Daniel 10

Daniel 10:1-9

This chapter and the two next (which conclude this book) make up one entire vision and prophesy, which was communicated to Daniel for

the use of the church, not by signs and figures as before, chap. vii. and viii. but by express words; and this was about two years after the vision in the foregoing chapter. This chapter shews us, 1. Daniel’s solemn feeling and humiliation, ver. 1—3. 2. A glorious appearance of the Sun of God, and the deep impression it made upon him, ver. 4—9. 3. The encouragement that was given him to expect such a discovery of future events, as should be satisfactory and useful both to others and to himself; and that he should be enabled with to understand the meaning of this discovery, though difficult, and to have up under the lashes of it, though dazzling and dreadful, ver. 10—21.

1. IN the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia, a thing was revealed unto Daniel, (‘whoe name was called Beheshazaz) and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long, and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision. 2. In those days I Daniel was ‘mourning three t full weeks. 3. I ate no t pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine at my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled. 4. And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is ‘Hildekel’: 5. Then I lift up mine eyes, and looked, and behold, ‘a certain man clothed in linen, whoe 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. 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 s 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.

In the third year of Cyrus, this last of Daniel’s prophecies bears date. He was now a very aged man, and high in God’s favour, who revealed to him another scene of events, which would certainly come to pass in their appointed season; though the time was long, at the distance of three hundred years: and this vision was not couched under any emblematical figures, as the former, but in direct words declared; so that he had a clear understanding of the facts related, and of the things that should come to pass.

We have an account.

1. Of the situation in which the prophet was when this vision appeared to him: he had been mourning three full weeks, and ate no pleasant bread; what he used was course as well as scanty; he neither talked, did not scare, nor anointed himself during the whole time, but spent it in deep humiliation of soul and body before the Lord. The cause, some suggest, was the wickedness of the Jews he had foreseen in cutting off the Messiah, and the desolations which would follow: or, as others, the backwardness of many in Babylon to return to Jerusalem, or the obstruction and difficulties they met with who were returned to Judea. But whatever was the cause, it shewed the mortified spirit of this holy faint of God, and the concern he bore towards his people.

2. A glorious personage appears to him: he was by the river Hildekel, with others probably assembled for the purposes of devotion, when lifting up his eyes, he saw a man, the man Christ Jesus, who in the fulness of time should become incarnate: he was clothed in ascendant garments of linen, as the great high priest of our profession, in spouses innocence, girt with a girdle of the gold of Uphaz; intimating his own excellence and perfection, and his readiness to fulfil the work which was given him to do: his body was like the beryl, beautiful and polished; his countenance bright as the lightning, and full of awful majesty, and his eyes shone as lamps of fire, piercing into the secrets of the soul, and speaking terror to his enemies: his arms and feet like polished brass, denoted his almighty power and stability to uphold his church and people, and tread down their toes; and his voice like the voice of a multitude, loud and heard afar off; the voice of his judgments, and especially of his gospel. Just in the same manner he afterwards appeared to John, Rev. i. 13—15.

3. This glorious person was visible to him, but not to those who were with him; yet they heard and saw enough to fill them with deep consternation, so that they fled to his champions, whilst Daniel remained alone before the Lord, and overwhelmed with the brightness of his glory, he fell into a swoon at his feet, pale as death, and his strength utterly gone; so unable are the best of men, in this frail state of mortality, to bear the discoveries

The word of the Divine glory: yet, though prostrate on the ground, and his bodily fences locked up in sleep, he heard the voice of his words; the Lord having other ways of conveying his mind to us than through the organs of fences; he can speak immediately to the soul.

10. ¶ And * behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees, and apse 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 doest set thine heart to understand, and to challen 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. 15. And then 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 forrows 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, straight-way there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me. 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. 20. Then said he, Knoweth 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.

¶ Ibid. Junghroch handi.

Daniel 10:10-21

From this debilitated state of body, the prophet is by degrees restored, and raised up to hear the words of the vision.

