I Heard, but I Did Not Understand

November 4, 2024 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹“At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. ²And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. ³And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. ⁴But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”

⁵Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on this bank of the stream and one on that bank of the stream. ⁶And someone said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, “How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?” ⁷And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished. ⁸I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?” ⁹He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. ¹⁰Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand. ¹¹And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days. ¹²Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days. ¹³But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.” – Daniel 12:1-13 ESV

The prophecy ends leaving Daniel in a state of confusion. He has been given a glimpse of Israel’s future but has no idea what it means, when it will happen, or how it will all turn out. He responds in fearful confusion, “I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, ‘O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?’” (Daniel 12:8 ESV).

Daniel’s consternation is understandable because of the frightening nature of the prophecy. Gabriel, the divine messenger, has described a series of disconcerting events including wars on Earth and in the heavenly realms. He spoke of a period of 490 years that would be “perilous times” (Daniel 925). Gabriel warned of a coming prince who would destroy Jerusalem and the recently reconstructed Temple. It would be a time accompanied by floods, desolation, and seemingly endless wars.

In chapter 10, Daniel was exposed to even more details about the future that left him dismayed and filled with dread.

“…no strength was left in me…” – Daniel 10:8 ESV

“I retained no strength.” – Daniel 10:8 ESV

“I fell on my face.” – Daniel 10:9 ESV

“I stood up trembling.” – Daniel 10:11 ESV

“I turned my face toward the ground and was mute.” – Daniel 10:15 ESV

Daniel was terrified by all that he had seen and heard. None of it had come across as good news to the elderly servant of Yahweh. This whole series of disturbing visions had come as a result of Daniel’s prayer to his “great and awesome God” (Daniel 9:4 NLT). But it was not what Daniel had expected to hear. Daniel had appealed to Yahweh’s covenant-keeping nature, begging Him to fulfill His promises of unfailing love to those who love Him and obey His commands (Daniel 9:4). Daniel had confessed the sins of his people and freely admitted they did not deserve God’s goodness, grace, and mercy. But Daniel had appealed to God’s mercy, begging Him to intercede on behalf of the downtrodden and disenfranchised people of Israel.

“We make this plea, not because we deserve help, but because of your mercy. O Lord, hear. O Lord, forgive. O Lord, listen and act! For your own sake, do not delay, O my God, for your people and your city bear your name.” – Daniel 9:18-19 NLT

Yet, the message that Gabriel brought was anything but encouraging. None of it made sense because it painted a bleak and foreboding picture of the future that filled Daniel with dread, doubt, and discomfort.

To restore Daniel’s confidence, the heavenly messenger delivered a word of comfort and encouragement.

“O man greatly loved, fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.” – Daniel 10:19 ESV

Daniel was strengthened by these gracious words and expressed his desire to hear more about God’s plans for the future. But what came next was more bad news. Gabriel launched into a lengthy description of wars between the Persians, Greeks, Egyptians, and Syrians (Seleucids). These kingdoms of the north and south would battle over the land of Palestine, with Israel sitting at the center of the conflicts. Once again, this news would have left Daniel perplexed and questioning the purpose behind it all.

When Gabriel described the future desecration of the Temple, Daniel must have been beside himself with anger and resentment.

“His army will take over the Temple fortress, pollute the sanctuary, put a stop to the daily sacrifices, and set up the sacrilegious object that causes desecration. He will flatter and win over those who have violated the covenant. But the people who know their God will be strong and will resist him.” – Daniel 11:31-32 NLT

How could these things be part of God’s will for the people of Israel? Had God not heard his prayer? Was God oblivious to their plight and unwilling to keep His covenant promises? This entire sequence of events was beyond Daniel’s comprehension, and what he heard next made matters even worse.

