Deeper Commentary

Dan 10:1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia something was revealed to Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar-

Belshazzar only reigned three years so the vision of Dan. 8 given in his "third year" was given around the time of the events of Daniel 5, when Belshazzar was slain and "Darius" took the kingdom. This was the first year of Darius, the time of the visions and events of Dan. 9:1 and Dan. 11:1. So the events of Dan. 5,8,9,11 all occurred within the same year. If Darius and Cyrus were separate kings but co-reigned and overlapped with each other, it's also possible that the third year of Cyrus in Dan. 10:1 was in fact this same year- the first year of Darius. Dan. 1:21 could be read as meaning that Daniel died in the first year of Cyrus; but that may mean the third year of his total rule, if he co-reigned with Darius for the first two or three years. In this case then Dan. 5,8,9,10 and 11 were all within the same year or so.

According to Ezra 3:12, some old men returned to Judah when the possibility was created in the first year of Cyrus. Why not Daniel? Admittedly he was very old at this time. Is this one of the few indications of spiritual weakness in Daniel? Note his confession of personal sin in Dan. 9:20. Others would be in Dan. 3, where the obvious question is ‘Where was Daniel’? Another would be the consideration from Dan. 10:4 cp. Ex. 12:18 that he didn't keep Passover (see on :4). The third year of Cyrus meant 72 years after the captivity. Daniel therefore was wondering why there had been no successful restoration according to Jeremiah's 70 years-to-restoration prophecy- he'd been over 70 years in Babylon. He may also have been distressed that the majority of Jews in Babylon had chosen not to return to Judah; and he would’ve heard that those who had returned had faced huge opposition, indeed the rebuilding of the temple was halted until the second year of Darius (Ezra 4:24). Jewish tradition has it that Daniel did return, finally. He would however have been very elderly, at least in his 90s. And we note that the names of Daniel's friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah occur in the list of names of those exiles who returned. 

The LXX says the first year of Cyrus, and that a "decree" was issued to Daniel. This would agree with Dan. 1:21 saying that Daniel continued until the first year of Cyrus. It's as if in one strand of the Divine working, the decree of Cyrus fulfilled Bible prophecy. But Daniel asks why it hadn't been fulfilled, and is shown in Dan. 10-12 that in fact there will be a great delay in fulfilment. Because clearly Judah were not obedient to the terms of the new covenant which Jeremiah and Ezekiel had proposed. The return from captivity was only to be when Judah returned to God. And they didn't. So it seems Dan. 10-12 is God telling Daniel privately that in fact the apparent restoration wasn't the real thing. It could've been, but God foresaw Judah wouldn't do their part. Daniel surely sensed that. And so he is shown that the plan of restoring the Kingdom would happen, but with a deferred and re-worked fulfilment.  

And it was true, even a great warfare: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision- The "great warfare" is that between the kings of north and south described in chapter 11, which forms part of this vision Daniel now receives. Or we can read as AV "But the time appointed was long", alluding to Daniel's deep disappointment that prophetic timetables were not going to lead to the restoration of the Kingdom during his lifetime. This is a recurrent theme in Daniel.

The long warfare is that which is said to have been ended when the exiles returned (Is. 40:2). But most didn't return, and Cyrus wasn't the Messiah he could have been. So the warfare was as it were extended. Time and again we find God being flexible in response to human freewill. For His prophecies are not determinate of human action to the extent that man is robbed of his freewill. And yet the word was and is true although the warfare was long or prolonged: "the word (is) true, and a great warfare".

Another option is to translate “but it was a great struggle to understand the word”. It was hard for Daniel as it is for so many today to accept the Lord may not return in their lifetimes, despite all their lives having eagerly struggled to match Bible prophecy to geopolitcs.

