Like the Brilliance of Lightning - Daniel 10-12

This is Episode #261 and today we’ll read Daniel chapters 10-12 together.  His face like the brilliance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches.

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Transcript

Joy: You’re listening to Season 2 of the Lifting Her Voice podcast.  This is Episode #261 and today we’ll read Daniel chapters 10-12 together.  His face like the brilliance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches.

Welcome

Welcome to the Lifting Her Voice podcast, Season 2!  I'm your host, Joy Miller, and I invite you to grab your Bible and join me - from the beginning - simply reading God's word together.  We built some spiritual muscles in 2020 with just the New Testament.  But this year we’re going all out, cover-to-cover, Old Testament and New.  So, whether with your first cup in the morning, your commute to work, or as the last thing on your mind before sleep, God’s Word will equip you for every good work.  I’m really glad you’re here!

Daniel Chapter 10:

Vision of a Glorious One

In the third year of King Cyrus of Persia, a message was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar. The message was true and was about a great conflict. He understood the message and had understanding of the vision.

In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three full weeks. I didn’t eat any rich food, no meat or wine entered my mouth, and I didn’t put any oil on my body until the three weeks were over. On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, I looked up, and there was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of gold from Uphaz around his waist. His body was like beryl, his face like the brilliance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.

Only I, Daniel, saw the vision. The men who were with me did not see it, but a great terror fell on them, and they ran and hid. I was left alone, looking at this great vision. No strength was left in me; my face grew deathly pale, and I was powerless. I heard the words he said, and when I heard them I fell into a deep sleep, with my face to the ground.

Angelic Conflict

Suddenly, a hand touched me and set me shaking on my hands and knees. He said to me, “Daniel, you are a man treasured by God. Understand the words that I’m saying to you. Stand on your feet, for I have now been sent to you.” After he said this to me, I stood trembling.

“Don’t be afraid, Daniel,” he said to me, “for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your prayers were heard. I have come because of your prayers. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me after I had been left there with the kings of Persia. Now I have come to help you understand what will happen to your people in the last days, for the vision refers to those days.”

While he was saying these words to me, I turned my face toward the ground and was speechless. Suddenly one with human likeness touched my lips. I opened my mouth and said to the one standing in front of me, “My lord, because of the vision, anguish overwhelms me and I am powerless. How can someone like me, your servant, speak with someone like you, my lord? Now I have no strength, and there is no breath in me.”

Then the one with a human appearance touched me again and strengthened me. He said, “Don’t be afraid, you who are treasured by God. Peace to you; be very strong!”

As he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”

He said, “Do you know why I’ve come to you? I must return at once to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I leave, the prince of Greece will come. However, I will tell you what is recorded in the book of truth. (No one has the courage to support me against those princes except Michael, your prince.

Daniel Chapter 11:

In the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to strengthen and protect him.) Now I will tell you the truth.

Prophecies about Persia and Greece

“Three more kings will arise in Persia, and the fourth will be far richer than the others. By the power he gains through his riches, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece. Then a warrior king will arise; he will rule a vast realm and do whatever he wants. But as soon as he is established, his kingdom will be broken up and divided to the four winds of heaven, but not to his descendants; it will not be the same kingdom that he ruled, because his kingdom will be uprooted and will go to others besides them.

Kings of the South and the North

“The king of the South will grow powerful, but one of his commanders will grow more powerful and will rule a kingdom greater than his. After some years they will form an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the South will go to the king of the North to seal the agreement. She will not retain power, and his strength will not endure. She will be given up, together with her entourage, her father, and the one who supported her during those times. In the place of the king of the South, one from her family will rise up, come against the army, and enter the fortress of the king of the North. He will take action against them and triumph. He will take even their gods captive to Egypt, with their metal images and their precious articles of silver and gold. For some years he will stay away from the king of the North, who will enter the kingdom of the king of the South and then return to his own land.

“His sons will mobilize for war and assemble a large number of armed forces. They will advance, sweeping through like a flood, and will again wage war as far as his fortress. Infuriated, the king of the South will march out to fight with the king of the North, who will raise a large army, but they will be handed over to his enemy. When the army is carried off, he will become arrogant and cause tens of thousands to fall, but he will not triumph. The king of the North will again raise a multitude larger than the first. After some years he will advance with a great army and many supplies.

“In those times many will rise up against the king of the South. Violent ones among your own people will assert themselves to fulfill a vision, but they will fail. Then the king of the North will come, build up a siege ramp, and capture a well-fortified city. The forces of the South will not stand; even their select troops will not be able to resist. The king of the North who comes against him will do whatever he wants, and no one can oppose him. He will establish himself in the beautiful land with total destruction in his hand. He will resolve to come with the force of his whole kingdom and will reach an agreement with him. He will give him a daughter in marriage to destroy it, but she will not stand with him or support him. Then he will turn his attention to the coasts and islands and capture many. But a commander will put an end to his taunting; instead, he will turn his taunts against him. He will turn his attention back to the fortresses of his own land, but he will stumble, fall, and be no more.

“In his place one will arise who will send out a tax collector for the glory of the kingdom; but within a few days he will be broken, though not in anger or in battle.

“In his place a despised person will arise; royal honors will not be given to him, but he will come during a time of peace and seize the kingdom by intrigue. A flood of forces will be swept away before him; they will be broken, as well as the covenant prince. After an alliance is made with him, he will act deceitfully. He will rise to power with a small nation. During a time of peace, he will come into the richest parts of the province and do what his fathers and predecessors never did. He will lavish plunder, loot, and wealth on his followers, and he will make plans against fortified cities, but only for a time.

