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!
Thursday, May 14, 2020
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!
Saturday, May 9, 2020
More History Accurately Foretold
Daniel 11: 10-20
Gabriel is telling Daniel the future history of the world powers who affect Israel, and we just heard about the struggle between Seleucus II (the king of the North) and Ptolemy III of Egypt (the king in the South).
(10) "His sons will mobilize and assemble a multitude of great forces;
Seleucus (Callinicus) died in 226 and his son Seleucus III (Soter) only reigned for three years; then his other son was Antiochus III, who came to the throne in 223, and he was called "the Great" because of his military successes.
and one of them will keep on coming and overflow and pass through, that he may again wage war up to his very fortress.
Antiochus III launched an expedition against Phoenicia and Palestine in 219-218.
(11) "The king of the South will be enraged and go forth and fight with the king of the North. Then the latter will raise a great multitude, but with that multitude be given into the hand of the former.
Antiochus is penetrating deeper into Egyptian territories, which enraged Ptolemy IV; and defeated him at Raphia.
(12) "When the multitude is carried away, his heart will be lifted up, and he will cause tens of thousands to fall; yet he will not prevail.
In the peace that followed, Antiochus III was compelled to cede all Phoenicia and Palestine back to Ptolemy IV and leave him undisturbed possession of them for the time.
During the following years, Antiochus attained his most brilliant successes in subduing and subjugating the rebellious provinces in the Middle East all the way to the Caspian Sea in the North and the Indus River on the east.
(13) "For the king of the North will again raise a greater multitude than the former, and after an interval of some years he will press on with a great army and much equipment.
Finally in 203 Antiochus saw his opportunity to strike Egypt again, because Ptolemy IV died leaving his son Ptolemy V (Epiphanes) on the throne, who was still a small boy of four.
(14) "Now in those times many will rise up against the king of the South; the violent ones among your people will also lift themselves up in order to fulfill the vision, but they will fall down.
The violent ones among your people were the pro-Seleucid Jews, who launched a counter-offensive under General Scopas of the Egyptian forces, who had punished the leaders in Jerusalem and Judah who were of the "wrong" political persuasion. But soon the war swept down from the North and Scopas met with severe loss at the Battle of Panium in 200 B.C. From there he retreated to Sidon, on the Phoenician coast.
(15) "Then the king of the North will come, cast up a siege ramp and capture a well-fortified city; and the forces of the South will not stand their ground, not even their choicest troops, for there will be no strength to make a stand.
But then Antiochus III laid siege to well-fortified Sidon, and even their best troops could not withstand him.
(16) "But he who comes against him will do as he pleases, and no one will be able to withstand him; he will also stay for a time in the Beautiful Land, with destruction in his hand.
When Scopus finally surrendered to Antiochus III, the Holy Land was permanently acquired by the Antioch government. Antiochus did not pursue a general policy of destruction, he simply exacted reprisals from the pro-Egyptian party leaders he was able to capture. On his entrance into Jerusalem in 198 B.C. he was welcomed as a deliverer and benefactor.
(17) "He will set his face to come with the power of his whole kingdom, bringing with him a proposal of peace which he will put into effect; he will also give him the daughter of women to ruin it. But she will not take a stand for him or be on his side.
Antiochus gave his daughter Cleopatra to the boy king Ptolemy V who in 197 was no more than ten years old, expecting that she would bring Egypt into strong pro-Seleucid policies. Then should she produce a son, he would become legal heir to both crowns.
As it turned out, however, after the marriage finally took place in 195, Cleopatra became completely sympathetic to her husband and his cause, and when she gave birth to a royal heir, who became Ptolemy VI, it gave no advantage or political leverage to her father, Antiochus. When Ptolemy V died in 181, Cleopatra was appointed queen regent by the Egyptian government because they all loved and appreciated her loyalty to their cause.
(18) "Then he will turn his face to the coastlands and capture many. But a commander will put a stop to his scorn against him; moreover, he will repay him for his scorn.