Dan 10:2 In those days I Daniel was mourning three whole weeks- Daniel's mourning may have been for the fact Israel's sin was precluding the immediate reestablishment of God's Kingdom. In Dan. 9:23, Daniel had experienced praying and then being told that the moment he started to pray, the answer had been given. And now he has another example of it. His fasting we can assume was associated with prayer; three weeks of prayer makes 21 days, and in :12 Daniel is told by the Angel that "from the first day...your words were heard, and I am come for thy words". So because of his prayer ("words"- perhaps put like that to emphasize the power of the 'mere' words uttered in prayer),  an  Angel  was  sent  from  God  to  give  him the  understanding he had asked for. His very first prayer for this was answered- but the actual answer came three weeks later. The reason for this was that the Angel had been withstood by the prince of Persia for 21 days (:13). Three weeks is 21 days. So Daniel's first prayer was answered, but it took the Angel three weeks to work out the answer in practice; but during this time Daniel kept on praying, although at the time it must have seemed to him that no answer was forthcoming. So let us be prepared to persevere in prayer, as those saints in Rev. 8 did and were rewarded by the incense finally being offered by the Angel to the Lord Jesus Christ, and thence to God. It may just be possible that there is a mighty Angel of answered prayer (Gabriel?), in the same way as there is a 'wonderful numberer' co-coordinating the timing of God's purpose, and an Angel specifically representing Jesus and Israel (do these four make up the four forms of Angel manifestation in the cherubim and four living creatures?). This Angel would co-ordinate the presentation and answering of prayers. The Angel then describes  how he confirmed and strengthened Darius (Dan. 11:1) to the same end to enable the prayer to be answered- as if when our Angel sees someone set in a course of action which will lead to the answer of our prayer, they are confirmed and strengthened in it. The wonder of all this needs some reflection. Our words, the thoughts within human brain cells, call forth the Angels from the court of Heaven. “When we cried unto the Lord, he heard our voice, and sent an angel [from the myriads standing on the right and left hands of His throne] and brought us forth out of Egypt” (Num. 20:16). Yet the voice that Angel responded to was the voice not so much of specific prayers but of the situation of the people. And the same is with us... See on Zech. 3:1; Zech. 6:8; Hag. 1:2.

Dan 10:3 I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine into my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, until three whole weeks were fulfilled- This was not only fasting, but an expression of genuine sadness over the Passover period (see on :4). His sadness was clearly that the prophetic program was going to be seriously delayed beyond the 70 years-to-restoration prophecy of Jeremiah, and this was because of the weakness of Judah. Daniel had prayed in Dan. 9 for the restoration to happen anyway, but had been answered by the 70 weeks prophecy. And he would have been so sad that the opportunity to return to the land given in the first year of Cyrus had been responded to by so few Jews; and at the time of the third year of Cyrus (:1) the rebuilding of the temple had been delayed.

Perhaps he had in view the anointing before the Messianic feast of Is. 61:3. Daniel's fasting may mean that he didn't keep Passover (:4, he had been fasting from the 3rd to the 24th of the first month). Both the Passover (on the 14th day) and feast of Unleavened Bread(15th–21st; Ex. 12:1-20) fell within the period of Daniel’s fast.

Dan 10:4 In the twenty fourth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river which is Hiddekel- This means that for 21 days before this, he had been fasting, throughout the Passover period. So Daniel didn’t keep Passover- he kept the eating of unleavened bread but if he didn’t eat any meat, he didn’t eat the Passover lamb. Was his faith in God’s deliverance of His people fading? Or was he spiritually so on another plane that it was OK for him not to keep the Passover, even though the person who didn’t keep it was to be cut off from amongst God’s people? See on :1.

Dan 10:5 I lifted up my eyes, and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, whose thighs were adorned with pure gold of Uphaz-

A man clothed with linen represents both a priest and an Angel (Mk. 16:5; Rev. 15:6). Ezekiel the priest and prophet saw himself thus represented (Ez. 9:2,3,11) yet he also saw the man dressed in linen representing an Angel who was involved with the awesome cherubim system (Ez. 10:2,6,7). He had a guardian, representative Angel that was part of the glorious cherubim. Possibly likewise the Angel of Dan. 10:5 represented Daniel.

The "man clothed in linen" of Dan. 10:5 reappears in Dan. 12:6,7 who is over the waters of the river. This was an Angel in Dan. 8:16, "between the banks of the Ulai [river]". Linen was worn by the priests especially the High Priest on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:4). We note that the term "prince", used in Daniel of Angels, is used of the High Priest in Ezra 8:24 and of a priest in 1 Chron. 24:5. These Angels of Daniel were ministering in the heavenly sanctuary. Michael "stands" for God's people (Dan. 12:1) as the High Priest stood for them on the Day of Atonement; to stand before God is to intercede (Dt. 10:8; Jud. 20:28). The Angel does indeed represent the Lord Jesus and Michael perhaps played His role in the court of Heaven before He came into existence and ascended to His Heavenly role and intercession. The idea is that Michael in previous possible iterations of the prophecy, and the Lord Jesus in the last day fulfilment of it, intercedes for Israel before God in the very last days, leading to their salvation.

See on Rev. 1:13; this appears to be a vision of an Angel representing the Lord Jesus in glory. The white linen represented righteousness (Rev. 19:8), and yet the visions of Zechariah present the leaders of Israel as clothed in "filthy garments". This therefore was the Messianic Saviour who was perfect. It connects with the prophecy of Is. 11:5 about the Messiah who would restore Judah: "Righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins and faithfulness the girdle of his reins". The gold therefore represents His faith and truth (1 Pet. 1:7). This awesome vision of an Angel representing the then-future Lord Jesus was to encourage Daniel that although his life was ending not as he wished, and things hadn't worked out as he had hoped, yet God's purpose remained sure, and there would be a wonderful Messianic redeemer figure who would save him and all God's people from their hopeless lethargy and sin, and bring about the restoration promised, which in their own strength Israel could not bring about.

