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Daniel
10 From Helplessness to
Strength Last week we said that “seventy sevens” are decreed for God’s people, and in that time, Jerusalem (includes O.T. Israel, but points to N.T. and Contemporary Church) will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, BUT IN TIMES OF TROUBLE. In other words, the way has been made open for God’s people to come to him and God’s people are protected as they build the church (i.e., imagery of moat), but the covenant of Christ which was confirmed with many on the cross is being communicated to the elect, though God’s people and his church come constantly under attack. Dan 9:26 states “WAR ..WILL CONTINUE until the end, and desolations have been decreed.” This
morning, we want to revisit the issue of war; and look at what the
response of God’s people ought to look like in light of these truths
that have been revealed to us. By
way of context, we come now to Daniel’s last vision, which spans
chapters 10-12. Chapter 10 is
the portion of the vision that prepares Daniel for receiving the remainder
of the vision. Scripture
Reading
1In
the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a revelation was given to Daniel
(who was called Belteshazzar). Its message was true and it concerned a
great war. The understanding of the message came to him in a vision. 2At
that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. 3I
ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions
at all until the three weeks were over. 4On
the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of
the great river, the Tigris, 5I
looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of
the finest gold around his waist. 6His
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. 7I,
Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; the men with me did not see
it, but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves. 8So
I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my
face turned deathly pale and I was helpless. 9Then
I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep,
my face to the ground. 10A
hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. 11He
said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words
I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to
you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling. 12Then
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. 13But
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. 14Now I have come to explain to
you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns
a time yet to come.” 15While
he was saying this to me, I bowed with my face toward the ground and was
speechless. 16Then
one who looked like a man touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began
to speak. I said to the one standing before me, “I am overcome with
anguish because of the vision, my lord, and I am helpless. 17How
can I, your servant, talk with you, my lord? My strength is gone and I can
hardly breathe.” 18Again
the one who looked like a man touched me and gave me strength. 19“Do
not be afraid, O man highly esteemed,” he said. “Peace! Be strong now;
be strong.” When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak,
my lord, since you have given me strength.” 20So
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; 21but
first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth. (No one
supports me against them except Michael, your prince. 11:1And
in the first year of Darius the Mede, I took my stand to support and
protect him.) Here
ends our reading of God’s Word; a word prophetic in nature, and powerful
in it’s application! Sermon
The
Significance of this morning’s Scripture and sermon is found in an
adjective that is repeated in the first part of this passage. v.
1 “… a revelation
was given to Daniel… It’s message was true, and it concerned a GREAT
War. v.
4 “On the twenty-fourth day
of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the GREAT River,
the Tigris,… v.
8 “So, I was left alone,
gazing at this GREAT Vision;…” There’s
a difference between a Storm & a GREAT
Storm; a trickling stream & a GREAT
body of Water; etc.
I begin here because these three things (GREAT WAR, GREAT RIVER,
GREAT VISION) underscore what’s taking place in this passage. There’s
a GREAT WAR taking place…
a continual and spiritual ware of unequalled proportion.
Note: Dan 9:26
doesn’t say there will be “individual” wars popping up from time to
time until the end, but that “WAR” (the GREAT WAR) will continue until
the end, and desolations have been decreed.” On
one level we know that God’s people had been prevented from rebuilding
God’s temple. I refer not
to the time spoken of in Ezra and Nehemiah during the days of Xerxes and
Artaxerxes (~ 74 yrs after return from exile), but to the time just after
the Jews returned. In v. 1,we
read “In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia” (536
B.C.) This was just 2 years
after they returned, and history tells us that Cyrus, who was governing
Babylon, went abroad but left his son, Cambyses, as regent while he was
away. Cambyses, influenced by
those around him, issued an edict forbidding the rebuilding of the temple.
But for Daniel, this was not seen as just the ill favor or
aggression of one man, but the “TIP OF THE ICEBERG” of the troubles
that God had formerly revealed to him would take place concerning his
people. The days of trouble
and difficulty had come and he was going to experience them.
