Christian Living
When was the last time you read Daniel chapter 10? Recently, long time ago or never? 🙂
Whatever your response, it is never a waste to read Daniel Chapter 10. In fact, to follow this blog post, I encourage you to read Daniel Chapter 10 and possibly to the end of the book. This is a very interesting narrative of Daniel’s encounter with an heavenly being and this scripture is laden with many useful spiritual insights that remain relevant to Christian living.
Before we start line listing learnings from this scripture, there’s a need to clearly identify the heavenly being in Daniel’s vision.
Was this Jesus?
Daniel’s vision brought to mind a similar experience by John in Revelations Chapter 1.
Wanting to gain clarity on this, I sort for parallels between the Man Daniel saw in his vision and the Man John saw in Revelations 1.
1. John talks of encountering one like the son of a Man however in Daniel 10, the person that appeared to Daniel is simply described as a man.
2. The Man in Revelations introduced himself as the First and the Last (Jesus) while Daniel’s Man introduced himself as a messenger sent to deliver information.
3. Daniel’s Man was withheld by the prince of Persia. The prince of Persia describes a spiritual force rather than a physical one. Something seeming like a principality. Principalities are subject to God, principalities cannot stop God, Jesus is God. In fact, this point was probably the most intriguing for me in Daniel’s account. I was curious to know,…was Jesus withheld by the prince of Persia?
It wasn’t Jesus.
4. Angels are generally referred to in the Bible as ministering spirits or messengers. When Jesus came down to earth, He didn’t come as a messenger but as a Saviour. Many times God sends Michael or Gabriel to His people. So if Daniel’s Man says Michael came to his rescue, then the Man in Daniel’s vision is most likely Gabriel.
So that’s sorted.
Now what great learnings do we see in Daniel 10?
Number 1 learning:
We are told that Daniel separated himself in a kind of fast for 21 days prior to his vision. His vision came on the 24th day. The Bible is careful to present one event before the other. It was not a coincidence.
So first thing to learn for me is this; it pays to occasionally separate oneself to see, hear and clearly understand what God is saying.
We are told in verse 12 that Daniel set his heart to understand and humbled himself before God…..
“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”.
DANIEL 10:12.
Today, fasting in Christianity is either underplayed, abused(done for the wrong motives) or not done at all.
Probably we’d gain more clarity on grey areas in our Christian walk if we set our hearts to understand and humble ourselves before God (selah).
Number 2 learning:
God has a unique nametag for those who separate themselves to Him. Those committed and persuaded about their faith and belief. Those who are resolute about their integrity anchored on their faith in Him.
It was impressive for me to see Daniel described as highly esteemed one (verse 18). I immediately remember Mary’s (mother of Jesus) nametag revealed again by Gabriel- highly favoured one (Luke 1: 28) David’s nametag a man after Gods heart, Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth were described as righteous in the sight of God, ….and there are others.
So here I am with a smile on my face and only imagining what nametag The Father has given me, I’d love to know ?.
Number 3 learning:
God answers us always and He sends a response.
Again, in verse 12, angel Gabriel informs Daniel that God released an answer to His prayer from the first day.
First day!
There was no delay in God responding to Daniel’s prayer. God sent an immediate response.
But did Daniel know that? No. I am not saying Daniel was on a faithless mission, but he was oblivious of Gabriel’s plight with the prince of Persia. He had no way of knowing that God has released an immediate response to his request, yet the truth remains- God did.
One of my favourite blog posts is a response I provided to someone’s question on my online counselling platform. Blogpost title: Why Hasn’t God Answered Me?
I encourage you to read up that blogpost as it systematically alludes to the truth that God hears us always, He always sends a response for every of our request and we are guaranteed of receiving what we ask of Him when we ask according to His Will. Amen!
Number 4 learning:
There’s a devil somewhere actively working to avert God’s goodness towards us.
This is not an old testament thing. So don’t immediately jump to saying Jesus Christ defeated Satan. Well right, Jesus Christ defeated Satan, put him under our feet and gave us authority over principalities and powers.
Great!
But Christ gave us authority so we could use it. He didn’t just give us authority so that we’d be posing around as possessors of authority. No. He knows that as long as we live on this earth and for as long as Satan remains the lord of the world, we’ll need to exercise that authority to stay victorious.
Too many Christians work under the illusion that because they belong to Jesus Christ, Satan cannot reach them. So they generally put everything in Gods hands and then go to sleep. That is a fallacy not from God.
Yes, sleep and rest in God’s love, never doubt His faithfulness, love, mercy or ability to keep promises, but hey, Gabriel was withheld for 23 days. Someone might say, well, he was just an angel, and I quickly point out that He had the backing of Heaven to deliver God’s message to Daniel. Good news that Michael succeeded in releasing Gabriel from being bound, but we’re not told at what point God sent Michael out to help Gabriel. Why the 23 day delay?
Brethren, when sickness and disease come, let us by faith use our authority, when we feel attacked from different fronts, let us use our authority. Let’s stay always kitted with the whole armour of God so that we’ll be able to withstand all the fiery darts the enemy throws at us. Never falling prey to the lie, that God is in control of everything.
Our authority is in the Name of Jesus Christ.
Number 5 learning:
Angels carry a presence. Yes they’re ministering spirits, they serve us now as Christians but still they carry a presence. In fact, staying repeatedly in God’s presence is enough to cause a rub off ?.
And God didn’t stop sending angels on errands because Christ came to save the world or because we now have the Holy Spirit. So we should be sensitive to discern when we encounter an angel and not mistake one for Christ (selah). You say what’s the relevance of this point? Many ‘Christians’ have subscribed to the worship of angels, whether seen or imagined. This is misleading, and will ultimately land one in hell.
True angels of God do not accept to be worshipped as they immediately identify themselves as messengers and not objects of worship.
Well, I hope you study the rest of Daniel Chapters 10 to 12.
God bless.
