Above All Else

“In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar. The message was true, but the appointed time was long; and he understood the message and had understanding of the vision.” Daniel 10:1

Daniel 10-12 describe more fully the vision of Daniel 8 by a second vision on the same subject, just as the vision of Daniel 7 more fully explains more fully the vision in Daniel 2. Daniel 10 is the prologue, Daniel 11 is the prophecy itself, and Daniel 12 is the epilogue. Daniel 10 reveals the spiritual view of historical events. God’s angels aid the servants of God’s Word. [JFBC]

Five years have passed since Daniel’s vision of chapter 8. The vision would prove to be true in the future. Some portions of the vision would not be fulfilled until 300 years later, so thus, he wrote, “the appointed time was long.” It was, however, made as plain to him as if it had been a history rather than a prophecy. [MHC]

“In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.” Daniiel 10:2-3

In chapter 8, Daniel fasted, put on sackcloth and ashes as an outward expression of his inward grief over sin. Here, five years later, he mourns for three weeks because wants to understand the vision. He abstains from meat, wine and desirable foods.

In Revelation 4:5-6, John “wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to remove its seven seals.” Thanks be to God for Daniel and John who mourned until God revealed to them what He was about to do. In Matthew 5:4, Jesus said, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Jesus is one reveals the meaning of God’s Word to servants of His Word.

“Now on the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, that is, the Tigris, I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Uphaz! His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like torches of fire, his arms, and feet like burnished bronze in color, and the sound of his words like the voice of a multitude.” Daniel 10:4-6

Daniel was by the Tigris River. Previously, he was taken by a vision of the night to the Ulai River. Ezekiel was given a vision of God by the Chebar River. Flowing rivers are symbolic of the flow of God’s Spirit in Psalm 46:4, John 7:38 and Revelation 22:1-2.

God gives Daniel a vision of a heavenly man. The man fits the description of Jesus in Revelation 1:13-15, “In the midst of the seven lampstands one like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters.”

“And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision; but a great terror fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. Therefore I was left alone when I saw this great vision, and no strength remained in me; for my vigor was turned to frailty in me, and I retained no strength. Yet I heard the sound of his Words; and while I heard the sound of his words I was in a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.” Daniel 10:7-9

The Lord Jesus gave Saul of Tarsus a similar experience when in Acts 9:7-9, “The men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one.” “He was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.” Saul did not eat or drink for three days whereas Daniel abstained from certain delicacies for the three weeks after his vision. In Acts 9:10-17, God sent Ananias to Saul to further instruct him about the vision. In Daniel 10:10-21, God sends the angel Michael to help Daniel with his understanding of the vision.

The vision that God gives Daniel leaves him weak. He falls into a deep sleep with his face to the ground.

“Suddenly, a hand touched me, which made me tremble on my knees and on the palms of my hands. And he said to me, ‘O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the Words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.’ While he was speaking this Word to me, I stood trembling.” Daniel 10:10-11

As he sleeps a hand touches him. He is trembling. Then, a voice tells him that he is greatly loved. The voice calls him to stand up and understand God’s Word. He stands up but is still trembling.

“Then he said to me, ‘Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me 21 days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come.” Daniel 10:12-14

The Lord affirmed Daniel. What did he do right? He set his heart to understand God’s Word. He humbled himself before God. He prayed to God. In Daniel 9:2, he testified that he mourned three full weeks. He was waiting for a revelation from God. The angel explains to him that from first day he prayed to God, God heard him, but there was no manifest answer to his prayer because “the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood” him for those three weeks. Daniel’s angelic messenger needed the angel Michael’s help to overcome the Prince of Persia.

In Matthew 17:19-21, 19, the disciples asked Jesus why they could not cast out a certain demon. At first, Jesus mentioned their “unbelief” but also added, “this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” So, there are some spiritual strongholds that require more patience and greater faith to get past than others.

Sometimes grief over sin is what is needed to break spiritual strongholds. In Joel 2:12-13, the Lord says, “Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning. Rend your heart, and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and He relents from doing harm.” In James 4:7-10, the Lord says, “Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” Ecclesiastes 3:4 says there is, “A time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance.” Psalm 126:5-6 speaks of “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”

“When he had spoken such words to me, I turned my face toward the ground and became speechless. And suddenly, one having the likeness of the sons of men touched my lips; then I opened my mouth and spoke, saying to Him who stood before me, ‘My Lord, because of the vision my sorrows have overwhelmed me, and I have retained no strength. For how can this servant of my Lord talk with you, my Lord? As for me, no strength remains in me now, nor is any breath left in me.” Daniel 10:15-17

At first Daniel is face down and speechless. Then, one like the sons of men, the preincarnate Christ, appears to him. He touches Daniel’s lips so he can speak. It is only in Christ that we find our speech to speak with God frankly and honestly. Daniel tells the Lord that the vision has caused him overwhelming sorrow. He has no strength. He is out of breath.

“Then again, the one having the likeness of a man touched me and strengthened me. And He said, ‘O man greatly beloved, fear not! Peace be to you; be strong, yes, be strong!’ So, when He spoke to me I was strengthened, and said, ‘Let my Lord speak, for You have strengthened me.’ Then He said, ‘Do you know why I have come to you? And now I must return to fight with the prince of Persia; and when I have gone forth, indeed the prince of Greece will come. But I will tell you what is noted in the Scripture of Truth. No one upholds Me against these, except Michael your prince.” Daniel 10:18-21

The Lord touches Daniel a second time and strengthens him a second time. He reminds Daniel that he is greatly beloved. He should not fear. He says to Daniel what Jesus said to His disciples after His resurrection from the dead... “Peace be to you.” Isn’t this what the Lord closeness does for us? He gives us peace that surpasses all understanding. As Paul wrote in Romans 8:31-32, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” Yes, the world is cruel, but God is bigger and better than the world. He created it. He helps us to navigate through every trial and arrive safely at heaven’s shore.

The Lord leaves Daniel to go fight against the prince of Persia. Michael means “like God.” This could be a reference to Christ who is the very image of God. John Wesley's Explanatory Notes says of this verse, “Michael — Christ alone is the protector of His church, when all the princes of the earth desert or oppose it. The Geneva Bible Translation Notes says of this verse, “This angel was appointed for the defense of the Church under Christ, who is the head of it.”

How earnest are we to know what God has said about our future in the Bible? What is happening in our world now, and what is yet to come? What about eternity? How can we stand before a holy God? Is saving faith in Christ above all else to us? 


[JFBC] = Jamieson Fausset Brown Commentary
[MHC] = Matthew Henry Commentary