Psalm 150 (continued, part 28)
Daniel prepared himself to pray, because he knew that his prayer would affect the future of the Jewish nation and the lives of the Jewish captives in Babylon. It would be his holy task to confess the sins of the Jewish nation, asking God to forgive His people and receive them back again. He humbled himself in sackcloth and ashes; he fasted; and he directed his heart and mind to the Lord. Preparation for prayer and worship is as important as prayer itself, for without a heart that is right with God, our prayers are just so many pious words. Daniel met the conditions for answered prayer set forth in Leviticus 26:40–45 and 2 Chronicles 7:14.
Worshipping the Lord (v. 4). Too often we rush into God's presence and ask for things, without first pausing to worship Him. Daniel prepared himself for prayer, as did Ezra (Ezra 9:3–5) and the Levites (Neh. 9:5–6). It's important that we focus on the character of God and not become too preoccupied with ourselves and our burdens. The "invocation" to Daniel's prayer is a primer of biblical theology. His words describe a God who is great and faithful to keep His promises, a God who loves His people and gives them His Word to obey so that He can bless them. He is a merciful God (Dan. 9:18) who forgives the sins of His people when they come to Him in contrition and confession.2 This is also the way Nehemiah prayed when he sought God's will concerning rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem (Neh. 1:5ff.). It's one thing to pray to the Lord and quite something else to be a worshipping intercessor. When we see the greatness and glory of God, it helps to put our own
What were the consequences of the nation's rebellion? They became a sinful people, a people covered with shame ("confusion of face," Dan. 9:8), and a scattered people. Their land was overrun by enemy soldiers, their great city of Jerusalem was destroyed, and their holy temple was desecrated, robbed, and burned. No wonder the Jews were ashamed! But it was their own sins that had brought these disasters, because their kings, princes, and priests had disobeyed God's laws and refused to obey God's prophets.
The leaders and the people knew the terms of God's covenant, but they deliberately violated them. The Jews were unfaithful to God's covenant, but God was faithful to keep His word. If the nation had obeyed, God would have been faithful to bless them (Ps. 81:11–16); but because they rebelled, He was faithful to chasten
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them. "You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing upon us great disaster" (Dan. 9:12 niv). Daniel didn't make excuses for the nation, nor did he say that God's covenant was too demanding. Israel had enjoyed great blessings when they had obeyed the law, so why should they complain when they experienced great suffering because they disobeyed the law?
pray, but he was still praying at the time of the evening burnt offering, which was about three o'clock in the afternoon. He was living in Babylon but was still measuring time by Jewish religious practices! His body was in Babylon, but his mind and heart were in Jerusalem. Had the temple been standing and the priests still officiating, this would have been "the ninth hour," when the lamb was offered as a burnt offering (Ex. 29:38–41; Acts 3:1; 10:30). It was one of the three occasions during the day when Daniel set aside time to offer special prayer to the Lord (Dan. 6:10; Ps. 55:17). This was also the time when Ezra the scribe prayed for God to forgive the sins of the Jewish remnant that had returned to the land (Ezra 9:5). There is a sense in which prayer is seen by God as a spiritual sacrifice to Him (Ps. 141:1–2).
But there was something even worse than the sins that brought divine punishment to Israel. It was the refusal of the Jews to repent and confess their sins even after being taken captive! They spent their time praying for judgment against Babylon (Ps. 137) rather than seeking God's face and asking for His forgiveness. God's will for Israel in captivity was outlined in Jeremiah 29, but the Jews didn't always follow it. Daniel's approach was biblical: "For the Lord our God is righteous in everything He does" (Dan. 9:14 niv). Why would He bring His people out of Egypt and then allow them to waste away in Babylon? Daniel knew that God had purposes for Israel to fulfill, and so he reminded God of His past mercies (v. 15).
While Daniel was praying, the angel Gabriel came swiftly to him, interrupted his prayer, touched him, and spoke to him. Daniel had met Gabriel before after seeing the vision of the ram and the goat, and Gabriel had explained its meaning to him (Dan. 8:15ff.). Now the angel had come to explain to Daniel what God had planned for Jerusalem, the temple, and the Jewish people. The phrase "fly swiftly" (v. 21) has given rise to the idea that angels have wings and fly from place to place, but arrows, bullets, and missiles fly swiftly and don't have wings. Angels are spirits and therefore don't have bodies (Ps. 104:4; Heb. 1:7). When they appear to humans, they take on temporary human form. The angelic creatures seen by Isaiah (Isa. 6:2) and Ezekiel (Ezek. 1:6, 8, 11) did have wings, but they were special creatures performing a special ministries. The NIV translates the phrase "in swift flight"and makes no mention of wings.
Asking for mercy on Israel (vv. 16–19). God in His grace gives us what we don't deserve, and God in His mercy doesn't give us what we do deserve. Daniel asked the Lord to turn away His anger from Jerusalem and the holy temple. He admitted that the sins of Israel (including Daniel) were the cause of that great catastrophe, but that God had promised to forgive if His people would repent and confess their sins. "We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy" (v. 18 niv). But even more, Daniel desired the nation to be restored that God might be glorified. After all, the Jews were God's chosen people, and Jerusalem was the place of His holy temple; the longer the people and the land were under God's wrath, the less glory the Lord would receive. "Your city and your people bear your Name" (v. 19 niv).3
The seventy "weeks" (v. 24). The word weeks means "sevens," so Gabriel was speaking about seventy periods of 7 years, or 490 years. Keep in mind that these years relate specifically to Daniel's people, the Jews, and their Holy City, Jerusalem. In his prayer, Daniel's great concern was that his people be forgiven their sins against the Lord, the city be rebuilt, and the temple be restored (v. 16); and these are the matters that Gabriel will discuss. To apply this important prophecy to any other people or place is to rob it of its intended meaning.
God answered Daniel's prayer. The next year, Cyrus issued a decree that permitted the Jews to return to their land, take the temple treasures with them, rebuild the temple, and restore the worship. What a remarkable ministry Daniel had in Babylon! He was counselor to four kings, intercessor for the people of Israel, a faithful witness to the true and living God, and the author of one of the basic books of prophecy in the Old Testament.
Gabriel explained that during those 490 years, the Lord would accomplish six specific purposes for the Jewish people. The first three have to do with sin and the last three with righteousness. The Lord would "finish the transgression," that is, the transgression of the Jewish people, and "make an end of" Israel's national sins. This was one of the main burdens of Daniel's prayer. Israel was a scattered suffering nation because she was a sinful nation. How would the Lord accomplish this? By making "reconciliation for iniquity," that is, by offering a sacrifice that would atone for their sin. Here we come to the cross of Jesus Christ, Israel's Messiah.
Daniel now knew God's immediate plans for the nation of Israel, but what about the distant future? He had already learned from the visions God gave him that difficult days lay ahead for God's people, with a kingdom to appear that would crush everything good and promote everything evil. Would God's people survive? Would the promised Messiah finally appear? Would the kingdom of God be established on the earth?
Daniel is about to receive the answers to those questions.
Instruction: Discovering God's Timetable (9:20–27) We don't know at what time of day Daniel began to
When Jesus died on the cross, He died for the sins
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world (Acts 1:8), beginning in Jerusalem (Luke 24:46–53). But the same nation that allowed John the Baptist to be slain and asked for Jesus to be crucified went on to persecute the church and themselves kill Stephen (Acts 7). In AD 70, the prophecy in Daniel 9:26 was fulfilled when the Roman armies destroyed Jerusalem and the temple, and the Jewish nation was scattered. The Romans are "the people of the prince that shall come," and that prince is the future Antichrist that Daniel described as "the little horn" and the blasphemous king (7:8, 24–25; 8:23–27). This takes us to the third period.
of the whole world (1 John 2:2; John 1:29), and therefore we can proclaim the good news of the gospel to sinners everywhere. But He also died for the church (Eph. 5:25) and for the people of Israel. "For the transgression of my people was he stricken" (Isa. 53:8). Jesus died for sinners in every tribe and nation (Rev. 5:9; 7:9), but in a very special way, He died for His own people, the Jewish nation (John 11:44–52).
