DANIEL SIMPLIFIED

 

CHAPTER 10.1.Introduction

Gleanings from the Book of Daniel:

A Weekly Verse-by-Verse Bible Study Series

 

DANIEL

Chapter Ten

Daniel’s Final Vision

The Prologue

 

Introduction

The final three chapters in the book of Daniel comprise one great prophetic thought. It is the last vision that he received from God with details filled in from the previous ones. A timeline of juxtaposed events that must transpire, not only for the immediate future but also, and the distant as well, is presented to Daniel regarding Israel during the End Times, especially throughout the Tribulation Period.

 

Now, Daniel is about 85 years of age and it had been 70 years since he was taken captive by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Israel’s 70-Year Captivity is over. And, after Daniel had watched the collapse of the Babylonian Empire under Cyrus the Great, the story begins two years since the first decree was issued for the captives to return to their homeland (cf. Ezra 1:1-4).

 

Key Verse

Daniel 10:14 – 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.

 

Outline

The Prologue – Chapter 10

The Prophecy – Chapter 11

The Epilogue – Chapter 12

 

 

(Verse 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.

 

The Setting for the Vision

By way of introduction, Daniel authors a preface to the three-chapter finale by referring to himself in the third person. The setting is disclosed. He states this took place during the third year of the reign of King Cyrus the Great of Persia. Consequently, it would have occurred, according to the dating system subscribed, around 537/536 B.C.

 

Notice also in his recording, Daniel refers to himself as Belteshazzar. Recall, his name Daniel (God is my Judge) had been changed by Nebuchadnezzar to Belteshazzar (May Bel protect his life) at the beginning of the Babylonian captivity (cf. Daniel 1:7; 2:26). By this time, it may be the assimilated Israelites only knew him by his Babylonian name.

 

The Thing

A thing (you know the thing, used several times throughout the book) is a word, message, decree, or revelation. It is expressly implied, a matter spoken of.

In the opening line, the thing has several components:

1. The thing was revealed

a.  The revelation of future events

2. The thing was true

a.  The revelation of God as truth

3. The thing was appointed

a.  The revelation of a great lengthy conflict

4. The thing was understood

a.  The revelation is clearly understood

 

 

(Verse 2)

 

In those days, I, Daniel, had been mourning for three entire weeks.

 

A Time to Mourn

Two years after he had received the Seventy Weeks prophecy (cf. Daniel 9), Daniel had become discouraged because only a remnant, 42,360, of his people returned to Palestine (see Ezra 2:64).

 

Additional reasons for Daniel’s sorrow may be attributed to these factors:

1. His people would endure much suffering prophetically

2. His people became paganized living in Babylon

3. His people were comfortable with their lifestyles

a.  Some had farms

b.  Some had businesses  

4. His people became complacent in their sins

5. His people were disinterested in rebuilding the Temple

6. His people never experienced the sacrificial system

7. His people lacked the motivation in their hearts to return

 

Understand, this incident was over two generations removed from the time of Daniel's deportation. Everyone, less than 70 years of age had never seen the grandeur that once was Solomon's Temple. Again, they had no desire to go back, especially for a reconstruction program.

 

Daniel had been mourning for three entire weeks

Here, for three weeks (21 days) Daniel was mourning (bewailing, or lamenting), and alone with God. Recollect, Daniel had customarily prayed on his knees three times daily facing Jerusalem (cf. Daniel 6:10).

 

 

(Verse 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.

 

An Exceptional Fast

As Daniel was lamenting for three weeks, He had fasted, however, it was not a normal fast, but a limited one. He articulates the conditions he endured:

1. He ate no pleasant food

Pleasant food was a term used to describe staples that were desirable, in some instances, delicacies. This would be considered antithetical to the bread of affliction, i.e., unleavened bread (cf. Deuteronomy 16:3).

 

2. He ate no meat

Because of Daniel’s high position within both empires, he was privy to food from the king’s table which neither may nor may not have included meat. Either way, he had abstained from such food portions.

 

3. He drank no wine

According to Greek historian Herodotus, the Persians drank wine in large quantities. So, it would have been a readily available beverage, specially reserved for royalty at the time. It was mainly symbolic of joy and festivity. Anyway, Daniel had fasted from any such wines or diluted grape drinks.

