Now the Son of God continues speaking. He tells Daniel of the battle that we as humans do not see with our physical eyes. It is the battle in which he is at the forefront. A battle that is being fought right in the centres of government of this world. It is the Persians who rule. In the weeks prior to the Son of God’s appearance to Daniel here, there was a definite power surge of the devil at the Persian court. The ruler of the Persian kingdom is reminiscent of a powerful devil—a fierce associate of the devil. He is a demon who has great influence over people in the court. It is an influence that implies a threat to God’s people, to the church. It is striking that the man in linen is talking about twenty-one days here and Daniel had been fasting and mourning for three weeks. These were weeks of a great battle between God and the devil. The Son of God is at the forefront of the battle and in this great battle he is helped by the mighty angel Michael, who is the leader of God’s army (see also Revelation 12:7).
Daniel has been praying intensely. The Son of God now tells him that after an intense battle with the powers of the devil, he has conquered. In fact, he remained there. He stood his ground and it is now he who exercises his influence without opposition at the Persian court. The danger that was present has now passed. The Son shows that he is fighting for the deliverance and protection of his church and is also victorious. The last part of this verse points to victory. The word “kings” points not only to Cyrus as the most powerful man but also to others who rule as viceroys in the kingdom.
13 The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia,