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The Book of Daniel
By "Bill" Preskitt
Daniel 1
Daniel’s Captivity and Testing
Audio
Daniel 2
Daniel Interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream Audio
Daniel 3
The Image and the Fiery Furnace Audio
Daniel 4
Nebuchadnezzar’s Insanity Audio
Daniel 5
Handwriting on the Wall Audio
Daniel 6
The Lion’s Den
Audio
Daniel 7
Daniel’s Vision of the Four Beasts
Audio
Daniel 8
Daniel’s Vision of the Ram and the Goat
Audio
Daniel 9
Seventy Weeks Determined Upon Israel Audio
Daniel 10
Daniel’s Glorious Vision Audio
Daniel 11:1-20 Grecian Empire Audio
Daniel 11:21-45 Antichrist Kingdom
Daniel 12
Daniel’s Captivity and Testing
Daniel Chapter 1
Audio
Outline of the Lesson
1. Introduction to Daniel
(1:1-2)
2. The command of the King (1:3-7)
3. The decision of Daniel (1:8-14)
4. The vindication by God (1:15-21)
The book of Daniel takes its name from the author of the book. In the beginning of the book Daniel is a young Jewish lad in captivity in Babylon. By the end of the book he is an old man serving in the Persian government. Despite living in a heathen environment practically all of his life, Daniel maintains his loyalty to God to the very end. Daniel is called a prophet by Jesus in Matthew 24:15, and referred to by Ezekiel as a righteous man in the company of Noah and Job (Ezekiel 14:14,20).
The book of Daniel mixes historical accounts with prophetic visions and utterances. Daniel is a book of prophecy outlining the development of great empires, including the empire of anti-Christ. He speaks of the coming rule of Christ that will replace all other human systems of government.
The book of Daniel is written in two different languages. Chapters 1 and 8-12 are written in the Hebrew language. The intervening chapters are written in the Aramaic language, the common language of the Babylonian and Persian empires. The sections in Hebrew relate to Jewish concerns, and the sections in Aramaic relate to the empires served by Daniel.
The book of Daniel opens by telling of the historical circumstances placing Daniel and his friends in the land of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar, coregent of Babylon with his father Nabopolassar, besieges Jerusalem in the year 605 BC. Hearing of the death of his father, Nebuchadnezzar takes his captives and spoils from the temple of God in Jerusalem and hastens home to assume the throne. Daniel and his friends are among the captives taken with Nebuchadnezzar back to Babylon.
The captives taken by Nebuchadnezzar were chosen for their potential to benefit his kingdom. Daniel and his friends were descendants of royalty, intelligent, and handsome young men. They were to be instructed to serve in positions of responsibility in the Babylonian government. The King commanded that they be taught the language, and that they be fed the meat and wine from the king’s table.
Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s meat. Besides the strict dietary laws of the Jews, Daniel did not want to be eating meat dedicated to some heathen idol.
Though the friends of Daniel joined him in his resolution, it seems that Daniel took the lead. If he had not been steadfast in his convictions, he might have led others into error. This incident illustrates the importance of someone in the family, the church, and the community being strong in the face of the pressures of the world to conform.
The names of Daniel and his three friends indicate that their
families probably trained them in the ways of the Lord. The meaning of the names
is as follows:
Daniel — God is my judge
Hananiah — The Lord has been gracious
Mishael — He is one who comes from God
Azariah — The Lord is my Helper
The prince of the eunuchs assigned pagan names to the young men as follows:
Belteshazzar — treasure or secrets of Bel
Shadrach — the inspiration of the sun
Meshach — he who belongs to the goddess Sheshac
Abednego — servant of Nego, the morning star
Assigning new names to these young men was intended to distance them from their former ties, and integrate them into the idolatrous culture of Babylon.
At the end of the three years of training, the young men were brought before the king to be tested by questioning. The king found them to be ten times as capable as the best in the kingdom. God gave them favor and blessed them because of their faithfulness to Him.
The church finds herself in a similar situation as the Hebrew young men. We are engulfed by a secular, humanistic society that seeks to mold us in its pattern. We must be people of the word and people of conviction or we will not survive spiritually. If Daniel had net been deeply committed to the Lord he would have lost his identity in Babylon, and we would never have heard of him.
Daniel
Interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
Daniel 2 Audio
Outline of the Lesson
1.
An Impossible Demand (vs. 1-13)
2.
An Answer From God (vs. 14-30)
3.
A Revelation of the Future (vs.
31-45)
4.
The Response of the King
(vs.46-49)
King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that troubled his spirit. He could not remember the dream, but desired to recall it and know the meaning of the dream. He called together his advisers to reveal to him the dream and its meaning. His advisers consisted of magicians [diviners who sought to foretell the future by using omens or supernatural powers], astrologers [a word meaning enchanter or conjurer, one who deals with magical arts and demonic powers], sorcerers [involving necromancy, communication with the dead in order to reveal the future or influence the course of events], and Chaldeans [a special class of astrologer-soothsayers, people who used the stars and planets to predict the future or divine answers to problems].
Obviously the empire of Babylon was heavily influenced by the powers of hell. The primary advisers to the king practiced witchcraft, astrology and sorcery. The influence of the devil has been strong in all of the major empires. The magicians in Egypt duplicated some of the miracles performed by Moses. The Anti-Christ’s empire will be marked by miracles of demonic power.
The king became very angry when his advisers could not recall his dream and provide the interpretation. He considered them to be pretenders and assigned them all to die. Daniel and his three friends were included in this death decree.
When Daniel learned of the king’s decree, he requested to see the king. He asked the king for a little time and assured the king that he would have an answer for him. Granted a stay by the king, Daniel and his friends entered into a time of prayer. In a night vision God revealed the matter to Daniel. The previous chapter noted that Daniel was gifted in understanding visions and dreams (1:17), but obviously the gift was given and activated by God. Since the gift was not exercised independently, Daniel resorted to prayer for an answer to the king.
As a result of answered prayer, Daniel glorified God in his heart and before the king. In vs. 20-22, he worshipped God, extolling the character and greatness of God. In v. 23, Daniel thanks God for answering his prayer. In vs. 24-30, Daniel is brought before the king to offer a recounting of his dream and to give the interpretation. Before speaking of the dream, Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar about the “God in heaven that revealeth secrets and maketh known to the king Nebucadnezzar what shall be in the latter days” (2:28). Daniel sees that this crisis will demonstrate the greatness of the Lord God of Israel.
