Daniel 10 (3)

Introduction
As the revelation continues, we gain new and deeper insight to the workings of human affairs. The nations of the world are subject to governance by spiritual powers – “princes” – not all of which are friendly to the purposes and people of God. Here we learn that even the mundane affairs of politics, war, and governance are determined by events in the unseen realm of spiritual beings. And over them all, God rules to His own ends, as Elisha understood, and as God has been explaining to Daniel – and us – from the beginning of this book.

Read 2 Kings 6.8-18.

Read Daniel 10.10-14.

Think it through.
1.  Put yourself in Daniel’s place: How weighty these revelations must have been, to have driven him to his hands and knees! Weightiness is often associated with the glory and presence of God in Scripture. Indeed, the word glory derives in Hebrew from a root that means to be heavy. Paul puns on this in 2 Corinthians 4.16-18, in which he claims to look not at seen things only, but “at the things which are not seen.” What does he mean? Should we, like Daniel and Paul, be looking at unseen things? Should God’s revelation of His glory drive us to our knees (2 Cor. 3.12-18)? Should we experience His revelation in Scripture as heavy and weighty? Explain. But – oh! – that hand of comfort, just as with the apostle John (cf. Dan. 10.10-12 with Rev. 1.17). Why was that hand extended to Daniel? What followed that steadying and comforting touch? How do we experience that touch, when we are confronted with the weightiness of God’s glory? What are the implications of this for us, as we search out the glory of God in His Word?

2.  We learn from the Messenger that spiritual entanglements and engagements caused a “delay” in Daniel’s prayers being answered. He was heard, and his request was granted from day 1 of his 21 days of prayer and fasting (v. 2), but it pleased God to allow the details to be sorted out first in the unseen realm for those 21 days (v. 13), before they began to be enacted in the material realm of time and history. Would extending the period before beginning to answer Daniel’s prayer have been beneficial for him? How? Does this help us in understanding why God sometimes “delays” in answering our prayers? Some kind of conflict between spiritual forces (“princes”) is mentioned in verse 13 (cf. Ps. 35.4-7; 91.9-13). Apparently certain angels – good and evil – are appointed over the affairs of nations. Why is this important to know? Should we expect our prayers, like Daniel’s, to be able to affect world conditions? Explain. What would such prayers look like? Do you pray that way? Should you?

Meditate.
“We cannot possibly doubt that this prince of the kingdom of the Persians was a hostile power that befriended the nation of the Persians as an enemy of God’s people. For in order to hinder the good which he saw would result from the archangel’s solution to the question for which the prophet prayed to the Lord, in his jealousy he strove to prevent the saving comfort of the angel from reaching Daniel too speedily and strengthening the people of God, over which the archangel Gabriel was set.” John Cassian (360-432 AD)

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding andeternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen aretemporary, but the things which arenot seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4.17, 18

I need Your strengthening, comforting, and enabling touch today, O Lord. Please fill me with Your Spirit so that…

Pray Psalm 102.1-13.
Let the weightiness of this psalm become your own weightiness, as you intercede for the Lord’s Church, which has wandered from His protection and ways. Call upon Him to arise and have mercy on His people.

Psalm 102.1-14 (Leominster: Not What My Hands Have Done)
Lord, hear my prayer and cry; hide not Your face from me!
In my distress and tears I sigh – Lord, hear my earnest plea!
My days like smoke blow past; my bones are scorched with sin.
My heart, like wilted, withered grass bends low to earth again.

With loudest groans and cries, and leanness in my soul,
No shelt’ring place arrests my eyes, no rest to make me whole.
My enemies grow strong; I weep with bitter tears;
My days are like a shadow, long; God’s face is no more near.

But You, O Lord, abide forever in Your place.
Arise and stand on Zion’s side and lavish us with grace!
Revive Your Church, O Lord! Let all her dust and stones
Be strengthened by Your mighty Word, and compact be as one.

T. M Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006.