"Daniel Prayed, and Angels..."

 

This Sunday evening I will be tackling Daniel 10:1-11:2. It’s a striking scene, one that leaves a reader with lots of unanswered questions, but also gives rich encouragement. In this scene, Daniel has spent 21 days fasting, mourning, and praying. Suddenly, at the end of those long days of prayer and sorrow, a man appears in a vision to Daniel. He tells Daniel some very important, behind-the-scenes details. 

First, he notifies Daniel that his coming, the vision he will rehearse, and the things he is doing is because Daniel prayed: “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” (10:12). So, God’s response to Daniel was already on the way from the first day Daniel began praying. And now, 21 days into his praying, he receives God’s response. Twenty-one days! Our timing and sense of urgency and God’s timing and sense of urgency are truly on different schedules! That should, maybe, give us some pause. We often bow at the shrine of immediacy and rapidity, and to humble us – or challenge us – God doesn’t allow our panic to force him to speed things up. As one who is pretty hyperactive and wants results today, this clearly speaks to me. 

Then the man dressed in linen, the majestic manifestation, tells Daniel why there was a delay, and it had to do with a behind-the-scenes conflict: “The 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, and 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” (10:13-14). This leaves us with a ton of questions, but at the least the being talking to Daniel is telling Daniel that there is more going on behind-the-scenes in our international and national politics than meets the human eye (Paul talks about this some in Ephesians 6:12). And this behind-the-scenes conflict between heaven and the forces trying to co-opt Persia was a result of Daniel’s prayer – your words were heard (v.12), I come because of your words (v.12), but other forces fought to keep me at bay (v.13-14). 

This brings my friend and Old Testament Professor, Dale Ralph Davis, to make a shocking observation: “Daniel prayed, and angels went to war” (Dale Ralph Davis, “Daniel,” 142). Daniel prayed, and angels went to war! Let that sit there in your heart and on your mind for a while. It goes along nicely with something William Cowper, the hymnwriter who wrote “God Moves In a Mysterious Way” and other hymns, once penned: “Prayer keeps the Christian's armor bright. And Satan trembles when he sees, the weakest saint upon his knees.” 

There’s more here in Daniel 10, and if you want to know more, you’ll need to come this Sunday evening and listen in. Until then, dwell on this: Daniel prayed, and angels went to war. Prayer keeps the Christian's armor bright. And Satan trembles when he sees, the weakest saint upon his knees. 

I think some of us needed this today. 

Pastor Mike