 

By this time, it is clear Daniel had not made a life-long commitment to bland food (cf. Daniel 1:8). With regards to the meat and drink, Daniel would have continued to maintain a diet of clean foods according to Jewish dietary laws, which did not prohibit wine.

 

4. He anointed himself not

During his three-week period of mourning and fasting, Daniel refrained from anointing himself. The practice of anointing with oil (mainly olive oil) had several implications, some entailed:

1. It was characteristic of grief (cf. 2 Samuel 12:20)

2. It was practiced on festive occasions (cf. Isaiah 61:3)

3. It was used in a purification process (cf. Esther 2:12)

4. It was used as a perfume (cf. Ruth 3:3)

5. It was symbolic in anointing priests (cf. Exodus 40:15)

6. It was employed traditionally as an ointment for protection from the sun

 

Most likely, Daniel had not used any oils as a skin lotion for his twenty-one-day fast. Hence, Daniel mourned not only for seven appointed days (cf. Exodus 12:18) but for three times the period of a fast.

 

(Verse 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.

 

Daniel’s Location

Abib or Aviv (young ear of grain) was originally the first month of the Hebrew ecclesiastical year which ran from mid-March to mid-April. Abib marked the beginning of spring and when the feast of Passover was celebrated (cf. Deuteronomy 16:1). The month was later changed to Nissan (their flight) after the Babylonian captivity (cf. Nehemiah 2:1; Esther 3:7).

 

So, in the third year of King Cyrus of Persia, on the twenty-fourth day of Abib, Daniel states his location being along the shore of the great river Hiddekel, i.e., the Tigris River (cf. Genesis 2:14). The Tigris River was located roughly fifty miles east of Babylon and flows into the Persian Gulf.

 

Daniel was probably at this locale on a business trip with some of his aides (cf. Daniel 10:7).

 

 

(Verse 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.

 

An Unexpected Visitor

All of a sudden, as he looked up, a certain man (one who had the appearance of a man) came into view. Daniel first noticed two distinct features:

1. He was clothed in linen

Linen was indicative of the High Priest’s garments worn on the day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:4). Linen symbolizes the holiness of God.

 

2. He was girded about his loins with fine gold of Uphaz

A girdle or belt around the waist was customarily worn in the East. However, this sash was flecked with fine gold of Uphaz (an unknown region known for its gold), thus personifying the sovereignty of God.

 

At this point, Daniel was not in a dream, as he was earlier in Shushan by the river of Ulai (cf. Daniel 8:2), nor had he seen a vision when he encountered this divine being. He had a real encounter (explained later).

 

 

(Verse 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.

 

The Visitor’s Description

Additional and unusual features of the certain man are listed hereby:

1. His body was like the beryl

Beryl is a transparent yellowish precious stone epitomizing the glory of God.

 

2. His face was as the appearance of lightning

Lightning embodies the omnipotence of God.

 

3. His eyes were as lamps of fire

His fiery eyes represent the omniscience of God.

 

4. His arms and feet were like the colour of polished brass

Polished bronze exemplifies the judgment and wrath of God.

 

5. His voice was like the sound of a multitude

Similar to the voice of many waters (cf. Revelation 14:2), i.e., the voice from a crowd of people depicts the omnipresence of God, supreme over the nations.

 

The certain man has been identified in several ways:

1. Some say he is the archangel, Gabriel

2. Some say he is the archangel, Michael

3. Some say he is another spiritual being in bodily form

4. Some say He is a theophany, a vision of God the Father

5. Some say He is a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ (a Christophany)

 

The most likely candidate congruent to this passage would be Jesus Christ in His post-Resurrection glorious nature. Namely, because He has a striking resemblance to the Alpha and Omega of Revelation 1:13-16 (cf. Ezekiel 1:26-28; see also Revelation Simplified Chapter 1.13).

 

 

Next, Daniel has experiences like he never had before. The drama unfolds in the following study.

 

 

QUESTIONS:

1. Why was Daniel discouraged?

2. How did he handle his discouragement?

3. How long did Daniel fast?

4. What were some things Daniel did during his fast?

5. Who does Daniel encounter?

6. Where was this encounter?

7. What did the person Daniel encountered look like?

 

 

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