Daniel’s Window Into the Spirit World

Transcript

GR 1914
3/29/2015
Daniel’s Window into the Spirit World
Daniel 10:1-17
Gil Rugh

I invite you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Daniel, the prophecy of Daniel, one of the great prophetic books of the Old Testament and really a key book for understanding God’s prophetic program. All Scripture ties together but certain portions of Scripture are more essential in understanding the flow particularly in the area of prophecy. The understanding of the book of Daniel is foundational as we have seen for that last great prophetic book, the book of Revelation and the prophecies there are interwoven and further developed and clarified.

We first met Daniel when the book opened up and he as a young man of perhaps 15 years of age and had been carried away to Babylon in the first of what would be three deportations of the Jews from the Southern Kingdom, Judah and Benjamin under the discipline of God. We found him in chapter 1 even as a young man of 15 and we estimate that because of how old we will find him to be in a moment but he seems to have been around that age and yet he has a firm commitment to be faithful to God.

You don’t have to wait until you are thirty or something to be firmly committed to the truth of God to live in obedience to His will and Daniel started early. He must have had good training and the amazing thing as we come to chapter 10 it opens up by saying: “In the third year of Cyrus, King of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel.” The date is 526 B.C. That was the third year of Cyrus, King of Persia. Daniel was carried into captivity in chapter 1 in 605 B.C. So you get some idea. He’s now a man of 85, 86, 87 years of age and yet we find him faithful to the Lord. What a testimony we have seen him through the book of Daniel. But this is the last year we have recorded for Daniel, the last date given. Now we know he survived through this time. How much longer, we have no way of knowing.

Chapter 10 is the last revelation given to Daniel. It is the closing vision. It covers chapter 10, 11 and 12. So even though we have chapter breaks here this is one vision. Chapter 10 will really be the background and then chapters 11 and 12 give the content and what it is going to do is overview Israel’s history from the time of the Persians. We are in the third year of Cyrus, King of Persia. This will carry us all the way to the establishing of the kingdom of the Messiah in Israel. We saw that in chapter 9, some of that overview.

Here we are going to pick it up from Persia and move and spend some time on Greece and when you come over to chapter 12 we will see at chapter 11 we have moved into the seventieth week of Daniel in the last portion of that seventieth week, that last three and a half year period which will end with the return of Christ to earth to establish His kingdom recorded in Revelation chapter 19 and you see as chapter 12 in those opening verses we are going to talk about Michael, the great prince and here we have a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time and then you have resurrection, resurrection of the dead and then you have verse 3: “Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever.”

And then the discussion down in verse 7: “I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and a half a time” and we have looked at that expression and compared it to the book of Daniel and in the book of Revelation and where it is put together with 42 months or 360 days and it is referring to that last three and a half year period. And then we have some concluding days that stretch us into things that will be necessary for the preparation and establishing of the kingdom and verse 12 will say: “How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1335 days” and we will talk about that because we have judgments and so on to take place to determine who will enter the kingdom and so on. So you see where this last vision of Daniel is going to pick him up from where he is in the time of the Persians and it will conclude with the establishing of the kingdom.

Back in Daniel chapter 10, verse 1. We need to understand the setting here. We are in the third year of Cyrus, King of Persia. An important event occurred in the first year, two years earlier.
Why don’t you turn in your Bibles back to the book of Ezra. You note how the book of Ezra begins: “Now in the first year of Cyrus, King of Persia.” So here we have the date. Daniel chapter 10 says: “In the third year of Cyrus, King of Persia.” Ezra chapter 1 we are in the first year of Cyrus so two years earlier to what we have recorded in Daniel chapter 10, “In the first year of Cyrus, King of Persia in order to fulfil the Word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah.” Remember Jeremiah prophesied that the Babylonian captivity would take place for a seventy year period of time and then God is going to stir up Cyrus and he would allow the Jews to return.

