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In the current lesson, Daniel is given one final vision of "the great war" that is to come. This last vision covers the last three chapters of Daniel. We begin our look at this vision by studying Daniel Chapter 10.

After reading Daniel Chapter 10, consider the following:

1. In Daniel 10:1, what is noted regarding the revelation that Daniel is given in the final chapters of Daniel?
   1. ANSWER: The verse comments regarding the revelation that "Its message was true and it concerned a great war".
2. How did Daniel prepare for this prayer? (see Daniel 10:2)
   1. ANSWER 1: He was in mourning for three weeks.
   2. ANSWER 2: He fasted, eating no "choice food", nor meat or wine.
   3. ANSWER 3: Finally, he used "no lotions at all until the three weeks were over".
3. What compelled Daniel to do all of these things prior to praying?
   1. ANSWER: In Daniel 10:1, Daniel indicates that the revelation troubled him so much that he did these three things.
4. What can we learn about Daniel’s daily life from the actions he took?
   1. ANSWER: We know from previous lessons that he prayed three times a day and regularly sought out God. We also know that he was a regular advisor to each King he served, which also meant that he had many administrative duties to carry out each day. Daniel 10:2-3 implies that he was accustomed to eating a regular diet of "choice foods", including meat and wine. Furthermore, we can surmise that he used "lotions" on a daily basis. He did these things just as many of us do nowadays; however, when it was time to seek out God on important matters, all of those daily foods, drink, and lotions were put aside so that he could put all of his attention to prayer.
5. Read Revelation 1:13-16 and compare it with the description found in Daniel 10:4-7. Do you believe that this is Christ talking to Daniel? (also see Daniel 10:13)
   1. ANSWER: While there are many comparisons between the two sets of verses, it does not appear likely this was the pre-incarnate Christ. It is highly unlikely that Christ, who is over all of creation, would have needed help from Michael while waging a protracted conflict with the "prince of the Persian kingdom". In all likelihood, this is the angel Gabriel.
6. What do the words spoken by the angels in Daniel’s visions indicate about how God thinks of Daniel? (see Daniel 9:23 and Daniel 10:11)
   1. ANSWER: The angels tell Daniel that he is "highly esteemed". Can you imagine having God refer to you as highly esteemed?
7. What has the angel come to do? Refer to both Daniel 9:22-23 and Daniel 10:12-14.
   1. ANSWER: In both cases, the angels are there to explain, to provide insight and understanding. Angels have as one of their roles being messengers from God, and when they have a message they bring that message plainly so that we have insight into the message they bring.
8. Referring to both Daniel Chapter 9 and Daniel Chapter 10, at what point in time did God answer Daniel’s prayers?
   1. ANSWER: God answered Daniel’s prayers the moment that Daniel began to pray, i.e., the very moment that Daniel "set his mind to gaining understanding". This tells us that God is with us at all times and knows when we are in prayer and searching for answers.
9. Who did the angel’s message in Daniel 10:14 involve?
   1. ANSWER: This message, this revelation, specifically involves the people of Israel, God’s chosen people. So we need to interpret it and understand it in that light. This isn’t about the Gentiles, or any specific empire; this is about God’s chosen people, Israel.
10. What can we make of the comment in Daniel 10:13 regarding the struggle between the angel and "the prince of the Persian kingdom" resisting him? Who is this prince, and what does it indicate to us about the angelic realm? (see also Ephesians 6:12)
    1. ANSWER: This prince is obviously a satanic angel determined to prevent Gabriel from delivering his message. It would be the prince of the Persian Empire as that was the empire in power at the time of Daniel’s revelation, and he did not want the future revealed to Daniel about God’s people, Israel. This is one instance of the powers of darkness that are all around us, which Paul warns us about in Ephesians.
11. What happens to prince of Persia, and why? (see Daniel 10:20)
    1. ANSWER: His kingdom is overthrown, and the Greek empire takes its place. We often believe that our struggles are with wicked rulers in high places, meaning physical people; and we do not realize that what is really happening is Satan and his demonic forces battling for control of God’s creation and His people.
12. Within the angelic realm, who is helping Gabriel in this struggle against the prince of Persia? (see Daniel 10:21)
    1. ANSWER: Michael, the archangel. It appears that these two very powerful angels are God’s guardians of Israel.

In the next lesson, we will embark on Part 1 of a two-part revelation given to Daniel and recorded in Daniel Chapter 11. What we observe in all of Daniel’s actions is an uncommon man during uncommon times; one who is "highly esteemed" by God, humbly serving and seeking God in all that he does. May this be the daily desire for our lives as well.

Thanks for studying with us!

Yours in Christ,

Wes

[2012]

[PDF Version]