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As we commence our study in the remarkable Book of
Daniel it is important once again to familiarize ourselves with the background
details.
It is 606 BC.
Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Babylonian (Chaldean)
Empire, has attacked Judah (the first of three attacks) and taken captive King
Jehoiakim and many of the royal seed (1:1-3).
Among the captives are four teenagers: Daniel,
Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah (1:6).
These young lads were renamed with Babylonian names: Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
* * * * * * * * * *
1. THE
REFUSAL OF DANIEL
Appointed to positions of importance in the royal
court, it necessitates eating the king’s food.
And this Daniel and his friends refuse to do! (v. 8).
(a) It
may well be that this Babylonian food was contrary to the Hebrew food
laws given through Moses, as found in Leviticus 11.
(b) It may well be that the wine was
intoxicating and Solomon, Israel’s wisest king, had written strongly against
partaking of such (Proverbs 23:31).
(c) It
may well be the food had first been dedicated to some Babylonian god.
Whatever the reason, Daniel and his friends give a
polite “No, thank you!” Which could
easily land them in hot water!!
2. THE
REQUEST OF DANIEL
Would Melzar, the steward, just feed them with
‘pulse’ (v. 12) for ten days? Then see
if their diet has caused them to suffer in their health in any way (v.
13). Melzar agrees. And for ten days the Hebrew teens eat
vegetables (Yuk!!).
‘Pulse’ is ‘mainly peas and beans’, says one
commentator … “Yuk!!”
3. THE
REWARDING OF DANIEL
(a) God
rewarded him with
wisdom ‘ten times better’ than all the Babylonian wise men (v. 20). It was not the vegetable diet but
faithfulness to God that brought this result (v. 17).
(b) Nebuchadnezzar
rewarded him (and the trio) by promoting them to positions of importance in his
kingdom (v. 19). A position Daniel held
until the ‘first year of Cyrus’ 70 years later!! (v. 21).
God is no man’s
debtor and He will honour those who honour Him
(I Samuel
2:30).
Dare to be a
Daniel,
Dare to stand
alone,
Dare to have a
purpose true
And dare to
make it known!
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Studies in
Daniel : No. 2
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Anyone studying Bible prophecy should start
here! Not only are other prophetic
scriptures tied in to this passage … but the interpretation is revealed to
us.
Surely we cannot go wrong here … or can we???
………………………………………………..
1. THE
DREAM OF THE KING … 2:1-16
Nebuchadnezzar dreams … and says that he has
forgotten what the dream was. After
all, if his wise men are able to contact the ‘gods’ to discover the
interpretation they ought to be able to ask the ‘gods’ what the dream was in
the first place!
1
Now in the second year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams;
and his spirit was so troubled that his sleep left him. 2Then the
king gave the command to call the magicians, the astrologers, the sorcerers,
and the Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came and stood before
the king. 3And the king said to them, "I have had a dream, and
my spirit is anxious to know the dream." 4Then the
Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic, "O king, live forever! Tell your
servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation."
Doom is pronounced upon them
if they do not come up with the right answers! … 5The king answered and said to
the Chaldeans, “My decision is firm: if you do not make known the dream to me,
and its interpretation, you shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be
made an ash heap. 6However, if you tell the dream and its
interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts, rewards, and great honor.
Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation.”
………………………………..
2. THE INTERPRETATION OF THE PROPHET … 2:17-49
Daniel and his three friends ‘have a little talk
with Jesus’ about this problem … and
the Lord hears their cry (vs. 18-19). Thus Daniel confronts the king … tells
him what his dream had been (vs. 31-35), and gives the interpretation (vs.
36-45).
27Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said,
"The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers,
the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king. 28But
there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King
Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. 31"You, O king, were watching; and behold, a
great image! This great image, whose splendor was excellent, stood before you;
and its form was awesome. 32This image's head was of fine gold, its
chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, 33its legs
of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. 34You
watched while
a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its
feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35Then the
iron,
the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed
together,
and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind
carried them away so that no trace of them was found.
And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled
the whole earth.
As a result Daniel and his friends are promoted (v.
49).
…………………………………………………….
The dream was that of a great statue (vs. 32-35): * Head of gold …* Chest and arms of
silver … * Torso of brass (bronze) * …
Legs of iron …* Feet of iron
and clay. This statue was smashed by a
stone from heaven that then grew to become a mountain (35). The prophet goes
on to explain that the differing parts of the statue represent the successive
empires of the world.
36"This is the dream. Now we
will tell the interpretation of it before the king. 37You, O king,
are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power,
strength, and glory; 38and wherever the children of men dwell, or
the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into
your hand, and has made you ruler over them all--you are this head of gold. 39But
after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third
kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. 40And the
fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces
and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in
pieces and crush all the others. 41Whereas you saw the feet and
toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided;
yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed
with ceramic clay. 42And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron
and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. 43As
you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men;
but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay.
The ‘head of gold’ was a picture of Nebuchadnezzar
and the Babylonian Empire (vs. 37-38).
But another kingdom would take its place! And in 539 BC the Medes and the Persians conquered
Babylon. Not as glorious (not gold, but
silver) and comprised of two peoples (two arms)! (v. 39).
Then a third empire arose (v. 33) … Greece, under
Alexander the Great (331-161 BC).
The iron legs spoke of ‘the iron monarchy of Rome’
(Gibbon), the next great world empire.
Maybe the two legs speak of the division of the empire into the East and
West: one half speaking Greek and the
other half speaking Latin.
The feet of iron and clay remind us of the invasion
of the empire by barbarian hoards who set up their own kingdoms … some weak
(clay) and some strong (iron) (AD 476).
The fourth kingdom (Rome) was not overthrown by a
fifth but disintegrated under the Pagan onslaughts.
…………………………………………..
3. THE
KINGDOM OF THE LORD
But a stone kingdom was established … God’s Kingdom!! (vs. 44-45)
Supernatural in origin (v. 34), insignificant in its
beginnings, (35) gradual in its progress,(35) universal in its extent (v. 35),
and perpetual in its duration (v. 44)!!
34You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. ……. 44And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. 45Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold--the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation is sure."
The interpretation
may be sure … but commentators aren’t !!! ….
+ Some commentators only see a reference to our
Lord’s Second Coming whereas others think His first Advent fits the
interpretation better. After all, He did
come during the days of the ‘legs of iron’ … Rome ruled the world when He was
born.
+ His Kingdom
was certainly insignificant in its beginnings … a Babe in a cattle stall
!
+ And He did come to announce God’s Kingdom had
begun … for the King Himself was in their midst! (Luke 10:9).
