2. The Glorious Man
Daniel 10:1-21

3. Introduction Dan 10:1 The third year of Cyrus, around 535 BC
A couple years after the last vision (chp 9)
The contents of the vision (which will be related in chps11-12) would not come to pass for a long time
Certainly not in Daniel’s lifetime (he is already, at least, in his mid-80s)
Probably not in the current or next generation
He understood the message of the vision
Whether because of an explanation or because similarities to previous visions
Gives us hope to be able to understand the vision

4. Mourning Dan 10:2-4 Daniel had been mourning for 21 days
It was the first month (Nisan)
The 1st and 2nd were the feast of the New Moon
So Daniel began mourning the 3rd and continued to the 24th
Not a complete fast, just not eating fine food
Would have included the Passover week

5. Mourning What would have caused his mourning?
The first group of Israelites had returned home
But only 42,000+ had returned
They had laid foundations for a temple
But not as grand as Solomon’s temple
Work had stopped a few months earlier and was not likely to resume
And actually didn’t resume for 15 years
Dan 10:14
Makes clear Daniel was worried about what was going to happen to the Israelites
Perhaps because of the preceding facts
Perhaps combined with the various visions already made known to him

6. The Glorious Man
Dan 10:5-6
Daniel has a vision (no one else saw it v7) of a man
Clothed in linen
Waist girded with gold
With a body like beryl
Face like lightning, his eyes like torches of fire
His arms and feet like burnished bronze in color
His words like the voice of a multitude
Rev 1:13-15
Uses almost identical language to describe Jesus
So could be a vision of the Son of God or perhaps the Angel of the Lord (Ex 3:2-5)

7. Response to the vision Dan 10:7-11
For others – fear, even without seeing the vision
They ran for a place to hide
Similar to the reaction of Israel (Ex 20:18-19)
The fear of sinners to be near the sinless God
For Daniel – fear, he collapses
He too is not without sin
Isa 6:1-7 – Isaiah had a similar reaction
Ezk 1:26-2:2 – Ezekiel also
But God is not appearing to punish, but to instruct
Daniel granted permission to rise before his King and God

8. The delay in answer Dan 10:12-14
As in the case of Dan 9:20-23, God wanted to give Daniel an immediate answer
But unlike in the previous instance, there was a delay of 3 weeks
Why? Because the “prince of Persia” withstood
Who is this prince of Persia and how did he withstand?
2 possibilities are generally put forward
Both have good and bad points

9. The prince of Persia
First, the natural leader of Persia, Cyrus, or his son or other designated leader
The messenger of God went first to Cyrus
In order to give an answer to Daniel, Cyrus would have to give certain orders or to make certain arrangements for the future of the kingdom
Cyrus was unwilling to give the orders or conform to the arrangements (free-will)
Rather than force Cyrus to obedience against his will, Michael was sent
Michael, the archangel, (Dan 10:21, 12:1, Jud 9)
Sent to help and succeeds, though without explaining how

10. The prince of Persia
Second, the spiritual guide of Persia, a spiritual being
Supposes some sort of spiritual being guiding or leading each nation
Further supposes these beings have some sort of autonomy
Messenger sent to the leader of Persia, and there is a spiritual struggle until Michael comes and defeats the being
Problem: Why would God allow such rebellion? Jude 6
Seems to raise more questions and problems than give answers

11. A lesson
It doesn’t really matter to what follows which interpretation of the prince of Persia is correct
But there is a lesson . . .
Daniel may have been wondering for those 3 weeks why God hadn’t answered his prayers
Before, the answer came quickly
This time the answer was delayed
Not because God was unwilling to answer, but because the answer required other things first
If we are praying, don’t suppose the answer is no, just because it isn’t answered immediately
Lk 18:1-7 (the persistent widow)

12. Overwhelmed Dan 10:15-19 Daniel feels overwhelmed, struck speechless
Perhaps by the care and love of God
Perhaps by the knowledge of the struggle being undertaken by God’s messengers
Perhaps by the thought of what is most likely to happen to the Israelites
But he receives peace and strength from God so that he is ready to hear the answer about what will happen to Israel

13. Introducing the vision
Dan 10:20-21
Now that Daniel is ready to receive the vision, the messenger will give it to him
Then he must get back to his struggle with the prince of Persia (whether a man or some spiritual being)
And no matter what the Persian tries to stop it, the prince of Greece (same arguments as to man or spiritual being) will come
That is, man can’t defeat God’s purposes
Also, the truths to be revealed are already written
They too will happen
Even if everyone (except Michael, who watches over the Israelites) stands opposed

14. Conclusion God is in control
That control probably involves a lot more than we know about or can think about
And even if we could picture it, we would probably just stand in speechless awe
But we know that God hears our prayers
We should be persistent in prayer
But we should also realize that God’s answer may involve a lot more than we might think
Trust that God knows and will do what is best