The book of truth is the book in which all of history is written according to God’s plan. That plan will be carried out. That is why it is called the book of truth.
In the second part of this verse we read that in the battle, the angel Michael comes to the aid of the man who looks like a human being. But doesn’t this serve as proof that that man cannot be the Son of God? When Christ is fighting, or when God is fighting, certainly he does not need help from others, does he? Those are good questions. However, what we read here certainly raises no objection to saying that this man is the Son of God who has not yet come in the flesh. Reasons for this are:
a. The battle between the Lord and the devil is a real war. It is not some sham battle. We see this clearly when Christ is on earth. When he is fighting his battle for God’s people in Gethsemane, the Father in heaven even sends an angel to strengthen him (see Luke 22:43).
When the Lord Jesus is captured, Peter wants to go and fight with the sword in his hand. Then the Lord Jesus says, Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?
(Matthew 26:53–54).
b. Another reason why it should not surprise us that the Lord Jesus Christ allows his angels to help him in the battle against the devil, is that he allows himself to be called the Lord of the heavenly armies. His armies with which he fights include the angels.
c. We read in Joshua 5:13–15 how the leader of the Lord’s army appears to Joshua. This leader also refers to the Lord himself—just like the Angel of the Lord. In Joshua 5 it is not about a mighty angel but about God himself. That becomes clear when the leader of God’s army makes Joshua kneel before him. He tells Joshua to take off his shoes because he is now standing on holy ground. An ordinary angel does not make someone who is in the service of the Lord kneel before him. When John intends to do this in Revelation 19, we read, Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he [the angel] said to me, You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy
(Revelation 19:10).
d. The final reason that shows that there is no objection to identifying this man with God himself, who receives the help of Michael, is what we read in Revelation 12 about a war in heaven.
When the Lord Jesus has ascended into heaven and sits there on the throne, the devil still tries to defeat Christ, the Son of God. Then it is Michael with his angels who fight against the devil and his angels in the service of Christ and overcome them. Thus, the devil and his angels are expelled from heaven forever.
The man, the pre-incarnate Son of God, encourages Daniel and thus God’s people. It is encouraging to know that together with the mighty angel Michael he is fighting for the believers on earth. It also shows that Michael, as an angel, has been given a special task to protect God’s people. He is the general of the army of angels, involved in a special way in the protection of Israel in the Old Testament. He is fighting against the disobedient angels, the demonic princes who attack God’s church in the Old Testament.
The title by which Michael is referred to in the original text is different from the one by which the princes of Persia and Greece are being referred to. The title he is given here indicates one of the highest officials in the service of a king. He is one of the most important servants of God, the King. He is therefore called here your prince. The prince of all God’s people. This does not mean that Michael rules over God’s people as a king but rather that he is set apart in God’s service in a special way for the service to Israel.
21 But I will tell you what is inscribed in the book of truth: there is none who contends by my side against these except Michael, your prince.