Joel 2: 1-11
Now Joel is saying that the past locust infestation is similar to a military incursion that they need to know is coming, the Assyrian invasion that will come to pass in the eighth and seventh centuries B.C.
(1) Blow a trumpet in Zion,
And sound an alarm on My holy mountain!
Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble,
For the Day of the Lord is coming;
Surely it is near,
The "shofar" rams' horn has been used in Israel for both ceremonial and military uses. The sounding of this horn blasts out a warning of impending doom, when blown from the walls of the city.
Joel says that this impending army will be like the locusts that they experienced. So his description will have images of both the insect and the human armies.
And both of these events look forward to the Day of the Lord, that will surpass them both.
(2) A day of darkness and gloom,
A day of clouds and thick darkness.
As the dawn is spread over the mountains,
So there is a great and mighty people;
There has never been anything like it,
Nor will there be again after it
To the years of many generations.
This will be a day of thick thunderstorms that blocks out all the light of the sun and brings darkness.
As the sun comes up over the mountains to spread its light over the land, so this massive army will come up over the mountains to spread out over the city. There has never before been an army like this one before, and there will not be another similar to it until the End of Days.
(3) A fire consumes before them
And behind them a flame burns.
The land is like the Garden of Eden before them
But a desolate wilderness behind them,
And nothing at all escapes them.
The effect of the invaders' advance is detailed here as that which had been a scene of beauty would become a picture of utter desolation. Nothing in the land will escape.
(4) Their appearance is like the appearance of horses;
And like war horses, so they run.
Here Joel is referring to locusts again, which do have a startling resemblance to horses: note the Italian, (cavalletta, "little horse") and the German (heupferd, "hay horse") words for locusts. The ancient world abounded with examples of likening armies to locusts and vice-versa; in their appearance, their behavior, and their effect.
(5) With a noise as of chariots
They leap on the tops of the mountains,
Like the crackling of a flame of fire consuming the stubble,
Like a mighty people arranged for battle.
The Assyrian war chariot was a dreaded item. Sennacherib's own specific war chariot was named raggi u seni, "The Vanquisher of the Wicked and Evil" and sapinat zairi, "The Vanquisher of the Enemy" (Assyrian Annals).
The clamor of the locusts' flight had been like the din of the dreaded war chariot or like the crackling of blazing stubble ignited by a wild fire.
(6) Before them the people are in anguish;
All faces turn pale.
If the locusts had caused terror, how much more the human invaders in their savage and irresistible onslaught!
(7) They run like mighty men,
They climb the wall like soldiers;
And they each march in line,
Nor do they deviate from their paths.
(8) They do not crowd each other,
They march every one in his path;
When they burst through the defenses,
They do not break ranks.
The attack of this coming mighty army is compared to the locust infestation they have just experienced: Just as disciplined, focused, and thorough.
(9) They rush on the city,
They run on the wall;
They climb into houses,
They enter through the windows like a thief.
Their power and swiftness, running unrestrictedly through the city, entering into the houses through the open or latticed windows, with the speed and daring of a thief in search of that which is not his.
(10) Before them the Earth quakes,
The heavens tremble,
The sun and moon grow dark
And the stars lose their brightness.
(11) The Lord utters His voice before His army;
Surely His camp is very great,
For strong is he who carries out His word.
It is the Lord who will be directing His Assyrian army to wield His wrath upon His erring people, evidenced by the raging thunderstorm, blocking out all the light of the sun and moon and stars, and shaking the ground itself with their onslaught.
The Day of the Lord is indeed great and very awesome,
And who can endure it?
The locusts and the coming Assyrian conquest both show how very great and awesome is the Day of the Lord, and in the End Time when the actual prophesied Day begins, it will so much overshadow both of these, that they will look like a picnic in the park in comparison.
Our God is the Mighty God over every other god that has been worshiped. His Son, our Lord God has been given Lordship over all of God's creation by the Father. He is the acting of the Father, and has all of the Father's authority to rule over Mankind.
He is the Lord God Almighty who delivered Israel out of Egypt's slavery. He is the Lord God who appeared to Moses in the Burning Bush as the "Great I AM," who gave to Moses the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai, and sustained the people for 40 years in the Desert with manna, and their clothes and sandals did not wear out.
The Lord God ordained the priests through Aaron, and gave them all the rules for the sacrifices so they would recognize Him when He came to fulfill them in His own body.
And He it is who informed the prophets to write what has been planned for the future, because He will make sure that everything is carried out according to Plan, and He wants us to be expecting it, and be prepared to face it.
O my Father, thank You for sending Your Son to be our Lord God, to deal with us, Your wayward precious ones, who so desperately need Your mercy and grace.
O Father, when You planned out all of our human story, You knew that we would be weak, and sin against You by turning to others. You decided to love us anyway, and provide the way to escape the pull of our damaged DNA to go our own way.
So You had our Lord God show us who we are, and how much You love us, and how we can be rescued from all the travail we experience as the consequences of our poor choices. You laid out the path of redemption through the blood of sacrifice, then sent Your Son to be our Sacrifice, fulfilling that picture of the lamb slain upon the altar individually for each of us, as His Blood was sprinkled on the sides of the Cross (see Leviticus 1).
And You also provided for that same Sacrifice to fulfill the requirements of the Atonement Day sacrifice for all the people, when His Blood was poured out at the foot of His altar, the Cross. Now He has purchased us as His own possession, and is our Judge.
O Father, You have thought of everything. And Your Son has carried out all Your plans, both to save and rescue those who turn to You by bearing Your wrath for us, and to judge all wickedness and evil as Your wrath pours out on them.
And then, Father God, You will send Your Son Jesus back to this Earth for the Day of the Lord to begin, and to last until the end of this world. The Earth will explode, the Universe will implode, and the Big Bang will happen all over again, when You create the New Heaven (Universe) and the New Earth, predicated upon a whole new basis of existence.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come soon, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, May 16, 2020
Friday, May 15, 2020
Joel's Locust Plague
Joel 1: 1-20
Joel wrote his book right after a devastating plague of wave after wave of locusts had devoured every stalk of plant life in the whole land.
(1) The word of the Lord that came to Joel, the son of Pethuel;
(2) Hear this, O elders,
And listen, all inhabitants of the land.
Has anything like this happened in your days
Or in your fathers' days?
(3) Tell your sons about it,
And let your sons tell their sons,
And their sons the next generation.
He says that nothing like this has ever happened this bad before, it is noteworthy, and it needs to be told to every generation of children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and on to each next, to not forget this.
This is what happened:
(4) What the gnawing locust has left, the swarming locust has eaten;
And what the swarming locust has left, the creeping locust has eaten;
And what the creeping locust has left, the stripping locust has eaten.
Nothing is left, whatever was left or grew back was eaten by the next wave of locusts. They were everywhere, in all the nooks and crannies, in all the houses and barns and stables, all over the whole land.
(5) Awake, drunkards, and weep;
And wail, all you wine drinkers,
On account of the sweet wine
That is cut off from your mouth.
All who drink wine or strong drink, there is nothing left to distill or bottle. There is no more grain or grapes to make anything with.
(6) For a nation has invaded my land,
Mighty and without number;
Its teeth are the teeth of a lion,
And it has the fangs of a lioness.
God has sent His army of locusts, four kinds of locusts, coming one after another. Nothing could be done to stop them, no one could get rid of them, they were everywhere.
(7) It has made my vine a waste
And my fig tree splinters.
It has stripped them bare and cast them away;
Their branches have become white.
All the vines and trees have nothing left on them, their branches have been stripped white with nothing green left.
(8) Wail like a virgin girded with sackcloth
For the bridegroom of her youth.
Go ahead and mourn loudly like a bride whose espoused husband has died.
(9) The grain offering and the drink offering are cut off
From the house of the Lord.
The priests mourn,
The ministers of the Lord.
There is nothing left to give to the priests, the ministers to offer to the Lord in sacrifice; no grain for bread and no grapes for wine to pour out.
(10) The field is ruined,
The new wine dries up,
Fresh oil fails.
Nothing is left in the open fields, they're all bare; and all the grapes are gone, there is no more grape juice or wine left at all, and all the palm and olive trees are stripped of all their provision for oil.
(11) Be ashamed, O farmers,
Wail, O vinedressers,
For the wheat and the barley;
Because the harvest of the field is destroyed.
(12) The vine dries up
And the fig tree fails;
The pomegranate, the palm also, and the apple tree,
All the trees of the field dry up.
Mourn and hang your head, all those who farm the fields and tend the grape vines; and all those who husband the trees for figs, pomegranates, palm trees and apples--nothing is left on any of them at all. Completely gone.
Indeed, rejoicing dries up
From the sons of men.
With nothing to eat, starvation follows, which leaves nothing to celebrate.
(13) Gird yourselves with sackcloth
And lament, O priests;
Wail, O ministers of my God,
For the grain offering and the drink offering
Are withheld from the house of your God.
There is nothing available to offer, so the priests, the ministers have nothing to do, and mourn for not being able to worship the Lord.
(14) Consecrate a fast,
Proclaim a solemn assembly;
Gather the elders
And all the inhabitants of the land
To the house of the Lord your God,
And cry out to the Lord.
This is the time for fasting and prayer, not sacrifices. Everyone is to gather with the priests at the temple to pray out loud to the Lord, begging for His mercy!
(15) Alas for the day!
For the Day of the Lord is near,
And it will come as destruction from the Almighty.
This locust plague is a reminder that the Day of the Lord is coming soon. Every plague and pandemic God sends is to wake us up! It's like He's whacking us up the side of the head to get our attention!
(16) Has not food been cut off before our eyes,
Gladness and joy from the house of our God?
(17) The seeds shrivel under their clods;
The storehouses are desolate,
The barns are torn down,
For the grain is dried up.
There's no food left in any form, as the locusts have scarfed up every crumb, every morsel of edible everything, even what had been stored and put up for later. Nothing is left. Nothing is there for anyone to eat or to offer in sacrifice.
(18) How the beasts groan!
The herds of cattle wander aimlessly
Because there is no pasture for them;
Even the flocks of sheep suffer.
Their herds and flocks have nothing to eat, either.
(19) To You, O Lord, I cry;
For fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness
And the flame as burned up all the trees of the field.
The locusts devoured as though a fire swept through the pastures and fields and orchards, and burned up everything.
(20) Even the beasts of the field pant for you;
For the water brooks are dried up
And fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness.
Not even the wild animals can find anything to eat or drink, everything is gone, there's nothing green or moist left anywhere, it's all dried up, the locusts ate it all up totally.
This is the scene Joel is painting for the people. He's reminding them of the locust plague that God has just brought on the whole land, for an extended time.
And it is just a taste of what God has planned at the end of the age of Man, when the Day of the Lord comes.
O my Father, thank you for Joel, for the short book You had him write for us to read now, knowing that the Day of the Lord is coming so soon now. Please let us understand what he wrote, so we will be prepared and ready for our Lord and His judgments on the Earth and the world we have built on it.
My Father, You have loved us more than we can ever imagine, pouring out Your wrath that we deserve on Your own Son on the Cross! So when Your great wrath will fall upon all the wicked and rebellious people around us, it will not be on us; even though thousands fall at our side, and ten thousand at our right hand, it will not touch us.
Father, grow us up, to maturity, so that the body of Christ will reach the full stature of the Son of God, in both quality and quantity. Send us out, send Your words out from our mouths and fingertips, to show everyone in the world how much You love each of them, too, regardless of what they have done against you. Jesus paid it all.
O Father, help everyone to hear, help everyone to understand, let everyone have a completely informed decision whether to accept or reject Your gracious and generous gift of salvation and redemption.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, forever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Joel wrote his book right after a devastating plague of wave after wave of locusts had devoured every stalk of plant life in the whole land.
(1) The word of the Lord that came to Joel, the son of Pethuel;
(2) Hear this, O elders,
And listen, all inhabitants of the land.
Has anything like this happened in your days
Or in your fathers' days?
(3) Tell your sons about it,
And let your sons tell their sons,
And their sons the next generation.
He says that nothing like this has ever happened this bad before, it is noteworthy, and it needs to be told to every generation of children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and on to each next, to not forget this.
This is what happened:
(4) What the gnawing locust has left, the swarming locust has eaten;
And what the swarming locust has left, the creeping locust has eaten;
And what the creeping locust has left, the stripping locust has eaten.
Nothing is left, whatever was left or grew back was eaten by the next wave of locusts. They were everywhere, in all the nooks and crannies, in all the houses and barns and stables, all over the whole land.
(5) Awake, drunkards, and weep;
And wail, all you wine drinkers,
On account of the sweet wine
That is cut off from your mouth.
All who drink wine or strong drink, there is nothing left to distill or bottle. There is no more grain or grapes to make anything with.
(6) For a nation has invaded my land,
Mighty and without number;
Its teeth are the teeth of a lion,
And it has the fangs of a lioness.
God has sent His army of locusts, four kinds of locusts, coming one after another. Nothing could be done to stop them, no one could get rid of them, they were everywhere.
(7) It has made my vine a waste
And my fig tree splinters.
It has stripped them bare and cast them away;
Their branches have become white.
All the vines and trees have nothing left on them, their branches have been stripped white with nothing green left.
(8) Wail like a virgin girded with sackcloth
For the bridegroom of her youth.
Go ahead and mourn loudly like a bride whose espoused husband has died.
(9) The grain offering and the drink offering are cut off
From the house of the Lord.
The priests mourn,
The ministers of the Lord.
There is nothing left to give to the priests, the ministers to offer to the Lord in sacrifice; no grain for bread and no grapes for wine to pour out.
(10) The field is ruined,
The new wine dries up,
Fresh oil fails.
Nothing is left in the open fields, they're all bare; and all the grapes are gone, there is no more grape juice or wine left at all, and all the palm and olive trees are stripped of all their provision for oil.
(11) Be ashamed, O farmers,
Wail, O vinedressers,
For the wheat and the barley;
Because the harvest of the field is destroyed.
(12) The vine dries up
And the fig tree fails;
The pomegranate, the palm also, and the apple tree,
All the trees of the field dry up.
Mourn and hang your head, all those who farm the fields and tend the grape vines; and all those who husband the trees for figs, pomegranates, palm trees and apples--nothing is left on any of them at all. Completely gone.
Indeed, rejoicing dries up
From the sons of men.
With nothing to eat, starvation follows, which leaves nothing to celebrate.
(13) Gird yourselves with sackcloth
And lament, O priests;
Wail, O ministers of my God,
For the grain offering and the drink offering
Are withheld from the house of your God.
There is nothing available to offer, so the priests, the ministers have nothing to do, and mourn for not being able to worship the Lord.
(14) Consecrate a fast,
Proclaim a solemn assembly;
Gather the elders
And all the inhabitants of the land
To the house of the Lord your God,
And cry out to the Lord.
This is the time for fasting and prayer, not sacrifices. Everyone is to gather with the priests at the temple to pray out loud to the Lord, begging for His mercy!
(15) Alas for the day!
For the Day of the Lord is near,
And it will come as destruction from the Almighty.
This locust plague is a reminder that the Day of the Lord is coming soon. Every plague and pandemic God sends is to wake us up! It's like He's whacking us up the side of the head to get our attention!