Nebuchadnezzars’ dream involved an image composed in various parts of different kinds of metals.
Head – gold
Breast and arms – silver
Belly and thighs – brass
Legs – iron
Feet – part iron and part clay
Each of these metals represented a kingdom.
Gold – Babylonian empire (605 – 539 BC)
Silver – Persian empire (539-331 BC)
Brass – Grecian empire (331-31 BC)
Iron – Roman empire (31 BC – AD 444)
Part iron and part clay – Anti-Christ empire of the last days
The conclusion of Nebuchadnezzar's dream involved a huge stone that
after breaking the image in pieces, became a huge mountain that filled the
earth. The stone represents the eternal kingdom of God that will replace all
earthly thrones and reveal Christ as the King of kings.
Upon hearing Daniel’s recounting and interpretation of the dream, the king fell down before Daniel and offered incense unto him as a token of his submission to Daniel’s God. He called Daniel’s God the God of gods and the Lord of kings. The scene is miraculous. The Lord God had made a dent in the darkness of the king’s heart.
The king rewarded Daniel by making him the ruler of the province of Babylon and chief over the wise men of Babylon. Daniel requested that his three friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, be given positions in his court. In granting this request the king set the scene for the supreme test for these three young men in the next chapter.
TOP\
Daniel Chapter 3 Audio
The Image and the Fiery Furnace
Outline of Lesson
1.
The Command of the King (vs. 1-7)
2.
The Commitment of the
Hebrew youths (vs. 8-23)
3.
The Confession of the King (vs.
24-30)
In order to unify his empire, King Nebuchadnezzar built an idol and placed it in the plains of Duma. The idol may have been modeled on the king’s dream. Ninety feet tall and made of gold, the image inspired awe. The king summoned the officials of his empire to come to Babylon for the dedication of his new idol.
Seeking to unify empires around religion is common in history. The Roman emperors sought to unify their empire by requiring everyone to declare that Ceasar is Lord. No one was forced to give up their religion as long as they also recognized and proclaimed the deity of the emperor. Since Christianity is a monotheistic religion, the early Christians suffered martyrdom rather than declare Ceasar to be Lord. They said, “We have but one Lord, and his name is Jesus.”
The Hebrew youths find themselves in a similar dilemma. As officials in
the empire they are required to participate in this ceremony recognizing the
deity of the king’s idol. Instructions are given to the officials to bow upon
hearing the sound of the musical instruments. The success of this service is so
important to the king that he threatens any who refuse to cooperate with death
in a fiery furnace.
The Commitment of the Hebrew Youths
When the music starts all bow down except the three Hebrew youths. They have a reason for not bowing. The second commandment forbade idol worship. “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me” (Exodus 20:4-5). These young men were committed to the Lord and refused to compromise their faith in a heathen land. They understood that not bowing could cost them their lives, but they also understood that bowing would affect generations to come in a negative way.
The Chaldeans, influential men among the king’s counselors reported them to the King. They accused the three youths with rebellion against the king: “… these men, O king, have not regarded thee” (Daniel 3:12). The Hebrews remind me of the apostles in the New Testament who were arrested on charges of preaching in the name of Jesus in Acts 5. The Sanhedrin council asked, “Did we not straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:28-29). The three Hebrew youths held the same conviction that obedience to God was more important than submission to the contrary decrees of men.
The king was furious at the youths for disobeying his command and disrupting his attempt to unify his empire around idol worship. He offered them another chance, threatened them with the fiery furnace, and asked them, “who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?” (Daniel 3:15). The youths answered confidently that God was able to deliver them from the fiery furnace (v. 17), but that they had no intentions of bowing to the king’s image, even if they burned in the furnace. Their devotion and loyalty to God was not conditioned upon a favorable outcome. They had a made up mind to please God if it cost them their life. Every Christian needs the same kind of devotion to Christ as these youths demonstrated.
The miracle of deliverance for the three Hebrew youths is set off by
three observations. 1) Furious at the refusal of the Hebrews to bow to his
image, Nebuchadnezzar commanded the furnace to be heated seven times hotter (v.
19). 2) The three youths were thrown into the super heated furnace bound and
with their clothes on their bodies (v. 20), and 3) The elite soldiers that threw
them into the furnace died from the heat of the fire (v. 22).
The God of Israel performed a miracle and spared the lives of these faithful Hebrew youths. When the king looked into the furnace, he was astonished to see four men instead of three. The king exclaimed that the fourth man was “like the Son of God.” In spite of the intense heat they were unaffected by the fire except for the burning of their bonds. When the youths emerged from the fire unharmed, the smell of smoke could not be detected on their garments, and the hair on their heads was not singed.
Nebuchadnezzar the king marvelled in wonder at the power of the God of the three Hebrew youths. He made a decree that no one in his kingdom could speak a word against the God of the Hebrews and declared that no God could deliver like the God of Israel (v.29). The king saw the glory of the God of Israel because these youths remained true to him even when life itself was at stake. As a reward for their faith God caused the king to promote the three Hebrew youths.
Because not many people are willing to take unpopular stands, not many people ever see the mighty works of God in behalf of his people. But the eyes of the Lord continue to go through the earth seeking them whose hearts are perfect toward him to show himself strong in their behalf.
Daniel Chapter 4 Audio
Nebuchadnezzar’s Insanity
Outline of Lesson
1.
A Troubling Dream (vs.1-1-18)
2.
A Severe Warning (vs. 19-27)
3.
A Divine Judgment (vs. 28-36)
4.
A Sincere Tribute (v. 37)
Nebuchadnezzar wrote this passage in Daniel as a testimonial to his kingdom of the greatness of God. In chapter 2, God gave Nebuchadnezzar a dream of a great image in which he demonstrated his control over history, the fragile nature of empires, and the everlasting kingdom of the Lord. In chapter 3, God demonstrated his power over the decrees of the king by delivering the three Hebrew youths out of the fiery furnace. In this chapter God warned Nebuchadnezzar about his pride and wickedness in a dream, and then judged the king for failing to take heed to the warning. In all these divine activities God sought to gain the allegiance of King Nebuchadnezzar and his people.
The dream of Nebuchadnezzar came to him at a time of relative quiet and prosperity (v.4). The dream terrified Nebuchadnezzar and troubled him to find the meaning. None of the Babylonian counselors could give an interpretation of the dream. Finally, the king called for Daniel. He had confidence that Daniel could tell him the correct meaning of the dream: “… I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee” (v.9). No doubt he remembered how Daniel told him the substance of his first dream and gave him the interpretation.