“Wise leaders will give instruction to many, but these teachers will die by fire and sword, or they will be jailed and robbed. During these persecutions, little help will arrive, and many who join them will not be sincere. And some of the wise will fall victim to persecution. In this way, they will be refined and cleansed and made pure until the time of the end, for the appointed time is still to come.” – Daniel 11:33-35 NLT

But what Daniel failed to understand was that God had a long-term plan for the people of Israel that included both suffering and salvation. He would eventually answer Daniel’s prayer but not on Daniel’s timeline. In fact, Daniel would not live long enough to see most of these prophecies fulfilled. Yet God was gracious enough to let him know that there would be a happy ending to this dark and disconcerting story.

This is where the final chapter comes in. It closes with a glimpse into the far-distant future. God gives Daniel a final view of His plan for Israel. While much of what He revealed to Daniel in chapter 11 had to do with Antiochus Epiphanes and events that have already taken place, chapter 12 contains details about events that have yet to happen – even in our day. They refer to the seven-year period known as the Great Tribulation – part of God’s 70 sevens (chapter 9).

In this closing chapter, God reveals to Daniel the final phase of world history before Christ returns to the earth. He refers to it as a period of unparalleled persecution of the Jewish people, the chosen people of God.

“…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 “time of trouble” will be unprecedented and exceed anything the Israelites have experienced since becoming a nation. Nothing will compare with this dark chapter in Israel’s future, including their captivity in Egypt or their fall to the Babylonians. Yet Daniel is told, “at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book” ( Daniel 12:1 ESV).

There is hope. The future is dark but a glimmer of light can be seen on the horizon. Gabriel begins to paint a hopeful vision of the future that reveals God’s sovereign plan to fulfill every promise He made to the people of Israel.

“Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever.” – Daniel 12:3 NLT

He has not forgotten them and will not fail to keep His covenant commitments to them. But Daniel is warned that their suffering will continue for as long as God deems it necessary.

“It will go on for a time, times, and half a time. When the shattering of the holy people has finally come to an end, all these things will have happened.“ – Daniel 12:7 NLT

The cryptic phrase “a time, times, and a half time” is a distinctively Hebrew way of describing time. It refers to a year, two years, and half a year, which adds up to three years. This alludes to the second half of the seven-year Tribulation that will come upon the Earth during the end times. This is the final “seven” of the seventy-sevens described in Daniel 9.

Daniel confesses his confusion, saying, “I heard, but I did not understand” (Daniel 12:8 ESV). He had no way of understanding what this vision meant. He had no concept of the end times or any capacity to decipher the complicated numerology used in the vision. All he can do is ask what the outcome will be. But rather than an answer, Daniel receives an order to go about his business.

“Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.” – Daniel 12:9-10 ESV

This is the same basic answer that Jesus gave to His disciples just before He ascended back into heaven. After witnessing His death and miraculous resurrection, the disciples were anxious to know what He would do next. So, they asked, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” (Acts 1:6 NLT).

They were still hoping that Jesus would establish His earthly Kingdom. Their dreams of serving in His royal administration had been reignited by Jesus’ victory over death. If He could rise from the dead, He could certainly conquer the Romans.

But Jesus told them “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know” (Acts 1:7 NLT). They needed to go about their business and the next verses reveals their job description.

“…you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” – Acts 1:8 NLT

They had work to do and so did Daniel. He didn’t need to understand all the details regarding the end times. In fact, he wouldn’t be around to see any of it happen. Neither would the disciples of Jesus. They are all long gone but the prophecy contained in Daniel 12 remains unfulfilled.

The Great Tribulation has yet to take place. Because of the unprecedented scope of human wickedness and evil that marks our day, some believe we are living in the Tribulation. But Jesus described this future period as something far worse than anything humanity has ever experienced.

“For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again. In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones.” – Matthew 24:21-22 NLT

We may live in dark days, but they are nothing compared with what is to come. The Great Tribulation will be marked by intense persecution of the Jews because of the rise of the Antichrist – a powerful political figure who will make the exploits of Antiochus Epiphanes pale in comparison.

All of this would have shocked poor Danie. He had watched his people suffer through exile for almost 70 years and now he was being told that their persecution would last until the end of time. It would not get any better. During his lifetime, Daniel had been privileged to witness a remnant of the people of God return to the land of promise. But now he was being told of future days when they would be scattered yet again. There would be wars, persecutions, and countless attempts to exterminate the Jews over the centuries. Even today, we are witnessing verbal and physical assaults on God’s chosen people as millions revile their very existence and the nations plot their extermination.