(16) Has not food been cut off before our eyes,
Gladness and joy from the house of our God?
(17) The seeds shrivel under their clods;
The storehouses are desolate,
The barns are torn down,
For the grain is dried up.
There's no food left in any form, as the locusts have scarfed up every crumb, every morsel of edible everything, even what had been stored and put up for later. Nothing is left. Nothing is there for anyone to eat or to offer in sacrifice.
(18) How the beasts groan!
The herds of cattle wander aimlessly
Because there is no pasture for them;
Even the flocks of sheep suffer.
Their herds and flocks have nothing to eat, either.
(19) To You, O Lord, I cry;
For fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness
And the flame as burned up all the trees of the field.
The locusts devoured as though a fire swept through the pastures and fields and orchards, and burned up everything.
(20) Even the beasts of the field pant for you;
For the water brooks are dried up
And fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness.
Not even the wild animals can find anything to eat or drink, everything is gone, there's nothing green or moist left anywhere, it's all dried up, the locusts ate it all up totally.
This is the scene Joel is painting for the people. He's reminding them of the locust plague that God has just brought on the whole land, for an extended time.
And it is just a taste of what God has planned at the end of the age of Man, when the Day of the Lord comes.
O my Father, thank you for Joel, for the short book You had him write for us to read now, knowing that the Day of the Lord is coming so soon now. Please let us understand what he wrote, so we will be prepared and ready for our Lord and His judgments on the Earth and the world we have built on it.
My Father, You have loved us more than we can ever imagine, pouring out Your wrath that we deserve on Your own Son on the Cross! So when Your great wrath will fall upon all the wicked and rebellious people around us, it will not be on us; even though thousands fall at our side, and ten thousand at our right hand, it will not touch us.
Father, grow us up, to maturity, so that the body of Christ will reach the full stature of the Son of God, in both quality and quantity. Send us out, send Your words out from our mouths and fingertips, to show everyone in the world how much You love each of them, too, regardless of what they have done against you. Jesus paid it all.
O Father, help everyone to hear, help everyone to understand, let everyone have a completely informed decision whether to accept or reject Your gracious and generous gift of salvation and redemption.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, forever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, May 14, 2020
Angels' Curiosity
Daniel 12: 5-13
The angel has given Daniel the rest of the story, but there are still a couple more questions to answer.
(5) Then I, Daniel, looked and behold, two others were standing, one on this bank of the river and the other on that bank of the river.
Daniel was at the Tigris River, and he suddenly saw two more angels, opposite each other on each side of the river. And then we learn that this angel dressed in linen that he's been talking with since chapter ten is above the waters of the river, he's levitating above the river.
(6) And one said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, "How long will it be until the end of these wonders?"
One of these new angels asks the original one a question, essentially, "Until when is the end of the marvels?" "When will this despot meet his end?"
Even the angels are curious as to how God is going to complete His plan, how everything is going to work out, and when. I Peter 1: 12 says that these are "things the angels desire to look into."
(7) I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, as he raised his right hand and his left toward Heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever
The angel then makes a solemn pronouncement, lifting both hands high.
that it would be for a time, times, and half a time;
This is "a time" [moed] (a year), "times" [mo a dayim] (two years), and "half a time"; a total of three and one half years.
and as soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed.
He then added that the power of the holy people would be broken, the brave defenders of Jerusalem would be overwhelmed by the irresistible forces of antichrist and will appear doomed and hopeless, to be utterly defeated and extinct as a people.
(8) As for me, I heard but I could not understand; so I said, "My lord, what will be the outcome of these events?"
Daniel heard of the hopeless situation his people would be in, and is concerned that they could be wiped out! So he asks how this will end.
(9) He said, "Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end time.
His question is not answered, but we know that Zechariah 14 tells us that at the last second, the hero will come onstage in the nick of time and rescue the heroine!
(10) "Many will be purged, purified and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand.
He says that the "vine" will be "pruned" (purged) and the "gold" will be refined; and that those who refuse God's gracious offer of Salvation will continue to do what they've been doing, with no idea of what's really going on. But the ones who have insight, who have God's Spirit to teach them the truth, will be the ones to recognize what is happening.
(11) "From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days.
Here's a timetable: 1,290 days is 43 months, three and a half years plus a month. It will be this long after the regular sacrifice is abolished, until Jesus appears to destroy the antichrist and his forces. If he will have the three-and-a-half years, then the sacrifices will stop a month before he sets himself up in the temple to be worshiped.
(12) "How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1,335 days!
This is another 45 days, possibly the time our Lord will take to clean up and set up His Kingdom.
(13) "But for you, go your way to the end; then you will enter into rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the age."
Daniel is told not to worry about it, that he will rest (in the Abraham's Bosom side of Sheol), and then be resurrected after all the persecution is ended, to receive his allotted portion to rule in Christ's authority.
O my Father, You have planned out the whole course of Mankind's story, from before the beginning to after the end. And in Your written Word You have told us before it happens what You have planned. And You are working out Your plan as we live through the days and weeks and years and generations of time, in the working out of the story.
O Father, You have done it all. You are our Source and You are our Finisher. We can do nothing without You. Your power and enabling are Your gifts to us to be able to fulfill Your will in our lives and in the world.
Father, send us out to share with every living person how much You love each one of us, and sent Your own Son to be our Savior and Redeemer. Let all Your embryonic children be brought to the birth into Your family, and allow no one any excuse for rejecting Your gracious and generous gift.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, our Messiah, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, forever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come hastily, Lord Jesus!
The angel has given Daniel the rest of the story, but there are still a couple more questions to answer.
(5) Then I, Daniel, looked and behold, two others were standing, one on this bank of the river and the other on that bank of the river.
Daniel was at the Tigris River, and he suddenly saw two more angels, opposite each other on each side of the river. And then we learn that this angel dressed in linen that he's been talking with since chapter ten is above the waters of the river, he's levitating above the river.
(6) And one said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, "How long will it be until the end of these wonders?"
One of these new angels asks the original one a question, essentially, "Until when is the end of the marvels?" "When will this despot meet his end?"
Even the angels are curious as to how God is going to complete His plan, how everything is going to work out, and when. I Peter 1: 12 says that these are "things the angels desire to look into."
(7) I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, as he raised his right hand and his left toward Heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever
The angel then makes a solemn pronouncement, lifting both hands high.
that it would be for a time, times, and half a time;
This is "a time" [moed] (a year), "times" [mo a dayim] (two years), and "half a time"; a total of three and one half years.
and as soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed.
He then added that the power of the holy people would be broken, the brave defenders of Jerusalem would be overwhelmed by the irresistible forces of antichrist and will appear doomed and hopeless, to be utterly defeated and extinct as a people.
(8) As for me, I heard but I could not understand; so I said, "My lord, what will be the outcome of these events?"
Daniel heard of the hopeless situation his people would be in, and is concerned that they could be wiped out! So he asks how this will end.
(9) He said, "Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end time.
His question is not answered, but we know that Zechariah 14 tells us that at the last second, the hero will come onstage in the nick of time and rescue the heroine!
(10) "Many will be purged, purified and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand.
He says that the "vine" will be "pruned" (purged) and the "gold" will be refined; and that those who refuse God's gracious offer of Salvation will continue to do what they've been doing, with no idea of what's really going on. But the ones who have insight, who have God's Spirit to teach them the truth, will be the ones to recognize what is happening.
(11) "From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days.
Here's a timetable: 1,290 days is 43 months, three and a half years plus a month. It will be this long after the regular sacrifice is abolished, until Jesus appears to destroy the antichrist and his forces. If he will have the three-and-a-half years, then the sacrifices will stop a month before he sets himself up in the temple to be worshiped.
