ASSEMBLIES OF GOD, NIGERIA.
ADULTS SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON 4,
JULY - DECEMBER, 2023.
SUNDAY, 23RD JULY, 2023.
Topic: SPIRITUAL FORCES IN HIGH PLACES
Memory Verse: Daniel 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.
Central Truth
God is supreme over all spiritual forces.
The Lesson Outline
1. Daniel's Vision
A. Daniel Humbles Himself - Daniel 10:1-3.
B. A Messenger Appears to Daniel - Daniel 10:4-8.
2. Daniel Encounters a Heavenly Visitor
A. l Have Been Sent to You" - Daniel 10:9-11.
B. Don't Be Afraid, Daniel" - Daniel 10:12.
3. Spiritual Forces at Work
A. Spiritual Powers Clash - Daniel 10:13-19.
B. More Battles Are Coming - Daniel 10:20-21.
Learning Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. Recognise that there are spiritual forces behind earthly powers.
2. Appreciate that spiritual warfare is a natural part of living out the Christian life.
3. Be challenged to submit to the authority of Jesus Christ no matter the battles they face.
Introducing the Lesson
Daniel 10 begins a passage (chapters 10-12) recording the final of four visions that describe events leading up to the coming of Christ and the end times. (These visions record the future with such accuracy that theologians who deny divine inspiration of Scripture insist that Daniel was written centuries after its actual date because they cannot believe he could have been this accurate.)
In this vision, Daniel was told of a severe spiritual battle. Amid this struggle, we are reminded of the nature and character of Satan and the demonic realm. We also gain a sense of the kinds of unseen struggles taking place as we seek victory over satanic forces.
We must grasp the nature of such battles. In gaining this understanding, we are reminded that while the battle is very real; God will bring the victory, for He is supreme over all spiritual forces.
Holy Scriptures
Daniel 10:2-3,5,6,8-13.
God is supreme over all spiritual forces.
The Lesson Outline
1. Daniel's Vision
A. Daniel Humbles Himself - Daniel 10:1-3.
B. A Messenger Appears to Daniel - Daniel 10:4-8.
2. Daniel Encounters a Heavenly Visitor
A. l Have Been Sent to You" - Daniel 10:9-11.
B. Don't Be Afraid, Daniel" - Daniel 10:12.
3. Spiritual Forces at Work
A. Spiritual Powers Clash - Daniel 10:13-19.
B. More Battles Are Coming - Daniel 10:20-21.
Learning Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. Recognise that there are spiritual forces behind earthly powers.
2. Appreciate that spiritual warfare is a natural part of living out the Christian life.
3. Be challenged to submit to the authority of Jesus Christ no matter the battles they face.
Introducing the Lesson
Daniel 10 begins a passage (chapters 10-12) recording the final of four visions that describe events leading up to the coming of Christ and the end times. (These visions record the future with such accuracy that theologians who deny divine inspiration of Scripture insist that Daniel was written centuries after its actual date because they cannot believe he could have been this accurate.)
In this vision, Daniel was told of a severe spiritual battle. Amid this struggle, we are reminded of the nature and character of Satan and the demonic realm. We also gain a sense of the kinds of unseen struggles taking place as we seek victory over satanic forces.
We must grasp the nature of such battles. In gaining this understanding, we are reminded that while the battle is very real; God will bring the victory, for He is supreme over all spiritual forces.
Holy Scriptures
Daniel 10:2-3,5,6,8-13.
[2] In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks.
[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.
[5] Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz:
[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.
[5] Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz:
[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.
[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.
[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.
[10] And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands.
[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.
[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.
[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.
[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.
[10] And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands.
[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.
[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.
[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.
Commentary And Application
1. Daniel's Vision
A. Daniel Humbles Himself - Daniel 10:1-3.
1. Daniel's Vision
A. Daniel Humbles Himself - Daniel 10:1-3.
Daniel 10 opens by giving the time frame for the vision Daniel was about to receive.