While they occupy part of the original promised land, they remain under constant attack. But God is not done. He is not finished with His people. Their suffering will continue, but a day is coming when He will restore them. There is one last Great Tribulation to be endured but then His Son will return. There is hope. There is a happy ending to this story because God has written it and He will fulfill it.

So Gabriel tells Daniel to “go your way until the end.” He provides Daniel assurance that all will work out, including Daniel’s own resurrection to new life in Christ’s future kingdom. Daniel will die, but he will rise again, so that he can spend eternity with the God in whom he had placed his hope and trust all those years living in captivity in Babylon. Daniel could rest knowing that God was going to faithfully complete what He had promised to do. And we can rest in that same promise.

We may not understand all that these prophecies contain, but we don’t have to. Like Daniel and the disciples of Jesus, we need to go about our business and live with hope in the promises of God. He will do what He has said He will do, and He will do it according to His divine timeline.

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.

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.

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.

In the Fullness of Time

June 29, 2021June 29, 2021 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

⁵⁷Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. ⁵⁸And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. ⁵⁹And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, ⁶⁰but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” ⁶¹And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” ⁶²And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. ⁶³And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered. ⁶⁴And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. ⁶⁵And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, ⁶⁶and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him. – Luke 1:57-66 ESV

When Mary made her trip to visit Elizabeth in Judah, her cousin would have been in the sixth month of her pregnancy (Luke 1:36). Luke tells us that Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months, then returned home (Luke 1:56). It would appear that Mary returned home to Nazareth before Elizabeth gave birth.

But not long after Mary’s departure, Elizabeth’s due date arrived and she bore a son just as the angel Gabriel had told Zechariah (Luke 1:12). For the entire nine months of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, Zechariah had suffered from temporary muteness because he had failed to believe the message of the angel.

“…behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” – Luke 1:20 ESV

It appears that Zechariah’s ailment included an inability to hear as well. When his neighbors attempt to question him about the child’s name, they are forced to use hand signals, which would indicate that he was deaf as well as dumb. The Greek word Luke used to refer to Zechariah’s muteness is kōphos, and it can also be used to refer to deafness. So, for the duration of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, Zechariah was forced to live in silence, unable to speak or hear anything. And this condition would have made his vocation as a priest virtually impossible to fulfill. He lived in a state of silent isolation, waiting for the fulfillment of Gabriel’s prophecy. And no one could have been more anxious or excited about Elizabeth’s due date than Zechariah. He was looking forward to seeing the fulfillment of all his prayers, but he must have also had high hopes that the birth would bring about the restoration of his speech and hearing.

Throughout this chapter, Luke puts a great deal of emphasis on time. Gabriel told Zechariah that his words would “be fulfilled in their time” (Luke 1:20). Luke records that Zechariah left the temple and returned home “when his time of service was ended” (Luke 1:23). Then we are given time markers focused on the stages of Elizabeth’s pregnancy.

…for five months she kept herself hidden… – Luke 1:24 ESV

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth… – Luke 1:26 ESV

“…behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month…” – Luke 1:36 ESV

And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home. – Luke 1:56 ESV

Then Luke begins this section with the statement, “Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son” (Luke 1:57 ESV). Everything was happening according to God’s divine timeline. While Elizabeth’s pregnancy was normal, in that it lasted the usual nine months, it was supernatural and sovereignly ordained. Luke does not want his readers to forget that she was advanced in years and had suffered from barrenness. The birth of this baby was anything but normal, and the timing of all these events was meant to remind the reader that these were extraordinary and divinely sanctioned days in the history of Israel. A formerly barren woman was giving birth to a son. A young virgin girl was three months pregnant and carrying within her the Son of God. And it was all happening according to God’s preordained and perfectly timed plan.

The apostle Paul emphasized the impeccable timing behind God’s plan.