(12) "How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1,335 days!
This is another 45 days, possibly the time our Lord will take to clean up and set up His Kingdom.
(13) "But for you, go your way to the end; then you will enter into rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the age."
Daniel is told not to worry about it, that he will rest (in the Abraham's Bosom side of Sheol), and then be resurrected after all the persecution is ended, to receive his allotted portion to rule in Christ's authority.
O my Father, You have planned out the whole course of Mankind's story, from before the beginning to after the end. And in Your written Word You have told us before it happens what You have planned. And You are working out Your plan as we live through the days and weeks and years and generations of time, in the working out of the story.
O Father, You have done it all. You are our Source and You are our Finisher. We can do nothing without You. Your power and enabling are Your gifts to us to be able to fulfill Your will in our lives and in the world.
Father, send us out to share with every living person how much You love each one of us, and sent Your own Son to be our Savior and Redeemer. Let all Your embryonic children be brought to the birth into Your family, and allow no one any excuse for rejecting Your gracious and generous gift.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, our Messiah, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, forever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come hastily, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, May 13, 2020
The Persecution Of The People
Daniel 11: 1-4
Gabriel has told Daniel about the military and political career of the antichrist, now he will disclose this despot's policies against God's people during these last three and a half years.
(1) "Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise.
During that time, Michael the archangel who protects God's chosen, Israel, will become active in protecting the people from the evil forces attacking them.
And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time;
He says that this antichrist's policy toward the people will be characterized by brutal oppression and persecution surpassing in severity every other tribulation; the bad times will be worse than the worst times ever before, since there were civilized nations.
and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued.
And all who are written in the Book of Life will be rescued, whether this means by protection or by death in martyrdom.
(2) Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life,
This refers to the "first resurrection" (Revelation 20: 4-6) of those who have been cleansed by the blood of the Savior, and made fit to be in the presence of God.
but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.
Then, after the thousand years, the rest will be resurrected to face the Great White Throne judgment (Revelation 20: 11-15).
(3) Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
All of God's people who have applied themselves to know His word, and to teach it to others, and to show them God's ways, will have resurrection bodies that will shine with God's light, like the sun and the stars.
(4) But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase."
Daniel was to write all this down, but put it away for others to find in later times, to be understood in the end of time. And at the end of time, people will be able to travel all over the world; and knowledge has been exponentially increasing, doubling every century, every generation, even every decade and less. So it looks like we may be at the end of the end of days, in our own lifetimes.
God's timing goes by Israel.
Jesus talked about when we see the "fig tree" which represents prosperity in Israel: "when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near: Truly I say to you, this generation shall not pass away until all these things take place" (Matthew 24: 32, 34).
So everything to do with all the end of the end times happenings will all take place within one generation after the "fig tree" puts out its leaves. Israel has been a nation again since 1948, which is only one lifetime. So all these things will have happened very soon now.
O my Father, please prepare Your people for Your Kingdom. Send us out into all the world to share with every living person how much You love them, and let every one of them have enough understanding to make an informed decision whether to accept or refuse Your gracious and generous gift of Salvation.
Father, fill Your grand house with all of Your uncountable family members, and surround Your great Banquet Table will all of Your children, to enjoy sweet fellowship with You and one another forever.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Son of the Father, our Savior and Redeemer, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting Glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Gabriel has told Daniel about the military and political career of the antichrist, now he will disclose this despot's policies against God's people during these last three and a half years.
(1) "Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise.
During that time, Michael the archangel who protects God's chosen, Israel, will become active in protecting the people from the evil forces attacking them.
And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time;
He says that this antichrist's policy toward the people will be characterized by brutal oppression and persecution surpassing in severity every other tribulation; the bad times will be worse than the worst times ever before, since there were civilized nations.
and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued.
And all who are written in the Book of Life will be rescued, whether this means by protection or by death in martyrdom.
(2) Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life,
This refers to the "first resurrection" (Revelation 20: 4-6) of those who have been cleansed by the blood of the Savior, and made fit to be in the presence of God.
but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.
Then, after the thousand years, the rest will be resurrected to face the Great White Throne judgment (Revelation 20: 11-15).
(3) Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
All of God's people who have applied themselves to know His word, and to teach it to others, and to show them God's ways, will have resurrection bodies that will shine with God's light, like the sun and the stars.
(4) But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase."
Daniel was to write all this down, but put it away for others to find in later times, to be understood in the end of time. And at the end of time, people will be able to travel all over the world; and knowledge has been exponentially increasing, doubling every century, every generation, even every decade and less. So it looks like we may be at the end of the end of days, in our own lifetimes.
God's timing goes by Israel.
Jesus talked about when we see the "fig tree" which represents prosperity in Israel: "when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near: Truly I say to you, this generation shall not pass away until all these things take place" (Matthew 24: 32, 34).
So everything to do with all the end of the end times happenings will all take place within one generation after the "fig tree" puts out its leaves. Israel has been a nation again since 1948, which is only one lifetime. So all these things will have happened very soon now.
O my Father, please prepare Your people for Your Kingdom. Send us out into all the world to share with every living person how much You love them, and let every one of them have enough understanding to make an informed decision whether to accept or refuse Your gracious and generous gift of Salvation.
Father, fill Your grand house with all of Your uncountable family members, and surround Your great Banquet Table will all of Your children, to enjoy sweet fellowship with You and one another forever.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Son of the Father, our Savior and Redeemer, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting Glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
The Last Days Political Climate
Daniel 11: 40-45
Gabriel is still talking with Daniel. He has given him the whole history of the nations who affect Israel, from Daniel's time all the way to the end of Time itself (from 9: 24 to the end of the book).
He has described Antiochus Epiphanes and how he would desecrate the temple, then he went on to describe the antichrist who would fulfill the type Antiochus provided.
Now he will describe the political situation "at the end of time."
(40) "At the end of time the king of the South will collide with him, and the king of the North will storm against him with chariots, with horsemen and with many ships;
This looks like both the Northern and the Southern coalitions or federations of nations will both come against this antichrist.
and he will enter countries, overflow them and pass through.
This sounds like how Alexander the Great conquered so much territory in a short time.
(41) "He will also enter the Beautiful Land, and many countries will fall; but these will be rescued out of his hand: Edom, Moab and the foremost of the sons of Ammon.
The "Beautiful Land" is Israel, and those who live in present-day Jordan will be spared for some reason.
(42) "Then he will stretch out his hand against other countries, and the land of Egypt will not escape.
(43) "But he will gain control over the hidden treasures of gold and silver and over all the precious things of Egypt;
Egypt will finally be defeated, and this antichrist will even confiscate all the reserves of silver and gold and precious things locked up in their vaults.
and Libyans and Ethiopians will follow at his heels.
And the Libyans and Sudanese, Egypt's loyal allies, will be convinced to follow at his heels like puppy dogs.
(44) "But rumors from the East and from the North will disturb him, and he will go forth with great wrath to destroy and annihilate many.
His victory will be short-lived as trouble in the Middle East has him in a fury rushing to crush his opponents in Palestine.
(45) "He will pitch the tents of his royal pavilion between the seas and the beautiful Holy Mountain;
There he will camp luxuriously in the vicinity of Megiddo between the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean, within easy striking distance of Jerusalem itself, the "Holy Mountain" being Moriah, the Temple Mount.
yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.
The end of this antichrist will come with King Jesus arriving on His white horse, to wage the Battle of Armegeddon.
There is one more chapter in the book of Daniel, describing other aspects of the Last Days, the last three and a half years.
