@Da 10:1-21. DANIEL COMFORTED BY AN ANGELIC VISION.
The tenth through twelfth chapters more fully describe the vision in the eighth chapter by a second vision on the same subject, just as the vision in the seventh chapter explains more fully that in the second. The tenth chapter is the prologue; the eleventh, the prophecy itself; and the twelfth, the epilogue. The tenth chapter unfolds the spiritual worlds as the background of the historical world (@Job 1:7 2:1, &c. @Zec 3:1,2 Re 12:7), and angels as the ministers of God's government of men. As in the world of nature (@Joh 5:4 Re 7:1-3), so in that of history here; Michael, the champion of Israel, and with him another angel, whose aim is to realize God's will in the heathen world, resist the God-opposed spirit of the world. These struggles are not merely symbolical, but real (@1Sa 16:13-15 1Ki 22:22 Eph 6:12).
1. third year of Cyrus--two years after Cyrus' decree for the
restoration of the Jews had gone forth, in accordance with Daniel's
prayer in @Da 9:3-19. This vision gives not merely general
outlines, or symbols, but minute details of the future, in short,
anticipative history. It is the expansion of the vision in @Da 8:1-14.
That which then "none understood," he says here, "he understood"; the
messenger being sent to him for this (@Da 10:11,14), to make him
understand it. Probably Daniel was no longer in office at court; for in
@Da 1:21, it is said, "Daniel continued even unto the first year of
King Cyrus"; not that he died then. See on Da 1:21.
but the time appointed was long--rather, "it (that is, the prophecy)
referred to great calamity"
[MAURER]; or, "long and calamitous
warfare" [GESENIUS]. Literally, "host going to war"; hence, warfare,
calamity.
2. mourning--that is afflicting myself by fasting from "pleasant bread, flesh and wine" (@Da 10:3), as a sign of sorrow, not for its own sake. Compare @Mt 9:14, "fast," answering to "mourn" (@Da 10:15). Compare @1Co 8:8 1Ti 4:3, which prove that "fasting" is not an indispensable Christian obligation; but merely an outward expression of sorrow, and separation from ordinary worldly enjoyments, in order to give one's self to prayer (@Ac 13:2). Daniel's mourning was probably for his countrymen, who met with many obstructions to their building of the temple, from their adversaries in the Persian court.
3. no pleasant bread--"unleavened bread, even the bread of affliction"
(@De 16:3).
anoint--The Persians largely used unguents.
4. first month--Nisan, the month most suited for considering Israel's
calamity, being that in which the feast of unleavened bread reminded
them of their Egyptian bondage. Daniel mourned not merely for the seven
days appointed (@Ex 12:18), from the evening of the fourteenth to
the twenty-first of Nisan, but thrice seven days, to mark extraordinary
sorrow. His mourning ended on the twenty-first day, the closing day of
the passover feast; but the vision is not till the twenty-fourth,
because of the opposition of "the prince of Persia" (@Da 10:13).
I was by . . . the . . . river--in waking reality, not a trance
(@Da 10:7); when younger, he saw the future in images, but now when
old, he receives revelations from angels in common language, that is, in
the apocalyptic mode. In the patriarchal period God often appeared
visibly, that is, theophany. In the prophets, next in the
succession, the inward character of revelation is prominent. The
consummation is when the seer looks up from earth into the unseen world,
and has the future shown to him by angels, that is, apocalypse. So in
the New Testament there is a parallel progression: God in the flesh, the
spiritual activity of the apostles and the apocalypse
[AUBERLEN].
Hiddekel--the Tigris.
5. lifted up mine eyes--from the ground on which they had been fixed
in his mourning.
certain man--literally, "one man." An angel of the highest order;
for in @Da 8:16 he commands Gabriel to make Daniel to understand the
vision, and in @Da 12:6 one of the two angels inquires of him how
long it would be till the end predicted.
linen--the raiment of priests, being the symbol of sanctity, as more
pure than wool (@Ex 28:42); also of prophets (@Jer 13:1);
and of angels (@Re 15:6).
girded with . . . gold--that is, with a girdle interwoven with gold
(@Re 1:13).
6. beryl--literally, "Tarshish," in Spain. The beryl, identical with the chrysolite or topaz, was imported into the East from Tarshish, and therefore is called "the Tarshish stone."
7. they fled--terrified by the presence of the presence of the angel.
8. comeliness--literally, "vigor," that is, lively expression and
color.
into corruption--"deadliness," that is, death-like paleness
(@Da 5:6 7:28).