Dan 10:6 His body also was like the beryl- This stone in the breastplate represented Dan, meaning 'judgment' (Ex. 28:17-21 cp. Num. 2:25). But Dan is absent from the list of the tribes in Rev. 7:5-8. Perhaps the idea is that this is the future Lord Jesus in judgment; and yet also identifying with Dan, the condemned excluded from the Kingdom.

And his face as the appearance of lightning- This was the feature of the Angel cherubim who are presented as present at Judah's exile and being the source of their potential restoration (Ez. 1:13). But the vision is ultimately of the Lord Jesus. The final restorer and Saviour of Israel is Him and not Angel cherubim, and so we note the connection with the vision of the glorified Lord Jesus with a face like the sun, the beams of which could be compared to lightning (Rev. 1:16).

And his eyes as flaming torches- The Angels are as it were God's eyes, and they are associated with the potential work of restoring Judah through the activity of the cherubim (Ez. 10:12; Zech. 4:10). But this is a vision of the future Lord Jesus, who was to take over the work of Angels and personally enable the ultimate restoration of God's people. It is He who has eyes as a flame of fire (Rev. 1:14). Hebrews 1 labours the point that the Lord is not and was never an Angel. Here an Angel is used to represent Him to Daniel, in His then future glory.

And his arms and his feet like burnished brass- The idea of a man who had passed through a furnace [the idea of "burnished"] would have reminded Daniel of the experience of his three faithful friends. This Messianic Saviour was truly human, and representative of all the faithful. Again, this is the language of the cherubim (Ez. 1:7) who were associated with Judah's exile and restoration. But their role and ministry for God's people was to be replaced by the Lord Jesus who likewise is presented as having such feet and arms (Rev. 1:15).

And his voice like the voice of a multitude- This likewise is the language of the cherubim associated with the exile and restoration (Ez. 1:24), but this is also the voice of the Lord Jesus in Rev. 1:15. He has taken over their work, and the potential restoration of Judah to their land by the cherubic Angels has now become reworked as the narrative of the Lord Jesus ultimately restoring and eternally saving all God's true people from bondage to sin.

This individual is the embodiment of the cherubim which Ezekiel had recently seen active for the exiles. Both visions were received by a river of Babylon; and there are so many connections: "His body" = Ez. 1:11,23; "the beryl" or LXX "the chrysolith" was a flashing stone = Ez. 1:16; 10:9; "as the appearance of lightning... as torches of fire" = Ez. 1:13 (R.V. mg.) "‘In the midst of the living creatures was an appearance like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches... and out of the fire went forth lightning". "Like the gleaming of burnished brass" = Ez. 1:7 where the feet of the cherubim "sparkled like the gleaming of burnished brass". "Gleaming" is literally 'as an eye' and connects with Ez. 1:4,16,22,27; 10:9. "Like the voice of a multitude" = Ez. 1:24 (R.V.). The vision of Ezekiel was contemporary with Daniel; he was being encouraged that despite the long delay, God was hugely active, the cherubim were still there endlessly churning away towards the final glory of God. Ezekiel's prophecy opens with the cherubim visible by the rivers of Babylon, having left Jerusalem; but the cherubim of glory are seen returning to the rebuilt temple in Ez. 43. In the first year of Cyrus, the decree had been given for the Jews to return and rebuild the temple. But now in his third year (:1), the cherubim of glory had not returned. They were still in exile as it were. The message was clear- the few Jews who had returned had not obeyed the commands of Ezekiel to rebuild the temple as commanded in Ez. 40-48, and therefore the cherubim of glory had not returned. Nor would they. Instead, the final visions of Daniel give a far more glorious resolution- although it would be at a point far in the future. Michael would stand up for God's people, there would be the resurrection of the dead and eternal life for God's true people. A scenario far more glorious than the glory returning to a rebuilt temple in this life.

The figure ultimately looks ahead to the Lord Jesus who likewise was the bodily image of the Father's glory (Col. 2:9). Hence the description of the risen Lord in Rev. 1:14 has many similarities.

Dan 10:7 I Daniel alone saw the vision; for the men who were with me didn’t see the vision; but a great trembling fell on them, and they fled to hide themselves- There are evident similarities with Saul's encounter with the glorified Jesus in a vision (Acts 9:7; 22:11). We are to understand this vision as being of an Angel who was not Jesus, not represented Him in His then future glory. The Lord Jesus, the future Messiah, was the answer to all Daniel's concerns about the when, where and how of the restoration of the Kingdom. Their trembling and fleeing into hiding is Biblically associated with the reaction of those who feel unworthy and who are condemned. Daniel's faith in God's saving grace was apparently stronger than theirs at this time.