+ Gradual in its progress ? Yes !! … from Jerusalem to Samaria to the uttermost
part of the world. (Acts1:8)
+ Nor was it an earthly Kingdom. “Not of this
world” the Lord Jesus told Pilate.(Jn. 18:36)
+ It is a universal Kingdom that embraces
every nation and every tongue, and the grandeur that was Babylon and the
ferocity that was Medo-Persia, and the dominion that was Greece, and the might
that was Rome all crash before it.
Eventually,
when the Lord Jesus returns in power and glory, His eternal Kingdom will
be finally established. But even now
it has begun and those who crown Him ‘Lord and Saviour’ are a part of it!! We
who trust the Saviour are translated “out of the kingdom of darkness
into the Kingdom of God’s dear Son.” ( Colossians 1:13)
Are you ?
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The story of Daniel’s three friends: Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, is one of
the best-known events in the Old Testament.
We heard it in Sunday School and listened to it retold as a Negro
Spiritual.
We can read it in Daniel chapter 3.
But have we learned the lesson this story impresses
upon us?
The scene is Babylon. It is about 580 BC. The
Jews are in exile … and King Nebuchadnezzar passes a law that ‘when the band
plays’ all in his kingdom must worship the golden statue he has had erected on
the plains of Dura. Failure to do so
means death! (3:4-7).
But this faithful trio of Jews refused to do
so. Did not their law say: “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven
image … thou shalt not bow down thyself to them … nor serve them…” (Exodus
20:4-5).
So they are threatened by the king … but still they
refuse to disobey their God!! (vs. 14-18).
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are cast into the
fiery furnace and come forth again unburned.
They do not even smell of smoke! (v. 27) … which is a good example for
some Christians these days…
Critics often attack the story as a ‘parable’ or
myth … but I believe it is true, historically TRUE!! You cannot pick and choose which part of the Bible you want to
accept and which part you want to reject.
* * * * * * * * * *
1. THE
TERRIBLE DECREE … “Bend the knee … or Burn!”
·
The
huge idol may have been a statue of Nebuchadnezzar himself. Or it may have been an obelisk, as the
measurements seem to indicate (v. 1) … 90’ high, 9’ wide.
·
Archaeologist,
M. Oppert, discovered “a rectangular brick structure’ on the plains of Dura …
45’ square and 20’ high. Was this the
pedestal on which the Golden Image was placed??
·
Revelation
13 speaks of ‘an image to the Beast’ (vs. 13-15). The death penalty is pronounced upon those who refuse to worship
it. It is connected with the ‘Mystery
Babylon’ (Revelation 17:3-5). But what
THAT means is another sermon!
·
One
is reminded of the early Christians who were faced with a similar choice …
acknowledge the Roman Emperor as God (burn incense to him) … or death in the
arena!
2. THE
TRUSTING BELIEVERS
Why is not Daniel mentioned? Probably, though we are not told, he is away
on business in a distant part of the empire.
If this were a fictitious story (as the critics
claim) surely the writer would have had Daniel in the furnace with his
friends?? Mmm?
Notice various ways in which this trio could have justified being disobedient to God … by mental gymnastics …
(a) “Just
once won’t hurt … it’s not as if the king wants us to bow down every day
… Surely God won’t mind if we just bow … just a little bow … just
once??”
(b) “We
could still worship our God too! Lots
of folk have more than one god. Look at
all the other people bowing down … they didn’t renounce their own God. Just temporarily added another one! What harm is there in that??
(c) “After
all, it is the king’s command.
And we ought to obey the king … shouldn’t we??”
(d) “Besides,
you know the old saying: ‘When in
Babylon do as the Babylonians do…’ Or
is it ‘When in Rome…?’ Anyway, we are
exiles in a foreign land and we need to adept to the customs around us. Mmmm?”
(e) “Of
course we could bow the knee, but not the heart! Ah! that should please
both the king (who thinks we are worshipping his idol) and our God (Who knows
we are not worshipping it … or does He?)
He did say, after all, ‘neither shalt thou bow down…’” (Exodus 20:4-5).
(f) “Surely
it is sensible to save our lives – what use will we be to anyone if we’re
dead? If we bow down, then we don’t get
put to death, and then we can witness for our God. That’s reasonable, isn’t it…?”
But with NO assurance that they will come out of
this alive, these three young men opt for obedience to God (Daniel
3:17-18). God bless ‘em!!
3. A
TIMELESS PRINCIPLE
(a) God’s
Commands are not Optional!
And “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts
5:29), whether that man is Prince or Prime Minister or Pope or Pastor!
(b) God’s
Promises are Unbreakable!
Over 100 years earlier God spoke through Isaiah, see chapter 43:1-5 “… when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee…”
Daniel’s friends were wise enough to realise that
this did not necessarily mean PHYSICAL deliverance (Daniel 3:18) … nor does
history show that it does mean that we can know His presence and comfort
in the fiery trials of life.
It is a promise of peace in the midst of the storm
for those who are loyal to Him.
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Daniel 4:1-3 introduces us to a chapter quite unique
in the Word of God, for it is written by a Gentile king, Nebuchadnezzar
of Babylon.
It is a decree he issued to all his subjects
testifying to the say God, Daniel’s God, had dealt with him.
Truly, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord
…” (Proverbs 21:1).
* * * * * * * * * *
1. THE
PRIDE OF THE KING
See him boasting over mighty Babylon, the most
glorious city the world had ever seen (vs. 29-30). “The golden city” Isaiah called it (Isaiah 14:4).
Historians and archaeologists agree that
Nebuchadnezzar was responsible for building this mighty metropolis on the
Euphrates. The Hanging Gardens were one
of the world’s seven wonders.
2. THE
DREAM OF THE KING
He sees a tree, in his dream, strong and flourishing
(v. 11), suddenly cut down until a stump remains, and around it a band of iron
and brass! (v. 15).
The wise men of Babylon fail to explain the meaning
… but Daniel does so, reluctantly (v. 19).
For the tree represents the king who will be suddenly smitten with a
strange disease. For seven ‘times’
(years? seasons?) he will be mad lake an animal! (v. 25).
Maybe repentance will avert this dreadful judgement!! (v. 27).
Notice…
(a) The
Prophet’s Faithfulness
Like Paul in New Testament days, Daniel does not
preach to please men (Galatians 1:10).
He dares to rebuke the King of Babylon with a
denunciation of his sin and a call to repentance!
(b) The
Lord’s Forebearance
It is a year before the judgement falls (vs. 28-29).