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream involved a huge tree with plentiful foliage and
fruit that provided shelter and sustenance for the birds and beasts of the
field. An angel, called a watcher, came from heaven and commanded the tree to be
cut down and the stump to be left in the ground with a band of iron and brass
about it. The use of personal pronouns indicated a person was meant by the tree:
“let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth: set his heart
be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him.” This
condition of behaving like a beast was to last for “seven times” or seven
years. The thrust of the dream was to demonstrate that God is sovereign over the
affairs of men. He sets men up and deposes them (v. 17).
When Daniel heard the dream, he was greatly troubled. The King finally
spoke to him, “let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble
thee.” Perhaps Daniel hated to bring such a severe message to the king. Daniel
may have known of a similar warning spoken
to Assyria in Ezekiel 31. The prophet used the analogy of the tree to show
coming judgment upon Assyria.
In giving the interpretation, Daniel identified the tree as
Nebuchadnezzar. The cutting down of the tree signified the temporary insanity of
Nebuchadnezzar for seven years, during which time he would be cut off from men
and eat grass like an ox. At the end of the specified period, the king would
regain his senses and resume his reign (v. 26).
At the
conclusion of his interpretation Daniel courageously exhorted the king to
repent. His exhortation had two parts: 1) Break off thy sins, and 2) Show mercy
to the poor. Repentance is seen to have a negative and a positive side. Stop
doing bad things and start doing good things for people (v. 27).
The promised judgment is delayed by twelve months. Nebuchadnezzar seems
to have neglected the message and warning of his dream. “Because sentence
against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons
of men is fully set in them to do evil” (Ecclesiastes 8:11).
Nebuchadnezzar had built up the city of Babylon from a small city on the
banks of the Euphrates to a major metropolitan area the size of Chicago. The
river ran through the midst of the city. The walls that encompassed the city
were 130 miles long and 85 feet thick. Chariot teams could race abreast on top
of the walls. One hundred gateways provided access to the city. The main
entrance called the Ishtar Gate, had towers 60 feet high, contained bright blue
glazed bricks with 100 yellow life-sized mythological creatures adorning the
walls. The Ishtar Gate opened into the Processional Way that led to the great
temple of Marduk. The structure that dominated the skyline of Babylon was the
seven-story ziggurat or temple tower that reached 650 feet into the air. Built
to console his wife Ametis, homesick for the mountains of Media, The Hanging
Gardens became one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Five stories high, the
Hanging Gardens included many varieties of plants, flowers, and trees from all
over the empire. Fountains and aviaries for birds added to its layered beauty.
Situated on the Euphrates River and connected to the empire by road systems,
Babylon became a major trade center.
The glory of his kingdom and his accomplishments fed the king’s pride.
The king said, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of
the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty?” (v.
30). The promised judgment suddenly fell upon the king. He became like a beast,
dwelling in the fields and eating grass. During this time the officers of the
king carried on the affairs of state. No one appeared on the scene to challenge
the king’s reign. Probably Daniel had a large hand in the administration of
the kingdom in the absence of the king.
At the end of the seven years, Nebuchadnezzar regained his senses. He
began to give glory to God. God had both suspended his reign and preserved his
throne for seven years. Nebuchadnezzar recognized the sovereignty of God (v.
35).
Nebuchadnezzar’s experience made him aware of the greatness of the true
God and the overruling power of God in the kingdom’s of men. He declared the
eternity of God (v. 34), the everlasting dominion of his reign (v. 34), the
omnipotence of God (“who can stay his hand” – v. 35), and the justice of
God (v. 37). It could be said of Nebuchadnezzar what Jesus said of an inquiring
lawyer, “Thou art not far from the kingdom of God” (Mark 12:34).
Chapter
5
Audio
Handwriting On the Wall
Outline
of Lesson
1.
The Profane Party (vs. 1-16)
2.
The Divine Message (vs.17-29)
3.
The Fall of Babylon (vs. 30-31)
The setting of this chapter is important. Belshazzar, ruler in Babylon is called the son of Nebuchadnezzar (v. 22). Belshazzar was actually a grandson of Nebuchadnezzar. His father, Nabonidus, married the daughter of Nebuchadnezzar. She is the queen mentioned in this story (vs. 10-12). The Bible often refers to a descendant as a son, regardless of the time factor. For example, Jesus is called a son of David because he descended from the royal lineage of David through Mary his mother.
The reign of Nebuchadnezzar
ended in 563 BC at his death. His son Evil-Merodach, after ruling for two years,
was killed by his brother-in-law, General Neriglissar. Four years later he died
and was succeeded by his son Labash-marduk. Nine months later he died in an
uprising by Nabonidus who assumed the throne. He married one of
Nebuchadnezzar’s daughters and ruled from 556 BC until the fall of Babylon in
539 BC. During the last ten years of his life he spent his time in the city of
Teima and left his son Belshazzar in charge in Babylon. Because he was second in
command in the kingdom, Belshazzar offered to make Daniel the third in command
if he could interpret the writing on the wall (v. 16).
Belshazzar, co-regent of Babylon
with his father Nabonidus, had a state banquet for a thousand of his lords. The
banquet is notable for several reasons:
1.
The worship of idols (v. 4).
2.
Drunkenness (vs. 1-4).
3.
The vessels of the Temple (v.3).
4.
A miraculous writing (v. 5).
5.
The peril lurking outside the walls.
The king, terrified by the hand seen writing on the wall, called for his wise men and astrologers. None of them could interpret the words on the wall. The king offered a handsome reward to anyone that could tell him the meaning of the writing, but no one understood.
Finally, the king’s mother, Nebuchadnezzar’s daughter, entered the banqueting hall with advice for the king. She advised him to call for Daniel. She characterized Daniel as a man in whom the spirit of the gods dwelt. She declared the exploits of Daniel in the reign of Nebuchadnezzar. She explained that Daniel was a man of wisdom and understanding. Amazingly, after the passing of many years, the daughter of Nebuchadnezzar remembered the wonderful acts of God through his servant Daniel.
When the king called Daniel, he offered Daniel the same rewards that he had offered to the other wise men. Daniel unimpressed by the rewards, nevertheless agreed to interpret the writing for Belshazzar.
He began by rebuking the king for his wicked and independent attitude. He specifically reminded the king of the insanity and recovery of Nebuchadnezzar. He repeated the lesson God taught king Nebuchadnezzar about divine sovereignty, that God ruleth over the earthly kingdoms. He crowns and deposes kings according to his will. Daniel accused Belshazzar of the same attitude that brought judgment of Nebuchadnezzar (v.22). He also mentioned the profane use of the vessels of the Temple in the worship of the idol gods. This act was an insult and challenge to God. Belshazzar failed to learn from his grandfather’s experience. Now judgment was about to fall on Belshazzar.
Daniel interpreted the message of the Lord in the Aramaic language. We
are not sure if the message was written in this language, but Daniel used it to
interpret the message. God declared that the Kingdom of Babylon was over. The
army of the Persians and the Medes had been outside the walls of Babylon for
days. The Babylonians believed that the city was impregnable. They partied while
disaster lurked just beyond. Like so many others, instead of seeking God in
desperation, they determined to live carefree in the face of imminent tragedy.
The message had a word for the king personally. He had been weighed in
the balances and found wanting. He sinned against light. He knew better. He had
the example of God’s dealing with his grandfather, but failed to heed God’s
revealed will. Pride led to rebellion against God, and God visited his iniquity
upon his head. He died the night of his party at the hands of the Medes and the
Persians.
During the night of Belshazzar’s banquet the army of the Medes and Persians diverted the waters of the Euphrates that ran through the city of Babylon. The army marched into Babylon in the riverbed, conquered the city and killed King Belshazzar. The kingdom of Babylon gave way to the kingdom of Persia. The gold head of the image passed into history, and the silver breast and arms of the image burst onto the world scene. Every kingdom that fails to recognize God will someday perish at His hands.
Chapter 6 Audio
The Lion's Den
Outline of the Lesson
1.
The
Presidency of Persia
2.
The Plot
of the Princes
3.
The
Punishment for Praying
4.
The
Proclamation of Preeminence
The fall of Babylon led to the ascendancy of the Persian empire. Darius,
who reigned in Babylon under Cyrus, appointed 120 princes to help rule in his
kingdom. Over these he set up 3 presidents of whom Daniel was chief. No doubt
Darius had heard of Daniel’s interpretation of the handwriting on the wall and
his great wisdom and experience in government. Daniel stood out among all others
because of his excellent spirit (v. 3). Daniel’s qualifications included both
ability and character.
As Christians we understand that ability is no substitute for character.
To have an excellent spirit is more important than being gifted. All God’s
children should manifest an excellent spirit. The responses that we display in
the testings, trials, and opportunities of life reveal the kind of spirit that
we have. A kind spirit, a compassionate spirit, a pure spirit, an humble spirit,
a diligent spirit all comprise an excellent spirit.
The Plot of the Princes
The officials of the kingdom soon turned against Daniel. They may have
resented a Jew, an outsider, holding authority and high position in the Persian
government. They began to watch Daniel to catch him in some wrong to destroy
him. After some time they saw that Daniel behaved himself in a blameless manner.
The only part of his life that offered an opportunity for them to destroy Daniel
was his unswerving loyalty to his God.
The officials designed a strategy that would place Daniel in a position
to be either untrue to the king or to the Lord. They desired the king to make a
decree that no man in the kingdom could make a petition to any God or man other
than the king for 30 days. The king was flattered by the suggestion and likely
saw this as an opportunity to unify the empire around his person. He signed the
law into effect.
Unifying empires around religion has been a prominent policy in world
history. Nebuchadnezzar sought to give his far flung empire a symbol of unity in
the towering image on the plains of Duma. The officials of the kingdom were
required to bow to the image or face death in the fiery furnace. The Roman
emperors declared themselves to be deity and required all their subjects to
declare that Ceasar is Lord. The Christians died by the thousands because they
acknowledged only one Lord, Jesus Christ. In the end times during the reign of
Anti-Christ, he will require all people to receive a mark in their right hand or
their forehead as a sign of acceptance of his program. All who receive the mark
declare their allegiance to the Anti-Christ and worship him as a god. The Bible
tells us that those who receive the mark are destined for eternal punishment
(Rev. 14: 9-11).
The Punishment for Praying
When Daniel heard of the new law, he continued his daily practice of
praying three times toward Jerusalem. When Solomon dedicated the Temple in
Jerusalem he prayed for the people of Israel who would be taken captive by enemy
countries: “… if they bethink themselves in the land whither they are
carried captive, and turn and pray unto thee in the land of their captivity,
saying, We have sinned, we have done amiss, and have dealt wickedly; If they
return to thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their
captivity, whither they have carried them captives, and pray toward their land,
which thou gavest unto their fathers, and toward the city which thou hast
chosen, and toward the house which I have built for thy name: Then hear thou
from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, their prayer and their
supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people which have
sinned against thee” (II Chronicles 6:37-39). For many years Daniel had prayed
for the deliverance of his people, and the help of God in his alien state. The
king’s law could not relieve him of the duty and privilege of interceding for
his nation and his soul. He prayed in the spirit of the early apostles who
declared, “We ought to obey God rather than man” (Acts 5:29b).
The jealous princes found Daniel praying and reported him to the king.
The king saw through the scheme but could not change the law. He had Daniel
thrown in the den of lion’s with while expressing confidence in Daniel’s God
to deliver him: “Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver
thee.” The king had doubtless heard of the wonders that God had done for
Daniel and the three Hebrew youths in Babyon. He also saw the steadfast faith of
Daniel that caused him to pray under the threat of the lion’s den. Most people
will quit praying with much less opposition than Daniel faced. Some allow
trivial tasks and personal pleasure to hinder their prayer life. Daniel would
rather die than neglect his prayer time with God. How about you?
Daniel spent the night in the den of lions. It may have been that Daniel
rested better than the king. The king fasted and worried about Daniel all night.
In the morning he checked on Daniel and found him unharmed. He had Daniel
brought out of the lion’s den, and the king assigned the enemies of Daniel and
their families to the den of lions. The lions consumed them immediately, thus
magnifying the nature of the miracle.
The faith chapter in Hebrews 11 refers to this event: “Who through
faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the
mouths of lions” (Hebrews 11:33). The book of Daniel tells us, “So Daniel
was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because
he believed in his God” (Daniel 6:23b). The den did not destroy but did
demonstrate the faith of Daniel.
The Proclamation of Preeminence
Darius, the king of Persia, after witnessing the power and faithfulness
of God, proclaimed the glory of God to his realm. He commanded his subjects to
show reverence to the God of Daniel (v. 26), and declared the extent of his
knowledge of God:
1.
