He Shall Come to His End

November 3, 2024 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

³⁶“And the king shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods. He shall prosper till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done. ³⁷He shall pay no attention to the gods of his fathers, or to the one beloved by women. He shall not pay attention to any other god, for he shall magnify himself above all. ³⁸He shall honor the god of fortresses instead of these. A god whom his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. ³⁹He shall deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. Those who acknowledge him he shall load with honor. He shall make them rulers over many and shall divide the land for a price.

⁴⁰“At the time of the end, the king of the south shall attack him, but the king of the north shall rush upon him like a whirlwind, with chariots and horsemen, and with many ships. And he shall come into countries and shall overflow and pass through. ⁴¹He shall come into the glorious land. And tens of thousands shall fall, but these shall be delivered out of his hand: Edom and Moab and the main part of the Ammonites. ⁴²He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. ⁴³He shall become ruler of the treasures of gold and of silver, and all the precious things of Egypt, and the Libyans and the Cushites shall follow in his train. ⁴⁴But news from the east and the north shall alarm him, and he shall go out with great fury to destroy and devote many to destruction. ⁴⁵And he shall pitch his palatial tents between the sea and the glorious holy mountain. Yet he shall come to his end, with none to help him. – Daniel 11:36-45 ESV

Verse 31 records a prophecy concerning Antiochus Epiphanies, a Greek king who ruled over the Seleucid Empire from 175-164 B.C. His official title was Antiochus IV, but he preferred to go by his self-proclaimed title “Epiphanes,” which means “illustrious one” or “god manifest.” Because of his brutal treatment of the Jewish people, they nicknamed him “Epimanes” which translates as “mad one.” Having successfully conquered most of Egypt, he turned his sights on the kingdom of Judah and its capital city of Jerusalem. In an attempt to demoralize the Jews and denigrate their God, he ordered the desecration of their holiest site, the Temple of Yahweh.

Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate. – Daniel 11:31 ESV

Some scholars believe Antiochus was attempting to quell a long-standing conflict between Hellenistic and Traditionalist Jews. The former adopted the pagan practices and culture of the Greeks, while the latter adhered to the Mosaic Law and the worship of Yahweh. In a blatant display of bias, Antiochus set up an altar to the Greek god Zeus and sacrificed a pig on the altar. When the traditionalists expressed outrage, Antiochus had some of them slaughtered and others sold as slaves. He then issued a series of decrees that outlawed the practice of circumcision, ordered sacrifices to pagan gods, and demanded that Jews add swine to their daily diet.

His actions resulted in the Macabbean revolt, an uprising led by Judas Maccabeus that scored a series of surprising and decisive victories over the more powerful Seleucid forces. Eventually, Antiochus and the Seleucids vacated Judah and the Temple was restored in 165 B.C.

But verse 36 contains an abrupt change that may not be recognizable to the casual reader. Even Jews living when this book was first written would not have recognized the nature of the transition in the narrative. Everything Daniel penned was to take place in the not-so-distant future. They would have had no way of understanding the meaning behind Gabriel’s message or the timing and the nations involved.

But by the time Jesus arrived on the scene, most of the prophecies would have been fulfilled. The battles between the Egyptians and the Seleucids would have been part of the historical record. The Persian Empire would have fallen to Alexander the Great and his Greek forces. The geopolitical landscape of the region would have undergone tremendous change and by the time Jesus began His earthly ministry, the Romans were the dominant world power.

Yet, Jesus spoke of Antiochus Epiphanes’ abomination of desolation as if it lie in the future, not the past.

“So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.” – Matthew 24:15-21 ESV

Jesus was not reflecting on the devastating events in Israel’s distant past; He was pointing toward an as-yet-to-be-fulfilled aspect of the prophecy contained in the Book of Daniel. Jesus was describing the final seven years of the 490 years outlined in the prophecy. Verse 36 mentions a king who “shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods” (Daniel 11:36 ESV). This is not a reference to Antiochus Epiphanes; it is a prophecy concerning a future king who will replicate the exploits of the former Seleucid king. This world leader will be Antiochus Epiphanes on steroids.

In the prophecy, Gabriel reveals that this future king will bring about a persecution of the people of Israel that will be unsurpassed in its ferocity and scope.

“…there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time.” – Daniel 12:1 ESV

This is exactly what Jesus picked up on when He stated, “there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be” (Matthew 24:21 ESV). Jesus was exposing the true meaning of the prophecy. There was a hidden and yet unfulfilled aspect of the vision that needed to be revealed and understood.

Jesus delivered this message during His Olivette Discourse, just days before His triumphal entry into Jerusalem and His arrest, trials, and crucifixion. He was letting His followers know there was far more to God’s plan than they realized. The 12 disciples had long believed that Jesus was the Messiah and expected Him to establish His earthly kingdom at any moment. They were convinced that He had come to overthrow their oppressive Roman overlords, reestablish the Davidic dynasty, and restore the Israelite nation to prominence and power. But Jesus wanted them to know that God had other plans.

As He spoke to His disciples, Jesus warned them, “you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains” (Matthew 24:6-8 ESV). This news would have shocked them and left their heads reeling. It was not what they expected.

But Jesus wasn’t done. As His befuddled followers listened, He painted an even bleaker picture of the future.

“…they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.” – Daniel 24:0-12 ESV

This news must have stung them to the core. Jesus was not only suggesting that His disciples would face persecution and even death, but some of them would eventually betray Him. They had no way of knowing that Jesus’ words were speaking of the immediate future as well as a time in the far-distant future.

With Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension, the timeline associated with Daniel’s 490-year prophecy was put on hold. It is as if the pause button was pushed and the prophetic narrative was brought to a close, only to be restarted at some future date. When Jesus ascended back up into heaven, the time of the Gentiles began. The Jewish people had rejected their Messiah and the message of the gospel was to be taken to the Gentiles. Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, wrote about this era of emphasis on the Gentile nations. But he also revealed that this period would come to an end.

…a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. – Romans 11:25 ESV

And Jesus spoke of this very same thing but in a different light.

“For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” – Luke 21:24 ESV

This is what Daniel 11:36-12:4 is all about. The pause button has been pushed. The period of the Gentiles is running its course. But the day will come when the pause button will be pushed again and the prophetic timeline will begin once again.

The closing verses of Daniel 11 describe the period known as the Great Tribulation. This will be the last seven years of the 490-year prophetic timeline. A king, reminiscent of Antiochus Epiphanes will come to power. The Book of Revelation reveals this king to be the Antichrist. He will be powerful, resourceful, and unrelenting in his persecution of God’s people. The last seven years of God’s prophetic timeline will focus on the people of Israel because the Church will have been raptured and removed from the Earth. This will bring an end to the “times of the Gentiles.”

God will then focus all His attention on His chosen people, the Jews. But it will be a difficult time filled with pain, suffering, persecution, and death. The enemy will make one last attempt to destroy God’s people just as Antiochus and so many others have tried to do over the centuries. The Antichrist will do his best to destroy God’s people but “he shall come to his end, with none to help him” (Daniel 11:45 ESV). And Jesus provides the reason for his demise.

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” – Matthew 24:29-31 ESV

Jesus will make His second appearance, bringing an end to the 490-year prophetic vision. He will come and He will conquer. He will return and, this time, He will rule and reign over His earthly Kingdom – just as God planned it to be.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The People Who Know Their God

November 2, 2024 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹“And as for me, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to confirm and strengthen him.

²“And now I will show you the truth. Behold, three more kings shall arise in Persia, and a fourth shall be far richer than all of them. And when he has become strong through his riches, he shall stir up all against the kingdom of Greece. ³Then a mighty king shall arise, who shall rule with great dominion and do as he wills. ⁴And as soon as he has arisen, his kingdom shall be broken and divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not to his posterity, nor according to the authority with which he ruled, for his kingdom shall be plucked up and go to others besides these.

⁵“Then the king of the south shall be strong, but one of his princes shall be stronger than he and shall rule, and his authority shall be a great authority. ⁶After some years they shall make an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement. But she shall not retain the strength of her arm, and he and his arm shall not endure, but she shall be given up, and her attendants, he who fathered her, and he who supported her in those times.

⁷“And from a branch from her roots one shall arise in his place. He shall come against the army and enter the fortress of the king of the north, and he shall deal with them and shall prevail. ⁸He shall also carry off to Egypt their gods with their metal images and their precious vessels of silver and gold, and for some years he shall refrain from attacking the king of the north. ⁹Then the latter shall come into the realm of the king of the south but shall return to his own land.

¹⁰“His sons shall wage war and assemble a multitude of great forces, which shall keep coming and overflow and pass through, and again shall carry the war as far as his fortress. ¹¹Then the king of the south, moved with rage, shall come out and fight against the king of the north. And he shall raise a great multitude, but it shall be given into his hand. ¹²And when the multitude is taken away, his heart shall be exalted, and he shall cast down tens of thousands, but he shall not prevail. ¹³For the king of the north shall again raise a multitude, greater than the first. And after some years he shall come on with a great army and abundant supplies.

¹⁴“In those times many shall rise against the king of the south, and the violent among your own people shall lift themselves up in order to fulfill the vision, but they shall fail. ¹⁵Then the king of the north shall come and throw up siegeworks and take a well-fortified city. And the forces of the south shall not stand, or even his best troops, for there shall be no strength to stand. ¹⁶But he who comes against him shall do as he wills, and none shall stand before him. And he shall stand in the glorious land, with destruction in his hand. ¹⁷He shall set his face to come with the strength of his whole kingdom, and he shall bring terms of an agreement and perform them. He shall give him the daughter of women to destroy the kingdom, but it shall not stand or be to his advantage. ¹⁸Afterward he shall turn his face to the coastlands and shall capture many of them, but a commander shall put an end to his insolence. Indeed, he shall turn his insolence back upon him. ¹⁹Then he shall turn his face back toward the fortresses of his own land, but he shall stumble and fall, and shall not be found.