Dan 10:8 So I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me; for my moisture was turned in me into corruption- Daniel was to undergo a figurative death and resurrection. Perhaps this is why he had to be "left alone", to experience the totally personal issues and feelings of death and resurrection. Daniel was disappointed that the Messiah and His Kingdom wouldn't come in his lifetime. So he is given this experience of death and glorious resurrection to encourage him that truly, the best is ahead. At the resurrection, all human strength and glory will be as nothing. No beauty, wealth or human success will have any significance. The Hebrew behind "moisture" is that of dignity of face. Majesty, glory, is the idea of the word (s.w. Ps. 8:1; 45:3; Jer. 22:18; Hos. 14:6; Hab. 3:3). But thereby we will come to identity with the Lord Jesus. For when we read that therefore all that glory ["moisture" "was turned in me into corruption" it means he was disfigured; and the same word is used of how the Lord's face on the cross was "marred" (Is. 52:14). The statement that Daniel was left alone may seem to state the obvious. But this too is an aspect of how we shall be at the resurrection and judgment. All social connections, church, family and friends will not figure at all. We will meet the Lord as we are. And it is for us to develop that personal relationship with Him now. Seeing that's the intention, it's no surprise that human relationships and social connections often go wrong in the lives of those the Lord has chosen as His very own. Daniel later tells the Angel how he feels (:16). Likewise every tongue shall confess how we are nothing. But we must get there in this life.

And I retained no strength- As in Dan. 11:6. Often in Daniel we read of “power” coming from God and being given to and taken from men. Daniel learnt in his own personal experience what this felt like, to enable him to better understand the prophecies he was giving. His mortality and weakness, and ours, is the whole world’s mortality and weakness. The Hebrew word for “power” is that used in Dan. 1:4- Daniel had ability [power] to stand before the earthly King; now he is unable to stand and has no power, before the Heavenly King. All his human strength was being shown to be nothing. Not by [human] power but by God’s Spirit would the restoration be achieved (Zech. 4:6).

Dan 10:9 Yet heard I the voice of his words; and at the time I heard the voice of his words, I had fallen into a deep sleep on my face, with my face toward the ground- This alludes to how in Persian courts, the accused lay prostrate with their face to the ground until the verdict was given; they were raised up if they were innocent. Daniel 10:9-11 describes in parabolic form the judgement, with Daniel representing the saints, rising from the grave (as he rose from "deep sleep" on the ground) in great fear and sense of unworthiness, but being comforted by the Angel with news of how pleasing we have been to them ("O Daniel, a man greatly beloved"). This indicates that the Angels will have a large part to play in the judgement; the Lord Jesus returns from Heaven with the Angels with Him, and they are sent forth to gather the responsible to judgment.

Dan 10:10 Behold, a hand touched me, which set me on my knees and on the palms of my hands- Heb. "set me tottering upon my knees". Presumably this was a repeat of how Gabriel had twice touched him in reassurance before (Dan. 8:18; 9:21). Daniel's great fear and weakness was because the whole vision was a foretaste of the final judgment, when he was to be resurrected and stand before the saviour Messiah of Israel- and be accepted. This was the final answer to all his concerns, and the disappointment of a life that had not turned out as he had expected by witnessing the restoration of the Kingdom as prophesied.

Dan 10:11 He said to me, Daniel, you man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright; for I am now sent to you. When he had spoken this word to me, I stood trembling-

"Greatly beloved" is literally "greatly desired". God has and will have a desire to the work of His hands, as Job finally figured. He desires us, although the extent of that will only be fully felt by us at that wonderful moment. He now is likewise to be the desire of our soul.

Daniel's figurative resurrection was appropriate, because he was so heartbroken that his life was not going to conclude as he had expected, in seeing the restoration of God's Kingdom in Judah. But he is comforted through the vision of the Lord Jesus in His future glory that there would be the sure hope of personal resurrection. Gabriel says that "I am now sent", after the three weeks delay from the first prayer of Daniel being answered. Gabriel came so that Daniel might "understand", but from the end of Dan. 12 it's clear that Daniel didn't understand all the details. But there is no need to understand all the prophetic details to "understand" the essential picture- that God's Kingdom purpose shall come finally true through the Lord Jesus. Or maybe Daniel's final lack of apparent 'understanding' was because he didn't want to finally accept that, and still hankered for Kingdom now.

Dan 10:12 Then he said to me, Don’t be afraid, Daniel- Whenever Angels appear to God's people, they urge them not to fear. Angels will be sent to gather us to judgment, and meeting them will be the first we know that "He's back!". And surely we can expect the same words in that great day.

For from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard- Daniel's prayer for Israel’s restoration was above all a desire to "understand"; but his prayer was surely for the forgiveness and immediate restoration of Israel, as he had prayed in Dan. 9. But God sees to the core. In essence, Daniel was struggling to understand, and God saw this and read this as his prayer. As explained on Rom. 8:26, we know not what to pray for as we ought, but the hidden spirit of our deepest heart is read and understood as our request. See on Dan. 9:23.

