20151221 Monday, December 21 2015
Daniel 10: Daniel's Latter Days Vision

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days"

The English-language rendering of "Hiddekel" is from a transliterated Hebrew name of a river in Mesopotamia that was a form of the name, that was given to it by the ancient people of Accad, that meant the rapid Tigris. The name "Tigris" itself is a derivation of an ancient Persian word, pronounced tigr (keeping in mind that Greek and Persian each have their own alphabets) which means arrow - that is, "Hiddekel" means the rapid arrow. From that, translations of the Holy Scriptures variously provide the name of the river in both ways, as illustrated by these examples of Genesis 2:14 from the King James and Revised Standard versions of the Holy Bible.

"And the name of the third river is Tigris, which flows east of Assyria" (RSV)

"And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria" (KJV)

From its source in the Taurus Mountains in eastern Turkey (see also Was The Garden Of Eden At Jerusalem?), the Tigris River flows for about 1,850 kilometers southeastward, first as the border between Syria and Turkey, then into Iraq where it flows parallel to the Euphrates River (the dark green area on the map below) before uniting with the Euphrates to flow into the Persian Gulf. Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, is located on the Tigris River (see the photograph below).

The prophet Daniel well-knew the Tigris River, first as an exile of Judah held by the Babylonians (see Daniel's Knowledge Of Wisdom And Science and Nebuchadnezzar's Dream Of The World To Come), then by the Persians (Persia is known today as Iran) after they conquered the empire and the territory of Babylon (see The Hand Writing On The Wall). It was the Persians, in the time of their King Cyrus, who permitted and assisted the people of Judah to return to Jerusalem (see The Prophecies Of Cyrus of Persia).

"10:1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia [see Israel In History and Prophecy: Babylon and Persia] a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision." (Daniel 10:1 KJV)

Daniel was a faithful and humble prophet of the LORD (see The Identity Of The LORD God and The LORD God Our Saviour) who frequently found himself overwhelmed by what he saw in the prophetic visions (see The Seventy Sevens In History And Prophecy and The Ram And He Goat Of Persia And Greece also The Beasts And The Little Big Horn), or by the appearance of powerful angels, such as Gabriel.

"10:2 In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. 10:3 I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.

10:4 And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel; 10:5 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen [see also Linen In History And Prophecy], whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: 10:6 His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude." (Daniel 10:2-6 KJV)

While others were present, "Daniel alone saw the vision."

"10:7 And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. 10:8 Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength. 10:9 Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground." (Daniel 10:7-9 KJV)

As recorded in the Holy Scriptures, there were very few people that the LORD declared as highly-regarded in His Sight; Daniel was one of them, "a man greatly beloved." Notice as well that Daniel's prayers were heard by the LORD because "from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words" (see How To Pray).

"10:10 And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands. 10:11 And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling.

10:12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. 10:13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. 10:14 Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days." (Daniel 10:10-14 KJV)

Gabriel then prepared Daniel for the spectacular prophecy that he was about to receive: "O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong."

"10:15 And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb. 10:16 And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength. 10:17 For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me.

10:18 Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me, 10:19 And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong.

And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me." (Daniel 10:15-19 KJV)

The beginning of the prophecy was in Daniel's own time:

"10:20 Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come. 10:21 But I will show thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince." (Daniel 10:20-21 KJV)

The end-time prophecy of the "king of the north" and "the king of the south" then followed. It is the subject of the next study, for Daniel 11.

Fact Finder: Abraham was born in Babylon (see A Biography Of Abraham: From Ur To Canaan), where Daniel was exiled and received the prophecies from the LORD that are recorded in the book of Daniel. Who were Abraham's "seed"?
See Israel In History and Prophecy: Roots and Branches and Abraham's Seed: From The Nile To The Euphrates