²⁰“Then shall arise in his place one who shall send an exactor of tribute for the glory of the kingdom. But within a few days he shall be broken, neither in anger nor in battle. ²¹In his place shall arise a contemptible person to whom royal majesty has not been given. He shall come in without warning and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. ²²Armies shall be utterly swept away before him and broken, even the prince of the covenant. ²³And from the time that an alliance is made with him he shall act deceitfully, and he shall become strong with a small people. ²⁴Without warning he shall come into the richest parts of the province, and he shall do what neither his fathers nor his fathers’ fathers have done, scattering among them plunder, spoil, and goods. He shall devise plans against strongholds, but only for a time. ²⁵And he shall stir up his power and his heart against the king of the south with a great army. And the king of the south shall wage war with an exceedingly great and mighty army, but he shall not stand, for plots shall be devised against him. ²⁶Even those who eat his food shall break him. His army shall be swept away, and many shall fall down slain. ²⁷And as for the two kings, their hearts shall be bent on doing evil. They shall speak lies at the same table, but to no avail, for the end is yet to be at the time appointed. ²⁸And he shall return to his land with great wealth, but his heart shall be set against the holy covenant. And he shall work his will and return to his own land.

²⁹“At the time appointed he shall return and come into the south, but it shall not be this time as it was before. ³⁰For ships of Kittim shall come against him, and he shall be afraid and withdraw, and shall turn back and be enraged and take action against the holy covenant. He shall turn back and pay attention to those who forsake the holy covenant. ³¹Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate. ³²He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. ³³And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder. ³⁴When they stumble, they shall receive a little help. And many shall join themselves to them with flattery, ³⁵and some of the wise shall stumble, so that they may be refined, purified, and made white, until the time of the end, for it still awaits the appointed time.” – Daniel 11:1-35 ESV

Chapter 10 ends with a statement from Gabriel, the angel who delivered the vision to Daniel. In his closing remarks, Gabriel announced, “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” (Daniel 10:27 ESV). Many Old Testament translators believe verse 1 of chapter 11 should be included in the parenthetical statement made by Gabriel that began in verse 21 of chapter 10. The New Living Translation renders the opening line of chapter 11 in this way:

“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 NLT

They have made the remarks part of Gabriel’s closing message to Daniel, ensuring that the content of chapter 11 remains closely linked to the vision recorded in chapter 10. This is not a new incident and does not describe yet another vision. Gabriel is simply revealing additional information from “the book of truth” (Daniel 10:12 ESV).

Gabriel begins, “now I will show you the truth. Behold, three more kings shall arise in Persia, and a fourth shall be far richer than all of them” (Daniel 11:2 ESV). The heavenly messenger is still providing Daniel with an answer to the prayer he prayed in chapter 9. Having read in the writings of Jeremiah that Judah’s 70-year exile was about to end, Daniel was concerned about the fate of his people. What would happen to them when they returned to the land of promise? How would they fare?

Gabriel was sent to give Daniel a glimpse into the expansive plans that God had for His chosen people. In these chapters, Daniel is getting a panoramic view of prophetic history, beginning with the not-so-distant future and ending with events related to the end of the age. Verses 2-35 cover the flow of history from the days of King Cyrus to the rise of Antiochus Epiphanes, a vile world leader who will abuse the people of God mercilessly and relentlessly. Then the narrative will fast-forward to a future time when another world ruler will arise who mirrors the actions of Antiochus Epiphanes. This future king “shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods” (Daniel 11:36 ESV).

Daniel has no way of knowing that the first part of Gabriel’s message concerns events preceding the first advent of Israel’s long-awaited Messiah (verses 2-35). The second half of the message concerns events that will precede Messiah’s second coming. But for those of us living after the first coming of Jesus the Christ (Messiah), this chapter provides us with hope because everything found in verses 2-35 has been fulfilled with painstaking clarity and detail.

In the first half of this chapter, Gabriel provides Daniel with news about the future – disturbing news that outlines the various wars and conflicts that will take place in the years ahead. He tells of the coming of Alexander the Great, the various kings of Egypt, and ultimately, the rise of Antiochus Epiphanes, the Syrian king who was so wicked that he foreshadows the coming of the Antichrist. The amazing thing about this message is its unbelievable accuracy. Some biblical scholars find the accuracy of these predictions too good to be true and write the entire chapter off as nothing more than a ruse. They conjecture that the author wrote this material long after the events it records, disguising his efforts as prophecy. But if they are right and chapter 11 is history disguised as prophecy, then the rest of chapter 11 should have already been fulfilled as well.

But as will become clear, there is no historical evidence that the events recorded in the second half of the chapter have already taken place. The prophecies found in verses 2-35 are not cleverly disguised historical events; they are divine predictions from the lips of the sovereign God of the universe. He knew, down to the smallest detail, what was going to take place long before it happened. He knew all about the coming wars between the Syrians and Egyptians. He knew who would win and who would lose. And while these great leaders would operate as if they were in control of their own destinies, in the end, their futures were in the hands of God.

Throughout this chapter, we read such phrases as “the end will come at the appointed time,” “then at the appointed time,” and “the appointed time is still to come.” The rise and fall of nations is under the sovereign hand of Almighty God. He is in complete control. Daniel is reminded, “For what has been determined will surely take place” (Daniel 11:36 NLT).

Verses 2-35 set up and establish the rise to power of Antiochus Epiphanes, a conniving, flattering, and powerful king who seemed to have a special hatred for the people of Israel. His actions against them foreshadow the events of the end times when the Antichrist will target the people of God and persecute them as they have never been persecuted before. At one point, Antiochus Epiphanes, frustrated over a battle lost to the Egyptians, orders his general, Apollonius, and a contingent of 22,000 soldiers to attack Jerusalem on a Sabbath. They take many Jewish women and children captive, plundering the temple, and burning the city. His goal was to completely exterminate Judaism and to Hellenize Palestine. He would forbid the Jews to follow the Mosaic Law or practice the Jewish sacrifices, festivals, and circumcision. He would even install an image of the Greek god Zeus in the Temple and offer an unsanctioned and unclean sacrifice to his false god on the altar dedicated to Yahweh. This cruel and wicked man sacrificed a swine to Zeus and sprinkled its blood within the Holy of Holies, desecrating the Temple and defaming God’s name.

Yet, despite all these dire predictions, Daniel is told, “But the people who know their God will be strong and resist him” (Daniel 11:32 NLT). Even during the dire days of Antiochus Epiphanes, the people of God will remain. There will always be a remnant of God-fearing, God-believing, God-empowered saints to stand against the greatest of enemies. God was calling Daniel and the people of God to remain strong during the coming persecution because He would be with them. The immediate future was filled with turmoil, upheaval, political unrest, and persecution for the people of God, but they were to remember that He was in complete control.

We must remain strong as well. We should not be shocked at what we see taking place around us. There is a spiritual battle taking place that manifests itself in the material world. Wars and violence should not shock or scare us. They are to be expected and simply part of living in a fallen world at war with God. But we can rest in the knowledge that our God is great and is in full control of the situation. Like Daniel, we must learn to trust God even when we don’t understand the ways of God. We must continually seek to grow in our knowledge and understanding of His character.

Paul even prayed for the believers in his day that God would give them, “complete knowledge of his will” and “spiritual wisdom and understanding” (Colossians 1:9 NLT). He knew the importance of these things and how necessary they were to a believer’s survival in a wicked world. Those equipped with a knowledge of God’s will, spiritual wisdom, and understanding would not only survive but thrive.

Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. – Colossians 1:10 NLT

May you and I grow in our knowledge and understanding of God so that we might be strong and resist the enemy in our day. As we grow in our knowledge of God, we will come to love and trust Him more – no matter what comes our way.

Days Yet to Come

November 1, 2024 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a word was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar. And the word was true, and it was a great conflict. And he understood the word and had understanding of the vision.

²In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks. ³I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks. ⁴On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river (that is, the Tigris) ⁵I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. ⁶His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude. ⁷And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision, but a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves. ⁸So I was left alone and saw this great vision, and no strength was left in me. My radiant appearance was fearfully changed, and I retained no strength. ⁹Then I heard the sound of his words, and as I heard the sound of his words, I fell on my face in deep sleep with my face to the ground.

¹⁰And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. ¹¹And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. ¹²Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. ¹³The 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, ¹⁴and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.”

¹⁵When he had spoken to me according to these words, I turned my face toward the ground and was mute. ¹⁶And behold, one in the likeness of the children of man touched my lips. Then I opened my mouth and spoke. I said to him who stood before me, “O my lord, by reason of the vision pains have come upon me, and I retain no strength. ¹⁷How can my lord’s servant talk with my lord? For now no strength remains in me, and no breath is left in me.”

¹⁸Again one having the appearance of a man touched me and strengthened me. ¹⁹And he said, “O man greatly loved, fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.” And as he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.” ²⁰Then he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? But now I will return to fight against the prince of Persia; and when I go out, behold, the prince of Greece will come. ²¹But 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. – Daniel 10:1-21 ESV

These closing chapters of the Book of Daniel contain some of the most important prophecies in the Scriptures. It all began with Daniel reading the words of Jeremiah the prophet concerning Israel’s 70-year exile in Babylon. Through the prophet, God promised that there would be an expiration date for the banishment of the people from the land. God had sent them into exile at the hands of the Babylonians but He would also return them to land. From what Daniel could ascertain, the time was drawing near for that promise to be fulfilled. Encouraged by what he read, Daniel was also concerned that this promise might not be fulfilled because of the disobedience of the people of Israel. He immediately set out to rectify the problem. Entering into a period of fasting and prayer, Daniel confessed the sins of his people and begged God to forgive them so that they might return to the land and restore it to its former glory.

