Daniel Study: Study of Daniel 10–11 Messenger's Appearing and Political Predictions

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NOTES

Daniel 1: The Introduction

Chapter 1 introduces the historical context of Daniel’s deportation to Babylon following Nebuchadnezzar’s siege of Jerusalem in 605 BC. Daniel was among the royal Jewish captives first extradited to Babylon.

Upon Daniel’s arrival, he and three companions were confronted with a difficult choice between defiling themselves with the king’s appointed ration of choice food and wine or risking their lives by abstaining from the food for the sake of remaining undefiled in the sight of God. God rewards Daniel’s righteous decision to abstain by granting him favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials. God also endows Daniel and his three companions with exceptional knowledge, wisdom, and intelligence that results in the honor of entering into the king’s personal service.

Daniel 2: Daniel’s Interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s First Dream

Chapter 2 explains God’s supernatural equipping of Daniel to reveal Nebuchadnezzar’s first dream and its interpretation, demonstrating God’s covenant attentiveness to His exiles. The dream reveals four successive Gentile dominions preceding the establishment of God’s messianic kingdom that will never be destroyed. After Daniel reveals Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and its interpretation, Daniel is promoted as ruler over Babylon and chief prefect over all its wise men.

Daniel 3: Nebuchadnezzar’s Command and the Courageous Response of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego
Nebuchadnezzar erects a great image of gold, commanding peoples, nations and men of every language to fall down and worship the golden image when hearing musical instruments. The king’s decree includes the penalty of being immediately cast into a furnace of blazing fire for anyone refusing to worship the image.

After the Chaldeans report the refusal of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego to worship the image, Nebuchadnezzar gives urgent orders for them to be cast into a furnace of blazing fire. The three men are tied up and cast into the furnace. When Nebuchadnezzar and his high officials look into the furnace, they are astounded to see four men walking unharmed in the midst of the fire. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego exit the fire unsinged. Nebuchadnezzar then issues a decree forbidding an offensive word to be spoken against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, whom the king causes to prosper.

Daniel 4: Daniel’s Interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s Second Dream Predicting the King’s Insanity

Chapter 4 provides Nebuchadnezzar’s narrative of his second dream and Daniel’s interpretation of the dream as a prediction of the king’s temporary insanity. The dream is of a great spreading tree that a messenger from heaven commands to be cut down. Daniel interprets the tree as Nebuchadnezzar himself, predicting that Nebuchadnezzar would dwell among the beasts of the field for a seven-year period before finally ascribing glory to God. Afterwards, his mental health and kingdom are restored.

Daniel 5: Daniel’s Interpretation of the Miraculous Writing on the Wall

Chapter 5 records Daniel’s interpretation of a mysterious inscription on the palace wall of Belshazzar, the king of Babylon, coregent with Nabonidus (556–538 BC), and son of Nebuchadnezzar. During a great feast on the eve of the Persian conquest of Babylon (538 BC), Belshazzar was drinking out of the gold and silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem when a hand emerged and began writing on the palace wall. Seeing the hand, Belshazzar becomes alarmed and calls for the wise men.

After the wise men fail to interpret the inscription, Daniel is brought to Belshazzar, at the queen’s request. Daniel interprets the message to read, “‘MENE’ ­­– God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it. ‘TEKEL’ – you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient. ‘PERES’ – your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians” (Dan 5:26-28). Belshazzar is slain that same night and Darius the Mede receives the kingdom, fulfilling the words spoken by Daniel.

Daniel 6: Daniel in the Lion’s Den

Chapter 6 tells the familiar narrative of Daniel in the lion’s den. As a result of the plotting of his political subordinates, Daniel is cast into the lion’s den by King Darius the Mede for defying the injunction against petitioning a god or man except the king. Just as God had miraculously protected Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego in the furnace of fire, God closes the lions’ mouths so that they do not harm Daniel. While Daniel is delivered and enjoys success, his accusers are thrown into the den and crushed by the lions.

Daniel 7: Daniel’s Vision of Four Beasts

Chapter 7 marks the transition from historical narrative (Dan 1–6) to predictive prophecy (Dan 7–12). The predictions in Daniel 7–12 concern events that extend from the days of Daniel to the coming of Messiah, including predictions of his first and second advents. The predictive prophecy is revealed through four visions of Daniel that occurred during the period of history covered in the first six chapters.