And I have come for your words’ sake- Another proof that prayer is immediately heard, though the answer may be long delayed. And is often more glorious than what we had first intended or envisaged.  This is the extreme sensitivity of God Almighty to the words of prayer, the words meant in our hearts. Human words call forth an Angel to be sent from Heaven all the way to a man on earth, struggling for three weeks to human obstacles to the fulfilment of the wish. We see the same thing in Revelation, where human prayer and actions on this earth call forth Angels to leave Heaven and do mighty things on earth- all for our sakes. We could have no greater encouragement towards seriousness and intensity in prayer. One word of prayer can result in Angels being sent all that ‘distance’ from Heaven to earth to assist us, as in Num. 20:16 “when we cried unto the LORD, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt”.

Dan 10:13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; but, behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me: and I remained there with the kings of Persia-

The "prince of Persia" was both the human prince of Persia and his representative Angel in the court of Heaven. The idea of representative Angels is found in Is. 24:21: "On that day the LORD will punish the host of heaven, in heaven, and the kings of the earth, on the earth". Just as Michael is the Angel who represents Israel in Dan. 12:1. The idea of peoples having a guardian or representative angel is also found in Dt. 32:8 LXX. "He fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God". "The chief princes" may refer to a group of senior Angels, perhaps those referenced in Rev. 8:2 ("the seven angels which stand before God").

The prince of Persia is surely Cyrus. He resisted the role set up for him in Is. 45:1 and this was one reason why the potential prophetic program was delayed and rescheduled. We note the language of Isaiah is not saying that Cyrus without doubt would restore Jerusalem. He was bidden do this work: "Who bids Cyrus be wise, and he shall perform all my will" (Is. 44:28 LXX). Cyrus was "stirred to action" by God (Is. 45:13 GNB); but being Divinely stirred to action and actually acting are two different things. He was chosen and appointed to restore the Kingdom (Is. 45:1,4). But men can be chosen and appointed to do things which they fail to do. Israel were chosen and appointed to so much which they failed to achieve. The Cyrus passage in Is. 45 goes on to pronounce woe upon the man who strives with his maker and who is as clay unresponsive to the Divine potter. Cyrus is in view immediately before and after that passage, so it seems to speak of him. And in Dan. 10 we see how the Angels were struggling with him as the Divine Potter struggled with the piece of clay that was Cyrus. It is hard to understand Is. 45:11 unless it refers to Cyrus: "The LORD, the holy God of Israel, the one who shapes the future, says: "You have no right to question me about my children or to tell me what I ought to do!"" (GNB). And especially, the prediction of Cyrus' conversion was a potential that went unfulfilled: "I will give you treasures from dark, secret places; then you will know that I am the LORD and that the God of Israel has called you by name" (Is. 45:3 GNB).

In the record, Cyrus seems willing to restore Israel- but he resisted three weeks. At this time (10:1) the project of the restoration had been temporarily halted, and it took the Angel three weeks to overcome this. Things aren't what they seem- people may appear to act or believe one way, when they've greatly resisted it. This means that Cyrus didn’t simply wake up one morning and decree that the rebuilding could continue; he resisted it, and the Angel had an ongoing battle with him over it. Those who appear ‘on our side’ in life may have actually battled against Angels not to be like that to us. In Dan. 10:20 Angel fought with him; and he remained fighting with the rulers of Persia, and strengthening Darius the Mede in Dan. 11:1- and I there suggest this figure may refer to Cyrus. The "prince" refers to the human prince of Persia, but then the Angel Michael is called "one of the chief princes". Intentionally, the term "prince" is used for both Angels and those whom they represent on earth, in this case, the princes of men. I suggest that the "princes" in apparent conflict are Angels within the court of Heaven; there, each Angel represents a person or entity upon earth. All the Angels are righteous, but they act out the roles of the various situations on earth, and God gives His judgment upon them.  Dt. 32:8 LXX suggests each nation has a representative Angel.

The difficulty with this approach is that it was in the first year of Cyrus that he restored the Jews; we are now in his third year (:1). Perhaps the reference is to the events of Ezra 4, where the Samaritan opposition was given credence at the Persian court. Or possibly the reference is to Cambyses, who was a prince of Persia in the third year of Cyrus, and who apparently was very anti-Jewish. Cambyses was the son and crown prince of Cyrus. Unlike Cyrus, Herodotus details how he was against the toleration of any other gods or religions within his empire. Possibly "the prince of Persia" refers to Cambyses, and "the prince of the kingdom of Persia" to Cyrus. Perhaps other princes were against the policy of Cyrus regarding the Jews- hence Gabriel remained [working] with "the princes of Persia". Yet Michael was "one of the chief princes" (:13). Those "princes of Persia" (:13) had their Angelic representatives in Heaven. We learn from Ezra 4:4,5 that some counselors from among the local inhabitants had been hired by the Persian government to stop the rebuilding of the temple. That shows that not all the Persian government were behind the idea of Judah's restoration. And Cyrus himself suspended the temple reconstruction project.