Meanwhile, Antiochus the Great continued to advance to the coastlands of Pergamum and Rhodes, and in 196, after capturing several cities in Aeolis and Ionia, he crossed the Hellespont and the Agean with his powerful navy and conquered considerable territory in Thrace.
Finally Rome jumped into the fray, and they joined their Greek allies to overcome the Seleucid command post at Thermopylae. Antiochus withdrew to Asia Minor in 191, and during the winter of 190-189, the Roman troops followed him across to Asia, and finally met him in a pitched battle at Magnesia, west of Sardis. Although Antiochus had an army of seventy thousand, he was badly defeated by the Roman force of only thirty thousand, which put a stop to his scorn.
The commander was none other than Lucius Cornelius Scipio Asiaticus, the brother of the Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus, who had brilliantly defeated Hannibal at the Battle of Zama back in 202. This commander exacted severe peace terms, including surrendering twenty selected hostages, one of which was his own second son, who was named after him; he was taken to Rome, where he spent the formative years of his life. This "repaid him for his scorn." This boy grew up to be the dreaded persecutor of the Jews, Antiochus Epiphanes.
(19) "So he will turn his face toward the fortresses of his own land, but he will stumble and fall and be found no more.
The end of the career of Antiochus the Great is indicated here. He went back home, but, unable to pay his bills, he was reduced to robbing the temple of Bel in Elymais. But he was overcome by the incensed local inhabitants who succeeded in killing him and defending their temple.
(20) "Then in his place one will arise who will send an oppressor through the Jewel of his kingdom; yet within a few days he will be shattered, though not in anger nor in battle."
This verse sums up the uneventful reign of the elder son of Antiochus, Seleucus IV (Philopetor). The oppressor or tax-collector he sent was his special fund-raiser, Heliodorus, who he sent to plunder the temple of the Lord at Jerusalem. According to 2 Maccabees 3: 7-40, only a frightful vision of mighty angels assaulting and flogging him prevented him from accomplishing his mission, and he returned home empty-handed. Seleucus IV met an untimely end by poison administered by Heliodorus.
Next, we'll look at Antiochus's other son, who succeeded his brother.
O my Father, You knew all these people before they were born. You knew what they would do, and how You would use them to advance human history along the lines You wanted, so that we would recognize Your hand in it all.
Father God, You set up kings and princes, commanders and soldiers, merchants and paupers. You know each one of us, and You place us where You want to use us. And You move us around to interact with one another in ways that benefit one another, as Your children.
O Father, send us out into the world to share with everyone how much You love us. Father, You made the human race to be Your children, and gave us the choice to love You back. When we turn to You honestly and whole-heartedly, You have promised to meet with us, and to draw us into Your household. Please show Yourself to my loved ones, who have yet to humble themselves before You in repentance and faith. Draw them to Yourself, and show them who You are, so they will realize Your greatness and goodness and graciousness to have already met all their needs.
And Father, use us as Your hands and feet, to share with every living person Your wonderful Plan of Salvation. Enable us to communicate clearly how much You love each one of us. Let us find them, rescue them, even pull them from the fires of hell! Bring all of Your children to the birth into Your family, Father.
And fill Your great house with Your uncountable family members. Surround Your grand Banquet Table with all Your children, to enjoy sweet fellowship with You and with one another, forever.
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 telling Daniel the future history of the world powers who affect Israel, and we just heard about the struggle between Seleucus II (the king of the North) and Ptolemy III of Egypt (the king in the South).
(10) "His sons will mobilize and assemble a multitude of great forces;
Seleucus (Callinicus) died in 226 and his son Seleucus III (Soter) only reigned for three years; then his other son was Antiochus III, who came to the throne in 223, and he was called "the Great" because of his military successes.
and one of them will keep on coming and overflow and pass through, that he may again wage war up to his very fortress.
Antiochus III launched an expedition against Phoenicia and Palestine in 219-218.