That’s why Daniel, mourns (fasts and prays) for three weeks. To
jump ahead a moment, In this passage, what we learn is:
There is a GREAT WAR taking place everyday in the
spiritual/heavenly realms; and the events that take place here on earth
are (as one author put it) “inextricably linked” to that GREAT WAR in
the heavenly realms, such that this GREAT WAR results in (or plays out in
such a way that) often difficulties and desolations of God’s people
occur here on earth. In
this light, it’s easy to see why Daniel, who understood the vision,
talks so much about “trembling”,
being
afraid”, suffering
anguish”; being
“helpless”;
and being “ hardly able to
“breathe” You
see, the curtains of heaven are pulled back, and Daniel is given a glimpse
of the GREAT WAR. He’s able
to know more about the Divine and angelic battles, the hostilities,
warfare, combat, contending, maneuvering, etc. that takes place both
against God’s people and on behalf of God’s people.
vv. 12-14
Angel of God was
resisted for 21 days by prince of Persian kingdom …
(coming to bring Daniel the vision, but resisted
v. 20 (Angel to
Daniel) “do you know why I have come to you?
Soon I will return to fight against the prince of Persia,
& when
Dan 11:1 (
Angel) “and in the first
year of Darius the Mede, I took my stand to support and protect him.” Paul
knew what he was talking about when he said (Eph 6:12) “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the
rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world
and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” So,
first, there’s a Significant or GREAT WAR. II.
There’s some GREAT TURBULENCE or TROUBLE
in the world and in the lives of God’s people.
In
v. 4 Daniel is standing on the bank of the GREAT RIVER, the Tigris.
Commentators use this to discuss whether Daniel did not return to
Jerusalem when the exiles were released and therefore was able to stand on
the literal bank; or whether he did return but was carried in the vision
to the bank; but I believe more is spoken of here.
If you have stood on the bank of a GREAT RIVER, you are immediately
impressed with the powerful, surging water that rushes, and powerfully
moves past you, able to bring about destruction or to destroy even life
itself. This is the imagery I
believe the author is pointing to, and God’s people were already
beginning to experience it as they sought to live their lives for the Lord
and follow his commands. Again,
that’s why in v. 2 Daniel “mourned
(prayed
& fasted)
for 3 weeks” III.
There
was a GREAT VISION
given to Daniel, … to help him understand and cope (deal) with what had
been revealed to him, and with what he and the people of God were to
face.. It ‘s this vision
that we want to look to today to help us learn how to deal with the
battles and the warfare we will face… for the forces in the heavenly
realm are STILL waging war against God’s people and against the building
of the temple (the CHURCH), but here in Dan 10, God’s people are given a
glimpse of this great war and strengthened for our role as we serve in the
face of difficult circumstances. You and I Must: (1) No Longer Give “Lip Service” to War in Spiritual Realms! (It’s REAL, & it Affects Everything you and I do here on this earth, in our personal lives, in our families, in the church, and in our ministries. (2) Recognize that Troubles WILL Come, because there ARE spiritual and earthly forces that do NOT want to see the church grow! It’s easy to think to ourselves – “I’ve been through one battle, that’s probably it for awhile!”; “I’ve been through a battle, I don’t know if I need to get back in the fight for awhile”; I’m facing some new battles, but I don’t know if I need this or not.” (3) Prepare for Participating in the Battle! The success or our church is NOT going to depend on whether we lost or picked up a few members in 2002. The success of our church is going to depend on whether we are prepared for waging war according to the wisdom given us in this passage! Verse
11 states “… Daniel, you who are
highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to
speak…”. The
truth is ALL those who have come to a point of faith and repentance in
Christ are “highly esteemed” by God! To
summarize, this passage teaches: BECAUSE
A GREAT WAR IS CONSTANTLY BEING WAGED (AGAINST GOD & HIS PEOPLE), FOUR
CONSIDERATIONS
for DOING THAT! We need to recognize that: I.
God Calls His People to STARE UP not COVER UP (vv. 2-9) v.
4 “… I was standing on
the bank of the great river, the Tigris,
(v. 5) I looked up…” v.