“O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.” – Daniel 9:19 ESV

This is when Daniel was visited by Gabriel, a messenger from God sent to give him “insight and understanding” (Daniel 9:23 ESV) into the future events concerning the nation of Israel. Daniel had primarily been concerned about the exiles’ upcoming return to the land. After all, the 70 years were just about to expire. But God wanted Daniel to know that He had far greater plans in store for His chosen people.

Gabriel began to unveil God’s plans concerning a period of seventy weeks or seventy sevens. To understand the meaning of this strange phrase, it is important to remember that Daniel had just read about the 70 years of captivity coming to an end. He was thinking in terms of years. So, when Gabriel mentioned the seventy sevens, Daniel would have recognized it as a reference to 490 years.

Gabriel was letting Daniel in on the details of God’s longer-term plans for Israel. This 490-year timeline would bring about six significant outcomes concerning Jerusalem and the people of Israel.

First, the 490 years will finally end Israel’s rebellion against God, eliminate all sin, provide atonement for their guilt, usher in a time of everlasting righteousness, confirm all the biblical prophecies, and result in the anointing of the Most Holy Place. These six byproducts would have caught Daniel’s attention. After his impassioned prayer and painfully honest confession of Israel’s sin, the thought of a day when their transgression and guilt would come to an end would have been music to his ears. But there were other, less appealing aspects to the prophecy that had to happen before the good news could be fulfilled.

Gabriel spoke of Jerusalem being rebuilt and then destroyed, along with the Temple. He warns of floods, wars, and miseries. He reveals that a powerful ruler will appear on the scene who will make a treaty with Israel and then break it. This same leader will desecrate the Temple and outlaw the observance of the sacrificial system.

As chapter 10 opens, three years have passed and the prophecy Daniel read in the Book of Jeremiah has already begun to be fulfilled. The year is 536 B.C. and Daniel is an old man – well into his 80s. He has spent most of his adult life living in exile in the land of Babylon. Two years earlier in 538 B.C., Cyrus the Medo-Persian king issued a decree that permitted the Jews to return to their land so they could rebuild the Temple under the leadership of a man named Zerubbabel. The Book of Ezra reveals that by 537 B.C. they had reinstituted the sacrificial system and by 536 B.C., they had begun work on the Temple.

Yet Daniel remained in Babylon, perhaps too old to make the long trip back to the Judah. He was in retirement by now, having served in the administrations of a succession of different kings. But even in his old age and despite the fact that the real action was taking place back in Judah, Daniel was still hearing from his God. Daniel’s advancing years and decreased activity had not prevented him from receiving additional insights from God concerning the future of Israel.

God sent Daniel a special messenger – “a man dressed in linen clothing, with a belt of pure gold around his waist. His body looked like a precious gem. His face flashed like lightning, and his eyes flamed like torches. His arms and feet shone like polished bronze, and his voice roared like a vast multitude of people” (Daniel 10:5-6 NLT).

Daniel had been in mourning for three weeks when this vision came to him. It’s likely he had received the news of the difficulties facing the remnant of Jews who had returned to the land. They faced extensive opposition from those who had taken over the land in their absence. While progress had been made, it had not been without great difficulty. They were under spiritual and physical attack from their enemies, and Daniel was likely interceding on their behalf. It was during this extended time of prayer that Daniel received a “visit” from God’s messenger.

When Daniel encountered this divine messenger, he reacted with fear. At the sound his voice, Daniel fainted. Yet two times, the messenger assured Daniel he was “greatly loved” (Daniel 10:11 ESV). This was not just a reference to Daniel’s status as one of God’s chosen people; it was meant to let Daniel know he was precious to God. Daniel had faithfully served God all the years he had lived in Babylon and remained obedient to God’s will and reliant upon God’s power.

Through Gabriel, God encouraged Daniel to take courage and be strong because what he was about to hear was going to be difficult to accept. God revealed to Daniel that a great spiritual war was going on, unseen by men, and impacting the world in which Daniel lived. He also told Daniel that things were going to get worse before they got better. The conflicts the people of Israel faced back in Judah were nothing compared with what was to come. Much to Daniel’s surprise and disappointment, there would continue to be conflicts on earth and in the heavens until God decided it was time to bring it all to an end.

This elderly servant of God was getting a glimpse into the future of Israel and the world. For Daniel, these events would have been disturbing and not encouraging. But despite the negative nature of the news, God wanted Daniel to be encouraged and remain strong. God was not trying to scare Daniel; He was revealing His sovereign, unstoppable will concerning His chosen people and the world He had made. God wanted Daniel to know that He was in complete control of all that was happening back in Jerusalem and well into the future.

Gabriel reveals that his appointment with Daniel had been delayed because of spiritual warfare. He had been dispatched by God the moment Daniel had begun to pray but on his way he had encountered “the prince of the kingdom of Persia” (Daniel 10:13 ESV). This is likely a reference to a demon, not a human king. Jesus referred to Satan as “the prince of this world” (John 14:30). Paul called him the “prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2). So, it only makes sense that this “prince” that Gabriel encountered was one of the fallen angels who had joined Satan in his rebellion against God (Jude 1:6).

This demonic creature tried to keep Gabriel from accomplishing his God-ordained task. This cosmic battle in the unseen realms reminds us that spiritual warfare is taking place all around us at all time. God has a plan and his enemies are doing everything in their power to prevent that plan from taking place. But God is in control. His will cannot be circumvented, sidelined, or supplanted. The apostle John provides a stirring reminder of God’s supremacy and ultimate victory over the enemy.

Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. – 1 John 4:4 ESV

Before departing and returning to his battle with “the prince of Persia,” Gabriel promises to tell Daniel all that is “written in the Book of Truth” (Daniel 10:21 NLT). This statement is meant to assure Daniel of the message’s veracity and reliability. Gabriel was assuring Daniel that these things must happen because God had ordained it to be so. They were all part of His divine plan and recorded in the Book of Truth. Nothing has happened or ever will happen that is outside the sovereign will of God Almighty.

Daniel could be encouraged and remain strong even in the face of coming struggles. He could hear bad news concerning the remnant in Judah but could rest easy knowing God was in control. When he heard that Gabriel was returning to do war with the prince of Persia, he had no reason to worry or panic. The realization that spiritual warfare was taking place in the unseen realms was meant to remind Daniel that his God was working behind the scenes to ensure that His will was done.

Daniel’s God was all-powerful and in full control. Because Daniel prayed and received an answer from God, we have been given a glimpse into the future. One of first things we should realize is that most of the six outcomes that Gabriel outlined in his message to Daniel have yet to take place. Israel’s rebellion against God has not come to an end. Despite Jesus’ incarnation, the Jewish people rejected Him as their long-awaited Messiah. Rather than worship Him as King, they had Him crucified.

It is also painfully clear that sin has not ended or been eradicated. Jesus came to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), yet sin remains because there are those who refuse to accept Him as their sin substitute and Savior. And because of their rejection of the Savior, their guilt and condemnation remain. Sin’s penalty of death still hands over their heads like the sword of Damocles.

It is obvious that we are not living in a time of everlasting righteousness. Wickedness and evil abound and unrighteousness rules the day. It is also self-evident that many of the prophecies contained in the Scriptures remain unfulfilled. Jesus promised to return but has not yet done so. Finally, the anointing of the Most Holy Place has yet to happen because there is no Temple.

Yet, Daniel was given a glimpse into the future and a fleeting and rather fuzzy view of things to come. Because we have been given the completed canon of Scripture, we know how the story ends. By combining the writings of Daniel with John’s fantastic insights recorded in the Book of Revelation, we can begin to piece together God’s incredible plans for Israel’s future and the fate of the world.

We know that things will get worse before they get better. We know the enemy will fight until the end. But we also know that our side wins. God’s will will be accomplished. His plan will be fulfilled. So there is no need to be afraid. Like Daniel, we are precious to God. He has chosen us and He will protect us. We can take courage. We can be strong.

More Than Daniel Prayed For

October 31, 2024November 1, 2024 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

²⁰While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my plea before the Lord my God for the holy hill of my God, ²¹while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice. ²²He made me understand, speaking with me and saying, “O Daniel, I have now come out to give you insight and understanding. ²³At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved. Therefore consider the word and understand the vision.

²⁴“Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. ²⁵Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. ²⁶And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed. ²⁷And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.” – Daniel 9:20-27 ESV

As a result of Daniel’s prayer, God responded. He sent the angel Gabriel to provide Daniel with “insight and understanding.” Gabriel told Daniel, “The moment you began praying, a command was given. And now I am here to tell you what it was, for you are very precious to God. Listen carefully so that you can understand the meaning of your vision” (Daniel 9:23 NLT). This was Daniel’s second encounter with God’s heavenly messenger and, this time, Gabriel proceeded to give Daniel insight into events surrounding the end times.

As Daniel listened intently, Gabriel outlined a chronological framework regarding the future of Jerusalem. Daniel did not know that his vision had long-term implications, dealing with events that would take place far into the future and involve the coming of the Messiah. As Daniel had read the writings of Jeremiah, he was reminded that God was about to restore Israel to the land after their 70 years of exile in Babylon. But He had far more in store for the nation of Israel.

He was going to restore peace and righteousness to the world with the return of His Son at the end of the age. The same God of mercy, grace, and forgiveness to whom Daniel prayed was the one who would fulfill all His promises regarding the end of the age and the coming of His Son’s Eternal Kingdom.

Verse 24 contains the full outline of the prophecy.

“A period of seventy sets of seven has been decreed for your people and your holy city to finish their rebellion, to put an end to their sin, to atone for their guilt, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to confirm the prophetic vision, and to anoint the Most Holy Place.” – Daniel 9:24 NLT

The term “weeks” is better translated “sevens,” thus Gabriel outlines a period of seventy sets of seven. Verse 25 describes a period of sixty-nine sevens and verse 26 describes what happens between the sixty-ninth and the seventieth seventh. Then verse 27 outlines the events surrounding the final seventieth-seventh. All of this cryptic-sounding talk of weeks and numbers must have left Daniel’s head spinning. He had no way of comprehending its meaning but Gabriel made it clear that it all had to do the prophetic vision of Israel’s future.