O my Father, I can imagine how overwhelmed Daniel must have been, to be given all this detailed history over hundreds of years in the future of his homeland and the nations surrounding it. Even now, when we have the history to look back on, it's not an easy task to put it all together.
And what is still future is still mysterious, as only You know how it all will look when it is worked out. We have so much more in the way of weapons of war than they had then, and all the communications technology, and all the medical and financial and educational advances today that would not even be imaginable back when Daniel lived. And even when John lived.
And should the Lord tarry, who knows what further advances You would allow us to discover, that we would not recognize, either. How can something unknown be described except by referring to what is known? And it would never be the same. Every description is inaccurate in that way.
O Father, I know that the time when our King will return is very soon. When Jesus showed John His Revelation, John had to resort to describing everything he saw as "like" something he knew.
Father, prepare us for what is coming. Grow us up into maturity, that the body of Christ will reach the full stature of the Son of God. Send us out, Father, to all the world, that everyone in all the nations and islands and cities and villages and countrysides will be able to hear how much You love us all, and sent Your own Son to be our Sacrifice to cleanse us and make us fit to live with You.
My Father, strengthen us and teach us how to love one another as You have loved us, that the world will know that Jesus did come, and that He came for them, too.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Gabriel is still talking with Daniel. He has given him the whole history of the nations who affect Israel, from Daniel's time all the way to the end of Time itself (from 9: 24 to the end of the book).
He has described Antiochus Epiphanes and how he would desecrate the temple, then he went on to describe the antichrist who would fulfill the type Antiochus provided.
Now he will describe the political situation "at the end of time."
(40) "At the end of time the king of the South will collide with him, and the king of the North will storm against him with chariots, with horsemen and with many ships;
This looks like both the Northern and the Southern coalitions or federations of nations will both come against this antichrist.
and he will enter countries, overflow them and pass through.
This sounds like how Alexander the Great conquered so much territory in a short time.
(41) "He will also enter the Beautiful Land, and many countries will fall; but these will be rescued out of his hand: Edom, Moab and the foremost of the sons of Ammon.
The "Beautiful Land" is Israel, and those who live in present-day Jordan will be spared for some reason.
(42) "Then he will stretch out his hand against other countries, and the land of Egypt will not escape.
(43) "But he will gain control over the hidden treasures of gold and silver and over all the precious things of Egypt;
Egypt will finally be defeated, and this antichrist will even confiscate all the reserves of silver and gold and precious things locked up in their vaults.
and Libyans and Ethiopians will follow at his heels.
And the Libyans and Sudanese, Egypt's loyal allies, will be convinced to follow at his heels like puppy dogs.
(44) "But rumors from the East and from the North will disturb him, and he will go forth with great wrath to destroy and annihilate many.
His victory will be short-lived as trouble in the Middle East has him in a fury rushing to crush his opponents in Palestine.
(45) "He will pitch the tents of his royal pavilion between the seas and the beautiful Holy Mountain;
There he will camp luxuriously in the vicinity of Megiddo between the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean, within easy striking distance of Jerusalem itself, the "Holy Mountain" being Moriah, the Temple Mount.
yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.
The end of this antichrist will come with King Jesus arriving on His white horse, to wage the Battle of Armegeddon.
There is one more chapter in the book of Daniel, describing other aspects of the Last Days, the last three and a half years.
O my Father, I can imagine how overwhelmed Daniel must have been, to be given all this detailed history over hundreds of years in the future of his homeland and the nations surrounding it. Even now, when we have the history to look back on, it's not an easy task to put it all together.
And what is still future is still mysterious, as only You know how it all will look when it is worked out. We have so much more in the way of weapons of war than they had then, and all the communications technology, and all the medical and financial and educational advances today that would not even be imaginable back when Daniel lived. And even when John lived.
And should the Lord tarry, who knows what further advances You would allow us to discover, that we would not recognize, either. How can something unknown be described except by referring to what is known? And it would never be the same. Every description is inaccurate in that way.
O Father, I know that the time when our King will return is very soon. When Jesus showed John His Revelation, John had to resort to describing everything he saw as "like" something he knew.
Father, prepare us for what is coming. Grow us up into maturity, that the body of Christ will reach the full stature of the Son of God. Send us out, Father, to all the world, that everyone in all the nations and islands and cities and villages and countrysides will be able to hear how much You love us all, and sent Your own Son to be our Sacrifice to cleanse us and make us fit to live with You.
My Father, strengthen us and teach us how to love one another as You have loved us, that the world will know that Jesus did come, and that He came for them, too.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Monday, May 11, 2020
Introduction To Antichrist
Daniel 11: 36-39
Gabriel is continuing to tell Daniel future events. Now that he's described the type in Antiochus Epiphanes, he will now describe the antitype (the fulfillment of the type) who will come in the Last Days.
(36) "Then the king will do as he pleases,
This man will not think he has to listen to anyone, not any government, not any court, not any god.
and he will exalt and magnify himself above every god
He will be his own god, worshiping himself, and set himself above everything else that is worshiped.
and will speak monstrous things against the God of gods;
Our God is the one he will need to disparage and slander the most, because He is the only one who is really God.
and he will prosper until the indignation is finished, for that which is decreed will be done.
He will only be allowed to continue for a limited time, because that is what God has decreed!
(37) "He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers
This megalomaniac has no respect for any of the idols, demons, or any god anyone ever worshiped before.
or for the desire of women,
Antiochus didn't care if any women liked him, as his cruelty toward all of his sexual partners showed. This future antichrist will also spurn women, and may even prefer the intimate relationships with other men instead.
nor will he show regard for any other god; for he will magnify himself above them all.
This world dictator will consider himself as greater than every other god, and God. He doesn't need any of them, he considers himself the greatest of all.
(38) But instead he will honor a god of fortresses, a god whom his fathers did not know; he will honor him with gold, silver, costly stones and treasures.
This god of fortresses is not any god worshiped before in the world, but one he considers a powerful aid to conquer strongholds. This could be a future new name for an old entity, our enemy, Satan himself, as his power will be coming from the dragon (see Revelation 13: 4).
(39) "He will take action against the strongest of fortresses with the help of a foreign god;
This foreign god is the new name he will have for that old enemy, and he will think that he has the power and authority to overpower every other power in the world.
he will give great honor to those who acknowledge him and will cause them to rule over the many, and will parcel out land for a price."
Of course he will honor those who worship him, and give them high positions over large districts and major cities, for personal profit--the consummate politician.
Next we will look at the final battles at the end of time.
O my Father, we are so close to the ending of Your great Plan of the Ages! Please give Your children, Your warriors, understanding when these final actions are taken, to recognize that You are working out Your will, and the time for our rewards is approaching!
My Father, strengthen us in Your strength, hold us securely in Your hand, and carry us safely into Your Kingdom of Light.
O Father, show us how to reach out to all the world, so that every living person can understand that You love them more than they can imagine! Let them discern and realize the wonderful, gracious, generous gift of Salvation that You offer to each one of all of Mankind. Enable every person to make an informed decision to accept or reject Your love.
Send us out, Father, to bring them in. To bring all of Your children to the New Birth into Your own family, to fill Your great house with Your uncountable family members, and surround Your grand Banquet Table with us all, to have everlasting sweet fellowship with You and one another through all eternity future!
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, the Lawgiver and Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come soon, Lord Jesus!
Gabriel is continuing to tell Daniel future events. Now that he's described the type in Antiochus Epiphanes, he will now describe the antitype (the fulfillment of the type) who will come in the Last Days.
(36) "Then the king will do as he pleases,
This man will not think he has to listen to anyone, not any government, not any court, not any god.
and he will exalt and magnify himself above every god
He will be his own god, worshiping himself, and set himself above everything else that is worshiped.
and will speak monstrous things against the God of gods;
Our God is the one he will need to disparage and slander the most, because He is the only one who is really God.
and he will prosper until the indignation is finished, for that which is decreed will be done.