A few weeks of sleepless nights must have followed
Daniel’s interpretation. Then a few
weeks of anxiety. Then a few months of
forgetting about it, and a few more months of scoffing at the whole thing. And then, suddenly, he was mad.
(c) The
Expositor’s Folly
Some (not all!) Bible teachers see all kinds of
prophetic wonders hidden in the phrase ‘seven times’ (4:16; 25).
Taking a ‘time’ to mean a year, and changing years into days, gives them
2520 years to play with!! Trouble is,
no-one seems to know when it starts or finishes, if it
means 2520 years anyway!!
3. THE
MADNESS OF THE KING
Lycanthropy is the medical term given to this rare disease. It causes a person to think they are an animal (v. 33).
Commentaries on Daniel often give case histories of
people who suffered as Nebuchadnezzar did.
It is also interesting to notice that Josephus, the
Jewish historian, quotes Berosus, an earlier historian, who refers to
Nebuchadnezzar falling sick shortly before his death.
4. THE
DECREE OF THE KING
Nebuchadnezzar testifies to the fact that God is
Sovereign (v. 35). And that God is able
to afflict that men might turn to Him … those who walk in pride He is able to
abase! (v. 37).
David likewise spoke of the Lord afflicting him to
restore him to the right paths (Psalms 119:67;
67; 71).
The king seems to be converted! It may well be, as Vernon McGee suggests,
that one day we will meet Nebuchadnezzar and Daniel strolling arm in arm down
the golden streets of the New Jerusalem!
Nebuchadnezzar made a public confession of his
new-found faith in the Lord (v. 1).
Have you??
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It is October, 539 BC. Belshazzar, king of the mighty Babylonian Empire holds a party,
and what a party it was!! Not only
drunkenness, but desecration of the sacred vessels taken from Solomon’s Temple
50 years previous.
Suddenly, an uninvited Guest, or rather, a part of
one, causes the laughter to cease. A
disembodied Hand is writing on the plaster of the wall… (5:1-5).
* * * * * * * * * *
1. THE
DISCOVERIES OF THE ARCHAEOLOGISTS
There was a time when critics claimed Belshazzar
never existed. Ancient historians
claimed Nabonidus was Babylon’s last king.
But clay tablets discovered in 1882, and deciphered in 1924, revealed
that Nabonidus, absent from Babylon, had left his son in charge. Belshazzar was ‘acting king’ when Babylon
fell to the invaders.
Not only was the Bible shown to be accurate … but it
explained why he promised to make whoever interpreted the mysterious writing
‘the third in the kingdom’ (vs. 7, 16, 29).
Belshazzar was only ‘second’ to his father!
2. THE
DEGENERACY OF IDOLATRY
Note the descending splendour of the materials used
for the making of the ‘gods’ of Babylon, (v. 4). From ‘gold’ down to ‘stone’.
And this symbolizes the downward path taken by those who forsake the
true God.
When man fashions a god in his image he soon gives
that god lesser attributes … it is a god who does not punish sin or demand a
high moral code. The idols, be they of
gold or stone, make no demands of holy living on the part of their worshipper.
3. THE
DILEMMA OF THE WISE MEN
Again, (cf. Daniel 2:10-11; 4:7), the wise men of the king’s court are
unable to tell the interpretation of the Lord’s message (vs. 7-8). See I Corinthians 2:14!!
4. THE
DARING OF DANIEL
Belshazzar seems to know little of this man of
God. It is nearly 20 years since
Nebuchadnezzar (his grand-father-in-law) had died. The stories he had heard of Neb’s madness (chapter 4), and
conversion, meant nothing to this young upstart!
So Daniel is brought in (at the suggestion of the
queen, v. 10) (maybe Neb’s daughter;
wife of Nabonidus?), and before he tells the meaning of the writing he
rebukes the king! (5:17-23). Atta-boy,
Daniel!
5. THE
DECIPHERMENT OF THE MESSAGE
MENE … means “numbered”. The Kingdom of Babylon was about to find out that its days were
numbered! Time had run out. Even as the interpretation is given the Medo-Persian
armies are entering the city.
MENE … this is repeated for added emphasis.
TEKEL … means “weighed”.
Belshazzar has been weighed in God’s balances and found wanting!
UPHARSIN … means “divided”.
The Kingdom of Babylon is about to be divided between the Medes and the
Persians.
And thus is came to pass. ‘That very night the blood of Belshazzar mingled with the
spilt wine on the floor of the banqueting hall…’ (v. 30).
God’s Word always comes true.
6. THE
DECLARATION OF THE GOSPEL
(a) Without
the Lord Jesus as Saviour, we are weighed in the balances … and found wanting!
On Judgement Day will the Lord Jesus step into the
scales with you??
(b) And
when shall that Day be?
For some believers it will be at the Second Coming
of our Lord. And who knows when the
Last Trump shall sound? Matthew
24:36. And for some it may be their
time of earthly pilgrimage will end.
And who knows when that bell will toll for thee? Proverbs 27:1.
Belshazzar thought he had plenty of time to ‘set his
house in order’ and prepare to meet his God … and he was wrong.
Let’s be
ready all the time … and that means
trusting the Saviour, Who is also Lord!
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The story of Daniel in the lion’s den is one of the
most familiar of all Bible stories. It
brings to our attention a Pattern for the Saints, and a Picture of the Saviour.
* * * * * * * * * *
1. A
PATTERN FOR THE SAINTS
(a) His
Piety
Even his enemies find nothing by which they might
accuse him (v. 4). Promoted to being
King Darius’ right-hand man, the other presidents and princes of the realm are
out to bring “this Daniel” down (v. 5).
Daniel’s holiness of life is a rebuke for much of what passes as
Christian living in our day!
(b) His
Prayerfulness
Knowing the practice of prayer in which the Hebrew
prophet is daily employed, these anti-semetics (note v. 13) lie to Darius that
‘all the presidents’ agree that a law should be passed commanding prayer to the
king only for the next 30 days (v. 7).
But 70 years before, back in Jerusalem, Daniel’s mum had probably taught
him Psalm 55:17 as a memory verse. So
he kept on a-praying!! “Three times a
day … as he did aforetime”! (v. 10)
(c) His
Principles
Now we see why Spurgeon said the lions could not eat
Daniel … “He was two-thirds backbone and the rest was grit!”
Now we see why P.P. Bliss could write:
Dare to be a
Daniel,
Dare to stand
alone,
Dare to have a
purpose true
And dare to
make it known!
Yesterday he could have prayed in secret … and maybe
he did. It was no sin to do so… THEN!
But to do so NOW would be a denial of his God’s keeping power.
