STAYING TRUE: Prepare for Battle

The world is at war.  That is, it is in confusion, in conflict and in a chaotic struggle.  

The ancient words for war meant “to bring into confusion.” This is the very essence of Satan’s objectives–to create confusion, doubt, and to sow seeds of distrust.  Satan’s very nature is “to bring humanity into confusion” – the very definition of war.

Every human being is involved and a wartime mindset must include a shrewd knowledge of enemy tactics.  As Ephesians 5:11 suggests “have no part in the things that people in darkness do, which produce nothing good. Instead, tell everyone how wrong those things are.” Only by realizing we are in this confused mixup of a struggle can we stand against those who stand in opposition to God.

As we are in the midst of an actual regional war in Israel let’s sketch in some background history just for your enlightenment.  The “common component” in this particular struggle is “sibling rivalry.”  The descendants of Israel and the descendants of Ishmael are at odds and have been for some time.  Ishmael, who’s name is composed, in Hebrew, of three parts: I - shma - el literally means “God will listen”, and Israel, whose name means “Let God Prevail”, or “he struggles with God” is literally  a complete sentence in ancient Hebrew: I - SRa – el and literally means: “he turns the head (as in captures the attention) of God.”  So the elder sibling who God will listen to, and the younger sibling who captures the

attention of God have been engaged in a sibling rivalry for thousands of years. 

Perhaps all this actually began with Cain and Able – the elder Cain actually killing his younger brother Able, because while Cain thought God would listen to him, Able captured the attention of God with his sacrificial attitude of offering.  

Perhaps humanity is still warring the Cain/Able struggle for the recognition of the parents.  The sad part is that one does not have to struggle to get God’s attention, one just has to listen to God rather than demanding that God listen to you.

In the current regional struggle at least one Hamas leader, and many other of their followers, said  "We love death like our enemies love life!” Like Cain, they would rather kill Able in order to have “God to themselves” rather than have to listen to the desires of God.  Make no mistake, this is a spiritual battle.   

Historical Summary of Recent Conflicts in Israel:

On October 7, 2023, the “death loving” Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an unprecedented surprise assault on Israel with hundreds of gunmen infiltrating communities near the Gaza Strip, killing more than 1,400 Israelis, while some 230 soldiers and civilians, including women and children, were taken to Gaza as hostages.  

Israel declared war on Hamas and more than 8,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed in air and artillery strikes carried out by the Israeli military.  Israeli troops have also massed along the Gaza boundary and Palestinians are bracing themselves for a major ground operation into Gaza.

The recent history of this region includes:

• In the mid 1900s Britain took control of the area known as Palestine following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire, which ruled that part of the Middle East, in World War One.

• The land at that time was inhabited by a Jewish minority and Arab majority, as well as other, smaller ethnic groups.

• The international community gave the UK the task of establishing a "national home" in Palestine for Jewish people with the Balfour Declaration of 1917, a pledge made by then Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour to Britain's Jewish community. The declaration was enshrined in the British mandate over Palestine and endorsed by the newly-created League of Nations - forerunner of the United Nations - in 1922.  To the Jews Palestine was their ancestral home from which they had been exiled, but Palestinian Arabs also claimed the land as their home territory and opposed the move.

• Between the 1920s and 1940s, the number of Jews arriving there grew, with many fleeing from persecution in Europe, especially the Nazi Holocaust during World War Two.

• Violence between Jews and Arabs, and against British rule, also increased.  In 1947, the UN voted for Palestine to be split into separate Jewish and Arab states, with Jerusalem becoming an international city.  That plan was accepted by Jewish leaders but rejected by the Arab side and never implemented.

• In 1948, unable to solve the problem, Britain withdrew, Jewish leaders declared the creation of the State of Israel, and Israel was fully admitted into the UN on May 11, 1949. It was intended to be a safe haven for Jews fleeing persecution, as well as a national homeland for Jews.  

• But the ancient sibling rivalry was ever present.  Fighting between Jewish and Arab militias intensified, and the day after Israel declared statehood, five Arab countries attacked the fledgling state and hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fled or were forced out of their homes.  By the time the fighting ended in a ceasefire the following year, Israel controlled most of the territory having defeated the five attacking countries.  At the conclusion of hostilities in 1949:

• Jordan occupied land which became known as the West Bank, and Egypt occupied Gaza.
• Jerusalem was divided between Israeli forces in the West, and Jordanian forces in the East.
• Gaza was occupied by Egypt for 19 years.

• Because there was never a peace agreement there were more wars and fighting in the following decades.  

• In a war in 1967, Israel occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank, as well as most of the Syrian Golan Heights, Gaza and all of the Egyptian Sinai peninsula.  Israel occupied Gaza as a result of the 1967 war and stayed until 2005, building Jewish settlements in the region during that time.  Israel withdrew its troops and its settlers in 2005.