Chapter 7 describes and interprets the first vision of Daniel which occurs in the first year of Belshazzar (553 BC). Daniel is about 67-years old when he receives the first vision of four beasts symbolizing Babylon (Lion), Medo-Persia (Bear), Greece (Leopard), and Rome (Strong Beast). The vision extends into the last days during the reigns of ten kings (ten horns) and the Antichrist (little horn), culminating with the reign of Messiah to Whom the Ancient of Days gives an everlasting dominion which will not be destroyed.

Daniel 8: Daniel’s Vision of a Ram and a Goat

Chapter 8 records the second vision of Daniel pertaining to a portion of time within the previous vision. The Medo-Persian and Greek empires are depicted respectively as a ram with two horns and a male goat with a single horn that eventually breaks off and becomes four horns. The angel Gabriel interprets the vision as pertaining to the time of the end. The king of Greece who arises in the latter period of the reign of the four kings oppresses the Jews, foreshadowing the Antichrist of future history. Daniel is exhausted and sick for days because of the astounding vision about which he is told to keep secret.

Daniel 9: Daniel’s Prayer and Prediction of Seventy Sevens

Chapter 9 is divided into two parts. Verses 1-19 record Daniel’s prayer and verses 20-27 provide God’s response delivered through the angel Gabriel. Based on Jeremiah’s prophecy that the exile would last seventy years (Jer 25:12; 29:10), Daniel seeks God by prayer and supplications, with fasting, confessing the sins of the nation and seeking God’s compassion for His people who are called by His name.

The angel Gabriel delivers God’s message that includes a prophecy of seventy seven-year periods (490 years) that are ordained for God’s people. The first sixty-nine periods (483 years) are completed at Messiah’s first advent. The final seventieth period (7 years) is of principal importance as it pertains to the Tribulation period that transpires just before the second advent of Messiah Jesus.

Daniel 10–11: Heavenly Messenger’s Appearing and Political Predictions

Chapters 10–11 record Daniel’s fourth and final predictive revelation made known through a direct encounter with a heavenly messenger. The angel explains that his coming was delayed by a conflict with an emissary of Satan who withstood him for twenty-one days until Michael, the chief archangel, came to his defense. The messenger’s appearing is for the purpose of imparting information concerning the periods of Medo-Persia, Greece, and the future Tribulation, periods also covered in Daniel’s second vision (Chap. 8).

While chapter 10 presents details of Daniel’s actual encounter with the messenger, chapter 11 provides the predictive prophecy imparted in this final revelatory message. The political predictions emphasize the activities of Antiochus Epiphanes and the future Antichrist. The detail provided in the historical predictions contains some of the most remarkable predictive prophecies in all of Scripture.

STUDY QUESTIONS:

1.   What is the time of Daniel’s fourth and final prophetic message? What is the nature of the vision? (10:1) What has Daniel been doing for three weeks prior to receiving the message? Describe his fast (10:2-3)

2.   Describe the messenger that Daniel sees on the 24^th day of the first month while standing on the bank of the Tigris river? (10:4-6)

3.   What happens to the men who are with Daniel? Describe what happens to Daniel when he is alone and sees this great vision? (10:7-9)

4.   What happens to Daniel when the messenger touches him? (10:10) How does the messenger address Daniel? What does he tell Daniel to do? (10:11-12a On what day had the messenger intended on coming to Daniel? (10:12) Who detains him from coming to Daniel?

5.  (PR) Write a principle regarding Satan, demons, or spiritual warfare from the following verses:

Rev 12:9 

2Pet 2:4

Jude 1:6-7

Matt 25:41

Gen 3:12-13

Mark 5:9; Luke 8:30

2 Cor 4:4

Eph 6:12

1Tim 4:1-3

1Cor 10:20-21

Acts 16:16

Matt 8:28

Matt 10:1

Job 1:6; 2:1

John 8:44

Matt 9:32-33

Matt 12:22

Luke 8:26-35

Mark 9:18

Luke 8:29

Luke 13:15-17

(A) What is something new or especially interesting that you found in these verses?

