Diving into Daniel: A Mourning Daniel is Terrified by a Vision
Daniel 10:1-9; Revelation 1:12-16; Ezekiel 1:26-28 Acts 9:3-9 - Who does Daniel see by the Tigris River?
“In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar; and the message was true and one of great conflict, but he understood the message and had an understanding of the vision.
In those days, I, Daniel, had been mourning for three entire weeks. I did not eat any tasty food, nor did meat or wine enter my mouth, nor did I use any ointment at all until the entire three weeks were completed. On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, while I was by the bank of the great river, that is, the Tigris, I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, there was a certain man dressed in linen, whose waist was girded with a belt of pure gold of Uphaz. His body also was like beryl, his face had the appearance of lightning, his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a tumult.
Now I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, while the men who were with me did not see the vision; nevertheless, a great dread fell on them, and they ran away to hide themselves. So I was left alone and saw this great vision; yet no strength was left in me, for my natural color turned to a deathly pallor, and I retained no strength. But I heard the sound of his words; and as soon as I heard the sound of his words, I fell into a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.”
Daniel 10:1-9 NASB1995
We have arrived at the fourth and final vision that is given to Daniel. This takes place over the last three chapters of the book. The first verse sounds like someone else is writing it, like an introduction to what Daniel experiences during the third year of Cyrus the King of Persia. This writing in the third person by Daniel before he converts to the first person was also seen in Daniel 7. Daniel 10 actually sets the stage for the long prophecy recorded in Daniel 11.
According to Bruce Hurt, compiler of the incredible resource Precept Austin, here is the historical context of this vision; links go back to Precept Austin or to the Biblical reference; Hurt has a good point on the modern church also refusing to step back from the world and return to a place of holiness:
About 2 years had passed since Daniel's prophecy of the Seventy Weeks in Da 9:24-27. Cyrus had issued the decree allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem in 538BC (Ezra 1:1, 2Chr 36:23, cf Isa 44:28, 45:1, 13 written ~150 years before Cyrus' decree! Is 44:6,7 is true!). And yet despite the decree of Cyrus granting the Jews in Babylon the freedom to return to their home, only 42,360 (+ 7337 servants + 200 singers = Ezra 2:64, 65; Neh 7:66) desired to return to Jerusalem (See study of remnant). Only a meager number wanted to return and this may well have been the cause of Daniel's mourning as he sensed the lack of concern in the hearts of most of his people. They had become acclimated to the profane in Babylon and no longer had a heart's desire for the holy in Jerusalem. Let us weep and mourn and plead for the modern church that has in so many instances fallen into the wiles and ways of the world, with so few desiring the ancient paths of God's Word (Jer 6:16, 18:15) and His highway of holiness (cf Isa 35:8 ~ holy conduct concordant with His Holy Word).
So Daniel may indeed be mourning because so few of his people want to return to Jerusalem. He is not fasting completely, with only water intake, but is limiting his intake to bland food and no wine. Also, there is no conflict between Daniel 1:21, where Daniel is described as continuing to the first year of King Cyrus, and this passage, that indicates that this is the third year of Cyrus. The decree to the people that allowed them to return came in the first year of Cyrus and nothing indicates that Daniel did not also continue to live under Cyrus after the decree.
Here is the commentary from Enduring Word on the message:
In the third year of Cyrus: By this time, the first wave of exiles had returned under the leadership of Zerubbabel (Ezra 1-2).
The message was true, but the appointed time was long: Daniel 10 sets the stage for the spectacular prophecy (message) of Daniel 11, which described a time of great persecution and testing for the people of Israel.
[John] Walvoord on the appointed time was long: “The implication is that the period in view is a long and strenuous one involving great conflict and trouble for the people of God.”
Mourning three full weeks: Some think that Daniel was in mourning because so few Jews had returned with Ezra from exile. Others believe it was because Ezra faced severe opposition in rebuilding the temple.
Daniel did not go back with Ezra’s group of exiles because he was about 84 years old at this time. Daniel could serve the exiles better from his high position in government than he could with them in Jerusalem.
“I think too that Daniel’s sorrow was occasioned partly by the repetition of those words to him: ‘The vision is true, but the time appointed is long.’ ” (Charles Spurgeon)
I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth: It would be wrong to call what Daniel did fasting. The Biblical idea of fasting is to abstain from food altogether, drinking only water. Daniel definitely practiced a form of self-denial, but it was not fasting.
Daniel describes the timeframe explicitly as being on the 24th day of the first month. We also know the year (the third year of Cyrus). We know where Daniel is - in exile in Persia and on the banks of the Tigris river. We know that he is with other men. The first Hebrew month was known as Abib (later Nisan) and is in the March/April timeframe. This month would include the very important Passover Feast and the Feast of the Unleavened Bread.
Daniel looks up and sees an extraordinary man, as described in the following verses:
dressed in linen, whose waist was girded with a belt of pure gold of Uphaz. His body also was like beryl, his face had the appearance of lightning, his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a tumult.
The ChatGPT AI tool that Steve uses tried to comply with the description, but fell short of creating a face like lightning and eyes like flaming torches (see image at the top). This vision has divided Biblical scholars into two groups or perhaps three: Many commentators thinking that this is a Christophany (a vision of the pre-incarnate Christ), while many others believe this is an unnamed angel of high rank because this being has to have help from Michael in Daniel 10:13. A few commentators also think that the man that Daniel first sees is indeed Christ, but that the one who approaches and touches Daniel later on (after this passage) after he falls to the ground is an angel. I’m probably aligned with the Christophany group with perhaps agreeing that an angel was also there, because of the similarities of what Daniel saw and what John saw in Revelation:
“Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands; and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash. His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength.”
Revelation 1:12-16 NASB1995
Ezekiel had a similar vision (and reaction):
“Now above the expanse that was over their heads there was something resembling a throne, like lapis lazuli in appearance; and on that which resembled a throne, high up, was a figure with the appearance of a man. Then I noticed from the appearance of His loins and upward something like glowing metal that looked like fire all around within it, and from the appearance of His loins and downward I saw something like fire; and there was a radiance around Him. As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking.”
Ezekiel 1:26-28 NASB1995
Daniel alone sees the vision while the men who were with him only felt some kind of dread and fled the scene. Does that sound familiar? Another Biblical encounter with the living Christ is seen by only one man, although his companions do not flee the scene, but they do hear His voice:
“As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do.” The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.”
Acts 9:3-9 NASB1995
Daniel is left alone and the strength leaves him and his natural color turns to a deathly pallor (becoming as white as a sheet?). As he hears the voice of the vision, Daniel falls down on the ground on his face and falls into a deep sleep. He had a similar physical reaction to the vision in Daniel 8.
So if an esteemed man like Daniel, who can be said to be fairly righteous and holy, has these terrified, strength-draining reactions to these visions, what do you think would happen to the average Sunday believer in this day and age if he or she had a similar encounter? How about an arrogant unbeliever? The Creator of the universe and architect of our salvation is beyond description! Even the created beings, the angels, are beyond description. Think about these visions the next time you hear someone casually use the Lord’s name as a swear word (or if you are inclined to that very, very bad sin). We will be on our faces in front of Him someday and His Name will be above all Names.
My next devotional examines Daniel 10:10-21 - Daniel is comforted and told that he will hear about the vision as it pertains to the future.
Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:
Dear Lord - As I know You as a God of Mercy and Compassion and Love, may I never forget that You are also beyond description as a Being of infinite Power and Might. Amen.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org.
Precept Austin was accessed on 5/17/2025 to review commentary for Daniel 10:1-9.
Enduring Word commentary by David Guzik is used with written permission.