8 “So I was left alone, gazing
at this great vision…” The
first thing God’s people need to do in dealing with the difficulties we
face is to come face to face with the Lord!
Compare the experience of Daniel with those who fled and tried to
hide themselves (or “cover” their themselves and their sin)
They receive no help. But
God enables his people to see things to help them, while these same things
cause others to run away! In
v. 2 Daniel “mourned”. The
attitude of this prayer and fasting is explained in v. 12
“set his mind to gain understanding and to humble himself before
his God”. Question
– What did Daniel experience? Answer
– He is confronted with Christ himself!
Compare vv. 5-6 with John’s vision of Christ in Rev 1:12-17.
If you look at the structure of the passage this part initially
does not seem to fit. There
are three times where Daniel is “touched” and change takes place, but
this part of the passage just seems to be stuck there before it.
But that’s the point. You
and I must come and look upon our GREAT GOD, Christ Jesus if we are to be
touched in these other ways. Think
about it, words cannot adequately express what Daniel experienced, he was
there all alone, gazing up at one who looked like a man in linen clothes
(clothes of a priest) with skin that reminds one of the sky or ocean, with
a face like “LIGHTNING”, eyes like “FLAMING TORCHES”, and arms and
legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, which in others parts of Daniel
clearly refers to unyielding rule and might and power and force.
Daniel here is first brought to stand at the foot of him who is SO
FAR above ALL other things, that when confronted by his presence, all
other difficulties and dangers MUST be brought back into proper
perspective and proportion. I
love the way the Bible records it “so I was left along, GAZING at this
great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly
pale and I was helpless. The
point is that the best solution to the fears you and I have concerning the
difficulties and people forces we face is to gaze at the God we serve! What
problem do you face today that is too big or too difficult for this God?
Perhaps you’ve been trying to win the battle with your own
strength, your own wisdom, your own resources rather than his.
Remember these problems are not just earthly issues, but part of a
GREAT WAR, having heavenly powers at work in them as well.
Do you struggle with problems concerning your health; are you
dealing with the selfishness in the lives of your children, or your own
irritability in dealing with them; perhaps it’s a problem with a person,
or habit, or a feeling of uselessness or frustration, forsakenness, or
failure. Can you whip these
yourself? Stare up, don’t
cover up, and even these problems will grow back into proportion! II.
God Calls His People to STAND UP not GIVE UP (vv. 10-14) v.
11 “He said, ‘Daniel, you
who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak
to you; and stand up, for I have now been sent to you. And when he
said this to me, I stood up trembling.” One
of the first things people want to do when difficulty arises is to LAY
DOWN! God’s solution is not
to show us how great we are, but the opposite!
Daniel is first brought to his knees, a position of weakness, fear,
trembling, … he is faced with his own inadequacy. v. 10 “A
hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees.”
But he is not left
there. He is given three
divine helps. v.
11
“and stand up for I have
now been sent to you.” He
had received the news of Cambyses which attacked the church, but now he is
receiving help from heaven, .. an angel watching over and providing for
God’s people. Next,
in vv. 12ff - “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.”
Daniel “mourned” for 3 wks (21 days)
… with no apparent answer. There
was an explanation - v. 13
“But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one
days. Then Michael, one of
the chief princes, came to help me, b/c I was detained there w/ the king
of Persia. Now I have
come…” The
truth is that just because he did not experience an answer to his prayer
right away did not mean that the prayer was not answered.
As one author puts it “an answer to prayer delayed does not mean a prayer denied:” The prayer was answered from
the beginning! The
angel had been fighting on behalf of Israel, perhaps keeping Cambyses and
others from afflicting more damage, etc.)
Daniel received help from heaven.
He received help in the war that was being waged in heaven. His needs were being addressed in a way far greater than he
had realized. Finally,
in v. 14 “Now I
have come to explain to you what will happen to your people
in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.”
In times of trouble, God does not leave his people without a Word! Have
you ever been ready to “give up”, because you didn’t think God
heard, or understood, or was doing anything about your problem? Perhaps it was because you felt you were in the battle all
alone, and nobody cared, or there was no one to help.