“So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, King of Persia. He sent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and put it in writing.” “Thus says Cyrus, King of Persia, “the Lord, the God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem which is in Judah.” And perhaps Daniel was instrumental you know, he’s has had contact with the king and going back from Babylon right up to Cyrus so perhaps he was instrumental in showing him the role that God had prophesied for him. There is no indication Cyrus has ever become a true believer but Cyrus with his polytheistic view of things, the God of the Jews was the God in this portion of the world and he could recognize the gods of different places but God is using him.

So he gives a decree that the Jews could return. The Babylonian captivity has fulfilled its purpose, 70 years because for 490 years the Jews had not kept the Sabbath year. So verse 3: “Whoever there is among you of all His people, may God be with him. Let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel; He is the God who is in Jerusalem.” He is the God who is everywhere. But again He is the God who has chosen the Jews to be His people and so verse 5 says: “Everyone that the Spirit has stirred is going to return” and you are going to have a list and for your devotions this week you can go to chapter 2 and add those all up and we then find out that there are about 50,000 Jews who will return. And while you are here, stay in Ezra a moment, chapter 3, the altar built, the sacrifices restored, the restoration of the temple begins but when you get into chapter 4: “Now when the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the people of the exile were building a temple to the Lord God of Israel, they approached Zerubbabel” and their first approach is, let’s work together. One of the strategies of the devil is compromise, that God’s people will be willing to mix themselves and accept other things, not make an issue of their doctrines and that.

Zerubbabel would have none of it, verse 3, they point out tell them, “You have nothing in common with us in building a house to our God. We will build it.” It’s not like, Oh, isn’t this great, we get extra help. It has to be done God’s way and they mention King Cyrus says, “Allow them to do that.” But you also now get some problems that are going to develop.

So some of these things can be in Daniel’s mind. As you come over to chapter 10 where you find him in another time of intense prayer. So chapter 10 begins: “In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel and the message was true.” And this Daniel was the one called Belteshazzar and that takes us back to chapter 1. So there is no confusion even though so much time has elapsed. It’s still the same Daniel, the Daniel was given the Babylonian name Belteshazzar. “The message was true, one of great conflict but he understood the message and had an understanding of the vision.” And part of that will come with what is told him in angelic context. “In those days, I, Daniel, had been mourning for three entire weeks. I did not eat any tasty food, nor did meat or wine enter my mouth, nor did I use any ointment at all, until the entire three weeks were completed. On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, while I was by the bank of the great river, that is, the Tigris” and he proceeds.

So here you have a setting, the Tigris. He could be 20 or 30 miles outside of Babylon here. The Tigris River running down. He could be further away but it comes within that close of a region to Babylon. Why he comes out here, what he is doing here, perhaps he came out to get away for a time to be apart with the Lord. Whatever it is, he spends three weeks in mourning and prayer. It doesn’t mean he doesn’t eat anything but he has a partial fast we would say. The things you know, that you might enjoy, the foods that are delicacies which he would have had access to probably with the position he has enjoyed over the years but he doesn’t do that and he doesn’t use the ointment that was common because you are living in those arid regions so they treated their skin with ointments like we do today, you know, with the dry weather and that but didn’t do any of that. There’s a way of setting him apart and concentrating himself in this time of prayer.

Interesting on the time here. During this three weeks Passover would have occurred. Passover occurred on the 14th of Nython and then there was the Feast of Unleavened Bread that took place the week following. That would have been from the 14th to the 21st of Nython and he goes in this for three weeks climaxing the 24th. Perhaps it was with the Jews returning, his understanding that he has gained from the book of Jeremiah that the captivity would last 70 years, seeing the Jews returning to rebuild the temple; he is still concerned for the spiritual condition of the nation. What does God have for them now that they are returning, at least some of them to rebuild the temple? What God is going to do is unfolded for him.

Amazing, after all these years here you see Daniel, a man in his late 80’s devoting three weeks to prayer, setting apart for the Lord. You know, you think, “Well what did he say for three weeks?” That is 21 days. Most of us we would say, I want you to set aside three hours for prayer say, “ah, what are we going to say?”

