We saw in chapter 9 that God promised that Jerusalem and the temple would be rebuilt. But it would be rebuilt in difficult times. And it would also be destroyed. The renewed city and temple Daniel so longed for had a limited life, just like the old one did. But according to Daniel 9, the more important thing to look forward to was not the city and the temple. They would be destroyed. But it was to look forward to Messiah, the Prince. He would come to his city and temple. But he would be cut off, but not for himself. And he would atone for sin, be a completed sin offering, and bring in everlasting righteousness.
Daniel’s final vision, which is our chapters 10 to 12, occurs in the third year of Cyrus of Persia[1]. Now, this date is important. It was probably around 537 or 536 BC. 3 years earlier, Cyrus decreed that the Jewish exiles could return and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. And Cyrus’ third year was the year the returning Jews laid the new temple foundations (Ezra 3:7:13). But Ezra makes it clear that the returnees were opposed in their rebuilding efforts, and the progress was slow. And it may well be that news of the exceeding difficulties of temple rebuilding has come to Daniel. And that may well explain Daniel’s fast.
Again, we notice the costliness of Daniel receiving this revelation. He fasts and mourns in the season when traditionally Israel feasted and rejoiced, the Passover (10:2). And his fasting and mourning is extended to 3 and a half weeks[2]. Unlike in chapter 9, Daniel does not get an immediate answer, even though he is much loved of God. He has to wait for an answer and for understanding. And when an answer does come, Daniel turns dealthly pale, struck dumb, sick and appalled over what he sees and hears, trembles violently, and his companions flee in terror (10:7-8). Such intimacy with God is personally costly on health and happiness.
And the main cause of Daniel’s fear and trembling is the figure of a man that he sees. He is introduced to one like a man, and yet more than a man. And the one like a man unmans Daniel, the most manly of men. Daniel has not flinched or blinked staring into the face of Kings and Governors or lions threatening him with death. But now he will see something that will make him fall on his face unconscious with fear. Daniel chapter 10 verses 4 and 5:
On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, 5 I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of the finest gold around his waist. 6 His body was like chrysolite, 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. (NIV)
Linen is the traditional dress of the priest. But this is no Old Testament priest. This human, yet more than a human, glows as something divine[3].
His voice is the sound of an overpowering multitude. It is so powerful it lays Daniel prostrate on his face, anethsatising Daniel (10:9). The figure himself must give Daniel strength to stand. So first, a hand brings Daniel to his hands and knees (Daniel 10:10). Then, kind words from this glorious figure set Daniel again on his feet, though with fear and trembling (Daniel 10:11). Then a touch of Daniel’s mouth gives him speech. Then another touch gives him strength and breath. And only thus can Daniel receive the message. This divine figure must give the message and also give the ability to receive the message.
Who is this figure, one like a man, yet with such power?[4] We note that we have already met such human figures with divine power in the book of Daniel. We saw one in chapter 3, strengthening Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fire (3:25, 28). We saw another again in chapter 7, one like a Son of Man, receiving from God glory and sovereign power, and from humans worship (7:13-14). Again, there was another one like a man in chapter 8[5]. My guess is that this unnamed but human figure is the same figure here of chapters 3, 7, 8 and 10, and also in 12[6].
And for us as New Testament people, who live after Jesus’ first coming, we have an even greater appreciation of who he might be. For 600 years later, John the Apostle saw a similar figure in a vision on Patmos. And I will put them for you side by side.
4On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, 5 I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of the finest gold around his waist. 6 His body was like chrysolite, 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
I [John] turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
John too saw someone like a son of man, white robe, golden sash, eyes as blazing fire, voice like rushing water, face like the sun. And John the Apostle also trembled and fell on his face[7]. But this later glorious figure lifted him up also, and said:
I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. (Revelation 1:18 NIV)
Daniel saw a man of great power. But by the time John saw a similar man, that man had died and risen again. And he had obtained resurrection from the dead and eternal life.
