Daniel 10:1-10, Part 2

Guest (Male): Shalom. Holy Scriptures and Israel is a ministry designed to share with the Jewish people the good news of the Lord Jesus Yeshua the Messiah and to instruct Christians on the Jewish roots of their faith. And now teaching God's word from a Hebrew Messianic perspective here is Gideon Levitan.
Gideon Levytam: The study of Daniel chapter 10 and to the chief of the fathers and they said unto them let us build with you for we seek your God as you do and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of a king of Ashur which brought us up hither. But and Joshua and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel said unto them ye have nothing to do with us to build a house unto our God but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel as king Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us. Then the people of the land weakened, listen to this. They weakened the hands of the people of Judah and they troubled them in building and they hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus king of Persia even until the reign of the rise the king of Persia. And you know if you just read as you continue in verse notice down in verse 20 24 then seized the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it seized unto the second year of the reign of the rise king of Persia. And if you just imagine if you just think with me for a for a moment here is Daniel sitting still in Babylon. He is seeing that not too many Jewish people gone back to the land to rebuild the temple and so on and as he's sitting there he is hearing the reports concerning the condition that existed in the land of Judah. And what do we hear as we read in Ezra chapter 4 verses 1 to 5 and verse 24 that the people of the land this is by the way the Samaritans. That's how the Samaritans came about. These are the people that was brought they were brought by this king called from Ashur they were brought to the land of Israel and there was a there were mixture they were worshipping so-called the God of Israel the Jehovah but they were also worshipping other God there was a spiritual mixture and there was also a physical mixture there was a mixture there that have existed and that's how the development of the Samaritans came about. They were brought all together from another land placed there in the land of Judah and there was a mixture of worship there. That's why and the leaders of Israel Joshua said you as it says here you have nothing to do ye have nothing to do with us to build the house of our God. So you know what they done? In the beginning they told them we're going to help you to build the house. And when they told them no we don't want your help then they stopped them. They caused havoc. They caused all kind it says here the people of the land weakened the hand of the people of Judah and they troubled them in the building of the house of God until by the way they succeeded to stop as it says in verse to seize the work of the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem to be built. Now again beloved Daniel is in Babylon. He is there receiving that report seeing boy not too many of our people went back to the promised land. And he being a spiritual godly man who loved the God of Israel and loved the people of Israel could not really bear it and what does he find himself doing? He find himself as we have in our chapter he's mourning and weeping and and and and he's broken if you will before God telling him telling him if you will sharing with him the burden that he has upon his heart and you know what that's the kind of men that's the kind of women God can use for his service. Unless we are broken for the people of God unless we see the condition of the people of God and really mourn before the Lord I mean if we are so careless and do not care about all the condition you know we are not sensitive at all to the desire of the of the Lord for his people. And it's the same thing we can make a parallel to the condition of the church of the Lord Jesus the Messiah. You know God always going to use the people that are sensitive to his heartbeat. He always going to use people that are touched with his with his touch if you will that have love for his people and love for God. Well that is exactly what we see Daniel the kind of men that he was. And so it says here by the way in verse in verse 2 that in those days I'm back in Daniel 10 verse 2 in those then I Daniel was mourning for three full weeks. You and I know that we have seven days in a week. Three full weeks mean 21 days Daniel was mourning. 21 days he was mourning and what we find out in verse 3 what happened in these 21 days. There are three things that we find out in verse in verse 3 in those 21 days three things he did not do. Number one no pleasant bread came into his mouth. No pleasant bread you remember what we read? No pleasant bread simply means he did not eat bread. You remember I think of the verse in the in the book of Deuteronomy men shall not live by bread alone. In other word bread is necessary for the for the need of everyone every person bread is necessary but not bread alone but but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord thus men shall live. But nevertheless he was so taken up that he really fasted and no pleasant bread or desirable food came into his mouth. That's number one. Number two notice it says here in verse three neither came neither there neither came flesh no wine in my mouth. And you know the the the the the wine or meat and wine as it says here here when he speak about wine he speaks of you know it's not like the the wine that wine being drinking in as an alcoholic beverage in order to get drunk it simply mean no pleasure nothing that is pleasant came into his mouth. In other word he did not partake of that which is necessary and that which is pleasant and and and pleasurable. And thirdly it says neither did I anoint myself at all. You know anointing at the suggestion of taking care of himself. In other word he was simply broken before the Lord and for as it says here for three whole weeks which is 21 days this man was fasting and praying and taking his burdens before the Lord. Huh?
Guest (Male): Doesn't mean he didn't wash?