He is the
living God.
2.
He is
steadfast, i.e. enduring forever.
3.
His
kingdom will never be destroyed.
4.
His reign
will never end.
5.
He
delivers and rescues his people.
6.
He works
signs and wonders in heaven and in earth.
The
revelation of God to the mind and heart of this heathen king deeply affected
him. He realized that the heathen gods were not like the God of Daniel.
I wonder if I have the kind of faith that will bring glory to God. Is God
able to work in my life to reveal himself to this generation? Obviously Daniel
would have failed to glorify God if he had simply caved in to the command of the
king. It was his rugged faith, his willingness to risk his life to be faithful
to God that caused a heathen king to see the greatness of the true and living
God.
Daniel
7
Daniel’s Vision of the Four
Beasts
Audio
Approx
27 Minutes
1.
The Vision (vs. 1-14)
Four Beasts (vs. 1-7)
The Little Horn (v. 8)
The Divine Court (vs. 9-12)
The Final Kingdom (vs. 13-14)
2.
The Interpretation (vs. 15-28)
Overview (vs. 15-18)
The Fourth Beast (vs. 19-23)
The Little Horn (vs. 24-25)
The Kingdom of God (v. 26-28)
The vision of Daniel took place in the first year of
the reign of Belshazzar in 553 BC. This vision took place before the Persians
conquered Babylon and before Daniel was thrown in the lion’s den.
Four Beasts: In Daniel’s
vision he sees a lion, a bear, a leopard, and a terrible beast with iron teeth.
These beasts represent the same kingdoms that were represented in the image of
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in chapter 2. The lion represents Babylon, the bear
represents Persia, the leopard represents Greece, and the final beast represents
Rome. The ten horns on the final beast correspond to the ten toes of the image
and represent a political division of the world in the last days. In the image
of Nebuchadnezzar, the kingdoms of men are represented from man’s viewpoint.
Precious metals symbolize each kingdom. Man sees the glory and splendor of the
man’s kingdoms. But in the vision of Daniel the kingdoms are represented by
beasts. Daniel’s vision looks at the kingdoms from God’s viewpoint and shows
the true spiritual nature of the kingdoms.
The Little Horn: Daniel’s
vision includes a new element in the little horn (v. 8). The little horn is
absent from the dream of Nebuchadnezzar. The little horn plucks up three of the
ten horns by the roots. The little horn is characterized by eyes of a man
(intelligence) and by a mouth speaking great things (deceptive words).
The Divine Court: In v. 9, the
thrones were cast down or “put in place.” The time for the judgment of the
little horn has come. The Ancient of Days is God the Father. His white hair and
white garments speak of his purity and his matchless wisdom. The fiery stream or
“river of fire” that issued from the throne speaks of the terror of God’s
judgment. The number of attendants around the throne speak of the awesome
majesty of the Lord: thousand thousands ministered unto him and ten thousand
times ten thousand stood before him” (v. 10). The phrase “ the judgment was
set” (v. 10) means that the divine court was in session.
God judges the little horn that spoke such great and blasphemous things
against God and against the truth. He is slain and given to the river of fire.
See Rev. 19:19-20. Those who are esteemed great by men are little horns in the
presence of God.
The Final Kingdom: The Son of
Man is Jesus, who is brought before the Ancient of Days and granted an
everlasting kingdom. Jesus refers
to this scripture during his trial in Matthew 26:64. He informs the high priest
of the day when the tables will be turned and the judged will be the judge and
final ruler. This kingdom is the rock cut out of the mountain without hands in
the dream of Nebuchadnezzar that crushed the image. The spirit of the great
empires of men lives on in each succeeding empire (v.12 cf. to Rev. 13:2) until
the inception of the everlasting kingdom of the Lord. The spirit of pride,
hatred of the people of God, and the exaltation of man characterized all the
world’s great empires. The final kingdom will be a kingdom of righteousness
and holiness. True worship of God will characterize this everlasting kingdom.
The Interpretation
Overview: Daniel was troubled
about his vision and asked for an explanation. The Lord did not disappoint him.
In vs. 15 –18, the Lord told Daniel that the four beasts were four kings, or
kingdoms. The four kingdoms represented by the four beasts would be replaced by
the rule of the saints of God (Rev. 5:9-10).
The Fourth Beast: Daniel is
particularly interested in the fourth beast, which was associated with the
little horn. This kingdom is diverse from the others in its power and its
extent. The fourth beast is the Roman Empire, which ruled the world in the time
of Christ and the writing of the New Testament. The Roman Empire sentenced Jesus
to death and slaughtered tens of thousands of Christians in the Early Church
period. The final human empire will be closely associated with this empire. The
ten horns, seen also in Rev. 13:1 and in Rev. 17:3, are said to be ten kings or
kingdoms that exist in the time of the Anti-Christ (Rev. 17:12), and give their
authority to the Anti-Christ (Rev. 17:13), thus making him the world ruler in
the last days.
The Little Horn: The ten horns
on the terrible beast exist before the rise of the little horn, but when the
little horn develops, he uproots three of the ten. As we saw earlier, all ten
eventually give their power to this little horn, the Anti-Christ. The
Anti-Christ is a very powerful and persuasive speaker who blasphemes the God of
heaven in deceiving the masses (Rev. 13:6-8). He persecutes the people of God.
He embodies the hatred of all the preceding empires toward the Jews and the
Christians. He will change times and laws by instituting new religious holy
days, new religious laws, and a new priesthood, perhaps on the order of Jeroboam
in I Kings 12:28-33.
The Kingdom of God: The
Anti-Christ who spoke so brazenly against God will have to face God and be
judged. His kingdom will be taken from him and given to the saints, those whom
he sought to destroy. They will reign with Christ during the millennium (Rev.
20:6), and then serve him in the renewed earth and heavens (Rev. 21-22) for all
eternity.
God gave Daniel a sweeping panorama of the times of the Gentiles ending
with the establishment of the reign of Christ. Thousands of years are
encompassed by this vision. Only God could know the details of the future. He
demonstrated his greatness by showing Daniel the transitory nature of the great
empires of man and his plans to establish an eternal kingdom with Christ as the
head.
Daniel
8
Daniel’s Vision
of the Ram and the Goat
Purpose:
To demonstrate the impact of the Gentile kingdoms on the nation of Israel
especially during the time of the Greek empire and the last-days empire of
Anti-Christ.
1.
The vision
a.
