jews have been home in Israel for about two years. Daniel has been Babylon 72 years. The events that Daniel will see in his vision in chapters 11 and 12 are a long time in the future about a great war and Daniel was given an understanding or meaning of the vision.

[Daniel 10:2-3] (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.

Again we have three verses here that are an overall picture of the explanation and understanding of the vision that will be explained in the verses that follow. Daniel was so upset by this vision that he mourned for three weeks. During this time he ate and drank only what was necessary. The captivity is over but the Jews are still scattered. Some have gone home to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, but now he learns that they must go through a great war. He mourned for three weeks, 21 days.

[Daniel 10:4-6] (4) 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 fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. (6) His body was like topaz, 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.

Daniel further dates his vision as being the 24th day of the first month. This first month of the Jewish year is Nisson, the 14th day of Nisson is Passover and the next week is the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This is the most important time of the Jewish year, so Daniel would be concerned and thinking about his people. The Tigris River is just north of Babylon about 35 miles.

The man dressed in linen, a belt of fine gold, with bright body and a face like lightning is considered to be the angel Gabriel, who appeared to in Daniel 8:16 and in Daniel 9:21.

[Daniel 10:7-14] (7) I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; those who were with me did not see it, but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves. (8) So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless. (9) Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground. We learn in these verses that Daniel was not alone standing on the bank of the Tigris River. The others did not see the angel but they must have seen or heard something because if frightened them so much that they ran away and hid. As the angel spoke to Daniel, he fell into a deep sleep on the ground. It sounds like he passed out from fright. (10) A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. (11) 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. (12) 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. (13) 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. (14) 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.”

The angel touched Daniel and helped him to stand as he spoke to him. We are told again how highly thought of Daniel is in the heavenly realm. Then the veil is lifted and Daniel is given a look into the unseen world of spiritual beings that work on the earth. These spiritual beings are both good and bad. Some doing the work of God and some doing Satan’s bidding. They are working in the movements of nations and as in this case, protecting the people of Israel. We learn that both the angels Gabriel and Michael were working at that time with the King of Persia. It sounds like Gabriel had struggled with Satan’s angel over the activities of the Persian King and God sent Michael to assist Gabriel. The struggle was so difficult that it took 21 days for them to complete their mission. During that 21 days or three weeks, Daniel had been in a state of mourning. Gabriel then went back to Daniel to finish giving him God’s message concerning what would happen to Israel.

[Daniel 10:14-17] (14) 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.” (15) 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 feel very weak. (17) How can I, your servant, talk with you, my lord? My strength is gone and I can hardly breathe.”

The events in Daniel’s vision are for the far future. Daniel was so upset about what was in the vision that he was weak and could hardly speak. Remember, Daniel is an old man, at least ninety years old.

[Daniel 10:18-21] (18) Again the one who looked like a man touched me and gave me strength. (19) “Do not be afraid, you who are 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.” (20) 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.

The angel strengthened Daniel once again and encouraged him to be strong and to have peace in his heart. Then he told Daniel that he would soon have to go back and do battle with the prince of Persia. This was one of Satan’s angels that Gabriel battled. Then Persia was taken by Alexander the Great and Greece was the nation that ruled over Israel. Greece had its angel that Gabriel had to fight against. So each nation that rules over Israel has a satanic being attached. Gabriel was there to do God’s will and protect Israel.

What can we learn from Daniel chapter 10?
1. Cyrus the Persian King released the Israelite captives exactly when God through the prophets Jeremiah and Isaiah said that he would. God’s prophecies always come true.
2. God still protects us today just as He protected the Israelites. His angels are here watching over us, even though we are unaware.

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