Thank you again, Mark, for leading us. Good songs this morning to contemplate. Good doctrine in all those songs. Good morning to everyone. Good to see you all on this beautiful, sunny day. It's going to be summer again today, I guess. 

We are in Daniel chapter 10. We've come to chapter 10 in our study of this amazing book. And this chapter kind of allows us to take a breath between the visions of the 77s of chapter 9 and the vision Daniel is about to be given in chapter 11. In chapter 9, we were in the first year of the reign of Darius. And chapter 10 tells us that we are in the third year of Cyrus. Some time has passed since chapter 9. Some believe that Cyrus and Darius are the same person. Some believe they aren't. But it's about two to four years that have passed since the vision of chapter 9. 

And in this time, Cyrus has issued his decree, according to the book of Ezra, for the temple to be rebuilt in Jerusalem and has made provision for this. Ezra 2 tells us that 42,360 Jews returned to Jerusalem under the leadership of Zerubbabel. And this was really a small fraction of the number of the Jews in Babylon. So it was a disappointing situation that only 42,000 wanted to go back. 

You'll remember in Daniel 9, Daniel had been studying the prophet Jeremiah and came to the conclusion that the 70 years of captivity of Israel in Babylon was coming to an end. He was praying and repenting of the sins of Israel and seeking to understand what would happen concerning his people and his city. And God gave him the revelation of the 490-year period in which he would accomplish his will in Israel and Jerusalem. 

And what we saw in our studies was that this period did not start right away, just as there were three deportations from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar from 605 BC to 586 BC. So there were multiple, in fact, four declarations to go back and rebuild the temple and then finally the city from Cyrus and Artaxerxes. And we saw that the command given in Nehemiah satisfied the words of the prophecy given to Daniel in chapter 9 concerning the building not only of the temple, but also of the city. 

So the end of the 70 years of captivity in Babylon was not from the first deportation of Daniel in 605, but from the destruction of the city in 586. And this is what Daniel is figuring out in our text. He was discouraged at this point, as we're going to see in our text, because his people did not want to go back. And the ones who did were not having a lot of success. It took nearly a year just to clean up the mess at the temple site. And the work had been difficult with some opposition and actually had ground now to a stop. 

Daniel was profoundly sad about what was happening. And that really gives us the context for our text this morning. It's been at least two years since the revelation of chapter 9. And Daniel was encouraged by the decree of Cyrus and anticipated great things in Jerusalem and for Israel. And it just wasn't happening. And so he's discouraged. He's sad. And therefore, he does what Daniel always did. He prays. 

And he prays and fasts in a time of celebration in the month of Nisan during the festival of Passover. We're given the very day here when the angel comes to him. So he should be celebrating. He should be eating the delicacies and rejoicing in this time of the festival. But instead, he is fasting, not eating any special foods or celebrating, but rather praying for 21 days. 

Praying because he's seeking to understand what will happen concerning Israel and Jerusalem and the temple and God's plan for his people. Again, it's important to remember this context in the context of Daniel's thinking. He could only understand this as pertaining to Israel and Jerusalem. So the revelation given to him is about that, as we saw in chapter 9. 70 weeks are determined for your people and your holy city, Jerusalem. 

Well, now we see preparation in chapter 10 for another revelation, a final vision given in the book of Daniel. And this vision has much greater detail concerning what would be for his people Israel up to the end and the fulfillment of the kingdom and the promises. So chapter 10 is a preparation for the prophecy. Chapter 11 gives us the vision itself and all that it entails from Daniel's time until the coming of Christ and the kingdom, as we've consistently seen in the visions of this book. 

And chapter 12 wraps up the details of these events. However, we're going to see some amazing details, insights in this 10th chapter that kind of makes you scratch your head a bit. And we're going to explore those as we go along as well. 

So let's look at our text. I'll just read the first 14 verses, Daniel 10 at verse 1. In the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia, a message was revealed to Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar. The message was true, but the appointed time was long. And he understood the message and had understanding of the vision. 

