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The opening revelation of Dan. 10: forbids the success of all human schemes for peace
and world improvement. The true sense is disguised in the A.V. under the translation:
"but the time appointed (tsaba) was long." The Companion Bible corrects this by
translating: "but (concerned) a long warfare", and Rotherham's version renders the
clause: "a great warfare." The same word, which we translate here "warfare", occurs in
Numb. 31: 3, 4, 5, 6, where it is consistently rendered "war".
The word tsaba in Dan. 10: 1 is translated elsewhere in Daniel by the word "host"
(8: 10, 11, 12, 13), and is used in the title of the Lord, "The Lord of Hosts". Again in
Isa. 40: 2 the A.V. itself endorses the translation of Dan. 10: 1 suggested above, "Her
warfare is accomplished", by adopting it.
Israel's warfare will be accomplished when Dan. 9: is fulfilled, and the theme of
Dan. 10:-12: is stated by the angel to be "warfare, great". A warfare not only on earth, but
in heaven, a warfare waged not only between armies of flesh and blood, but among
principalities and powers. Rev. xii, with its "war in heaven", finds its place in these
chapters. The war with the Lamb of Rev. 17: 14 finds its place here too. The war of
the beast against the two witnesses of Rev. 11: 7, the war of the dragon against the seed
of the woman of Rev. 12: 17, and the war with the saints of Rev. 13: 7 are all included
in this "warfare, great".
There is special interest here for those who see their calling defined in the epistle to
the Ephesians, for the veil is removed for a moment, and a glimpse is given of those
mighty "principalities and powers, world-holders of this darkness, spiritual wickedness",
who are the foes of all who seek to press on with the prize of the high calling of God in
view.
We are told that from the first day that Daniel set his heart to understand, and to
chasten himself before his God, his words were heard, and a heavenly messenger was
sent to make the truth known (Dan. 10: 12), yet we learn from verses 2 and 3 that Daniel
mourned and fasted for three weeks before the message was delivered. Had no
explanation of this long delay been given, we might have ventured upon a variety of
conjectures, all of which would most likely have been false. But the heavenly messenger
makes known the reason for the delay. Let us first of all get some idea of the glory of
this messenger, and then the character of his opponent will be the better understood:--
"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: 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" (Dan. 10: 5, 6).
The close parallel with the description of the Lord found in Rev. 1: will be apparent
to every reader. The effect, too, upon Daniel is not unlike that upon John. John fell at
the feet of the Lord as "dead". Daniel's' strength vanished, his comeliness turned into
corruption, and he became in a deep sleep with his face toward the ground.