(11) "The king of the South will be enraged and go forth and fight with the king of the North. Then the latter will raise a great multitude, but with that multitude be given into the hand of the former.
Antiochus is penetrating deeper into Egyptian territories, which enraged Ptolemy IV; and defeated him at Raphia.
(12) "When the multitude is carried away, his heart will be lifted up, and he will cause tens of thousands to fall; yet he will not prevail.
In the peace that followed, Antiochus III was compelled to cede all Phoenicia and Palestine back to Ptolemy IV and leave him undisturbed possession of them for the time.
During the following years, Antiochus attained his most brilliant successes in subduing and subjugating the rebellious provinces in the Middle East all the way to the Caspian Sea in the North and the Indus River on the east.
(13) "For the king of the North will again raise a greater multitude than the former, and after an interval of some years he will press on with a great army and much equipment.
Finally in 203 Antiochus saw his opportunity to strike Egypt again, because Ptolemy IV died leaving his son Ptolemy V (Epiphanes) on the throne, who was still a small boy of four.
(14) "Now in those times many will rise up against the king of the South; the violent ones among your people will also lift themselves up in order to fulfill the vision, but they will fall down.
The violent ones among your people were the pro-Seleucid Jews, who launched a counter-offensive under General Scopas of the Egyptian forces, who had punished the leaders in Jerusalem and Judah who were of the "wrong" political persuasion. But soon the war swept down from the North and Scopas met with severe loss at the Battle of Panium in 200 B.C. From there he retreated to Sidon, on the Phoenician coast.
(15) "Then the king of the North will come, cast up a siege ramp and capture a well-fortified city; and the forces of the South will not stand their ground, not even their choicest troops, for there will be no strength to make a stand.
But then Antiochus III laid siege to well-fortified Sidon, and even their best troops could not withstand him.
(16) "But he who comes against him will do as he pleases, and no one will be able to withstand him; he will also stay for a time in the Beautiful Land, with destruction in his hand.
When Scopus finally surrendered to Antiochus III, the Holy Land was permanently acquired by the Antioch government. Antiochus did not pursue a general policy of destruction, he simply exacted reprisals from the pro-Egyptian party leaders he was able to capture. On his entrance into Jerusalem in 198 B.C. he was welcomed as a deliverer and benefactor.
(17) "He will set his face to come with the power of his whole kingdom, bringing with him a proposal of peace which he will put into effect; he will also give him the daughter of women to ruin it. But she will not take a stand for him or be on his side.
Antiochus gave his daughter Cleopatra to the boy king Ptolemy V who in 197 was no more than ten years old, expecting that she would bring Egypt into strong pro-Seleucid policies. Then should she produce a son, he would become legal heir to both crowns.
As it turned out, however, after the marriage finally took place in 195, Cleopatra became completely sympathetic to her husband and his cause, and when she gave birth to a royal heir, who became Ptolemy VI, it gave no advantage or political leverage to her father, Antiochus. When Ptolemy V died in 181, Cleopatra was appointed queen regent by the Egyptian government because they all loved and appreciated her loyalty to their cause.
(18) "Then he will turn his face to the coastlands and capture many. But a commander will put a stop to his scorn against him; moreover, he will repay him for his scorn.
Meanwhile, Antiochus the Great continued to advance to the coastlands of Pergamum and Rhodes, and in 196, after capturing several cities in Aeolis and Ionia, he crossed the Hellespont and the Agean with his powerful navy and conquered considerable territory in Thrace.
Finally Rome jumped into the fray, and they joined their Greek allies to overcome the Seleucid command post at Thermopylae. Antiochus withdrew to Asia Minor in 191, and during the winter of 190-189, the Roman troops followed him across to Asia, and finally met him in a pitched battle at Magnesia, west of Sardis. Although Antiochus had an army of seventy thousand, he was badly defeated by the Roman force of only thirty thousand, which put a stop to his scorn.
