Daniel 10 NRSV
In the third year of King Cyrus of Persia, a word was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar. The word was true, and it concerned a great conflict. He understood the word, having received understanding in the vision.
2 At that time, I, Daniel, had been mourning for three weeks. 3 I had eaten no rich food, no meat or wine had entered my mouth, and I had not anointed myself at all, for the full three weeks. 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 looked up and saw a man clothed in linen, with a belt of gold from Uphaz around his waist. 6 His body was like beryl, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the roar of a multitude. 7 I, Daniel, alone saw the vision; the people who were with me did not see the vision, though a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled and hid themselves. 8 So I was left alone to see this great vision. My strength left me, and my complexion grew deathly pale, and I retained no strength. 9 When I heard the sound of his words, I fell into a trance, face to the ground.
10 But then a hand touched me and roused me to my hands and knees. 11 He said to me, “Daniel, greatly beloved, pay attention to the words that I am going to speak to you. Stand on your feet, for I have now been sent to you.” So while he was speaking this word to me, I stood up trembling. 12 He said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me twenty-one days. So Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, and I left him there with the prince of the kingdom of Persia 14 and have come to help you understand what is to happen to your people at the end of days. For there is a further vision for those days.”
15 While he was speaking these words to me, I turned my face toward the ground and was speechless. 16 Then one in human form touched my lips, and I opened my mouth to speak and said to the one who stood before me, “My lord, because of the vision, such pains have come upon me that I retain no strength.17 How can my lord’s servant talk with my lord? For I am exhausted; no strength remains in me, and no breath is left in me.”
18 Again, one in human form touched me and strengthened me. 19 He said, “Do not fear, greatly beloved; you are safe. Be strong and courageous!” When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.” 20 Then he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? Now I must return to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I am through with him, the prince of Greece will come. 21 But I am to tell you what is inscribed in the book of truth. There is no one with me who contends against these princes except Michael, your prince.
Introduction
What does it mean to stand before the presence of the Living God? Throughout Scripture, we find moments when God’s holiness breaks into human history, leaving those who encounter Him trembling, speechless, and forever changed. Today, we turn our gaze to three such moments: Daniel’s vision by the Tigris, John’s encounter on Patmos, and Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus. Each offers a distinct window into the awe that God’s presence rightly inspires—a reverence that is both humbling and transformative. Daniel 10 launches the final vision cycle of Daniel’s book, serving as the prelude to chapters 11 and 12. This chapter is foundational for understanding the spiritual realities underlying redemptive historical events, God’s sovereign work, and the theology of Jewish and Christian writings in 2nd Temple Israel.
Daniel’s Vision: The Veil Lifted
Let us begin in Daniel 10, as the aged prophet mourns and fasts beside the river. His vision occurs “in the third year of Cyrus king of Persia” (Daniel 10:1), placing this event around 536 B.C., after the first Jewish exiles returned to Jerusalem (cf. Ezra 1). Daniel, though esteemed by those in authority, remains burdened for his people and the yet unfulfilled promises. As he is beside the river with others, the heavens open, and only Daniel beholds a “man clothed in linen, with a belt of gold from Uphaz around his waist.” The description is vivid: a body like beryl, a face like lightning, eyes like flaming torches, arms and legs gleaming like burnished bronze, and a voice like the roar of a multitude. Daniel collapses in weakness, overwhelmed by the weight of divine glory.
- Point of interest: Uphaz is not a known place; it may refer to a type of fine Gold. Beryl is a blue/green topaz that is translucent.
- Notice: Daniel is not alone. His companions, though blind to the vision, are seized with terror and flee. The mere proximity to the divine is enough to undo them.
- Daniel must be touched and strengthened; twice a hand lifts him from the ground, twice he is told, “Do not fear, greatly beloved; you are safe. Be strong and courageous!”
Here, God peels back the curtain, revealing the cosmic struggle and His sovereign hand at work. The encounter is not merely for information, but for transformation—to strengthen, to commission, and to assure Daniel of God’s purposes.
John’s Vision: The Glory Revealed
Centuries later, on the lonely island of Patmos, John receives his vision (Revelation 1:12–17). He sees “one like a son of man,” (Daniel 7) clothed with a long robe and a golden sash. His hair is white as wool, His eyes like a flame of fire, His feet are like burnished bronze, and His voice is like the sound of many waters. In his right hand, he held seven stars, and from his mouth came a sharp, two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining with full force. When John beholds Him, he falls at His feet as though dead.
- The parallels to Daniel are unmistakable: the linen garments, the radiant countenance, the thunderous voice. But here, it is Christ Himself—exalted, reigning, victorious over death and the powers of hell.
