Sermon Central
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Daniel Chapter 10 Series
Contributed by Pastor Bruce A. Shields on Nov 28, 2005 (message contributor)
Summary: A survey of Daniel Chapter 10. Outline.
Daniel Survey
Chapter 9 Outline
Rev. Bruce A. Shields
First Baptist Church of Tawas City Michigan
www.TawasBaptist.org
God, without a Doubt
Quick Review of Daniel so far;
1 – God turns defeat into victory (Babylon overthrows Jerusalem)
2 – God is the revealer of secrets (Dream of Statue and metals)
3 – God is the redeemer of people (Golden Statue Made for Worship)
4 – God is the ruler of Kings (Nebuchadnezzar turns back to God)
5 – God is God of justice and judgment (Babylon falls to Medo Persia)
6 – God is our Deliverer (Daniel and the Lions Den)
7 – Prophetic dream of 4 beasts
8 – Daniels Prophetic dream of sanctuary animals (Ram and Goat)
9 – Gabriel explains Daniel’s Prophetic dream from Chapter 8
10:1 – In the 3rd year of Cyrus King of Persia (535 BC)
In 605BC Daniel went into captivity when Babylon overthrew Jerusalem.
Jeremiah predicted this and that the Israelites would remain in captivity for 70 years.
It has now been 70 years and Daniel is expecting the prophecy to come true, but he is still not seeing any evidence of it.
Daniel is longing for the release of the Israelites so they can return to Jerusalem and continue worshipping God in the temple.
…the time appointed is long.
God’s timing, not Daniels.
John 14:1-3 (Young’s Literal Translation)
“1`Let not your heart be troubled, believe in God, also in me believe;
2in the house of my Father are many mansions; and if not, I would have told you; I go on to prepare a place for you;
3and if I go on and prepare for you a place, again do I come, and will receive you unto myself, that where I am ye also may be;”
God’s delayed promise.
Just because we don’t SEE IT, doesn’t mean God isn’t doing it.
Daniel prayed the Israelites would be delivered from bondage and return to Jerusalem to worship God.
Today we pray to be released from the bondage of sin and return to the true worship of God.
10:2 – Daniel fasts and prays for 3 weeks!
10:4 – after 3 weeks Daniel had no answer!
But AS Daniel prayed Jesus appears!
10:5-8 – Strength left Daniel and he passes out again!
This being is Jesus Christ.
“13and in the midst of the seven lamp-stands, [one] like to a son of man, clothed to the foot, and girt round at the breast with a golden girdle,
14and his head and hairs white, as if white wool -- as snow, and his eyes as a flame of fire;
15and his feet like to fine brass, as in a furnace having been fired, and his voice as a sound of many waters,”
In the sacred place of prayer Jesus Christ is with us!
10:11 – Daniel fainted and Gabriel wake him to explain what he saw.
No man can stand in the presence of God.
10:12 – Fear not Daniel. Your words were heard from the first day you prayed.
Although Daniel had no evidence God was answering his prayer, Gabriel said that Daniels prayer was heard from the first day he prayed.
THE MYSTERY OF PRAYER UNSEALED
Gabriel said; your prayers were heard, God tried to impress His will upon King Cyrus but he was surrounded with evil influences.
God sent Gabriel to fight against those evil influences.
The Prince of the Kingdom of Persia got in the way.
Prince of the Kingdom (Not King of Persia) = Satan
“Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
32And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”
Prince of this world (and kingdoms) is Satan
Satan was influencing the King of Persia, Cyrus, because he did not want the Israelites set free to go worship God.
“2Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:”
The prince of the power of the air is the spirit of disobedience = Satan.
God respects the free will of men.
God wouldn’t MAKE King Cyrus do God’s will, but King Cyrus wouldn’t make a decision to do God’s will as long as he was surrounded with dark evil influences from the prince of darkness, the spirit of disobedience.
But God also respected the free will of Daniel, and when Daniel prayed for King Cyrus, God answered by sending Gabriel to fight off the darkness surrounding King Cyrus so he would choose the will of God out of spiritual obedience.
Daniels prayers doubled God’s effort in reaching the king.
Satan himself appeared to fight because he did not want the Israelites freed.