His windows were already open. He did not close them, knowing full well the
consequences (v. 10).
(d) His
Peace
… a peace that passeth all understanding flooded his
heart and mind.
Maybe God would deliver … and maybe not. Like his three companions faced with a fiery
death, Daniel did not know the outcome (see Daniel 3:17-18). But whichever way
it went he would have the Lord’s presence with him.
“Fear not them that only destroy and body” said the
Lord Jesus, “fear losing God’s smile upon our life” (see Matthew 10:28).
So into the lion’s den he went … and had a more
restful night than did King Darius in the palace.
(e) His
Dependence
Notice the reason given in verse 23 as to why God
delivered Daniel:
Not his good life, nor his prayers, nor his tithes,
nor the unjust accusations against him.
But his Faith! In New Testament
language, “we are saved by grace, through faith … not of works lest any man
should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).
In Acts 10 we meet Cornelius, a devout, prayerful
and generous man (Acts 10:2), who still needed to be saved (Acts 11:14).
God delivered Daniel because of his faith … his
dependence upon Him … not on his own works, however good they were.
2. A
PICTURE OF THE SAVIOUR
(a) The
Exile
Daniel was an exile in Babylon; the Lord Jesus was an exile from the Heavenly Jerusalem on Planet Earth … “Out of the ivory palaces…”
(b) The
Accusers
Try as they might, neither Daniel’s, nor the
Saviour’s, could find a fault. In both
cases they resorted to lies.
·
In
Daniel’s case they told the king ALL the presidents had agreed (v. 7), but
Daniel was a president and he had not been consulted.
·
In
our Lord’s case, “false witnesses” testified against Him (Matthew 26:60).
(c) The
Doom
… into the lion’s den.
Psalm 22, a Messianic Psalm, puts into the Lord’s
mouth these words: “Save me from the
lion’s mouth” (v. 21) … a prayer that was heard when He rose triumphant from
the pit.
(d) The
Deliverance
As Daniel came forth unscathed, so did our Lord
Jesus.
Death could not keep her
prey,
He tore the bars away …
Jesus, my Saviour!
(e) The
Victory
The foes are punished (v. 24). Notice how the Mosaic Law forbad the family
being put to death for one member’s offence.
Paganism had a lower concept of justice (Deuteronomy 24:16).
(f) The
Exaltation
Daniel is restored to the king’s right hand. And so was our Lord Jesus (Philippians
2:9-10).
(g) The
Decree
Everybody ought to worship the “Living God” (v.
26). And that’s what the New Testament
teaches, too!
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We come to what Hal Lindsey describes as the
“Greatest Chapter in the Old Testament”!!
(Late Great Planet Earth, chapter 8).
Which simply is not true. Isaiah 53 or Psalm 23 are much ‘greater’ as far as being a
blessing to the believer! But it certainly is an important chapter in the
unravelling of Bible Prophecy.
Back in chapter 2 the king saw a great image – head
of gold (Babylonian Empire), breast and arms of silver (Medo-Persian), torso of
brass (Greece), and legs of iron (Pagan Rome). The stone kingdom was the
Kingdom of God, established by the coming of Christ (Matthew 3:1; Mark 1:14-15).,
Read the notes on chapter 2 again.
* * * * * * * * * *
Now Daniel has a vision of four beasts … the lion
(Babylon), the bear (Medo-Persia), the leopard (Greece) and the indescribable
monster with ten horns (Pagan Rome) (7:1-8).
Daniel’s vision continues with a revelation of the
Final Judgement, and the destruction of the “little horn” (v. 11) which had
arisen from the fourth beast. And it is
this aspect of the vision that concerns the prophet. Verses 19-27 deal with the identity of this “little horn”. And Daniel is “much troubled” by what he sees.
Concerning the four beasts … there is no
problem. They present the four kings
(kingdoms, see on 2:39): Babylon,
Medo-Persia, Greece and Pagan Rome.
But with the identifying of the “little horn”
evangelical commentators go in all directions.
Or two different directions might be truer to say.
Dispensationalists teach that the ten horns (v. 7)
speak of a revived Roman Empire yet to arise.
And the “little horn” is the Anti-Christ who will manifest himself in
those last days.
* But
the traditional view is that Rome DID divide into ten kingdoms during the fifth
century as a result of the barbarian invasions. By AD 476 Pagan Rome was no more. Out of the ensuing chaos of a
divided Europe came a new ‘Empire’ … the “little horn” of Rome Papal!
(a) The
Origin
… out of the Roman Empire (v. 20)
(b) The
Time Factor … after Pagan Rome had fallen and divided into ten kingdoms.
(c) The
Difference
… (v. 23) “… diverse from the previous kingdoms” for this was a religious
kingdom, not political.
(d) The
Conquests
… (v. 24) … the three horns displaced are thought to refer to the Heruli (AD
493), Vandals (AD 534) and Ostrogoths (AD 538).
(e) The
Mouth …
(v. 20) … the Popes of Rome made incredible claims for themselves. Kings and emperors would tremble at their
word.
(f) The
Eyes …
(v. 20) … He claimed to be the Bishop (Overseer) of all Christendom.
(g) The
Persecutions … (v. 21). “It has been
calculated that the Popes of Rome have slain … 50 million martyrs” (Dr G.
Guiness).
(h) The Duration … (v. 25). “Time, times and half a time”, i.e. 3½
years.
Just as the number 7 denotes ‘completeness’, so 3½ would represent incompleteness … another way of saying that the “little horn” will not be finally victorious.
* * * * * * * * * *
Now, strange as the above interpretation may sound
to some readers, it was the view taught by such men as Luther, Calvin, Knox,
Wesley … it is not a new interpretation. Nor is it the only
interpretation … but it seems to me to fit the clues given in verses 19-25.
It is not a test of fellowship between
believers: we may differ on our
understanding of some of these things and still be “one in Christ Jesus”.
But, to me, it seems clear that the Papacy, the
Popes of Rome, fulfil the prophecy of the “Little Horn” ..…. Mmmm?
============================================================
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Here is a prophecy … “the most difficult” according
to the notes in the Scofield Bible! … which made Daniel sick!! (v. 27). In a
vision he sees a “ram with two horns” who was conquered by a he-goat that had
“a notable horn”. Read verses 3-7.
There is no great difficulty here … the angel
visitor explains to Daniel, and to us, just what it all means (vs. 20-21).
Nothing could be simpler … or could it? How some folk can say the Ram is Iran and
the He-goat is America I’ll never know!!!