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman… – Galalians 4:4 ESV

Time had reached its fulness or completeness. Each element of the plan was happening at just the right time and at the prescribed moment that God had preordained. There was no chance involved. It was all part of the perfect will of God Almighty.

Elizabeth gave birth to a son – just as Gabriel had said she would. And the new parents were surrounded by friends and neighbors who came to celebrate this joyous occasion with them. Even they recognized the hand of God behind Elizabeth’s pregnancy and delivery, and rejoiced that “the Lord had shown great mercy to her” (Luke 1:58 ESV). But they were completely ignorant of God’s plans for this newly born infant. They had no way of knowing that he would “be great before the Lord” and “be filled with the Holy Spirit” (Luke 1:15), or that he would “turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God” (Luke 1:16 ESV). To them, he was just another healthy baby boy who would be a welcome addition to the home of Zechariah and Elizabeth. This faithful priest now had a son and an heir.

And because this baby would likely be the only child born to this aging couple, the friends of Zechariah and Elizabeth fully expected them to name the boy after his father. But eight days after giving birth to her son, Elizabeth surprised her friends by informing them that his name would be John. She and Zechariah chose to reveal this news on the day scheduled for their son’s circumcision. This God-ordained rite was meant as a sign that their newborn son was dedicated or set apart to God. It was a sign of the covenant that God had made between Himself and the offspring of Abraham.

“As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male throughout your generations…” – Genesis 17:9-12 ESV

Zechariah and Elizabeth knew that their son had been graciously given to them by God and that he had a divine mission to accomplish. They were merely stewards, charged with the task of keeping God’s vessel pure and prepared for his future role: “to make ready for the Lord a people prepared” (Luke 1:170 ESV). Gabriel had warned them to keep their son away from wine and strong drink. He would be filled with the Spirit of God and set apart as an instrument to accomplish God’s divine plan. And this godly couple was determined to follow the words of the angel of God. When Zechariah was questioned about their strange choice of name, he used a writing tablet to affirm his wife’s answer, scrawling the words: “His name is John” (Luke 1:63 ESV).

At that exact moment in time, God restored Zechariah’s ability to speak and hear. By obeying the word of the angel and naming his son, John, Zechariah proved his faith and was healed of his infirmity. And the first thing he did was bless God. We are not told what Zechariah said, but it seems likely that he reiterated some of what Gabriel had said regarding John’s future role. Luke indicates that “fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea” (Luke 1:65 ESV).

In blessing God, Zechariah must have divulged some of what the angel Gabriel had said. This news obviously made an impact on those who were in the range of Zechariah’s voice. And the fact had not escaped them that Zechariah’s voice had been miraculously and instantaneously restored. There was something supernatural going on in their midst. But they had no way of knowing that God had just invaded time and space, sending his servant, John, so that he might one day begin his ministry of announcing the coming of the kingdom of God and calling the people of Israel to repentance. Three decades would pass before the baby born to Zechariah and Elizabeth launched his divinely ordained ministry. In the meantime, another baby would be born to a young virgin girl named Mary. Months, years, and decades would pass. But God was at work. He was methodically and painstakingly preparing the way for the long-awaited Messiah. And in the fullness of time, His plan of redemption would begin.

An Unlikely Vessel

June 26, 2021June 26, 2021 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

²⁶In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, ²⁷to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.’ ²⁸And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” ²⁹But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. ³⁰And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. ³²He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, ³³and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

³⁴And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

³⁵And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. ³⁶And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. ³⁷For nothing will be impossible with God.” ³⁸And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. – Luke 1:26-38 ESV

The birth of John to Elizabeth and Zechariah, while obviously divinely ordained and miraculous in nature, was meant to be a precursor to the more important and paradigm-shifting birth that was to follow. John’s entire life and ministry would be that of a herald or preparer of the way.

“…he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” – Luke 1:17 ESV

In the same way, Luke records John’s birth as if it was merely a sign of greater things to come. While there are obvious similarities between the two birth accounts, Luke wants his readers to understand that there were glaring and significant differences as well. Years later, after beginning his ministry announcing the arrival of the Messiah and the Kingdom of Heaven, John would elaborate on the differences between him and Jesus.

“You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but am sent ahead of Him.’ The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom stands and listens for him, and is overjoyed to hear the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must increase; I must decrease.

“The One who comes from above is above all. The one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks as one from the earth. The One who comes from heaven is above all.” – John 3:28-31 BSB

Once again, the angel Gabriel is sent to earth by God with a message. This time, he appears to a young virgin girl named Mary. Unlike Zechariah, Mary bears no title or job responsibility that would give her an air of importance or worth. She lived in Nazareth, a relatively obscure town located in the region of Galilee. With the mention of her place of residence, Luke has moved the narrative outside the walls of the capital city of Jerusalem where Zechariah received his message from Gabriel. In doing so, he has shifted the reader’s attention from the sacred environs of the temple to the less-than-holy confines of Nazareth. The reputation of this backwater town was far from stellar. Years later, when Philip told Nathanael “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph,” (John 1:45 ESV), Nathanael sarcastically responded, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46 ESV).

But it was in this unimpressive place and to an unassuming young girl that God sent His angelic messenger with unexpected news.

“Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” – Luke 1:28 ESV

Luke records that Mary’s response to seeing an angel was markedly different than that of Zechariah. He had been troubled and filled with fear at the sight of Gabriel but Mary seems to have been more disturbed by the content of the message than the heavenly status of its deliverer.

…she was greatly troubled by his words and began to wonder about the meaning of this greeting. – Luke 1:29 NLT

Mary was a nobody. It’s likely that she was no more than a teenager at the time. And besides her name and the fact that she was a virgin, all Luke tells us about her is that she was “betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David” (Luke 1:27 ESV). There is nothing about Mary that should have set her apart as special in any way. And that seems to be the point. When Gabriel announced her “favored” status, he was not declaring that she had somehow earned her way into God’s good graces.

The Greek word is κεχαριτωμένη, and it means “to grace” or “to indue with special honor.” It is only used one other time in the New Testament. In his letter to the believers in Ephesus, Paul refers to the grace or unmerited favor that God had poured out on them.

In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. – Ephesians 1:4-6 ESV

They had done nothing to earn their adoption as sons and daughters of Jesus Christ. It had all been a gift from God. And he would elaborate on the undeserved nature of that gift in the very next chapter.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. – Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV

Mary had done nothing to merit her visitation from Gabriel, and her designation as God’s “favored one” was unearned as well. God had chosen her. He had set her apart to be the earthly vessel that would carry the priceless treasure of His Son. It was her relative obscurity and apparent inadequacy that set her apart. And Mary seemed to recognize the incongruity of Gabriel’s words with her own understanding of her value. She was troubled by what she heard and couldn’t reconcile the confusing nature of the angel’s message. But the apostle Paul provides us with a statement that helps to explain what was going on as Gabriel declared God’s message to Mary.

Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.

Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God. – 1 Corinthians 1:24-289 NLT

Mary was an unlikely vessel to contain the glory of God. But then, so are we.

For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. – 2 Corinthians 4:6-7 NLT

This young girl was going to be used by God to bring light into the world. She would bear and give birth to the Son of God. For nine months, she would carry the hope of the world in her womb, and eventually, she would deliver God’s priceless gift of grace into the waiting arms of a rebellious and sin-stained world.

Gabriel assured Mary that she had “found favor with God!” (Luke 1:30 NLT). Once again, this does not mean that Mary had earned favor, but that God had graciously chosen to act on her behalf. He was gracing her with His favor. And then Gabriel explains to her how the favor of God would manifest itself.

“You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will never end.” – Luke 1:31-33 NLT

If Mary had been troubled before, she had to have been reeling at this point. This was mind-boggling, earth-shattering information that must have left her head spinning and her heart racing. And her confusion is evidenced by her reaction: “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34 ESV). She and Joseph were still in the betrothal stage of their relationship and were not yet officially married. It sounded like Gabriel was getting the cart before the horse. She and Joseph still needed to complete their betrothal, go through the marriage ceremony, and then consummate their relationship.

