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Chapter 10 of the book of Daniel forms an introduction to a lengthy
and highly detailed prophetic vision. A vision which is further
detailed in chapter 11 and finally concluded in Daniel chapter 12.
The key verse in the 10th chapter is;
Dan 10:21 But I will tell you what is noted in the Scripture
of Truth. (No one upholds me against these {i.e.
prince of Persia and prince of Greece}, except
Michael your prince.)
This verse makes it clear that the spiritual identities being represented
by these two kingdoms are to be viewed as opposition entities. (That such
entities act in a manner that makes them opponents of the Work of God.)
They may not initially have been opponents, but this is what they become.
In the web page Ram and Goat Vision - Daniel chapter 8 it was concluded
that the Persian and Greek empires are used in prophecy to symbolise the
religious kingdoms of the Old and New Covenants respectively.
Why would this be the case?
Generally, religious people are very sincere. Indicating the issue has
to arise due to the impaired quality of the guiding leaderships in whom
they place their trust.
[NB: To those who have had their eyes opened it will be apparent
that neither modern Judaism or Christianity are motivated to
truly represent God's Word or serve His flock. Rather, at
this time, issues of church tradition, financial reward and
short-term outward prestige motivate their decisions. ]
The text of Daniel indicates the vision is placed at a time when there
would be a transition between these two kingdoms.
Dan 10:20 Then he said, "Do you know why I have come to you?
And now I must return to fight with the prince of
Persia; and when I have gone forth, indeed the
prince of Greece will come.
Hence the question arises, to what period of time does the vision apply?
At first one may consider the early New Testament era, when God shifted
His emphasis from the Jewish faith to Christianity.
Also, there are some indications in chapter 10 of an end-time emphasis;
- verse 1, "... but the appointed time was long, ...
- verse 14, "Now I have come to make you understand what will
happen to your people in the latter days, for the
vision refers to many days yet to come."
Let us consider when the vision was received.
24TH OF 1ST MONTH, 3 WEEKS & 21 DAYS
- The prophetic message of the last three chapters of Daniel,
according to Daniel 10:4, was delivered on the 24th day of
the first month.
Dan 10:4 Now on the twenty-fourth day of the first
month, as I was by the side of the great
river, that is, the Tigris,
[NB: The Hebrew text reads, "And in day of
twenty and four to month the first".]
[Comment: Why the 24th? Haggai also mentions
the 24th in several places.]
- The 2nd and 3rd verses appear to document a period when Daniel
mourned three full weeks.
Dan 10:2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three
full weeks.
:3 I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came
into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all,
till three whole weeks were fulfilled.
[NB: The Hebrew text reads;
verse 2, "three sevens days"
verse 3, "to full of three of sevens days".
In both cases the word 'sevens' is in
the unusual form  .]
- Verse 12 mentions Daniel's words were heard from the first day.
Verse 13 mentions a delay and the passing of 21 days before the
vision is presented.
Dan 10:12 Then he said to me, "Do not fear, Daniel,
for from the first day that you set your
heart to understand, and to humble
yourself before your God, your words
were heard; and I have come because
of your words.
:13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia
withstood me twenty-one days; and behold,
Michael, one of the chief princes, came
to help me, for I had been left alone
there with the kings of Persia.
The following arrangement is initially suggested;
- Vision given on the 24th day of the first month.
- Daniel had mourned for 3 full weeks, ie 21 days.
- Therefore, the mourning of Daniel had started
21 days earlier. This indicates Daniel would
have started mourning on either the 3rd or
4th day of the first month.
So does the 3rd or 4th day of the first month carry any importance
in the calendar of the Old Covenant?
Does the 24th day of the first month carry any special relevance?
Actually, these dates do not have any ritual importance! No ceremonies
were initiated or completed on these days.
Given that this is an important prophetic book, one has to wonder if the
proper understanding of the actual text has been realised.
The English rendering does not allow for any other dating.
However, the Hebrew does provide scope for other timings.
- In verses 2 and 3 the word for 'weeks' is not present
in the common form. Rather, the Hebrew spelling is the
same as that found in the much discussed Daniel chapter
9 prophecy.
- verse 4 reads "And day twenty and four to month first".
The word 'first" in Hebrew can refer to either 'time' or
'rank'.
- verse 13 the word 'day' can be applied in a figurative
sense, meaning a 'duration of time' being defined by
other indications.
If the unusual grammatical 'masculine' form of 'weeks' found in Daniel
10:2-3 is acknowledged, then the overall span of passing time may be
much longer than just 21 days!
Why?
Because the plural masculine form of 'weeks', more accurately 'sevens',
is likely indicating multiple periods of 'sevens'.
So 'three sevens' is indicating three durations, each of which is
comprised of a period consisting of multiple periods of seven.
Verses 2 & 3 may NOT be indicating a period of only 3 weeks, but a
period of 3 sets of multiple weeks!