So as a Christian, with the benefit of hindsight, I think that the figure that Daniel saw was the same figure that John saw. Daniel seems to have seen Jesus Christ in his glory, before he became a man, before he died and before he rose again. Can I prove it from just the book of Daniel? No. But I don’t just have the Book of Daniel. I also have the New Testament. I have the news that Jesus Christ has lived, died, and risen again, and has ascended on the clouds to the right hand of God. And so I read Daniel so as to make sense of the New Testament context.
Now Daniel had been praying And the appearance of this figure, who I think is Jesus Christ, has come in answer to the prayer. And Daniel has been fasting and praying for 3 weeks. But there has been a delay in the answer. In chapter 9, the answer came instantly (9:23). Not this time. There is now a delay between prayer and response. Verses 12 to 13:
Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. 13 But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. (NIV)
Again, verses 20 to 21:
So he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? Soon I will return to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I go, the prince of Greece will come; 21 but first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth. (No one supports me against them except Michael, your prince. (NIV)
Now, this raises all kinds of questions, particularly if the glorious figure who makes all this clear is the pre-incarnate Christ.
Who is the prince Michael spoken of? I think he is an angel.
What is Michael’s relationship to Daniel’s people? I think he is in some way their protector or guardian. That is, a guardian angel. The author to the Hebrews tells us that angels are ministering Spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation (Hebrews 1:14).
Who are the princes of Persia and Greece? My guess is that they are probably demonic figures. I think they are the demons that stand behind the gods of those nations.
Who sent the pre-incarnate Christ (if I’m right about this)? Probably his Father, God the Father. Just as the Father sent the Son into the world, so it seems that in the Old Testament times, the Father sent the Son into the spirit world, into the heavenly places, to do his will and work.
Why was the pre-incarnate Christ detained and assisted by an angel? We are not told specifically. It had something to do with the princes of Greece and Persia. But when Christ took on flesh to destroy the devil’s work, he was likewise detained in many ways. I’d call being crucified on the cross, ‘detained’ or ‘resisted’. Indeed, we know that after his temptation in the desert and in the Garden of Gethsemane, angels did assist Jesus and minister to him, despite the opposition of the devil. The gospel accounts show us that Christ as man was sent by God, constantly detained as he did God’s will, and received the assistance of angels at key times in his battle against the devil and spiritual powers.
And what was the nature of the battles in the heavenly places? We are not told. We don’t know the relationship between Daniel’s prayer and the battle. We know Daniel’s prayers were heard and answered. But we don’t know their effect if any on the battle.
Neither does the passage give us a map of territorial spiritual powers. Nor does it say we should pray against them.
The passage doesn’t satisfy all our curiosity about these things. But then again, we are often only told things on a need to know basis.
One thing we do know, is that the Christ would later work an amazing victory over heavenly powers by his life, death and resurrection.
He [God] forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; He took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Colossians 2:13-15 NIV)
Jesus Christ in his death and resurrection defeated the powers and authorities. His death took away their accusation, and so disarmed them. His resurrection publicly rubbed their noses in it.
And now in Jesus’ resurrection ascension, he is above and beyond any warfare now. He has now won the victory. For Paul says of Christ’s resurrection and ascension, that:
…he is seated at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. (Ephesians 1:20-21 NIV)
By rising to life, Jesus stripped Satan and his minions of the power he holds over dying humans.
Since the children have flesh and blood, He [Christ] too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. (Hebrews 2:14-15 NIV)
Friends, the decisive battle in the heavenly places has now been fought and won. We are in a different time than Daniel. During the time of Daniel, the pre-incarnate Christ was conducting skirmishes. But in Jesus’ incarnation, life, death and resurrection, the great battle has been won. The victory is sure. And so it is a mistake to use the little bit of information we are given in Daniel as the template for what is happening in the heavenly realms now. For now all that remains is the gathering of all God’s people from every nation and every age, and the execution of the defeated enemies, and for us who are on the winning side to not falling for the tricks and propaganda of a defeated and thus desperate enemy.