You note something of the closeness of the relationship. You know it’s like young people before they are married not that there is anything wrong after marriage but sometimes it is a little different. You know they are out together. They come back and you say “What have you been doing.” “Oh, we have been talking.” “For two hours?” “Yes.” “What did you talk about?” “Oh, just different things.” Well, when you are in love and have that kind of relationship the time goes by and that’s the kind of relationship Daniel had with the Lord. He had a lot to talk about with the Lord; a lot that burdened his heart. He was burdened for his people. He was concerned for them.

They had been out of the land for 70 years and now are going back. That is exciting. They are going to rebuild the temple but that doesn’t mean there won’t be problems and then where is the Lord going to take the nations? So you see something of the heart of Daniel here.

So as he has been praying, fasting for three entire weeks, “I lifted up my eyes (verse 5) and looked, and behold, there was a certain man dressed in linen, whose waist was girded with a belt of pure gold of Uphaz. His body was like beryl, his face had the appearance of lightning, his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a tumult.” An awesome vision. There is discussion. Was this an angel? There is going to be an angel later here but it seems from the description that this would fit the angel of the Lord who is the pre-incarnate Christ. You have the description here that is very similar to the description given. Come over to the book of Revelation chapter 1 that you are well familiar with just to remind ourselves of it. In Revelation chapter 1, look at verse 12, picking up here: “I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me and having turned I saw seven golden lampstands. In the middle of the lampstands I saw One like a Son of man clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, girded across his chest with a golden sash, head and hair white like wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet like burnished bronze when it has made to glow in a furnace. His voice was like the sound of many waters and this is the resurrected, glorified Christ and that description is very similar as you flip back to Daniel, “the eyes like flaming torches, the feet like burnished bronze, the sound of his words like the sound of rushing waters, like the sound of (what is called here,) a tumult.”

I take it what you have here is the pre-incarnate Christ. Remember in John 17 as Jesus anticipated His crucifixion His prayer to the Father was what? “Restore Me to the glory I had with You before the world was” and this is something of that pre-incarnate glory of Christ that He would set aside when He was born at Bethlehem but he would resume after His resurrection.

So an appearance of the Son of God as occurs several times in the Old Testament and it is a striking picture and we are told then in verse 7: “I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, while the men who were with me did not see the vision; nevertheless, a great dread fell on them, and they ran away to hide themselves.”

Remember when Christ appeared to Saul on the Damascus road in Acts chapter 9? If you want to turn there you can but a similar thing happened. In Acts chapter 9 Paul is traveling on the “Damascus road, suddenly a light (verse 3 of Acts 9) from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground, heard a voice saying, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And verse 7: “The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.” So they are there but they are not part of the revelation being given to Saul.

And so here it is with those with Daniel and they have that sense of awe and awareness that something awesome is taking place and it is frightening and so they run to hide. Verse 8: “I was left alone and saw this great vision; yet no strength was left in me, for my natural color turned to a deathly pallor, and I retained no strength.” If we had gone on in Revelation chapter 1 as you are familiar with that chapter the same thing happens to John. “I fell at His feet as a dead man.” Just overwhelming; what is it? There is a sense that I am in the presence of this awesome God and you know people talk about what they will say when they see the Lord.

Remember when Jesus told the account of the wedding feast and then they ask the one who was in there without a wedding garment, “what are you doing here without,” he was speechless. This idea of people who think they will stand before God and present their case is not going to happen. We are created beings.

Here, Daniel, godly man that he is, just like John, the beloved apostle when confronted with the glory of the Son of God, all strength is gone, the color drains from him. He is just overwhelmed. “I heard the sound of His words, and as soon as I heard the sound of His words, I fell into a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.” Again, very similar description to what happened to John.

“Then behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees.” I think we move here now to another being. The pre-incarnate Christ has appeared to Daniel as he appeared to John later and now that impact on Daniel. Now there is a messenger that touches him, an angel. “Set me trembling on my hands and knees. He said to me, “O Daniel, man of high esteem, understand the words that I am about to tell you and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.” “And when he spoke this word to me, I stood up trembling.”

