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Spiritual Warfare, Politics, and Prayer

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Spiritual Warfare, Politics, and Prayer Spiritual Warfare, Politics, and Prayer Daniel 10:1-11:1 Daniel: When Kingdoms Collide Pastor Mike Andrus October 25, 2020 Today we come to a chapter that is unique in the book of Daniel; in fact, it is unique in the Bible. It tells us that Daniel receives a final prophetic vision, but the details of the vision are not revealed until chapter 11. The focus of this chapter is upon the spiritual warfare involved behind the scenes while Daniel prays for understanding of the vision. I have chosen as my title today, “Spiritual Warfare, Politics, and Prayer.” With the election less than ten days away and politics much on our minds, I believe this is a uniquely relevant topic. Nothing is clearer in Scripture than the fact that there are supernatural beings who rarely appear visibly but who are real, and who interface with our world and impact our lives. Angels are mentioned at least 275 times in at least thirty-four books of the Bible. Demons are mentioned in all but four New Testament books and many times in the Old Testament. We are all familiar with these words from Ephesians 6:12: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”1 But do we really believe that? Ours is an age of science and technology. People are constantly saying “listen to the scientists,” whether regarding global warming, COVID-19, vaccines, social science, evolution, or what have you. But rarely does anyone talk about the presuppositions the scientist holds. Carl Sagan famously pronounced, “The Cosmos is all that is or was or ever will be,” by which he meant the material universe. I suspect he knows better today, but the fact is there are a lot of Christians who live their lives as though Sagan was right. They don’t expect or even consider the possibility of angelic or demonic interference in their daily lives. Here in Daniel 10 we are awakened to the fact that there is an unseen realm of angels and demons, who impact not only individual lives but also international affairs and domestic politics. Furthermore, the warfare going on between angels and demons can actually delay the prayers of God’s people! Friends, if this chapter doesn’t stimulate your imagination, you must be brain dead! The text of Daniel 10 is difficult to follow, so let me give you an overview of what is happening before we read it. Daniel receives a fourth and final vision about a great war in the future. He understands enough that it drives him to his knees seeking further understanding. For three weeks he mourns, fasts and prays, but then he is visited by an unnamed angel of incredible description. Only Daniel actually sees the angel, but the men with him know something strange is going on and they hide in fear. Daniel’s strength is sapped and he even loses consciousness, but then the angel revives him and explains that although he was sent immediately by God when Daniel began praying, his arrival was blocked for three weeks by a demon of high rank assigned to the nation of Persia. In fact it wasn’t until Michael the archangel arrived to help him that the logjam was broken. 1Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® unless otherwise noted. 2 Daniel is so shocked by all this that it virtually knocks him out again, but once again the angel revives him, affirms him as greatly loved by God, and urges him to be strong and of good courage. He then informs Daniel that he, the angel, has to go fight some more demons in Persia and then in Greece but thankfully he knows he will be supported again by Michael. In fact, he says Michael is actually paying him back for support he provided Michael two years earlier! Let’s read Daniel chapter 10:1 through 11:1. Daniel 10:1-11:1 1In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a word was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar. And the word was true, and it was a great conflict (i.e. it was about a great conflict). And he understood the word and had understanding of the vision. 2In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks. 3I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks. 4On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river (that is, the Tigris) 5I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. 6His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude. 7And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision, but a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves. 8So I was left alone and saw this great vision, and no strength was left in me. My radiant appearance was fearfully changed, and I retained no strength. 9Then I heard the sound of his words, and as I heard the sound of his words, I fell on my face in deep sleep with my face to the ground. 10And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. 11And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. 12Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. 13The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, 14and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.” 15When he had spoken to me according to these words, I turned my face toward the ground and was mute. 16And behold, one in the likeness of the children of man touched my lips. Then I opened my mouth and spoke. I said to him who stood before me, “O my lord, by reason of the vision pains have come upon me, and I retain no strength. 17How can my lord’s servant talk with my lord? For now no strength remains in me, and no breath is left in me.” 18Again one having the appearance of a man touched me and strengthened me. 19And he said, “O man greatly loved, fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.” And as he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.” 20Then he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? But now I will return to fight against the prince of Persia; and when I go out, behold, the prince of Greece will come. 21But I will tell you what is inscribed in the book of truth: (I believe there should be a period there and the rest should be in parenthesis, as in the NIV) there is none who contends by my side against these except Michael, your prince. 11:1And as for me, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to confirm and strengthen him. This is the Word of the Lord. 3 Let’s begin, then, with the fact that … DANIEL RECEIVES A FINAL FRIGHTFUL VISION, BUT THE DETAILS AREN’T REVEALED TO US UNTIL CHAPTER 11. The date given in verse 1 is the third year of Cyrus king of Persia.2 Several years have passed since the events of chapter 9, where Daniel confessed his sin and the sin of his people, after which he received the vision of the seventy weeks. Now in chapter 10 he receives a fourth and final vision. It concerns a great conflict which will be the subject of next week’s sermon on chapter 11. The prophet’s reaction to this vision is noteworthy. He mourns and fasts for three full weeks, at the end of which he is confronted by an angel, who is described in such breathtaking terms that one gets the distinct impression that he must be an angel of very high rank. Some even believe this is an epiphany of the pre-incarnate Christ, but I am inclined to believe it is an angel, perhaps Gabriel, who appeared in a similar role in chapter 9. The angel gives Daniel a glimpse of the existence of the unseen spiritual warfare between supernatural beings of a very high order that is occurring on a macro scale. DANIEL IS TOLD THAT UNSEEN SPIRITUAL WARFARE IS OCCURRING ON A MACRO SCALE. The angel tells Daniel that he was sent by God immediately to answer Daniel’s prayer for greater understanding, but his arrival was blocked by the prince of the Persian kingdom.
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