Ministrations in War
Daniel 10:4-11:1
Our culture uses wartime imagery to capture the conflict inherent in many aspects of life. For instance, we speak of battling diseases such as cancer. Residents of Pennsylvania are very familiar with the political term, battleground state, as Pennsylvania has become a boon sought by various political candidates. Society also struggles in a culture war in which various social groups seek to dominate the social order with their values, beliefs, and practices. Our world also struggles through real wars when people lay down their lives for a nation or a cause. All these wars and battles crush us, but behind them all lies a spiritual war in which God seeks to convince souls, communities, churches, and nations to truly commit to Him.
This spiritual war is what Daniel is all about. This war takes place behind the scenes of real life. Behind the exile, behind the manipulative courtiers in Babylon, behind idolatry, and behind brokenness and sorrow God fights on our behalf. Ultimately, God is victorious as seen in both the courtroom conflicts in Daniel 1-6 and in the apocalyptic texts in Daniel 7-12. The final three chapters emphasize this war. Daniel 10 serves as a prelude. It begins by illustrating the weapons we have at our disposal during war. These weapons are illustrated as Daniel abstains and fasts while in mourning.
Daniel 10 continues as a heavenly messenger appears above Daniel. The identity of this heavenly messenger is debated. Some have understood this figure to be a pre-incarnate version of the Messiah as symbolism here parallels the appearance of the Messiah in The Revelation of John. This is not likely due to the fact that the figure had to contend with the Prince of Persia, which delayed his appearance to Daniel. Others think this may be an angel such as Gabriel. While this is possible, we do not get a direct identity for the figure so all conjecture should be done carefully.[1] Some think there may be two figures represented in the text: a divine figure and an angelic figure. This idea comes from the fact that this vision has similarities to other Theophanies (visions of God) such as Ezekiel 1 or Isaiah 6. In those visions, God appears amongst angels who minister to the prophet in the midst of his calling. The initial being, who causes Daniel to faint, might be God or the pre-incarnate Messiah and then the one who touches Daniel and fought against the Prince of Persia might be Gabriel or another angel. While this is possible, there is no evidence that more than one heavenly figure is present. So we are left with a bit of a mystery regarding the identity of the heavenly being.[2]
Ultimately, the identity of the heavenly figure does not change the central thrust of the passage. In the detaining of the heavenly being by the Prince of Persia, there is a clear image of spiritual warfare. God or a servant of God has come into conflict with a spiritual being that fights on the side of those who do not seek to follow God’s purpose. This passage introduces this theme for the final pages of the book of Daniel.
In the midst of such spiritual battles, humans who seek to follow God face seemingly insurmountable odds. Daniel remains in exile, unable to return to The Promised Land. Those returning to The Promised Land remain under the rule of The Persian Empire and after that empire falls, they remain under the rule of other foreign powers. They face ridicule from neighbors, persecution, defaming of their sacred beliefs and places, and death.
Yet, as Daniel discovers, God and the heavenly host offer protection, compassion, and hope. The first indication of God’s caring for His servants in the midst of the spiritual battle occurs in the fact that the heavenly being comes to Daniel. God does not leave Daniel in his state of mourning. God enters in with His presence and a message of hope. In verse 12, the heavenly being states that Daniel set his mind toward gaining understanding. God sends a message so that Daniel will understand. When we are persistent in prayer, God hears and responds.
The second occurrence of God’s compassion comes in verse 10, right after Daniel experiences fear as the heavenly being speaks to him. Verse 9 informs us that Daniel listened and then fell into a deep sleep with his face to the ground. Terrifying responses to the presence of angels or dreams and visions that come from God commonly occur throughout the Scriptures. When confronted with the divine or a message from God, we should do nothing but fall in awe, fearing the wrath and power of God.
Upon experiencing this terror, something amazing happens for Daniel. A hand touches him and sets him up even as he trembles. God strengthens Daniel through this touch, encouraging Daniel to dwell in the presence of the holy.
God then displays compassion for Daniel in words of truth. These words lift Daniel higher, giving him renewed identity. The heavenly being declares Daniel as a highly esteemed man. The Hebrew phrase is two words, tvdmH wyx (is-hamudot). The first word means “man.” The second word is a noun which comes from the verbal root used in the 10th commandment for “covet.” As a noun it can speak of one who is the beloved, the highly desired, or coveted.[3] God holds Daniel as precious. Daniel’s identity should be found in this knowledge: he is God’s dearly beloved, highly desired, coveted man! Each person is God’s dearly beloved, highly desired, coveted person! God knows our value! God desires to restore this value within us! In this we can find our identity! In this truth, God longs for a relationship with each and every person. In that relationship, God equips us to hear His message and share that message with the world.
As the visitation continues, God bolsters Daniel, giving him courage in the midst of his fear. In verse 15 we once again observe Daniel with his face to the ground because of the message the heavenly being has begun to deliver. One who looks like a man then touches Daniel on the lips, releasing Daniel’s speech. In this speech Daniel states, “I am overcome with anguish because of the vision, my lord, and I feel very weak. How can I your servant, talk with you lord? My strength is gone and I can hardly speak.” Just as Daniel admits his frailty, the one like a man touches Daniel again. Daniel receives supernatural strength. The heavenly being then encourages Daniel, reminding Daniel once again of the fact that he is highly beloved. Then the angel offers peace, declaring that Daniel is safe.
At this point, the heavenly being shares the message with Daniel. This is a message about war, about sorrow, about trial, and about conflict. Yet, Daniel can rest as he comes to understand this message because Daniel has received God’s compassion. Daniel knows that God, along with His armies, enters into the war. God does not leave us to fight alone. As God enters the war, He offers strength and courage. Daniel also knows that God loves him completely and desires him dearly. In this, Daniel can stand strong, in peace, even as the reality of war is declared.
As the battles of life overwhelm, we can know that God is present in the midst. When we experience hints of the spiritual warfare going on in our lives and world, we can know God’s tender touch of encouragement. When life crushes us, making us feel unloved, we can know that we are deeply desired by God, that He declares we are His beloved! When we lose faith because of the pressures from this world, we can know that God offers us courage, strength, and peace. We can all rest in God’s comfort, finding compassion in the midst of the war.
Prayer: Compassionate Father, you are here with us in the midst of the war. You never leave us to fight any battles alone. We might feel like we are losing the war, but you remain present, offering courage. We might wonder why it is worth fighting at all. Then you remind us that we are your beloved. You promise peace in the midst of the struggle. We thank you and praise you for your presence with your people! We thank you for loving us and drawing us into your compassion. In Christ’s holy name we pray, Amen!
[1] William
B. Nelson, Daniel. (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2012), 425.
[2]
Tremper Longman III, The NIV Application Commentary: Daniel. (Grand
Rapids: Zondervan, 1999), 247-250.
[3]
Ibid., 249.
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