The third year of the reign of King Cyrus of Persia was approximately 536 BC, significant because so much of what Daniel prophesied throughout his Book represented specific details of things that had not happened yet, including the rise and fall of kings and empires. Note also that Daniel wrote from Babylon during the Babylonian Exile of Judah. This is why he had been given the Babylonian name of Belteshazzar, which was derived from the name of a pagan god (see Daniel 4:4-8; conversely, the name "Daniel" means "God is my judge): Truly, Daniel lived in a time and place of great spiritual challenge during those days of exile.
Daniel 10:2-3 goes on to describe how Daniel was personally moved and impacted by the vision he had received. (One might see these first three verses as an introduction to what follows.)
Three weeks of mourning was often associated with how people would lament the death of a loved one. Unsurprisingly, Daniel's mourning was accompanied by intense, heartfelt prayer.
Daniel abstained from certain foods, as well as some matters of personal care, during this intense time of prayer. He was clearly consumed by the desire to intercede for God's people that they as a nation would survive and continue to carry out their mission of fulfilling God's purposes.
Already, more than 42,000 people had returned to Jerusalem from exile, with Zerubbabel, and had reinstated worship at the site of the temple (see Ezra 2).
No doubt Daniel deeply desired to see the nation continue in worship until the coming of the Messiah. Furthermore, he may have heard that construction on the temple had stopped (see Ezra 4) and had become disappointed. It is easy, then, to imagine why Daniel was so fervent in his intercession.
Questions for Application
What words might you use to describe what Daniel's emotions seem to be in Daniel 10:1-3?
Describe a time when you fervently sought the Lord. Why were you praying, and how did you feel during this time of intercession?
B. A Messenger Appears to Daniel - Daniel 10:4-8.
Daniel 10:4 provides us with the date and place of this vision: It was the twenty-fourth day of Nisan, the first month of the Hebrew lunar calendar, during the third year of Cyrus (verse 1). As a result, we can derive that this likely happened on April 23, 536 BC, on the bank of the Tigris River. We also learn that Daniel was away from the city of Babylon, in the eastern part of Mesopotamia, in what is now southeastern Iraq.
Suddenly, a man appeared before Daniel. Clearly this man was more than a human being. It has been noted that verses 56 may be the most vivid description of an angel in Scripture (compare with Judges 13:6; Luke 24:4: Acts 1:10).
This angel was clothed in white linen (a sign of purity), he shone with a luminous glow of a precious stone (beryl, KJV, was a stone with a aquamarine colour). The details of the angel's appearance speak of him having great power.
Further adding to the drama of this moment, we learn that while Daniel was not alone, only he could see the vision that was unfolding before him.
However, others clearly sensed that something incredible was going on, and they fled in fear. Verses 7-8, then, might remind us of the story of Paul's conversion (see Acts 9:1-20), as the men with Daniel only had a vague sense of what was happening.
This scene reminds us that God's people must be spiritually alert, walking with God to the extent that he or she can sense God's workings. And so, Daniel was left alone in the presence of this mighty angel. We might be interested to observe that such an experience left him weak and pale (similar to what happened to Daniel in 8:27, after an encounter with the angel Gabriel).
The Book of Daniel is certainly one of the most dramatic books in Scripture, from the basic perspective of human experiences, and chapter 10 is a prime example. However, it might leave us wondering what we are to do with what we are reading. How should we absorb this?
How might we understand the relevance of this drama in the life of a great man of God in light of our own lives?
Daniel reminds us that, as people of God, we exist between two realms. We live in this natural world, but we must always seek to perceive the spiritual world as well.
This becomes important as the Spirit of God moves in our lives, directing and empowering us. But this "dual residency' of the material and supernatural worlds also reminds us that there are spiritual battles happening all around us. We must be a people who are willing to humble ourselves in the presence of God, recognising that the battle belongs to Him.
At the same time, we know that we will ourselves confront evil forces –and even evil ideas and temptations –in the strength of the Lord. We must be ready to exist and thrive in this spiritual realm.
Questions for Application
How can we become better prepared to walk as God's people in the spiritual realm as well as the physical realm?
What does it mean to be humble before the Lord and to entrust every battle to Him?
2. Daniel Encounters a Heavenly Visitor
A. I Have Been Sent to You - Daniel 10:9-11.
Daniel 10:9-12 records the magnificent angel speaking to Daniel, as well as Daniel's response.
