Daniel 10:1-21

Recurrent Thought

God does send angels to minister to His Children.

Angels are created spirit beings that serve God, and are usually sent on errands to aid human beings (Heb. 1:14). The bible and human experience reveal another set of supernatural beings that are inherently evil. Satan, once known as Lucifer, leads these evil entities. He leads them through a negative and diabolical hierarchy. Angels are messengers sent by Yahweh to do his bidding. The book of Daniel, more so chapter 10 introduces us to the ministry of angels. We are also to encounter Jesus in these verses.

We must retaliate the truth that God leads and directs His children primarily through His Word; however, he also leads them through the Voice of His Spirit and He utilizes different ways. The content of these means of communication must be anchored and confirmed by the spirit and principle of the Word of God. The reality of Angels and what they communicate must be in line with the scriptures.

It is essential to state that Chapters 10-12 are essentially one final vision of Daniel. Chapter 10 contains a prologue to the prophecy; Chapter 11 discusses the actual vision and chapter 12 is an epilogue. 

In this text, we see that God grants Daniel a privilege to have a heavenly vision. It is evident that Daniel made a personal preparation to have this encounter. The truth is that Daniel had formed spiritual habit of separating himself with various levels of self-denial for encountering Yahweh. It was while he had one such retreat that opened to him.

Background

• He had this Encounter in the 3rd Year of the reign Cyrus. He had it while he was having a prayer retreat on River Tigris
• Daniel had an encounter with the Lord and it affected his spirit and his body so much that he was exhausted after the fact.
• Dating of the Book is significant. First, it gives us the period so that we know when he had this experience. Second, it gives us opportunity to verify and authenticate the prophecy with historical records that is not necessary biblical.
• Cyrus had already released the first group of Jews in his first year to go to Jerusalem rebuild their lives and their temple
• During this particular retreat he practiced a life of self-denial; just a sense of being lost in his presence with less care on self.

Purpose of Prayer of Daniels Prayer

Although it is not included in Chapter 10, it is revealed in Chapter 11. Daniel’s concern is the way his countrymen settle in Judah and the powerful influence of other nations on the direction and destiny of Israel.

Daniel’s Encounter is with the Lord and extended visitation angels. Therefore, this chapter gives us a glimpse on the work and power of angels.

An Encounter with the Angel of the Covenant

Daniel has a vision of the Lord. His description is so different of Angels and the impact on him, is impactful.  Lord of Angels appears to Daniel 10:5-6 His description is like the Lord in Rev. 1:13.

• Clothed in linen, as the high priest himself
• His loins were girded with a golden girdle of the finest gold, that of Uphaz. Remember that every thing about Christ is the best in its kind.
• His shape was amiable, his body like the beryl, a precious stone of a sky-colour.
• His countenance was awful, and enough to strike a terror on the beholders, for his face was as the appearance of lightning, which dazzles the eyes, both brightens and threatens.
• His eyes were bright and sparkling, as lamps of fire.
• His arms and feet shone like polished brass, Dan_10:6.
• His voice was loud, and strong, and very piercing, like the voice of a multitude. 

The Impact on Daniel is aggressively evident. He is knocked down. He is powerless and stunned. Daniel’s response is similar to John in the book of Revelation who is also consumed and his strength zapped by virtue of standing in the presence of the Lord. Note that the people he was with never saw the vision, just as in Paul’s Damascus Experience (Acts 9:7)

The Angel of the Covenant is with other angels with him, who actually, touch and speak to Daniel.This text shows gives us folder we can use in the introductory study of Angels and their roles in ministering both to God and human beings