• Israel still occupies the West Bank and claims the whole of Jerusalem as its capital, while the Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a hoped-for future Palestinian state. The US is one of only a handful of countries to recognize the city as Israel's capital.

• Israel-Palestinian peace talks were held on and off between the 1990s and 2010s, interspersed with outbreaks of violence. A series of secret talks in Norway became the Oslo peace process in an historic moment when the Palestinians recognized the State of Israel and Israel recognized its historical enemy, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), as the sole representative of the Palestinian people. A self-governing Palestinian Authority was set up.

• But soon a rival Palestinian militant group, Hamas, sent suicide bombers to kill people in Israel and wreck the chances of a deal.  Hamas’ self proclaimed objective was literally the destruction of Israel and the creation of a “Palestinian state”.  The “Gaza strip” is an example of the functioning of their desired “Palestinian state.” (We are back to Cain’s desire to kill Abel!)

• As could be anticipated, the atmosphere in Israel turned ugly, culminating in Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's assassination by a Jewish extremist on 4 November 1995.

• In the 2000s, attempts were made to revive the peace process.  Peace efforts finally stalled in 2014, when talks failed between the Israelis and Palestinians in Washington.  The most recent peace plan - prepared by the US when Donald Trump was president - was called "the deal of the century" by Prime Minister Netanyahu, but was dismissed by the Palestinians as one-sided and never was really acceptable with them.

• Since 2006, militants in Gaza have fought several wars with Israel, which along with Egypt has maintained a partial blockade on the strip to isolate Hamas and try to stop attacks, particularly the indiscriminate firing of rockets towards Israeli cities.

• The US, the European Union and other Western countries have all condemned the current Hamas attack on Israel, while Communist Russia and China have both refused to condemn Hamas, and say they are maintaining contact with both sides in the conflict.  Russian President Vladimir Putin has pointed fingers at his own enemy and blamed US policy for the absence of peace in the Middle East.

• Anciently known as the Persian Empire, the largest empire the world has seen, Iran has made themselves Israel's arch-enemy. Iran is a key supporter of Hamas, as well as Hezbollah, whose militants have been exchanging fire with Israeli forces almost daily since Hamas's attack.

Back to the Current Study

So, any way you look at it we are in a war.  There are physical wars as are going on in Israel.  There are spiritual wars as with the sibling rivalry induced by Satan.  There is, as this history shows, a combination of both kinds of wars.  But the point driven home in this study is that God strengthens us as we pray and engage in spiritual battle, or stated another way, when we listen to and seek God’s direction we will be strengthened against the desires of our siblings to destroy us.

We look at Daniel 10:1-3, 10-13,and 16-19.  The fourth and final vision recorded in Daniel’s book is recorded in chapters 10–12, and is the longest and most detailed of all the visions, previewing coming events from Daniel’s time to the end of time.

First let’s see the set up to Daniel’s vision.

Daniel 10:1-3

1 In the third year of King Cyrus of Persia, a message was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar. The message was true and was about a great conflict. He understood the message and had understanding of the vision.

2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three full weeks.

3 I didn’t eat any rich food, no meat or wine entered my mouth, and I didn’t put any oil on my body until the three weeks were over.

King Cyrus conquered Babylon in 539 BC, and the third year of his reign was March/April 536 BC to March/April 535 BC. So, “the twenty-fourth day of the first month” was March/April 536 BC, just after the celebration of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. But Daniel had been praying for three weeks before the vision or on the third day of the first month, thus before Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. 

As we learn in the book of Ezra, Cyrus had issued a decree allowing Jewish exiles to return to their homeland at this same time. Daniel, in his mid-80s, did not return to Jerusalem, but he would have been aware of the progress of that first groups returning to rebuild.  Late in 538 BC they had rebuilt the altar in Jerusalem, and in spring of the next year, 537 BC, they began laying the foundation for a new temple to follow in the footsteps of the destroyed Solomon’s Temple.  

However, local enemies, apparently through political means, forced work to stop.  As the Passover approached in spring of 536 BC, Daniel was deeply burdened that rebuilding the Jerusalem temple had stopped and would not be available for use at Passover.

The first verse reveals that a message was revealed to Daniel, meaning He did not originate or create it himself.  The word true is placed first in the sentence for emphasis—“True was the message.” Of course if the message came from God, it had to be true. This is a characteristic Daniel regularly affirmed about God’s messages.  

The reference to a great conflict probably refers to the final end-time battle.  Despite the enormous timeframe involved, Daniel understood this vision, but not necessarily everything.  He states in verse 12:8 that he e still puzzled over specific details. 