But they do … “The two-horned Ram represents two powerful leaders in
Iran. The one-conspicuous ‘horned’
He-Goat represents a powerful leader of the United States of America. To fulfil biblical prophecy, it is a necessity
that the Ram buts westward, northward and southward…” Rubbish!
* * * * * * * * * * *
(a) The
Ram =
Medo-Persia.
(b) The
‘higher horn’ (v. 3) was Persia, that gained ascendancy over Media.
(c) The
He-goat =
Greece.
(d) The
prophecy
zeroes in on the ‘first king’:
Alexander the Great, who flew rapidly conquering the world of his
day. Coins of the time show Alexander
with a horn behind his ear.
His son was named Antiochus Aegeas … ‘Aegeas’ means
‘Son of the Goat’ … the Aegean Sea takes its name from the large numbers of
goats in the surrounding land and isles. The he-goat is an unmistakable picture
of Alexander the Great.
He died at the age of 33 …
[Alexander the Great (356-323 BC) was one of the
greatest generals of all time. Born in
Macedonia, he became king of all Greece after his father, Philip of Macedon,
had conquered the city-states and united Greece. In 13 years Alexander and his strong armies conquered an empire
that stretched from Greece to India.]
Now the prophecy becomes a little more tricky. It is here that commentators scuttle in all
directions … all, let it be added, having high regard for the inspiration of
Scripture. After the death of Alexander his kingdom was divided among his four
generals (v. 8). Out of one of those
divisions comes a ‘little horn’ whose activities make Daniel queasy … Who is he??
Augusta Cook and others say ……….………. Islam!
Arthur Bloomfield (and no-one else)....……..
Germany!!
Basil Stewart says …………………………... Greek Orthodox
Church!
The 7th Day Adventists say …………………. The
Papacy
Matthew Henry, etc. ………………………… Antiochus Epiphanes!!!
Antiochus Epiphanes rose to power in 176 BC in
Syria. This had been part of the Greek
Empire ruled by one of Alexander’s Generals (Selecus). And it is he who fulfils
the description given here.
(a) The
Destruction He Caused. The building of a gymnasium in
Jerusalem in 171 BC led to an all-out war against the Jews. The ‘host of Heaven’ (v. 10) would refer to
the Chosen People (God’s host) or the leaders of Judaism at that time.
(b) The
Desecration He Committed … (v. 11).
He defiled the Temple by offering a pig upon the altar and erecting
statues of Greek gods in the Holy Place.
This took place in defiance of Israel’s God (v. 12).
(c) The
Duration He Prospered … 2300 days. Actually a modern
translation is more accurate … 2300 evenings and mornings (sacrifices) … i.e.
1150 days (two sacrifices each day would cease for that period of time).
We do not have the exact date the desecration took
place … sometime in 168 BC. We do know
that a Jewish revolt led by the Maccabee family took place and overthrew the
Syrians and rededicated the Temple in December 165 BC.
If we had the exact dates we would see it worked out
to 1150 days. This Feast of Dedication
(165 BC) was commemorated annually and is mentioned in John 10:22.
(d) The
Doom He Suffered … Verse 25 records that Antiochus will be “broken without hand” … that
is, God will smite him …
That story is told in the Apocrypha … the
non-inspired books between the end of the Old
Testament and the start of the New.
Nevertheless there are some helpful background details concerning these
400 ‘silent’ years (when God spake not through any prophet), and it is here we
read the story of the Macabees and their victory over this ‘little horn’ of
Daniel 8.
<P.S.> Some writers consider Antiochus to be a type
… or illustration of the Anti-Christ … Mmmmm?
============================================================
THE 70 WEEKS OF
DANIEL :
Chapter 9
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Daniel 9:1-5a introduces us to one of the greatest
prophecies in the Word of God.
·
“The
most illustrious prediction of Christ … in the Old Testament” is how Matthew Henry describes it.
·
“The
most important prophecy, not only in the Book of Daniel, but in the whole Bible
…” says Dr A.C. Gabelein.
·
“The
most significant Time-Prophecy of the Bible …” K. Conner.
·
“No
single prophetic utterance is more crucial…” Dr A. McClain.
Quotations could be multiplied. Suffice to say, if we lose our way here it
will affect our outlook on the whole issue of prophetic interpretation.
* * * * * * * * * *
1. THE
PRAYER
… Verses 1-23
Whilst studying the Book of Jeremiah, Daniel
realises the Babylonian exile is almost at an end. Jeremiah said it would last for 70 years (v. 2. Jeremiah 25:5-11). Babylon has just fallen (9:1;
5:30-31).
Surely a decree permitting the Jews to return might
be expected any day. So Daniel
prays. He stands on the promises of
God’s Word … in this case Jeremiah 25 … and pleads earnestly for his people.
He
confesses their sin … verses 5, 7-8, 10-11
He
extols God’s righteousness … verses 7, 9
He
asks God’s blessing … verses 16, 18, 19
… at which stage the Angel, Gabriel, arrives with a
word from God.
2. THE
PROPHECY …
Verses 24-27
Just as 70 years had to pass before the Lord set His
people free from Babylonian captivity, so in 70 weeks (of years … all
evangelicals and even the Liberal theologians agree that such is the meaning of
the Hebrew), God will set His people free from spiritual bondage.
Notice in verse 24 the six things that will happen
before the ‘70 weeks’ (490 years) ends.
But when does the prophecy commence? When was the decree to “restore and rebuild
Jerusalem”? (v. 25).
Note Ezra 6:14 … the original Decree of Cyrus
to rebuild the Temple … the Decree of Darius that permitted them to
continue building despite Samaritan opposition (Ezra 6:12), and the Decree of Artaxerxes
permitting them to rebuild the city and restoring privileges unto the
returned exiles is spoken of as one Decree … 457 BC.
__________________________________________________________________
7 weeks
62 weeks
1 week
(49
years) (434
years) (7years)
457
BC 408 BC
AD 27
“Troublous times” Wall completed Last Week
Let’s get this clear in our minds …
Within a period of 490 years God is going to set His people free from spiritual bondage.
The starting point of the prophecy is the decree
that ‘restores’ to the Jews the privileges lost during the Babylonian
captivity. And permission to rebuild.
Then “God’s chosen leader” … i.e., the Messiah …
will come.
So in 457 BC Artaxerxes decreed the Jews could
continue to rebuild as Cyrus had said, also they might judge and execute the
death penalty, etc.
Ezra 7:24-25 (The Living Bible). Even Tax exemption for the clergy! The decree of Cyrus did not ‘restore’ such
rights.
Note the word ‘restore’ in Daniel 9:25 (A.V.) … and
the fact that Ezra 6:14 speaks of the first three decrees as ‘one’.