I).The Nature & Order of Angels

1. Angels are spirit beings with Emotions, Will and Intellect created by God as individual entities for they do not procreate (Math. 22;30)
2. Angels operate through a form of hierarchy of rank and order. There is a hierarchy of different ranks and orders among angelic ministers. The angels in here are  called Princes, and Michael is called the Chief of Princes, later called the Great Prince (12:1) and he is called archangel elsewhere. This show ranking.
   • The NT shows some form of classification (1 Pet.3:22 and Eph. 3:19)
   • The Classification include principalities and powers, the “rulers of the darkness of this world” (Eph. 6:12)
   • Spirit entities that followed Lucifer in His Fall have a similar hierarchy of ranks and orders. Rev. 12:7 shows Archangel Michael and His Angels fighting with the devil and his angels.
   • Due to ranking both in the Angelic and Demonic Community, some angels can be withstood by diabolical Principalities.
3. Angels get specific assignment and some of particular ranks are appointed to different spheres or posts of duty.
   • Thus Michael is the prince of the people of Israel (Daniel  10:21:12:1) whose task is to defend and protect that favored nation.
   • Principalities are territorial spirits also called Princes who cover and influence territories of human beings. We have the princes of Persia and Greece
   • Territorial spirits therefore, are evil powers that assume leadership and have a claim on a territory such as the Persian kingdom, in this case. This is the supernatural spirit-power standing behind the national gods, which we may call the guardian spirit of this kingdom
   • God also assigns angels to individuals for specific service. The believers in Mary’s house at Jerusalem said of Peter at the door, “It is his angel” (Act 12:16).
   • Angelic Princes will have a deep interest in the welfare of good men and the prosperity of God’s cause. Daniel is told is Loved and should not fear. The angels had deep interest in the affairs of Israel and its prosperity.
4. Angels are spirit beings without flesh, but on assignment they may assume human body. Angels can be seen in the Physical reality, in dreams and in visions

II).The Ministry of Angels

1. God sends angels to encourage and assure believers of His acceptance 

   • This angel could have been Gabriel, sent to assure Daniel that he was "greatly beloved."
   • Just that we are not conscious of the presence of angels is no proof that they do not visit us. Their spirit natures are difficult to be seen by human sight, except by miraculous interposition.
   • Elisha’s servant did not perceive the angelic host sent for their protection until God specially opened his eyes (2 Kings 6:17-20).
   • The angel that spoke to Daniel assured him of God’s love, charged him to dismiss his fears, and brought to him heavenly peace.
   • God Sent Angel to minister to Jesus at his most difficult time (Mat 4:11  Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him)
2. God sends Angels to Provide specific Information to his beloved
   • The Angel in this text and previous ones (Ch. 9) are sent to shed light upon passing events
   • In this particular sense, they are sent to enlarge Daniel’s comprehension of God’s government.
   • Angels came and informed him how Territorial spirits work over nations.
   • Angels may be sent to convey messages and deliver communications from God to His servants (Daniel 10:14).
3. God Sends Angels to increase the strength of His Children
   • When Daniel was totally flattened by the vision of the Holy One, the set him up
   • Daniel was so shocked that he could not speak; the angel opened his mouth, and gave him speech.
   • Daniel fainted under a sense of awe and wonder; the angel imparted new strength with his touch.
   • Beyond this example of Daniel in the presence of the Lord, Angels strengthen us in various ways to face our enemies
4. God sends angels to Protect the interest of the righteous in State Affairs of the World
   • Angels do serve the righteous as they impact issues of governance in higher places of rulership
   • Angels war against principalities over nations and therefore, influence the directions of States.
   • Angels often fight and contend with evil spirits in fulfilling goals of God.
   • Remember "the prince of the kingdom of Persia," refers to one of the leading spirits of darkness, one of the fallen angels. There are principalities and powers in hell. Satan is termed the "prince of this world," "the prince of the power of the air." An antagonist of Gabriel would be fittingly an evil spirit.
   • Gabriel speaks of fighting with him. Angelic beings are sent to withstand principalities
   • The Epistle of Jude reveals that Michael disputed with the devil over the body of Moses. They contend on behalf of God 
   • Angels do work as battalions, just as demons can work as a Legion. They have network power through ranking
   • Many times angelic beings wage battles on behalf of believers, which the believers are not aware of. This case shows the reality. Elisha prayed for the Lord to open the eyes of his worker to see in the spirit and realize they were protect by an invisible army

Remember Angels are ministering spirits on assignment usually dispatched to us as an answer to our Prayers

You don’t Pray to Angels, You become aware of them in your physical and spiritual spaces

Altar Time

Pray to enjoy the direction of God in full measure

Discern your environments, for supernatural entities