Daniel had just finished confessing the sins of his people and, now, Gabriel was letting him know that the day was coming when the rebellious Israelites would finish their rebellion. But this dramatic change in their behavior would not come as a result of their own effort but by the gracious hand of God. He would put an end to their sin, atone for their guilt, and bring in everlasting righteousness. The day was coming when God would do for the people of Israel what they could never have done for themselves.

The prophet Ezekiel recorded God’s promise of this epic and future transformation in the lives of His chosen people.

“For I will gather you up from all the nations and bring you home again to your land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations. And you will live in Israel, the land I gave your ancestors long ago. You will be my people, and I will be your God.” – Ezekiel 36:24-28 NLT

God had great plans for the nation of Israel and for the world in general. In less than three years, He would orchestrate the return of a remnant of His people to the land of Israel, but that would be just the beginning of His master plan. Daniel was anxious to know that his people would be returning to Judah but God wanted His faithful servant to understand that He had something far greater in store for them.

To make sense of this prophecy, it is essential to understand the seventy-sevens as referring to years and not weeks. When you consider that Daniel understood the prophecy of Jeremiah as dealing with a literal 70-year span in which the Israelites would be captives in Babylon, it only makes sense to see the seventy-sevens (490) as a period of years. With the fall the Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians, the city suffered under the hand of Gentiles for 70 years. In the same way, Jerusalem would have to endure another 490 years under Gentile rule.

In a way, Daniel was receiving a good news-bad news message. He had just been reminded that the 70 years of Babylonian captivity were about to come to an end. That was the good news. But now he was being told that another period of Gentile oppression was in Israel’s future. Yet this prophesy is anything but clear. Daniel had no way of understanding the ramifications of what Gabriel was saying. When Gabriel said, “Now listen and understand,” Daniel must have been expecting a detailed and precise explanation of his vision. But, instead, he heard, “Seven sets of seven plus sixty-two sets of seven will pass from the time the command is given to rebuild Jerusalem until a ruler—the Anointed One—comes. Jerusalem will be rebuilt with streets and strong defenses, despite the perilous times.” (Daniel 9:25 NLT).

What did it all mean? When would it all happen? Daniel likely understood that Gabriel was speaking in terms of years and not weeks but nothing else would have made sense to him. Then, Gabriel added another confusing aspect to the vision.

“After this period of sixty-two sets of seven, the Anointed One will be killed, appearing to have accomplished nothing, and a ruler will arise whose armies will destroy the city and the Temple. The end will come with a flood, and war and its miseries are decreed from that time to the very end.” – Daniel 9:26 NLT

None of this would have sounded like good news to Daniel. Despite his experience with interpreting dreams, this explanation was far from encouraging. Destruction, floods, war, misery – none of this came across as favorable or faith-inducing. Then Gabriel described the cessation of the sacrificial system and the desecration of God’s house. This would have been worse than anything Daniel had experienced six decades earlier. He had lived through the fall of Jerusalem and now he was being told that something far more devastating lay in Israel’s future.

Daniel is told that after a period of 434 years, an “anointed one” will appear on the scene. This “prince” or ruler will rebuild Jerusalem and make a treaty with the people of Israel.

The ruler will make a treaty with the people for a period of one set of seven… – Daniel 9:27 NLT

Midway through this seven-year treaty, this ruler will break his agreement and outlaw the sacrificial system. On top of that, he will desecrate the Temple of God by setting up a false God within the Holy of Holies. Jesus spoke of this very event.

“The day is coming when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about—the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing in the Holy Place.” (Reader, pay attention!)” – Matthew 24:15 NLT

The apostle Paul also addressed this end times event when writing to the church in Thessalonica.

Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God. – 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 NLT

The apostle John was also given a vision of this as-yet-to-happen event which he recorded in the Book of Revelation.

People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?”

The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world. – Revelation 13:5-8 NLT

At the point at which Daniel heard the words of Gabriel, he had no way of knowing the full extent of the vision’s meaning. He didn’t realize the significance of what he had seen and the long-term ramifications of its meaning and message. There were future events on the horizon that would dramatically alter the political, social, and religious landscape of the world – for eternity. God was going to return the exiles to the land of promise, but He had far greater things in store for His people and the nations of the world.

Daniel was not given a play-by-play explanation of the vision. He was not provided with a detailed timeline or the identities of any of the major players in the divine drama that would unfold in the future. God simply wanted Daniel to know that there was a plan in place and it would happen on time and in just the way God had ordained.

The End is Near

October 29, 2024 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after that which appeared to me at the first. ²And I saw in the vision; and when I saw, I was in Susa the citadel, which is in the province of Elam. And I saw in the vision, and I was at the Ulai canal. ³I raised my eyes and saw, and behold, a ram standing on the bank of the canal. It had two horns, and both horns were high, but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last. ⁴I saw the ram charging westward and northward and southward. No beast could stand before him, and there was no one who could rescue from his power. He did as he pleased and became great.

⁵As I was considering, behold, a male goat came from the west across the face of the whole earth, without touching the ground. And the goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes. ⁶He came to the ram with the two horns, which I had seen standing on the bank of the canal, and he ran at him in his powerful wrath. ⁷I saw him come close to the ram, and he was enraged against him and struck the ram and broke his two horns. And the ram had no power to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled on him. And there was no one who could rescue the ram from his power. ⁸Then the goat became exceedingly great, but when he was strong, the great horn was broken, and instead of it there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.

⁹Out of one of them came a little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land. ¹⁰It grew great, even to the host of heaven. And some of the host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them. ¹¹It became great, even as great as the Prince of the host. And the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was overthrown. ¹²And a host will be given over to it together with the regular burnt offering because of transgression, and it will throw truth to the ground, and it will act and prosper. ¹³Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, “For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?” ¹⁴And he said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.”

¹⁵When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it. And behold, there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. ¹⁶And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, and it called, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” ¹⁷So he came near where I stood. And when he came, I was frightened and fell on my face. But he said to me, “Understand, O son of man, that the vision is for the time of the end.”

¹⁸And when he had spoken to me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face to the ground. But he touched me and made me stand up. ¹⁹He said, “Behold, I will make known to you what shall be at the latter end of the indignation, for it refers to the appointed time of the end. ²⁰As for the ram that you saw with the two horns, these are the kings of Media and Persia. ²¹And the goat^[d] is the king of Greece. And the great horn between his eyes is the first king. ²²As for the horn that was broken, in place of which four others arose, four kingdoms shall arise from his^[e] nation, but not with his power. ²³And at the latter end of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their limit, a king of bold face, one who understands riddles, shall arise. ²⁴His power shall be great—but not by his own power; and he shall cause fearful destruction and shall succeed in what he does, and destroy mighty men and the people who are the saints. ²⁵By his cunning he shall make deceit prosper under his hand, and in his own mind he shall become great. Without warning he shall destroy many. And he shall even rise up against the Prince of princes, and he shall be broken—but by no human hand. ²⁶The vision of the evenings and the mornings that has been told is true, but seal up the vision, for it refers to many days from now.”

²⁷And I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for some days. Then I rose and went about the king’s business, but I was appalled by the vision and did not understand it. – Daniel 8:1-27 ESV

It seems that Daniel not only interprets dreams, he has them, and the dream he has in chapter seven was a doozy. It was full of bizarre beasts, big horns and little ones, violent wars, and other disturbing imagery. His dream included signs of the not-so-distant future and a time that has yet to happen even in our day. Ultimately, his dream was about the end times; he was given a glimpse of the time of the Tribulation and the coming of the Antichrist. But more importantly, Daniel was given a view of the coming of the Son of Man; the return of Christ to reign over His Kingdom the earth. The term, “Son of Man” was Jesus’ favorite designation for Himself. He preferred it over the more common term “Messiah,” because to most Jews that simply indicated a human deliverer sent by God. By referring to Himself as the Son of Man, He claimed the role of the one predicted in Daniel’s dream. He was the coming God-man. He would one day be “given authority, honor and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him” (Daniel 7:14 NLT). His coming kingdom would be an earthly, not just spiritual, kingdom. And it would last forever.

Of all the beings revealed in this dream of Daniels, the most significant one is that of the Son of Man. He is not described in detail. We do not get a good idea of what He looks like. The other beasts are described in frightening detail. But with the Son of Man, the emphasis is more on what He will do than what He looks like. Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, will destroy the Antichrist and the nations he gathers to rebel against God Almighty. Christ will use His God-given authority to destroy the enemies of God and usher in a new age of perfect peace.

“Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.” – Revelation 19:11-16 NLT

We may not fully understand who the other beasts represent, but we do know that the Son of Man is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He is going to return to Earth one day to finish His work and establish His Kingdom once and for all. His rule will be eternal – it will never end. And unlike the nations represented in Daniel’s dream, the Son of Man’s Kingdom will be everlasting.

As chapter seven closes and chapter eight begins, there is a change in the narrative and its emphasis. First, the text converts from Aramaic to Hebrew and the emphasis shifts from “the times of the Gentiles” to the future fate of the Israelites, the chosen people of God.

Daniel and his fellow exiles lived in a spiritually tumultuous time. The land of Israel had been raped and pillaged and its people taken captive to foreign lands. Daniel was one of tens of thousands of individuals who had been living in Babylon for decades. Their homeland was miles away. Their Temple, the dwelling place of their God, lay in shambles. It was a period of spiritual darkness filled with questions about the future. What was God going to do with His people? Would He keep His covenant promise and restore them to the land?

In chapter seven, God gave Daniel a look into the distant future, at the end of the age. He let Daniel know what would happen long after Daniel was gone. But that does not answer a lot of Daniel’s more immediate concerns. Then he has a second vision recorded in chapter eight.