It is the grace of God and the power of His salvation that will enable us someday to dwell in the presence of His glory. When Daniel is so over-whelmed, when John who ministered with Christ during his earthly ministry has the same kind of overwhelming impact. But the angel has Daniel stand up to hear what he is going to say and the truth that God is going to reveal. And he is called a man of high esteem.

We saw this back in the previous chapter where he was referred to as a man of high esteem, known in the courts of heaven as a man highly honored. What a reputation among the angels of heaven to see the testimony of a life of faithfulness to God and the renown even given in heaven. Back in Daniel chapter 9 verses 22 and following there you have that previous revelation.

“He said to me, (verse 12) “do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding and on humbling yourself before God.” You see, that is always there. That was what was conveyed in his mourning. “Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.” Daniel never lost his sense of his unworthiness, his own sin as we saw his previous prayer as he identifies himself with the sin of the nation Israel and his unworthiness.

We don’t come before God even as His children with a sense of arrogance, self-confidence. We come with boldness and confidence because we are represented by Jesus Christ, our High Priest but it is not a confidence in ourselves. And the longer we walk with the Lord, the more we are aware of our unworthiness. You know, wasn’t that Paul’s testimony? He saved me, the chief of sinners, that sense of your unworthiness in a proper sense and appreciation of what God has done.

“I came, I was sent to you when you began your prayer.” And now angels can travel I take it, pretty quickly but he took three weeks to get here. “I have come in response to your words.” They were heard. “But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days.” I mean the character of Daniel’s life it’s not just this time of prayer he has but his life was a godly life so when he began this prayer he was heard and God sent the angel in response but it was within the plan of God that the angel not arrive for three weeks. It didn’t discourage Daniel. He remained faithful in his prayer during that time but the interesting thing here is the window into the spirit world given, “the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days.” That is one of the indications we have moved to a regular angel if I can say that, not the angel of the Lord who is the pre-incarnate Christ because no spirit being holds Him back. This angel needed the help of a greater angel with greater authority, Michael. “Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia.”

This is a window into the spirit world. Who is this prince of the kingdom of Persia? He has to be a powerful spirit being because he is able to prevent this angel from the Lord from progressing into the kingdom of Persia over which he evidently has authority. He is called the “prince of the kingdom of Persia.” I take it what we are finding out and is supported with glimpses in other places, the hierarchy that there is exists in the angelic world. That would be true in fallen and unfallen angels.

We have to back up. Where we would call this a demon, a fallen angel because he opposes the work of God when God sends one of His angels to reveal something to Daniel. This fallen angel opposes the angel on a ministry from God and he is powerful enough to keep him from moving on into the kingdom of Persia over which he has authority for three weeks and it’s not until an angel from God with greater authority comes that he is able to proceed. Michael, one of the chief princes, Michael, the archangel will come who is one who has greater authority than this angel who has been held back.

The angelic world, the spirit world; Satan is a real true being. We will take a moment. Come back to Isaiah 14. Where does Satan come from? He was created by God but not as Satan, a fallen being. We get a glimpse in the passage here about the fall of Satan. Verse 12 of Isaiah 14: “How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn?” Verse 13: “You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God.’” And we will see that “stars of God” in a moment. Above the angels, he will assume the authority of God. “I will sit on the mountain of the assembly and the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. I will make myself like the Most High.” “Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol, to the recesses of the pit.” He was created as a great and mighty, powerful angel but his pride caused him to rebel against God.

Come over to Ezekiel 28, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel. Ezekiel 28, the last part of verse 12. “You had the seal of perfection, full wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden the garden of God.” Verse 14: “You were the anointed cherub who covers.” Evidently that picture of the cherubim that covers the throne of God. He was the anointed cherub. He had that exalted position in the angelic world of covering the throne of God. “I placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God; you walked in the midst of the stones of fire. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, until unrighteousness was found in you.” So you see he was created as a perfect being with an exalted position, perfect in all his ways but he lost that position.

