Thoughts on the Book of Daniel.
VERSES 10–12. And, behold, a hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands. And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright; for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling. Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel; for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. Daniel, having fallen into a swoon at the majestic appearance of Gabriel (for so the expression “deep sleep” of verse 9 is generally understood), the angel approaches and lays his hand upon him to give him assurance and confidence to stand in his presence. He tells Daniel that he is a man greatly beloved. Wonderful declaration! a member of the human family, one of the same race with us, loved, not merely in the general sense in which God loved the whole world when he gave his Son to die for them, but loved as an individual, and that greatly! Well might the prophet receive confidence from such a declaration as that, to stand even in the presence of Gabriel. He tells him, moreover, that he is come for the purpose of an interview with him, and he wishes him to bring his mind into a proper state to understand his words. Being thus addressed, the holy and beloved prophet, assured, but yet trembling, stood before the heavenly angel. “Fear not, Daniel,” continues Gabriel. He had no occasion to fear before one, even though a divine being, who had been sent to him because he was greatly beloved, and in answer to his earnest prayer. Nor ought the people of God, of any age, to entertain a servile fear of any of those agents who are sent forth to minister to their salvation. There is, however, a disposition manifested among far too many to allow their minds to conceive of Jesus and his angels as only stern ministers of justice, inflictors of vengeance and retribution, rather than as beings who are earnestly working for our salvation on account of the pity and love with which they regard us. The presence of an angel, should he appear bodily before them, would strike them with terror; and the thought that Christ is soon to appear, and they are to be taken into his presence, distresses and alarms them. We recommend to such juster views of the relation which the Christian sustains to Christ, his head, and a little more of that perfect love which casts out all fear. On verse 12, Bagster has the following pointed note: “Daniel, as Bp. Newton observes, was now very far advanced in years; for the third year of Cyrus was the 73d of his captivity; and being a youth when carried captive, he cannot be supposed to have been less than ninety. Old as he was ‘he set his heart to understand’ the former revelations which had been made to him, and particularly the vision of the ram and he-goat, as may be collected from the sequel; and for this purpose he prayed and fasted three weeks. His fasting and prayers had the desired effect; for an13angel was sent to unfold to him those mysteries; and whoever would excel in divine knowledge, must imitate Daniel, and habituate himself to study, temperance, and devotion.” VERSE 13. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days; but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. How often the prayers of God’s people are heard, while as yet there is no apparent answer. It was even so in this case with Daniel. The angel tells him that from the first day he set his heart to understand, his words were heard. Yet Daniel continued to afflict his soul with fasting, and to wrestle with God for three full weeks, all unaware that any respect was yet paid to his petition. But why was the delay? The king of Persia withstood the angel. The answer to Daniel’s prayer involved some action on the part of that king. This action he must be influenced to perform. It doubtless pertained to the work which he was to do in behalf of the temple at Jerusalem and the Jews, his decree for the building of that temple being the first of the series which finally constituted that great commandment to restore and build Jerusalem, from which the prophecy dates. And the angel is dispatched to influence him to go forward in accordance with the divine will. Ah! how little do we realize what is going on in the unseen world in relation to human affairs. Here, as it were, the curtain is for a moment lifted, and we get a glimpse of the movements within. Daniel prays. The Creator of the universe hears. The command is issued to Gabriel to go to his relief. But the king of Persia must act before Daniel’s prayer is answered; and the angel hastens to the Persian king. Satan, no doubt, musters his forces to oppose. They meet in the royal palace of Persia. All the motives of selfish interest and worldly policy which Satan can play upon, he doubtless uses to the best advantage; while Gabriel brings to bear his influence in the other direction. The king struggles between conflicting emotions. He hesitates; he delays. Day after day passes away; yet Daniel prays on; the king still refuses to yield to the influence of the angel; three weeks expire; and lo! a mightier than Gabriel takes his place in the palace of the king, and Gabriel appears to Daniel to acquaint him with the progress of events. From the first, said he, your prayer was heard; but these three weeks, during which you have been praying and fasting, the king of Persia resisted my influence, and prevented my coming. Such was the effect of prayer. And God has erected no barriers between himself and his people since Daniel’s time. It is still their privilege to offer up prayer as fervent and effectual as his, and, like Jacob, to have power with God and to prevail. Who was Michael who here came to Gabriel’s assistance? The term signifies, “He who is like God;” and the Scriptures clearly show that Christ is the one who bears this name. Jude (verse 9) tells us that Michael is the archangel. Archangel signifies head or chief angel; and Gabriel, in our text, calls him, one, or as the margin reads, the first, of the chief princes. There can be but one archangel; and hence it is manifestly improper to use the word in the plural. The Scriptures never so use it. Paul, in 1 Thess. 4:16, states that when the Lord appears the second time to raise the dead, the voice of the archangel is heard. Whose voice is heard when the dead are raised? The voice of the Son of God. John 5:28. Putting these scriptures together, they prove, 1. That the dead are called from their graves by the voice of the Son of God. 2. That the voice that is then heard is the voice of the archangel. The archangel, therefore, is the Son of God. 3. The archangel is called Michael. Therefore, Michael is the Son of God. In the last verse of Daniel 10, he is called “your prince,” and in the first of chapter 12, “the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people;” expressions which can appropriately be applied to Christ, but not to any other. VERSE 14. Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days; for yet the vision is for many days. The expression, “the vision is yet for many days,” reaching far into the future, and embracing what should befall the people of God even in the latter days, shows conclusively that the days given in that vision, namely, the 2300, cannot mean literal days, but must be days of years. VERSE 15. And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb. 16. And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips; then I opened my mouth, and spake, 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. 17. For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me. One of the most marked characteristics manifested by Daniel, was the tender solicitude he felt for his people. Having come now to clearly comprehend that the vision portended long ages of oppression and suffering for the church, he was so affected by the view, that his strength departed from him, his breath ceased, and the power of speech was gone. The vision, of verse 16, doubtless refers to the former vision of chapter 8. VERSE 18. Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me, 19, and said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee; be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me. 20. Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia; and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come. 21. But I will show thee that which is noted in the Scripture of truth; and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince. The prophet is at length strengthened to hear, in full, the communication which the angel has to make. And Gabriel says, “Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee?” That is, do you now know to what end I have come? Do you understand my purpose, so that you will no more fear? He then announced his intention to return, as soon as his communication was completed, to fight with the king of Persia. The word, with, is in the Septuagint, meta, and signifies, not against, but in common with, along side of; that is, the angel of God would stand on the side of the Persian kingdom so long as it was in the providence of God that that kingdom should continue. But when I am gone forth, continues Gabriel, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come. That is, when he withdraws his support from that kingdom, and the providence of God operates in behalf of another kingdom, the prince of Grecia shall come, and the Persian monarchy be overthrown. Gabriel then announced that none, God of course excepted, had an understanding with him in the matters he was about to communicate, except Michael, the prince. And after he had made them known to Daniel, then there were four beings in the universe with whom rested a knowledge of these important truths: Daniel, Gabriel, Christ, and God. Four links in this chain of witnesses: the first, the highest Being in the universe; the last, a member of the human family! Verily the whole race is ennobled by so noble a member. The fact here stated shows the propriety of the language of Rev. 1:1, where Jesus Christ is introduced, and Gabriel is spoken of as his angel. He was the angel who alone had knowledge with Christ, of these revelations which were to be made to his people.