- As with Daniel, John is strengthened by a gentle touch and a word: “Fear not, I am the First and the Last, and the Living One.”
The awe is not diminished by the passage of time or the coming of the New Covenant. If anything, it is intensified, for the Lamb who was slain is now the risen Lord of glory. There is no denying the impact of Daniel’s vision on the life of John. He understood who it was. He, like all good Jewish boys and girls, would have been raised on the story of Daniel and the Lion’s den. He would have known about Daniel’s visions.
Paul’s Encounter: The Light That Blinds and Calls
Now, let us consider Acts 9. Saul of Tarsus, zealous in his persecution, is struck down on the road to Damascus by a light “brighter than the sun.” He hears a voice, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” Trembling and blinded, he must be led by the hand, his pride shattered, his life upended. The presence of the Lord renders him powerless; only after three days of darkness and prayer is his sight restored, and his heart renewed.
- Like Daniel and John, Paul is undone—stripped of self-sufficiency, brought low by the majesty of Christ.
- He emerges not with mere information, but with a transformed heart—a vessel now fit for service, compelled by the love of Christ and the fear of the Lord.
Even though we get no description of Jesus when he visits Paul, we do see the result of his being in the presence of the divine. Paul falls to the ground, and the experience both physically and mentally changes him. One might imagine him seeing the blue/green topaz body of Christ standing before Paul. What a fantastic sight that would be!
Paul would go on to preach about this heavenly body. A Spirit Body is what you will become. In 1 Corinthians 15, he says, “There are both heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one thing, and that of the earthly is another” (v.40). He goes on to say that in the resurrection we will be given a Spiritual Body. What Daniel and John describe, using the best words they have, Paul preaches using the best analogy he has. But the good news is the same: God is with us, and those who are faithful will be with Christ in Heaven.
The Reformed Lens: The Holiness and Nearness of God
Reformed theology teaches us to approach God with humility, awe, and confidence in His sovereignty. Calvin writes about Daniel 10 that “God does not permit us to see the hidden conflict of angels, but here He lifts the veil, so we should not be discouraged by the course of history.” Matthew Henry reminds us that Daniel’s fasting and prayers procured him this heavenly visit—not by merit, but by grace. Daniel is told that Michael has fought the Prince of Persia. This is a direct reference to cosmic battles, just like John describes in Revelation.
- We are reminded in these visions that God is utterly holy, infinitely glorious, and altogether beyond our grasp. Yet, in mercy, He stoops to strengthen the weak, to speak peace to the fearful, and to commission the humble.
- These encounters are not for our entertainment, nor for our pride, but for the deepening of our worship and the shaping of our lives in the likeness of Christ.
Seeking God’s Presence: A Call to Action
To encounter God is to be transformed—Scripture shows that those who truly seek Him are never the same. Daniel, John, and Paul were humbled and renewed in the presence of Christ. Their stories urge us not to settle for comfort but to actively pursue God’s presence with reverence, humility, and faith.
Don’t wait for visions or dramatic signs. Instead, let us tremble at His Word, rejoice in His sovereignty, and pray earnestly for the Spirit’s power. God draws near to the lowly and lifts those who seek Him wholeheartedly. Now is the time to surrender pride, embrace Christ’s love, and become servant leaders in our communities.
May the Lord grant us eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts ready to worship—until the day we stand before Him. Believe the good news, seek God’s will and influence, and be in awe, forever changed by our God’s amazing Presence. AMEN!
Bibliography
Beale G.K. ( New International Greek Testament Commentary) G. K. Beale The Book Of Revelation A Commentary On The Greek Text William B Eerdmans ( 1998) [Online] // Internet Archive. – 2024. – August 10, 2025. – https://archive.org/details/new-international-greek-testament-commentary-g.-k.-beale-the-book-of-revelation-.
Calvin John Calvin: Institutes of the Christian Religion [Book] / ed. McNeill, John T. / trans. Battles Ford Lewis. – Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1960. – Vol. I:II: pp. 197-237.
Calvin John Comm on Daniel (V2) [Online] // ccel.org / ed. Pantinga Harry. – Calvin University, 1993-2020. – August 10, 2025. – https://ccel.org/ccel/calvin/calcom25/calcom25.i.html.
Henry Matthew Daniel 10 [Online] // Bible Study Tools. – Salem Media Group, 2025. – August 10, 2025. – https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/daniel/10.html.
Meeks Wayne A. [et al.] The Harper Collins Study Bible, New Revised Standard Version with the Apocryphal and Deuterocanonical Books // NRSV Bible. – New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1993.
NRSVue // Holy Bible w/ With Deuterocanonical/Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament. – Washington, D.C.: Zondervan, 2021. – Vol. Updated Edition. – National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America.
Rev. Rob Jones 