“With a large army he will stir up his power and his courage against the king of the South. The king of the South will prepare for battle with an extremely large and powerful army, but he will not succeed, because plots will be made against him. Those who eat his provisions will destroy him; his army will be swept away, and many will fall slain. The two kings, whose hearts are bent on evil, will speak lies at the same table but to no avail, for still the end will come at the appointed time. The king of the North will return to his land with great wealth, but his heart will be set against the holy covenant; he will take action, then return to his own land.

“At the appointed time he will come again to the South, but this time will not be like the first. Ships of Kittim will come against him, and being intimidated, he will withdraw. Then he will rage against the holy covenant and take action. On his return, he will favor those who abandon the holy covenant. His forces will rise up and desecrate the temple fortress. They will abolish the regular sacrifice and set up the abomination of desolation. With flattery he will corrupt those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will be strong and take action. Those who have insight among the people will give understanding to many, yet they will fall by the sword and flame, and they will be captured and plundered for a time. When they fall, they will be helped by some, but many others will join them insincerely. Some of those who have insight will fall so that they may be refined, purified, and cleansed until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.

“Then the king will do whatever he wants. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god, and he will say outrageous things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, because what has been decreed will be accomplished. He will not show regard for the gods of his ancestors, the god desired by women, or for any other god, because he will magnify himself above all. Instead, he will honor a god of fortresses — a god his ancestors did not know — with gold, silver, precious stones, and riches. He will deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. He will greatly honor those who acknowledge him, making them rulers over many and distributing land as a reward.

“At the time of the end, the king of the South will engage him in battle, but the king of the North will storm against him with chariots, horsemen, and many ships. He will invade countries and sweep through them like a flood. He will also invade the beautiful land, and many will fall. But these will escape from his power: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of the Ammonites. He will extend his power against the countries, and not even the land of Egypt will escape. He will get control over the hidden treasures of gold and silver and over all the riches of Egypt. The Libyans and Cushites will also be in submission. But reports from the east and the north will terrify him, and he will go out with great fury to annihilate and completely destroy many. He will pitch his royal tents between the sea and the beautiful holy mountain, but he will meet his end with no one to help him.

Daniel Chapter 12:

At that time

Michael, the great prince

who stands watch over your people, will rise up.

There will be a time of distress

such as never has occurred

since nations came into being until that time.

But at that time all your people

who are found written in the book will escape.

Many who sleep in the dust

of the earth will awake,

some to eternal life,

and some to disgrace and eternal contempt.

Those who have insight will shine

like the bright expanse of the heavens,

and those who lead many to righteousness,

like the stars forever and ever.

“But you, Daniel, keep these words secret and seal the book until the time of the end. Many will roam about, and knowledge will increase.”

Then I, Daniel, looked, and two others were standing there, one on this bank of the river and one on the other. One of them said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the water of the river, “How long until the end of these wondrous things?” Then I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the water of the river. He raised both his hands toward heaven and swore by him who lives eternally that it would be for a time, times, and half a time. When the power of the holy people is shattered, all these things will be completed.

I heard but did not understand. So I asked, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these things?”

He said, “Go on your way, Daniel, for the words are secret and sealed until the time of the end. Many will be purified, cleansed, and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand. From the time the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. Happy is the one who waits for and reaches 1,335 days. But as for you, go on your way to the end; you will rest, and then you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance at the end of the days.”

Close

In the presence of the God of the Universe, the Ancient of Days.  To be blinded by His brilliance.  It is more than I can imagine.  I suspect though, when it happens to us, we, like Daniel, will faint.  Oh, I mean fall into a deep sleep with our faces to the ground.

I didn’t have a chance yesterday to talk about Daniel’s prayer.  If I were to have a legacy, I would want it to be that I could pray like Daniel.  Yes, there are heart-felt prayers throughout the Scriptures – Hannah’s, many of David’s, Jesus’ prayer for His disciples in John 17, and of course, Mary’s.  But Daniel adds a dose of humility that is striking.  What could be accomplished in our country – and countries around the world – if, like Daniel, we were on our knees three times a day, starting with this prayer and gradually learning from the Holy Spirit as we practiced?  We could only guess, I suspect.  I could so easily insert our current world and its affairs into this prayer of Daniel’s.  My biggest concern for our world, and, sadly, the US, is her arrogance; her belief that she does not need God.  

We have spent 260 days twice now, reading how God feels about pride and arrogance.  But it’s not enough just to know it.  We must change our national behavior to reflect that we believe it.  We must repent as a nation.

 I love that Gabriel himself showed up not only to explain things to Daniel personally but to encourage him.   How would it feel to be told you are treasured by God.  And yet, through Christ, that’s exactly what we are, isn’t it?

I could say something about the 70 weeks of years and the abomination of desolation, and don’t forget who and why Michael, the Archangel, was battling for three weeks.  but those rabbit holes are deep, we couldn’t possibly do them justice here.  If you want to delve into eschatology a little deeper, there’s no shortage of resources, but please, exercise spiritual discernment as you do.  My pastor is pretty low-profile on the end times stuff, probably because we can all go kinda off the rails pretty quickly if we’re not kept in check.  He also says, wisely I think, that if we’re paying attention to what God wants from us today and developing the Godly character pleasing to Him, we’ll be busy enough until the end times reveal themselves.  What do you think?  Share your thoughts with me at Lifting Her Voice.com, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Thank you for joining me here today.  I pray that by spending time in His Word every day, you will be changed.  Visit me at Lifting Her Voice.com with your comments and questions.  And don’t forget to visit the Blog page while you’re there.  If you like the podcast, it would be great if you’d give it a five-star review and share it with everyone you know.  Don't forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.  See you tomorrow!

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible(r), Copyright (c) 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible(r) and CSB(r) are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.