Daniel 10 Dare to be Enabled

Theological Proposition/Focus: God is the one who enables each of us.

Homiletical Proposition/Application: Daniel is touched by God’s servant three times giving him the ability to rise, speak, and be strengthened. The truth of Daniel 10 is the truth that God is the one who enables us.

Introduction:

Setting the Stage: Start by reading verses 1-9

The timing and significance of the Vision (1-4).

Cyrus came to power in 559 BC but did not conquer Babylon until 539 BC. Hence, Daniel 10 takes place in 536 BC. When Daniel came to power in Babylon he issued an edict allowing the Jews to return to their homelands and rebuild the temple. Thousands of Jewish exiles returned to Israel and began the process of rebuilding, not under the authority of a David King but under the rule of Gentiles. Daniel, it appears did not return to the land. Perhaps his age or position prevented him from making the trip. In any case Daniel remained in Babylon and was given a vision. A vision that we are told was true and a vision that was burdensome, or concerned a great deal of conflict. The conflict or burden we are going to see involves the reality facing the people of God that life would be hard. But that is not the focus of today's sermon.

Details do matter as we interpret text and these first 9 verses are full of details. We see that Daniel has been mourning for three weeks and that it is now the 24th day of the first month. Let me do some math. 24th day, three weeks, that puts us at Daniel starting to mourn on the third day of the first month. That is the 3rd of Nisan. Interestingly Passover was celebrated starting on the 14th of Nisan. My speculation (and that of others) is that Daniel may have been mourning the less than ideal second exodus of the people. The people are partaking in a sort of second Exodus back to the land but this exodus is far from the triumphal exodus of Moses.

The identity of the man (5-6).

We really cannot set the stage for what follows without first addressing the identity of the man who stands before Daniel. The description of the man is intended to convey something special. Several interpreters have suggested this might be Gabriel again, but Daniel has already met and named Gabriel so this seems unlikely. Others have argued this is a theophany, the pre-incarnate Christ. The problem with this view is that in verse 13 we see the Prince of Persia was able to withstand this being. Certainly, it is argued, no created being could impede the God of the universe and especially not for 21 days. However, this may be assigning too much weight to theological knowledge. We know that Jacob was able to wrestle with God in Genesis 32. God, for some reason, limited his power. Who is to say something like that has not occurred here.

So what is the conclusion? Some significant figure, perhaps God himself, has come to visit Daniel. Maybe the exact identity is not the point what matters is the message. Look at how Daniel responds.

The impact of the vision (7-9).

Whatever is happening has a profound impact on Daniel. So much so that others who were with Daniel while not actually seeing the vision are impacted nonetheless. The content of the vision itself is not discussed until Daniel 11. But here in the set-up there is so much we can learn.

Body

Today we are going to look carefully at three ways in which God enabled Daniel. Each act of enabling was done through touch but don't get hung up on the touch. The touch, I believe, is intended to communicate personal enabling. God is a God of relationships and desires personal relationships. One key element of a personal relationship is contact. I believe this is what we are supposed to see in the touch. God has likely never physically touched you but that does not mean he has not engaged with you personally.

The First Enabling Touch: Rise (10-14).

In verse 9 we find that Daniel is in a deep sleep and laying completely prostrate on the ground. Now Daniel is brought into a four on the floor position.

In the midst of humility, God enabled Daniel to stand.

Daniel's position is one of humility. He is prostrate and moves to four on the floor still a lowly position. But this being tells Daniel that he is in fact highly esteemed. Daniel has responded humbly and now he is about to receive something significant. The being asks Daniel not just to rise to four on the floor but in fact to rise all the way up and to stand. A couple of things

• Humility should mark anyone who is before God. The response of prostrating oneself completely is a proper response to God.
• However, the God of the universe desires to have meaningful relationship with those who he has called.
• Hence, God enables His people to stand before Him.

We are commanded to stand before God, but this standing is only by the enabling of God himself.

Romans 14:4 - Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.

God moved Daniel from the humility of laying prostrate before God to the humility of standing entirely enabled by God. Something to think about, we often think of bowing as a sign of respect or humility and certainly every knee will bow before God, but the ultimate act of humility is not bowing, everyone will do that, the ultimate act of humility is rising to stand before God completely dependent on Christ.

In the midst of life, God allowed evil to interfere.

Verse 13 is a fascinating verse. For some reason, some way, God allowed the Prince of Persia. The verse really asks far more questions than it answers. Presumably the Prince of Persia is spiritual being who has been granted dominion over the region of Persia. Moreover, this being is allowed to, at the surface level, interfere with the plan of God! Again, more questions than answers, but let's not get too caught up in things we cannot answer. Let's look at what we do know. Daniel has been in prayer for 21 days and verse 12 tells us that as soon as Daniel started praying God heard.