The last three divine purposes focus on righteousness and the future kingdom of Messiah. When Jesus returns, He will establish His righteous kingdom (Jer. 23:5–6; 31:31–34) and rule in righteousness (Isa. 4:2–6). In that day, the Old Testament prophecies of Israel's glorious kingdom will be fulfilled, and there will be no need for visions or prophets. "To anoint the most holy" refers to the sanctifying of the future temple that is described in Ezekiel 40—48.
Period #3—7 years (v. 27). The pronoun "he" refers to "the prince that shall come" (v. 26), this is the Antichrist.6 We are now in the final seven years of the prophetic calendar that Gabriel gave Daniel, the period that we know as "the tribulation" or "the day of the Lord." While the world has always known wars and desolations (Matt. 24:3–24), the end of the age will introduce a time of terrible suffering that will climax with the return of Jesus Christ (Rev. 6—19; Matt. 24:15–35). The event that triggers this last seven-year period is the signing of a covenant between the Antichrist and the Jewish nation. At this time, the Antichrist is a key political figure in Europe—one of the ten toes of the image in Daniel 2, and the "little horn" who emerges from the ten horns in 7:8, 24ff.—and he has the authority and ability to end the "Middle East problem." He covenants to protect the Jews from their enemies, probably so they can build their temple and restore their sacrifices. The spiritually blind Jewish leaders, ignorant of their own Scriptures, will gladly enter into the covenant. "I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me," Jesus told the Jewish leaders of His day; "if another comes in his own name, him you will receive" (John 5:43 nkjv).
These six purposes declare the answers to Daniel's prayer! Ultimately, Israel's sins will be forgiven (Zech. 12:10—13:1), the city of Jerusalem will be rebuilt, and the temple and its ministry will be restored, all because of the atoning death of Jesus Christ on the cross. All of these wonderful accomplishments will be fulfilled during the 490 years that Gabriel goes on to explain. He divides the seven sevens—490 years—into three significant periods: 49 years, 434 years and 7 years.4
Period #1—49 years (v. 25). During this period, the Jews will rebuild the city of Jerusalem in troubled times. The key issue here is the date of the decree. This is not the decree of Cyrus in 538 permitting the Jews to return to their land and rebuild their temple (Ezra 1; Isa. 44:28), because the emphasis of this decree is on the city of Jerusalem. While some students opt for the decree of Artaxerxes in 457, sending Ezra to Jerusalem (Ezra 7:12–26), that decree also emphasized the temple and its ministry. The decree of Daniel 9:25 is probably that of Artaxerxes in 445 authorizing Nehemiah to go to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls and restore the gates (Neh. 2:5–8).
After three and a half years, the Antichrist will break the covenant, seize the temple, and put his own image there, and will force the world to worship him (2 Thess. 2; Rev. 13). This is the "abomination of desolation" (Dan. 11:31; 12:11 nkjv) that Jesus spoke about that marks the midpoint of the tribulation period (Matt. 24:15; Mark 13:14). The "man of sin" and "son of perdition" (2 Thess. 2:3), who up till now has deceived the world by playing a shrewd political game, will now reveal himself as a tool of Satan and a cruel world dictator. Christ will defeat him when He returns to establish His kingdom (Rev. 19:11–21).
Period #2—483 years (v. 26). Gabriel affirmed that 483 years are involved from the giving of the decree to the coming of "the Anointed One, the ruler" (7 x 7 = 49; 7 x 62 = 434; total = 483). When you count 483 solar years from the year 445, you end up with AD 29/30, which brings us to the time of Christ's ministry on earth.5 But this Anointed One, the Christ, will not be permitted to rule; for His people cried out, "We have no king but Caesar" (John 19:15). "We will not have this man to reign over us" (Luke 19:14). The Messiah will be "cut off, but not for himself" ("and will have nothing," NIV). This speaks of His rejection by the Jewish nation (John 1:11; Luke 13:33–35) and His crucifixion as a criminal, turned over to the Roman authorities by His own people and one of His own disciples. But He died for the sins of the world, including the sins of the Jewish nation.
The strange parenthesis. Whether Daniel understood all that he heard is not revealed to us, but Gabriel's message assured him that the nation of Israel would be restored to their land, the city of Jerusalem and the temple would be rebuilt, and God would make provision for the cleansing of the nation. But Gabriel didn't tell Daniel what would happen between the sixty-ninth and the seventieth "weeks." Between Daniel 9:26–27 there is a strange parenthesis. Why?
We know that Jesus arose from the dead and returned to heaven. He sent the Holy Spirit to empower His people to bear witness to the whole
Because this prophecy has to do with the Jews, the
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Testament economy in the plan of God, the Jewish sacrifices continued for nearly forty years. Jesus did not bring any "abomination of desolation" into the temple; instead, He sought to purge it of its defilement. It takes a great deal of stretching the text to put it into the past tense. 7 It isn't unusual in Old Testament prophecy for the writer to move his outlook to the end times without warning. In Isaiah 9:6, after the word given you move from the birth of Messiah to His kingly reign. Isaiah 61:2 moves suddenly from the gracious ministry of Jesus into the "day of vengeance" (see Luke 4:18–20). Zechariah 9:9 predicts the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem, but verse 10 moves ahead into the final victory of Christ and His reign of peace.
Jewish temple, and the city of Jerusalem (v. 24). But the period of time between the sixty-ninth and seventieth weeks has to do with the church, the body of Christ, which was a mystery God had hidden in Old Testament times and didn't reveal until the time of Christ and the apostles (Eph. 3:1–13).7 Daniel wasn't told that the rejection and death of the Messiah would bring about a new thing, a spiritual body that would include Jews and Gentiles and in which all natural differences would be unimportant (Eph. 2:11–22; Gal. 3:22–29). One reason the Jewish legalists opposed Paul was because he put Jews and Gentiles on the same level in the church, and the traditionalists wanted to maintain the "superiority" of the Jews as revealed in the law and the kingdom prophecies.
CHAPTER TEN Daniel 10 A REMARKABLE EXPERIENCE T
Some of the prophecy in Daniel 9:24–27 has already been fulfilled, and the rest will be fulfilled in the end times. We are today living in the age of the church, when Israel has been partially blinded and temporarily set aside (Rom. 9—11). Like Paul, we must have a heart concern for the Jewish people, pray for them, and seek to share the gospel with them. Gentile believers have a debt to the people of Israel (Rom. 15:24–27) because they gave us the knowledge of the true and living God, the inspired written Scriptures, and the Savior, Jesus Christ.
D.The vision of Israel's future and the end—10–12
he third year of Cyrus would be 536 BC, which is the latest date given in the book of Daniel. This statement doesn't contradict 1:21, which tells us how long Daniel continued in the king's court. As we have seen, Daniel lived long enough to see Jeremiah's prophecy fulfilled and the first group of Jewish exiles return to their land and start to rebuild the temple. If he was fifteen when he was taken to Babylon, then he would be eighty-four or eighty-five at this time.
The Lord still has more to teach Daniel about the future of His people, and we will consider these prophecies in the chapters to come.
