2 At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. 3 I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.
4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, 5 I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. 6 His body was like topaz, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.
7 I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; those who were with me did not see it, but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves. 8 So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless. 9 Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground. I understand now why Daniel needed rest for so many days after these vision. They completely took all this strength.
10 A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. 11 He said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling. Again Daniel is told he is favored.
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John Burnett:
10 In
the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a revelation was given to Daniel
(who was called Belteshazzar). Its message was true and it concerned
a great war.[a] The understanding of the message
came to him in a vision.
2 At
that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. 3 I ate no choice food; no meat or
wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks
were over.
4 On
the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of
the great river, the Tigris, 5 I
looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt
of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. 6 His body was like topaz, his
face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs
like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a
multitude.
7 I,
Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; those who were with me did not see
it, but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid
themselves. 8 So
I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I had no strength
left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless. 9 Then I heard him speaking, and as
I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground.
10 A
hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees.11 He said, “Daniel, you who are
highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you,
and stand up, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he said this to
me, I stood up trembling. To be called highly esteemed by God is something we
should all strive for. Well done good and faithful servant is what all
true Christians want to hear when we go to be with Him in heaven
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2 At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. 3 I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.
4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris, 5 I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. 6 His body was like topaz, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.
7 I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; those who were with me did not see it, but such terror overwhelmed them that they fled and hid themselves. 8 So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless. 9 Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground.
10 A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. 11 He said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling.
-
Daniel was beyond exhausted. But God had more to share with him.
Just as Daniel found the energy to stand up and listen, we, too, must not
let ourselves give in to tiredness and life around us. We must continue
to find time and energy to focus on the One who is important! He is
always worth listening to.
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Allen Michaels: This
is Daniels final vision (536 B.C.). In it, he was given further insight
into the great spiritual battle between God’s people and those who want
to destroy them. There is also
more detailed information on the future, specifically the struggles
between the Ptolemies (kings of the South) and the Seleucids (kings of
the North).
10 In
the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a revelation was given to
Daniel (who was called Belteshazzar). Its message was true and it
concerned a great war. The understanding of the message
came to him in a vision.
2 At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks.
3 I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over. Daniel refrained from eating choice foods and using lotions because these were signs of feasting and
rejoicing.
4 On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris,
5 I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist.
6 His body was like topaz, his face like lightning, his eyes
like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished
bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.
A certain man clothed in linen: Commentators divide over the identity of
this certain man. Some say this is Jesus, noting that the description is remarkably like what John saw in Revelation 1:12-16.
Others say the certain man is an unnamed angel of high rank, noting that Jesus would not need the assistance of Michael, mentioned in Daniel 10:13.
7 I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the vision; those who were with me did not see it, but such terror overwhelmed
them that they fled and hid themselves.
This
shows that there was something supernatural about this vision. Daniel
saw what he saw regarding the glorious man, but his companions could not
see it. This is
like the latter instance of Saul on the road to Damascus, when his
companions could not hear the same voice from heaven that he heard.
These cases remind us that we can be close to the presence and power of
God, yet miss the message through lack of spiritual
perception.
8 So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was
helpless. As godly as Daniel was, he was "undone" by this vision of the glorious man. Daniel's experience shows
us that even the holiest of men fall short before God and even His closest associates.
9 Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground.
10 A hand touched me
(As Daniel was laid out in weakness by this experience, he was strengthened by the touch of a hand.)
and set me trembling on my hands and knees.
11 He said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider
carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have
now been sent to you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up
trembling.
This is the second time Daniel is called
highly esteemed (“greatly beloved”
in other versions).
Each time it is in relation to Daniel's being favored with a great and significant revelation of the future.
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Monday we will reading for Daniel 10:12-21.
12 Then he continued, “Do not be
afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain
understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard,
and I have come in response to them. 13 But the prince of the
Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief
princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia.
14 Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your
people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come.”15 While he was saying this to me, I bowed with my face toward the ground and was speechless. 16 Then one who looked like a man[b] touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began to speak. I said to the one standing before me, “I am overcome with anguish because of the vision, my lord, and I feel very weak. 17 How can I, your servant, talk with you, my lord? My strength is gone and I can hardly breathe.”
18 Again the one who looked like a man touched me and gave me strength. 19 “Do not be afraid, you who are highly esteemed,” he said. “Peace! Be strong now; be strong.”
When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength.”
20 So he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? Soon I will return to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I go, the prince of Greece will come; 21 but first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth. (No one supports me against them except Michael, your prince.
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