As the angel began, Daniel fell to the ground on his face and entered a kind of comatose state. It appears that the solemn trauma and overwhelming emotion of the angel's appearance, perhaps combined with Daniel's three-week fast, greatly affected him.
Such an experience was not new to Daniel. A similar experience is seen in Daniel 8:18, 27. Daniel 8 describes the critical vision of the ram and the male goat that foretold of Alexander the Great and the Greek Empire with amazing precision and detail.
God was doing incredible things through the life of Daniel –providing visions that described the future and thus declared the glory of the Lord.
Daniel's deep sleep was temporary, however, as he was stirred by the very touch of the angel-a touch that left him trembling (10:11). Once again we are reminded that the visitor was an angel, and not a mere human being. Daniel was renewed, preparing him for the incredible supernatural experience that was to come.
We can learn much from Daniel's experience. We will not encounter the kinds of visions he had, or be overwhelmed by a mighty angel, but we do live in world surrounded by the Supernatural.
May we, like Daniel, be sensitive to the move of the Lord and receptive to what He may want to say to us, or do through us.
Questions for Application
How can studying Bible prophecy in the light of history strengthen our faith?
What are some ways our lives might change when God says something to us or does something through us?
B. Don't Be Afraid, Daniel - Daniel 10:12.
The angel's message to Daniel might be called a "good news/bad news" situation. Daniel 10:12 provides some marvellous news to the prophet.
This great angel informed Daniel of what had been happening in heaven during the three weeks he had been in prayer –and the description was surely a blessing to Daniel.
God had heard the desire of Daniel's heart, and that desire was about to be answered. However, it is important to see what undergirded his request. Note the focus of Daniel's prayer:
He asked God for understanding. He did not pray that God would cause things to go the way he thought they should go. Such a prayer called for trust in the midst of difficult spiritual battles.
Second, Daniel prayed in humility. He recognised who he was in comparison to God. He knew that God is in control and worthy of all trust. And so, even amid all the trials of exile, and the emotional turmoil of the visions he was seeing, Daniel did not lose his sense of God's greatness and his need to place himself and the people in His hands.
The battle was taking place on a spiritual plane, ultimately, and the God he served was greater than any other spiritual forces.
The third year of the reign of King Cyrus of Persia was approximately 536 BC, significant because so much of what Daniel prophesied throughout his Book represented specific details of things that had not happened yet, including the rise and fall of kings and empires. Note also that Daniel wrote from Babylon during the Babylonian Exile of Judah. This is why he had been given the Babylonian name of Belteshazzar, which was derived from the name of a pagan god (see Daniel 4:4-8; conversely, the name "Daniel" means "God is my judge): Truly, Daniel lived in a time and place of great spiritual challenge during those days of exile.
Daniel 10:2-3 goes on to describe how Daniel was personally moved and impacted by the vision he had received. (One might see these first three verses as an introduction to what follows.)
Three weeks of mourning was often associated with how people would lament the death of a loved one. Unsurprisingly, Daniel's mourning was accompanied by intense, heartfelt prayer.
Daniel abstained from certain foods, as well as some matters of personal care, during this intense time of prayer. He was clearly consumed by the desire to intercede for God's people that they as a nation would survive and continue to carry out their mission of fulfilling God's purposes.
Already, more than 42,000 people had returned to Jerusalem from exile, with Zerubbabel, and had reinstated worship at the site of the temple (see Ezra 2).
No doubt Daniel deeply desired to see the nation continue in worship until the coming of the Messiah. Furthermore, he may have heard that construction on the temple had stopped (see Ezra 4) and had become disappointed. It is easy, then, to imagine why Daniel was so fervent in his intercession.
Questions for Application
What words might you use to describe what Daniel's emotions seem to be in Daniel 10:1-3?
Describe a time when you fervently sought the Lord. Why were you praying, and how did you feel during this time of intercession?
B. A Messenger Appears to Daniel - Daniel 10:4-8.
Daniel 10:4 provides us with the date and place of this vision: It was the twenty-fourth day of Nisan, the first month of the Hebrew lunar calendar, during the third year of Cyrus (verse 1). As a result, we can derive that this likely happened on April 23, 536 BC, on the bank of the Tigris River. We also learn that Daniel was away from the city of Babylon, in the eastern part of Mesopotamia, in what is now southeastern Iraq.