We note that the prince of Persia "withstood". God of course could have forced him to do His will. But God respects human freewill more than that. He does not force, treating men as mere puppets, but operates at length in such a way whereby His will is done whilst respecting human freewill and self-determination. The original for "withstood" is literally ‘to stand before / in front of’- the same two Hebrew words here translated “withstood” recur in Dan. 10:16, where Daniel ‘stood before’ the Angel. As Daniel stood before the Angel, so the Prince of Persia had also stood before the Angel. It could be understood that Daniel likewise withstood the Angel [see on 10:1 about Daniel’s possible weakness]. But more likely are we to perceive that the Angel had both Daniel and the Prince of Persia standing before Him- and had had this situation for the past three weeks in which Daniel had been in prayer. Our prayers are therefore a coming before God in a judgment scenario; we stand before Him, as our adversaries do; and He will hear us.

Michael came to "help" Gabriel- a common word in the restoration prophecies, promising God’s “help” for Judah’s restoration (Is. 41:10,13,14; Is. 44:2; Is. 49:8). Those promises of “help” were fulfilled in the Angels being sent to help. Michael being "one of the chief" implies a hierarchy amongst Angels; hence Jude 9 speaks of "Michael the Archangel".

Gabriel "remained" with the princes of Persia, implying the physical presence of the Angels is significant. They can as it were only be in one place at a time. We are invited to see them as leaving the court of Heaven in response to our prayers and needs (as in 1 Kings 22:19-22), and moving around the earth to operationalize God’s answers to our prayers- as in Dan. 10:20; 9:21,22; Gen. 18:10. Or we can read the text as meaning that when Michael came to help the other Angel overcome the prince of Persia, that Angel “was not needed there with the kings of Persia” (Dan. 10:13 RVmg.). It seems that once the job was done, the Angel wasn’t physically required there any more. It seems that great stress is placed in Scripture on the Angels physically moving through space, both on the earth and between Heaven and earth, in order to fulfil their tasks, rather than being static in Heaven or earth and bringing things about by just willing them to happen. See on Gen. 18:10.

Dan 10:14 Now I have come to make you understand what shall happen to your people in the latter days; for the vision is yet for many days- This understanding is through the "writing of truth" (:21) which refers to the revelations of Dan. 11. As noted throughout that chapter, the various conflicts between the kings of north and south over the promised land have undeniable connections with historical realities, but they are never a perfect fit to them. They therefore refer to a situation yet to come in the last days; and here we are told that in so many words.

Dan 10:15 And when he had spoken to me according to these words, I set my face toward the ground, and was mute- The fact that the [fulfilment of] the vision was "yet for many days" (:14) was obviously distressing for Daniel. He had several times already been told that he was not to live to see the full restoration of the Kingdom, but no matter how many times we are told things in God's word, even by direct Angelic revelation in his case, we still struggle to accept them on a personal level. Our preconceptions of how things must work out in our own lives are very strong, and to resign them, or allow them to be re-interpreted by God, is so difficult. I will suggest on :16 that Daniel's muteness and staring at the ground is in shame, having been convicted of his sin. Despite being commanded not to fear (Dan 10:12), and being given every encouragement by the Angel, Daniel still fears. To the point he was dumb with fear.

Dan 10:16 Then behold, one in the likeness of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spoke and said to him who stood before me-

The intimate connection between men and Angels is perhaps revealed by the way the Angels who appear in Daniel are never described by the usual Hebrew term for 'Angel', malakh. Instead the Angels are given human-like descriptions" “like the appearance of a man” “one in human[ 'Adam'] form” and “the man Gabriel" (Dan. 8:15; 10:16; 9:21). It has been suggested that "Gabriel’s name is likely a play on the Hebrew word gabor for both “strength” and “man” as seen in the attribution in Daniel 8:15, “an apparition
of a man (gaver)”. The association between the Angel and his charge, Daniel, is shown by the Angel calling Daniel a "man [greatly beloved]"; when the Angel himself, it is stressed, appeared as a "man".

