The third year of Cyrus' rule as king over Babylon was 536 B.C.381Cyrus had issued his decree allowing the Jews to return to their land and to rebuild their temple in 538 B.C. Some of them had departed that same year under Zerubbabel's leadership. They had reinstituted the sacrifices by 537 B.C. (Ezra 3:6), and by 536 B.C. they had begun to rebuild the temple (Ezra 3:8). Daniel would have been in his 80s in 536 B.C., and his age may account for his not returning to the Promised Land. Daniel remained in government service until the first year of Cyrus (538 B.C., 1:21), but he remained in Babylon for several additional years apparently in retirement.
Critics have attacked the Book of Daniel because, they claim, the title "Cyrus king of Persia"was not a contemporary way of referring to him.382However this would have been a perfectly legitimate way of referring to this king unofficially if not officially.383Perhaps Daniel's Babylonian name appears again here to assure the reader that this was the same Daniel whom we met in preceding chapters (cf. 1:7). He was the Daniel who had unusual skill in understanding visions and dreams (1:17).
The message that came to Daniel was a revelation from God that included a vision. The emphasis on "message"in this verse may indicate that, in contrast to the preceding visions, this one came primarily as a spoken message, perhaps again from an angel. Daniel claimed that the message was true and that it involved a revelation of great conflict to come. The AV translation "the time appointed was long"has less linguistic support, but the message did involve prophecy yet far distant in the future. Daniel apparently understood this vision better than he had some of the earlier ones (e.g., 8:27). This verse as a whole prepares the reader for the revelation itself, which has major significance.
"The revelation in the vision given to Daniel on this occasion shattered any hope the prophet might have had that Israel would enjoy her new freedom and peace for long."384
The vision in chapter 9 came after Daniel had been praying and fasting (9:3). The vision that follows also came to him after he had been mourning, fasting, and undoubtedly praying for three weeks (cf. 1:11-13). Obviously these were literal weeks. Evidently the previous revelations from God and the welfare of the Jews who had returned to Palestine but were encountering opposition were the reasons for Daniel's grave concern (cf. Ezra 4:1-5, 24; Phil. 4:6-7). Even though many Israelites were returning to Palestine, God had already revealed that they would experience trouble there.
10:4 Daniel had gone to the Tigris (Hiddekel, AV) River perhaps to pray for the exiles who had returned, and he had probably gone there with other godly Jews. Passover and the feast of Unleavened Bread fell on the fourteenth through the twenty-first days of the first month. The Jews did not observe these festivals in captivity as they had formerly in their own land. Three days after these important memorial days God gave Daniel a vision that he alone saw (cf. 12:5).
10:5-6 The man whom Daniel saw in this vision may have been the Son of God.385The Jewish interpreters and some modern Christian scholars preferred the view that he was an angel.386The similarities between this man and the one Ezekiel and the Apostle John saw argue for his being divine (cf. Ezek. 1:26-28; Rev. 1:13-16; 2:18). However what this man proceeded to say (esp. v. 13) inclines me to prefer the view that he was an angel.
Expensive linen dress is what the priests in Israel wore, and it set them off as God's special servants. Likewise the sash around this angel's waist, evidently embroidered with or made completely of the best gold, would have identified Him as a special person. The meaning of "Uphaz"is uncertain. It may be the same as Ophir since the translators of the Syriac version of Jeremiah substituted Ophir for Uphaz in Jeremiah 10:9. The location of Ophir is also uncertain. It may have been in southwestern or southeastern Arabia, on the northeast African coast, or in India.387Alternatively "Uphaz"may be a technical term for "refined gold."388The personal descriptions of this man resemble what John saw on the island of Patmos, namely, the Son of God (Rev. 1:13-16; cf. Ezek. 1:13-14). All these features picture a person of great glory and splendor.
"The impression given to Daniel was that the entire body of the man in the vision was like a gigantic transparent jewel reflecting the glory of the rest of the vision."389
10:7-9 Daniel's companions, sensing that something awesome was happening (cf. Acts 9:7; 22:9), hid themselves while Daniel viewed what God showed him (v. 7). His personal reaction to this vision was also similar to the Apostle John's (v. 8; cf. 8:27; Rev. 1:17). The words of the person Daniel saw along with his glorious appearance caused the prophet to faint (v. 9).
10:10-11 Evidently the "man"who touched Daniel and who proceeded to speak to him was the same one the prophet saw in the vision (vv. 5-6). The angel described Daniel as a man of high esteem (cf. 9:23; 10:19). We know that Daniel enjoyed a good reputation among his contemporaries, but this title probably reflects God's estimate of him. The Hebrew words (is hemudot) literally mean "man of preciousness."Daniel was precious to God not only because he was one of God's chosen people but also because God had been precious to him.