The fact that 10:1 speaks of Daniel in the third person suggests that the statement that opens this chapter may be an official "identification title" for the last three chapters of his book. In verse 2 and throughout the chapter, Daniel speaks in the first person. Also, the use of his Babylonian name, "Belteshazzar," indicates that this opening statement is probably an official "label" for the document. The vision God showed him was true, and Daniel understood the message of the vision and realized that it would be fulfilled many years later. The phrase "the time appointed was long" can also be translated "and of great conflict" (NIV, "and it concerned a great war"). Daniel would learn that his people would experience great suffering in the years ahead, but that the Lord would watch over them and ultimately establish the promised kingdom.
1 The Ahasuerus (Xerxes) named in verse 1 is not the same monarch found in the book of Esther. 2 Note the repetition of the word great: a great God (v. 4), the great evil ("disaster," NIV) Israel had brought upon themselves (v. 12), and God's great mercies (v. 18). These three phrases summarize the prayer. 3 Note how often Daniel uses the pronouns "you" and "your" as he refers to the Lord: "your commands … your people … your Name … your truth … your holy hill." The prayer emphasizes the character of God and not the suffering of the people. This is God-centered praying. 4 The Jewish calendar is based on a series of sevens. The seventh day is the Sabbath day and the seventh year is a sabbatic year (Ex. 23:11–13). The fiftieth year (7 x 7 + 1) is the Year of Jubilee (Lev. 25). The Feast of Pentecost is seven weeks after Firstfruits (Lev. 23:15–22), and during the seventh month of the year, the Jews observed the Feast of Trumpets, the day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles. 5 If you start with the 457 decree and use lunar years (360 days), you arrive at a similar figure. 6 To make "Messiah, the Prince" (v. 25) and "the prince that shall come" (v. 27) the same person is to confuse Daniel's words. Those who hold to an amillennial interpretation of prophecy take this approach and apply verses 24–27 to the earthly life and ministry of Christ. But His earthly ministry was three years long, not seven years, and the only covenant He established was the New covenant in His blood, a covenant He did not break. While His death on the cross ended the Old
A Concerned Prophet (10:1–3) For three weeks, Daniel had fasted and prayed and used no ointments as he sought the face of the Lord. Why? One reason was probably his concern for the nearly fifty thousand Jews who a year before had left Babylon and traveled to their native land to rebuild the temple. Since Daniel had access to official reports, he no doubt heard that the remnant had arrived safely in Jerusalem and that all of the tabernacle treasures were intact. He also would have heard that the men had laid the foundation of the temple but that the work had been opposed and finally stopped (Ezra 4). He knew that his people were suffering hardship in the ruined
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the place where God met with him and revealed Israel's future in the greatest prophecy God ever gave to His servant.
city of Jerusalem, and he wondered if God would fail to fulfill the promises He made to Jeremiah (Jer. 25:11–12; 29:10–14). Daniel may not have understood that the prophecy of the seventy years had a dual application, first to the people and then to the temple. The first Jews were deported to Babylon in 605, and the first captives returned to their land in 536, a period of seventy years. The temple was destroyed in 586 by the Babylonian army, and the second temple was completed and dedicated in 515, another period of seventy years. Daniel was burdened that the house of God be rebuilt as quickly as possible, but he didn't realize that God was fulfilling His plans without a mistake. The work was stopped in 536, it resumed 520 and it was completed in 515. That sixteen-year delay kept everything right on schedule. This is a good reminder to us as we serve the Lord today, that our times are in His hands (Ps. 31:15) and He is never late in accomplishing His will.
It was during the first month of the Hebrew year that the Jews celebrated Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Feast of Firstfruits (Lev. 23:1–14). Daniel couldn't celebrate these special events in Babylon, but certainly his heart was meditating on them. Passover spoke of Israel's release from Egyptian bondage, and now the Jews were being permitted to leave Babylon for their own land. During the week before Passover, the Jews had to remove every bit of leaven from their houses, a picture of sin being put out of their lives (Matt. 16:6–12; Mark 8:15; Luke 12:1; 1 Cor. 5:6–8; Gal. 5:9). Though he lived for eight decades in a pagan land, Daniel had kept his heart and life pure before God. He was praying that the Jewish remnant living in Jerusalem would be a holy people to the Lord so that He could bless them in their work.
Suddenly, without announcement, Daniel saw an awesome sight: a man wearing a linen garment and a golden girdle, with a body like chrysolite (topaz) and a face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and feet gleaming like polished brass, and his voice sounding like a great multitude. We aren't told what the man said when he spoke, but the combination of his appearance and his speech was overwhelming. The men with Daniel didn't see the vision, but they felt the terror of a powerful presence and hid themselves.1 Daniel was left alone, without strength, listening to the man's words but not able to respond. All he could do was stand there and stare at this great vision, and then he fell to the earth in a deep sleep.
But there may have been a second reason why Daniel was fasting and praying: he wanted to understand more about the visions and prophecies he had already received, and he longed for the Lord to reveal additional truth to him about the future of Israel. Daniel was an aged man, and before he went to his grave, he wanted to leave behind a prophetic message that would encourage and strengthen his people. Doubtless the prophecy of Daniel was a treasured book to the people of Israel in the centuries that followed. They knew they would experience great trials and persecutions, and yet they also knew that the Lord would be faithful and that they would one day enter into the promised kingdom.
When one day we gather in heaven, we will discover that what happened to God's people on earth depended a great deal on the prayers of burdened people like Daniel. "For who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem? Or who will bemoan you? Or who will turn aside to ask how you are doing?" (Jer. 15:5 nkjv). Nehemiah asked about the plight of Jerusalem and ended up being an answer to his own prayers (Neh. 1—2)! Jeremiah wept over Jerusalem and its people and wished that he could have wept more (Jer. 9:1–2; 8:21; 10:19; 23:9). Jesus also wept over the city (Matt. 23:37–39), and the apostle Paul was willing to be condemned himself that his people might be saved (Rom. 9:1–3; 10:1). "Rivers of tears gush from my eyes because people disobey your law" (Ps. 119:136 NLT).
Who was this man? Was he an angel sent to assure Daniel that God's heavenly armies would care for the Jewish people and see to it God's will was accomplished?2 Was it Gabriel, who had already visited Daniel? Or was it a preincarnate appearance of Jesus Christ, the Son of God? Students of the Scriptures have ably defended each of these three views, and so it's unlikely we can be dogmatic. If we decide that this glorious man is the same being who touched Daniel and spoke to him (Dan. 10:10–15), then we will have to opt for Gabriel or another angel, because it's not likely that Jesus would need help from Michael to defeat an evil angel (v. 13). However, it appears that the being who touched Daniel and spoke to him is different from the glorious man that appeared in the vision (see NASB and NIV), and most students think it was Gabriel.
God laid a burden on Daniel's heart, and because Daniel fasted and prayed, we are studying his prophecies today. May the Lord help us to leave something behind in the journey of life so that those who come after us will be encouraged and helped!
The description of the glorious man resembles the description of the glorified Christ given in Revelation 1:12–16—and John's response was the same as Daniel's! Daniel had already seen the Son of Man at the throne of God in heaven (Dan. 7:9–14), but this man was on the earth and very near to Daniel. I believe that this was a vision of the glorious Son of God and that the angel who spoke to Daniel was Gabriel. But why would the Son of God appear to Daniel at this time?