9. voice of his words--the sound of his words.
was I in a deep sleep--"I sank into a deep sleep"
[LENGKERKE].
10. an hand--namely, of Gabriel, who interpreted other revelations to
Daniel (@Da 8:16) [THEODORET].
set me upon my knees--GESENIUS
translates, "cause me to reel on my
knees," &c.
11. man . . .
beloved--(See on Da 9:23).
understand--"attend to." See @Da 8:17,18.
12. Fear not--Be not affrighted at my presence.
didst set thine heart to understand--what shall come to pass to thy
people at the last times (compare @Da 10:14).
chasten thyself--(@Da 10:2,3).
thy words were heard--(@Ac 10:4). Prayer is heard at once in
heaven, though the sensible answer may seem to be delayed. God's
messenger was detained on the way (@Da 10:13) by the opposition of
the powers of darkness. If in our prayers amidst long protracted sorrows
we believed God's angel is on his way to us, what consolation it would
give us!
for thy words--because of thy prayers.
13. prince of . . . Persia--the angel of darkness that represented
the Persian world power, to which Israel was then subject. This verse
gives the reason why, though Daniel's "words were heard from the first
day" (@Da 10:12), the good angel did not come to him until more than
three weeks had elapsed (@Da 10:4).
one and twenty days--answering to the three weeks of Daniel's mourning
(@Da 10:2).
Michael--that is, "Who is like God?" Though an archangel, "one of the
chief princes," Michael was not to be compared to God.
help me--Michael, as patron of Israel before God (@Da 10:21 12:1),
"helped" to influence the Persian king to permit the Jews' return to
Jerusalem.
I remained--I was detained there with the kings of Persia, that
is, with the angel of the Persian rulers, with whom I had to contend,
and from whom I should not have got free, but for the help of Michael.
GESENIUS translates, "I obtained the ascendency," that is, I gained my
point against the adverse angel of Persia, so as to influence the
Persian authorities to favor Israel's restoration.
14. what shall befall thy people in the latter days--an intimation that
the prophecy, besides describing the doings of Antiochus, reaches to the
concluding calamities of Israel's history, prior to the nation's full
restoration at Christ's coming--calamities of which Antiochus'
persecutions were the type.
vision is for many days--that is, extends far into the future.
15. face toward the ground--in humble reverence (@Ge 19:1).
dumb--with overwhelming awe.
16. touched my lips--the same significant action wherewith the Son
of man accompanied His healing of the dumb (@Mr 7:33). He alone can
give spiritual utterance (@Isa 6:6,7 Eph 6:19), enabling one to "open
the mouth boldly." The same one who makes dumb (@Da 10:15) opens the
mouth.
sorrows--literally, "writhings" as of a woman in travail.
17. this . . . this my lord--to avoid the tautology in English Version, join rather "this," with "servant," "How can this servant of my lord (that is, how can I who am so feeble) talk with this my lord (who is so majestic)?" Thus Daniel gives the reason why he is so overwhelmed with awe [MAURER].
18. again . . . touched me--It was gradually that Daniel recovered his strength. Hence there was need of the second touch, that he might hear the angel with composure.
19. peace be unto thee--God is favorable to thee and to thy people Israel. See @Jud 13:21,22, as to the fear of some evil resulting from a vision of angels.
20. Knowest thou wherefore--The angel asks, after Daniel had
recovered from his fright, whether he has understood what was revealed
(@Da 10:13). On Daniel, by his silence, intimating that he did
understand, the angel declares he will return to renew the fight with
the evil angel, the prince of Persia. This points to new difficulties to
the Jews' restoration which would arise in the Persian court, but which
would be counteracted by God, through the ministry of angels.
prince of Grecia shall come--Alexander the Great, who conquered Persia,
and favored the Jews
[CALVIN]. Rather, as the prince of Persia is an
angel, representing the hostile world power, so the prince of Grecia is
a fresh angelic adversary, representing Greece. When I am gone forth
from conquering the Persian foe, a fresh one starts up, namely, the
world power that succeeds Persia, Greece; Antiochus Epiphanes, and his
antitype Antichrist, but him, too, with the help of Michael, Israel's
champion, I shall overcome [GEJER].
21. noted in the scripture of truth--in the secret book of God's
decrees (@Ps 139:16 Re 5:1), which are truth, that is, the things
which shall most surely come to pass, being determined by God (compare
@Joh 17:17).
none . . . but Michael--To him alone of the angels the office of
protecting Israel, in concert with the angelic speaker, was delegated;
all the world powers were against Israel.