". . . Daniel's privileged status as one especially precious to God resulted from his complete absorption in the will and glory of the Lord to whom he had yielded his heart."390
It was only appropriate for Daniel to stand to receive a message from this impressive messenger from God.
10:12 Still it was an unnerving experience for Daniel to stand in the presence of such a glorious person. The angel realized how Daniel felt and encouraged him not to fear. The angel informed the prophet that God had heard his first prayer for understanding and that what follows came in answer to that petition (cf. 9:23). Humbling himself before God involved assuming the role of a learner before God.
"This verse constitutes a great encouragement to those whose prayers are not answered immediately. The cause of the delay may be something totally unknown to us; yet although the answer may be delayed, the prayer is always heard immediately."391
10:13 However someone had delayed the arrival of that information. He was the "prince of Persia,"evidently a fallen angel who, under Satan's domain, had a special responsibility for Persia (cf. v. 20; Eph. 2:2). Clearly "prince"here refers to an angel since Michael was also a "prince"(vv. 13, 21).392"The prince of Persia"must have been an evil angel since he opposed God's purpose. Angelic hostility in the unseen world had resulted in the 21-day delay of this good angel's arrival with God's message (cf. v. 2).
"The powers of evil apparently have the capacity to bring about hindrances and delays, even of the delivery of the answers to believers whose requests God is minded to answer. . . .
"While God can, of course, override the united resistance of all the forces of hell if he chooses to do so, he accords to demons certain limited powers of obstruction and rebellion somewhat like those he allows humans. In both cases the exercise of free will in opposition to the Lord of heaven is permitted by him when he sees fit. But as Job 1:12 and 2:6 indicate, the malignity of Satan is never allowed to go beyond the due limit set by God, who will not allow the believer to be tested beyond his limit (1 Cor 10:13)."393
It is unlikely that the prince of Persia could have resisted the Son of God this way if He was the person addressing Daniel. Moreover God's messenger had received help from Michael, one of the chief princes (angels), so it is unlikely that he was God Himself. Some angels have more authority and power than others do (Eph. 1:21).
"Although the entire subject of the unseen struggle between the holy angels and the fallen angels is not clearly revealed in the Scriptures, from the rare glimpses which are afforded, as in this instance, it is plain that behind the political and social conditions of the world there is angelic influence--good on the part of the holy angels, evil on the part of the angels under satanic control. This is the struggle to which Paul referred in Ephesians 6:10-18."394
"Bad angels, called demons in the New Testament, are, without a doubt, referred to here. In the course of time, these demonic powers gained a very strong influence over certain nations and the government of these nations. They became the controlling power. They used whatever resources they could muster to hamper God's work and to thwart His purposes."395
Evidently the good angel who spoke to Daniel had had some duty in Persia that involved the kings or rulers of that land. However having received a commission from God to visit Daniel he was not able to break away to deliver it because of the influence of the bad angel who exercised strong influence over Persia. Michael visited the good angel and helped him get away from this wicked angel's authority so he could visit Daniel.
Keil projected this idea even further. His view is speculation.
"The plural [kings of Persia] denotes, that by the subjugation of the demon of the Persian kingdom, his influence not merely over Cyrus, but over all the following kings of Persia, was brought to an end, so that the whole of the Persian kings became accessible to the influence of the spirit proceeding from God and in advancing the welfare of Israel."396
There has been much interest in spiritual warfare in recent years among professing Christians.397Certainly spiritual warfare is a biblical revelation, and we need to be aware of it and live accordingly. However much that is being taught about spiritual warfare, and particularly about "territorial demons,"goes beyond the teaching of Scripture. (The idea that there are "territorial demons"rests primarily on Daniel 10:13.) For example, there is no biblical instruction or precedent that would justify praying against and claiming victory over certain demons by name as some are doing and advocating today. Clearly Daniel did not know about this heavenly conflict between these angels. Michael's success was not due to Daniel's praying for or against certain angels or demons.
"Daniel, while supporting the idea of territorial identification of certain angels especially in chap. 10, does not support any sort of human involvement in angelic warfare."398
There may be hindrances to our praying about which we know nothing as we wonder why an answer to our prayer does not come. Nevertheless we should keep on praying (Luke 18:1-8). This incident reminds us of the importance of persisting in prayer. If Daniel had stopped praying on the twentieth day, he might not have received the great revelation of chapter 11 on the twenty-first day.
10:14 The good angel had come to explain to Daniel what would happen to the Jews in the latter days yet future. Daniel had already received some revelation about what lay ahead for the Jews (8:23-26; 9:24-27). It was evidently this revelation that puzzled him and led to his requesting clarification in prayer (v. 2). What follows in 11:2-12:4 is more information on this subject. As in 8:23-26 and 9:24-27, 11:2-12:4 contains information about Israel's fate relative to Antiochus Epiphanes in the near future and information about Israel's fate relative to Antichrist in the distant future.
