Outline
Ⅳ
Daniel shows us that we must redeem the time to enjoy Christ as the supreme preciousness of God for us to be constituted with Him to be men of preciousness, even preciousness itself, as His personal treasure—Dan. 9:23; 10:11, 19; 1 Pet. 2:7; Exo. 19:4-6:
A
The excellent Christ appeared to Daniel in His supreme preciousness as a man for his appreciation, consolation, encouragement, expectation, and stabilization—Dan. 10:4-9:
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Christ appeared as a Priest in His humanity, signified by the linen robe, to care for His chosen people in their captivity—v. 5a; Exo. 28:31-35.
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Christ appeared in His kingship in His divinity, signified by the girdle of gold, for ruling over all the peoples—Dan. 10:5b.
３
For His people's appreciation, Christ appeared in His preciousness and dignity, as signified by His body being like beryl; the Hebrew word for beryl could refer to a bluish-green or yellow precious stone, signifying that Christ in His embodiment is divine (yellow), full of life (green), and heavenly (blue)—v. 6a.
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Christ also appeared in His brightness for shining over the people, as signified by His face being like the appearance of lightning (v. 6b), and in His enlightening sight for searching and judging, as signified by His eyes being like torches of fire (v. 6c).
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Christ appeared in the gleam of His work and move, as signified by His arms and His feet being like the gleam of polished bronze—v. 6d.
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Christ appeared in His strong speaking for judging people, as signified by the sound of His words being like the sound of a multitude—v. 6e.
B
Daniel received the revelation that the entire world situation is under the rule of the heavens by the God of the heavens in order to give Christ the preeminence, the first place, in everything—2:34-35, 44-45; 7:9-10; 4:34-35; Col. 1:15, 17-18; Rev. 2:4-5.
Morning Nourishment
Dan. 10:5-7 I lifted up my eyes and I looked, and there was a certain man, clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with the fine gold of Uphaz. His body also was like beryl, His face like the appearance of lightning, His eyes like torches of fire, His arms and His feet like the gleam of polished bronze, and the sound of His words like the sound of a multitude. And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision…A person who pursues an understanding of prophecies must have an intimate relationship with God…Abraham was a person who foreknew the move of God. Because he was “the friend of God” (James 2:23), God said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?” (Gen. 18:17). Daniel saw visions and recorded prophecies, because he was a “man of preciousness” to God (Dan. 10:11, 19; 9:23). (Truth Lessons—Level Four, vol. 1, p. 11)
Today’s Reading
The excellent Christ, the centrality and universality of God’s move on the earth, appeared to Daniel for his appreciation, consolation, encouragement, expectation, and stabilization. Before showing Daniel the great distress, God revealed to him the excellent man described in Daniel 10:4-9. Daniel may not have known that this man was the Messiah, but I believe that Daniel understood that this One was the Lord as a man. That man was not only Jehovah but Jehovah becoming a man.First, the excellent Christ appeared in His priesthood for taking care of His chosen people (v. 5a)…He appeared to Daniel not wearing armor for fighting but dressed in a linen robe, the Old Testament priestly garment. In typology, linen signifies humanity…At the time of Daniel 10, Christ Himself, God’s centrality and universality, was a Priest taking care of the children of Israel in captivity. He is a Priest in His humanity taking care of God’s captive people.
Second, Christ appeared to Daniel in His kingship (signified by the golden girdle) for ruling over all the peoples [v. 5b]…A girdle is for strengthening. Christ’s kingship is signified…by gold. His priesthood is human, whereas His kingship is divine.
Furthermore, for His people’s appreciation Christ appeared also in His preciousness and dignity as signified by His body being like beryl (v. 6a)… This signifies that Christ in His embodiment is divine (yellow), full of life (green), and heavenly (blue).
Furthermore, Christ appeared in His brightness for shining over the people. His brightness is signified by His face being like the appearance of lightning (v. 6b). Christ’s enlightening sight for searching and judging is signified by His eyes being like torches of fire (v. 6c). Christ also appeared in the gleam of His work and move,…signified by His arms and feet being like…bronze (v. 6d)…Bronze signifies God’s judgment, which makes people bright…Christ was judged, tried, by God, and God’s trial and judgment made Him bright like polished bronze. Such a Christ is the One who has been tested by others and who also tests others.
Finally, Christ appeared to Daniel in His strong speaking for judging people. His strong speaking is signified by the sound of His words being like the sound of a multitude (v. 6e). Christ…is precious, valuable, complete, and perfect. As a man, He is the very centrality and universality of God’s move to carry out His economy. He is so precious, bright, shining, enlightening, and testing. As the Priest, He is taking care of us, and as the King, He is ruling over us. How wonderful He is!
Because the vision of Christ was spiritual, not physical, it was seen only by Daniel and not by those who relied on their physical sight. Concerning seeing the vision of Christ, the physical view avails nothing. For this reason, in the eyes of the worldly people, Jesus is merely a human being. But under God’s mercy and with a spiritual view, we may see how dear and precious Christ is. We all need to see the Christ Daniel saw. May we all see the vision of the excellent Christ in chapter 10 of Daniel. (Life-study of Daniel, pp. 95-98)
Further Reading: Life-study of Daniel, msgs. 3, 12—13, 15