That’s when Gabriel drops the next bombshell.

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called the Son of God.” – Luke 1:35 NLT

This was all uncharted waters for this young Jewish girl. She had no way of understanding what Gabriel meant. There was no precedent to which she could turn to understand this kind of supernatural explanation. It is doubtful that she fully comprehended the nature of Gabriel’s words. But rather than ask more questions, she simply responded: “Yes, I am a servant of the Lord; let this happen to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38 NLT). There may have been a tone of confused compliance behind Mary’s statement. She had no idea what was about to happen but because it was the will of God, Mary was ready to humbly submit.

It all had to have sounded improbable and impossible to Mary. But Gabriel had assured her that “nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:37 NLT). And he gave Elizabeth’s pregnancy as evidence of God’s involvement in all that was going on. The creator of the universe was working behind the scenes to bring about the greatest event in human history, and He was using broken, barren, insignificant, and undeserving individuals to make it happen.

From Barrenness to Bounty

June 25, 2021June 26, 2021 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

¹⁸And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” ¹⁹And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. ²⁰And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” ²¹And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. ²²And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. ²³And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.

²⁴After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, ²⁵“Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.” – Luke 1:18-25 ESV

Having recovered from the initial shock of his divine encounter with the angelic visitor, Zechariah gathered his wits about him and assessed the content of the message. He immediately saw a problem and shared his concern with the angel.

“How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is old as well.” – Luke 1:18 NLT

He desperately wanted to believe the news that his barren wife would have a son, but he needed proof. After all, the odds were stacked against them. Even if God could arrange for Elizabeth to get pregnant, there was another pressing problem: She was well beyond child-bearing age. So, as wonderful as this news sounded, Zechariah was having a difficult time accepting it as true.

You would have thought the appearance of an angel would have been more than enough for Zechariah. As a priest of God, he would have known about Israel’s history and the other divine encounters his forefathers had experienced, including Abraham the great patriarch of the Hebrew people. As we saw yesterday, there are glaring similarities between the story of Abraham and Sarah and Zechariah and Elizabeth. Both couples were advanced in years and the two women were suffering from an inability to bear children. Yet, centuries earlier, God had appeared to Abraham in a vision and declared His intention to bless this elderly couple and make of them a great nation.

“Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great.” – Genesis 15:1 NLT

But Abraham, like Zechariah, had found the good news to be a bit too good to be true.

“O Sovereign Lord, what good are all your blessings when I don’t even have a son? Since you’ve given me no children, Eliezer of Damascus, a servant in my household, will inherit all my wealth. You have given me no descendants of my own, so one of my servants will be my heir.” – Genesis 15:2-3 NLT

Abraham saw a glaring flaw in God’s plan and couldn’t help but share it. Yet God was nonplused, responding to Abraham’s doubt with further assurances of His intentions to make of Abraham a great nation.

“No, your servant will not be your heir, for you will have a son of your own who will be your heir.” Then the Lord took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!” – Genesis 15:4-5 NLT

What happens next is significant and often overlooked. We are told that Abraham believed God and “the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith” (Genesis 15:6 NLT). Abraham is recognized for his faith and declared to be righteous accordingly. Yet, moments later, after God reiterates His promise to give Abraham the entire land of Canaan as his possession, Abraham responds in doubt.

But Abram replied, “O Sovereign Lord, how can I be sure that I will actually possess it?” – Genesis 15:8 NLT

Within minutes, Abraham went from believing God to having serious concerns about God’s ability to pull off what He was promising. So, he asked the Lord for a sign and received one. It may be that Zechariah had this story in mind when he said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this?” Abraham had asked for and received a sign, so why shouldn’t he? But what Zechariah got was a stern answer from the angel.

“I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.” – Luke 1:19 NLT

This was not just any angel, but the well-known and revered Gabriel. Zechariah would have recognized the name because the prophet, Daniel, had recorded about his two encounters with the very same angel.