Now, chapter 11 shows the consequences in history of the heavenly battles. Kingdoms rise and fall. Kings come and go. Men grow powerful and arrogant. Then they go the way of all flesh. Wicked people prosper and grow strong, only to fall dead in time (Daniel 11:36-39, 40-41, 45). God’s people suffer and die while the wicked take over their land (Daniel 11:16, 31-35). And yet God still remains in control (cf Dan 4:32, 35, 37). As shown by the fact of prophecy.
Now we won’t go through all of chapter 11. Chapter 11 talks about the history of Israel first under the Persian Kings, and then under the North and South Greek Kings. Of course, South and North is from the perspective of Israel. And then it seems, in my view, to talk about the Roman Kingdom. If you’ve interested, I’ve put together a table which seeks to identify figures in the prophecy with a person from known ancient history.
Chapter 11 shows that Men and Kingdoms rise and fall all. And all this happened in the 500 years after Daniel. First the Persian, then the Greek, and finally the Roman, each had their day in the sun. And for the vast majority, the certainties under these rulers was suffering and death. The distress will be horrible. But there will be deliverance. The Archangel Michael will be involved. But it seems that this deliverance and victory is bigger than Michael. For everyone whose name is found written in the book will be delivered (Daniel 12:1).
And we know as New Testament people that this deliverance came through the glorious figure who was once dead and is now alive. And the hope for those living in the shadow of death is resurrection. Resurrection. Daniel 12 verses 2:
Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. (NIV)
Notice, it is not ‘everyone in heaven’. It is not three destinies: heaven, the transit lounge of purgatory, and hell. It is not believers in heaven, and everyone else annihilated. There are two destinies of humans. One is eternal life. One is eternal contempt. Just as Jesus said of himself:
“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. 25 Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man [note the Daniel 7:13-14 language]. 28 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. (John 5:24-28 NIV)
Friends, the bible teaches that every human is destined to die once and then face judgment. When Jesus Christ returns we will be raised. Those who believe in the Son will have life. Those who rejected the Son will not see life. Everlasting contempt.
Friend, take hold of Jesus Christ. Believe in him, and cross over from death to life. Jesus said:
“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.” (John 11:25-26 NIV)
There are two ways to live. There are two eternal destinies. And because of this salvation and this warning, we are to shine. Daniel 12 Verse 3:
Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. (NIV)
Do you want to be wise? Do you want to be smart? Then be a light shining in the darkness. Lead many to righteousness. And the way we shine like stars is by holding out the word of life (Philippians 2:16 NIV). We tell people about Jesus Christ and his righteousness, which can be theirs by faith. And Daniel 12:3 tells us that winning people to righteousness is a labour that lasts for ever.
Daniel, it seems, would never see his beloved Jerusalem. He died in a far off country. But Daniel wasn’t going to miss out. Because it was only going to be a short time. Time, times and half a time means a short time[8]. It is 3 and a half years, half the perfect number. It won’t be long. And so Daniel is told chapter 12 verse 13:
“As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.” (NIV)
Your hope is the same as Daniel's. This is not your home. Your true home awaits after the resurrection.
Let’s pray.
[1]I take Darius the Mede and Cyrus the Persian as co-regents, with Darius the junior partner who ruled in place of Belshazzar in Babylon, and Cyrus the Emperor. This is also my reading of Josephus. Therefore, I am assuming the first year of Darius the Mede is also the first year of Cyrus the Persian, or close enough to it. The question then is, why the change in royal referent? A possible reason that Cyrus is mentioned in 10:1 is that chapters 10-12 mention Persia in particular, and so it is fitting that the years of Cyrus be mentioned. Further, it may be that chapter 10 is so full of world histories that perhaps it is more appropriate to have the emperor, and not merely the local royal figure of Darius the Mede.
[2] The occasion of the fasting and praying is not explicitly given. We might assume it is the difficulties in building the temple and city. If so, Daniel remains in exile, but still his window opens towards Jerusalem.