The end of verse 16: “I have destroyed you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor.” The pride and arrogance which is the result of sin and rebellion found its root in Satan’s heart. So there you have the fall of Satan and if you come over to Revelation 12 we will come back here in a little bit but you read in Revelation chapter 12, verse 4 and you have here verse 3 who we are talking about, a great red dragon and we know who the dragon is because verse 9 tells us “The great dragon was thrown down. The serpent of old who was called the devil and Satan.” So no question who we are talking about, this great red dragon. Verse 4: “His tail sept away a third of the stars of heaven, and threw them to the earth.” In the context of Revelation here, the stars refer to other angels. Back in chapter 9 of Revelation verse 1: “The fifth angel sounded. I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him.” So you see this star represents an angelic being.

So when you read in Revelation chapter 2, verse 4, “A third of the stars of the heaven were caught up in Satan’s rebellion.” That is where the demons come from and you note Satan is not some horned person with a pitchfork and a tail. He was beautiful and splendid and he has awesome power.

Come back to Mark chapter 5. We do have to move along. This is fascinating stuff. Mark chapter 5 you just get an idea how many angels followed Lucifer in his rebellion. Remember angelic beings are created beings. They can only be in one place at a time. God is omnipresent. He is everywhere and He fills everything. Satan can only be in one place but he has hosts of demons who can be every place. How many I don’t know but look when Christ is going to cast the demon out of this demon possessed man among the Gerasenes as chapter 5 opens up he has an unclean spirit. You come down to verse 6 the man runs up, bows down before Christ, “shouting with a loud voice, he said, ‘What business do we have with each other, Jesus Son of the Most High God.’” This demon recognizes who Jesus is as the demons did during His earthly ministry. “I implore you by God, do not torment me!” For Jesus had said, “Come out of the man.” He has authority and Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And this is what is remarkable. He said to Him, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” You know what a Roman legion is? 6,000 soldiers, “we are many.” I take it that means this many indwelling this person had authority over 6,000 demons. This is just one demon in this area and yet he said, “My name is Legion.” I take it that would indicate he has authority over thousands of demons and we are just here in the country of the Gerasenes and Satan has a structure. They are not just demons running all over the place. There is an order and a hierarchy and a structure and so you come back to Daniel and you see, here was a demon with power who has authority over the kingdom of Persia. And you can imagine how many demons he has under his authority as he, if you will, oversees and manages this kingdom for the god of this world, the devil. And this demon with authority, that authority is recognized in the angelic world still even though they are fallen, similar to what we are required to do, to recognize human authorities, governing authorities. That is an appointment by God even though we are redeemed and they are not, they still have authority over us in the realm in which we are. That is still true in the demonic world. So here you have a demon who has greater authority in the angelic world than the angel that was sent so they still recognize that authority.

It took Michael, one of the chief princes as he is referred to in Daniel chapter 10, verse 13 to come and exercise greater authority so that the angel bringing the revelation to Daniel can continue on his way. Michael, that angel used a number of times. Come over to the book of Jude and you see an example of authority here. Verse 8: “In the same way these men also by dreaming defile the flesh, reject authority and revile angelic majesties.” That is a characteristic of fallen beings and they fail to recognize angelic majesties. They joke about the devil. They parade around and you see it even through religious figures, they act like we command the demons. We command the devil. That is a characteristic of ungodly people and then he uses the example, verse 9: “But Michael, the archangel when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses” and we don’t know but when Moses died on the mountain before Israel went into the promised land Satan attempted to take authority over the body. Michael disputes and is key here because as we are going to see in a moment, Michael is the angel given authority over the nation Israel and he has a greater authority because this is the nation God has chosen for Himself so He puts a supremely powerful angel here but when he disputes with the devil you note what he says, “He did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment but said the Lord rebuke you.” Michael the archangel recognized the position and authority God had given to Lucifer, to the devil. Even now as a fallen being he did not speak disrespectfully to him. As great as he is in power in the angelic world he recognizes that when God created Lucifer as the anointed Cherub that covers the throne he delegated him authority in the angelic realm and he still recognizes that and so it is not his authority that he uses but he calls on the authority of the Lord to rebuke and thus as the angel over Israel to take the body of Moses.