The commander was none other than Lucius Cornelius Scipio Asiaticus, the brother of the Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus, who had brilliantly defeated Hannibal at the Battle of Zama back in 202. This commander exacted severe peace terms, including surrendering twenty selected hostages, one of which was his own second son, who was named after him; he was taken to Rome, where he spent the formative years of his life. This "repaid him for his scorn." This boy grew up to be the dreaded persecutor of the Jews, Antiochus Epiphanes.
(19) "So he will turn his face toward the fortresses of his own land, but he will stumble and fall and be found no more.
The end of the career of Antiochus the Great is indicated here. He went back home, but, unable to pay his bills, he was reduced to robbing the temple of Bel in Elymais. But he was overcome by the incensed local inhabitants who succeeded in killing him and defending their temple.
(20) "Then in his place one will arise who will send an oppressor through the Jewel of his kingdom; yet within a few days he will be shattered, though not in anger nor in battle."
This verse sums up the uneventful reign of the elder son of Antiochus, Seleucus IV (Philopetor). The oppressor or tax-collector he sent was his special fund-raiser, Heliodorus, who he sent to plunder the temple of the Lord at Jerusalem. According to 2 Maccabees 3: 7-40, only a frightful vision of mighty angels assaulting and flogging him prevented him from accomplishing his mission, and he returned home empty-handed. Seleucus IV met an untimely end by poison administered by Heliodorus.
Next, we'll look at Antiochus's other son, who succeeded his brother.
O my Father, You knew all these people before they were born. You knew what they would do, and how You would use them to advance human history along the lines You wanted, so that we would recognize Your hand in it all.
Father God, You set up kings and princes, commanders and soldiers, merchants and paupers. You know each one of us, and You place us where You want to use us. And You move us around to interact with one another in ways that benefit one another, as Your children.
O Father, send us out into the world to share with everyone how much You love us. Father, You made the human race to be Your children, and gave us the choice to love You back. When we turn to You honestly and whole-heartedly, You have promised to meet with us, and to draw us into Your household. Please show Yourself to my loved ones, who have yet to humble themselves before You in repentance and faith. Draw them to Yourself, and show them who You are, so they will realize Your greatness and goodness and graciousness to have already met all their needs.
And Father, use us as Your hands and feet, to share with every living person Your wonderful Plan of Salvation. Enable us to communicate clearly how much You love each one of us. Let us find them, rescue them, even pull them from the fires of hell! Bring all of Your children to the birth into Your family, Father.
And fill Your great house with Your uncountable family members. Surround Your grand Banquet Table with all Your children, to enjoy sweet fellowship with You and with one another, forever.
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!
Friday, May 8, 2020
Detailed History Before It Happened
Daniel 11: 2-9
This begins quite a long and detailed telling of all the future history of the world as it pertains to Israel from Daniel's time. It is most remarkable that we can point to historical records that reveal the accuracy of what Gabriel told Daniel hundreds of years ahead of the time they would happen.
(2) "And now I will tell you the truth. Behold, three more kings are going to arise in Persia.
The three kings after Cyrus, who was on the throne at the time Gabriel was talking with Daniel, were: (first) Cambyses, Cyrus's elder son (529-523) who conquered Egypt; then (second) an imposter named Gaumata or Bardiya (523-522), who passed himself off as Cyrus's younger son, Smerdis, who had been murdered; and (third) Darius the Persian (522-485), the son of Hystaspes, who in 522 assassinated the imposter and gained the kingship for himself. This Darius was actually of royal blood, a cousin of Cyrus through his father, Hystaspes.
Then a fourth will gain far more riches than all of them; as soon as he becomes strong through his riches, he will arouse the whole empire against the realm of Greece.
This was Darius's son Xerxes (485-464), who is the one who invaded Greece.
(3) "And a mighty king will arise, and he will rule with great authority and do as he pleases.
This is, of course, Alexander the Great.