457 BC … Decree of Artaxerxes (7th year of his reign, Ezra 7:7). Ezra 7:11-25 (the decree).
408 BC … Wall completed. Streets built (Daniel 9:25) … (7 weeks).
AD 27 … Sixty-two weeks after the wall is completed
brings us to AD 27. The Messiah appears
saying “The Time is at hand!” (Mark 1:14-15).
The 7th ‘week’ follows on …
See verse 26 and 27. Both verses tell the same incidents, speaking of the Messiah.
(a) His
Crucifixion … v. 26 … mid-way through the last ‘week’ … and it is true His ministry
only lasted 3½ years. He was cut off
for sins not His own.
(c) The
Cessation of the Sacrifices … v. 27. The
death of Christ spelt an end to the animal sacrifices.
* * * * * * * * * *
Now look again at verse 24 … the six things the
Messiah would accomplish. The first
three seem to be saying that He will deal with the sin question ‘once for all’. And He did provide a way of reconciliation …
and bring in everlasting righteousness.
All the Messianic prophecies found fulfilment in Him (Acts 3:18). “To anoint the Most Holy” seems to refer to
the ascension, see Hebrews 1:9.
Verses 26 and 27 also speak of the coming judgement
on Jerusalem in AD 70. “The people of
the prince”, i.e. Titus, destroyed the Holy City. The “abominations that make desolate” (v. 27) is referred to in
Matthew 24:15-16. Luke, in his parallel
passage (21:20) interprets this to mean the armies of Rome.
Daniel does not say the destruction of the city
would take place within the 70 weeks … only those six transactions listed in
verse 24.
* * * * * * * * * *
CONCLUSION :
This prophecy will help us sort out which
interpretation of prophecy we should follow;
it will strengthen our faith in the inspiration of God’s Word (remember,
Daniel wrote about 540 BC); and it is a
vindication of the claims made by Jesus of Nazareth that He was the
Messiah. No other satisfies the time and
events foretold here …
| 70 weeks ↓ †
│ .
457 BC
AD 27 AD 30 AD 33
============================================================
WHEN ANGELS CLASH : Chapter 10
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
The subject of ANGELS is one that we seldom hear
preached from our pulpits. Nor are
there many books devoted to this theme.
In his excellent best-seller, Angels: God’s Secret Agents, Billy Graham
writes, “I believe in angels because the Bible says there are angels; and I believe the Bible to be the true Word
of God” (p. 15).
This tenth chapter of Daniel removes the veil from
the unseen world and gives us a rare glimpse of angelic activity.
1. THE
SUPPLICATION OF THE PROPHET … vs. 2-4
Daniel has been in earnest prayer for three
weeks. It may well be that news has
reached him of the returned exiles who had made their way back to Jerusalem
just a couple of years previous. And
how discouragement from within and opposition from without had caused them to
stop the rebuilding of their Temple (Ezra 4).
Note the following factors of his prayer:
(a) Continuity … he didn’t pray a few days
and give up. “Men ought always to pray
and not to faith!” (Luke 18:1)
(b) Sincerity. It was not ‘praying to be seen of men’ but to be heard by
God. He even gave up luxurious food …
(v. 3).
(c) Humility. In 10:9 we see Daniel bowed in awe, conscious of his unworthiness
in the Lord’s presence.
(d) Expectancy. We are to ask in faith … nothing doubting! James 1:6.
2. THE
MANIFESTATION OF THE LORD … vs. 5-9
Whilst some commentators differ, it seems that Daniel is now confronted by a Theophany … an Old Testament appearance of the pre-existent Son of God.
A comparison of the description given here with that
of John’s vision in Revelation 1 seems to indicate it is the Lord. See Daniel 10:5-9, Revelation 1:13-17.
Other manifestations of the Son of God in Old
Testament days can be found in the stories of Abraham, Jacob, Joshua, Manoah
(Samson’s father).
Isaiah tells us that he saw the Lord upon His throne
… and John quotes this passage and refers it to the Lord Jesus (Isaiah 6 and
John 12:37-41).
In the presence of the omnipotent Son of God, Daniel
is made aware of his own weakness (v. 8).
3. THE
CONFRONTATION OF THE ANGELS … vs. 10-15
When Gabriel arrives he has an incredible story to
tell. The prophet’s prayer had been
‘received’ at the Heavenly Headquarters as soon as he started to pray. And Gabriel (if it is Gabriel, i.e.) had
been immediately dispatched. BUT IT
TOOK HIM 21 DAYS TO REACH DANIEL!!!
Why??
On the way … from the throne of God to His praying
servant … Gabriel found himself in battle with the ‘prince of the Kingdom of
Persia’ (v. 13).
The Bible teaches that there are good angels … and
bad.
Among the good there are degrees of importance: archangels, angels, cherubim, seraphim.
Look at Paul’s word in Ephesians 6 in The Living
Bible. We are involved in a spiritual
warfare!
And it seems as if Gabriel was hindered by the Evil
Spirit who is responsible for the Persian Empire.
Only the fact that Michael, the archangel, came to
help him enabled him to reach Daniel! (v. 13).
Ezekiel 28:11-15 speaks of the ruler of Tyre, in
terms that apply to an Evil entity rather than an earthly king.
Gabriel even has another battle to contend with on
his way back to the Throne of God!! (vs. 20-21).
The fact that Michael is spoken of as ‘your prince’
leads a number of expositors to suggest that he is the Angel who watches over
Israel. See also Daniel 12:1.
It is a curious incident that confirms the dictum
that ‘there is more than meets the eye’ in the spiritual warfare in which we
are engaged.
* * * * * * * * * * *
CONCLUSION …
In II Kings
6 the city of Dothan is besieged by the Syrian host. Within the city is Elisha and his frightened servant. Elisha prays that the young man’s eyes might
be opened.
They are … and he sees the mountains full of the
angelic armies.
“Fear not,” says Elisha, “for they that be with us
are more than they that be with them …” (II Kings 6:16).
And it’s just as true today!!
==================================================================
APRIL IN PERSIA … or DANIEL’S
LAST PROPHECY : Chapters 11-12
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
INTRODUCTION …
Daniel is now about 87 years of age. He has lived through the 70 year exile and
on into the third year of Cyrus (10:1).
This final prophecy … given to the prophet on the
banks of the Tigris … in April (10:4, The Living Bible), is one of the most
difficult to unravel.
1. THE
PROBLEM OF INTERPRETATION
Up to 11:35 most are agreed. Then some see Daniel jump from 165 BC to after
the Second Coming!!