Suddenly, a man appeared before Daniel. Clearly this man was more than a human being. It has been noted that verses 56 may be the most vivid description of an angel in Scripture (compare with Judges 13:6; Luke 24:4: Acts 1:10).
This angel was clothed in white linen (a sign of purity), he shone with a luminous glow of a precious stone (beryl, KJV, was a stone with a aquamarine colour). The details of the angel's appearance speak of him having great power.
Further adding to the drama of this moment, we learn that while Daniel was not alone, only he could see the vision that was unfolding before him.
However, others clearly sensed that something incredible was going on, and they fled in fear. Verses 7-8, then, might remind us of the story of Paul's conversion (see Acts 9:1-20), as the men with Daniel only had a vague sense of what was happening.
This scene reminds us that God's people must be spiritually alert, walking with God to the extent that he or she can sense God's workings. And so, Daniel was left alone in the presence of this mighty angel. We might be interested to observe that such an experience left him weak and pale (similar to what happened to Daniel in 8:27, after an encounter with the angel Gabriel).
The Book of Daniel is certainly one of the most dramatic books in Scripture, from the basic perspective of human experiences, and chapter 10 is a prime example. However, it might leave us wondering what we are to do with what we are reading. How should we absorb this?
How might we understand the relevance of this drama in the life of a great man of God in light of our own lives?
Daniel reminds us that, as people of God, we exist between two realms. We live in this natural world, but we must always seek to perceive the spiritual world as well.
This becomes important as the Spirit of God moves in our lives, directing and empowering us. But this "dual residency' of the material and supernatural worlds also reminds us that there are spiritual battles happening all around us. We must be a people who are willing to humble ourselves in the presence of God, recognising that the battle belongs to Him.
At the same time, we know that we will ourselves confront evil forces –and even evil ideas and temptations –in the strength of the Lord. We must be ready to exist and thrive in this spiritual realm.
Questions for Application
How can we become better prepared to walk as God's people in the spiritual realm as well as the physical realm?
What does it mean to be humble before the Lord and to entrust every battle to Him?
2. Daniel Encounters a Heavenly Visitor
A. I Have Been Sent to You - Daniel 10:9-11.
Daniel 10:9-12 records the magnificent angel speaking to Daniel, as well as Daniel's response.
As the angel began, Daniel fell to the ground on his face and entered a kind of comatose state. It appears that the solemn trauma and overwhelming emotion of the angel's appearance, perhaps combined with Daniel's three-week fast, greatly affected him.
Such an experience was not new to Daniel. A similar experience is seen in Daniel 8:18, 27. Daniel 8 describes the critical vision of the ram and the male goat that foretold of Alexander the Great and the Greek Empire with amazing precision and detail.
God was doing incredible things through the life of Daniel –providing visions that described the future and thus declared the glory of the Lord.
Daniel's deep sleep was temporary, however, as he was stirred by the very touch of the angel-a touch that left him trembling (10:11). Once again we are reminded that the visitor was an angel, and not a mere human being. Daniel was renewed, preparing him for the incredible supernatural experience that was to come.
We can learn much from Daniel's experience. We will not encounter the kinds of visions he had, or be overwhelmed by a mighty angel, but we do live in world surrounded by the Supernatural.
May we, like Daniel, be sensitive to the move of the Lord and receptive to what He may want to say to us, or do through us.
Questions for Application
How can studying Bible prophecy in the light of history strengthen our faith?
What are some ways our lives might change when God says something to us or does something through us?
B. Don't Be Afraid, Daniel - Daniel 10:12.
The angel's message to Daniel might be called a "good news/bad news" situation. Daniel 10:12 provides some marvellous news to the prophet.
This great angel informed Daniel of what had been happening in heaven during the three weeks he had been in prayer –and the description was surely a blessing to Daniel.
God had heard the desire of Daniel's heart, and that desire was about to be answered. However, it is important to see what undergirded his request. Note the focus of Daniel's prayer:
He asked God for understanding. He did not pray that God would cause things to go the way he thought they should go. Such a prayer called for trust in the midst of difficult spiritual battles.
