THE INVISIBLE BATTLEFIELD

Posted by Pastor Greg Allen on August 25, 2024 under 2024 |

Bethany Bible Church Sermon Message from August 25, 2024 from Daniel 10:1-11:1

Theme: Behind the conflicts on earth that we see are greater conflicts in the heavens that we don’t see.

(All Scripture is taken from The New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated).

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In the first half of the Book of Daniel, we learned of how God used the prophet Daniel to interpret the dreams and visions that were given to others. But in the later half of the book, we read of how God gave dreams and visions directly to Daniel himself. And this morning, we begin our look at the fourth and final of those prophetic visions that God gave to Daniel. It’s contained in Chapters 11 through 12; and it’s the largest and most detailed of the visions that God gave to him.

It’s a stunning prophecy. It takes us on a step-by-step walk through history, showing us the conflicts of mighty world empires against one another—all before they happened—and all with the land of Israel caught in the middle. It begins with the time in which Daniel was dwelling; and it ends with the return of the Lord Jesus to reign over this earth. There truly isn’t any other section of the Bible quite like it. It can justifiably be called ‘the detailed story of the history before it happened’.

But as an introduction to this last, great prophecy, we are first given another story in Chapter 10. It’s the story of how this amazing prophecy was brought to Daniel. And the fact that a whole chapter is devoted to how God prepared Daniel’s heart to receive this prophecy ought to impress us with just how important this final prophecy is.

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Now; there are many lessons to be learned from this remarkable introductory story that’s given to us in Chapter 10; and those lessons have a significant importance to you and me. But there’s one particular lesson from this passage that stands out above all the others. We find it stressed to us in the middle of this chapter. And the best way for us to discover that important lesson is to simply walk our way through Chapter 10 verse-by-verse; and to allow that lesson to be revealed to us just as it was revealed to Daniel.

So; let’s begin by considering …

1. THE CIRCUMSTANCE OF THE VISION.

The story begins in a very objective way—as if the matter was stated to us in a third-person report. Verse 1 says;

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 (10:1).

The year would be 536 B.C. Daniel would have been a senior citizen—somewhere between 85 to 87 years old. Way back in Daniel 1:29, we were told that Daniel served in an official capacity as a Jewish captive in a foreign nation until the first year of King Cyrus. So this means that the vision we’re about to begin studying was given to him at a time when he was retired from official service … but apparently not retired from his role as God’s prophet to His people. That may be why his Babylonian name ‘Belteshazzar’ was given. It stresses to us that this final vision was given to the same man who had been writing down and recording all of these other remarkable visions from God.

And then, notice also what we’re told about the vision itself. We’re told that its message was “true” or “faithful”. It contains a message that could be counted on to be fulfilled exactly as God gave it. And we’re also told—in the translation that I’m using—that “the appointed time was long”. That’s certainly true; because the vision that Daniel will be given covered the flow of history throughout many centuries into the future. But that same phrase can also be translated to say—as it is in the New American Standard version—that it’s a message of “great conflict”. And that seems to be the best way to understand Daniel’s words. The things we read in Chapters 11 through 12 describe a long series of conflicts and battles and wars between nations that were yet to come into being—and all with the land of Israel and the Jewish people stuck in the middle of those conflicts.

And finally, notice how we’re told that it was given to one man—Daniel, the man to whom God had revealed so much of the future already. He alone was made to understand the message, and to have understanding of this vision. The story of how this understanding was given to him is what’s told to us in Chapter 10.

Now; after those introductory words, it seems that Daniel begins to take up the story himself. He gives it to us as a first-person account. In verses 2-3, we’re told;

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 (vv. 2-3).

The specific day on which this vision was given to Daniel is told to us in verse 4. It was the twenty-fourth day of the first month of the Jewish calendar. That means that this vision would have come to him right after the Jewish people would have celebrated Passover—their remembrance of God’s deliverance from bondage in Egypt through Moses. And in fact, Daniel would have been fasting and humbling himself during the time of the Passover observance. But it doesn’t seem that it was the Passover observance itself that motivated him to fast and mourn. In fact, we’re told later in this chapter that the reason was because he had set his heart to understand the promises that God had made concerning his fellow-Jewish people, and to humble himself before God on their behalf.

