“I have been standing beside Michael to support and strengthen him since the first year of the reign of Darius the Mede.” Daniel 11:1
The opening verse of chapter 11 is often considered the closing verse of chapter 10. In it, the angel, seen in 10:18, declares his support to confirm and strengthen Darius the Mede from the very beginning of his reign in Babylon.
In the first year of Darius the Mede when the world power passed from the Babylonian to the Medo-Persian, the angel stood by Michael, the guardian of Israel, until he succeeded in turning the new kingdom from hostility to favor toward Israel. The story of chapter 6 demonstrates that efforts were made in the first year of Darius to make him hostile toward Israel. The story of chapter 6 demonstrates that efforts were made in the first year of Darius to make him hostile toward Israel. But God sent His angel on that occasion and shut the lions’ mouths (Dan 6:22). The miraculous deliverance by the angel caused Darius the Mede to reverse his policies to favor Israel (6:24-27). The beginning of the second great empire with the fall of Babylon in chapter 5 was, then, more than a military conquest or triumph of the armies of the Medes and Persians. It was a new chapter in the divine drama of angelic warfare behind the scenes, and the change was by divine appointment.
Gabriel is referring back some years before, when he had helped Michael overthrow the prince of Babylon that the prince of Persia might come. It is now reversed, that Michael is helping Gabriel overthrow the prince of Grecia may come, and this is 200 years in the future. Why so long in the future? God is guiding these events, and He alone holds the key. Whenever God does something on earth, He is dealing with the situation at hand, but as well, brings many other things to pass also. To get all of this done takes time. And we must consider that He does all of this without violating the free will of man. While He will definitely move upon the situations, speak to individuals, and in fact deal with them in many and varied ways’ still it regards the will of man, He does not force the issue. God has taken care of the situation and He will get the glory. “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Romans 8:28