1. An hand touched me, not the hand of Christ, but one of his ministry servants in a human form, v. 16. and raised him up on his hands and knees, then bid him stand upright, which he did, though still trembling, v. 11. Thus the Lord raises up objected souls from the depths of despair; a beam of hope and comfort first breaks in: improving the little strength God bestows, they begin to stand up; yet unwithstanding, their fears and doubts for a while still keep them trembling.

2. The angel kindly encourages him: he assures him of God’s great regard to him, v. 11. bids him not fear, v. 12. but receive with attention what he was about to declare to him, v. 11. for God had heard his supplications from the moment he began to speak, had respect unto his humiliations, and had sent on purpose to inform him of what should befall his people in the latter days; in the days of Antiochus: and the prophecy extends also to more distant events, even to the reign of Antiochists, the resurrection of the dead, and the end of time; for the vision is for many days. The angel farther informs him, that he was detained in the court of Persia one and twenty days, the time of Daniel’s mourning, to counteract the devices of the prince of the kingdom of Persia, either Cambyses, or rather an evil angel, who had been endeavouring at the court of Persia to do some mischief to the people of God; but the enemy was disappointed, for Michael, a chief archangel, or rather the prince of angels, the Lord Jesus, came to Gabriel’s help, strengthened him to disappoint the designs that were forming; for which end he had abode so long with the king and nobler of Persia. Note, (1.) A sense of God’s love to our souls, is the grand barrier against terrifying fear. (2.) The moment God’s people begin to speak, his ear is attentive to their prayers, and ready to grant their petitions. (3.) Whatever plots devils or men form against Christ’s people, he is able to battle their attempts, and save his chosen from the power of evil. (4.) Though we need not pry curiosity into the nature and employment of angels, much less pry them adoration, we may be thankful to the prince who employs them, for unnumbered kind offices we owe them, when ourselves were not apprehensive of the least danger.

3. The prophet, though raised upon his feet, with downcast eyes, dumb with amazement and reverential awe, stood statue-like and motionless at these words, till the same kind hand that raised him from the dust, touched his lips, and gave him liberty of speech: when, with deepest respect addressing the heavenly messenger, the prophet owns his terrors, and acknowledges their cause. The vision had overpowered him, conscious of his own detestment and impurity; for faith he, How can the servant of this my lord, I who am but dust and afters, talk with this, or, that my lord; the glorious perfomage who had appeared to him, and probably still was near him: no marvel his strength failed him, and that his breath even now scarce sufficed to tell his fears, v. 17. Note, (1.) A sense of the infinite distance between a holy God and a sinful worm, should justly overwhelm us with reverential awe, and make us own when we approach him, how unable we are to order our speech, by reason of darkness. (2.) Till God, by the effectual hand of his grace, touch our lips and soothe the string of our tongue, we can neither speak of him nor to him aright.

4. To remove all his fears, the third time the angelic messenger drew near, and by a touch communicated strength, both to the prophet’s body and mind, that he might be capable of converting with him, and attending to the message he was sent to bring him. To remove all his fears, the angel repeats the assurances of God’s love; encourages him to resume his wretched peace; wishes him all prosperity in body and soul; bids him he strong in the Lord and the power of his might, and call away every distressing apprehension, since God so highly regarded him. Power accompanied his word; and Daniel, now sensible of an increase of strength, and acknowledging the favour, is ready, with deepest respect, to hear whatever his honoured visitant shall say. Note, (1.) God speaks peace to the troubled consciences of his people, and by his spirit seals the word in their hearts. (2.) Though we of ourselves are weak as infancy, we can do all things through Christ strengthening us.

5. He gives him in general a hint of what he more fully explains afterwards. When said he, Knoweth thou wherefore I am come unto thee? it was, as he had told him, in answer to his prayers, and to inform him concerning his people, v. 13, 14. and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia; to continue to battle his malice against the people of God: and when I am gone forth, having finished his work successfully, is the prince of Grecia shall come; under the Grecia monarchy, which should succeed the Persians, the same evil spirit would seek to raise up a spirit of persecution against the Jewish people, especially by means of Antiochus. But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth, in the decrees of God, concerning these future events: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince; even Christ, the prince and head of his church, by whole upholding strength the ministry of his servants becomes effectual, and who will be the everlasting protector and defender of his people, from all the malice and enmity of earth or hell.