He will only be allowed to continue for a limited time, because that is what God has decreed!
(37) "He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers
This megalomaniac has no respect for any of the idols, demons, or any god anyone ever worshiped before.
or for the desire of women,
Antiochus didn't care if any women liked him, as his cruelty toward all of his sexual partners showed. This future antichrist will also spurn women, and may even prefer the intimate relationships with other men instead.
nor will he show regard for any other god; for he will magnify himself above them all.
This world dictator will consider himself as greater than every other god, and God. He doesn't need any of them, he considers himself the greatest of all.
(38) But instead he will honor a god of fortresses, a god whom his fathers did not know; he will honor him with gold, silver, costly stones and treasures.
This god of fortresses is not any god worshiped before in the world, but one he considers a powerful aid to conquer strongholds. This could be a future new name for an old entity, our enemy, Satan himself, as his power will be coming from the dragon (see Revelation 13: 4).
(39) "He will take action against the strongest of fortresses with the help of a foreign god;
This foreign god is the new name he will have for that old enemy, and he will think that he has the power and authority to overpower every other power in the world.
he will give great honor to those who acknowledge him and will cause them to rule over the many, and will parcel out land for a price."
Of course he will honor those who worship him, and give them high positions over large districts and major cities, for personal profit--the consummate politician.
Next we will look at the final battles at the end of time.
O my Father, we are so close to the ending of Your great Plan of the Ages! Please give Your children, Your warriors, understanding when these final actions are taken, to recognize that You are working out Your will, and the time for our rewards is approaching!
My Father, strengthen us in Your strength, hold us securely in Your hand, and carry us safely into Your Kingdom of Light.
O Father, show us how to reach out to all the world, so that every living person can understand that You love them more than they can imagine! Let them discern and realize the wonderful, gracious, generous gift of Salvation that You offer to each one of all of Mankind. Enable every person to make an informed decision to accept or reject Your love.
Send us out, Father, to bring them in. To bring all of Your children to the New Birth into Your own family, to fill Your great house with Your uncountable family members, and surround Your grand Banquet Table with us all, to have everlasting sweet fellowship with You and one another through all eternity future!
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, the Lawgiver and Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come soon, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, May 10, 2020
The Contemptible Person
Daniel 11: 21-35
Gabriel is still telling Daniel what will take place in his future. These verses are about the career of the tyrannical oppressor who did his utmost to destroy the Jewish religion altogether. He previously appeared in 8: 9-12 as the sinister "little Horn" who will suspend the worship of God in the Jerusalem temple. Now he is introduced as a despicable tyrant ("contemptible person") who will shed much blood and enjoy power for a time.
(21) "In his place a despicable person will arise, on whom the honor of kingship has not been conferred, but he will come in a time of tranquility and seize the kingdom by intrigue.
This tyrant, who has not received "the honor of kingship" has come by intrigue. This is the second son of Antiochus the Great, the uncle of the rightful heir of the throne, Demetrius I, the young son of Seleucus IV, who was still being held hostage in Rome. So Antiochus IV weaseled his way into being appointed the prince regent. But his ambitions led him to secure approval to convert his regency into royalty and claim the throne for himself soon after 175 by promises of promotion and large favors. In other words, he bribed his way to the throne. (Since Demetrius was still in Rome, he was safe from assassination by his uncle's agents. And later on he was able to make good his claim on the throne, for he left Rome to lead an army against the son of Antiochus Epiphanes, Antiochus V Eupator, in 162.)
His title of "Epiphanes" ("the Illustrius One") also means "very evident" or "manifest." He had coins minted calling himself Epiphanes Theos, or "God Manifest."
Bearing in mind his role as a type of the antichrist, or "beast" of the Last Days (who appears in Chapter 7 as the "little horn" arising from the fourth kingdom), it becomes particularly meaningful to read of that future antitype in II Thessalonians 2: 3-4: "the man of lawlessness ... [who] opposes and exalts himself above everything that is called God and worshiped, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God." Not only did Antiochus enthrone himself for adoration by the Jews as he sat in the court of the desecrated Jerusalem temple in 168 B.C. but he also claimed divine honors for himself on every major coin that he minted.
(22) "The overflowing forces will be flooded away before him and shattered, and also the prince of the covenant.
This describes Antiochus Epiphanes' taking up the struggle with Ptolmaic Egypt. Ptolemy VII (Philometor) ascended the throne in 181 at the age of six, and his mother Cleopatra governed as queen regent until her death. After he assumed power, he determined to recapture the regions of Palestine and Phoenicia that had been lost to Antiochus III. His invasion met with early success, until he encountered a serious reverse and became a prisoner of Antiochus Epiphanes.
(23) "After an alliance is made with him he will practice deception, and he will go up and gain power with a small force of people.
The Egyptians gave up hope of regaining their king, and appointed his brother Physcon as king in his place. Then Epiphanes craftily intervened on behalf of his royal prisoner, and mounted an expeditionary force against Physcon to reestablish Philometor on the throne, now as Antiochus' ally rather than his adversary.
(24) "In a time of tranquility he will enter the richest parts of the realm, and he will accomplish what his fathers never did, nor his ancestors; he will distribute plunder, booty and possessions among them, and he will devise his schemes against strongholds, but only for a time.
He then made a treaty of friendship and alliance with Philometor aimed at obtaining a foothold in Egypt itself and ultimately uniting the two kingdoms under his own authority. His seriousness was attested by his coinage that bore the same types as the corresponding Ptolemaic coinage, but with "King Antiochus, God Manifest" instead of "Ptolemy the King."
The "richest parts of the realm" refers to more than Egypt itself, but also to the eastern provinces all the way to Bactria, where successful campaigns were conducted by Eucratides, Antiochus' general. In 166 Antiochus conducted a full-scale muster of his armies at Daphnae, just outside Antioch, in celebration of the tenth anniversary of his rule.
(25) "He will stir up his strength and courage against the king of the South with a large army; so the king of the South will mobilize an extremely large and mighty army for war; but he will not stand, for schemes will be devised against him.
The large Egyptian army did not succeed because of the schemes ... devised against him by Antiochus and his agents in Egypt.
(26) "Those who eat his choice food will destroy him, and his army will overflow, but many will fall down slain.
(27) "As for both kings, their hearts will be intent on evil, and they will speak lies to each other at the same table; but it will not succeed, for the end is still to come at the appointed time.
This probably refers to the banquet table as Antiochus and Philometer celebrated their victory and negotiated the peace treaty. Both kings were lying to each other, the end most likely being the permanent suspension of Antiochus' plan to annex Egypt to his domains.
(28) "Then he will return to his land with much plunder; but his heart will be set against the holy covenant, and he will take action and then return to his own land.
The action against the holy covenant spoken of here summarizes a whole lengthy time of political maneuvering of the office of the high priest, with Jason bribing the king to depose Onias III to install him, instead. Then Menelaus offered an even bigger bribe, so he got to be high priest, and started to sell off some of the sacred treasures to pay the bribe. Then Menelaus had Onias killed for protesting, and the people rose up to request the king to deal with Menelaus. But a courtier Menelaus had bribed persuaded Antiochus to act against the people instead, so he had the Jerusalem leaders put to death in Tyre, where the whole matter was being adjudicated (see II Maccabees 4: 30-50).
(29) "At the appointed time he will return and come into the South, but this last time it will not turn out the way it did before.
