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| 1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, a thing is revealed to Daniel, whose name is called Belteshazzar, and the thing [is] true, and the warfare [is] great: and he hath understood the thing, and hath understanding about the appearance. |
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| 2 'In those days, I, Daniel, have been mourning three weeks of days; |
Mourning three full weeks – Because of his inability to understand. R1866:4
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| 3 desirable bread I have not eaten, and flesh and wine hath not come in unto my mouth, and I have not anointed myself at all, till the completion of three weeks of days. |
No pleasant bread – Representing self-denial and deadness to the world, which should be the attitude of all true believers at all times. R2022:4
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| 4 'And in the twenty and fourth day of the first month, I have been by the side of the great river, that [is] Hiddekel: |
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| 5 and I lift up mine eyes, and look, and lo, a certain one clothed in linen, and his loins girt with pure gold of Uphaz, |
A certain man – An angel in his glorious spirit body. A183
An angel can also assume a human body of flesh. R1952:3
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| 6 and his body as a beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet as the aspect of bright brass, and the voice of his words as the voice of a multitude. |
Body – A spiritual body, as described here and in Rev. 1:13-15, is very nice; and we shall be "fashioned like unto his (Christ's) glorious body." (Phil. 3:21) R119:6, R315:6*
Like the beryl – Spiritual bodies are glorious in their normal condition. R18:3, R261:6, R579:1; HG28:6
Eyes as lamps – Expressive of their piercing brightness. "The Lord seeth not as man seeth." (1 Sam. 16:7) R388:6*
Polished brass – Fine brass, as it burns in a furnace, so bright that you can scarcely look at it. R18:4, R261:6
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| 7 'And I have seen I, Daniel, by myself the appearance: and the men who have been with me have not seen the appearance, but a great trembling hath fallen on them, and they flee to be hidden; |
I Daniel alone saw – Without a miracle, either by opening our eyes to see them, or their appearing in the flesh as men, spiritual bodies are invisible. R579:1, R18:4, R262:1; A183
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| 8 and I have been left by myself, and I see this great appearance, and there hath been no power left in me, and my honour hath been turned in me to corruption, yea, I have not retained power. |
No strength in me – Had our Lord appeared after his resurrection in the glory of the spirit body, the glory would have been greater than the witnesses could have borne. B124
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| 9 'And I hear the voice of his words, and when I hear the voice of his words, then I have been in a trance on my face, and my face [is] to the earth; |
Toward the ground – Daniel fell as a dead man. R18:4, R261:6
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| 10 and lo, a hand hath come against me, and shaketh me on my knees and the palms of my hands. |
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| 11 'And he saith unto me: Daniel, man greatly desired, attend to the words that I am speaking unto thee, and stand on thy station, for now I have been sent unto thee. 'And when he speaketh with me this word, I have stood trembling. |
Man greatly beloved – Margin: "man of desires." R2022:4
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| 12 And he saith unto me: Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that thou didst give thy heart to understand, and to humble thyself before thy God, thy words have been heard, and I have come because of thy words. |
From the first day – Not the end of the third week. R1866:4
At the beginning of our supplications God begins to shape circumstances to work out the intended blessing for us. R1866:4
"Before they call (reading the desire of the heart even before it finds expression in words) I will answer (begin to shape events to bring the answer sooner or later); and while they are yet speaking I will hear." (Isa. 65:23, 24) R1866:5
To chasten thyself – Sought, by the practice of self-denial, to bring himself into a special condition of heart and mind pleasing to God. R2022:4
How many prayers are not heard, or are hindered, because the one who asks does not first purify himself of evil in his own heart? R1866:5
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| 13 'And the head of the kingdom of Persia is standing over-against me twenty and one days, and lo, Michael, first of the chief heads, hath come in to help me, and I have remained there near the kings of Persia; |
Withstood me – Either invisibly present with him, or else appearing as a man. R579:1[R579], R262:1[R262:1], R18:4[R18:10]; A184[A183:3]
But, lo, Michael – Christ. D414[D414:1]
The superior of Gabriel. R490:4[R490]
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| 14 and I have come to cause thee to understand that which doth happen to thy people in the latter end of the days, for yet the vision [is] after days. |
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| 15 'And when he speaketh with me about these things, I have set my face toward the earth, and have been silent; |
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| 16 and lo, as the manner of the sons of men, he is striking against my lips, and I open my mouth, and I speak, and say unto him who is standing over-against me: My lord, by the appearance turned have been my pangs against me, and I have retained no power. |
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| 17 And how is the servant of this my lord able to speak with this my lord as for me, henceforth there remaineth in me no power, yea, breath hath not been left in me. |
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| 18 'And he addeth, and striketh against me, as the appearance of a man, and strengtheneth me, |
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| 19 and he saith: Do not fear, O man greatly desired, peace to thee, be strong, yea, be strong; and when he speaketh with me, I have strengthened myself, and I say, Let my lord speak, for thou hast strengthened me. |
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| 20 And he saith, Hast thou known why I have come unto thee and now I turn back to fight with the head of Persia; yea, I am going forth, and lo, the head of Javan hath come; |
Knowest thou – Or, Thou knowest. HG61:6
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| 21 but I declare to thee that which is noted down in the Writing of Truth, and there is not one strengthening himself with me, concerning these, except Michael your head. |
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