In those days, I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant food. No meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all till three whole weeks were fulfilled. Now, on the 24th day of the first month, that would be Nisan, as I was by the side of the great river, that is the Tigris, I lifted my eyes and looked. 

And behold, a certain man clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Euphaz. His body was like barrel, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like torches of fire, his arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, and the sound of his words like the voice of a multitude. 

And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision. But a great terror fell upon them so that they fled to hide themselves. Therefore, I was left alone when I saw this great vision. And no strength remained in me, for my vigor was turned to frailty in me, and I retained no strength. 

Yet I heard the sound of his words. And while I heard the sound of his words, I was in a deep sleep on my face with my face to the ground. Suddenly, a hand touched me, which made me tremble on my knees and on the palms of my hands. And he said to me, O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you and stand upright. For I have now been sent to you. While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling.

So Daniel's on his face on the ground, and then he feels this hand. And now he's up on his hands and knees, and he's trembling. And then he strengthens him, brings him up. And he's going to tell him words. He says he's going to tell him the vision, which runs into chapter 11. Verse 12, then he said to me, do not fear, Daniel. For from the first day that you set your heart to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come because of your words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me 21 days. And behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision refers to many days yet to come. 

So we see the same thing we saw in chapter 9, that the angel comes to give him understanding, to give him skill to understand, to reveal to him what's going to happen to his people in the latter days. Well, I've given you five points on your outline this morning: first, preparation for the vision; second, profound sadness; third, personal appearance; fourth, plan for God's people; and fifth, powerful princes. 

Well, first in our text, we see that chapter 10 is not the revelation itself, but preparation for the vision given in chapter 11. Again, Daniel's praying to understand what is going on in Israel. What is happening is not consistent with his expectation at this point. And this is an interesting insight for us, I think. Daniel was very much in tune with the word of God. He was seeking the will of God. He was a man of prayer, walking in fellowship with God. And God accomplished so many great things through Daniel for his glory. He had been given understanding with the vision of chapter 9 in the 490-year prophecy. He had been studying Jeremiah and Isaiah and came to right conclusions about the time of the captivity in Babylon. 

In all of this, Daniel had formed an expectation for what would happen next. In light of all this revelation, he had come to understand. And his understanding was right. It was truth. It was biblical. But his expectation of how and when it would come to pass was not quite accurate. And this is interesting to me, because we can study and pray and seek to know and understand God and His will. And we can be right on track with God's word and principles and understanding of His will and plan and purpose and still not quite understand all the details, perhaps the process, the timing, whatever. 

And this is where we must trust God with all the details, with the playing out of His will and purposes. Think about the amazing experience Daniel had in chapter 9, the revelation and understanding that he gained from the study of the word, from prayer, from the vision and instruction, the understanding given him by Gabriel. And yet, two or three years had passed, and all was not going according to what he expected. Is that a problem for Daniel? Is that a problem for you and for me in our lives and our walk with God? It can be. But was the two years and the circumstances of Zerubbabel and the rebuilding and the apathy of Daniel's people in Babylon and all these details a problem for God? No. 

Even though we might have understanding of God's word and His purpose, our expectation of how it will all play out is not always consistent with God's plan. In other words, I'm not in charge of all the details. And time might be long for me, but timing is perfect for God. I might think things have gone awry in this world, or God's plan is not being played out in my timing. But God is in charge of all those details, and I should not be discouraged. His will shall be done. His word will be accomplished in His time. 

Now, Daniel thought and hoped that all these things would come to pass right away after the decree of Cyrus, but this was not working out the way he hoped, and Daniel was profoundly sad. Verse 1 tells us that a vision was given to Daniel and he understood it. We're going to get to those details in chapter 11, but notice this important phrase. It says, the appointed time of the vision was long. This phrase means literally not only a long period of time, as we will see later in the chapter, it involves many days, even the latter days, but the meaning here is that it involves great conflict or great battles. 

And that's what we will see in chapter 11, a great conflict that continues through the times of the Gentiles between the king of the north and the king of the south. That is the Seleucid kingdoms and the Ptolemaic Egyptian kingdom south of Israel. And the reason that these conflicts that continue over vast expanses of time, even to the end, the second coming, and the kingdom are related to Israel is because the land lies between the north and the south, and the battles take place in and around the land of Israel. 