The time of the vision (v.1)
b.
The place of the vision (v. 2)
c.
The ram (vs. 3-4)
d.
The goat (vs. 5-8)
e.
The little horn (vs. 9-12)
f.
The duration of the desolation (vs.13-14)
2.
The interpretation
a.
The source (vs. 15-16)
b.
The focus of the vision (vs. 17-19)
c.
The ram (v. 20)
d.
The goat (vs. 21-22)
e.
The little horn (vs. 23-25)
f.
The command to preserve the vision (v. 26)
g.
The effect upon Daniel (v. 27)
The time of the vision: This
second vision of Daniel took place two years after the vision recorded in
chapter 7. The year was about 551 BC. This was twelve years before the
handwriting on the wall in chapter 6.
The place of the vision: The
vision evidently took place in Babylon, according to v. 26, where Daniel served
the king. Daniel was transported in his vision to Shushan the palace by the
river Ulai. The prophets are often transported to distant places in their
visions. John is even transported into heaven in Revelation to view events
there.
The ram: The ram is identified
as being the Medo-Persia empire in v. 20. The two horns represent the Medes and
the Persians who joined forces and jointly ruled the empire. The higher horn,
which came up last, represented the Persians who came to power after the Medes,
but held the dominant position in the empire. The ram pushed in all directions
except east. History reflects the accuracy of Daniel’s vision and shows that
the major thrust of the Persian Empire was north, south, and west.
The goat: The goat is
identified as the Grecian empire in v. 21. The notable horn on the goat
represented Alexander the Great, who led the conquering Greek forces against the
Persians. The fact that the goat touched not the ground speaks of the speed of
his conquest. Alexander was only a young man – he died before he was
thirty-three years old- but a brilliant general who never lost a battle. The
goat attacked the ram with anger and conquered him. The Persians had attacked
the Greeks in fury years before and now the Greeks avenged themselves.
After Alexander died in 331 BC in the city of Babylon as a result of
drunkenness, the kingdom was divided into four different regions under four
generals. The four regions centered around Greece, Turkey, Syria and Egypt. This
was predicted by Daniel’s vision of the notable horn being broken and four
notable ones replaced it (v. 8).
The little horn: The little
horn came out of one of the four in v. 8. The little horn became great and
extended his authority south, east, and toward the pleasant land, i.e. Israel.
This little horn has a double application in prophecy. The near fulfillment is
found in the rule of Antiochus Epiphanes from 175-164 BC. The far end-time
fulfillment will be in the rule of the Anti-Christ. The casting down of the host
and the stars probably has reference to Antiochus’ persecution of the devout
worshippers in Jerusalem. The king causes the daily sacrifices to cease and
defiles the sanctuary of the Temple. Antiochus forbade the Jews to circumcise
their children, profaned the sabbaths and holy days, destroyed copies of the
Torah, set up a statue of Zeus in the Temple, and sacrificed swine and other
unclean animals upon the holy altar.
The duration of the desecration:
The duration is revealed in a conversation between two saints or “holy
ones”. Bible scholars believe these “holy ones” to be angels. The defiled
sanctuary is to be cleansed after 2300 days. John Walvoord, a prominent prophecy
teacher, applies these days to the last days of the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes.
The Maccabees revolted against the Syrians in Judea under the leadership of a
man named Judas and defeated the Syrians in battle in 164 BC. The temple was
cleansed and the sacrifices resumed.
The Interpretation
The source: The man in vs.
15-16 that appeared to Daniel and told Gabriel to give Daniel understanding of
the vision is probably Jesus in his pre-incarnate state. Gabriel is the same
angel that announced the birth of John the Baptist and informed Mary that she
would be the mother of the Son of God. This is the first mention in the
scriptures of a holy angel by name. Other than Satan, Michael is the only other
angel named in the scriptures. He is mentioned later in the book of Daniel.
The focus of the vision: The
vision relates to the time of the end according to vs. 17-19. The end is said to
be set: “at the time appointed the end shall be.” Although the vision deals
with events during the time of the Grecian Empire, it also illuminates events
connected to the end times. In v. 17 Gabriel tells Daniel, “Understand, O son
of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision.”
The ram: The ram is clearly
identified with the Medo-Persian empire in v. 20.
The goat: The goat is
identified with the empire of Greece and the notable horn is identified as the
first king, Alexander the Great, in v. 21. The first horn being replaced by four
represents the dividing of the empire into four parts after the death of
Alexander. None of the four had the power of Alexander: “four kingdoms shall
stand up out of the nation, but not in his power” (v. 22).
The little horn: In verses
23-25 the little horn is described. It represents both Antiochus Epiphanes and
the Anti-Christ at the end. Similar characteristics mark them both. The phrase
“when transgressors are come to the full” seems to carry the same meaning as
the phrase “the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full” in Genesis 15:16.
Men earn the judgment of God through their wickedness and rebellion. The king
will be vicious, intelligent, and powerful. Antiochus gained the throne by
intrigue; he was not the real heir. He defeated the Jews, defiled the Temple,
and began developing Greek culture in Israel. Many of the Jews cooperated with
Antiochus. They built a gymnasium near the Temple where Jewish young men
competed nude in Greek games and contests.
Verse 25 clearly applies to the Anti-Christ. He is said to practice
deceit, “craft”, and to be proud and arrogant. He destroys through the
promise of peace. The Anti-Christ will be propelled to world leadership by his
ability to persuade. He will seem to have an answer to the strife in the Middle
East, as we shall see in the next chapter of Daniel. The Anti-Christ will meet
his doom at the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus (II Thess. 2:8).
The command to preserve the vision:
Gabriel commanded Daniel to preserve the vision because the events were to be in
the future. It would be 376 years before Antiochus Epiphanes would reign. The
vision is also relevant to those living in the end of time.
The effect upon Daniel: The
vision and his contact with heavenly beings profoundly affected Daniel. He
fainted, much like John in the book of Revelation at his vision of the glorified
Christ, and was sick for many days. No one that heard the vision could
understand it.
In Daniel’s previous vision the Persian Empire was represented by a
bear and the Grecian Empire by a leopard. In this vision they are represented by
a ram and a goat respectively. In the previous vision the little horn springs
out of the Roman Empire and in this vision the little horn springs out of the
Grecian empire. In the vision of chapter 7, the little horn points directly to
the Anti-Christ of the last days. The little horn of chapter 8 points directly
to Antiochus Epiphanes, the Syrian ruler of the 2nd century BC, and
indirectly to the Anti-Christ of the last days. Both visions end with the
victorious establishing of the everlasting reign of Christ and the exaltation of
the saints. The Lord was providing comfort to Daniel, the captive saint, even
though he did not understand completely the implications of the visions. The
final outcome of history will be very different from the usual course of
history. The tables are turned in favor of the people of God.