(4) "But as soon as he has arisen, his kingdom will be broken up and parceled out toward the four points of the compass, though not to his own descendants, nor according to his authority which he wielded, for his sovereignty will be uprooted and given to others besides them.
Because of his early death and having no heir, his kingdom was divided up among his four generals.
(5) "Then the king of the South will grow strong,
This is Ptolemy I (Soter), son of Lagus. During the 280 years between Ptolemy I and Cleopatra VII (who met her end around 30 B.C.) the domain of the Ptolemies was pretty well restricted to Egypt and Cyprus.
along with one of his princes who will gain ascendancy over him and obtain dominion;
This one of his princes was Seleucus Nicator. With Ptolemy's sponsorship, 310 became the official starting date for the Selucid Era.
his domain will be a great dominion indeed.
Since Seleucus secured control of Alexander's old domains all the way to the Indus on the east and to Syria and Phoenicia on the west, his authority far surpassed that of his sponsor, Ptolemy.
(6) "After some years they will form an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the South will come to the king of the North to carry out a peaceful arrangement.
In 252 Ptolemy II (Philadelphus) made a treaty with Antiochus II (Theos) who agreed to marry Philadelphus's daughter, Berenice, but he was already married to Laodice!
But she will not retain her position of power, nor will he remain with his power, but she will be given up, along with those who brought her in and the one who sired her as well as he who supported her in those times.
Laodice was a powerful and influential woman who, from her place of banishment, arranged for Berenice and her infant son she'd borne to Theos to be assassinated, and not long after the king himself was poisoned to death (247 B.C.). So Berenice was given up and did not retain her ... power, nor did he remain with his power when they both died, and Laodice ruled as queen regent until her young son, Seleucus II (Callinicus), reached majority.
(7) "But one of the descendants of her line
This would be Ptolemy III (Euergetes), Berenice's brother, who took the throne upon his father's death (247).
will arise in his place, and he will come against their army and enter the fortress of the king of the North, and he will deal with them and display great strength.
He organized a great expeditionary force against Syria to avenge his sister's death, and the war raged from 246 to 241. Ptolemy captured and pillaged the Seleucid city of Antioch and invaded its eastern domains as far as Bactria.
(8) "Also their gods with their metal images and their precious vessels of silver and gold he will take into captivity to Egypt,
Finally he returned to Egypt laden with spoil, the gods with their metal images and their precious vessels of silver and gold, recovering the long-lost idols and sacred treasures that Cambyses had taken as booty in 524. For this restoration of their national honor against the Persians they acclaimed him as Euergetes ("Benefactor").
and he on his part will refrain from attacking the king of the North for some years.
This alludes to the peace treaty that Ptolemy III made with Seleucus II in 240.
(9) "Then the latter will enter the realm of the king of the South, but will return to his own land."
This refers to Seleucus II coming into northern Syria and Phoenicia, probably in the 230s, but there's no record that he entered into Egypt proper.
We will pause here and continue this prophesy next time.
God planned out everything that would happen, before He ever made anything at all. Before time began, God decided what He would do, how He would do it, and how it would finish.
Like a video game designer thinks up a game, the scenario it would be played on, the characters the players will deal with, and all the moves and plays that would be necessary to win and finish the game. This is a poor illustration, but I think that we can design these games using the creativity God placed in us when He made us in His image, after His likeness.
He is our Creator, and He has designed this Earth to be our environment to build our world upon. We have only one Earth, and we are responsible to take care of it as our home while we live here.
And He has given us everything we need, right here in and on this planet. He knows how He designed it all to work properly, for the Earth to yield its bounty and treasures to us as we work it according to the Manufacturer's Instructions. It's when we put aside the rule book and think that we can figure out a better idea that we get into trouble.
So God lets us experience the consequences of our decisions and choices, and when we come up short, it's because He wants us to turn to Him and His ways.