6.   How does Daniel respond after hearing the words concerning the messenger’s delay and the reason that he had come? (10:15) Who is touching his lips? What does Daniel say? (10:16-17)

7.   What does the one with human appearance say to Daniel after touching and strengthening him? (10:18-19) What does the messenger ask Daniel? Who is the messenger now returning to fight? Who is about to come? (10:20) What will the messenger tell Daniel? Who is the only one standing firmly with the messenger? (10:21)

8.   (D) For whom had the messenger arisen to be an encouragement and protection in the first year of Darius the Mede? (11:1) (Hint: 11:1 is directly linked to and a continuation of 10:21.)

9.    (DAN 11:2-4: PREDICTIVE PROPHECY: DIVISION OF ALEXANDER’S EMPIRE)
Who does the messenger say will arise in Persia? What will the fourth king gain? What will happen to the fourth king as soon as he becomes strong through his riches? (11:2) What will the mighty king who arises do? (11:3) As soon as he has arisen, with happens to his kingdom? (11:4)

10.  (DAN 11:5-20: THE PTOLEMIES, SELEUCIDS UNTIL ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES)
Who grows strong? Who grows strong with him, gaining ascendancy over him and obtaining great dominion? (11:5) What do they form? Who comes to the king of the North? Why does she come? What happens to her position of power? What happens to her, along with those who brought her, her father, and the one who supported her? (11:6) Who arises in his place? What does he come against and enter? (11:7) What does he take into captivity? Who does the king of the South refrain from attacking for some years? (11:8) Who enters the realm of the king of the South but then returns to his own land? (11:9)

11.   (DAN 11:5-20: THE PTOLEMIES, SELEUCIDS UNTIL ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES)
Who mobilizes and assembles a multitude of great forces? What does one of them keep on doing? (11:10) Who is enraged and goes forth and fights with the king of the North? What does the king of the North then raise? What happens to that multitude? (11:11) What happens when the multitude is carried away? (11:12) What does the king of the North raise again, preventing the king of the South from prevailing? What does he do after an interval of some years? (11:13)

12.  (DAN 11:5-20: THE PTOLEMIES, SELEUCIDS UNTIL ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES)
Against whom will many rise up in those times? Who will also lift themselves up in order to fulfill the vision, but then fall down? (11:14) What will the king of the North do? Who will not stand their ground, not even their choices troops, for there will be no strength to make a stand? (11:15) Where will the king of the North stay for a time after defeating the forces of the South? (11:16) What type of proposal will he put into effect and what does he give to ruin it? What does she do instead? (11:17) Where does he turn his face next? After a commander puts a stop and repays him for his scorn, where does he turn his face? What happens to him? (11:18-19) Who arises in his place? What happens to him within a few days, though not in battle? (11:20)

13.  (DAN 11:21-35 ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES)
Who arises in his place though the honor of kingship has not been conferred? In what time does he come and what does he do? (11:21) What happens to the overflowing forces before him and also to the prince of the covenant? (11:22) What does he do after an alliance is made with him? (11:23) In a time of tranquility, what will he accomplish when he enters the richest parts of the realm? For how long? (11:24) Against whom does the king of the North stir up his strength and courage with a large army? How does the king of the South respond? Why does the king of the South fail to stand? (11:25) Who destroys the king of the South? What happens to his army? (11:26) What are the hearts of both kings intent on doing? Though the two kings speak lies to each other at the same table, why will it not succeed? (11:27) After failing to take Egypt, where does the king of the North return? Against what will his heart be set? What does he do? (11:28)

14.   (DAN 11:21-35 ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES)
How does it turn out when, at the appointed time, the king of the North returns to the South? (11:29) Against what does he become enraged? For whom does he show regard when he comes back? (11:30) What is desecrated? With what do they do away? What do they set up? (11:31) By smooth words, who does he turn to godlessness? Who displays strength and takes action? (11:32) Who gives understanding to many? How do they fall? (11:33) How much help are they granted when they fall? In what do many join them? (11:34) Why do some with insight fall? (11:35)

15.   (DAN 11:36-45 ANTICHRIST)
Above what does he magnify himself? Against whom does he speak monstrous things? (11:36) For what will he show no regard? (11:37) What will he honor instead? How? (11:38) Against what will he take action? Who does he honor and cause to rule? What does he parcel? (11:39)