Daniel
9 Audio
Seventy Weeks Determined Upon Israel
Outline of Lesson
1.
The Petition (vs. 1-19)
A.
Inspiration (v. 1-2)
B.
Intensity (v. 3)
C.
Acknowledgement of national sin and divine justice (vs. 4-15)
D.
Appeal for God’s mercy upon Jerusalem (vs. 16-19)
2.
The Prophecy (vs. 20-27)
A.
Messenger Gabriel (vs. 20-23)
B.
Extent of the Prophecy (v. 24)
C.
Divisions of the seventy weeks (vs. 25-26)
D.
The last week (v. 27)
Inspiration: The prayer of
Daniel was provoked by the reading of the inspired word of God recorded by
Jeremiah the prophet. Jeremiah, a contemporary of Daniel, prophesied in
Jerusalem while Daniel was in Babylon. After the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC,
Jeremiah was taken to Egypt by the remnant of Judah. He continued prophesying in
Egypt. This is the last we know of Jeremiah’s life.
Of the many prophecies made by Jeremiah, he predicted the duration of
Judah’s captivity to be seventy years (Jeremiah 29:10). Daniel’s reading of
this passage initiated a time of intense prayer for the fulfillment of this
prophecy.
Intensity: The intensity of
Daniel’s prayer is marked by fasting, the wearing of sackcloth, and the
sprinkling of ashes. Daniel has been in captivity since a youth; he is now an
old man. He longs for Jerusalem, but his prayer is for the return of God’s
people. Daniel will never be able to go back home. As far as we know, Daniel
died in the land of Persia. He was too old to make the journey back home.
Acknowledgement of national sin
and divine justice: Daniel’s prayer focuses on the cause of the exile. He
confesses the sins of the nation of Israel: “We have sinned, and have
committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing
from thy precepts and from thy judgments” (v. 5). He confessed the efforts of
God to turn them by the word of the prophets: Neither have we hearkened unto thy
servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and
our fathers, and to all the people of the land” (v. 6). Daniel also justifies
God in the judgment rendered upon his people for their iniquity. He attributes
righteousness, justice, and mercy to God.
The humility displayed in Daniel’s prayer received attention from God.
God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. Daniel did not seek to
justify the sins of Judah and charge God with injustice. No pouting accusation
against God came from his lips. He did not say, “I don’t know what we did to
deserve this kind of suffering.” He acknowledged the rightness of God’s
judgments. It would do us all good to keep a humble frame of mind when
approaching God in time of trouble. Always justify God and abhor your own sin
and failure.
Appeal for God’s mercy upon
Jerusalem: In the appeal of Daniel he mentions the condition of Jerusalem
and the sanctuary. Nebuchadnezzar had completely destroyed Jerusalem and the
Temple in 586 BC. He had broke down the walls and left the city a smoldering
ruin. Daniel appeals for the forgiveness of God for his people and the favor of
God upon Jerusalem and the sanctuary. The sanctuary is said to be desolate (v.
17).
Daniel’s petition is powerful because of his attitude in prayer. His
petitions are for the Lord’s sake (vs. 17,19). Every prayer that is based on
the honor of God and the will of God will get the attention of God. Daniel’s
petition is based on the mercy of God and not the righteousness of Daniel or the
Jews (v. 18). The prayer of Bartimaeus the blind man by the side of the road
just outside of Jericho carries this same spirit: “Jesus, thou Son of David,
have mercy on me.” The publican in the temple prayer meeting prayed in this
same spirit: “God be merciful to me a sinner.” While the Pharisee listed his
righteousness, the publican pleaded the mercy of God. Jesus commended the prayer
of the publican. Daniel’s petition was based on a direct promise in the word
of God. He knew he was praying according to the will of God. God answered the
petition the same year and moved upon Cyrus the Persian king to make a decree
releasing the Jews to return to Jerusalem.
The Prophecy
The Messenger Gabriel: The
angel Gabriel, active in chapter 8 in helping Daniel understand the vision of
the goat and the ram, was sent to Daniel again to give him the marvelous
revelation of the seventy week period. Gabriel came while Daniel was presenting
his petition before God. He came about the time of the evening sacrifice (v.
21), but no sacrifices were being offered because the temple lay in ruins in
Jerusalem. But Daniel was praying at the time of the evening sacrifice, and
noted the time when God responded marvelously to his prayer. Gabriel assured
Daniel that he was greatly beloved by God (v. 23).
Extent of the prophecy:
Gabriel reveals to Daniel the extent of the time period that God will be dealing
with the Jewish nation: “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people…”
(v. 24). The word weeks means weeks
of years. Four hundred ninety years comprise this period. According to v. 24
the period mentioned will witness the promised redeemer (make reconciliation for
iniquity) and last until transgressions end, sin’s reign ends, everlasting
righteousness begins, the prophecy of the book of Daniel is fulfilled, and the
millennial Temple is anointed (most Bible scholars tend to believe that
“anoint the most Holy” refers to the most holy place of the millennium
Temple mentioned in Ezekiel 40-44). The seventy weeks of years then covers time
until the setting up of the millennial reign of Christ.
Divisions of the Seventy Weeks:
The seventy weeks are divided up into three periods. Seven weeks of years (49
years) pertain to the rebuilding of Jerusalem (v. 25). Sixty-two weeks of years
(434 years) beyond the rebuilding of Jerusalem the Messiah will be cut off. This
leaves the seventieth week, which will be explained in v. 27.
The first division of 49 years began in 445 BC with the return of
Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. The walls were completed in
fifty-two days, but the restoration of the city involved the 49 years of
Daniel’s revelation. Sir Robert Anderson figured the time from Nehemiah’s
return to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem on March 14, 445, to the day of
Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem on April 6, AD 32, to be exactly 69
weeks of years (483 years). The exactness of Daniel’s prediction concerning
the Messiah is astonishing and difficult for the critics to dismiss.
The Last Week: The seventieth
week does not follow immediately on the heels of the previous 69 weeks. There is
a gap because of the fact that the seventy weeks of time deal with the nation of
Israel. The last week will complete this age and will signify a renewed divine
focus on Israel in the last days. The interim period is a time when God is
focusing on the Gentile harvest.
