Daniel 10Daniel's Vision of a Man 1 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 the finest gold around his waist. 6 His body was like chrysolite, 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; the men 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.
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 am helpless. 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, O man 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.
(Read all of Daniel 10)Related CommentariesDaniel 10Matthew Henry’s Commentary Wesley’s Explanatory Notes Related BooksDaniel 10
Daniel (Mastering the Old Testament)By Sinclair B. Ferguson
Daniel (MacArthur Bible Study)By John F. MacArthur Chapter ContentsDaniel's vision near the river Hiddekel. (1-9) He is to expect a discovery of future events. (10-21)
Commentary on Daniel 10:1-9.(Read Daniel 10:1-9.)
This chapter relates the beginning of Daniel's last vision, which is continued to the end of the book. The time would be long before all would be accomplished; and much of it is not yet fulfilled. Christ appeared to Daniel in a glorious form, and it should engage us to think highly and honourably of him. Let us admire his condescension for us and our salvation. There remained no strength in Daniel. The greatest and best of men cannot bear the full discoveries of the Divine glory; for no man can see it, and live; but glorified saints see Christ as he is, and can bear the sight. How dreadful soever Christ may appear to those under convictions of sin, there is enough in his word to quiet their spirits.
Commentary on Daniel 10:10-21(Read Daniel 10:10-21)
Whenever we enter into communion with God, it becomes us to have a due sense of the infinite distance between us and the holy God. How shall we, that are dust and ashes, speak to the Lord of glory? Nothing is more likely, nothing more effectual to revive the drooping spirits of the saints, than to be assured of God's love to them. From the very first day we begin to look toward God in a way of duty, he is ready to meet us in the way of mercy. Thus ready is God to hear prayer. When the angel had told the prophet of the things to come, he was to return, and oppose the decrees of the Persian kings against the Jews. The angels are employed as God's ministering servants, Hebrews 1:14. Though much was done against the Jews by the kings of Persia, God permitting it, much more mischief would have been done if God had not prevented it. He would now more fully show what were God's purposes, of which the prophecies form an outline; and we are concerned to study what is written in these Scriptures of truth, for they belong to our everlasting peace. While Satan and his angels, and evil counsellors, excite princes to mischief against the church, we may rejoice that Christ our Prince, and all his mighty angels, act against our enemies; but we ought not to expect many to favour us in this evil world. Yet the whole counsel of God shall be established; and let each one pray, Lord Jesus, be our righteousness now, and thou wilt be our everlasting confidence, through life, in death, at the day of judgment, and for evermore
Our Daily Bread
Matthew 4
The Temptation of Jesus 1Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." 4Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'[a]"
5Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6"If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: " 'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'[b]"
7Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'[c]"
8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9"All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."
10Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'[d]"
11Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
December 5, 2007
Changed Landscape
ODB RADIO: Listen Now Download
READ: Matthew 4:1-11
Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. —Matthew 4:1 About this cover I love my garden. But living in the Midwestern US during winter reduces my beautiful garden to a frozen, snow-covered, barren landscape.
It wasn’t like that in Eden. Eden was a breathtakingly beautiful garden year-round. And it was in that garden that Adam and Eve basked in the stunning creation of God and the joy of perfect harmony with Him and with each other. Until, that is, Satan arrived on the scene, bringing weeds, thorns, destruction, and death.
You can’t help but notice the contrast between the landscape in Genesis 1 and Matthew 4. The same tempter who once entered God’s garden now welcomes God to his turf—the dangerous, barren wilderness.
The wilderness can be a picture of what the world—and life—becomes when Satan has his way. With one decisive blow, the joy of Eden was replaced with the barrenness of shame (Gen. 3). But Jesus was victorious on Satan’s turf! (Matt. 4). In that victory He gives us hope that we too can have victory. A victory that shows us the enemy no longer holds sway. A victory that assures us the day is coming when we will no longer toil in Satan’s wilderness but will be ushered into heaven, where the joy of Eden will be ours—forever.
Now that’s something to look forward to! —Joe Stowell
For Further StudyFor more information about our future “Eden,” go to Daily Strength
As you journey through the wilderness of temptation, Christ’s victory is yours.