In this vision, Daniel was given a closer look at future events. There are similarities and parallels to his first vision but the focus seems to be on the period between when Daniel lived and the second coming of Christ. Daniel is living within the kingdom of Neo-Babylonia. The glory days of this once-powerful empire are quickly coming to an end. This dream occurs two years after his earlier vision recorded in chapter seven.

In this vision, he is transported to Susa, the capital of the Persian Empire, located about 200 miles east of Babylon. In his vision he sees a goat and a ram. The ram was the guardian spirit of the Persian Empire. The goat represents Greece, and its single, prominent horn represents Alexander the Great, who would sweep into that area of the world and wipe out the Medo-Persian Empire. Alexander the Great would die in his thirties and his kingdom would divide into four parts led by four different generals. Out of one of these would come Antiochus IV (Epiphanes), who would wage a relentless war on the people of Israel, overthrowing the High Priest, looting the Temple, and replacing the worship of God with a form of Greek worship. The daily sacrifices would come to a halt after he desecrates the Temple and, in his vision, Daniel is told that this would go on for seven years.

Each of these prophetic promises came about just as Daniel saw them in his vision. This speaks of God’s omniscience, His all-knowing nature. He doesn’t just helplessly watch the future unfold like the rest of us; He knows it before it happens. In fact, He orchestrates events so that they happen just as He said they would. This is why God was able to reveal to Daniel in amazing detail events that had yet to take place. And these events were foreshadowings of what Daniel had seen in chapter eight.

What is amazing is the detail with which these events occurred. In December of 168 B.C., Antiochus returned from a defeat at the hands of the Romans and, in frustration, sent 20,000 of his troops to seize Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Having overtaken the Temple, he erected an idol of Zeus and desecrated the altar of the Temple by sacrificing swine on it. This idol became known to the Jews as “the abomination of desolation.” All of this was a precursor to events that will take place in the end times. At that time, the Antichrist will erect an image of himself and command that everyone, including Jews, worship it. As bad as that time will be, it will also serve as a kind of alarm clock, telling mankind that the second coming of Christ is imminent.

Now, dear brothers and sisters, let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him. Don’t be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don’t believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us. Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed—the one who brings destruction. He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God. – 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 NLT

But those events will be the preface for one even greater and more significant one: the second coming of Christ. He will return just as He promised, and just as the events of Daniel’s vision took place with painstaking accuracy, so will the events associated with the end times. The Tribulation will come. The Antichrist will rise to power. And Jesus Christ will come again, do battle with the enemies of God, and establish His Kingdom on Earth..

A Vision of Things to Come

October 28, 2024 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and visions of his head as he lay in his bed. Then he wrote down the dream and told the sum of the matter. ²Daniel declared, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. ³And four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another. ⁴The first was like a lion and had eagles’ wings. Then as I looked its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a man, and the mind of a man was given to it. ⁵And behold, another beast, a second one, like a bear. It was raised up on one side. It had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth; and it was told, ‘Arise, devour much flesh.’ ⁶After this I looked, and behold, another, like a leopard, with four wings of a bird on its back. And the beast had four heads, and dominion was given to it. ⁷After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. ⁸I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things.

⁹“As I looked,

thrones were placed,
    and the Ancient of Days took his seat;
his clothing was white as snow,
    and the hair of his head like pure wool;
his throne was fiery flames;
    its wheels were burning fire.
¹⁰A stream of fire issued
    and came out from before him;
a thousand thousands served him,
    and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him;
the court sat in judgment,
    and the books were opened.

¹¹“I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. ¹²As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.

¹³“I saw in the night visions,

and behold, with the clouds of heaven
    there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
    and was presented before him.
¹⁴And to him was given dominion
    and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
    should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
    which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
    that shall not be destroyed.” – Daniel 7:1-14 ESV

¹⁵“As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me was anxious, and the visions of my head alarmed me. ¹⁶I approached one of those who stood there and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of the things. ¹⁷‘These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth. ¹⁸But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.’

¹⁹“Then I desired to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the rest, exceedingly terrifying, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze, and which devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet, ²⁰and about the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn that came up and before which three of them fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and that seemed greater than its companions. ²¹As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, ²²until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.

²³“Thus he said: ‘As for the fourth beast,

there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth,
    which shall be different from all the kingdoms,
and it shall devour the whole earth,
    and trample it down, and break it to pieces.
²⁴As for the ten horns,
out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise,
    and another shall arise after them;
he shall be different from the former ones,
    and shall put down three kings.
²⁵He shall speak words against the Most High,
    and shall wear out the saints of the Most High,
    and shall think to change the times and the law;
and they shall be given into his hand
    for a time, times, and half a time.
²⁶But the court shall sit in judgment,
    and his dominion shall be taken away,
    to be consumed and destroyed to the end.
²⁷And the kingdom and the dominion
    and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven
    shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High;
his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom,
    and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’

²⁸“Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly alarmed me, and my color changed, but I kept the matter in my heart.” – Daniel 7:1-18 ESV

This chapter takes a decidedly different turn as Daniel, the interpreter of dreams, becomes the one who has had the dream. This event occurs in 553 B.C., the first year of Belshazzar’s reign, placing Daniel in his mid-sixties. It had been 50 years since David interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the large statue destroyed by a massive stone. The mention of Belshazzar establishes the timing of Daniel’s vision as being just 14 years before the fall of the Babylonian Empire to the Medo-Persians in 539 B.C.

This chapter and the following five record a series of visions Yahweh gave to Daniel. Writing in the third person, Daniel matter-of-factly relates the nature of his dream.

Daniel had a dream and saw visions as he lay in his bed. He wrote down the dream, and this is what he saw. – Daniel 7:1 NLT

He expresses no fear or apprehension concerning the content of his vision but simply relays the facts of what he saw. With the details of the vision fresh in his mind, Daniel transferred them to paper so he wouldn’t forget them. From this point forward, Daniel’s narrative shifts to the first person, almost as if he is reading what he wrote.

“I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. And four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another.” – Daniel 7:2-3 ESV

His demeanor seems detached, almost as if he is reading about someone else’s experience. He provides no clues as to his emotional response at seeing these bizarre visions. There is no indication that the images of the “four great beasts” disturbed or upset him. He simply relays the details of their strange appearance in an almost clinical manner. But as the vision unfolds and its content becomes increasingly more disturbing, Daniel’s calm demeanor will give way to concern and consternation.

“As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me was anxious, and the visions of my head alarmed me.” – Daniel 7:15 ESV

When the dream began, Daniel must have assumed that he would be able to discern its meaning. After all, he had successfully interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams and Belshazzar’s vision. But this time, the meaning would be provided by someone other than Daniel. In the middle of his dream, Daniel was given a glimpse in the heavenly realm where he saw, “someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven” (Daniel 7:13 NLT).

This shift in the scene is critical and refocuses the emphasis of the dream. This one “like a son of man” was led into the presence of the Ancient One, a clear reference to Yahweh. This unidentified individual is said to be given “authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed” (Daniel 7:14 NLT).

This part of the vision is intended to provide a resolution and interpretation to all that Daniel saw as his dream began. Confused by the appearance of the strange-looking beasts, Daniel sought an explanation from “one of those standing beside the throne” (Daniel 7:16 NLT). He is informed that they represent four kingdoms. The first beast “was like a lion with eagles’ wings…” (vs 4). The second “looked like a bear. It was rearing up on one side, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth” (vs 5). The third beast “looked like a leopard. It had four bird’s wings on its back, and it had four heads” (vs 6). The fourth and final beast was “terrifying, dreadful, and very strong. It devoured and crushed its victims with huge iron teeth and trampled their remains beneath its feet…and it had ten horns” (vs 7).

Each beast seems to be greater and more ferocious than its predecessor. They are fierce, deadly, and wield great authority. But the final beast is different than all the rest, having on its head ten horns. But as Daniel discovered, these beasts were merely symbols for human kings and their kingdoms. These unidentified nations would appear one after the other, each defeating its predecessor and establishing its dominance as the world’s most powerful kingdom.

But as Daniel viewed the rise and fall of these unnamed kingdoms, he was also given a vision of God on His “fiery throne with wheels of blazing fire” (Daniel 7:9 NLT), surrounded by a numberless host of angels and attendants. The scene is of a courtroom with God presiding as judge over all the earth. Books are opened and the court is declared to be in session. But as Daniel watches, he can’t help but wonder what the final beast represents and why three of its ten horns were suddenly replaced by a much smaller horn. Confused by all the imagery, he asks for an explanation and is given one.

“This fourth beast is the fourth world power that will rule the earth. It will be different from all the others. It will devour the whole world, trampling and crushing everything in its path. Its ten horns are ten kings who will rule that empire. Then another king will arise, different from the other ten, who will subdue three of them. He will defy the Most High and oppress the holy people of the Most High. He will try to change their sacred festivals and laws, and they will be placed under his control for a time, times, and half a time.” – Daniel 7:23-25 NLT

Daniel is unaware that his vision spans a vast period of time. He is being given a glimpse into future events that will take place long after he is gone and involves the nations of this world and the chosen people of God. These events will unfold over time and will culminate with God presiding as judge and final arbiter of the fates of kings and kingdoms. The final king who comes to power will meet his end at the hands of God Almighty.

“…the court will pass judgment, and all his power will be taken away and completely destroyed. Then the sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be given to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will last forever, and all rulers will serve and obey him.” – Daniel 7:26-27 NLT

Nowhere in the vision is Daniel given the identities of the kings or kingdoms involved. He is not provided with a timeline or a detailed summary of future world events. It is all painfully vague and non-specific. It was not important for Daniel to have a play-by-play outline of things to come. All he needed to know was that Yahweh was in full control of all that would happen. The names of the players were unimportant. The identities of the nations were irrelevant. Kingdoms would come and go. Kings would rise and fall. But God’s kingdom would stand forever.

Daniel would live through the reigns of several kings but God was letting him know that the future was secure. While Daniel would die in Babylon, the people of God would eventually return to the land of Judah. God was not done. His will was not yet fulfilled. This vision was intended to assure Daniel of God’s sovereignty. It did not provide Daniel with dates, times, and details, but it did provide him with the assurance that Yahweh’s “kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him” (Daniel 7:27 ESV).