For example, Vernon McGee states: “From this point history ends and prophecy
begins … moving over a bridge of an unmeasured time period.”
Others say the prophecy jumps to the Anti-Christ who
will appear before the Second Advent.
Others see the Popes of Rome in verse 36 (S.D.A.’s),
or even the rise of Islam … believe me, commentators have trouble with these
closing chapters.
2. THE
PROBLEM OF TRANSLATION
The King James Version is not always the most
helpful here. For example, the chapter
divisions are in the wrong place, e.g. 11:1 should end chapter 10, not commence
chapter 11.
In 11:9 the K.J.V. says “the king of the south (i.e.
Egypt) will come” … but every modern translation gets it right with “the king
of the north (Syria) …”
11:14 in the K.J.V. says that ‘robbers’ will join
the king of the north. Better
translations render it ‘violent men’ will join with them.
We will use the Good News Bible for convenience.
3. THE
PROBLEM OF GEOGRAPHY
Many Christians are somewhat vague concerning Bible
geography. To get the most out of this
study we will need to continually refer to a map!
4. THE
PROBLEM OF TIME
It is possible to spend so much time wondering about
the king of the north that we get side-tracked from following the King of the
World! We are not to neglect prophecy
…“All Scripture is profitable” (II Timothy 3:16) … but some parts of
Scripture are more profitable than others!
And as Daniel 12:4 says … some fold will WASTE TIME
studying these prophecies.
* * * * * * * * * *
This last prophecy really commences in Daniel
10. There we read of Gabriel coming to
the prophet with a message concerning his people … the Jews (10:14-15).
One of the interesting facets of that chapter was
the warfare Gabriel encountered with the Angel of Persia … a warfare in the Heavens that delayed his
arrival by 21 days!
Fortunately Michael the Archangel had come to his
assistance.
The prophecy that follows (chapters 11-12) is so
remarkable in its accuracy that Bible critics argue that it was written after
the events!!
Not by Daniel (about 533 BC), but by an unknown Jew
who lived about 164 BC. So they say!!
Verse 2.
Daniel lives during the reign of Cyrus the Great, conqueror or Babylon!
Three more kings will follow:
(1) Cambyses
(530-522 BC)
(2) Smerdis
(522-521 BC)
(3) Darius
Hystapsia (521-486 BC)
and then ariseth the fourth, Xerxes! (486-465
BC). It is this king we meet in the
Book of Esther. Wealthier than all the
preceding kings he musters the largest army the world had ever seen to conquer
Greece. But he is defeated at the
famous sea battle of Salamis (480 BC), a blow from which it will not recover
and the way has been opened for a new world empire.
* * * * * * * * * *
Just as the Ram and He-goat prophecy depicted the
war between Persia and Greece in symbolic writing (see notes on chapter 8), now
we see it plainly told.
The ‘heroic king’ is Alexander the Great, who
conquers the world in less than a dozen years (v. 3).
His decisive victory over the Persians took place at
Arbela in 331 BC.
By 330 BC Alexander was ruler of the world. By 323 BC he was dead … a victim of his own
drunken life-style.
As the prophecy said, his own sons did not ascend to
the throne; rather was his empire
divided among his four generals (v. 4).
(1) Cassander
……………… Macedonia
(2) Lysimachus
…………... Asia Minor
(3) Seleucus
Nicator ……… Syria
(4) Ptolemy
Soter …………. Egypt
* * * * * * * * * *
NOW THE PROPHECY CONCENTRATES UPON THE KING OF THE
SOUTH (Egypt) AND THE KING OF THE NORTH (Syria). Look at the map. Notice
how Palestine is in the middle. When
Egypt wins the war with Syria, the Jews are under Egyptian rule. When Syria wins, then the Jews are under
Syrian rule.
Verse 5.
Seleucus (of Syria) loses his crown in a war, visits
Egypt and is made a general by Ptolemy II.
Seleucus returns to Syria, wins the war, and regains his crown.
The Seleucid empire will eventually become greater
than that of Egypt.
Verses 6-9.
In 249 BC Ptolemy (King of Egypt) gives his
daughter, Berenice, in marriage to Antiochus Theos, King of Syria (v. 6).
Antiochus even dumps his wife, Laodice, to enter
into this alliance – political and romantic.
But this ‘scorned wife’ poisons her ex-husband and
has her two sons (Seleucus Callinicus and Antiochus) murder Berenice … and her
baby!! (v. 6).
Nice family!
Berenice’s relative, Ptolemy Philadelphus, invades
Syria with his Egyptian army … plunders and defeats. And returns to Egypt victorious (vs. 7-8).
Verse 9 tells of Seleucus Callinicus who invades
Egypt with his Syrian army (240 BC) and is defeated.
Verses 10-12.
The two sons of Seleucus III are Seleucus Ceraunus
and Antiochus the Great. It is this
latter son who goes to war with Ptolemy Philopater … and is defeated at the
Battle of Raphia (217 BC). (See map).
Verse 13.
Antiochus the Great goes home defeated, marshals a
larger army, and returns to do battle with the king of the south, Egypt. This time his army is swelled by a number of
Jews (violent men) and rebels already in Egypt. Antiochus wins! And
Palestine is under Syrian rule (vs. 14-16).
Verses 17-20.
Antiochus the Great plans to conquer all Egypt, and
seeks to do so by giving his daughter, Cleopatra, in marriage to the King of
Egypt, Ptolemy Epiphanes (who is only 7 years of age!) (v. 17). (This is not the famous
Cleopatra made all the more famous by Shakespeare … or was it Elizabeth
Taylor?)
However, Cleo sides with her new husband, and
against her father! … the ‘plan does not succeed’! (v. 17).
Antiochus the Great then attacks Asia Minor (v. 18),
only to be driven back by a ‘foreign leader’ … a Roman general named Lucius
Asiaticus. This was at the Battle at
Magnesia, 190 BC.
Back home Antiochus the Great dies in disgrace, and
Seleucus Philopater (187-176 BC) comes to the Syrian throne (vs. 19-20).
Archaeologists reveal that his tax-collector was a
man named Heliodorus. His attempt to
seize funds from the Jewish Temple treasury was thwarted by a supernatural
apparition (according to II Maccabees 2:24 … one of the apochryphal books found
in the Roman Catholic Bible but regarded as uninspired, though sometimes
historical, by Protestants).
Seleucus Philopater was poisoned … probably by
Heliodorus!! (v. 20).
Verses 21-24.
Here we have Antiochus Epiphanes … the thirteenth
ruler in the Seleucid dynasty … the ‘Hitler’ of the Inter-Testament period
(between Old and New Testaments, approximately 400 years).