An Awesome Vision (10:4–9, 14) Three days after the end of his fast, Daniel saw an awesome vision as he stood by the Tigris River. Why Daniel was there isn't explained in the text, but it was
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(Matt. 4:11; Mark 1:13) and in the garden when He prayed (Luke 22:41–43). This is the third time Daniel was touched by an angel (Dan. 8:18; 9:21; and see 10:16, 18–19). This is the second time Daniel was addressed as "dearly beloved" (9:23; and see 10:19). We recall that our Lord Jesus Christ was spoken of this way by the Father (Matt. 3:17; 17:5; Mark 1:11; 9:7; 12:6; Luke 3:22; 20:13; and cf. Isa. 42:1–4 with Matt. 12:15–21). Because we His children are "in Christ," we are "accepted in the beloved" (Eph. 1:6), and the Father loves us as He loves His Son (John 17:23, 26). It isn't enough for us to know that God loves us; we must so live in fellowship with Him that we "keep [ourselves] in the love of God" (Jude 21; John 14:19–24).
Frequently in the biblical account of salvation history, you find the Lord Jesus Christ appearing to His servants at special times, either to deliver a special message or to prepare them for a special ministry. He usually appeared in a fashion compatible with their circumstances or their calling. To Abraham, the pilgrim, Jesus came as a traveler (Gen. 18), but to Jacob the schemer, He came as a wrestler (Gen. 32). Before Joshua attacked Jericho, Jesus came as Captain of the Lord's armies (Josh. 5:13–15), and to Isaiah, He revealed Himself as the King on the throne (Isa. 6; John 12:37–41). But to the two Jewish exiles—Daniel in Babylon and the apostle John on Patmos—Jesus appeared as the glorified King-Priest. After seeing the Son of God, both men were given visions of future events that involved the people of God, events that would be difficult to accept and understand.
Daniel's conversation with the angel reveals to us the important fact that there is an "invisible war" going on in the heavenlies between the forces of evil and the forces of God. For three weeks, Daniel had been praying for wisdom to understand the visions he had already seen, but the answer to that prayer was delayed. Why would the Lord not immediately answer the petitions of His beloved prophet? Because "the prince of the kingdom of Persia"—an evil angel—had attacked the angel bearing the answer, probably Gabriel. This evil angel was assigned to see to it that the king of Persia did what Satan wanted him to do. Michael, the archangel assigned to minister to Israel (Dan. 12:1; Rev. 12:7; Jude 9), assisted Gabriel and together they won the battle.
At the beginning of Daniel's prophetic ministry, he interpreted the meaning of the awesome image that King Nebuchadnezzar had seen in his dream (Dan. 2), and now at the end of his ministry, Daniel saw an even greater sight—the glorious King of Kings and Lord of Lords! When we know that Jesus is standing with us and fighting for us, we can accept any circumstance and accomplish any task He gives us.
Apart from the prophetic significance, there is a sense in which Daniel's experience by the Tigris River conveys a lesson to all Christian leaders. There is a price to pay if we're to see what God wants us to see and hear what He is saying to us. Daniel didn't have this great vision early in his ministry but at the end of a long and faithful life. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matt. 5:8). Spiritual leaders often see what others can't see and hear what they fail to hear. They must stand when others flee, and they must receive God's message even if it makes them feel weak and helpless. By seeing the greatness and glory of God, Daniel was prepared to accept and record the prophetic message the angels brought.
Well-meaning people may scoff at the idea of demonic forces and good and evil angels, and they may caricature Satan, but the fact remains that this is biblical theology. When Lucifer rebelled against God and was judged, some of the angels fell with him and became the demonic evil angels that oppose Christ and obey Satan (Isa. 14:12–15; Rev. 12:7–12; Matt. 25:41). According to Ephesians 6:10–18, Satan has a well-organized army of evil spirits that obey his every command. Through His sacrificial work on the cross, Christ defeated Satan and his army (1:20–23; Col. 2:15; John 12:31; Rev. 12:11), and we can claim that victory by faith. The believer's responsibility is to put on the whole armor of God by faith and use the Word of God and believing prayer to oppose and defeat the wicked one.
The angel had come to give Daniel a special revelation concerning the Jewish people and what would happen to them in the latter days (Dan. 10:14). As we study this complex prophecy, we must focus on Israel and not on the church, even though all Scripture is profitable for all believers at all times. Parts of this prophecy have already been fulfilled, but much of it remains to be fulfilled in "the end times," that is, during the seventieth week of the "prophetic calendar" given in verses 24–27.
It appears that there are specific evil angels assigned to various nations; some students of angelology call them "territorial spirits." That's why Paul told the Ephesian believers that the Christian's battle was not against flesh and blood but against demonic forces in the heavenlies that oppose the holy angels who always do God's will. The problems that the Jewish remnant were having in Jerusalem at that time weren't being caused by the local officials but by Satan's evil powers using those officials. Christians are never to worship angels (Col. 2:18–19; Rev. 19:10; 22:8–9) or pray to angels, for our worship and prayer belong to God alone. But when we pray, God directs the armies of
An Invisible War (10:10–21) We get the impression that the glorious man clothed in linen vanished from the scene and one of the angels, perhaps Gabriel, touched Daniel. The old prophet was on his face on the ground, but the ministry of the angel enabled him to lift himself to his hands and knees. Then the angel spoke to him, and this gave him the strength to stand upright. This reminds us that the angels ministered to our Lord after His temptation
Daniel 10—11
complex. The first thirty-five verses of Daniel 11 were prophecy in Daniel's day but are now history. They deal with important but, for the most part, forgotten historical characters with difficult names and complicated relationships. The chapters may be outlined as follows:
heaven to fight on our behalf, even though we may know nothing about the battles that are being waged in this invisible war. (See 2 Kings 6:17.)
The prophet Daniel realized the great significance of God's plans for Israel, and once again he fainted and was unable to speak. Here he had been involved in a cosmic spiritual conflict and didn't even know it, and the Lord was using some of His highest angels to answer his prayers! This certainly lifts prayer out of the level of a humdrum religious exercise and shows it to be one of our strongest and most important spiritual weapons. The neglect of prayer is the reason why many churches and individual believers are so weak and defeated. The late Peter Deyneka, missionary to the Slavic peoples, often reminded us, "Much prayer, much power; no prayer, no power!" Jesus taught His disciples that the demonic forces could not be defeated except by prayer and fasting, the very activities that Daniel had been involved in for three weeks (Matt. 17:14–21).
1. Prophecies already fulfilled (11:1–35) a. About Persia —11:1–2 b. About Greece—11:3–4 c. About Egypt and Syria—11:5–20 d. About Antiochus Epiphanes and Syria—
11:21–35 2. Prophecies yet to be fulfilled (11:36—12:3) a. About the tribulation and Antichrist—
11:36—12:1 b. About the promised kingdom—12:2–3 c. Final instructions to Daniel (12:4–13)
These prophecies fill in the details of previous prophecies the Lord had given to Daniel and were the answer to his prayer for greater understanding of God's plans for Israel. The focus is on Israel in the last days.
Our Lord Jesus took seriously the reality of Satan and his demonic forces, and so should we. This doesn't mean we should blame every headache and interruption on the demons, but it does mean we should respect Satan's power (like a roaring lion, 1 Peter 5:8) and his subtlety (like a serpent, 2 Cor. 11:3). One of Satan's chief traps is to get people to think he doesn't exist or, if he does exist, he's not worth worrying about.
1 This reminds us of the men who were with Saul of Tarsus when he had his vision of Christ. They could hear the Lord's voice but couldn't see the glorious vision that Saul beheld (Acts 9:1–7; 22:9). 2 For the description of another glorious angel, see Revelation 10.
Once again, the angel restored Daniel's strength so he could hear the prophetic message from the messenger and record for our learning. Twice the angels told him, "Fear not" (Dan. 10:12, 19). The angel also said, "Peace! Be strong now; be strong" (v. 19 niv). Daniel needed strength to be able to hear the long message the angel brought to him.
