Study # 1
May 15, 2018
Moss Bluff, Louisiana
(Download Audio)
1769 KJV Translation:
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.
2 In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks.
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.
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;
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:
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.
7 And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.
8 Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.
9 Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground.
10 And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and [
upon] the palms of my hands.
11 And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling.
12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.
13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.
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.
15 And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb.
16 And, behold, [
one] like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength.
17 For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me.
18 Then there came again and touched me [
one] like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me,
19 And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace [
be] unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.
20 Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come.
21 But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and [
there is] none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince.
1901 ASV Translation:
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, even a great warfare: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision.
2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three whole weeks.
3 I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine into my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.
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,
5 I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, a man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with pure gold of Uphaz:
6 his body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as flaming torches, and his arms and his feet like unto burnished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.
7 And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision; for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves.
8 So I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me; for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.
9 Yet heard I the voice of his words; and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I fallen into a deep sleep on my face, with my face toward the ground.
10 And, behold, a hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands.
11 And he said unto me, O Daniel, thou man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright; for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling.
12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel; for from the first day that thou didst set thy heart to understand, and to humble thyself before thy God, thy words were heard: and I am come for thy words' sake.
13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days; but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me: and I remained there with the kings of Persia.
14 Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days; for the vision is yet for [
many] days.
15 And when he had spoken unto me according to these words, I set my face toward the ground, and was dumb.
16 And, behold, one in the likeness of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake and said unto him that stood before me, O my lord, by reason of the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I retain no strength.
17 For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither was there breath left in me.
18 Then there touched me again one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me.
19 And he said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he spake unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.
20 Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I am come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I go forth, lo, the prince of
Greece shall come.
21 But I will tell thee that which is inscribed in the writing of truth: and there is none that
holdeth with me against these, but Michael your prince.
- I. The Structure of the Text.
- A. 10:1-3 The Setting.
- 1. The third year of Cyrus (Ryrie puts this at 536 B.C.).
- a. According to Ezra 1:1, Cyrus made a proclamation in his first year to rebuild the temple of God in Jerusalem "to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah".
- b. According to Ezra 2:64, there were 42,360 (and an additional 7,337 group of servants) Jews who returned to Jerusalem.
- c. According to Ezra 3:6, they restarted the offerings on a rebuilt altar but no temple.
- d. According to Ezra 3:8 and following, they laid the foundation of the temple in the second year.
- e. According to Ezra 4:24, the work on the temple was forcibly stopped until much later.
- 2. Daniel reminds his readers that he was formerly known as Belteshazzar.
- a. The last thing "Belteshazzar" did as a "Babylonian" was to interpret the handwriting on the wall as the initiation of the transition from the kingdom of the head of gold to the kingdom of the chest and arms of silver (the winged Lion kingdom succumbed to the devouring Bear kingdom).
- b. This reference to "Belteshazzar" for his "Hebrew" language readers is tied to "a thing revealed" (literally "stripped naked") that is "true", but a long time coming, and was understood by Daniel, having had the prophecy of the seventy weeks explained to him.
- 3. For some reason Daniel was in "mourning" and he determined to fast to address this feeling of desolation and the fast lasted 21 days (three full "sevens").
- B. 10:4-9 The Initial Vision.
- 1. On the 24th of the first month this vision was introduced by an extremely intimidating "man".
- a. This would, typically, have been 10 days after the celebration of the Passover of God's deliverance of Israel from Egypt.
- b. Since Daniel had begun his fast 21 days earlier, he must have begun it just after the month began; the month of the celebration of God's great deliverance (in light of the fact that Jerusalem was in ruins and the building of the temple was just a "wish" with the foundation laid but so much opposition that there was no progress). There was much to "mourn".
- 2. The description of this "man" has very close parallels to John's vision on Patmos in Revelation 1.
- a. It had much the same impact on Daniel as on John.
- b. It was so terrifying that it sucked the strength out of Daniel because his "comeliness" was turned in him to "corruption".
- C. 10:10-14 The Messenger's Initial Activities.
- 1. He strengthened the "man greatly beloved" so that Daniel could stand (a designation repeated in 10:19).
- 2. He pulled back the curtain of the activities of those who dwell in the heavens as they have impact upon those who dwell on the earth.
- a. The "Persian" prince did not want Daniel to know, or reveal, the prophecies to be given, so he kept the messenger from being able to come to Daniel.
- b. Michael, the great prince of Israel (12:1), helped him so that he arrived to give Daniel the great vision.
- D. 10:15-21 The Messenger's Explanation to Daniel.
- 1. Daniel's reaction to the messenger was to turn his face to the ground and become mute.
- 2. One like a "man" touched his lips and he spoke: by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me... .
- a. The implication is that the prayer of chapter nine came out of Daniel's awareness of just how great the wickedness of Israel was and his grief came out of this awareness (Jesus said, in the garden, that His "soul" was grieved unto death -- Matthew 26:38 -- and the reason was the coming breach between Him and the Father caused by the sins of humanity).
- b. The vision apparently simply reminded Daniel of the greatness of this wickedness in Israel.
- 3. The "man" restated Daniel's status before God -- greatly beloved.
- 4. He then asked if Daniel understood and told him he had to return to fight the prince of Persia and the Greece's "prince" would come.
- 5. But, before he left he said he would show Daniel what was coming and that only Michael, Daniel's "prince" was available to stand with him.