10:15 Apparently the angel's explanation about the angelic conflict was something about which Daniel had known nothing. His only reaction to this information, on top of the vision that he had just seen, was to bow his head and silently accept this revelation.
10:16-17 The one who resembled a human being was probably an angel who touched his lips and thereby enabled him to speak (cf. 7:16; 8:15-19; 9:21-22; Isa. 6:7; Jer. 1:9). The prophet proceeded to explain to the angel that the vision had caused him anxiety and had robbed him of his strength (cf. Isa. 6:5). He said he felt so inferior to the angel that he considered himself unworthy to talk to him.399Furthermore he felt without sufficient strength and breath to do so.
10:18 This is the third instance in this chapter of Daniel receiving strength from an angel who touched him (vv. 10, 16; cf. Heb. 1:14).400This human-appearing angel was probably the same one who touched Daniel's lips (v. 16), but he is perhaps different from the angel who had helped him to his feet (v. 10).
10:19 The angel repeated the complementary description "man of high esteem"(cf. v. 11; 9:23), which reassured Daniel. He also encouraged him not to fear, to feel at peace, to take courage, and to be courageous (v. 19; cf. Josh. 1:9). These words strengthened the aged prophet (cf. 2 Cor. 12:7-10), and he encouraged the angel to give him the rest of the revelation.
The total effect of these many verses that dwell on Daniel's felt weakness and the strength that an angel or angels provided him is to make the reader anticipate the following revelation. It was very important.
"This vision [in 11:2-12:4] contains the most detailed prophetic revelation in the Book of Daniel."401
10:20 The angel asked if Daniel knew why he had come to him. He apparently did this to focus the prophet's attention on the vision to follow anew since Daniel was quite weak.
The angel informed Daniel that he needed to return to resume fighting against the demon who was influencing Persia (v. 13) and then the one that would be influencing Greece.402These, of course, are two of the kingdoms that have been the focus of prophecy in this book (chs. 2; 7; 8; 9; 11:2-4, 5-35).
"From this we can learn that, behind the many details of prophecy relating to the history of this period, there is the unseen struggle between angelic forces that the will of God may be accomplished."403
10:21 The "writing of truth"seems to refer to all that God has recorded as truth. This includes Scripture, but it also includes all that is true that God has not revealed. The angel would make part of what God had established as truth known to Daniel. The angel intended this fact to encourage Daniel in view of his having to leave the prophet to return to spiritual warfare. Likewise the fact that Michael stood with this angel in his warfare would have encouraged Daniel even though Michael was apparently his only other angelic comrade in battle. "Your prince"links Michael with Daniel as a good angel whom God had commissioned to help him and his Jewish brethren (12:1; cf. Rev. 12:7; 20:2).
"It is encouraging for God's people to know that he has mighty champions among the holy angels whose task is to defend the saints against the attacks of the evil one."404
11:1 This verse really concludes the tenth chapter. The NASB, NIV, and NKJV translators have sought to clarify this fact by making this verse the last part of the parenthetical statement begun in 10:21. Without observing this we might conclude that another reference to a king introduces a different incident from the one already introduced in 10:1 (cf. 1:1; 2:1; 3:1; 4:1; 5:1; 6:1; 7:1; 8:1; 9:1).
The angel concluded his encouragement of Daniel by adding that he had been responsible for encouraging and protecting Darius the Mede from the beginning of his reign over Babylon. Another less likely interpretation is that the antecedent of "him"is Michael rather than Darius. I think it is less likely in view of the apparent point of this verse explained below.
As mentioned previously (see 5:31), "Darius"was probably a title for Cyrus. The angel may have used it here because it was a title that Daniel preferred (cf. 5:31; 6:1, 6, 9, 25, 28; 9:1). The first year of Darius in view was the first year of his reign as king of Babylon, namely, 539 B.C. Almost immediately, in 538 B.C., Darius (Cyrus) had issued his decree allowing the Jews to return from exile. Obviously this angel's ministry had been effective and had resulted in blessing for the Jews. This king had also issued a decree commanding everyone in his kingdom to honor Yahweh (6:26-27), assuming that incident happened before the events of chapters 10-12. Thus the point of this verse is that the success that the Israelites had experienced under Darius had been the result of successful angelic warfare in the heavenlies. This success was to encourage Daniel as he pondered the future revelation of Israel's fortunes that he was about to receive. Three antagonists of Israel would seek to implement the plan of Satan and his angels to eliminate the Jews: Haman, Antiochus, and Antichrist. Nevertheless holy angels, though invisible, would resist them effectively.