But basically Daniel’s deep sorrow was that rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem had ceased, so he was in mourning and fasting. Daniel’s fast lasted twenty-one days and occurred at the time of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Passover occurred on the fourteenth day of the first month, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread from the fifteenth to the twenty-first of the first month. The length of Daniel’s abstinence shows his persistence in prayer.

The reference to “rich food” refers to food that was the most desirable and likely cost the most. Thus the words refer to delicacies. The Hebrew literally reads “pleasant bread.” Interestingly, the words used to describe the bread for the Feast of Unleavened Bread are “bread of hardship”, making a clear verbal emphasis that Daniel didn’t eat “pleasant bread” when his fellow Jews were eating “bread of hardship.” He also didn’t put any oil on my body to make himself cleaner or more pleasant to be around. To refrain from anointing oneself was an act of humiliation and self-denial, a common sign of mourning. 

Now let’s look at Daniel’s encounter with an angel.

Daniel 10:10-13

10 Suddenly, a hand touched me and set me shaking on my hands and knees.

11 He said to me, “Daniel, you are a man treasured by God. Understand the words that I’m saying to you. Stand on your feet, for I have now been sent to you.” After he said this to me, I stood trembling.

12 “Don’t be afraid, Daniel,” he said to me, “for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your prayers were heard. I have come because of your prayers.

13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me after I had been left there with the kings of Persia. 

From this passage, several facts are evident concerning angels: 

(1) angels are real – God has messengers; 

(2) there are good and evil angels – some work to hinder beneficial progress; 

(3) angels can influence the affairs of human beings. 

This passage teaches that angels inspire human governments and their leaders. Rulers were encouraged by spiritual forces in their attempts to eradicate the Jewish religion. Antichrist(s), were satanically inspired. In Daniel’s day Persia was the largest empire known and ruled the earth. Satan would have attempted to influence the decisions made by the Persian government, because policies made there would affect the world. 

Today, Satan continues his attempts to sway earthly powers, and he focuses his attention on nations of the world with the most influence. On the other hand, these passages in Daniel demonstrate the positive activity of holy angels on governments. 

(4) There is a spiritual warfare being waged that involves angels and believers. This warfare is ongoing. 

(5) God’s angels act on behalf of the saints. Here they are instrumental in delivering to Daniel a message from God. Believers probably would be surprised to learn of the many acts performed for them (e.g., protection) by the Lord’s angels

God’s messenger revealed that Daniel’s prayers were part of a greater spiritual battle. In verses 4-9, Daniel was at least twenty miles from Babylon “standing on the bank of the great river, the Tigris” when he had a vision and encountered “a man” whom he described very similarly to the risen Christ in Revelation 1:13-16. Daniel’s response to this encounter was similar to John’s response in Revelation, he fell flat to the ground.  But then he felt a  hand touch him. 

The touch of this supernatural being’s hand brought Daniel to his hands and knees and left him shaking in his presence. The Angel Gabriel had previously appeared to Daniel in verse 8:16 where he touched him, made him stand up, and identified Daniel as treasured by God.  This is the second time Daniel had been told he was “treasured” by God. 

Here the angelic being commanded Daniel, who was shaking on his hands and knees, to stand on his feet, or literally, “stand in your place.” Daniel stood up, but he was still trembling. As with John in Revelation, Daniel was told not to be afraid before the angel revealed the message he was sent to deliver. Such an admonition was common in encounters with heavenly beings.  So, if you see an angelic spiritual being appear to you, there is no need to fear. 

Daniel had prayed and fasted for three full weeks, yet there hadn’t seemed to be any answer to his prayers, yet he persisted consistently in his prayers.  The angel assured Daniel that contrary to appearances, his prayers had been heard “from the first day” Daniel began to pray. The response to Daniel’s prayers reinforces the truth of the efficacy of prayer. 

In verse 13 the “prince of the kingdom of Persia” referred to is identified with the same title as Archangel Michael. This is not a human prince because he had the ability to oppose the angel in spiritual warfare and caused the delay in the answer to Daniel’s prayers. This powerful demonic being—perhaps Satan himself—tried to control “the kings of Persia” working to oppose God’s people. “The kingdom of Persia” was the area of his assignment. Since Persia was the world ruler of the day, it was the most influential empire for a concentration of powerful demonic presence.  

The reference that this prince was “standing before me” literally refers to standing in one’s way in active opposition. This powerful demonic being had fought in opposition to Gabriel for the full three weeks Daniel had been praying and fasting.  Does that give you an idea of of Satan’s power… AND his weakness.  He is strong enough to resist Angels, yet weak enough to to be overcome by them.

Michael, one of the chief princes, is referenced.  The name means “who is like God?” And raises a rhetorical question with the implied answer “no one.” Michael is one of only two angels named in the Bible (the other being Gabriel). Here he is called “one of the chief princes” of God, and in verse 21 he is identified as “your prince,” meaning the prince over Israel. That Michael is “one of the chief princes” literally is “one of the first or primary princes,” and indicates that there is a ranking or ordering in God’s angelic host. 