The one "like the son of man" is the Lord Jesus in Dan. 7:13 and Rev. 1:13, a vision very similar to the vision of the heavenly being Daniel has just seen. The one who stood before Daniel was presumably the same one who touched his lips. The awesome being Daniel has just seen was a vision of an Angel, perhaps Gabriel, manifesting the yet unborn Lord Jesus in His future glory, such as will be displayed at His return to resurrect Daniel and restore Israel's Kingdom. There is a similarity with how out of the same cherubic vision which condemned Isaiah, there came a being who touched Isaiah's lips and cleansed him from his sin (Is. 6:5-7). This would mean that Daniel's muteness and staring at the ground in :15 was in shame for his sins; he as representative of Israel, as well as a personal sinner, perhaps feeling guilt that he had so insisted upon seeing the restoration in his own lifetime, felt convicted of sin by the vision of the Christ in glory. And yet it was that same saviour Christ who also cleanses him from his sin.

My lord, by reason of the vision my sorrows are turned on me, and I retain no strength- "Sorrows" is an idea Biblically associated with sin. The vision convicted him of his sinfulness, as any human being would feel in the presence of the Lord Jesus- although of course the Lord didn't then exist, and was represented in His future glory by an Angel. "Turned on me" is the same word as in :8; Daniel's human strength was now felt by him to be nothing, he was totally convicted of his sin.

But "sorrows" is also the word for birth pangs (s.w. Is. 13:8; 1 Sam. 4:19). Daniel felt as prostrate and helpless as a woman in the pains of labour.

Dan 10:17 For how can my Lord’s servant talk with my lord? For as for me, immediately there remained no strength in me, neither was there breath left in me-

The lack of breath or chronic difficulty in breathing connects with the idea of being like a woman in labour (see on :16). He was almost suffocated with sorrow.

This sense of inability to talk with "my Lord" [perhaps said in the same way as David in spirit called Jesus "Lord", Mt. 22:43] reflects a sense of moral unworthiness. He feels not only convicted totally as a sinner, but also dead, as if he has no breath. Daniel has previously identified himself with Israel's sins and also confessed his own sins in Dan. 9:20. But now before the presence, as it were, of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah he had so hoped to see in his own lifetime, he is the more deeply convicted of his sin. It is one thing to intellectually admit that we are sinners; but there are levels to that conviction, and Daniel now reaches a very high level of contrition. And yet from the very vision which convicted him, he is given cleansing and every assurance of salvation. It is the same experience we may pass through, perhaps when remembering the Lord Jesus as appointed at His memorial table.

Dan 10:18 Then there touched me again one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me- This could be another Angel, or perhaps the same "son of man" of :16, representing the Lord Jesus, but described as a different personage here because He assumed a different form. The Lord Jesus likewise used physical touch to assure sinners throughout His ministry; although I again emphasize that the Lord had no personal pre-existence, and we are reading here of an Angel representing the then future Lord Jesus in the glory He shall have at His return in judgment. Hebrews 1 explains in detail that the Lord was not an Angel, but in vision He could be represented by Angels.

Dan 10:19 He said, Greatly beloved man, don’t be afraid: peace be to you, be strong, yes, be strong- I have explained on :15-18 that Daniel was deeply convicted of his sinfulness by this encounter with the Angelic representative of Messiah in glory. Hence he is again assured, and told not to be afraid- of condemnation for his sins. The "peace" wished to him is surely peace with God. And he is encouraged as we are to accept the strengthening of the Spirit.

When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, Let my lord speak; for you have strengthened me- Daniel accepts God's grace in Messiah, and believing that he is indeed forgiven and cleansed, he agrees to listen and have dialogue with "my Lord", the Angelic representative of the then future Lord Jesus.

Dan 10:20 Then he said, Do you know why I have come to you? Now I will return to fight with the prince of Persia. When I go forth, behold, the prince of Greece shall come-

The implication here, as in :13,14, is that the Angel is hectically busy in the fight with the prince of Persia. He uses this busyness to excuse his delayed appearance to Daniel, and says that once he has finished explaining to Daniel, he must be off again to fight with the prince of Persia and also prepare to also fight with the prince of Greece [who would appear about 200 years later]. The impression is given of frenetic activity by the Angels, even working on issues which will only appear on earth after 200 years, in this case. The prince of Persia needed constant attention so that God's saving purpose would not be obstructed. We have but a peek into what was going on behind the scenes of mundane life on earth. It is the same impression Ezekiel was given in the vision of the highly active cherubim, with wheels within wheels buzzing with activity. Whilst on earth, it appeared nothing much was happening to progress God's Kingdom purpose. By faith we are to perceive the same intense activity.

The Greeks were required to take over from the Persians according to Daniel's visions of Dan. 2,7 and 8. But they were still some way off in time [200 years]; but the Angel Gabriel was showing Daniel that he was already at work, even with Persia at its zenith under Cyrus, to bring about God's longer term purpose. Gabriel explained to Daniel that he had to battle with both the rulers of Persia and Greece in order to bring about the fulfilment of Daniel’s prayer for the final restoration to happen. By appreciating the local politics which the Angel brought about between Persia and Greece, we can better understand why Gabriel had to manipulate Greece in order for the Persians to allow the Jews to return, and even to encourage them to do so: “From the point of view of the Persian king a strong pro-Persian Judea was a major threat to the Greek coastal lifeline, and as long as the Greeks dominated the coast and Egypt he supported a strong Judean province headed by a Judean-Persian official and peopled by a pro-Persian population, most of whose families were hostages in Babylon and Persia”- Othniel Margalith.