[3] Compare the vision of God in Ezekiel 1:26-28: ‘Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. 27I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking. 2:1He said to me, “Son of man, stand up on your feet and I will speak to you.” 2 As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me. …9 Then I looked, and I saw a hand stretched out to me. In it was a scroll, 10 which he unrolled before me. On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe. (NIV)’
[4] It seems clear that the ‘one who looked like a man’ in Daniel 10:5-6, 16 is NOT the angel Michael (Daniel 10:13, 22-23, Daniel 12:1, Jude 9). The angel Michael appears to be, from the biblical references to him, the protector of God’s people. But Michael helps this one like a man, so I don’t think ‘the one who looked like a man’ is Michael (Daniel 10:13, 21).
[5] Most take the human like figure in chapter 8 as Gabriel. So it is possible that this figure in chapter 10 might be Gabriel (Daniel 8:15-18, 9:21, See Luke 1:26-38). The angel Gabriel appears to have a special role in revealing the things of God to his people. Gabriel appears in 8:15-18 and Daniel has similar responses to him as he does to the figure here. 15 While I, Daniel, was watching the vision and trying to understand it, there before me stood one who looked like a man. 16 And I heard a man’s voice from the Ulai calling, “Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of the vision. 17 As he came near the place where I was standing, I was terrified and fell prostrate. “Son of man,” he said to me, “understand that the vision concerns the time of the end.”18 While he was speaking to me, I was in a deep sleep, with my face to the ground. Then he touched me and raised me to my feet.” (NIV) Baldwin, Young, Goldingay, and other modern commentators take the figure like a man to be the Gabriel who subsequently explains the vision, encouraged to do so as ‘man’ (gaber: v15 = a man strong in and because of his relationship with God: Goldingay) seems etymologically related to the name in verse 16, ‘Gabriel’ (‘man of God’). Further, the voice is described as kol-adam, ‘voice of a man’ which puts distance between the gaber and the adam. However, I think it is possible that the human figure that is seen (gaber) and the human voice that is heard (kol-adam) belong to the same human figure. The voice heard (kol-adam) addressed to Gabriel comes from the man (gaber) seen, who is distinct from Daniel. So I take it that the most likely figure, with the benefit of New Testament hindsight, is Jesus (Daniel 10:5-6, compared with Revelation 1:12-16, 17-18). Calvin says of the figure in 8:15: ‘We ought probably to interpret this passage of Christ, who is now called like a man, as formerly (Chapter 7:13)’ and ‘Christ appeared to him under the aspect of a man’: Calvin Comm Vol 13:112. Calvin takes the voice to come from the same person, who then commands the angel. Thus it is a vision of the pre-incarnate Christ, who commands angels.
[6] Human figures reappear in Daniel 12:5-7. 5 Then I, Daniel, looked, and there before me stood two others, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite bank. 6 One of them said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?” 7 The man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, lifted his right hand and his left hand toward heaven, and I heard him swear by him who lives forever, saying, “It will be for a time, times and half a time. When the power of the holy people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed.” (NIV) We note that the man clothed in linen is now above the waters of the river Tigris, an analogous location to the source of the voice in 8:16, above the Ulai. The one clothed in linen is almost certainly the one mentioned in Daniel 10:5ff. The fact that he is questioned by one of the two angels indicates his superiority. It is possible, though unprovable, that the two angels are Michael (meaning ‘who is like God?’) and Gabriel (meaning ‘heroic man of God’). God swears by himself in Deut 32:40, so the oath does not indicate linen clad figure cannot be theophany. Calvin doesn’t seem to take this figure as the pre-incarnate Christ. Calvin takes Michael as the pre-incarnate Christ. I think Michael is an angel and the pre-incarnate Christ is the figure dressed in linen.
[7] Revelation 1:12-18: I [John] turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
[8] Time, times and half a time Understood as three and a half, it is often used in the bible to denote a short period of time. Three and a half is half of seven, which is the number of completion or perfection: see Daniel 7:25 1290 days This period is just over 3 and a half years.