INTRODUCTION:

Spiritual Beings and Spiritual Warfare are Real!

Ephesians 6:12 “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

Lucifer, himself, is an angelic being who rebelled against God!

Isaiah 14:12-15 (12) “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! (13) You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north;            (14) I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ (15) But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit.”

Ezekiel 28:11-17a (11) “Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me: (12) “Son of man, raise a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says the Lord God: “You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. (13) You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared. (14) You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked.

(15) You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you. (16) In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and I destroyed you, O guardian cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. (17a) Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground…”

When Lucifer fell from Heaven, 1/3 of the angels of Heaven fell with him. These fallen angels are now called demons!

Revelation 12:7-9 (7) “Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, (8) but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. (9) And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world⁠—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.”

Take careful note here: Godless leaders who oppose GOD, HIS people, and HIS plan for the world are empowered by demonic angelic beings! BUT !!! GOD’s people are protected and served by GOD’s holy angelic beings!

EXPOSITION:

10:1-3 The reality of spiritual warfare between the Holy and the fallen angels is real and even Daniel was shocked by it!

(1) “In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a word was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar. And the word was true, and it was a great conflict. And he understood the word and had understanding of the vision. (2) In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks.

(3) I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks.”

10:4-6 Angelic Beings, such as Gabriel seen here, are real and are very different from humans!

(4) “On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river (that is, the Tigris) (5) I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. (6) His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.”

10:7-9 Angelic Beings, even the Holy Angels sent to help us, (such as Gabriel seen here) are real and are terrifying!

 (7) “And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision, but a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves. (8) So I was left alone and saw this great vision, and no strength was left in me. My radiant appearance was fearfully changed, and I retained no strength.     (9) Then I heard the sound of his words, and as I heard the sound of his words, I fell on my face in deep sleep with my face to the ground.”

10:10-12, 15-19 The Holy Angels, such as Gabriel seen here, are sent to protect and to serve GOD’s people!

(10) “And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees.

(11) And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. (12) Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.”

(15) “When he had spoken to me according to these words, I turned my face toward the ground and was mute. (16) And behold, one in the likeness of the children of man touched my lips. Then I opened my mouth and spoke. I said to him who stood before me, “O my lord, by reason of the vision pains have come upon me, and I retain no strength. (17) How can my lord’s servant talk with my lord? For now no strength remains in me, and no breath is left in me.” (18)  Again one having the appearance of a man touched me strengthened me. (19) And he said, “O man greatly loved, fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.” And as he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”

10:13-14 Spiritual Warfare between the Holy Angels and fallen angels (called demons) is real, but the fallen angels cannot overcome the Holy Angels whom GOD sends to protect and to serve HIS People!

(13) “The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, (14) and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.”

10:20-21 Every godless world leader is empowered by these demonic fallen angels!

(20) “Then he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? But now I will return to fight against the prince of Persia; and when I go out, behold, the prince of Greece will come.

(21) But I will tell you what is inscribed in the book of truth: there is none who contends by my side against these except Michael, your prince.”

Amen.