CHAPTER ELEVEN Daniel 11:1–35 A REMARKABLE PROPHECY—PART 1 F
Finally, the angel made it clear that the battle wasn't yet over. As soon as he finished instructing Daniel, Gabriel would return to assist Michael in battling the prince of Persia and the prince of Greece, two satanic evil angels who were opposing the plans of the Lord for these nations. The ruler of Persia had shown great kindness and mercy to the Jews in allowing them to return home, and Satan was against this decision. God also had plans for Greece (11:2–4) and Satan wanted to interfere there. One reason why God commands His people to pray for those in authority is so that God's will, not Satan's plans, might be fulfilled in their lives (1 Tim. 2:1–3). The destiny of more than one nation has been changed because God's people have fervently prayed.
ulfilled prophecy is one of the proofs of the inspiration of the Bible, for only an omniscient God can know future events accurately and direct His servants to write them down. "He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him" (Dan. 2:22 nkjv). It is no surprise, then, that the radical critics have attacked the book of Daniel, and especially these chapters, because they claim that nobody could write in advance so many accurate details about so many people and events. Their "scientific conclusion" is that the book of Daniel is a fraud; it was written centuries after these events, and therefore is not a book of prophecy at all. These critics can't deny the historicity of the events, because the records are in the annals of ancient history for all to read and cannot be denied. Therefore, to maintain their "scientific theories," they must deny the reality of prophecy.1 Those of us who believe in a great God have no problem accepting "the word of prophecy" (2 Peter 1:19–21). First, we will consider the verses that were prophecy
"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:4–5 nkjv).
INTERLUDE The prophecy given in chapters 11 and 12 is long and
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in Daniel's day but have been fulfilled and are now ancient history. As we do, we will try to glean some practical spiritual lessons to help us in our Christian walk today.
The mighty king of 11:3 is, of course, Alexander the Great, who was determined to punish the Persians for Xerxes' invasion. We have already met Alexander and know about his vast army and his lightning-like conquest of the nations. Indeed, he did what he pleased and nobody could stand in his way. In 332, Alexander defeated the Persians and in 323 he died and his kingdom was divided among four of his generals.
Prophecies about Persia (11:1–2) It's likely that verse 1 should be at the end of the previous chapter since it deals with the holy angels' conflict with Satan's angels. The rulers of Persia had no idea that Satan was seeking to control their minds and lead them into making decisions that would hurt the people of God. The Persian rulers were much more considerate of the Jews than were the Babylonian rulers, and Satan didn't want this to happen. He hates the Jews and is the father of anti-Semitism wherever it is found (Rev. 12). However, Michael and Gabriel won that battle, and Darius and Cyrus showed compassion for the Jewish exiles. In fact, it was Cyrus who issued the important edict that permitted the Jews to return to their land and rebuild their temple (Ezra 1:1–4).
Once again, Alexander's incredible conquests were part of the sovereign plan of God. The spread of the Greek language and Greek culture assisted in the eventual spread of the gospel and the Greek New Testament. Alexander's goal was not just to conquer territory but to bring people together in a "united empire." His soldiers married women from the conquered nations, and Alexander's empire became a "melting pot" for all peoples. This too assisted in the spread of the gospel centuries later.
The Kings of the North and the South (11:5–20) The nations here are Egypt (south) and Syria (north), and the rulers change regularly. The little nation of Israel was caught between these two great powers and was affected by their conflicts. All of these people and events may not be interesting to you, but the prophecies Daniel recorded tally with the record of history, thus proving that God's Word can be trusted. The Ptolemy line provided the rulers in Egypt, and the Seleucid line the rulers in the north (Syria). These paragraphs are merely summary statements, but if you read them in the light of the related verses, you will see how Daniel's prophecies were fulfilled. Along with reading your KJV, you may also want to read these verses in the NASB or the NIV.
The four kings that would rule in the future were Cambyses (529–522), Pseudo-Smerdis (522–521), Darius I Hystapes (521–486), and Xerxes (496–465), the Ahasuerus of the book of Esther.
Cambyses was the son and successor of Cyrus the Great, and perhaps is the Ahasuerus of Ezra 4:6. His passionate ambition was to invade Egypt and regain the territory that Nebuchadnezzar had gained but that was later lost. Cambyses manufactured an excuse for the war, saying that he had asked for the hand in marriage of one of the Egyptian princesses but had been rejected by her father. He did conquer Egypt, but when he tried to take Ethiopia and Carthage, he failed miserably and had to retreat. He ruled Egypt with an iron hand and gave every evidence of being insane. He married two of his sisters, murdered his brother and heir Smerdis, and then murdered the sister who protested the murder of the brother. One of the leading Persian priests plotted an insurrection and seized the throne, taking the name of the dead prince. (Historians call him Pseudo-Smerdis.) Cambyses died while marching home to unseat the new king, who reigned for about a year.
V. 5—Ptolemy I Soter and Seleucus I Nicator. Seleucus was the stronger of the two and ruled over a large empire, but it was his alliance with Ptolemy that enabled him to seize the throne of Syria.
V. 6—Ptolemy II Philadelphus and Antiochus II Theos. As was often done in the days of monarchies, the rulers used marriage as a means of forming strong political alliances, a policy Solomon had followed (1 Kings 3:1; 11:1ff.). However, Ptolemy demanded that Antiochus divorce his wife Laodice in order to marry his daughter Berenice. Ptolemy died after two years, so Seleucus took back his former wife, who then murdered both him and Berenice. It was one marriage where they all didn't live happily ever after. "She will not retain her power, and he and his power will not last" (Dan. 11:6 niv).
But the most important of the four kings, and the wealthiest, was Xerxes I, the Ahasuerus of the book of Esther. He ruled an empire that reached from Ethiopia to India and he had a great passion to conquer Greece. In 480 he tried to invade Greece, but his vast fleet was defeated at Salamis and Samos, and his army was defeated at Plataea. All of this occurred between chapters 1 and 2 of the book of Esther. He came home a bitter and angry man and sought to find relief for his wounded pride by enjoying his harem. It was at this time that Esther entered the picture. Xerxes was assassinated in August 465.
Vv. 7–9—Ptolemy III Euergetes and Seleucus II Callinicus. The new king of Egypt was the brother of Berenice, and he was intent on defending his sister's honor and avenging her death. He attacked the northern power, won the victory, and collected a great deal of wealth. Then the two kings ignored each other for some years until Seleucus attacked Egypt in 240, was defeated, and had to return home in shame. He was killed by a fall from his horse, and his son Seleucus III
Prophecies about Greece (11:3–4) From the previous visions, Daniel already knew the sequence of the great empires.
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work out His plans for humankind. Studying the evil deeds of past rulers could make us cynical, but we must remember that one day "the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea" (Hab. 2:14).
Soter took the throne, only to be assassinated four years later. Antiochus III the Great, who ruled from 223 to 187, succeeded him. Vv. 10–19—Ptolemy IV Philopater and Antiochus III the Great.2 The sons of Seleucus II were Seleucus III, who was a successful general but was killed in battle, and Antiochus III the Great, who carried out the Syrian military program with great skill. He regained lost territory from Egypt, but in 217 the Egyptian army defeated the Syrians. This didn't stop Antiochus, for he took his army east and got as far as India.
Prophecies about Antiochus Epiphanes and Syria (11:21–35) We have already met this wicked man (8:9–14) who in his character and activities is a picture of the future Antichrist. He gave himself the name "Epiphanes," which means "glorious one," but Gabriel calls him "a vile [contemptible] person." Antiochus wasn't the heir to the throne, but he obtained it by guile. The true heir was Demetrius Soter, who was very young, so Antiochus claimed to be his lawful protector and seized the throne.
