Verse 14: “I came to give you understanding concerning what will happen to your people in the last days. For this vision refers to many days yet to come.”

Your people: Daniel’s people are the Jewish people – Israel. This is a prophecy concerning Israel.

Last days: We have seen so many clues, throughout this book of Daniel, that these prophecies are related to the last days. It is incorrect to go back into the past and say that this prophecy has already been fulfilled on such and such a date or at such and such a time. Again, we see it very clearly stated here that this is for the time of the end – the last days.

Many days yet to come: For the distant future (from Daniel’s perspective).

Verse 15: “When I was given these words, which he spoke to me, I put my face to the ground and was silent.”

Silent: Speechless. Unable to speak. Daniel was overwhelmed by what this prophecy represented, and its relationship to Israel in the last days.

Verse 16: “And behold the appearance of this man touched my lips and I opened my mouth and spoke and said to the one standing before me: ‘My lord, the vision has become like a birth pain unto me and there remained in me no power.”

Lord: A term of respect for the angel and means ‘master’.

Like a birth pain: It is physically painful for Daniel. This word for birth pain/sorrows is the same one that Messiah Yeshua used in Matthew 24:8. The reason why this word is used here is to tell us that there is a purpose for this suffering. A woman goes into labour and suffers greatly, but that suffering results in something glorious – the birth of her child. In the same way, this end time suffering is also going to produce a glorious result – the establishment of the Kingdom of God. This is the only reason why God is going to allow this suffering to take place.

No power: Repetition (Daniel 10:8) shows emphasis.

Verse 17: “How is this servant of the Lord able to speak to you my lord concerning what this is? There is no power in me and my soul does not remain in me.”

Speak: A word of response.

My lord: Also a servant of the Lord.

What this is: i.e. in regard to this vision.

No (physical) power: Again repeated and emphasised.

My soul does not remain in me: This is what happens at death. Daniel is, in a very strong way, saying that he is overwhelmed by this – both physically and spiritually. What is the only solution to this?: Prayer.