My Utmost for His Highest
December 5, 2007
"The Temple of the Holy Spirit"LISTEN: READ:
. . . only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you —Genesis 41:40 About this cover I am accountable to God for the way I control my body under His authority. Paul said he did not "set aside the grace of God"— make it ineffective ( Galatians 2:21 ). The grace of God is absolute and limitless, and the work of salvation through Jesus is complete and finished forever. I am not being saved— I am saved. Salvation is as eternal as God’s throne, but I must put to work or use what God has placed within me. To "work out [my] own salvation" ( Philippians 2:12 ) means that I am responsible for using what He has given me. It also means that I must exhibit in my own body the life of the Lord Jesus, not mysteriously or secretly, but openly and boldly. "I discipline my body and bring it into subjection . . ." ( 1 Corinthians 9:27 ). Every Christian can have his body under absolute control for God. God has given us the responsibility to rule over all "the temple of the Holy Spirit," including our thoughts and desires ( 1 Corinthians 6:19 ). We are responsible for these, and we must never give way to improper ones. But most of us are much more severe in our judgment of others than we are in judging ourselves. We make excuses for things in ourselves, while we condemn things in the lives of others simply because we are not naturally inclined to do them.
Paul said, "I beseech you . . . that you present your bodies a living sacrifice . . ." ( Romans 12:1 ). What I must decide is whether or not I will agree with my Lord and Master that my body will indeed be His temple. Once I agree, all the rules, regulations, and requirements of the law concerning the body are summed up for me in this revealed truth-my body is "the temple of the Holy Spirit."
A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft:
The Sharks You Never Saw - #5453 Wednesday, December 05, 2007
It was a day at the beach to never forget. Rob Howes was swimming off New Zealand's northern coast with his daughter and two friends. That's when the dolphins surrounded them. On porpoise. Sorry. What happened was that a group of dolphins began doing laps around them in tighter and tighter circles. It was as if the people were being herded like sheep by the dolphins. There was a lifeguard in a nearby lifeboat, but neither he nor the Howes party could figure out what the dolphins were up to, until they saw a great white shark coming toward them. Apparently, the dolphins had made a formation around the swimmers to repel the shark. And sure enough, the shark swam away, leaving the swimmers to make it safely to shore.
I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Sharks You Never Saw."
Those folks had no idea of the danger they were in. But amazingly, a hedge of protection was provided from a danger they didn't know. If you belong to Jesus Christ, that’s happened to you more times than you will ever know, until you get to heaven. So many times, God, who sees every danger, has either steered you away from the threat or the threat away from you. He's been protecting you constantly from the sharks you never saw, and the ones you did see are just reminders of the many others that He has kept from hurting you over the years and the ones He will keep from you every step of the journey ahead.
One of the more comforting psalms in the Bible is part of our word for today from the Word of God. It's Psalm 121, a good chapter to read at times when you're anxious or afraid or in some kind of trouble or danger. David says, "My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel" (Or you could just put in there for now "His people.") "He who watches over (His people) will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you..." (Do you think there's a message here that God doesn't want you to miss?) "...the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore."
Eight verses in this psalm. Five times, "the Lord watches over you." The Father looking out for you knows everything, He is everywhere, and He can do anything. And there's never a moment when He is not looking out for you. So what was that you were afraid again? You don't even know half of the things around you that you could be afraid of. But fear makes no sense in the life of a child of Almighty God. In fact, fear is an insult to Him, saying either "God, You might miss something," or "God, there might be something You can't handle."
That's why 2 Timothy 1:7 can say: "God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind." But this isn't just for you. It's for your children, your grandchildren, and the people you love. Isaiah 40:11 says that "He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart." That includes your lambs. Don't let your fears define how you parent, how you plan, how you proceed. Not when you have the God of the universe and His mighty army of angels on round-the-clock security duty to protect you. All that worrying is so unnecessary and such a waste of time!
No matter where you are, no matter how dark or dangerous it seems to be, God is there and He can handle it, even if He has to send a few dolphins to protect you. Your safety and the safety of those you love, has nothing to do with the surroundings. It has to do with the Savior, who keeps them day and night. “Tis grace has brought you safe thus far, and grace will lead you home!"