16.   (DAN 11:36-45 ANTICHRIST)
At the end of time, who collides? (11:40) Where does he also enter? Which countries are rescued out of his hand? (11:41) Who does not escape when he stretches out his hand against others? (11:42) Over what does he gain control? Who follow at his heels? (11:43) What disturbs him and causes him to go with great wrath to destroy and annihilate many? (11:44) Where does he pitch the tents of his royal pavilion? Who helps him when he comes to his end? (11:45)

17.   What do you learn about God in Daniel 10-11?

18.   How could you apply what you have learned about God this week?

Write a prayer response to Daniel 10-11.

BIBLE TEXT: DANIEL 10–11 (NASB)

Dan. 10:1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar; and the message was true and one of great conflict, but he understood the message and had an understanding of the vision.

Dan. 10:2 In those days, I, Daniel, had been mourning for three entire weeks. ³ 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. ⁴ On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, while I was by the bank of the great river, that is, the Tigris, ⁵ I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a certain man dressed in linen, whose waist was girded with a belt of pure gold of Uphaz. ⁶ His body also 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. ⁷ Now 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. ⁸ So 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. ⁹ But 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.

Dan. 10:10 Then behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. ¹¹ 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 had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. ¹² Then he said to me, “Do not be afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words. ¹³ “But the prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days; then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia. ¹⁴ “Now I have come to give you an understanding of what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision pertains to the days yet future.”

Dan. 10:15 When he had spoken to me according to these words, I turned my face toward the ground and became speechless. ¹⁶ And behold, one who resembled a human being was touching my lips; then 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. ¹⁷ “For 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.”

Dan. 10:18 Then this one with human appearance touched me again and strengthened me. ¹⁹ He said, “O man of high esteem, do not be afraid. Peace be with you; 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.” ²⁰ Then he said, “Do you understand why I came to you? But I shall now return to fight against the prince of Persia; so I am going forth, and behold, the prince of Greece is about to come. ²¹ “However, I will tell you what is inscribed in the writing of truth. Yet there is no one who stands firmly with me against these forces except Michael your prince.

Dan. 11:1 “In the first year of Darius the Mede, I arose to be an encouragement and a protection for him. ² “And now I will tell you the truth. Behold, three more kings are going to arise in Persia. Then a fourth will gain far more riches than all of them; as soon as he becomes strong through his riches, he will arouse the whole empire against the realm of Greece. ³ “And a mighty king will arise, and he will rule with great authority and do as he pleases. ⁴ “But as soon as he has arisen, his kingdom will be broken up and parceled out toward the four points of the compass, though not to his own descendants, nor according to his authority which he wielded, for his sovereignty will be uprooted and given to others besides them.

Dan. 11:5 “Then the king of the South will grow strong, along with one of his princes who will gain ascendancy over him and obtain dominion; his domain will be a great dominion indeed. ⁶ “After some years they will form an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the South will come to the king of the North to carry out a peaceful arrangement. But she will not retain her position of power, nor will he remain with his power, but she will be given up, along with those who brought her in and the one who sired her as well as he who supported her in those times. ⁷ “But one of the descendants of her line will arise in his place, and he will come against their army and enter the fortress of the king of the North, and he will deal with them and display great strength. ⁸ “Also their gods with their metal images and their precious vessels of silver and gold he will take into captivity to Egypt, and he on his part will refrain from attacking the king of the North for some years. ⁹ “Then the latter will enter the realm of the king of the South, but will return to his own land.

Dan. 11:10 “His sons will mobilize and assemble a multitude of great forces; and one of them will keep on coming and overflow and pass through, that he may again wage war up to his very fortress. ¹¹ “The king of the South will be enraged and go forth and fight with the king of the North. Then the latter will raise a great multitude, but that multitude will be given into the hand of the former. ¹² “When the multitude is carried away, his heart will be lifted up, and he will cause tens of thousands to fall; yet he will not prevail. ¹³ “For the king of the North will again raise a greater multitude than the former, and after an interval of some years he will press on with a great army and much equipment.