(30) "For ships of Kittim will come against him;
The last time Antiochus came against Egypt, the embattled Ptolemies requested Rome's assistance, and the Roman commander Popilius Laenas met Antiochus marshalling his hosts for a siege of Alexandria, and informed him that the Roman government ordered him to quit Egypt immediately or face the consequences of war with Rome. Remembering what had happened to his father at the Battle of Magnesia and also recalling his years as a young hostage in Roman captivity, it did not take Antiochus very long to give way before this mandate--especially after Popilius drew a circle around him with his staff and ordered him to make his decision before he stepped outside of it.
therefore he will be disheartened and will return and become enraged at the holy covenant and take action; so he will come back and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant.
Humiliated and angry, he took out his wrath against the Jews at Jerusalem; Menelaus and his followers were the ones who forsake the holy covenant.
(31) "Forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation.
This describes the momentous events of December 168. All the sacred vessels were removed from the temple, and the daily sacrifices were abolished. Whether they actually installed a statue of Jupiter or Zeus Olympias or not, 2 Maccabees 6: 2 states that the temple was renamed the Temple of Zeus Olympias; an adolatrous altar was formally consecrated there on 16 December (25 Chislev) 168 B.C. Thus the same type of desecration overtook the second temple as befell the first temple in the evil days of Ahaz (735-715) and Manasseh (695-642) when they too had set up an idolatrous altar (by Ahaz, II Kings 16: 10-16) and images of heathen gods (by Manasseh, II Kings 21: 3-5).
Note that Jesus's only explicit reference to "the prophet Daniel" as the writer of the Book of Daniel is in the Olivet Discourse (in Matthew 24: 15; Mark 13: 14). There He refers to "the abomination that causes desolation" (to bdelygma tes eremoseos) which is the exact wording of the LXX (the Septuagint, the earliest Greek translation of the Old Testament) for this verse. This phrase also recurs in 12: 11 of this book in an end-time context.
(32) "By smooth words he will turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant,
Antiochus was a master in manipulating Jewish leaders who were divided in their loyalties.
but the people who know their God will display strength and take action.
(33) "Those who have insight among the people will give understanding to the many; yet they will fall by sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder for many days.
A band of heroic patriots was stirred to action by a certain priest named Mattathias in the town of Modein. He was the father of the valiant Maccabees: Judas, Jonathan, and Simon, each of whom later became nasi yisrael ("prince of Israel") during the victorious war of independence against the Seleucid government. These patriots, sparked by the zeal of the Hasidim movement fulfilled the prediction, "they will firmly resist him (Epiphanes)."
During Antiochus' persecution, these leaders would preach to their fearful and intimidated countrymen a stirring message to trust in the promises and power of the Lord instead of bowing to the demands of the pagan tyrant who would turn them from the Living God. These "wise men" would teach and evangelize, to first get back to God and His ways, then to answer the call to arms and hazard their very lives for the liberation of their land from the yoke of their God-hating persecutor. Many would lose their lives and property.
Their uncompromising commitment to faithful adherence to the Mosaic covenant and Law resulted in the spiritual revival of the nation until the first coming of the Lord Jesus Messiah.
(34) "Now when they fall they will be granted a little help, and many will join with them in hypocrisy.
The little help refers to the small numbers of compatriots who joined them after the early successes of the original guerilla band. Then when the Hassidim began to round up those who had collaborated with the Seleucids and put them to death (I Maccabees 2: 42), and even those who had deserted Scriptural standards ("the lawless"), then goodly numbers of insincere followers attached themselves to the patriot cause (in hypocrisy), hoping to save their own skins.
(35) "Some of those who have insight will fall, in order to refine, purge and make them pure until the end time; because it is still to come at the appointed time."
The account of the Maccabean uprising concludes with a strong emphasis on the spiritual meaning of this heroic struggle for the survival of the nation of Israel. The cause of freedom was maintained through vicissitudes of defeat and success, until finally a strong Jewish kingdom was founded by John Hyrcanus, son of Simon Maccabaeus (135-105), and enlarged to its fullest extent by his warlike son Alexander Jannaeus (104-78 B.C.).
This verse ends the predictive material that applies to the Hellenistic empires and the contest between the Seleucids and the Jewish patriots.
The next section appears to apply to the antichrist of the End Time that is still future, even for us.
O my Father, You are so good! Thank you for revealing to us Your plans for the nations and Your people, all the way to the end of time itself. Help us to read and study with understanding and insight and discernment; to be prepared to face all the trials and tribulations that are still to come, and to respond appropriately.
Let us not be surprised or caught off-guard when what You have said would happen actually comes to pass. Father, show us when we are in the midst of whatever is surrounding us, to be able to recognize that it is what You have told us is coming. Enable us to help one another through all the times you will bring us through. Teach us to lean on You when we are weak. Show us how to depend on You when we come short. Strengthen our faith and trust in You as our Source and our Defender.
Grow us up as Your children, Father, and increase Your Kingdom using our hands and feet and words. We are Christ's body, to do His work in the world, to grow the Kingdom of God, intrinsically and extrinsically.
Send us out to every living person in every nation, to share with everyone how much You love us all, and want everybody to have a clear, informed choice to either accept or reject the gracious, generous gift You offer freely.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Gabriel is still telling Daniel what will take place in his future. These verses are about the career of the tyrannical oppressor who did his utmost to destroy the Jewish religion altogether. He previously appeared in 8: 9-12 as the sinister "little Horn" who will suspend the worship of God in the Jerusalem temple. Now he is introduced as a despicable tyrant ("contemptible person") who will shed much blood and enjoy power for a time.
(21) "In his place a despicable person will arise, on whom the honor of kingship has not been conferred, but he will come in a time of tranquility and seize the kingdom by intrigue.
This tyrant, who has not received "the honor of kingship" has come by intrigue. This is the second son of Antiochus the Great, the uncle of the rightful heir of the throne, Demetrius I, the young son of Seleucus IV, who was still being held hostage in Rome. So Antiochus IV weaseled his way into being appointed the prince regent. But his ambitions led him to secure approval to convert his regency into royalty and claim the throne for himself soon after 175 by promises of promotion and large favors. In other words, he bribed his way to the throne. (Since Demetrius was still in Rome, he was safe from assassination by his uncle's agents. And later on he was able to make good his claim on the throne, for he left Rome to lead an army against the son of Antiochus Epiphanes, Antiochus V Eupator, in 162.)
His title of "Epiphanes" ("the Illustrius One") also means "very evident" or "manifest." He had coins minted calling himself Epiphanes Theos, or "God Manifest."
Bearing in mind his role as a type of the antichrist, or "beast" of the Last Days (who appears in Chapter 7 as the "little horn" arising from the fourth kingdom), it becomes particularly meaningful to read of that future antitype in II Thessalonians 2: 3-4: "the man of lawlessness ... [who] opposes and exalts himself above everything that is called God and worshiped, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God." Not only did Antiochus enthrone himself for adoration by the Jews as he sat in the court of the desecrated Jerusalem temple in 168 B.C. but he also claimed divine honors for himself on every major coin that he minted.
(22) "The overflowing forces will be flooded away before him and shattered, and also the prince of the covenant.
This describes Antiochus Epiphanes' taking up the struggle with Ptolmaic Egypt. Ptolemy VII (Philometor) ascended the throne in 181 at the age of six, and his mother Cleopatra governed as queen regent until her death. After he assumed power, he determined to recapture the regions of Palestine and Phoenicia that had been lost to Antiochus III. His invasion met with early success, until he encountered a serious reverse and became a prisoner of Antiochus Epiphanes.
(23) "After an alliance is made with him he will practice deception, and he will go up and gain power with a small force of people.
The Egyptians gave up hope of regaining their king, and appointed his brother Physcon as king in his place. Then Epiphanes craftily intervened on behalf of his royal prisoner, and mounted an expeditionary force against Physcon to reestablish Philometor on the throne, now as Antiochus' ally rather than his adversary.
