About 537 B.C., two years after the issuing of the decree by Cyrus to release the captives of Israel that they might return to the land of their forefathers and rebuild the temple (Ezra 1:1-4). See note Dan. 1:21¹.

Or, conflict, warfare. The main subject of the vision in this chapter concerning the destiny of Israel is the great distress, which came upon Israel because of a war between the king of the south (Egypt) and the king of the north (Syria). The two kings waged war against each other on Israel’s land, using it as a thoroughfare to invade each other (Dan. 11:2-35). These wars were a distress, a trial, to the children of Israel. This was especially true of the war that was waged by Antiochus Epiphanes, king of Syria, a descendant of one of the four successors of Alexander the Great and a full type of Antichrist. This was a severe trial sent by God to His chosen people because they had become corrupt after their return from captivity.

For twenty-one days Daniel, a man on the earth, set his heart to understand the future, the destiny, of Israel (vv. 2-3, 12).

I.e., the Tigris.

Before the vision concerning the destiny of Israel was unveiled to Daniel, he was given a vision of the spiritual scene that is behind the physical situation (Dan. 10:2—11:1). In this spiritual scene Christ is preeminent; hence, He is revealed first (vv. 4-9). Here the excellent Christ appeared to Daniel as a man for his appreciation, consolation, encouragement, expectation, and stabilization (cf. note Gen. 18:2¹ and note Judg. 13:6^1a). He appeared to Daniel with many wonderful characteristics. First, He appeared as a Priest in His humanity, signified by the linen robe (Exo. 28:31-35), to care for His chosen people in their captivity. Second, He appeared to Daniel in His kingship in His divinity, signified by the girdle of gold, for ruling over all the peoples. Furthermore, for His people’s appreciation Christ appeared in His preciousness and dignity, as signified by His body being like beryl (v. 6a). The Hebrew word for beryl could refer to a bluish-green or yellow precious stone, signifying that Christ in His embodiment is divine (yellow), full of life (green), and heavenly (blue). Christ also appeared in His brightness for shining over the people, as signified by His face being like the appearance of lightning (v. 6b), and in His enlightening sight for searching and judging, as signified by His eyes being like torches of fire (v. 6c). Moreover, Christ appeared in the gleam of His work and move, as signified by His arms and His feet being like the gleam of polished bronze (v. 6d). Finally, Christ appeared to Daniel in His strong speaking for judging people, as signified by the sound of His words being like the sound of a multitude (v. 6e). As a man, the very centrality and universality of God’s move on earth for the carrying out of His economy, such a Christ is precious, valuable, complete, and perfect. Cf. Rev. 1:13-16 and notes.

Because the vision of Christ was spiritual, not physical, it was seen only by Daniel and not by those who relied on their physical sight. In seeing the vision of Christ, the physical view avails nothing (cf. Matt. 16:16-17; Acts 9:1-9; Gal. 1:15-16).

Lit., to destruction.

After the vision of Christ, an angelic messenger (he might have been Gabriel — Dan. 8:16; 9:21; cf. Luke 1:19, 26) came to Daniel in answer to his prayer (v. 12). He told Daniel that for twenty-one days he himself had been fighting against the prince of the kingdom of Persia (v. 13, cf. v. 20a), probably an evil spirit, a rebellious angel, who followed Satan in his rebellion against God (Rev. 12:4, 9b) and who was commissioned by Satan to help Persia. Thus, while Daniel was praying during those days, a spiritual struggle was taking place in the air between two spirits, one belonging to Satan and the other belonging to God. Another evil spirit, the prince of Greece (Javan), was about to come (v. 20b). Only the archangel Michael, a prince fighting for Israel, fought together with the angelic messenger against the evil spirits (vv. 13, 21; cf. Jude 1:9). Moreover, the angelic messenger stood up to support and strengthen Darius the Mede in the first year of his reign in order that he might receive the kingdom (Dan. 11:1; 5:30-31). All this indicates that behind the physical scene a spiritual struggle, an invisible spiritual war, was taking place (cf. Eph. 6:10-20). See note Isa. 14:12¹, par. 2.

I.e., Greece.