So the vision describes an ongoing conflict that affects Israel, Jerusalem, and Daniel's people, extending over the times of the Gentiles when the Gentile nations rule over Israel. I think it's interesting to see Daniel's discouragement at the timing of the working out of what he understood from God's word. I understand this. You see, Daniel had known what it was like when he was young, and Josiah was king, and things were good in Israel, and he was a noble, and the temple was working, and the sacrificial system was happening, and they were worshiping God, and they were following God under Josiah. 

Daniel wanted his people to be excited. He wanted them to go back to the Holy Land to rebuild the temple and the city, restore what was lost when he was taken away as a boy. And I'm sure he was there in Babylon, encouraging his people to go back, to realize the gravity of what God was doing, and the importance of the place, and the temple, and the worship. And he saw a lot of apathy among God's people. And this is discouraging. In Daniel 10:2, it says, in those days, I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant food. No meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled. 

Again, this was Nisan, the time of Passover, and feasting, and celebration. And Daniel was fasting and praying through this whole time, three weeks, waiting on an answer from God. Why don't they understand? Why don't they understand why what you want is important? What you want is best.

What you want is fulfillment, and fruit, and glory. Why don't they understand? They're happy here in Babylon. They've built a life here. They're doing just fine. They have no interest in going back. Why, God? 

And God gives him an answer with a personal appearance. Verse 5, I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Euphaz, his body like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like torches of fire, his arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, and the sound of his words like the voice of a multitude. 

And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision." So Daniel sees a vision, an incredible vision. Who is this that Daniel sees? We see very similar descriptions in Ezekiel 1 and Revelation 1. Ezekiel 1 26, it says, and above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, an appearance.

like sapphire stone on the likeness of the throne was the likeness with the appearance of a man high above it also from the appearance of his waist and upward I saw as it were the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it and from the appearance of his waist and downward I saw as it were the appearance of fire with brightness all around like the appearance of a rainbow and a cloud on a rainy day so was the appearance of the brightness all around it this was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord so when I saw it I fell on my face and I heard a voice of one speaking.

Turn over to Revelation 1 let's look at that passage as well Revelation 1 at verse 12 this is John receiving a vision in the book of the Revelation verse 12 says then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me and having turned I saw seven golden lampstands and in the midst of the seven lampstands one like the Son of Man clothed with the garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band his head and hair were like wool as white as snow his eyes like a flame of fire his feet were like fine brass as if for finding a furnace in his voice as the sound of many waters he had in his right hand seven stars out of his mouth when a sharp two-edged sword and his countenance was like the Sun shining in its strength.

What we see in Daniel 10 5 to 9 I believe is a pre-incarnate appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ what we call a theophany and is usually referred to in the Old Testament as the angel of the Lord but in verse 10 we see a shift in thought also a shift in description and the grammar as well and I think this is important for understanding. In verse 10 he says suddenly a hand touched me so he sees this vision of the Lord and glory and then he's on his face in the dirt and then a hand touches him and what we're going to see as we go through these verses is that the description changes from this glory the vision of the Lord in his glory to one that looks like a man a regular man.

It says his body speaking of Jesus his body was like barrel his face like the appearance of lightning his eyes like torches of fire his arms and feet like burnished bronze and color sound of his words like the voice of multitude. In the verses 10 to 21 we see one who appears as a regular man an angelic being has come to strengthen him to help him to understand to give him a vision for the future of Israel and what he says is I'm going to speak to you I'm going to give you a vision that follows through the end of the text as well as into chapter 11.

So I believe this is the same angel as the last chapter who came to Daniel Gabriel look at verse 21 says but I will tell you what is noted in the scripture of truth that's referring to the vision he's going to give them no one upholds me against these except Michael your prince. Verse chapter 11 verse 1 also in the first year of Darius the mead I even I stood up to confirm and strengthen him so these words make this angelic being distinct from Michael the Archangel of Israel and they refer us back to chapter 9 the first year of Darius when Gabriel came to Daniel.