Second, Daniel prayed in humility. He recognised who he was in comparison to God. He knew that God is in control and worthy of all trust. And so, even amid all the trials of exile, and the emotional turmoil of the visions he was seeing, Daniel did not lose his sense of God's greatness and his need to place himself and the people in His hands.
The battle was taking place on a spiritual plane, ultimately, and the God he served was greater than any other spiritual forces.
Questions for Application
In what ways does the Lord strengthen believers when they are facing oppressive conditions?
How has God strengthened you in difficult times? What people, circumstances, or blessings has He brought your way?
3. Spiritual Forces at Work
A. Spiritual Powers Clash - Daniel 10:13-19.
Daniel 10:13 likely describes spiritual forces at work within the Persian government, which ruled over the exiles.
Scripture teaches that a demonic hierarchy exists (see Ephesians 1:21; 6:12; Colossians 2:15). In Daniel we see that the arch- angel Michael had joined in the battle, which allowed the messenger to come to Daniel, though delayed.
The message presented by this angel who came to Daniel in 10:13 concerned the future of Daniel's people (verse 14; the Jewish people). First the angel touched Daniel's lips, giving him strength to speak (verse 16).
Note also that Daniel humbly acknowledged the weakness he felt as a result of the vision. Battle in the spiritual realm clearly can have an impact, even on the strength of a human being. That the angel strengthened Daniel with a touch reminded him that he was loved and highly esteemed by God (see also verses 11,19).
While the battle of spiritual forces going on around him was very real, Daniel had no need to be fearful. He could instead find peace and strength from God (verses 17-19).
Questions for Application
Read Ephesians 6:12, and describe how a spiritual battle differs from a physical battle.
What can Ephesians 6:13-18 teach you about the way a believer prepares for the spiritual battles going on all around? (Note that much of the weaponry is defensive or protective; even the sword –the Word of God –is not made effective by us. We must keep in mind that the battle belongs to the Lord.)
B. More Battles Are Coming - Daniel 10:20-21.
The angel told Daniel that he had come to reveal what was written in the Book of Truth (Daniel 10:20-21; see verse 1). Elsewhere, Scripture mentions books of record written by God (see Daniel 12:1; also, Exodus 32:32; Psalm 69:28).
After delivering this message, the angel was to return to battle alongside Michael for the sake of the Jewish people. The messenger had been part of this ongoing struggle before, for he had assisted and strengthened Michael since the first year of the reign of Darius the Mede (Daniel 11:1).
This may be reference to Darius being favourably predisposed to the Jewish people as they were allowed to return to the Promised Land and rebuild the walls and temple at Jerusalem.
The mention of the prince of Greece joining the struggle (10:20) speaks Greece's role in future events, which further confirms the supernatural and prophetic nature of Daniel's ministry.
It is clear, then, that Daniel was given insight into the future including future kingdoms. However, he was also introduced to the concept of spiritual warfare between angelic beings and the demonic realm, a struggle that would continue unfolding of history.
This is a good reminder also surrounded by spiritual forces in high places-and we must think and act accordingly.
Questions for Application
How can knowing that there are unseen battles around us- battles that impact our lives as history unfolds affect our commitment to walk with God?
What have you observed to be common ways that spiritual battles can impact the lives of Christians? (For example, a Christian might face temptation or challenges to their faith because of circumstances. Or they might need to pray on behalf of a loved one who is not a follower of Jesus.
Call to Discipleship
God gave Daniel visions that revealed the intense spiritual battles raging around him. We also live amid unseen spiritual battles-a reminder that life in the last days will be difficult.
The spirit of Antichrist is already at work in this world (1 John 4:3). Rather than cower in fear, or compromise our beliefs, we can stand strong for Christ. By His grace we can live godly in an ungodly world, proclaiming Christ as we look for His return.
Ministry in Action
Examine your life, asking God to show you how you might walk more closely with Him. Find someone you know who is experiencing a battle, and take time to pray for and with that person. Pray that God will help you prepare for spiritual battles in the future.
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