But the lack of specificity seems to have left Daniel less than comforted.

“As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly alarmed me, and my color changed, but I kept the matter in my heart.” – Daniel 7:28 ESV

He wanted details but was given a sweeping overview of future events that left much to the imagination. He must have wondered if Belshazzar was one of the four beasts and, if so, which one. He must have questioned the timing of these future events and speculated if he would live long enough to see and experience them. But God left out those details. It was enough for Daniel to know that God was sovereign and orchestrating world events from His vantage point in heaven. He was still on His throne and fully in control. Daniel had nothing to fear.

The beasts arise out of “the great sea,” which is likely a reference to the Mediterranean Sea. As verse 17 makes clear, the four beasts represent four kings

A Dream Come True (Soon)

October 16, 2024 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

³¹“You saw, O king, and behold, a great image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening. ³²The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, ³³its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. ³⁴As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. ³⁵Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

³⁶“This was the dream. Now we will tell the king its interpretation. ³⁷You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory, ³⁸and into whose hand he has given, wherever they dwell, the children of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, making you rule over them all—you are the head of gold. ³⁹Another kingdom inferior to you shall arise after you, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. ⁴⁰And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these. ⁴¹And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. ⁴²And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle. ⁴³As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay. ⁴⁴And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, ⁴⁵just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.” – Daniel 2:31-45 ESV

The tension in the room must have been palpable. Nebuchadnezzar sat in rapt silence as Daniel described the details of his dream. The magicians, conjurers, and Chaldeans listened in shocked silence as this young Hebrew pulled off a feat they had deemed impossible. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego watched as their friend stood before the king and his court, unveiling the message he had received from Yahweh.

And everyone in the room must have been surprised at the nature of the dream. It was probably not what they expected. Daniel described a massive statue of a man comprised of gold, silver, bronze, iron, and clay. He acknowledges that the statue’s visage had been frightening and confusing to the king but never fully discloses why. It seems unlikely that the statue’s composite makeup left the king trembling. Even the statue’s destruction by a massive bolder should not have caused the kind of fear and anxiety the king experienced. The only logical conclusion is that the king recognized his image on the face of the statue. The golden head bore his own likeness.

In his dream, Nebuchadnezzar had been given a vision of the future. As Daniel proceeds to interpret the meaning of the dream, he will disclose that the golden head of the massive statue represents the kingdom of Babylon.

“Your Majesty, you are the greatest of kings. The God of heaven has given you sovereignty, power, strength, and honor. He has made you the ruler over all the inhabited world and has put even the wild animals and birds under your control. You are the head of gold.” – Daniel 2:37-38 NLT

While Nebuchadnezzar’s initial glimpse of the statue might have produced feelings of pride, its destruction by the bolder was unexpected and frightening. There is no way he could have taken this disturbing scene as anything but a bad omen that presaged his death. But Daniel wanted the king to know that there was more to the vision than a prediction of his own demise. God was disclosing future events that would extend far beyond Nebuchadnezzar’s reign or Babylon’s 15 minutes of fame.

The composite nature of the statue is significant and, as Daniel discloses, it provides a visual representation of the future that moves from top to bottom. The head represents the reigning kingdom of the world: Babylon. Comprised of solid gold, it symbolizes the wealth and opulence of Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom as well as its global dominance. Much to Nebuchadnezzar’s surprise, Daniel announces that the Babylonian kingdom will be shortlived and ultimately be replaced by a larger but inferior kingdom. The statue’s chest and arms, crafted from silver, are larger than the head but of lesser value. They represent a nation that will rise and replace the Babylonians, only to find themselves supplanted by a still more inferior kingdom as reflected by the statue’s bronze belly and thighs. Moving down the statue’s length, Daniel describes its legs of iron, symbolizing yet one more kingdom to come. The fifth and final kingdom is represented by the feet of clay and iron.

In Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, this strange compilation of body parts was suddenly destroyed by “a rock…cut from a mountain, but not by human hands” – Daniel 2:34 NLT). This massive stone struck the feet of the statue, causing the entire structure to collapse and disintegrate into a cloud of fine dust from the impact.

Daniel’s description of this one-of-a-kind statue was exactly what Nebuchadnezzar had seen in his dream, but its meaning remained a mystery. Apart from Daniel, no one in the room had any idea what the imagery was meant to convey. But there was far more going on than Nebuchadnezzar could ever imagine. Little did he know that his vast and formidable kingdom would be temporary in nature. Babylon would be a relative blip on the radar screen of human history. It would come and go, only to be replaced by yet another kingdom whose moment in the spotlight of history would fade and be forgotten.

Despite Nebuchadnezzar’s recent and highly successful world-domination tour, his kingdom would not last. The kingdoms of men are temporary and those who rule over them are destined to death and obscurity. The statue was that of a man, symbolizing the earthly rule of human kings.

“The figure of a man was employed here because God wished to make known what would transpire during man’s day, the ages in which mortal man ruled the earth. Here, in one panoramic sweep, the whole history of human civilization is spread before us, from the days of Nebuchadnezzar to the end of time.” – Charles L. Feinberg, Daniel: The Kingdom of the Lord

Long before the Babylons invaded Judah and took Daniel and his companions captive, God had warned the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon that they too would suffer defeat at the hands of Nebuchadnezzar.

“Now I will give your countries to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who is my servant. I have put everything, even the wild animals, under his control. All the nations will serve him, his son, and his grandson until his time is up.” – Jeremiahs 27:6-7 ESV

Notice that God predicted the short-lived nature of Nebuchadnezzar’s dynasty. It would eventually come to an end, “Then many nations and great kings will conquer and rule over Babylon” (Jeremiah 27:7 ESV). That is exactly what the statue was meant to convey.

“Nebuchadnezzar ruled about 45 years (605-560 B.C.), and his empire only lasted another 21 years. Nebuchadnezzar’s father, Nabopolassar, founded the Neo-Babylon Empire in 627 B.C., and it fell to the Persians in 539 B.C. So it existed for only 88 years.” – Thomas L. Constable, Notes of Daniel

But what Daniel had unveiled was far more than the end of Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom; he was making known God’s plan for the end of the age. In a highly compressed timeline, God showed the rise and fall of the kingdoms of this world. There is much debate as to which kingdoms are symbolized by the multifaceted statue, but the general consensus is that the chest and arms represent the Medo-Persian Empire under Cyrus the Great, while the belly and thighs represent Greece under Alexander the Great. The legs of iron are believed to stand for Rome. But this once mighty kingdom, which ruled the world of Jesus’ day, eventually fell due to its weakened condition (feet of clay and iron). While the mighty Roman Empire lasted for half a century, it too was destined to end.

But the world did not end with the fall of Rome. Other kingdoms have come and gone. Nations have risen to power only to disappear from the scene and become relegated to the pages of history. But Daniel prophecies about a future kingdom that will develop behind the scenes while these world powers are still large and in charge. Each of these unnamed kingdoms is meant to represent the kingdoms of this world. They are temporary at best and no match for the kingdom to come.

“During the reigns of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed or conquered. It will crush all these kingdoms into nothingness, and it will stand forever. ” – Daniel 2:44 NLT

While he is unaware of the full meaning of his interpretation, Daniel is communicating events that will happen with the return of Christ. The nations of this world will continue to vie for power and dominance, but none will be able to stand against the King of kings and Lord of lords when He returns to establish His eternal kingdom on earth.

The Book of Revelation reveals the final battle between Jesus and Satan, the prince of this world who will lead one final revolt in an attempt to overthrow the Kingdom of God.

Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself. He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses. From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress. On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.

Then I saw the beast and the kings of the world and their armies gathered together to fight against the one sitting on the horse and his army. And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who did mighty miracles on behalf of the beast—miracles that deceived all who had accepted the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue. Both the beast and his false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. Their entire army was killed by the sharp sword that came from the mouth of the one riding the white horse. And the vultures all gorged themselves on the dead bodies. – Revelation 19:11-16, 19-21 ESV

Little did Daniel or Nebuchadnezzar understand that God had just revealed the entire timeline of human history through a dream. His plan for the people of Israel, Daniel and his friends, Nebuchadnezzar and his kingdom, and the future fate of the world was in place and working its way to completion, all according to God’s perfect timeline.

Divinely Appointed and Anointed

October 13, 2024 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹⁷As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. ¹⁸At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. ¹⁹And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. ²⁰And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. ²¹And Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus. – Daniel 1:17-21 ESV

These last few verses provide a summary statement explaining the real motivation behind Daniel and his friends’ success. These four young had been equipped by God to serve on His behalf in Babylon. Their selection to undergo training in the king’s indoctrination program had not been the result of blind luck or chance; it had been the sovereign will of God. They were there for a reason that none of them yet understood. But they were not alone because Yahweh was with them, and He had prepared for the ordeal they were about to face.

God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom. – Daniel 1:17 NLT

For three years, they consumed their vegetarian diet as well as the academic curriculum fed to them by their Babylonian masters. When their training was complete, they were brought before the king for the final phase of their training. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego would have been accompanied by all the other Hebrew young men who had been exiled with them and handpicked for the king’s training program. But as might be expected, Daniel and his three friends stood out. Their interviews with Nebuchadnezzar made an impression on him.

Their countenance and comprehension excelled that of all the other candidates. These young men were physically and intellectually superior to their peers, and they passed their oral exams with flying colors.

Whenever the king consulted them in any matter requiring wisdom and balanced judgment, he found them ten times more capable than any of the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom. – Daniel 1:20 NLT

Once again, the author provides the reader with insight into the success of the four friends. Their intellectual capacity was God-ordained; not the result of a high IQ. They received the same training as their peers, yet their assimilation of the material was unequaled. As verse 17 makes clear, their aptitude was a gift from God. He had provided them with a special capacity for retention and practical application. Their wisdom exceeded that of the king’s most trusted sages and sorcerers, a fact that did not escape Nebuchadnezzar. Like any other king, he was always in need of wise and reliable counselors to whom he could turn concerning important matters of state. Up to this point, he had relied upon his “magicians and enchanters” (Daniel 1:21 ESV).