Remember the Great War, and remember that just because you problem
is not solved right away does not mean that your prayers have not been
heard! Here
at Brandon Presbyterian, we’re not to give up, but to stand up to the
battles we face, not in our own strength or righteousness, but because of
the divine command and help that is assured.
I love the way Daniel put it –
“I stood
up trembling” III.
God Calls His People to SPEAK UP not TEAR UP (vv. 15-17) v.
15 Daniel is “speechless” (“dumb”
- unable to speak) v.
16 Angel
touches his lip & he
opens his mouth & says: ‘I
am overcome with anguish (pain/…tears)because of the vision, my lord,
and I am
helpless.
(17) How can I, your servant, talk with you, my lord?
My strength is gone and I can hardly breathe.” I
was talking with someone doing ministry the other day, who has recently
been confronted with some battles in the church where they attend, and as
they described how easy the matters ought to work, but how difficulty and
even impossible it was because of the way people responded, they shut
their mouths (in great frustration and anger) and said “uh-uh” as if
to say, it shouldn’t be like that, and I don’t like it.”
Sometimes things in our lives and ministries ought to be easy, but
they turn out to be hard. When
you and I begin to face some of the difficulties in building the church
(dealing with people, bringing about spiritual change, etc.) it’s easy
to become frustrated, discourage, to experience great “pain” and
“anguish” because of these battles, and even to begin to sense our
“helplessness” in the situation.”
That’s probably the number one reason people get frustrated, and
want to quit serving in the church. But
often, it’s not the problem itself, but he battle that lies behind the
problem that cause such turmoil! It’s
at this point God calls his people to “talk with him” even if we feel
we can’t! v.18
“Again the one who looked like a man touched me and gave me
strength. (v. 19)
Do not be afraid, O man highly esteemed,’ he said.
‘Peace! Be strong now; be strong.’ When he
spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, ‘Speak, my lord, since you
have given me strength. Don’t
hold it in! Don’t give up! Speak to the Lord and find help, healing, and strength in
him! … for when he speaks
to you, strength will be conferred on you!!! Does
the vision concerning the future scare you?
(It does me! I don’t
like Problems & Persecution!) Is
the warfare as you’ve encountered it causing you pain? Turn to the Lord! IV.
God Calls His People to STRENGTHEN UP not STOP UP (vv. 20 – 11:1) ENCOURAGEMENT
is given to God’s People – The messenger will continue to fight,
though the battles will continue to come!
But to show his power and effectiveness the messenger refers to the
reign of Darius the Mede. Interestingly,
during the first year of his reign, the decree was given for the exiles to
return to Palestine. What the
messenger was saying is: “If
I can do this … support God’s people even when they are under the
reign of this foreign king… then I can protect and provide for you
too!” God’s
people are never to let the difficulties or battles keep them from
continuing in the work! In
your ministry, have you become stagnant because of the battles in your
life, or in your service in the church?
Heaven declares “ v. 19 “Be
strong now; be strong.” God’s
people are to strengthen up, not stop up!
Carry out your service and ministries, knowing that though the
battle may be great, God will get the ultimate victory in the end, and he
does not give us on our behalf, even though at times and for a long time
it may appear that way. There
were three boys in the woods one day who came across a bear.
The first failed to recognize the nature of this bear, so the bear
attacked him and swallowed him whole.
The second boy recognized the terror of the bear, but failed to
recognize the power of the gun he had been given.
He too was torn to shreds and left no mark.
The third boy, however, not only recognized the nature of the bear,
but knew the lethality of the weapon he possessed.
The bear attacked, the boy shot, and won the battle! If
the Vision that concerns a time yet to come does not cause you concern
(cause you to tremble and be afraid), you don’t yet understand the
vision! However… If
the Comfort and Call in this passage doesn’t Encourage you to
confidently move forward in spite of the difficulties, then you either
don’t yet understand the gospel, or you’re not applying it as you
should in your life! May God’s People Stare Up, Stand Up, Speak Up, & Strengthen Up, ….. for there’s a mission and a battle for us to fight here at Brandon Presbyterian Church!
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