The last week will be marked by a covenant set forth by the Anti-Christ.
The he of v. 27 is the prince
that shall come of v. 26. In v. 26, Daniel predicts the destruction of
Jerusalem and the Temple by the Romans in AD 70. His mention of the
prince that shall come refers to the Anti-Christ of the last days. Three
things are spotlighted about the Anti-Christ in v. 27. 1) He will make a
seven-year covenant with the people of Israel guaranteeing their safety in a
volatile region of the world. 2) He breaks the covenant in the midst of the week
(after 3 ½ years), causes the sacrifices of the Jews to cease and directs all
worship to himself (see II Thess. 2:4). 3) He sets up the abomination that
maketh desolate, i.e., he makes the temple a place of idolatry. This
precipitates conflict with the Jews and results in the destruction of Jerusalem
and the sanctuary by the Anti-Christ. (see Matthew 24: 15-22)
Daniel
10
Daniel’s Glorious Vision
Outline
of the Lesson
1. Setting of the Vision (vs. 1-2, 4)
2. Spiritual Preparation (v. 3)
3. Vision of the Pre-incarnate Christ (vs. 5-9)
4. Ministry of Angels (vs. 10-21)
The chapter before us gives us a lengthy introduction to the glorious vision detailed in chapter 11. The importance of the vision is emphasized by the events that led up to it. The vision occurred in the third year of the reign of Cyrus, two years after the Jews had returned to Jerusalem. Daniel did not go with the exiles back to their home, probably because of his advanced age.
Spiritual
Preparation
In v. 4, Daniel mentions the 24th day of the first month. He indicates that he had been fasting for 21 days in v. 2, which means that he evidently began his fast on the third day of the first month, after the two-day celebration of the New Year. This means that he had been fasting during the time of the Passover and the feast of unleavened bread, which began on the fourteenth day of the first month and continued for a week.
Daniel’s fast consisted of abstaining from pleasant bread, i.e., bread of pleasures. He ate no meat, drank no wine and refused to anoint himself. Daniel’s fast evidently included eating and drinking basic nourishment and water. He was likely concerned about the state of the returned Jewish exiles who were facing opposition to their rebuilding of the temple and Jerusalem. The vision God was about to show Daniel in chapter 11 revealed that God had a long range plan for the Jews all the way to the end of the present age.
Fasting is still a part of the discipline of the people of God. Jesus promised a blessing upon those who fast in secret (Matthew 6:16-18). Jesus set an example by fasting himself. The Spirit of God still burdens the people of God to fast for the cause of the kingdom of God in this world.
Vision
of the Pre-incarnate Christ
Daniel has a vision of a glorious being not named, but having much
similarity to John’s vision of Christ in Revelation 1. Some scholars believe
the man that appeared to Daniel was an Old Testament manifestation of Christ. He
was clothed in linen, the garment of a priest. He had a girdle embroidered with
gold. His body had the appearance of a jewel called beryl,
which some have identified as yellow jasper. His appearance demonstrated majesty
and beauty. His face was like lightning and his eyes like a flame of fire.
He presented a fearful sight to mortals. His arms and feet were like polished
brass to Daniel, while John saw his feet as brass that burned in a furnace in
Revelation 1. Brass speaks of the judgment of sin in the Bible. His voice
sounded like many waters. He had a powerful voice. John heard that same voice in
Revelation 1:15.
Though the men with Daniel did not see the vision,
they sensed the majesty of the Lord and fled. Daniel himself became faint at the
glory of the vision of the Son of God. John had reacted in a similar way in
Revelation 1:17. In the presence of God’s glory the best of men become aware
of their corruption and unworthiness.
Ministry
of Angels
Angels were dispatched to help Daniel in connection with the vision
concerning the Jews as revealed in chapters 11-12. The angel of the Lord
strengthened Daniel three times (10:10,16,18). Daniel was overwhelmed several
times in the course of the powerful vision given to him by God. Each time the
angel of the Lord would strengthen him for receiving the revelation of the Lord.
The angel of the Lord also comforted Daniel. He called Daniel “a man
greatly beloved” (v. 11). He assured a trembling Daniel in v. 12, saying,
“Fear not.” He revealed to
Daniel that God had noticed his fasting and praying from the first day (v. 12)
and that God had sent the angel as a result of his seeking God. Sometimes we
wonder if God notices the things we do for his glory. The New Testament assures
that God does not forget our labor of love (Hebrews 6:10), and that our heavenly
Father sees in secret and rewards us openly for rightly performing the
disciplines of the Christian life such as giving alms, praying, and fasting
(Matthew 6:1-18).
The angel revealed to Daniel that hell had opposed the answer to his
prayer. The prince of the kingdom of Persia in v. 13 is a demon power that
fought against the holy angel which had been dispatched by God to help Daniel.
The struggle went on for 21 days, the same number of days that Daniel was
fasting and praying. The angel mentioned that he had received help from Michael,
one of the chief princes or angels. Michael is later revealed as the angel that
stands for the people of Israel (Daniel 12:1). The angel indicates in v. 20 that
he will return to struggle against the prince of Persia and later against the
prince of Greece. Greece is the kingdom that replaced the kingdom of Persia.
The princes of hell seem to have definite geographical assignments. The
prince of Persia was a powerful demon that influenced events in the kingdom of
Persia. The prince of Grecia would do the same for the kingdom of Greece. But
the holy angels opposed the influence of these evil angels. The messenger angel
in talking to Daniel refers to Michael in v. 21 as “your prince.” He
defended Daniel and the Jewish people.
The scriptures tell us in the New Testament of the need for putting on
the whole armor of God. As Christians we wage a spiritual warfare against the
powers of hell. Paul warns us, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood,
but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness
of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6: 12). The
Christian, by employing the weapons of the Spirit, not only overcomes
personally, but disrupts the plans of Satan for individuals, families, cities,
and nations.
Finally, the angel informed Daniel that he had been sent to reveal to
Daniel the future of his people (v. 14). The vision would cover many days. In
fact when we look at chapter 11, we will see that the vision covers from the
time of the Persian empire to the time of the empire of the Anti-Christ in the
last days. Daniel was given more details in this revelation than in the previous
visions. This is one of the most detailed prophecies in the Bible. History
reveals the accuracy of the first part of the revelation, and faith accepts the
latter part as equally true and waits with patience for the fulfillment in
God’s time.
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