Daniel 10

Daniel 10:1

X. VISION OF GOD’S GLORY INTRODUCING OUTLINE OF COMING EVENTS (Chap. 10)10:1-9 The events of this chapter took place in the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia. Some captives had already gone back to Jerusalem, as permitted by Cyrus’s decree, but Daniel had remained in exile. After mourning for three weeks, perhaps because of discouraging reports from those who had returned (the work on the temple had stopped), because of the poor spiritual condition of those still in exile, or because he wanted to know the future of his people, Daniel was standing by the banks of the Tigris (Heb., Hiddekel). There he saw a vision of a glorious man clothed in linen. This description resembles that of the Lord Jesus in Rev_1:13-16. 10:10-14 Then a voice explained why Daniel’s prayers had been delayed. The prince of the kingdom of Persia had opposed for twenty-one days. Who is this prince (or ruler) who withstood the answering of Daniel’s prayer for so long? Since Michael the archangel and protector of Israel is called into the fray, it must be an evil angelic power, one stronger than a merely human “prince.” Leon Wood, in his excellent commentary on Daniel, explains: Because Greece also would have a similar “prince” assigned to her in due time (cf. v. 20), and God’s people would be under Greece’s jurisdiction following Persia’s fall to Greece, the suggestion seems reasonable that Satan often assigns special emissaries to influence governments against the people of God. Certainly this chapter has much to contribute regarding the nature of struggles between the higher powers in reference to God’s program on earth (cf. Eph_6:11-12). But how could the Prince of Persia successfully resist the Lord for twenty-one days, and why would the omnipotent Lord need the help of Michael (v. 13)? One suggestion is that “the certain man” in verses 5 and 6 is not the Lord but an angelic being, perhaps Gabriel. In either case, the voice explained why Daniel’s prayers had been hindered; as already mentioned, the prince of the kingdom of Persia was responsible. The voice also promised to reveal the things which would happen to Daniel’s people, the Jews, in the latter days. This is done in chapters 11 and 12. 10:15-19 There is a question whether the voice was that of the man in linen or the voice of an angelic messenger. Daniel became weak and speechless by this experience, but was strengthened by one with human appearance. 10:20, 21 Then this one whom Daniel addressed as “my lord” said that he must first fight with the prince of Persia, then encounter the prince of Greece. He would reveal further to Daniel what is written in the Scripture of Truth. Michael, “your” (Daniel’s and his people’s) prince, was the only one who stood firmly with him in these battles.