In 201, Antiochus mustered another large army, joined forces with Philip V of Macedon, and headed for Egypt (vv. 13–16), where he won a great victory against Ptolemy V Epiphanes. Contrary to God's law, but in fulfillment of the prophecies (vision), some of the Jews in Palestine joined with Antiochus, hoping to break free of Egyptian control; but their revolt was crushed (v. 14). Antiochus not only conquered Egypt and Sidon (v. 15), but also "the glorious land" of Palestine (v. 16).
He was very successful in his military endeavors and knew how to combine deceptive strategy with brute force. In his first campaign against Egypt (11:25–28), he won the battle even though he failed to take all of Egypt. He sat down at the bargaining table with the Egyptian leaders, never intending to keep any agreements. In spite of deception on both sides, the Lord was still in control and was watching the calendar. He has His appointed times and He is always on time.
Once again marriage enters the scene. Antiochus offered to negotiate with the Egyptian leaders and to marry his daughter Cleopatra I3 to Ptolemy V, who was seven years old at the time! He hoped that his daughter would undermine the Egyptian government from within and use her position to help him take over. However, Cleopatra was loyal to her husband, so the marriage stratagem didn't succeed.
On his return to Syria in 170, Antiochus turned his attention to Israel and the wealth in the temple (v. 28). He plundered and defiled the temple, abolished the daily sacrifices, killed a great many Jews, and left soldiers behind to keep things in control. Two years later (168) he again invaded Egypt, but this time the Romans (v. 30, "ships of Chittim") confronted him and told him to stop. He obeyed grudgingly and took out his anger on the Jews, with the help of Jewish traitors who forsook their own covenant to support him. He promised to reward them generously for their help.
Antiochus decided to attack Greece but was defeated at Thermopylae (191) and Magnesia (189). The "prince on his own behalf" (v. 18) was the Roman consul and general Lucius Cornelius Scipio Asiaticus, who led the Roman and Greek forces to victory over Antiochus. At an earlier meeting, Antiochus had insulted the Roman general, but the Romans had the last word. The Syrian leader died in 187, and his successor was his son Seleucus IV Philopator, who oppressed the Jewish people by raising taxes so he could pay tribute to Rome. Shortly after he sent his treasurer Heliodorus to plunder the Jewish temple, Seleucus Philopator suddenly died (probably poisoned), thus fulfilling verse 20. This opened the way for the wicked Antiochus Epiphanes to seize the throne.
On December 14, 168, Antiochus desecrated the temple by erecting an altar to Zeus and by offering a pig as a sacrifice. Gabriel calls this "the abomination that maketh desolate" (v. 31). The future Antichrist will put his own image in the Jewish temple when he breaks his covenant with the Jews in the middle of the seven-year tribulation period, Daniel's seventieth week (9:27; 11:31; 12:11; Matt. 24:15; Mark 13:14). Antiochus was doing his best not only to exterminate the Jewish people but also to eliminate their religion from the earth. He promised to reward the Jews who followed his orders, and there were those who forsook their holy covenant to obey him. This was a time of testing and refining for the Jewish people, when they had to decide to obey the God of their fathers and possibly be slain, or submit to the pagan Syrian leaders and live as traitors to their faith (Dan. 11:34–35).
As you review the history of the relationship between Egypt and Syria, and the family relationships among the Seleucids, you can't help but realize that human nature hasn't changed over these thousands of years. The ancient world had its share of intrigue, political deception, violence, greed, and war. The lust for power and wealth drove men and women to violate human rights and break divine laws, to go to any length to get what they wanted. They slaughtered thousands of innocent people, plundered the helpless, and even killed their own relatives, just to wear a crown or sit on a throne.
According to verses 33–35, there was a small group of faithful Jews who opposed the godlessness of Antiochus and trusted God to enable them to fight back. A Jewish priest named Mattathias, with his five sons, gathered an army and were able to fight back. His
While God is not responsible for the evil that men and women have done in the name of government and religion, He is still the Lord of history and continues to
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son Judas, nicknamed Maccabeus ("the hammerer"), was one of the heroes of this revolt. Many Jews laid down their lives for their city, their temple, and their faith, and finally they won. On December 14, 165, the temple was purified and the altar dedicated. (See 8:9–14, 23–25.) The Jews celebrate this occasion annually as the Feast of Lights (Hanukkah). Their enemy Antiochus Epiphanes died in Persia in 163. He was judged insane, and it was no wonder people called him "Antiochus Epimanes—Antiochus the madman."
• The tribulation—12:1 • War and invasions—11:40–43 • The battle of Armageddon—11:44–45a • The return of Christ to defeat Antichrist—11:45b • The resurrection of the dead—12:2 • The glorious kingdom—12:32
The Time of Tribulation (11:36—12:1) Both the Old Testament and the New Testament teach that a time of great tribulation will one day come to the world, and our interpretation of Daniel's seventy weeks (9:24–27) locates this period in the last "week" of his prophecy. The event that triggers the beginning of those last seven years is the signing of the covenant with Israel by the powerful leader in the ten-nation confederacy in Europe (see 7:7–28). The reason for the covenant seems to be the guarantee of his protection for Israel while the Jews rebuild their temple in Jerusalem. The tribulation period will end with the return of Christ and the confinement of Antichrist and Satan in the lake of fire (Rev. 19:11–21).
Gabriel closes this section about Antiochus by reminding Daniel that what he had related to him had implications for Israel in "the time of the end" (11:35). Although he had spoken about leaders who would appear after the fall of Persia, Daniel could see in those events some of the things that would happen to the Jews in the end times. This was especially true of Antiochus Epiphanes, a clear picture of the future Antichrist. Daniel knew that his people would endure great suffering for their faith, that some would apostasize and join the enemy, and that others would trust the Lord and "do exploits" (v. 32). No matter how difficult the times, God has always had His faithful remnant, and He will keep His covenant with His people to the very end.
The rise of Antichrist (vv. 36–39). This evil ruler doesn't suddenly appear in his true character and assume leadership over the world. He begins his rise to power as a part of the ten-nation European coalition; he is the "little horn" that emerges from the ten horns (7:24ff.). He begins as a man of peace who "solves" the Arab/Israeli problem and proves himself to be a master politician.3 Gradually his evil designs are revealed, and at the middle of the seven-year period, he will break that covenant, claim world control, and set himself up as god (9:27; 2 Thess. 2; Rev. 13).
Having mentioned "the time of the end," Gabriel will now speak about the future Antichrist and the terrible time of Jacob's trouble (11:36—12:1).
1 It doesn't seem very "scientific" for scholars to assume without proof that their theories are true and the book of Daniel is false. A true scientist considers all the facts impartially and tries to avoid pretrial prejudice. Jesus called Daniel "the prophet" (Matt. 24:15; Mark 13:14), even though nowhere in the book is Daniel called a prophet. 2 This is not the infamous Antiochus Epiphanes whom we met in Daniel 8 and who will appear in 11:21–35. 3 This is not the Cleopatra that Hollywood has glamorized, who lived from 69 to 30 BC She was mistress to Julius Caesar and later to Mark Antony. She murdered her own brother (who was also her husband) and seized the throne, which she shared with her son Cesarion. Discovering that Octavianus planned to exhibit her in his "triumph celebration" in Rome, she committed suicide.