You see; just two years before this vision was given to Daniel, an amazing thing had happened. Just as God had promised in His prophetic word, the 70 years of the Babylonian captivity of his people had come to an end; and the Persian king Cyrus had released the Jewish people to return to their city Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. But from all human appearances, that return had seemed rather meager and disappointing. Only a relatively small number of the Jewish people chose to return to Jerusalem. And once that small remnant of Jewish people began to rebuild the temple, the surrounding enemy nations threatened and discouraged them; so that the project of rebuilding the temple had stopped. We’re told about it in Ezra 4:23-24; where it says that the adversaries of Israel

went up in haste to Jerusalem against the Jews, and by force of arms made them cease. Thus the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem ceased, and it was discontinued until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia (Ezra 4:23-24).

Now; Daniel still lived in Babylon. He was an old man, and he no longer had the strength to return with his people and encourage them to build. But he nevertheless had a great burden for the promises of God concerning the restoration of the temple and the strengthening of Jerusalem. So throughout the time of Passover—for three whole weeks—he mourned and humbled himself and prayed for his people.

Daniel clearly demonstrated that he longed for God’s promises to Israel to be fulfilled. And it was then—at that time, and while in that attitude of heart—that a heaven-sent messenger came to him to give the remarkable vision that we find in Chapters 11-12.

So; notice …

2. THE AWESOMENESS OF THE MESSENGER.

In Daniel 10:4-6, Daniel wrote;

Now on the twenty-fourth day of the first month, 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 Uphaz! His body was 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 (vv. 4-6).

In the translation that I’m using, it says that this was “a certain man”. But in the Hebrew language, it literally says that this was “one man”—as if to say this was one very unique ‘man’—a being in the appearance of a man, but like no man on earth. In fact, Daniel seems to stretch himself beyond the powers of language in an attempt to describe the man that he saw.

The way that Daniel describes this unique ‘man’ was very similar to the way that the apostle John would later describe the resurrected Lord Jesus in Revelation 1:13-16;

… One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength (Revelation 1:13-16).

The similarity of these two visions has even led some Bible interpreters to suggest that Daniel was seeing a pre-incarnate appearance of the Lord Jesus Himself. But we’re told later that this being went to Daniel as a result of having been “sent”; and that he was opposed along the way and required the assistance of another angelic being—which doesn’t sound like something that would have been said about the Son of God. So, it seems better to see this as an appearance of a mighty angel sent by God. But the fact that this angel is described in this way shows that this angel was definitely clothed with the very majesty of heaven itself. He came in great authority with a message from the Lord.

It was an awesome encounter. And its impact on Daniel was profound. We go on to read;

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 (vv. 7-9).

The presence of this mighty being seemed to have scared everyone else away but Daniel. Apparently, the message from this mighty angel was for Daniel alone to hear and record. But the sound of the angel’s voice, and the sight of his appearance, was beyond the human capacity of poor Daniel to take in. It caused him to pass out—even though he could still hear the angel’s words.

In movies and popular television shows, whenever an angel is depicted as appearing to someone, it’s often made to seem as if they could carry on a friendly conversation with each other. But apparently, a true appearance of such a mighty angelic being as this would be enough to knock a normal human being out of consciousness and cause them to fall flat on their face. In fact, in verse 10, we’re told that Daniel needed help to go any further in the encounter. He wrote;

Suddenly, a hand touched me, which made me tremble on my knees and on the palms of my hands (v. 10).

Another angelic being, it seems, was there to help him to at least get on his hands and knees to begin to hear the remarkable message from God that was about to be given to him. And that’s when something truly remarkable is revealed to us—something that we could not have known unless God’s word told us about it. It’s …

3. THE STRUGGLE BEHIND THE MESSAGE.

In verses 11-13 we’re told;

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. 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 twenty-one 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” (vv. 11-13).