The references to the Angel princes of Greece, Persia and Israel in Dan. 10:20,21 could suggest that each nation or people has an Angel representative in Heaven. Indeed Dt. 32:8 appears to say so: "[God] laid down the boundaries of every people according to the number of the sons of God", i.e. the Angels. It could even be possible that the strange reference in Eph. 6:12 to wicked spiritual beings in the Heavens refers to the Angelic representatives of the evil nations and powers here on earth. Those righteous Angels represent those powers in the court of Heaven- without themselves personally being the least bit wicked or sinful.

Dan 10:21 But I will tell you that which is inscribed in the writing of truth- What is noted "in the writing of truth" is the detailed predictions in chapter 11. Other such predictions in Daniel, and generally in the prophets, are presented in terms of visions which must be interpreted. But here we have a direct statement of future history without symbols and visions. This has fazed many interpreters, as they encounter what appears to be a recounting of history told in the future tense. But the key is to appreciate that this is simply a revelation to men of what is noted in God's book of time. The events are stated as they shall be, without symbols and visions.

It may be that the Bible or  the "whole counsel of God" existed in written form in Heaven before it was revealed to men. The fact that there is a literal book of life with writing in it indicates that the Angels do use their capacity to read; and will we too in some form in the Kingdom?  But the writing in view is likely the details of the great wars of Daniel 11. This passage would seem to necessitate some written record in Heaven capable of interpretation by the Angels, the meaning of which was being given to Daniel. Gabriel goes on to say "now will I shew you the truth" (Dan. 11:2). So the Angels hear God's word in Heaven, and sometimes inspire men to write some of these words down. Likewise in Rev. 1:1 we learn that the Revelation came from Jesus originally (and from God before that), but was sent to us and signified by the Angel. Does it follow that the Angel was responsible for working out the symbology, the signifying (putting into sign language) of the book, under the infallible guidance of God and Jesus? If so, we can better understand how the Angels eagerly watch over our attempts to understand the word, and are in a position, as Gabriel with Daniel, to step in and assist us in our understanding of it- not least through the trials of life which they bring opening our eyes to it (cp. Job 36:15). However, we know that not all the Angels have this ability, but rather earnestly look into the things contained in the word; or alternatively, they are used by God to work out the symbology which they themselves do not fully understand.

 

And there is none who holds with me against these, but Michael your prince- "Holds with me" is the same word used for 'strengthen' in this chapter. The word ‘strengthened’ occurs several times in Dan. 10. An Angel ‘strengthens’ Daniel, and then comments that “Michael your prince”, another Angel, had also helped him- he had “strengthened himself with me” (Dan. 10:21 RVmg.). But then the Angel comments that “As for me…I stood up to confirm and strengthen him”, i.e. Michael (Dan. 11:1 RV). The Angel who strengthened Daniel was helped by another Angel, Michael, strengthening him; and then that Angel strengthened Michael. This is possibly a window into the nature of our existence and relationship with each other in the future age! The great Angel Michael is described as "your (Daniel's) prince"- i.e. his personal guardian Angel (Dan. 10:21)?

"Hold" translates the common Hebrew word for 'strengthen'. Possibly the idea is that the Angel had no help in the work of strengthening apart from Michael. He will go on to use the word several times of 'strengthening' men to arise and play their roles, just as the previous visions showed God making nations and kings arise and fall. So often it will be used in the next vision: Dan. 11:1,5,6,7,21,32. The Angel is explaining to Daniel how busy he is in this work of strengthening men; it is beyond his sole personal ability, but he only has Michael to help him. It is however the same word just used of the Angel strengthening Daniel (Dan. 10:18,19,21). The guardian Angel of Daniel who was involved in strengthening Daniel had the same power so strengthen not just him but kings and nations.

We should note that these mighty Angels were fighting "against" the princes of Persia and Greece. But Cyrus prince of Persia is presented as being strangely supportive of the Jews returning from exile and rebuilding the temple. The apparent mystery as to why he made that decree is answered: it was the result of a huge amount of Angelic work over a long time. We may pray for something and have an answer, but that answer took a huge amount of Angelic work to achieve. In this case, it seems Cyrus was not cooperative. The language of Angels fighting against him could imply that he was actually against the Jews in some ways and wanted to do them evil, or at least, not to allow their return. And it took Angelic effort to overcome him. The language of Angelic effort and struggle is reflective of how God will never force man against his will but will work so hard to get the balance right between encouragement on one hand, and the railroading of predestiny on the other.