So the demonic opposition was great enough that Michael had to come to assist Gabriel to overcome the opposition to allow Gabriel to continue his delivery of God’s message to Daniel. If “the prince of the kingdom of Persia” was Satan, it is no wonder Gabriel needed Michael’s help. That Michael came to help Gabriel shows the cooperation among God’s angelic host.  

Daniel had identified both Michael and his powerful opponent as “princes” and  refers to “the kings of Persia.”That Gabriel remained “there with the kings of Persia” indicates that after the victory Michael helped Gabriel win over those demonic forces, Gabriel remained with Persia to continue to influence the Persian rulers to look with favor on Israel.   Gabriel informed Daniel in verse 20 that he would return to re-engage in this struggle after he delivered the message to Daniel.

While we often portray “spiritual warfare” with dramatic physical portrayals, the reality is that spirit is energy, and spiritual warfare is really just the struggle for the thoughts that direct actions.  It is what Satan, as we saw in his temptations of Jesus in the wilderness, is strong at…manipulating the thoughts of humans to achieve HIS desired actions.  This is what Satan and Gabriel and Michael were engaged in…influencing the thoughts of the human leadership in favor of, or in opposition of, the Jews.   THE SAME CONFLICT EXISTS TODAY.  As thought is involved, we ALL have a part to play.

Finally let’s look at Daniel’s response.

Daniel 10:16-19

16 Suddenly one with human likeness touched my lips. I opened my mouth and said to the one standing in front of me, “My lord, because of the vision, anguish overwhelms me and I am powerless.

17 How can someone like me, your servant, speak with someone like you, my lord? Now I have no strength, and there is no breath in me.”

18 Then the one with a human appearance touched me again and strengthened me.

19 He said, “Don’t be afraid, you who are treasured by God. Peace to you; be very strong!”

As he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”

These descriptions refer to the angelic being that touched Daniel’s lips. This is the second time the angel touched Daniel.  The phrase Daniel uses, My lord is a honorific title of respect, similar to sir, not a reference to deity. Daniel acknowledged the angel’s superiority to himself.

Daniel told him that anguish overwhelms me.  This descriptor is one of extreme anxiety, one that overwhelms, a word also used to describe birth pangs that come suddenly. In other words, Daniel felt extreme anxiety, and incapacitating desperation over the inability of the Jews to complete the rebuilding of their Temple to God and the city of Jerusalem.  Daniel’s distressing cry literally is, “I don’t have any strength”, or “I can’t do anything about it!” Daniel was even concerned about how it was that a physical mortal could even speak with a heavenly being.   Daniel was so overcome with weakness that he felt like he couldn’t breathe.  Being the recipient of God’s revelation, and being responsible for the handling of it, is an overwhelming experience. 

Again the angel touched Daniel and this was the third touch from the angel.  The second touch in verse 16 restored Daniel’s ability to speak. This time it “strengthened” Daniel and completed Daniel’s recovery. The angel reassured Daniel a second time in verse 12. And for the third time, Daniel was told he was treasured by God. 

The phrase peace to you is often used as a greeting, but here, since these are not the first words in the angel’s address, they are a statement of comfort that Daniel is safe in spite of his overwhelming anguish . “Peace” (shalom) is the opposite of fear. This reassurance was designed to restore Daniel’s sense of well-being.

In fact the angel concludes this passage with Be very strong!  The Hebrew word can mean “have courage” or “be firm.” I like the concept of power. “Be very powerful”, the angel could be telling Daniel.  As spiritual warfare is the warfare of thoughts, being firm, or courageous, or powerful in your thinking of Godly thoughts is something we should all aspire to.  Spiritual warfare is not something we should dwell on or over emphasize. Yet we should be aware of “the schemes of the devil” (Eph. 6:11) and prepared when he attacks.  Here are a few suggestions on doing that:

Recall. Make a list of Scriptures that offer you encouragement and assurance for troubling times. Keep those nearby and pull them out when needed.  Keep your thought occupied with the guidance of God rather than the distractions of humanity.

Resist. Jesus quoted Scripture when He was tempted. Memorize some of the Scriptures in your list so you can be ready to quote them when you feel attacked spiritually.  Falsehood CAN NOT stand against the Truth no matter how craftily it is propounded.  Know Truth.  Be powerful with Truth.  Be firm with Truth.

Read. Find good books on spiritual warfare written by a solid Christian author. Ask the Lord to speak to you through this book and to strengthen you spiritually.  But remember that GOD’S WORD is the ultimate authority for living.  When in doubt search the Bible.

NOW is the time to prepare for battle!