The Hebrew word for “magician” is ḥarṭōm and it refers to someone who consults the stars to discern the future or seek guidance on important matters. They were astrologers who claimed to have the ability to “read” the stars and provide hidden wisdom. The other group mentioned is the “enchanters.” The Hebrew word is ‘aššāp̄ and refers to necromancers, those who claimed to communicate with the dead. They claimed to use their dark magic to speak to spirits living in the underworld who would provide them with hidden knowledge and supernatural insights.

Necromancy was a common practice in ancient Babylon, where people believed in communicating with the dead to gain insight into the future or accomplish tasks. In the pagan and polytheistic world of Babylon, priests, magicians, conjurers, and astrologers played a major role in daily life. They even had a god of magic named Marduk, who presided over justice, healing, compassion, regeneration, and fairness.

But Marduk was no match for Yahweh, the God of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. In fact, he was no god at all, and the king’s magicians, necromancers, astrologers, and enchanters were either posers or the unwitting pawns of demonic spirits. Any knowledge they gained from dabbling in the dark arts was incomplete at best. Satan and his demons don’t know the mind of God and have no way of discerning or determining the future. Only Yahweh is omniscient and sovereign over the affairs of men. He alone controls the fate of kings and kingdoms.

Little did Nebuchadnezzar know that he had four secret agents of the Almighty who had infiltrated his kingdom. In his pride, he saw these four young men as the byproduct of his elite training school. They had been properly prepared for service in his royal administration. But, in fact, they had been secretly anointed by Yahweh, the God of the Israelites, and would be used as His instruments in the land of the enemy.

Nebuchadnezzar hired them on the spot and elevated them to places of prominence in his court. It isn’t clear whether Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego knew that Yahweh was the source of their wisdom and subsequent promotions. Yet, as the book progresses, their faith in Yahweh will be on full display as they navigate the dangerous waters of Nebuchadnezzar’s godless kingdom. Their faith in Yahweh will be put to the test. The temptation to compromise their convictions will be unrelenting. They will soon discover that, while their promotions secure them with prominent roles in the king’s court, they will never really fit in. Their relationship with Yahweh will make it impossible to blend in. Maintaining their faithfulness to Yahweh will set them apart and put them at odds with their Babylonian peers. They will have to learn the difficult lesson of living in the world without becoming part of it.

The last line of this opening chapter reveals that “Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus” (Daniel 1:21 ESV). This lets the reader know that Daniel would serve in the royal court for 66 years, all the way to the Persian takeover of the Babylonian empire. He and his friends would experience the ups and downs of living in a land where they would never be truly welcome. Despite their prominent positions, they would always be viewed as outsiders. Their faith in Yahweh would always put them at odds with their coworkers and create a constant tension that, at times, escalated into abject hatred and a desire for their deaths. But they served the king and stayed faithful to their God and, through it all, Yahweh would provide for and protect them.

The faith of Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego will provide the reader with inspiration. But Daniel’s God-given ability to interpret dreams and visions will provide much more. He will reveal aspects of God’s divine redemptive plan that involve future events still yet to happen. God was not done with Israel and He is far from done with the world He created. The Israelite’s detour to Babylon was going to come to an end. But, more importantly, the world’s long-awaited deliverance from the curse of the fall will one day be removed.

Jehovah-Go’el

October 1, 2024 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

²⁴Who can snatch the plunder of war from the hands of a warrior?
    Who can demand that a tyrant let his captives go?
²⁵But the Lord says,
“The captives of warriors will be released,
    and the plunder of tyrants will be retrieved.
For I will fight those who fight you,
    and I will save your children.
²⁶I will feed your enemies with their own flesh.
    They will be drunk with rivers of their own blood.
All the world will know that I, the Lord,
    am your Savior and your Redeemer,
    the Mighty One of Israel.” – Isaiah 49:24-26 NLT

YHWH–Gā’al – The LORD Your Redeemer.” These verses are part of an extended section within the Book of Isaiah that reveals God’s plan to return Israel from their captivity in Babylon and restore them to the land of Canaan. Their exile as slaves in a foreign land had been the result of God’s judgment for their apostasy and spiritual adultery. He had warned them repeatedly, using prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah to carry His message of repentance. But His chosen people had proved too stubborn and unwilling to give up their love affair with false gods and the pleasures of this world. Over the centuries, they had compromised their convictions and grown complacent regarding their status as God’s treasured possession. They had violated their covenant commitment to Him and, as a result, had suffered the consequences of their disobedience.

God had made clear His intentions to bless them if they obeyed.

“If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully keep all his commands that I am giving you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the world. You will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your God…” – Deuteronomy 28:1-2 NLT

But He had also warned them of the dire consequences of their disobedience.

“But if you refuse to listen to the Lord your God and do not obey all the commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come and overwhelm you…” – Deuteronomy 28:15 NLT

God provided a list of devastating outcomes for their refusal to live according to His will and in keeping with His commands, including their defeat at the hands of a foreign power and their forced removal from the Land of Promise.

“The Lord will exile you and your king to a nation unknown to you and your ancestors. There in exile you will worship gods of wood and stone! You will become an object of horror, ridicule, and mockery among all the nations to which the Lord sends you.” – Deuteronomy 28:36-37 NLT

By the time Isaiah penned the words found in Isaiah 49, the Babylonians had already defeated the Israelites living in the southern kingdom of Judah, destroying the capital city of Jerusalem and its glorious Temple.

But in chapters 49-52, God reveals His plans for Israel’s future redemption and restoration, and declares His intentions to do so through the aid of His “Servant.” First, He promises a day when He, Jehovah-Go’el will transform Israel’s fate.

The LORD, the Redeemer
    and Holy One of Israel,
says to the one who is despised and rejected by the nations,
    to the one who is the servant of rulers:
“Kings will stand at attention when you pass by.
    Princes will also bow low
because of the Lord, the faithful one,
    the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” – Isaiah 49:7 NLT

Despite Israel’s rebellion and refusal to keep their covenant commitments, God would reject those He had chosen as His own. He had punished them justly and appropriately, but He would also restore them graciously and mercifully. They did not deserve to be saved. In fact, the prophet Ezekiel records God’s indictment of their unfaithfulness even while in exile.

“Therefore, give the people of Israel this message from the Sovereign Lord: I am bringing you back, but not because you deserve it. I am doing it to protect my holy name, on which you brought shame while you were scattered among the nations. I will show how holy my great name is—the name on which you brought shame among the nations. And when I reveal my holiness through you before their very eyes, says the Sovereign Lord, then the nations will know that I am the Lord. For I will gather you up from all the nations and bring you home again to your land.” – Ezekiel 36:22-24 NLT

Yet, God was determined to keep His covenant promises and see that His people were restored to the land He had given them as their inheritance. For anyone familiar with the history of Israel, it would be easy to assume that the Isaiah 49 passage addresses Israel’s return from captivity under the leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah. As God had promised, the exiled Israelites began returning to Judah in 538 B.C.E. Through a series of God-ordained events, a remnant of the Israelites were given permission to make the long journey home so that they might restore Jerusalem, rebuild the Temple, and repopulate the land of Judah.

But Isaiah seems to have something far more significant in mind. In chapters 49-52, he describes a restoration that exceeds anything Israel experienced under the leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah. In chapter 52, he writes of a day when only the pure and godly will enter the gates of Jerusalem.

Wake up, wake up, O Zion!
Clothe yourself with strength.
Put on your beautiful clothes, O holy city of Jerusalem,
for unclean and godless people will enter your gates no longer.
Rise from the dust, O Jerusalem.
Sit in a place of honor.
Remove the chains of slavery from your neck,
O captive daughter of Zion.
For this is what the Lord says:
“When I sold you into exile,
I received no payment.
Now I can redeem you
without having to pay for you.” – Isaiah 52:1-3 NLT

These verses describe a different restoration with far-reaching implications for Israel and the world. Isaiah describes a far-distant day when God will redeem and restore Israel once and for all.

Let the ruins of Jerusalem break into joyful song,
    for the Lord has comforted his people.
    He has redeemed Jerusalem.
The Lord has demonstrated his holy power
    before the eyes of all the nations.
All the ends of the earth will see
    the victory of our God. – Isaiah 52:9-10 NLT

What Ezra and Nehemiah accomplished in leading the exiles back to the land of Judah cannot be overlooked. They took on the gargantuan task of rebuilding the ruins of Jerusalem under great duress and significant opposition. However, their efforts, while ultimately successful, do not match what Isaiah describes.

After their return to Judah, the Israelites were surrounded by enemies and under constant threat of annihilation. They had no king and no standing army, making them an easy target for any nation that coveted their fertile and well-watered land. It would not be long before they found themselves under the thumb of yet another world power when the Romans invaded the land and became their overlords. Their occupation began in 68 B.C.E. and was still going on when Jesus appeared on the scene.

But Jesus’ arrival adds another important element to the prophecies of Isaiah because He is the “servant” of whom Isaiah wrote. The descriptions of this coming servant mirror the life of Jesus, both in His incarnation but also in His future return.

“The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom,
    so that I know how to comfort the weary.
Morning by morning he wakens me
    and opens my understanding to his will.
The Sovereign Lord has spoken to me,
    and I have listened.
    I have not rebelled or turned away.
I offered my back to those who beat me
    and my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard.
I did not hide my face
    from mockery and spitting.