So remarkable things going on in the angelic realm and the order and people parade around and talk about the devil and make light of it and the demons. And we need to be careful. Even we as Bible believing people we don’t take it seriously.

We are in the New Testament, come to Ephesians. Verse 10, Ephesians 6: “Be strong in the Lord and the strength of His might.” You note these words for strength, for power, “strong in the Lord, in the strength of His might.” “Put on the full armor of God so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.” This is a spiritual battle and you are in it either as a child of the devil or a child of God. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenlies. Therefore take up the full armor of God so you will be able to resist in the evil day and having done everything to stand firm.” Stand firm therefore and put on all the pieces of the armor. This is serious business. We don’t speak lightly of the devil or of the demons.

In yourself, in your own strength, you are no match for the weakest of the demons. These are spirit beings given great power when God created them. Think of the devil. We look at the trouble going on among the nations of the world and the leaders of the different nations and Satan is overseeing it all.

Remember when he tempted Christ in Matthew chapter 4? What did he say? “Fall down and worship me and I will give You all the kingdoms of the world.” That tells you something of his might and power. What is he trying to do? Don’t go to the cross, worship me. That’s what got him in trouble in his fall as we saw in Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28. Imagine the power. I mean we look at the leaders of the world trying to adjust things and behind it Satan is doing his maneuvering.

He had an angel in charge of Persia and that angel with his demonic beings under his authority tries to prevent the angel coming from Revelation. He is always opposed to God’s truth and God’s people. There is a battle going on there and that battle continues. What you see going on in the world that is all part of what’s going on. I take it there is a demonic being overseeing all the demons of the United States, the other nations of the world. And God’s angels do battle with them as they move and adjust so that God’s will is always done. They cannot frustrate the purpose and plans of God but they fight and they fight and they fight.

And you see here and I take it that is still going on to this day. What’s going on? Why are these men making these decisions? What is going on? They are under the control of the devil. Remember what Jesus said about the children of the devil, “You always do the will of your father, the devil.” Not sometimes you do the will of your father, the devil, you always do and He is speaking to religious leaders in Israel. No wonder Daniel was spending extended times in prayer and seeking God’s will to understand God’s plan more fully, to be faithful to God, humbling himself.

People have no idea what they are dealing with. We understand. We talked this morning about dealing with the unseen. We don’t want anything more out of it but we understand more about the spirit world than God has revealed but we better understand what He has revealed. Michael, the archangel, one of the chief angels. He is not the only one. He is the only one named but the angel in Daniel 10 if you want to come back there in verse 13 says: “Then behold Michael, one of the chief princes.” There may be others. “Came to help me.” He is the only one called the archangel but there may be others in that realm. We don’t know. He is called one of the chief princes. He obviously has more authority and more power and others like Michael have more power. Now is Michael the one who has power over the others? We don’t know. He is just identified as one of the chief princes.

You know when we read Ezekiel we talked about war against principalities and powers, the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenlies. Other places, Colossians 1 and so on indicate something of the authority structure in the angelic world both fallen angels and unfallen angels. The unfallen angels under the authority ultimately of God and those He has appointed. Satan leading the opposition to God with those who followed Him.

Alright, we have more to say but let’s look through Daniel 10 and then we will see if we get to it. Verse 14: “Now I have come to give you understanding of what will happen to your people in the latter days for the vision pertains to the days yet future.” So here it is. He is going to unfold what is coming. This has been evidently, part of Daniel’s burden. He knows what God has promised to the nation. He knows well the provision of the Abrahamic Covenant and other Scriptures so here is more information about the future. “When He had spoken to me according to these words I turned my face toward the ground and became speechless and behold One who resembled a human being was touching my lips. I opened my mouth and spoke and said to Him who was standing before me, “O, my Lord as a result of the vision anguish has come upon me and I have retained no strength. How can such a servant of my Lord talk with such as my Lord? As for me there remains just now no strength in me, nor has any breath been left in me.” He is highly esteemed but we have been for a time lower than the angels. The realm is there. Even a man as great as Daniel among God’s people, he is speechless in the presence of the angel giving the revelation.