He called himself “Epiphany” … the “glorious”. The Jews called him “Epimane” … the Madman!
He was not the heir to the throne, Demetrius Soter
was, but by intrigue and flattery it was Antiochus “the Illustrious” who came
to power (v. 21). His skill lay not so
much in his comparatively small army but in the ways of political intrigue (v.
23).
And his conquests are attributed to Jupiter, the
Roman god, something the previous kings of Syria had never done. Their gods had been Greek!! (v. 24).
The fortresses of verse 24 may well refer to Egypt’s
line of defense.
Verses 25-31.
Two attacks on Egypt are described (vs. 25, 29).
The first of these leads to ‘peace talks’ (v. 27)
with Ptolemy Philometor.
Antiochus returns to Syria with much loot (v. 28),
and a growing hatred of the Jews. For
they neither worship him nor Jupiter!!
The next campaign against Egypt (169 BC) results in
failure due to the intervention of the Roman ships under Popilius Laenas.
In great rage Antiochus Epiphanes now attacks the
Jews. 80,000 perish. A pig is sacrificed on the altar and a
statue of Jupiter erected in their Temple! (vs. 30-31).
It is the 15th day of Chislev (the Jewish
month), 168 BC. The story is told in I
Maccabees 1:20-54.
Verses 32-35.
Antiochus and his army are joined by apostate Jews.
Others fight back (v. 32).
Matthias, the priest, and his five sons launch
guerrilla warfare against the invaders.
Led by Judas Maccabee the 10,000 loyal Jews take on Antiochus’ army of
65,000.
And by December, 165 BC, about 3½ years later, the
Temple is cleansed and re-dedicated to the service of Jehovah! (See notes on Daniel 8:14).
Many are killed, but the Jews live to see Antiochus
smitten with a disease that leads to his awful death (See quote from II
Maccabees at the end of study on Daniel 8).
* * * * * * * * * * *
Until now most commentators are agreed. But now they fly off in all kinds of
tangents. To leap across 2000 years to
a future Anti-Christ seems, to me, to break every rule in Homiletics … the
science of interpreting Scripture.
And the Scripture does to on to talk about the king
of the north and of the south as if there were no break in the continuity of
the prophecy.
So I’ll follow Matthew Henry and William Taylor, who
see no reason to change the subject.
Verses 36-39.
Of course, what the Hebrew of this verse says is
“the king of the north”, not “the king of Syria”, as our translation renders
it.
There are good Bible-believing Christians who
see this as a picture of the Anti-Christ, of whom Antiochus Epiphanes was but
an illustration.
But let’s follow it through as if it is still
speaking of the Syrian madman.
He did set himself above the God of Israel (v.
36). He did ignore the Greek gods (v.
37). Even Adonis … the ‘god that women
love’.
The worshippers of Jupiter are promoted to positions
of importance in his realm (v. 39).
Of course, there is a reminder
here of New Testament predictions concerning the Man of Sin. He, too, magnifies himself above God. And wages war with God’s people. And decked himself with precious gems (v.
39).
See II Thessalonians 2:4, 8; Daniel 7:25 … and notes on that chapter.
And God will deal with him as He dealt with
Antiochus Epiphanes “at the appointed time”! (v. 35).
Verses 40-45.
In the 11th year of his reign Antiochus
Epiphanes was attacked by the King of Egypt (v. 40).
One of the problems with that statement is that it
is not recorded in any history book! But it is
recorded by Porphyry, a philosopher who wrote (in AD 300) fifteen books AGAINST
Christianity.
We no longer have Porphyry’s books.
The “Christian” (?) Roman Emperors had them
destroyed. But we do have Saint (?)
Jerome’s reply to Porphyry (written about AD 400). And he quotes this statement that Antiochus was attacked by the
king of the south!!
It thus happens that an enemy of the Scripture
testifies to this particular section of the prophecy!! Porphyry said it was written AFTER it had
happened because it was so accurate!
Stormy days indeed for God’s people, when Antiochus
was on the throne.
He died … according to William Taylor … 45 days
after the Feast of Dedication (v. 45).
Chapter 12 reads straight on … without a chapter
break!
Sure, there are stormy days ahead for God’s people
(and that may be just as true for US as it was for them) … but one day there will
be a resurrection from the dead!
And that’s the hope that spurred them on to faithful living despite
persecution and death (12:2).
Verses 1-3.
Judgement on that Day for the ungodly, but a crown
of glory awaits those who were the “wise leaders” (12:3; 11:33)
<N.B.> Those who
stood for the Truth and paid with their lives!
The reference to Michael, the Archangel, reminds us
that He fights for God’s people in the Heavenly places, whilst men like the
king of the north (Syria) attacked them on earth (v. 1).
Verses 4-13.
Daniel is told to close the book (v. 4), otherwise
some good folk will spend all their time studying Daniel 10-12 instead of (say)
Romans 8 …!! Some Christians do!
But Daniel listens in to some angelic visitors
asking when all this prophecy will end (vs. 5-6). A third angel replies, “… three and a half years” (v. 7).
Back in Daniel 7:25 we made the suggestion that just
as “7” denotes completeness, so 3½ would stand for incompleteness … that is to
say, the king of the north (Antiochus Epiphany) will not triumph.
Daniel “heard what he said but didn’t hear what he
meant” … so he asks when the end of the prophecy will be dated (v. 8).
The angel replies that the whole thing is like a
prophetic parable … believers will understand it and unbelievers will not! (vs.
9-10; c.f. Matthew 13:13-16).
Finally the angel tells the prophet two
time-prophecies …
Verse 11: From the
time Antiochus Epiphany desecrates the Temple until the time it is cleased will
be 1290 days. Compare this with Daniel
8:14. There it says the Sanctuary will
be trodden under foot for 1150 days.
Both end with the ‘cleansing of the Temple’ … maybe
one commences with Antiochus’ attack on Jerusalem … the other with his
sacrifice of the pig upon the altar … we do not know!!
Verse 12: Here we are introduced to another time-prophecy …
1335 days.
According to William
Taylor this was 45 days after the re-dedication ceremony when Antiochus died!
(p. 241).
* * * * * * * * * *
In the meantime Daniel is, and so too, are we,
exhorted to remain faithful whate’er betide … for there is a Day of
Resurrection unto Eternal Life awaiting those who trust … and keep on trusting,
Him!!! (v. 13).
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Recommended Reading:
Daniel
… by E.J. Young
Times
of the Gentiles … by B. Atkinson
Daniel
the Beloved … by William Taylor
Commentaries
… by Matthew Henry and Albert Barnes.
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