“Because the Sovereign Lord helps me,
    I will not be disgraced.
Therefore, I have set my face like a stone,
    determined to do his will.
    And I know that I will not be put to shame.” – Isaiah 50:4-7 NLT

These verses are mirrored by the gospel writers when they describe the abuse Jesus suffered during His trials before the Sanhedrin and the Roman governor Pilate. Jesus confessed His unflinching determination to do His Father’s will when He said, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me” (John 6:38 ESV). Though He knew what would happen when He arrived in Jerusalem, Jesus set His face like a stone and made the journey anyway (Luke 9:51).

Jesus was the servant whom God promised to send. He came to seek and to save that which was lost. He came to redeem all those who were enslaved to sin and condemned to death. He was Jehovah-Go’el, the LORD Our Redeemer. According the Isaiah, it was always God’s plan to send His Servant to redeem what was lost and, as Paul states, “because of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30 ESV).

But Jesus is not yet done. While He has finished His atoning work on the cross, He has not completed the mission God gave Him. He will one day return and fulfill His role as Jehovah-Go’el. the Savior and Redeemer of God’s chosen people, the Israelites. Every covenant promise God made to them will be fulfilled – in Christ.

”For I will gather you up from all the nations and bring you home again to your land.

“Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.

“And you will live in Israel, the land I gave your ancestors long ago. You will be my people, and I will be your God.” – Ezekiel 36:24-28 NLT

God is a redeeming God. From the moment Adam and Eve disobeyed His divine directive in the garden, He has been on a relentless quest to restore what was damaged by the fall. But this quest is not some sort of Don Quixote-esque ill-fated hope for a non-existent future; it is based on a pre-ordained outcome that was established before the foundation of the world. In other words, the fall was not a fly in the ointment for God. It did not come as a surprise to God or require Him to formulate a Plan B to replace His obviously flawed and failed Plan A.

No, the redemption of Israel and the redemption of sinful humanity was always a part of God’s strategic plan, and you see it mapped out in these chapters of Isaiah. Redemption has always been part of God’s sovereign, providential will. Israel’s rebellion and subsequent punishment was not an unscheduled detour in God’s road map of redemption; it was a pre-planned, pre-scheduled stop along the way. God had always planned to redeem Israel because He had always intended for His “Servant” to be an Israelite. He had to be born of the seed of Abraham and come from the lineage of David so that He could one day sit on the throne of David and rule over the redeemed and restored nation of Israel. As Isaiah wrote in an earlier portion of his book, Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise to send a redeemer for His rebellious people, including both Jews and Gentiles.

For a child is born to us,
    a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
    And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His government and its peace
    will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
    for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
    will make this happen! – Isaiah 9:6-7 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Do As You Have Spoken

June 19, 2024 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹⁸Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? ¹⁹And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God. You have spoken also of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord God! ²⁰And what more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord God! ²¹Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it. ²²Therefore you are great, O Lord God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. ²³And who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name and doing for them great and awesome things by driving out before your people, whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, a nation and its gods? ²⁴And you established for yourself your people Israel to be your people forever. And you, O Lord, became their God. ²⁵And now, O Lord God, confirm forever the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken. ²⁶And your name will be magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is God over Israel,’ and the house of your servant David will be established before you. ²⁷For you, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. ²⁸And now, O Lord God, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. ²⁹Now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you, O Lord God, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever.”– 2 Samuel 7:18-29 ESV

One of the keys to understanding David’s lasting legacy as Israel’s greatest king is found in this marvelous prayer he offers to God. As the Scriptures make painfully clear, David was far from perfect. Yes, according to God’s own estimation, David was a man after His own heart, but he also had a heart that was strongly attracted to women. He also had an impulsive streak that continually got him in trouble and an equal predisposition toward inaction that caused him great difficulty. But when all is said and done, and the evaluation of David’s life is complete, it is difficult not to conclude that he was a man who loved God and understood the unique nature of their relationship.

In this prayer, David repeatedly refers to himself as the servant of God, and another eight times he calls God his master. This speaks volumes regarding David’s comprehension of his role and God’s rule. David may have been the king of Israel but God was the King of the universe. David understood that he served at the behest of the sovereign Lord and he had been the unworthy recipient of God’s grace and mercy. His rise from a lowly shepherd boy to the most powerful position in the land had been totally undeserved and David acknowledged that fact. His humility shines through as he expresses his amazement that God had chosen to use him.

“Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?” – 2 Samuel 7:18 NLT

As David reflected on the charmed nature of his current life and considered the implications of God’s promise of an everlasting dynasty, he couldn’t help but confess that none of it had been his own doing.

“Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness…” – 2 Samuel 7:21 ESV

David didn’t see his elevation to the throne as something he deserved or had earned. It had been in fulfillment of God’s promise and was an outward demonstration of God’s faithfulness and sovereign power. He had been the recipient of God’s unmerited love and favor. And David’s past experience confirmed that the Almighty always fulfills what He promises because He is the faithful, covenant-keeping God.

As king, David enjoyed all the perks and benefits that came with the job. He was a man who wielded great power and influence. He was revered by his own people and feared by the enemies of Israel. He possessed great wealth and a reputation as a mighty warrior. But David was far more impressed with the greatness of God.

“How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you!” – 2 Samuel 7:22 NLT

This man who helped put Israel on the map militarily and politically knew that God was ultimately responsible for its existence. It had all been according to His sovereign will. David understood that the only reason he had a nation over which to rule and reign was because God had ordained it. There would have been no Israel had God not chosen an obscure pagan named Abraham to whom He promised to form a great nation. There would have been no exodus unless God had chosen to step in and rescue His people from their slavery in Egypt.

“What other nation on earth is like your people Israel? What other nation, O God, have you redeemed from slavery to be your own people? You made a great name for yourself when you redeemed your people from Egypt.” – 2 Samuel 7:23 NLT

David knew that God had been the one to lead the people of Israel out of bondage, across the wilderness, and into the land of Canaan. It was God who had performed miracles along the way and provided victories over the inhabitants of Canaan.

“You performed awesome miracles and drove out the nations and gods that stood in their way.” – 2 Samuel 7:23 NLT

It did not escape David that there would have been no land for him to rule over had God not made it possible, and he was blown away by it all. Now, to top it all off, God promised to “build a house” for him. This wasn’t about a residential upgrade. God wasn’t guaranteeing David the promise of a grand palace made with great stones, massive wooden beams, precious metals, and rare jewels.

No, God was promising to expand David’s kingdom and extend his dynasty for generations to come. His would not be a one-and-done reign like that of Saul, whose dynasty died with him. David would see his kingdom thrive and flourish under the leadership of his own son, Solomon. David’s reign would eventually come to an end, but God promised that his fame and renown would long outlast him.

“Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth!” – 2 Samuel 7:10 NLT

“Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.” – 2 Samuel 7:16 NLT

What an amazing promise. The staggering significance of those words did not escape David because he knew just how fleeting a king’s reign could be. He had personally watched Saul’s reign come to an abrupt and ignominious end and knew that kingdoms could end just as easily as they began. David understood that the key to his kingdom’s longevity was tied directly to God’s sovereignty. So David asked God to graciously extend his kingdom forever.

“…now, may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you have spoken, and when you grant a blessing to your servant, O Sovereign Lord, it is an eternal blessing!” – 2 Samuel 7:29 NLT

God had made the promise and now David was humbly asking Him to graciously fulfill it. This was not an expression of doubt on David’s part. He was not questioning the faithfulness of God but was simply acknowledging his fear of doing anything that might jeopardize its outcome. He knew that the length of his legacy was tied directly to the depth of his dependency upon God. As long as he recognized God as the ultimate King of Israel, his kingdom would flourish and his legacy would last. David knew that the blessings of God were bound to his own obedience as king. He stood as the representative for God’s people, serving as their proxy or stand-in. His faithfulness was to reflect the hearts of the people. His leadership would inform and influence the nation.

There is an old proverb that says, “As the king, so are the subjects.” The truth of this statement can be seen in the lives of Israel’s kings as evidenced in the books of First and Second Kings. In these ancient texts, a repeated pattern emerges that chronicles the disobedience and unfaithfulness of Israel’s kings. Time and time again, these men chose to worship false gods and, in so doing, they led their subjects away from the one true God. They sacrificed their dependence upon God in exchange for the false assurances of idols and unreliable alliances with foreign nations. They turned their backs on God and, eventually, God was forced to turn His back on them. Despite His calls to repent, the kings refused to obey. Their stubborn resistance to His will resulted in the northern kingdom of Judah being conquered and enslaved by the Assyrians. Hundreds of years later, the southern kingdom of Judah would suffer a similar fate, falling to the Babylonians and suffering seven decades of enslavement and subjugation.

Yet, God would remain faithful. He would keep His covenant promise to David. The throne of David remains empty to this very day. The nation of Israel has no king at this moment in time, but God is not done. A King is coming. One day, Jesus Christ the Messiah and descendant of David will return to claim His rightful place as the King of kings and Lord of lords. He will establish His throne in Jerusalem, ruling as the rightful heir of David the King, and His reign will be an everlasting one. Not only that, but His rule will be marked by righteousness, justice, and holiness. When that day comes, there will be no other kings and no other kingdoms to stand against His because there is no God beside Him. Jesus Christ will be the final fulfillment of God’s promise to David.

“Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.” – 2 Samuel 7:16 NLT

The greatest news is that David’s kingdom did not end with his death or with that of his son Solomon. It didn’t end with the captivities of Judah or Israel. It didn’t end with the fall of Jerusalem or the destruction of the Temple. There is a day coming when God will fulfill His covenant with David. He will send His Son back to earth to take His rightful position as the heir to David’s throne, where He will rule and reign in righteousness. And it is to the promise of that day God’s people look and hope.

As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed. – Daniel 7:13-14 NLT

Devotionary

The Bible Made Accessible and Applicable

end times

He Shall Come to His End

The People Who Know Their God

Days Yet to Come

More Than Daniel Prayed For

The End is Near

A Vision of Things to Come

A Dream Come True (Soon)

Divinely Appointed and Anointed

Jehovah-Go’el

Do As You Have Spoken