Gideon Levytam: I do not know what he did here it simply means that no he didn't anoint himself when you look you look at the anointing perhaps did not did not to care of himself and and perk himself if you will perk himself he just simply was broken. But you know what when a person is fasting as the scripture teaches us and he does not take care of his beauty and making making sure that he looks pleasant a person simply say he's so broken before the Lord he doesn't really take care of himself he give over to God everything that is upon his heart. Whichever way we look at it the scripture simply says no pleasant bread, no flesh came, no wine came into his mouth and no anointing of the flesh. You notice the next verses by the way is in verses 4 5 and 6. And then we find that there was a man that appeared to him in that particular vision. Notice I'm reading those verses verses 4 5 and 6. In the 4 and 20th day of the first month as I was by the side of the great river which is Hidekkel then I lifted up mine eyes and I looked and behold a certain man clothed in linen whose loins were girded with fine gold of His body also was like the barrel his face as the appearance of lightning and his eyes as lamps of fire and his arm and his feet like in color to polished brass. And the voice of his words like the voice of multitude. Just notice the first thing here the appearance of a man in the vision. Notice the date. I don't know if you notice sometime dates in the Bible are are very important dates in the Bible. It says in verse 4 it was in the 4 and 20th day of the first month. The first month in the Jewish calendar is the month of Nisan. And the month of Nisan in the first month for the people of Israel it is the month that has to do with the feast of Pesach Passover. And what we find out that it was in the 4 and 20th day of the first month that is at the end that is where he received all of a sudden instruction from that man. In other words if you know your Bible a little bit about the the calendar the feast of Passover began when on the 14th day of the month of Nisan. By the time that he got here to the end of the 21 days it was already the 24 days of the month. In other words Passover time have ended. And if you think of the 14th day of the month of Nisan go back seven eight days to the beginning I mean from the 14th to the 14th add seven days or eight days that the feast of Passover is 14th plus seven 21 here we have here the 24th day of the month of Nisan. In other words the whole total time of the feast of Passover he was not even really celebrating that feast. It is the feast that speaks of the redemption of our Jewish people the people of Israel from Egypt. It is the feast that is being not only not only the people of Israel not fasting they are feasting. It is a time of celebration. We have been redeemed we have been brought out of the land of Egypt. And here we find Daniel including the feast of Passover for 21 days he was actually mourning fasting no pleasant bread neither came any flesh no wine into his mouth neither he anointed himself for those total three weeks. So in the 24th day of the of the first month as I was by the side of the great river which is the river of Hidekkel. Hidekkel simply is the Tigris river. Then we find in verse 4 and 5 there is a man that has appearing unto him. It says here in verse five then I lifted mine eyes and I looked and behold a certain man. A certain man clothed in linen his loin was girded with fine gold of his body also was like the barrel and his face was as the appearance of lightning. His eyes as lamps of fire and his arms and his feet like in color of polished brass. And the voice of his words was like the voice of a multitude. Here is all of a sudden he has an appearance of a man. This is of course is an angel that has appeared unto him to give him an instruction that God had in mind to give to Daniel. There are seven things that we learn here about these men. And I just quickly give this to you. It says there that he has what he was wearing by the way he was wearing linen. Linen would speak white speaks of purity. Then we find out that he also gold in the the next thing we find out that he whose loins was girded about with fine gold of that we speak about his royalty. The next thing we find out in the next verses his body was like unto a barrel in and that again the barrel speaks about the perfection of health. The fourth thing his face is the appearance of lightning. And when we think about the lightning it speaks about his brilliance again we are seeing here an angel a servant of God who is coming to represent God before Daniel. His eyes like a lamp of fire speaks about discernment. Then sixthly we have that to speak about his arms and his feet like color of polish brass. And that really would speak to us of the fact that brass speaks of judgment if you remember in the the in the the altar was made out of bronze and brass speaks of judgment. And finally his words like a words or like a voice of multitude. And that speaks about the power that this particular angel had. Now some takes it to mean that that's really applied to the Lord Jesus. Nowadays a problem here with this because this particular angel was sent and this particular angel needed help as we study the rest of the chapter you'll find out that he will he would need the help of Michael the angel. So that would not apply to the Messiah but apparently this particular angel receive instruction that he was going to give this to Daniel. Also so verses 4 5 and 6 we see that appearance of a man. And many times in the Bible when an angel appear he appears as a man many times in the scripture. He's appearing as many remember for example the three men that appeared the three men that appeared or three angel that appeared. One of them of course was the Lord himself but appeared before Abraham in Genesis 18 they appeared as men. And then in chapter 19 when after Abraham was standing before the the before the Lord the two men that went to to to were Lot have been to Sodom they appeared as men. And so many times when the angels coming to speak for God two men they appear as men. And so it says here then I lifted up mine eyes and I looked and behold a certain man closed in and it gives us the description of this particular man. And so verses 4 5 and 6 we see that men that was going to give the instruction to Daniel as Daniel has seen this vision. Now just couple more verses bear with me verses 7 8 9 and 10. Notice how Daniel respond to that vision that he all of a sudden has seen that men when when