Daniel 10:14 Commentary and Bible Study

‘Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days.’ Daniel has mourned and prayed and struggled in prayer, and the preincarnate Christ has now appeared to him to answer that prayer. He has come to give him understanding of future things that will happen to his people Israel, and particularly the elect remnant in Israel (for only a minority had returned from Babylon), and, because of the timeframe involved, even including the elect Gentiles who would be called – for, says the apostle, ‘if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise’ (Galatians 3:29). This vision will sustain the believing remnant through the dark times that they must pass through before Christ comes, and Light comes into the world. How amazing it must have been to live through these years and see such detailed prophecy as in chapter 11 fulfilled before one’s eyes!What is the scope of this vision? Daniel is told it is about ‘what shall befall thy people in the latter days.’ The term ‘latter days’ describes not just the future in general, but often specifically the Messianic days, the time of Christ’s incarnation and beyond. The same Hebrew words are translated both as ‘latter days’ and as ‘last days’. Numbers 24:14 records the prophecy of Balaam where he speaks of the coming Messiah as ‘a Star out of Jacob’ that shall arise in the latter days. Jeremiah several times uses this language to speak of the gospel age and it is used by Ezekiel and Hosea for the same purpose. The term ‘last days’ appears in the prophecy of Jacob (Genesis 49:1). This prophecy looks forward to the coming of Christ as well as the nearer future. Isaiah prophecies of the glory of the gospel age (as he often does): ‘And it shall come to pass in the latter days, that the mountain of Jehovah's house shall be established on the top of the mountains’ (Isaiah 2:2), language which Micah repeats (Micah 4:1). The New Testament also uses the same term for the gospel age: ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh’ (Acts 2:17), a quotation from Joel 2:28, which substitutes the words ‘last days’ for Joel’s ‘afterward’. However, when we look at the material in Daniel 11, it is speaking largely about the future Greek empire. There is enormous and very specific detail there, which can be matched to recorded events in history. It is not until chapter 12 that we come to what is beyond the time of Greece. There Daniel is given revelation that goes right to the end of time, and even includes the resurrection and final judgment. Ultimately this vision is to do with very end of time. Up till now visions have been until Messiah, but this is said to be an end time prophecy. Even chapter 11 may point to the very end, since Antiochus Epiphanes who features there is a type of the antichrist. ‘For yet the vision is for many days’ – Daniel is being shown things far beyond the immediate matters of concern to him, regarding the restoration of Jerusalem. The thinking, even of the greatest of God’s servants, falls short of the wonder of what God has prepared.But we don't look at the vision immediately, because it is necessary for us to be told from verse 15 about some further problems that Daniel has. This great prophet, for all his experience, and his humility, is crushed. His engagement with Christ, even in this vision makes him so aware of his own sin; it humbles him to the dust. ‘When he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb.’ He is overcome, once again, because of astonishment not just seeing the Lord, but on account of what the Lord has said: right to very end of time itself. ‘And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men’ – an angel appearing in human form out of sympathy for him – ‘touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake,’ – and he gave his explanation, his apology, if you like – ‘and said unto him that stood before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength. For how can the servant’ – read, slave – ‘of this my lord talk with this my lord?’ That is how he feels in the presence of God. True prayer, even for us, is always humbling. Can we say that we have really been in true prayer, if we have not been humbled in the course of that prayer? ‘For as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me. Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me.’ He has so far been strengthened sufficiently to state the cause of his weakness, but he is still unable to talk freely with the one who has appeared to him. How different are the descriptions of those who boast of imaginary visions and appearances today! Modern visions don’t have this effect. Yet modern Charismatics make demands on God, speak to him jauntily, and are either carried away by imagination or wickedly make it up.