Gabriel describes this evil ruler (king) as a selfish and willful person, a spellbinding orator who will arrogantly exalt himself. He is a man with no religious faith. He shall have a successful career until the tribulation ends with the return of Jesus Christ to set up His kingdom.4 "He [Antichrist] shall come to his end, and none shall help him" (Dan. 11:45). Since verse 37 uses the phrase "the God of his fathers," does this mean that this world ruler must be Jewish? Some hold that the answer is yes, arguing that the nation of Israel would not sign a pact with a Gentile, but no Scripture supports such a view. Over the centuries, the Jews have often negotiated with political leaders who were not Jewish. The phrase "God of our fathers" (or "Lord God of our fathers") does indeed refer to the God of Israel (Deut. 26:7; 1 Chron. 12:17; 2 Chron. 20:6; Ezra 7:27; Acts 3:13; 5:30; 22:14), but that may not be the meaning in Daniel 11:37. The phrase can be translated "the gods of his fathers" as is done by both the NIV and the NASB.5 The Antichrist will be an atheist and reject all religions except the one he establishes when he declares himself "god."
CHAPTER TWELVE Daniel 11:36—12:13 A REMARKABLE PROPHECY—PART II A
t Daniel 11:36, the prophecy shifts from Antiochus Epiphanes to the man he foreshadowed, the Antichrist, the last world dictator.1 We have moved to "the time of the end" (v. 35; see 12:4), when the following events are predicted to occur:
Some have suggested that his rejection of "the desire of women" indicates that he has a homosexual orientation. But the phrase "desire of women" probably relates
• The rise of Antichrist—11:36–39
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The word Armageddon means "mountain of Megiddo," and this battle ("campaign") occurs at the end of the tribulation period.
to Haggai 2:7, a title of the Messiah, for it was the desire of Jewish women to give birth to the promised Messiah. Not only will Antichrist reject all religion in general but he will oppose the Jewish religion in particular, especially the hope their Messiah will return and deliver them from their enemies. His god is the god of might and of military power. When the people of the world worship the man of sin, they are actually worshipping Satan, the one who empowers the Antichrist. Like Antiochus centuries before him, Antichrist will reward those who worship him and his manufactured god.
The return of Christ. As the huge army from the east gets positioned to attack the forces of Antichrist in Israel, the sign of the returning Son of Man will appear in the heavens (Matt. 24:29–30), and the opposing armies will unite to fight Jesus Christ. But the Lord will descend from heaven with His armies, defeat both armies, and take captive Satan, Antichrist, and the false prophet and cast them into the lake of fire (Rev. 19:11–21; see also Zech. 12:1–9; 14:1–3). "He [Antichrist] shall come to his end, and no one shall help him" (Dan. 11:45).
The tribulation (12:1). "At that time" means "during the time of the end," the time period the angel is describing in this part of the prophecy. We have now reached the middle of the tribulation when Antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel, seizes the temple, and sets himself up as world dictator and god. This is the "abomination of desolation" that Daniel wrote about in 9:27; 11:31; and 12:11, and that Jesus referred to in His Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24:15; Mark 13:14). The last three and a half years of Daniel's seventieth week will usher in a time of terrible suffering. "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be," said Jesus (Matt. 24:21; and see Rev. 13—19).
Daniel doesn't reveal this truth, but the prophet Zechariah promises that the nation of Israel will see their Messiah as He comes from heaven, recognize Him, repent of their sins, and trust Him, and the nation will be cleansed (Zech. 12:10—13:1). Jesus will stand on the Mount of Olives (14:4; Acts 1:11–12), "and the Lord shall be king over all the earth" (Zech. 14:9) and will establish His glorious kingdom for a thousand years (Rev. 20:1–7).
The Kingdom (12:2–3) Six times in Revelation 20:1–7 you find the words "thousand years." The Latin for "thousand years" (mille, annum) gives us the English word millennium, the word we use for the time when Christ will reign on earth. Those Christians who believe that the Old Testament prophecies of a kingdom on earth will be fulfilled literally are called "millennialists"; those who reject this view are called "amillennialists—not millennialists." They usually spiritualize the Old Testament prophecies of the Jewish kingdom and apply them to the church today. Certainly there are spiritual applications to the church from the Old Testament kingdom prophecies, but the basic interpretation seems to be that there will be a literal kingdom on earth with Jesus Christ as King and His people reigning with Him. (See Isa. 2:1–5; 4:1–6; 11:1–9; 12:1–6; 30:18–26; 35:1–10.) The Father has promised a kingdom to His Son (Ps. 2; Luke 1:30–33), and He will keep His promise. One day Jesus will deliver that promised kingdom up to the Father (1 Cor. 15:24). Knowing the Father's promise, Satan tempted Jesus by offering Him all the kingdoms of the world in return for His worship (Matt. 4:8–10); and Jesus refused. Jesus affirmed the kingdom promise to His disciples (Luke 22:29–30), and when they asked Him when it would be fulfilled (Acts 1:6–8), He only told them not to speculate about the times but to get busy doing the work He left them to do. However, He didn't deny the fact that one day there would be a kingdom. Paul used the return of Christ and the establishment of the future kingdom to motivate Timothy in his ministry (2 Tim. 4:1ff.), and this promise ought to be a motivating factor in our lives.
One of the features of this terrible time will be Antichrist's (Satan's) war against the Jewish people (Rev. 12), but Michael, the angel assigned to care for the Jewish people (Dan. 10:13, 21; Rev. 12:7), will come to their aid. God's elect people will be preserved (Matt. 24:22). This will include the 144,000 who are sealed by the Lord (Rev. 7:1–8). God will keep His covenant with Abraham and see to it that the Jewish remnant will enter into their promised kingdom.
Military invasion (11:40–43). When Antichrist moves into the land of Israel and sets up his image in the Jewish temple and declares himself the ruler and god of the whole world, not everybody will bow down to his will. The kings of the north and the south will oppose him and bring their armies to Palestine. In previous prophecies in Daniel, the king of the south has been Egypt and the king of the north has been Syria, but those designations may not apply to the nations in the end times. Some students equate this invasion with the battle described in Ezekiel 38—39, and they see in it a northern confederacy headed by Russia and a southern confederacy headed by Egypt and its allies.6 The Antichrist will overcome his enemies and acquire great wealth as a result.
Armageddon (11:44–45). Throughout the last three and a half years of the tribulation period, nations will submit to the rule of Antichrist, but there will be growing dissent and opposition, even though his work is energized by Satan. The news report in verse 44 refers to the growing army from the east that will meet the forces of Antichrist on the Plain of Esdraelon to fight what is called "the battle of Armageddon" (Rev. 9:13–21; 16:12–16; Joel 3:1–2, 12–14; Zech. 14:1–3).
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Him today will lead to reward and ministry in the future kingdom (Matt. 13:43; 19:27–28; 25:14–30; Luke 19:12–27; Rev. 2:26–27; 5:9–10). During His reign on earth, we will share in whatever work He has for us to do, according to how we have lived for Him and served Him here on earth. Believers who have suffered in their service for Christ will be more than compensated as they share in His glory (Rom. 8:18; 2 Cor. 4:7–18).
Resurrection (v. 2). The doctrine of the resurrection of the human body is hinted at in the Old Testament but isn't presented with the clarity found in the New Testament. When Abraham went to Mount Moriah to offer up Isaac, he believed that God could raise his son from the dead (Gen. 22; Heb. 11:19). Job expected to see God in his resurrection body (Job 19:25–27), and this anticipation was shared by the writers of the psalms (17:15; 49:15; 71:20). The prophets believed in a future resurrection (Isa. 25:7; Hos. 13:14). Jesus brought "life and immortality to light" (2 Tim. 1:10) and clearly taught the fact of His own resurrection as well as what the resurrection meant to His followers (John 5:19–30; 11:17–44). First Corinthians 15 is the great resurrection chapter in the Bible.