when you see something like that what kind of respond what kind of reaction you are going to have. Verse 7 it says here and I Daniel alone saw the vision. For the men this is the people that were with me saw not the vision but a great quaking fell upon them so that they fell to hide themselves or I should say fled to hide themselves. You know these people when they saw that the the the word here in Hebrew the fear that came upon them or the great quaking that fell upon them the word is in Hebrew you will spell it H A R A D A in English. It's a great fear great scare that came upon them. And so they they they did not see the vision but the the great fear came upon them. It remind me also of the the book of Acts. When the apostle Paul was on a way to the Damascus and they experienced that he was going through. You remember there were other men that were with him. They did not see what he had saw. But remember that everyone fell down. Remember that let me let me just turn that to chapter 9 of Acts. Acts 9 I'll just read some of the verses in Acts chapter 9 where it says all of a sudden suddenly there shined round about him a great light from heaven. This is verse 3 of Acts 9. And he fell to the earth. And he heard a voice saying unto him Saul Saul where why persecutest thou me? And then verse 7 says and the men which journeyed with him stood speechless hearing a voice but seeing no man. Very similar to what happened here in Acts 9 verse 7 to what we see here in Daniel 10 in verse 7. Apparently there were a people that were with Daniel. They had fear came upon them but they didn't see what Daniel has seen. Then verse 8. Verse 8 and 9 there was also something that happened to Daniel when he heard this when he saw that vision. In verse 8 and 9 we find a few thing that happened to Daniel. First of all he was left alone. I was left alone. I was left alone. Secondly it says here in verse 8 that Daniel it says here and I saw great vision and there remained no strength in me. In other word there was no strength in Daniel at all to sustain himself. There remained no strength with me. Then thirdly it says my calmness was turned in me into corruption. In other words there was that fear it's it's say in verse in verse that there was his calmness he was calm and it's turned into as it says into corruption. Another thought for this corruption is to a frailty. In other word he became like you know when a person like when a person see something that is shocking he is getting like a he looks white all of a sudden turn white. And then it says in verse 9 yet I heard the voice of his words. And when I heard the voice of his words then I was in a deep sleep on my face and my face towards the ground. So it's left an effect an effect on Daniel when when he saw that vision in verses 8 and 9 apparently it left an effect on him. He was left alone there remained no strength with him and there was a fear that came inside of Daniel. And he fell to his face. And you notice what it says that a deep sleep fell upon him. The the word here for deep sleep is the same word that is found in various other passages. It was a really supernatural sleep that fell upon him. The word near or in Hebrew is taken from other passages. If you remember when Adam and Eve or when Adam was put to sleep for Eve to come out of his side for that operation to be made well the word is mentioned the same word it is a supernatural sleep if you will that fell upon Adam. He was asleep he was alive but it was a supernatural sleep that God to make could make that operation and take out of his side the rib from which God built the woman. And so here we see the same thought. He was he was in a deep sleep on my on his face and his face was towards the ground. That's the condition that he found himself when he saw this particular vision. By the way if you write down the verses or deep sleep is found in verse in Genesis 2 21 in Genesis 15 12 and in 1 Samuel 26 in verse 12 there were three verses that the word is mentioned supernatural sleep imposed by God on men. And finally for today in verse 10 and in verse 10 and behold a hand touched me which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hand. And so he saw the vision the man the effect upon the people that was there there was a great quake that fell upon them. The effect upon Daniel there was those a few thing that we have mentioned. He was left alone. There was no strength in him. There was fear that came upon him. And then he fell on his face and a deep sleep. A supernatural sleep from God that fell upon him. But then verse 10 the angel behold a hand touched me that man that angel touched him and set him upon his knees upon the palm hand of his hand upon the palms of his hands. And now you find Daniel from falling on his face. He is lifted up if you will he's on his knees and his palms and the palms of his hands upon the ground. In other words almost like a like a like a like when a person is on his knees in prayer he lift him up from his from his face to the ground. He lifted him up touched him. And and that the reaction that Daniel Daniel reacted to the vision that he have seen. I don't know about you but if I'll experience something like that I probably won't react any different at all. If you will experience something like that you would react any different at all. This is an experience that he have gone through. And so so far beloved next time we are going next week we now next meeting we are going to finish this chapter. But Daniel receive a final vision which takes him all the way up till the end of the tribulation the second coming of the Messiah. And that vision this is the just introduction to the vision we're going to talk about the vision in later times. But here we see some of the beginning of the introduction of the vision. We're going to stop with this right now.
Guest (Male): You have been listening to the Holy Scriptures and Israel with Gideon Levitan. Gideon teaches God's word from a Hebrew Messianic perspective. For more information about this ministry write to Holy Scriptures and Israel box 1411 Niagara on the Lake Ontario L0S 1J0 or visit our website at holyscripturesandisrael.com. You are also invited to Gideon's weekly Bible teaching on Fridays at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. and Saturdays at 1 p.m. at Willowdale Christian Assembly Hall 28 Martin Ross Avenue in Toronto. Holy Scriptures and Israel is made possible by your prayers and financial support. If you would like to support the program visit holyscripturesandisrael.com. God bless you. Shalom Shalom.