God has shown us His heart in His songbook, the Psalms. And He's shown us how to get along with one another in Proverbs. He's shown us the joys and rapture of marriage in the Song of Solomon. And He's laid out the requirements for correcting what's wrong and making it right in all the laws, rules, commandments, sacrifices, regulations, precepts, and other writings. He's shown us how others who have gone before us fared for good or ill as a result of their choices, to show us what we need to know to live.
Now it's up to us to learn what He's told us, and live accordingly.
O my Father, You are so good! And You are so good to us! We stumble and wander and lose the way to light and life, and many wonder why they are in such darkness. But Your light shines upon all who will call on You in humility and repentance. You are waiting with arms wide open for each of us to come to the end of ourselves and turn to You.
O Father, send out Your messengers, Your missionaries, Your children, to broadcast to the whole world how much You love each one of us. You have already done everything possible and impossible to cleanse away our filthiness to make us fit to be in Your presence. And You have called us to new birth into Your own divine family.
Father, you created Mankind to be Your children, and you are not willing for any of us to perish, but for all to come to repentance. That's why You sent Your own Son to be our Savior and Redeemer. And He is coming again, returning to this Earth to claim His throne and set up His Kingdom. And His rule will never end.
All the kings of the world can only reign for one lifetime, then their throne is passed on to the next. But King Jesus will not ever hand over His throne to any other, He will reign for ever, and His Kingdom will continue to grow forever, too.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, 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!
This begins quite a long and detailed telling of all the future history of the world as it pertains to Israel from Daniel's time. It is most remarkable that we can point to historical records that reveal the accuracy of what Gabriel told Daniel hundreds of years ahead of the time they would happen.
(2) "And now I will tell you the truth. Behold, three more kings are going to arise in Persia.
The three kings after Cyrus, who was on the throne at the time Gabriel was talking with Daniel, were: (first) Cambyses, Cyrus's elder son (529-523) who conquered Egypt; then (second) an imposter named Gaumata or Bardiya (523-522), who passed himself off as Cyrus's younger son, Smerdis, who had been murdered; and (third) Darius the Persian (522-485), the son of Hystaspes, who in 522 assassinated the imposter and gained the kingship for himself. This Darius was actually of royal blood, a cousin of Cyrus through his father, Hystaspes.
Then a fourth will gain far more riches than all of them; as soon as he becomes strong through his riches, he will arouse the whole empire against the realm of Greece.
This was Darius's son Xerxes (485-464), who is the one who invaded Greece.
(3) "And a mighty king will arise, and he will rule with great authority and do as he pleases.
This is, of course, Alexander the Great.
(4) "But as soon as he has arisen, his kingdom will be broken up and parceled out toward the four points of the compass, though not to his own descendants, nor according to his authority which he wielded, for his sovereignty will be uprooted and given to others besides them.
Because of his early death and having no heir, his kingdom was divided up among his four generals.
(5) "Then the king of the South will grow strong,
This is Ptolemy I (Soter), son of Lagus. During the 280 years between Ptolemy I and Cleopatra VII (who met her end around 30 B.C.) the domain of the Ptolemies was pretty well restricted to Egypt and Cyprus.
along with one of his princes who will gain ascendancy over him and obtain dominion;
This one of his princes was Seleucus Nicator. With Ptolemy's sponsorship, 310 became the official starting date for the Selucid Era.
his domain will be a great dominion indeed.
Since Seleucus secured control of Alexander's old domains all the way to the Indus on the east and to Syria and Phoenicia on the west, his authority far surpassed that of his sponsor, Ptolemy.
(6) "After some years they will form an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the South will come to the king of the North to carry out a peaceful arrangement.
In 252 Ptolemy II (Philadelphus) made a treaty with Antiochus II (Theos) who agreed to marry Philadelphus's daughter, Berenice, but he was already married to Laodice!
But she will not retain her position of power, nor will he remain with his power, but she will be given up, along with those who brought her in and the one who sired her as well as he who supported her in those times.