Dan. 11:14 “Now in those times many will rise up against the king of the South; the violent ones among your people will also lift themselves up in order to fulfill the vision, but they will fall down. ¹⁵ “Then the king of the North will come, cast up a siege ramp and capture a well-fortified city; and the forces of the South will not stand their ground, not even their choicest troops, for there will be no strength to make a stand. ¹⁶ “But he who comes against him will do as he pleases, and no one will be able to withstand him; he will also stay for a time in the Beautiful Land, with destruction in his hand. ¹⁷ “He will set his face to come with the power of his whole kingdom, bringing with him a proposal of peace which he will put into effect; he will also give him the daughter of women to ruin it. But she will not take a stand for him or be on his side. ¹⁸ “Then he will turn his face to the coastlands and capture many. But a commander will put a stop to his scorn against him; moreover, he will repay him for his scorn. ¹⁹ “So he will turn his face toward the fortresses of his own land, but he will stumble and fall and be found no more.

Dan. 11:20 “Then in his place one will arise who will send an oppressor through the Jewel of his kingdom; yet within a few days he will be shattered, though not in anger nor in battle. ²¹ “In his place a despicable person will arise, on whom the honor of kingship has not been conferred, but he will come in a time of tranquility and seize the kingdom by intrigue. ²² “The overflowing forces will be flooded away before him and shattered, and also the prince of the covenant. ²³ “After an alliance is made with him he will practice deception, and he will go up and gain power with a small force of people. ²⁴ “ In a time of tranquility he will enter the richest parts of the realm, and he will accomplish what his fathers never did, nor his ancestors; he will distribute plunder, booty and possessions among them, and he will devise his schemes against strongholds, but only for a time. ²⁵ “He will stir up his strength and courage against the king of the South with a large army; so the king of the South will mobilize an extremely large and mighty army for war; but he will not stand, for schemes will be devised against him. ²⁶ “Those who eat his choice food will destroy him, and his army will overflow, but many will fall down slain. ²⁷ “As for both kings, their hearts will be intent on evil, and they will speak lies to each other at the same table; but it will not succeed, for the end is still to come at the appointed time. ²⁸ “Then he will return to his land with much plunder; but his heart will be set against the holy covenant, and he will take action and then return to his own land.

Dan. 11:29 “At the appointed time he will return and come into the South, but this last time it will not turn out the way it did before. ³⁰ “For ships of Kittim will come against him; therefore he will be disheartened and will return and become enraged at the holy covenant and take action; so he will come back and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant. ³¹ “Forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation. ³² “By smooth words he will turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will display strength and take action. ³³ “ Those who have insight among the people will give understanding to the many; yet they will fall by sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder for many days. ³⁴ “Now when they fall they will be granted a little help, and many will join with them in hypocrisy. ³⁵ “Some of those who have insight will fall, in order to refine, purge and make them pure until the end time; because it is still to come at the appointed time.

Dan. 11:36 “Then the king will do as he pleases, and he will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will speak monstrous things against the God of gods; and he will prosper until the indignation is finished, for that which is decreed will be done. ³⁷ “He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the desire of women, nor will he show regard for any other god; for he will magnify himself above them all. ³⁸ “But instead he will honor a god of fortresses, a god whom his fathers did not know; he will honor him with gold, silver, costly stones and treasures. ³⁹ “He will take action against the strongest of fortresses with the help of a foreign god; he will give great honor to those who acknowledge him and will cause them to rule over the many, and will parcel out land for a price.

Dan. 11:40 “At the end time the king of the South will collide with him, and the king of the North will storm against him with chariots, with horsemen and with many ships; and he will enter countries, overflow them and pass through. ⁴¹ “He will also enter the Beautiful Land, and many countries will fall; but these will be rescued out of his hand: Edom, Moab and the foremost of the sons of Ammon. ⁴² “Then he will stretch out his hand against other countries, and the land of Egypt will not escape. ⁴³ “But he will gain control over the hidden treasures of gold and silver and over all the precious things of Egypt; and Libyans and Ethiopians will follow at his heels. ⁴⁴ “But rumors from the East and from the North will disturb him, and he will go forth with great wrath to destroy and annihilate many. ⁴⁵ “He will pitch the tents of his royal pavilion between the seas and the beautiful Holy Mountain; yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.

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