So we see a personal appearance of Jesus to Daniel kind of knocking him for a loop and then we see the angelic figure likely Gabriel come to strengthen and encourage Daniel and to reveal to him the future God's plan and purpose for Israel to answer his prayer. One interesting thing that I think we see through this vision we'll get into this next week is that the visions of Daniel throughout the book the entire book spanned from the very time of Daniel to the coming of Christ and the setting up of his kingdom on earth.

It's interesting that these revelations start with a very simple framework and overview and they move to a more and more detailed revelation about the events to come but they all cover the same time period. Listen to the summary of the vision of Daniel to you remember Daniel to the statue the head of gold the silver representing the kingdoms of men and the ten toes the final revived Roman Empire of ten kings. Verse 45 says and as much as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands that it broke in pieces the iron the bronze the clay the silver and the gold the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this the dream is certain and its interpretation is sure.

So that vision told us simply that there would be these kingdoms of men and then God would send a rock wiping out that statue those kingdoms and all vestiges of those kingdoms and then his kingdom would fill the whole earth it says that's as much revelation as we got out of that first vision but as we go through the book we get more detailed revelation and we're going to get a lot of detail in this last revelation about the events of this time period. So this is going to culminate in the text before us in chapters 10 to 12 particularly 11 giving us a great amount of detail of the time period and events that will culminate in the coming of Christ and his kingdom.

Verse 20 of our text says the angel says to him do you know why I have come to you he's come to reveal the vision to him but he says now I must return to fight with the prince of Persia and when I've gone forth indeed the prince of Greece will come but I will tell you what is noted in the scripture of truth the vision he's going to give him no one upholds me against these except Michael your prince. The scripture of truth refers to what's coming in chapter 11 the vision vision the revelation.

Let's look at that 11 to we'll just look at the first couple verses there Daniel 11 to he says and now I will tell you the truth behold three more kings will arise in Persia and the fourth shall be far richer than them all by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece then a mighty king shall arise who shall rule with great dominion and do according to his will and when he has arisen his kingdom shall be broken up and divided toward the four winds of heaven but not among his posterity nor according to his dominion which he ruled for his kingdom shall be uprooted even for others besides these.

And the revelation to Daniel continues throughout the chapter but we see already three more Persian kings that culminates in our desert sees the most wealthy king who attacks Greece and then we see Alexander the Great coming so there's amazing detail coming about all these battles that are going to take place in and around the land of Israel. So the revelation to Daniel continues throughout that chapter but what I want you to see is that this is again God's plan for Israel this is Gabriel telling Daniel what will happen concerning his people from now to many days in the future the latter days.

Verse 14 makes this clear in our text Daniel 10 14 the angel says now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days for the vision refers to many days yet to come so it's setting the context in your mind of what we're going to study in chapter 11 this is preparation for that vision. So we see in our text in Daniel 10 preparation for the vision a profound sadness on Daniel's part a personal appearance of Christ the plan for God's people revealed in the vision and then finally I just want to take a few moments to look at the powerful princes.

This is an interesting detail that we see here verse 13 but the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me 21 days and behold Michael one of the chief princes came to help me for I'd been left alone there with the kings of Persia and then down in 20 and 21 he says I have to go back and fight with the kingdom of the king of Persia and the prince of Egypt is coming I mean of Greece is coming soon. So it's quite interesting here we have a fascinating glimpse into the scriptural or the spiritual world and the angel tells Daniel that he was sent as soon as Daniel started praying remember in chapter 9 he came immediately he didn't have a long time span to get from heaven to Daniel but what happened in chapter 10 he was held up or hindered by the prince of the kingdom of Persia apparently a demonic force so much so that he had to get Michael the archangel of Israel to come and help him fend off the demons so that he could make it to Daniel to give this revelation.