Laodice was a powerful and influential woman who, from her place of banishment, arranged for Berenice and her infant son she'd borne to Theos to be assassinated, and not long after the king himself was poisoned to death (247 B.C.). So Berenice was given up and did not retain her ... power, nor did he remain with his power when they both died, and Laodice ruled as queen regent until her young son, Seleucus II (Callinicus), reached majority.
(7) "But one of the descendants of her line
This would be Ptolemy III (Euergetes), Berenice's brother, who took the throne upon his father's death (247).
will arise in his place, and he will come against their army and enter the fortress of the king of the North, and he will deal with them and display great strength.
He organized a great expeditionary force against Syria to avenge his sister's death, and the war raged from 246 to 241. Ptolemy captured and pillaged the Seleucid city of Antioch and invaded its eastern domains as far as Bactria.
(8) "Also their gods with their metal images and their precious vessels of silver and gold he will take into captivity to Egypt,
Finally he returned to Egypt laden with spoil, the gods with their metal images and their precious vessels of silver and gold, recovering the long-lost idols and sacred treasures that Cambyses had taken as booty in 524. For this restoration of their national honor against the Persians they acclaimed him as Euergetes ("Benefactor").
and he on his part will refrain from attacking the king of the North for some years.
This alludes to the peace treaty that Ptolemy III made with Seleucus II in 240.
(9) "Then the latter will enter the realm of the king of the South, but will return to his own land."
This refers to Seleucus II coming into northern Syria and Phoenicia, probably in the 230s, but there's no record that he entered into Egypt proper.
We will pause here and continue this prophesy next time.
God planned out everything that would happen, before He ever made anything at all. Before time began, God decided what He would do, how He would do it, and how it would finish.
Like a video game designer thinks up a game, the scenario it would be played on, the characters the players will deal with, and all the moves and plays that would be necessary to win and finish the game. This is a poor illustration, but I think that we can design these games using the creativity God placed in us when He made us in His image, after His likeness.
He is our Creator, and He has designed this Earth to be our environment to build our world upon. We have only one Earth, and we are responsible to take care of it as our home while we live here.
And He has given us everything we need, right here in and on this planet. He knows how He designed it all to work properly, for the Earth to yield its bounty and treasures to us as we work it according to the Manufacturer's Instructions. It's when we put aside the rule book and think that we can figure out a better idea that we get into trouble.
So God lets us experience the consequences of our decisions and choices, and when we come up short, it's because He wants us to turn to Him and His ways.
God has shown us His heart in His songbook, the Psalms. And He's shown us how to get along with one another in Proverbs. He's shown us the joys and rapture of marriage in the Song of Solomon. And He's laid out the requirements for correcting what's wrong and making it right in all the laws, rules, commandments, sacrifices, regulations, precepts, and other writings. He's shown us how others who have gone before us fared for good or ill as a result of their choices, to show us what we need to know to live.
Now it's up to us to learn what He's told us, and live accordingly.
O my Father, You are so good! And You are so good to us! We stumble and wander and lose the way to light and life, and many wonder why they are in such darkness. But Your light shines upon all who will call on You in humility and repentance. You are waiting with arms wide open for each of us to come to the end of ourselves and turn to You.
O Father, send out Your messengers, Your missionaries, Your children, to broadcast to the whole world how much You love each one of us. You have already done everything possible and impossible to cleanse away our filthiness to make us fit to be in Your presence. And You have called us to new birth into Your own divine family.
Father, you created Mankind to be Your children, and you are not willing for any of us to perish, but for all to come to repentance. That's why You sent Your own Son to be our Savior and Redeemer. And He is coming again, returning to this Earth to claim His throne and set up His Kingdom. And His rule will never end.
All the kings of the world can only reign for one lifetime, then their throne is passed on to the next. But King Jesus will not ever hand over His throne to any other, He will reign for ever, and His Kingdom will continue to grow forever, too.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, 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!
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