Thursday
Evening Bible Study
February 2, 2006
Introduction
Last week we began a look at one of Daniel’s most amazing encounters with
the supernatural. He had been praying
and fasting for three weeks when an angel showed up in order to show Daniel
some incredibly specific, accurate peeks into the future. The first 35 verses of chapter 11 gave an
amazing look at things that would happen over a span of 150 years. It covered things that would affect the
little nation of Israel
as world powers fought their wars in the land
of Israel. It detailed the rise of the Greek empire,
then how two of the parts of the Greek empire would fight each other with Israel
caught in the middle. We saw these
accurate descriptions of events that would transpire between the “King of the
North”, which was Syria,
and the “King of the South”, which was Egypt. The section started with the fall of the Persian
Empire, and ended with the rise of this one evil king of Syria,
known as Antiochus Epiphanes. We talked
about how Antiochus was a model of a future rule that we call the “antichrist”.
Sometimes we have the notion that the word “antichrist” means “opposite of
Christ”, which he is. But the prefix
“anti” means “in the place of”, and the title “antichrist” means that this
individual will come and claim to be the Messiah, and take the place of Jesus
Christ.
Daniel’s view into the future will now take a leap through time, jumping
from the time of Antiochus to the
time of the antichrist.
Daniel 11
Why a jump in time?
Is this allowable in prophetic interpretation?
Yes, Jesus set the example. When
Jesus started His ministry in Galilee (Luke 4:16-22), He read from a passage in
Isaiah 61:1-2 to say that it described Him, but He was careful to not read the
entire passage. If you study the
passages you will find that the passage in Isaiah also has one of these hidden
“time warps”. Jesus knew this and only
read through the part concerning His first coming. He stopped before reading about the second
coming.
In our passage, there are some temporal indicators that have changed.
1) "the time of the end"
Verse 35 ended with:
(Dan 11:35
NKJV) …until the time of the end…
This is a phrase that refers to the last days. This same phrase, “the time of the end” will
also pop up in verse 40 as well.
2) “at that time...” (12:1)
The next chapter continues with the current one, and as you read, it identifies
this time as the time of the resurrection of the dead (12:2).
3) “till the wrath has been accomplished”
(vs.36)
Refers to this ruler being around at the time of the tribulation period.
4) Lastly, everything up to this
point (vs.1-35) has been completely fulfilled, down to the last detail.
But nobody seems to have a clue as to what in history past this next part
could belong to.
:36-45 The Antichrist
:36 "Then the king shall do
according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god,
Lesson
The danger of self promotion
The antichrist will be following the path that his mentor had laid out
before him, Satan:
(Isa 14:13-14 NKJV) For you
have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne
above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the
farthest sides of the north; {14} I will ascend above the heights of the
clouds, I will be like the Most High.'
As humans, we have an interesting trait when it comes to conversations we
have with one another. If you pay
attention, most people are really only interested in talking about one thing –
themselves. In a way that makes it kind
of easy to have a conversation with people, just ask them about themselves and
many people will talk for hours. Just
don’t expect them to return the favor and ask about you. How many times have you been in a conversation
with a person when you realized you weren’t even paying attention to what they
were saying, but you were instead focusing on what you were going to say next?
The antichrist will be the epitome of being self-absorbed. He will be a person who toots his own horn.
Now it’s not always bad to toot a horn …
Way down upon the Mississippi, two tugboat captains who had been friends
for years, would always cry, “Aye!” and blow their whistles whenever they
passed each other. A new crewman asked
his ship”s first mate, “What do they do that for?” The mate looked surprised and replied, “You
mean that you’ve never read in the Bible where it says, ‘an aye for an aye and
a toot for a toot’?”
It’s best if you let others toot your horn.
(Prov 27:2 NKJV) Let another
man praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips.
Let God be the one who handles the “promotion” responsibilities for you:
(Psa 75:6-7 KJV) For
promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south.
{7} But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.
If from time to time you find yourself tooting your own horn, be careful
about whose example you’re following.
:36 shall speak blasphemies against
the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for
what has been determined shall be done.
Paul wrote,
(2 Th 2:4 NKJV) who opposes
and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that
he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
He will continue this blasphemy until the end of the tribulation period
(“till the wrath has been accomplished”)
:37 "He shall regard neither the God of his fathers
Some feel that this means the antichrist will be of Jewish descent since
the phrase “the God of your fathers” is often used to talk about the God of the
Jews. The antichrist could be a “Jewish
atheist”.
It may simply mean that whatever background he has, he doesn’t pay
attention to his own religious heritage.
:37 nor the desire of women
There are several possibilities here:
1. It might be a reference to Jesus
Christ, God's Messiah.
The Messiah has long been the desire of Jewish women, that they might be
chosen to give birth to the Savior of their nation!
This person, the antichrist won't have any regard for the Messiah.
2. It may mean that he will be a
single man.
He won't have a desire to be married, but will be more interested politics
than women.
3. The antichrist could be a
homosexual.
In our society today, it wouldn’t surprise me.
:37 nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all.
:38 "But in their place he shall honor a god of fortresses; and a god
which his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with
precious stones and pleasant things.
The “god” that the antichrist will honor will be military force.
He will have one of the world's largest and best military under his
control.
He will “honor” this god with money – he’ll have a huge military budget.
:39 "Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign
god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them
to rule over many,
As he is giving honor to this “god of fortresses”, he will take action
against the strongest “fortresses”, possibly coming against the strongest
nations.
Of course, he’ll have a little help, from Satan (who could be stranger or
more “foreign” god than him!)