As I, Daniel, was trying to understand the meaning of this vision, someone who looked like a man stood in front of me. And I heard a human voice calling out from the Ulai River, “Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of his vision.”

As Gabriel approached the place where I was standing, I became so terrified that I fell with my face to the ground. – Daniel 8:16-17 NLT

Daniel would have a second and equally memorable visit from Gabriel.

As I was praying, Gabriel, whom I had seen in the earlier vision, came swiftly to me at the time of the evening sacrifice. He explained to me, “Daniel, I have come here to give you insight and understanding. 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 9:21-23 NLT

This was the very same angelic being who was appearing to Zechariah, having been sent from the very throne room of God with a personal message for this elderly priest and his barren wife. But because Zechariah had chosen to doubt the veracity of the message, Gabriel delivered a stern word of rebuke along with a promise to give Zechariah the sign he had requested.

“…because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will be silent, unable to speak, until the day these things take place.” – Luke 1:20 NLT

Zechariah was immediately struck dumb. He lost his ability to speak. He had asked for a sign and received one. And it is interesting to note that, with the sign, Zechariah had the proof he needed to believe the message of Gabriel. The good news was true. But now, because of his lack of faith, he had lost the ability to share that news with anyone. On leaving the temple, he was immediately confronted by those in the courtyard who had begun to worry about his long delay. They peppered him with questions, but unable to speak, Zechariah was forced to use his hands to try and explain what had happened inside the temple. But despite Zechariah’s hampered communications capacity, the onlookers could tell that something significant had taken place.

They realized that he had seen a vision in the Holy Place. – Luke 1:22 NLT

When he had completed his priestly duties for the day, Zechariah returned home. He couldn’t wait to share the good news with his wife but would find it virtually impossible to convey the content of Gabriel’s message without the ability to speak.

Somehow, Zechariah was able to let his wife know the exciting news. At some point, he probably took a stylus and a sheet of parchment and inscribed the details of his encounter with Gabriel. And it seems likely that Elizabeth would have been just as incredulous at discovering the content of the angel’s message. But as the months passed, she soon received irrefutable proof that all Gabriel had said was true. She was pregnant. Despite her old age and barren state, she had a child forming in her womb. And she immediately recognized her condition as a gracious gift from the hand of God.

“This is what the Lord has done for me at the time when he has been gracious to me, to take away my disgrace among people.” – Luke 1:25 NLT

Her words echo those of Rachel, another barren woman who was given a child by the gracious hand of God.

She became pregnant and gave birth to a son. “God has removed my disgrace,” she said. – Genesis 30:23 NLT

Elizabeth shared the same boundless gratitude to God that Hannah expressed when her years of barrenness ended with the birth of Samuel. She proclaimed her joy and thanks to God in the form of a son.

“My heart rejoices in the Lord!
The Lord has made me strong.
Now I have an answer for my enemies;
I rejoice because you rescued me.” – 1 Samuel

Whether these women realized it or not, they were speaking on behalf of the entire nation of Israel. Each of them had suffered through years of childlessness, bearing the shame and indignation that accompanied their inability to provide their husbands with offspring. In their culture, that was a fate worse than death. They were fruitless and powerless to do anything about it. Yet, each of them had called out to God and He had heard their cries and answered.

Elizabeth had longed for God to remove her reproach. She was tired of being the focus of everyone’s cruel gossip. She knew that other women were talking among themselves, spreading the vicious rumors that she had done something to anger God. These women would have assumed that Elizabeth was being punished for some hidden sin or moral indiscretion. Her inability to bear children must have been a curse from God Almighty. But they were wrong. Her barrenness, like that of Hannah, Sarah, and Rachel, was meant to be a sign that God could reverse the fortunes of the fruitless and hopeless. He could turn a barren womb into a place of sanctuary and nurture for the next generation of Israelites. He could use a woman’s reproach to bring about the world’s redemption. Elizabeth would have a son who would grow to be a man. And this man would herald the coming of another baby, born from the womb of a young Jewish girl named Mary.