“Then this one with human appearance touched me again and strengthened me. And he said, “O man of high esteem, do not be afraid.” It doesn’t mean you are a man of greater authority than me but among God’s people you are highly esteemed in the courts of heaven.

“Take courage and be courageous! Now as soon as he spoke to me, I received strength and said, ‘May my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.’” “Then he said, I shall return (verse 20) to fight against the prince of Persia.” That is why clearly in 5 and 6 we say that seems to be the pre-incarnate Christ but then the other appearance here are of the angels acting on behalf of Christ but they are angelic beings because Christ doesn’t have to fight against anyone in that sense and He will go and fight against the prince of Persia. After that what? The prince of Greece is coming. You see each of these empires as they come they have their governing demonic being. They might have millions of demons under their authority as the one governing because we get the sense the devil is everywhere. He is only one place but his emissaries are. I think how do you manage this? That is why we don’t want to underestimate them.

Verse 21: “Yet there is no one who stands firmly with me against these forces except Michael your prince.” And Michael is the angel of God given authority over the nation Israel, responsibile for their protection here to see what God said about their return to the land would take place and the prince of Persia won’t be able to stop that. When the prince of Greece comes it will be within the framework of God’s plan because greater as we understand now as the New Testament tells us, “That He who is in you than he who is in the world.” So we want to recognize the power of the devil and give him the respect he is due but not because we honor him in that sense.

Come to Job chapter 1. We are not going to be able to look at all these fun passages. You know how it is when you study and so I end up reading a book on demons this week and then you get all caught up in this.

Alright, just look in Job chapter 1, verse 6: “There was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan also came among them.” The same thing is said in chapter 2, verse 1. Satan still has access to heaven and there is evidently a time appointed, regularly when all the angels are required to appear before God and that includes fallen angels, the devil is there. We say, well the devil can’t go to heaven because God is too pure to look on sin. He gives no approval to sin but the devil still has access and we don’t have time to go to Revelation 12 but Revelation 12, remember, it’s in the middle of that last seven year period that there is war in heaven between Michael and his angels and the devil and his angels and it is at that point Satan loses his access to heaven and Revelation 12 tells us he knows the time is short. Time is running out for him to be able to oppose God in the establishing of His kingdom.

One more passage, I Kings 22 and this is in the days of King Ahab and they call for a prophet of the Lord. We don’t have time for the context. You can read it. And Micaiah the prophet, verse 19 of I Kings 22 tells the kings, two kings are here. Ahab is the godless king and Micaiah the prophet said, “Therefore, hear the Word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left.” That is all the angelic hosts. “The Lord said, “Who will entice Ahab to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?” And one said this while another said that. Then a spirit came forward the stood before the Lord and said, “I will entice him. I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. You are to go and prevail.” So this prophet says, “The Lord has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth.” I take it is there just like He gave Satan permission to afflict Job. Here He gives a demonic being permission to go and be a deceiving spirit; so awesome to consider.

All the angels fallen and unfallen appear before God. They have lost their position in heaven but they have not lost their access. They have not lost authority in the angelic realm that is still recognized by unfallen angels. So we realize how great, how wonderful the salvation that we have that has brought us under the protection and security of our God and we now who have received the Spirit of God who lives within us who is greater than Satan, the one that is in the world but we need to be careful.

Satan is always trying to lure us out and when he lures us out in rebellion against the Lord we can take a brutal beating. We say, “What happened?” Well, we didn’t take God seriously, we got ourselves in trouble.

Let’s pray together. Thank you Lord for Your greatness. Lord we in many ways feel small and somewhat powerless as we look into the window of the spirit world and see the awesome things going on and the power of angelic beings and Lord we find our security and comfort in You, the protection we have because we belong to You. Your Son is our Savior. We have been rescued from the realm of Satan. We are under Your protection. Your Spirit indwells us to empower us, to enable us to keep us and Lord we are reminded how important it is that we walk faithfully before You. Thank You for Daniel, his long life of faithful service to You. It is a testimony to us, an encouragement to us, it’s a challenge. Thank You for Your Word we pray in Christ’s name, amen.