And in verse 20 he tells Daniel that he must get back to fight and notice this the prince of Persia is in charge right now but the prince or demon of Greece is coming and Greece is of course the next world kingdom after Persia. So we see that there are specific demonic forces behind the kings and rulers of our world battling with the holy angels in a heavenly spiritual battle over the affairs of men. This brings all kinds of questions and interesting thoughts I was thinking about this in light of the sovereignty of God this book of Daniels all about the sovereignty of God God is sovereign over all these things and yet we see him dispatch an angel to answer Daniel's prayer and here this demon holds up this angel for 21 days so that he can't get to Daniel.

Apparently in God's sovereignty he has allowed as we see in the book of Job Satan and his demons and the system he set up in the world to operate with a degree of free will he is sovereign over all things but he is allowing these true battles in the spiritual realm to play out over the context of the affairs of men. So that's an interesting thing it reminds me of God's sovereignty in salvation yet in God's sovereign will he has allowed men to have some part in that to choose to believe that doesn't deplete his sovereignty it's his choice to set things up this way and allow them to happen.

So it's an interesting insight here to see what's going on in the spiritual world it's kind of stunning to think about what's going on in the spiritual world. So what do we do with that we see this same truth in the New Testament behind the nations of men and behind the religions of men are demonic forces Ephesians 6 10 he says finally my brethren be strong in the Lord and the power of his might put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil there's a real battle that Satan is prowling around like a roaring lion seeing whom he may consume.

Paul says we do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darkness of this age against spiritual hosts of wickedness and the heavenly places therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand. 2nd Corinthians 10 3 Paul says though we walk in the flesh we do not war according to the flesh for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal not the means of men not the means of the world but mighty and God for pulling down strongholds casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.

Our battle is against lies and error of Satan and his demons turn over to 2nd Corinthians 11 2nd Corinthians 11 at verse 12 some problems going on in Corinth Paul's very concerned but agitated in this chapter he says I fear as the serpent deceived Eve you might be deceived from the simplicity that is in Christ if someone comes along preaching another gospel you may well put up with it so he's speaking about false teachers false apostles.

Verse 12 he says what I do I will also continue to do that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast for such are false apostles deceitful workers transforming themselves into apostles of Christ and no wonder for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness whose end will be according to their works.

What am I saying then I'm sorry going to a different text I'm gonna read from 1st Corinthians 10 for you what am I saying then that an idol is anything or what is offered idols is anything rather that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons behind false religion as well as the nation's and the affairs of men are demonic forces particularly in religion Paul says the devil transforms himself into an angel of light his demons as ministers of righteousness.

Satan does his best work from the pulpits and churches preaching lies and he says behind these religions of men there's demonic forces bringing forth lies and he says you cannot participate in false worship you cannot have fellowship with demons. I love what he says in verse 22 at the end of that passage or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy are we stronger than he do we know better than he does is the question we cannot participate in the false religions of men have fellowship with them because they are built on lies the lies of Satan and his ministers in our battle is a battle of truth versus error our weapon is the sword of truth the Word of God for casting down arguments and pulling down the strongholds of human wisdom and carnal religion.

We learn from Jude that the battle with Satan is the Lord's. Not even Michael the archangel of Israel contended with Satan, but said, the Lord rebuke you. Our job is not to be casting out demons and binding Satan and worried all about all that stuff. Our job is to know and believe and speak the truth, the truth according to God's Word, and to trust God with all the details of life and eternity. 

We see twice in our text that the revelation given to Daniel is truth, that even though what we're about to study in Daniel 11 is fantastic, it's incredible, but we can know and believe that what God tells us is true and will come to pass for Israel and for God's great namesake. There's a spiritual battle going on, my friends, behind the scenes. We need not concern ourselves with Satan and demons and all that business. Don't worry about it. The Lord has that. We need to concern ourselves with truth. 

Speak the truth. There's no love apart from the truth, John tells us. So speaking the truth, not telling lies, is the way that we win this battle against error. We need to know it. We need to reckon it to be so. We need to speak the truth in love to the glory of God. 

Let's close in prayer. Father, we thank You again just for the life of Daniel and this record of the things, the amazing things that You did in that time and that place and how we can still know what is to come by the words given to us in this book. Thank You that You know the end from the beginning, that You tell us that You're in control, that we can trust You. We love You. We praise You in Jesus' name.