(24) "In a time of tranquility he will enter the richest parts of the realm, and he will accomplish what his fathers never did, nor his ancestors; he will distribute plunder, booty and possessions among them, and he will devise his schemes against strongholds, but only for a time.
He then made a treaty of friendship and alliance with Philometor aimed at obtaining a foothold in Egypt itself and ultimately uniting the two kingdoms under his own authority. His seriousness was attested by his coinage that bore the same types as the corresponding Ptolemaic coinage, but with "King Antiochus, God Manifest" instead of "Ptolemy the King."
The "richest parts of the realm" refers to more than Egypt itself, but also to the eastern provinces all the way to Bactria, where successful campaigns were conducted by Eucratides, Antiochus' general. In 166 Antiochus conducted a full-scale muster of his armies at Daphnae, just outside Antioch, in celebration of the tenth anniversary of his rule.
(25) "He will stir up his strength and courage against the king of the South with a large army; so the king of the South will mobilize an extremely large and mighty army for war; but he will not stand, for schemes will be devised against him.
The large Egyptian army did not succeed because of the schemes ... devised against him by Antiochus and his agents in Egypt.
(26) "Those who eat his choice food will destroy him, and his army will overflow, but many will fall down slain.
(27) "As for both kings, their hearts will be intent on evil, and they will speak lies to each other at the same table; but it will not succeed, for the end is still to come at the appointed time.
This probably refers to the banquet table as Antiochus and Philometer celebrated their victory and negotiated the peace treaty. Both kings were lying to each other, the end most likely being the permanent suspension of Antiochus' plan to annex Egypt to his domains.
(28) "Then he will return to his land with much plunder; but his heart will be set against the holy covenant, and he will take action and then return to his own land.
The action against the holy covenant spoken of here summarizes a whole lengthy time of political maneuvering of the office of the high priest, with Jason bribing the king to depose Onias III to install him, instead. Then Menelaus offered an even bigger bribe, so he got to be high priest, and started to sell off some of the sacred treasures to pay the bribe. Then Menelaus had Onias killed for protesting, and the people rose up to request the king to deal with Menelaus. But a courtier Menelaus had bribed persuaded Antiochus to act against the people instead, so he had the Jerusalem leaders put to death in Tyre, where the whole matter was being adjudicated (see II Maccabees 4: 30-50).
(29) "At the appointed time he will return and come into the South, but this last time it will not turn out the way it did before.
(30) "For ships of Kittim will come against him;
The last time Antiochus came against Egypt, the embattled Ptolemies requested Rome's assistance, and the Roman commander Popilius Laenas met Antiochus marshalling his hosts for a siege of Alexandria, and informed him that the Roman government ordered him to quit Egypt immediately or face the consequences of war with Rome. Remembering what had happened to his father at the Battle of Magnesia and also recalling his years as a young hostage in Roman captivity, it did not take Antiochus very long to give way before this mandate--especially after Popilius drew a circle around him with his staff and ordered him to make his decision before he stepped outside of it.
therefore he will be disheartened and will return and become enraged at the holy covenant and take action; so he will come back and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant.
Humiliated and angry, he took out his wrath against the Jews at Jerusalem; Menelaus and his followers were the ones who forsake the holy covenant.
(31) "Forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation.
This describes the momentous events of December 168. All the sacred vessels were removed from the temple, and the daily sacrifices were abolished. Whether they actually installed a statue of Jupiter or Zeus Olympias or not, 2 Maccabees 6: 2 states that the temple was renamed the Temple of Zeus Olympias; an adolatrous altar was formally consecrated there on 16 December (25 Chislev) 168 B.C. Thus the same type of desecration overtook the second temple as befell the first temple in the evil days of Ahaz (735-715) and Manasseh (695-642) when they too had set up an idolatrous altar (by Ahaz, II Kings 16: 10-16) and images of heathen gods (by Manasseh, II Kings 21: 3-5).
Note that Jesus's only explicit reference to "the prophet Daniel" as the writer of the Book of Daniel is in the Olivet Discourse (in Matthew 24: 15; Mark 13: 14). There He refers to "the abomination that causes desolation" (to bdelygma tes eremoseos) which is the exact wording of the LXX (the Septuagint, the earliest Greek translation of the Old Testament) for this verse. This phrase also recurs in 12: 11 of this book in an end-time context.
(32) "By smooth words he will turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant,
Antiochus was a master in manipulating Jewish leaders who were divided in their loyalties.
but the people who know their God will display strength and take action.
(33) "Those who have insight among the people will give understanding to the many; yet they will fall by sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder for many days.
A band of heroic patriots was stirred to action by a certain priest named Mattathias in the town of Modein. He was the father of the valiant Maccabees: Judas, Jonathan, and Simon, each of whom later became nasi yisrael ("prince of Israel") during the victorious war of independence against the Seleucid government. These patriots, sparked by the zeal of the Hasidim movement fulfilled the prediction, "they will firmly resist him (Epiphanes)."
During Antiochus' persecution, these leaders would preach to their fearful and intimidated countrymen a stirring message to trust in the promises and power of the Lord instead of bowing to the demands of the pagan tyrant who would turn them from the Living God. These "wise men" would teach and evangelize, to first get back to God and His ways, then to answer the call to arms and hazard their very lives for the liberation of their land from the yoke of their God-hating persecutor. Many would lose their lives and property.
Their uncompromising commitment to faithful adherence to the Mosaic covenant and Law resulted in the spiritual revival of the nation until the first coming of the Lord Jesus Messiah.
(34) "Now when they fall they will be granted a little help, and many will join with them in hypocrisy.
The little help refers to the small numbers of compatriots who joined them after the early successes of the original guerilla band. Then when the Hassidim began to round up those who had collaborated with the Seleucids and put them to death (I Maccabees 2: 42), and even those who had deserted Scriptural standards ("the lawless"), then goodly numbers of insincere followers attached themselves to the patriot cause (in hypocrisy), hoping to save their own skins.
(35) "Some of those who have insight will fall, in order to refine, purge and make them pure until the end time; because it is still to come at the appointed time."
The account of the Maccabean uprising concludes with a strong emphasis on the spiritual meaning of this heroic struggle for the survival of the nation of Israel. The cause of freedom was maintained through vicissitudes of defeat and success, until finally a strong Jewish kingdom was founded by John Hyrcanus, son of Simon Maccabaeus (135-105), and enlarged to its fullest extent by his warlike son Alexander Jannaeus (104-78 B.C.).
This verse ends the predictive material that applies to the Hellenistic empires and the contest between the Seleucids and the Jewish patriots.
The next section appears to apply to the antichrist of the End Time that is still future, even for us.
O my Father, You are so good! Thank you for revealing to us Your plans for the nations and Your people, all the way to the end of time itself. Help us to read and study with understanding and insight and discernment; to be prepared to face all the trials and tribulations that are still to come, and to respond appropriately.
Let us not be surprised or caught off-guard when what You have said would happen actually comes to pass. Father, show us when we are in the midst of whatever is surrounding us, to be able to recognize that it is what You have told us is coming. Enable us to help one another through all the times you will bring us through. Teach us to lean on You when we are weak. Show us how to depend on You when we come short. Strengthen our faith and trust in You as our Source and our Defender.
Grow us up as Your children, Father, and increase Your Kingdom using our hands and feet and words. We are Christ's body, to do His work in the world, to grow the Kingdom of God, intrinsically and extrinsically.
Send us out to every living person in every nation, to share with everyone how much You love us all, and want everybody to have a clear, informed choice to either accept or reject the gracious, generous gift You offer freely.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
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