Final Instructions to Daniel (12:4–13) The servant of the Lord never has to fret over what to do next, for the Lord always has a word of encouragement and instruction for him at the right time. During all of his long life, Daniel prayed faithfully, studied the Scriptures, and sought to serve God, and the Lord always guided him, protected him, and used him for His glory. We today are able to study prophecy because Daniel was faithful in his day.
Resurrection is not "reconstruction"; the Lord doesn't put back together the body that has turned to dust (Gen. 3:19), for that dust has become a part of other bodies as people eat food grown in the soil. The resurrection body is a new and glorious body. The relationship between the body that's buried and the body that's raised is like that of a seed to the mature plant (1 Cor. 15:35–53). There is continuity (the plant comes from the seed) but not identity (the plant is not identical to the seed). The burial of a body is like the planting of a seed, and the resurrection is the harvest.
The book (v. 4). In the ancient world, official transactions were ratified with two documents, one that was sealed and kept in a safe place and one that was kept available (Jer. 32:1–12). God looked upon Daniel's book as the "deed" that guaranteed that He would faithfully keep His promises to the people of Israel. To close up the book and seal it didn't mean to hide it away, because God's message was given so His people would know the future. The book was to be treasured and protected and shared with the Jewish people. However, the book was "sealed" in this sense: the full meaning of what Daniel wrote would not be understood until "the time of the end" (see Matt. 24:15). Even Daniel didn't fully understand all that he saw, heard, and wrote (Dan. 12:8)!
When Jesus Christ returns in the air to call His church, the dead in Christ will be raised first, and then the living believers will be caught up with them to be with the Lord (1 Thess. 4:13–18). When Jesus returns to earth at the end of the tribulation, He will bring His people with Him to share in the victory and the glory. At that time, the Old Testament saints and the tribulation martyrs will be raised to enter into the kingdom. However, those who died without faith in Christ will not be raised until after the Kingdom Age, and they will be judged (Rev. 20:4–6, 11–15). As Daniel states it, some will awake to enjoy the glorious life with God, and some will awake (a thousand years later) to enter into shame and everlasting contempt—and everlasting judgment.7 Hell is called "the second death" (Rev. 20:14). If you have been born only once, you can die twice; but if you have been born twice—born again through faith in Christ—you can die only once.
When the apostle John completed the book of Revelation, he was told to keep the book unsealed because the time was at hand (Rev. 22:10). We need the book of Daniel so we can better understand the book of Revelation. At least seventy-one passages from Daniel are quoted or alluded to in sixteen New Testament books, most of them in the book of Revelation. All of Daniel 6 is referred to in Hebrews 11:33. "Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased" is not a reference to automobiles and jet planes or the advancement of education. It has reference to the study of God's Word in the last days, especially the study of prophecy. Amos 8:11–12 warns us that the day will come when there will be a famine of God's Word, and people will run here and there seeking for truth but won't find it. But God's promise to Daniel is that, in the last days, His people can increase in their knowledge of prophetic Scripture as they apply themselves to the Word of God. Some interpret "to and fro" to mean running one's eyes to and fro over the pages of Scripture.
Reward (v. 3). How we have lived and served will determine the rewards the Lord will give us at the judgment seat of Christ (Rom. 14:9–12; 2 Cor. 5:6–10). Every cup will be full in heaven, but some cups will be larger than others. We will share in the glory of Christ, and those who have sought to win others to Christ will shine like the stars in the heavens. There is a special application here to those who have faithfully witnessed during the tribulation period, when it will be a costly thing to identify with Christ and His people (Matt. 24:14; Rev. 7:9–17). Our Lord emphasized the truth that faithfulness to
The times (vv. 5–7). Two more angels arrived on the scene, one on each side of the Tigris River. The man clothed in linen refers to the awesome person Daniel saw
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purging, and their preparation to enter the promised kingdom.
at the beginning (10:5–6), probably Jesus Christ. When one of the angels asked, "How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?" the Lord replied "for a time, times, and a half," that is, three and a half years (7:25). The last half of the tribulation period is described in several ways: time, times and half a time (12:7 nkjv; Rev. 12:14); forty-two months (Rev. 11:2; 13:5); and 1,260 days (11:3). Once the treaty is signed between Antichrist and Israel, the clock starts ticking off seven years, and once Antichrist sets himself up as god in the temple, the last half of Daniel's seventieth week begins. The Lord Jesus spoke this under oath, raising both hands to heaven, so it is certain.
Though the Lord had taught Daniel many things and revealed to him many mysteries, it was not for him to know everything before he died. As the end of his life drew near, it was enough to know that he had been faithful to the Lord and would one day rest from his labors (Rev. 14:13). He will one day be raised from the dead and receive the reward the Lord has allotted for him (Matt. 25:21). "I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness" (Ps. 17:15; 1 John 3:1–3; Rom. 8:29).
The key to God's timing is the purpose He fulfills for "the holy people," the nation of Israel. Throughout the book of Daniel, the emphasis is on the nation of Israel, and the only reason other nations are mentioned is because of their relationship to the Jews. While the tribulation period is a time for punishing the Gentile nations for the way they have sinned against the Jews (Joel 3:2–8), it's also a time for sifting and purging Israel and preparing the Jews for the return of their Messiah (Amos 9:9–12).
1 Some expositors try to fit Antiochus into this section, but they have to twist and turn to do it. In his opposition to everything religious and Jewish, Antichrist will go far beyond anything Antiochus attempted or accomplished. Antiochus wasn't against religion in general, just the Jewish religion. He tried to make his subjects worship the Greek gods and he put a statue of Zeus in the Jewish temple. Antichrist will make himself a god and put his own image in the temple. 2 This outline follows the generally accepted premillennial position and seems to agree with the text. 3 Many students believe that Revelation 6:1–2 describes Antichrist as he begins his rise to power. He has a bow but no arrows; his crown is given to him; and he goes out to conquer. Since he is an "imitation Christ," we expect him to wear a crown and ride a white horse (Rev. 19:11ff.). But Jesus uses the sword of the Word of God, and His crowns are His own. 4 The historic premillennial position teaches that the church will go through the tribulation, be called up when Christ returns, and then come to earth with Him to reign in the kingdom. However, there are those who hold that the church will be raptured before the tribulation (1 Thess. 4:13–18) and will therefore escape the predicted troubles. 5 The Hebrew word is elohim, which can mean God or gods. The context determines which you use. 6 Daniel's use of words like chariots, horsemen, and ships doesn't suggest that in the last days nations will revert to ancient methods of warfare. He used words that were meaningful to readers in his day, but we who read this text today will interpret them in modern terms. The same principle applies to the geographical names in the text, such as Moab, Edom, and Ammon. He is identifying the territories once occupied by those ancient peoples. One argument for making this the battle described in Ezekiel 38—39 is that it occurs at a time when Israel is at peace because of the protection of the man of sin (Ezek. 38:11). Note also that both invasions are like a storm or a whirlwind (Ezek. 38:9; Dan. 11:40). 7 It is the body, not the soul, that sleeps and that is "awakened" at the resurrection. Nowhere does the Bible teach "soul sleep." Death occurs when the spirit leaves the body (James 2:26; Luke 23:46). The spirit of the believer goes immediately to be with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:1–8; Phil. 1:20–24); the spirit of the unbeliever goes to a place of punishment, awaiting the final judgment (Luke 16:19–31). At the last judgment, death will give up the bodies of the unbelievers and hades will give up the spirits (Rev. 20:13).