In God's decreed Old Covenant calendar there was specified a period
composed of a series of weeks. This was the 'seven weeks and one day'
which began with the day of the Wave Sheaf in the first month and ended
with the Feast of Weeks in the third month. This was a period of time
in which God commanded both the counting of days and the counting of
Sabbaths/weeks. Refer Leviticus 23:15-16 and Deuteronomy 16:9-10.
This series of 'seven weeks and one' day spanned a period of fifty days,
therefore three sets of these fifty days would imply a total of 150 days
of mourning!
That is to say, that it could be understood that Daniel mourned for a
fifty day period during each year, over three sequential years.
Why Was Daniel Mourning?
When Babylon fell and Darius the Mede began to rule,
over the combined Medo-Persian empire, there was no
announced declaration freeing the Jews.
It was not until later, when Cyrus came to the throne
of the combined Medo-Persian empire, that the infamous
decree was issued.
Daniel 10:1 mentions it was the 3rd year of Cyrus king
of Persia.
Indicating that since the rise of the Medo-Persian
empire, initially ruled by Darius the Mede, Cyrus had
ruled as king of Persia. (Cyrus had not yet arisen to
become the dominant king over the entire Medo-Persian
empire.)
Therefore Daniel 10:1 is indicating that at the time
Daniel received the proceeding prophetic vision the
initial months of 3 years had passed.
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Daniel was mourning because the Babylonian Empire had fallen, but
freedom to rebuild Jerusalem had not been granted.
The following new arrangement is suggested;
1st of Cyrus - mourning 50 days Wave Sheaf to Feast of Weeks
2nd of Cyrus - mourning 50 days "
3rd of Cyrus - mourning 50 days "
What effect does this awareness have on the other timings,
A) The 24th day of the first month.
As the vision is given in the 3rd year of Cyrus, upon
the completion of the third set of 'weeks', this meant
the first month of that year had already passed.
Therefore the Hebrew text,
"And in day twenty and four to month the prominent"
can not be referring to the 24th day of the first month
of the third year of Cyrus.
B) The 21 days can no longer be understood to be simply a
repeat of the notion of '3 weeks'.
We are advised in verse 3 that Daniel did not anoint himself
until after the completion of his mourning. However, Daniel
did again eat pleasant food (meat and wine) at the end of
this duration.
3rd Year of Cyrus or 1st year of Cyrus
The text of Daniel chapter 10 is stated as occurring in the
3rd year of Cyrus king of Persia, refer Dan 10:1.
Within this chapter we have the implied decree which brings
to an end the mourning of Daniel.
However, when we look elsewhere in Scripture we have the
following;
2Chr 36:22 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of
Persia, ... the Lord stirred up the spirit
of Cyrus king of Persia, ...
:23 All the kingdoms of the earth the Lord God
has given me. And He has commanded me to
build Him a house at Jerusalem which is
in Judah. Who is there among you of all
His people? May the Lord his God be with
him, and let him go up!
See also, Ezra 1:1-4.
The decree is stated to have occurred in the 1st year
of Cyrus king of Persia. This first year of Cyrus is
a reference to his rule not only over Persia, but over
the entire Medo-Persian empire.
(The numbering of his rulership having restarted after
his ascension to the throne of the entire empire.)
Daniel 10:1 referred to an earlier timing. The mention
of the 3rd year of Cyrus in Dan 10:1 helped us perceive
the duration of the reign of Darius the Mede and also
served to verify that the mourning periods had spanned
3 years.
When we read the text of Ezra we see that the first
feast celebrated at Jerusalem occurred in the 7th month.
Refer Ezra 3:1,4. This observance occurred even though
the foundation of the temple had not yet been laid.
Ezra 3:6.
Notice this 7th month observance is what would have
been expected if the Cyrus decree was given shortly
after Daniel's third period of mourning.
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THE '21 DAYS' AND THE 'DAY TWENTY FOUR'
THE '21 DAYS'
The 21 days can still be understood.
As per Dan 10:12-13 the time runs from when Daniel first begins to
mourn. However, the reference to 21 days is a reference to the 21
Sabbath days during the 3 periods of his mourning.
THE 'DAY OF TWENTY AND FOUR'
The 'in the day of twenty and four' refers to what?
The Book of Daniel is not the only book which expresses this. Other
books written after this time also mention it.
As this issue becomes quite involved, it is discussed in the following
webpage.
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| Medo-Persian Era - '24th Day' Verses |
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PROPHETIC MEANING OF 3 WEEKS & 21 DAYS
We can now consider what the above arrangement is indicating at the
greater symbolic level.
The Daniel verse 3 text indicates that during his time of mourning
Daniel ate no desirable food or meat, and drunk no wine. This mirrors
the duration of the Old Covenant, when the spiritual food given was
'basic'.
[ The 150 days of mourning may be alluding to the 1,500 years of
the Old Covenant (Exodus to Jesus Christ). ]
Ending the period of mourning at/after the 3rd Feast of Weeks
(which is also known as 'Pentecost' in the New Testament) also
seems relevant; as in the New Testament the Holy Spirit was first
poured out on that day.
In conclusion, it should be kept in mind that chapter ten represents
merely an introduction to the prophesied end-time events, events which
are further described in chapter 11.
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