In reality, the spiritually barren people of Israel were going to give birth to the Savior of the world. God had promised to give Abraham as many descendants as there are stars in the sky and to make his offspring a blessing to the nations. And that promise was about to be fulfilled but in a way that no one expected. The apostle Paul would later explain that all the promises that God made to Abraham were ultimately fulfilled in Jesus.

Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. – Galatians 3:16 ESV

God was about to do something spectacular, and it would begin with the birth of a son to an elderly priest and his barren wife. The spiritual desert that Israel had become was about to burst forth with fruitfulness and abundance in the form of a prophetic messenger and his news of the coming Kingdom of God.

Day 3 – Luke 1:5-80

January 3, 2013 / kdmiller55 / Leave a comment

In the Fulness of Time.

Luke 1:5-80

“For nothing is impossible with God.” – Luke 1:37 NLT

Galatians 4:4 tells us, “But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.” At just the right time. The imagery here conjures up pictures of a pregnant woman ready to give birth. Her day has come. After months of preparation, the day of delivery finally comes. Something long-awaited and highly anticipated is about to take place. The same is true of the situation in Israel as we read Luke’s account of the coming of Jesus. For more than 400 years, the Hebrew people have been waiting anxiously for a word from God. They have been desperately and eagerly waiting for the promised arrival of the Messiah. But unlike a pregnancy, they have no timeline to go by. They have no idea when the Messiah might come. During the period between the close of the Old Testament and the time recorded in the Gospel accounts, God has been silent. He has cut off communication with His people. There have been no prophets and therefore, no word from God. There have been no miraculous manifestations of God’s presence. It is a dark period, a virtual blackout, void of God’s abiding presence. And it would have been easy for the people of Israel to have lost hope. During those 400 years they had suffered considerably. They had had to endure repeated invasions by various enemies, and it culminated with the taking of Jerusalem by the Romans. By the time Jesus came onto the scene, the Jews were living under Roman rule, subject to Roman laws and Roman taxes. Herod the Great sat on the throne, having been appointed “king” over all of Palestine by the Romans. He was wicked, oppressive and a political schemer who had clawed his way to the top. Things could not have looked worse for the average Jew living in Judea at that time.

But at just the right time, God put His long-awaited plan into action. Luke records it for us. Breaking the long silence, suddenly God begins to speak again. He sends angels to Zechariah and Mary. He begins doing works of power and wonder. An elderly and barren couple miraculously give birth to a son. A young virgin girl becomes pregnant – by the Holy Spirit. Luke records for us the birth of John the Baptist, the conception of Jesus, and the foundational events that would set up the birth of Jesus, the Son of God and the Savior of the World. At just the right time – God acted. When things looked bleak and impossible – God did the impossible. “For nothing is impossible with God” (Luke 1:37 NLT). Mary echoed this sentiment when she sang, “For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me” (Luke 1:49 NLT). “His mighty arm has done tremendous things!” (Luke 1:51 NLT). Zechariah praised God saying, “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited his people. He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David” (Luke 1:68-69 NLT). God was fulfilling the promises He had made centuries ago to Abraham and David. He was doing exactly what He said He would do, at just the right moment in time.

Nothing is impossible with God. Circumstances are no match for Him. Wicked kings and powerful nations can’t stand in His way. Barrenness and old age are no problem for God. Normal human biological and reproductive requirements don’t limit God. Mary’s virginity, Elizabeth’s barrenness, Zechariah’s old age, Herod’s wickedness, Rome’s dominance, and Israel’s weakness were not going to keep God from accomplishing His will and unleashing His redemptive power on the world.

“Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace” (Luke 1:78-79 NLT).

Father, nothing is impossible with You. You are limitless in Your power and unstoppable in regards to Your will. Yet I tend to place limits on Your effectiveness and doubt Your ability to handle all that goes on in my life. Forgive me for my fear and floundering faith. Use the story of Your Son’s coming to remind me of Your sovereign control over all. Amen.

Ken Miller

Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org

Devotionary

The Bible Made Accessible and Applicable

Gabriel