Daniel 10

Daniel :1-10
1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; 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 full weeks.
3 I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in 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 Hiddekel;
5 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose 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 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.

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

  A thing (an understanding of a particular truth) was revealed to Daniel but would not happen for a long time at an appointed time by God. The purpose of Daniel 10 is to introduce Daniel 11. However, before the details of Daniel 11 are spoken to Daniel, Daniel 10 tells us Daniel was given insight into the invisible battleground happening in the heavenlies (our atmosphere and outer space). This is where Satan's organized hierarchy of principalities, powers, thrones, and God's angelic powers battle over the fulfillment of God's Word. Caught in the middle are the rise and fall of world empires and the battle for the souls and hearts of mankind to which kingdom they will serve.

2 In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks.
5 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man

  Daniel was mourning, most likely over reports of how few Jews returned back to Jerusalem at the end of the 70 year exile that had been prophesized by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 25:9-12). The number of Jews that returned are recorded in the books of Ezra , Ester, and Nehemiah - see also Daniel 9,  Ezekiel 4, Timeframe 2 Intro).

Jeremiah 25:9-12
9 Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the Lord, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolation's.
10 Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle.
11 And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.
12 And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the Lord, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolation's.

  Daniel was on a special fast denying himself the good things to eat and drink for a full 3 weeks (21 days), then lifted up his eyes toward heaven and had a vision. Was this certain man Daniel saw Jesus as seen before His incarnation and resurrection. Compare how Daniel describes this certain man with how John who wrote Reveations 1:13-16 describing Jesus after His resurrection.

Daniel :10-14
10 And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon 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 didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten 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. 

12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.
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.

  Who was this prince of Persia that withstood this certain man sent to Daniel from heaven. Certainly not an earthly prince. It had to be a Satanic prince. Eph 6:12 tells us Satan has principalities, powers, thrones in high places (atmosphere on out into space) that we must contend with.

Eph 6:12
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

  If this certain man was Jesus before His incarnation how could this Satanic prince withstand Him for 21 days. The answer to this is that Satan also has legal rights. The deciples asked Jesus why they could not cast out certain devils. Jesus said these kind come out only by much prayer and fasting (Mark 9:28,29).

Mark 9:28,29
28 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?
29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

  What was Daniel doing - praying and fasting. Daniel 10:12 says God heard Daniel the first day he prayed, but Daniel did not legally break through to get the direct answer he wanted until 21 days passed. The Satanic prince lost his legal ground to hinder passage of God's messenger to Daniel because the legal means of fasting and prayer God has ordained gives His saints victory.

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.

  Besides the thing that was revealed to Daniel (Daniel glimpse into of what is going in behind the scenes in the spirit world) the divine messenger says his purpose is tell Daniel what shall befall God's people in the latter days. The latter days is when Antichrist comes to power and sets up his empire as we studied so far in Daniel 2, Daniel 7, Daniel 8, Daniel 9,.

Daniel :15-21
15 And when 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 sorrows 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, straightway 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, Knowest 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.

20 Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee?

  The divine messenger tells Daniel the truth of why He came personally to him. One reason, was to show that Daniel's prayer was heard the first day but Satan has an organized kingdom that tries to stop answers to prayer but that persistent prayer and fasting can overcome the enemy. Jesus himself fasted and prayed 40 days and 1 John 3:8 said the reason Jesus came to earth was to destroy the works of Satan.

1John 3:8
8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

  We are told Daniel had understanding of the vision (Daniel 10:1) , knew it was true, and it was an appointed time in the latter days to be fulfilled. He realized that Satan and his principalities, powers, and thrones are involved in the rise and fall of nations and empires. That in the last days they will be visibly involved in the rise of Antichrist's Empire and the worship of his god Satan. This helped Daniel understand previous visions and questions he had concerning the success of Antichrist's rise and power that he was told in Daniel 2, Daniel 7, Daniel 8).

20 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.

  Here, the divine messenger tells Daniel, I will now return to fight with the prince of Persia. The result of that fight is Satan's prince of Persia removed and Satan replacing him with the prince of Grecia. Here is the marvelous truth - spiritual battles taking places in the heavenlies (atmosphere to outer space) between God's angels and Satan's angels. We saw in Daniel 2, Daniel 7, Daniel 8 that the Persian Empire was conquered by the Grecian Empire - by notably the first king - Alexander the Great (see Daniel 8, page 1, Daniel 11 page 1 for most detail). In the last days, God will allow Satan and his angels to establish Antichrist's Empire. God will use this very evil to accomplish His prophetic Word concerning the church, Jews, and the Gentiles. In the end Christ and His saints will rule both the heavens and the earth and Satan and his angels will be cast into hell forever. God's Kingdom will be established over all nations and increase forever (see Kingdom).

21 But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth:

  The Bible is God's scripture of truth given to men by God. The divine messenger is now going to tell Daniel plainly that which is noted in the scripture of truth already written in heaven. God knows all things, and He has recorded in a book that which He wants those in heaven to know. In this case the divine messenger shares that knowledge of prewritten history to Daniel who writes those words in what we call prophecy - God's Word written beforehand. 

1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was
revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; 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 full weeks.
3 I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in 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 Hiddekel;
5 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose 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 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.
10 And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my
knees and upon 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 didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten 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 when 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 sorrows 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, straightway 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, Knowest 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.