Do you notice how the angel said that—from the first day of that three-week period that Daniel had been fasting and praying and humbling himself before God; seeking diligently to understand the plan and purposes of God for His people—his words were heard by God? It was at the beginning of that time that the angel was sent to him. But he was hindered. We’re told that ‘the prince of the kingdom of Persia’ had been withstanding him for all of that three-week period.

Who was that ‘prince of the kingdom of Persia’? It’s obvious that it’s not a mere human prince; because no mere human being could have withstood so mighty an angel as this. Instead, it appears that it was another angelic being—an angelic being that was hostile to the plan of God for His people—a malicious angelic being who, in some way, bore significant influence and power over the kingdom of Persia. We know that this must be so because ‘Michael, one of the chief princes’—yet another angel—came to the aid of this angel in his struggle with respect to the kings of Persia.

Though the Bible doesn’t reveal much about it to us, it nevertheless makes it clear that there are different ranks and orders of angelic beings in the heavens. And Michael is mentioned to us elsewhere in Scripture as ‘Michael the archangel’ or ‘chief angel’. We’re told in Jude 9 that ‘Michael the archangel’ contended with the devil over the body of Moses. Apparently, mighty angels contend against mighty angels. And so, it must be that this ‘prince of the kingdom of Persia’ was also a mighty angel—an evil angel that stood in opposition to God’s plans for the people of Israel.

And this, dear brothers and sisters, is the most important lesson for us to learn from Daniel 10. It’s one that has a great bearing on our understanding of the events of this world and of the outworking of God’s prophetic promises in history. It’s the lesson that behind the conflicts on earth that we see are even greater conflicts in the heavens that we don’t see. The conflicts that we see going on in culture—the fights and battles that are being waged in the political realms and between people groups and nations—are only the surface manifestation of an even greater battlefield in the spiritual realms between mighty angelic beings—good angelic beings who stand faithfully before God and battle for His cause on this earth, and wicked angelic beings who stand in opposition to God’s plan and fight fiercely against the advancement of the kingdom of Jesus Christ in this world.

We’re given a very clear picture of this conflict in Revelation 12:7-12; where we’re told,

And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time” (Revelation 12:7-12).

Now; we shouldn’t take this any further than what the Scriptures tell us about it. We shouldn’t try to do as some have attempted to do; and that is to try to map out where particular wicked spiritual forces are located, or attempt to identify them by name or classification. That’s not information that’s available to us anyway. Instead, what we should do is simply know that, behind the battles and conflicts that we see played out in society and culture—and even between nations and governments—there are even greater spiritual forces that have sought to bring influence upon earthly conflicts throughout human history. And we should pray accordingly; resting assured that the forces of the devil will be defeated, and that God’s appointed outcome for His people will absolutely prevail.

And that, therefore, leads us to the message that this mighty angel brought to Daniel. In verse 14, he told him,

“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” (v. 14).

And so; just think, dear brothers and sisters, of how important this vision that we’re told about in Chapters 11-12 must be for us to know! Mighty angelic forces aligned against God’s plan had fought hard to prevent it from even being revealed to Daniel!

Now; the awesome nature of this spiritual reality—and of the one who brought it—would be more than any human being, in the mere power of fleshly resources, could ever grasp. And so; we next see …

4. THE HELP THAT WAS NEEDED (10:15-19).

In verses 15-17, Daniel wrote;

When he had spoken such words to me, I turned my face toward the ground and became speechless. And suddenly, one having the likeness of the sons of men touched my lips; then I opened my mouth and spoke, saying to him who stood before me, “My lord, because of the vision my sorrows have overwhelmed me, and I have retained no strength. For how can this servant of my lord talk with you, my lord? As for me, no strength remains in me now, nor is any breath left in me” (vv. 15-17).

