Summary of Daniel 10:1-11:1
Daniel received a vision from God during the reign of Cyrus, king of Persia. Daniel saw a man dressed in linen with a belt of fine gold. 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 fell into a deep sleep. He was touched by the man. Daniel was overwhelmed by the vision and felt weak. The man touched Daniel and gave him strength. The man will return to fight against the Prince of Persia and the prince of Greece will come.
After Daniel fasts for three weeks, he is overwhelmed by a vision of a glorious divine being. An angel strengthens him, explaining his 21-day delay was due to a spiritual battle against the demonic “prince of Persia.”
BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 8, Day 2: Daniel 10:1-11:1
3a) Daniel received a vision from God during the reign of Cyrus, king of Persia (around 536 BC), and it concerned a great war. The verse places the aged, faithful prophet at the end of his life, still earnestly seeking God, and at the precipice of receiving his final, longest, and most detailed prophecy about future conflict.
b) Daniel saw a man dressed in linen with a belt of fine gold. 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 had no strength left and he fell into a deep sleep.
c) A hand then touched him and told him he was highly esteemed. He told Daniel not to be afraid, and he would explain to him what he saw. He was encouraged and strengthened with words and with touch.
4a) Prayer is necessary when you are overwhelmed, weak, and just need God’s presence. God will come and offer you His strength and courage to carry on. These verses teach that prayer is necessary because it immediately dispatches a response from heaven. Its power is revealed as Daniel’s persistent prayer on earth is directly linked to the outcome of an unseen spiritual battle. It shows that a delay in receiving an answer doesn’t mean God hasn’t heard.
b) The purpose of the encounter was for God to tell Daniel that soon he will return to fight against the prince of Persia, and when he goes, the prince of Greece will come; but first, I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth. The angel’s purpose was twofold: primarily, to reveal the detailed prophecy of future events written in the “Book of Truth.” Secondarily, he explained the unseen spiritual warfare behind history by describing his angelic battles against the demonic “princes” of Persia and Greece who influence these earthly kingdoms.
5) I learn that God hears prayers the moment they are offered. It reveals, however, that the delivery of His answer can be delayed by unseen spiritual warfare. It shows that our persistent prayers are significant in a cosmic conflict where God dispatches mighty angels to ensure His message prevails.
Conclusions BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 8, Day 2: Daniel 10:1-11:1
I love when God appears to humans and reveals great things. Such wisdom here!
End Notes BSF Study Questions Exile & Return: A Time to Build Lesson 8, Day 2: Daniel 10:1-11:1
We will read about Daniel’s vision he received in 536 BC under King Cyrus, in the last three chapters of his book.
Fasting can bring clarity.
The exiles are beginning to return to Jerusalem during Cyrus’ reign.
No one is sure the exact reason for Daniel’s mourning. It could have been the opposition to building the temple or that so few had returned to Jerusalem so far.
The man could either be Jesus since the description mirrors what John described Revelation 1:12-16. It could be the angel, Michael Daniel 10:13.
Daniel could not stand before the man.
Daniel again is called “highly esteemed” (Daniel 9:23)
The man appeared because of Daniel’s prayer. This is a profound testament to the power of prayer. God also responded the moment of the prayer.
The prince of Persia was a type of angel and it was evil since it opposed God. This was a high-ranking angel (Ephesians 1:21, Ephesians 6:12, Colossians 1:16, Colossians 2:15). This angel delayed the answer to Daniel’s prayer by 3 weeks.
The delay probably helped Daniel to keep being persistent in prayer.
An angel touched Daniel to strengthen him.
The angel must fight the prince of Persia and Greece before Daniel’s prayer could be answered.
Fun Fact: This is the first time Michael appears in the Bible.
Fun Fact: The Bible does not mention this book of Truth except for here.
END NOTES SUMMARIZED
Daniel 10:1-11:1 serves as a profound prelude to Daniel’s final vision, pulling back the curtain to reveal the reality of cosmic spiritual warfare behind earthly events.
The interpretation of its key elements is as follows:
- Spiritual Warfare Revealed: The most striking revelation is the angel’s 21-day delay. He explains he was engaged in a battle with a demonic “prince of the Persian kingdom” and that the “prince of Greece” is yet to come. This shows that earthly empires have corresponding spiritual powers that actively oppose God’s purposes.
- The Power of Persistent Prayer: The angel states that God heard Daniel “since the first day” he began his three-week fast. This directly links Daniel’s prayer on earth to the spiritual battle in the heavens, demonstrating that the humble, persistent prayer of the faithful is a powerful and crucial element in this conflict.
- The Overwhelming Nature of the Divine: The vision of the glorious divine being is so overwhelming that it physically incapacitates Daniel, leaving him weak and speechless. He must be supernaturally strengthened multiple times just to receive the message, emphasizing the immense gap between the human and the divine.
- The Role of Michael the Archangel: The angel mentions Michael as “your prince” and a “chief prince” who came to his aid. This identifies Michael as the specific angelic guardian of Israel, reinforcing the idea of a structured spiritual realm where God deploys His mighty angels to protect His people.
In conclusion, this passage is a crucial introduction that frames the detailed prophecy to follow. It teaches that human history is intertwined with a fierce spiritual battle, and it powerfully affirms that the persistent, humble prayer of the faithful on earth directly impacts that struggle in the heavens, preparing the way for God’s truth to be revealed.
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The 12 chapters of Daniel, along with the entire Bible, showcase an epic spiritual battle between God’s holy forces and Satan’s wicked ways. We glimpse deep, mysterious, terrifying realities beyond what we witness and experience on earth
2.b. Daniel’s final vision gives further insight into the great spiritual battle between God’s people and those who want to destroy them. – Daniel refrained from eating certain foods because he was mourning.
2. c. Daniel was frightened by this vision, but the messenger reassured him. Daniel lost his speech, but the messenger’s touch restored it. Daniel felt weak and helpless, but the messenger’s words strengthened him. God can bring us healing when we are hurt, peace when we are troubled, and strength when we are weak. When I pray I ask God for a fresh touch of His love.