Daniel was a remarkably godly man. Throughout his life story, as it’s recorded for us in the Scriptures, we read of no moral failure or habit of sin that plagued him. He seems to have walked consistently before God in an outstandingly holy and faithful manner. And yet, even he—one of the most faithful of the sons of Adam to ever walk the earth before God—still couldn’t stand before such a holy and awesome message as this one in his own power. His experience reminds me of the experience of the prophet Isaiah. In Isaiah 6, he was given a glimpse of the majesty and holiness of the Lord upon His heavenly throne. And yet, it completely devastated him. He cried out;

“Woe is me, for I am undone!
Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King,
The Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 6:5).

This encounter also devastated Daniel. He was shaken to the very core of his being, and he needed divine help. And so, that help was compassionately given to him. In verses 18-19, we read;

Then again, the one having the likeness of a man touched me and strengthened me. And he said, “O man greatly beloved, fear not! Peace be to you; be strong, yes, be strong!” So when he spoke to me I was strengthened, and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me” (vv. 18-19).

Dear brothers and sisters; Daniel had to be helped up to his hands and knees, and then trembling to his feet, and then made to stand upright in strength to hear and understand. And as we begin to study this remarkable vision that God gave to Daniel of history before it happened—a vision that mighty, hostile spiritual forces fought fiercely to prevent from being revealed—do we dare to think we can grasp it in our own power? We too need to pray and ask God’s help. May He graciously strengthen us so that we can live faithfully according to the promises He makes in this vision!

Now; after all this, Daniel’s body was strengthened and his mind was made clear. He was now made able to receive and understand this angelic message. In verse 20, we read,

Then he said, “Do you know why I have come to you?” (v. 20a).

God had heard Daniel’s earnest prayers for his people. And the angel had fought his way through enemy resistance to come in response to his prayers before God. What a vital moment in human history this was! And this leads us to some final preparatory words to Daniel about …

5. THE CONFLICT IN THE HEAVENS.

The angel went on to explain;

“And now I must return to fight with the prince of Persia; and when I have gone forth, indeed the prince of Greece will come” (v. 20b).

Do you remember the vision that Daniel had been given in Chapter 8? He was shown an image of a ram with two horns—pushing westward, northward, and southward. We’re told that this was a symbolic image of the Median-Persian empire—under which Daniel was right then living. But then, a he-goat suddenly came and smashed into the ram and trampled him to the ground. We’re told that this he-goat was a symbolic image of the Grecian empire. And now, this angel was telling Daniel that after he explained this upcoming vision to him, he needed to return to the battle against the spiritual ‘prince’ over Persia … and that the spiritual ‘prince’ over Greece was not far behind.

But before he returned to the battle, he announced that he would give Daniel the glorious vision we find in Chapters 11-12. He says;

“But I will tell you what is noted in the Scripture of Truth. (No one upholds me against these, except Michael your prince …” (v. 21).

Do you see what he tells Daniel about the archangel Michael? None other than the archangel Michael himself is the prince who stands guard over the people of Israel! And then, this mighty angel who had been speaking to Daniel tells him this in the first verse of Chapter 11:

“Also in the first year of Darius the Mede, I, even I, stood up to confirm and strengthen him)” (11:1).

In other words, when Daniel had been thrown into the lion’s den in Chapter 6, and was protected and released—and when King Darius saw it all and gave glory to the God of Israel, and then made a decree that every nation in his dominion should reverence the God of Daniel—it was this angel that stood up to confirm and strengthen Darius in that resolve.

That’s because behind conflicts on earth that we see are greater conflicts in the heavens that we don’t see—conflicts that transcend centuries and that impact the flow of human history! What an important lesson this is for us! And it’s taught to us before this glorious vision is declared to us.

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Now, dear brothers and sisters; how should we respond to all this? I’d say that the best way is through what we read from the apostle Paul in Ephesians 6:10-13. He wrote;

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in 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. For 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 in 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 (Ephesians 6:10-13).

We must not ever think that we are at war against the fallen people of this world. With respect to them, our job is to seek to win them to faith in the gospel of Jesus. Instead, let’s remember that our true battle is ultimately with the spiritual forces in the heavens that seek to deceive the nations and influence people against that gospel. And we will never stand in such a battle if we rely on the mere resources of the flesh.

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— (vv. 14-18).

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