:39 and divide the land for gain.
divide the land for gain – sound a little like what’s happening to Israel
right now with this “roadmap” to peace.
The land is being divided between Israel
and the Palestinians. There are great
financial incentives for both the Palestinians and the Israelis in going along
with these plans.
Currently, with Hamas gaining political power within the Palestinians, the U.S.
and Europe are both threatening to cut off financial
aid, which is keeping the Palestinian government alive. There is financial pressure to “divide” the
land.
:40 "At the time of the end
I believe this is going to be a description of events that will take place
in the first half of the tribulation, the first 3 ½ years.
:40 the king of the South shall
attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind,
with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries,
overwhelm them, and pass through.
:41 "He shall also enter the Glorious
Land, and many countries shall be
overthrown;
Up until verse 35, the kings of the “north” and “south referred to the
nations of Syria
and Egypt.
Here’s where it can get a little confusing.
There seem to be two possible interpretations of this verse. It depends
on who the word “him” refers to throughout the verse.
1. It’s possible that this verse is
saying that the king of the south, Egypt,
will attack the Syrians which might be led by the antichrist.
The king of the “north” referred to evil Antiochus Epiphanes in verse 35,
the man that would be the predecessor to the antichrist. Antiochus ruled Syria,
perhaps the antichrist continues that rule.
After being attacked by Egypt,
the antichrist, as the king of the “north”, then attacks the king of the south
like a whirlwind …
That’s one view. The two references
to “him” are two different people.
2. It seems more likely that both of
the “him” references are the same person, the antichrist. He’s been the focus, the “he” of the previous
verses. It’s possible that he is being
attacked from both ends, from the south and from the north.
We’ve talked about how the other prophecies in Daniel seem to indicate that
the antichrist will rule over a revived Roman Empire. We’ve wondered if that might not be the
future of the European Union.
The antichrist will also create some sort of treaty with the nation of
Israel, and it’s possible that as Israel is attacked from the south and north,
that the antichrist is the one who comes there to “help” Israel.
After defending the attack, the antichrist responds and overwhelms both Egypt
and Syria as
well as other nations. He also takes
over Israel in
the process.
:41 but these shall escape from his
hand: Edom, Moab,
and the prominent people of Ammon.
One area the antichrist will not be able to control is modern Jordan.
John describes a picture of how the Jews will be persecuted by the
antichrist after the middle point of the Tribulation, after he performs the
“abomination of desolation”.
(Rev 12:14-16 NKJV) But the woman was given two wings of a great
eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is
nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the
serpent. {15} So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after
the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. {16} But
the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the
flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.
John is describing how the Jews will flee into the Judean wilderness from
the armies of the antichrist.
Jesus had warned the Jews about when to flee from the antichrist:
(Mat 24:15-16 NKJV)
"Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of
by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him
understand), {16} "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
There is an ancient prophecy (Is. 16:1-2) that seems to locate the place in
the “wilderness” is a place called “Sela” or “Petra”. It is located in modern Jordan,
the area that will not be conquered by the antichrist.
:42 "He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land
of Egypt shall not escape.
:43 "He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and
over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall
follow at his heels.
The antichrist’s conquests will include Egypt,
Libya, and Ethiopia. He will gain wealth from these conquests.
:44 "But news from the east and the north shall trouble him; therefore
he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many.
The book of Revelation describes an army that comes from the east:
(Rev 9:14-16
NKJV) saying to the sixth angel who had
the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates." {15} So the
four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year,
were released to kill a third of mankind. {16} Now the number of the army of
the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them.
What’s the “news from the north”?
One suggestion is that this is where the battle with Gog and Magog (Eze.
38-39) takes place.
It could be that the “king of the north”, the Syrians regroup and attack.
:45 "And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the seas and
the glorious holy mountain;
The “glorious holy mountain” is mount
Zion. It is located between the seas, between the Mediterranean
and the Dead Seas.
This is describing the antichrist moving his governmental headquarters to Jerusalem.
I think this could be the time frame when the antichrist commits the
“abomination of desolation” (Dan. 9:27;
Mat. 24:15) by stopping the sacrifices in the Temple
and declaring himself to be the Messiah and to be God. He will have saved Israel
from the attacks from the north and the south.
:45 yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help him.
Lesson
Hope
I believe this is meant to be an encouragement to the Jews who will be
living in these days.
I believe this is a message of encouragement that says, “Don’t worry, it
will soon be all over, and that evil guy is going to get what’s coming to him”.
John recorded the specifics:
(Rev 19:19-21 NKJV) And I
saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to
make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. {20} Then the
beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his
presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and
those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire
burning with brimstone. {21} And the rest were killed with the sword which
proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were
filled with their flesh.
When you get discouraged, don’t feel bad about skipping to the “end of the
book” and reminding yourself how it all turns out.
In the end, Jesus wins. We win. And after the victory, we don’t go to Disneyland,
we go to heaven.
(2 Cor 4:16-18
NKJV) Therefore we do
not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is
being renewed day by day. {17} For our light affliction, which is but for a
moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
{18} while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which
are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which
are not seen are eternal.
Daniel 12
Too bad there’s a chapter break here because the same prophecy continues …
:1 "At that time
At the time that the antichrist sets up his government in Jerusalem
(11:45)…
:1 Michael shall stand up, The great
prince who stands watch over the sons of your people;
This is Michael, the “archangel”. He
is roughly equivalent to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the
armies of heaven. One of his main duties is to protect the Jews (“your people”)
The timing of this rising up of Michael coincides with the timing of the
Jews fleeing into the wilderness for the last 3 ½ years of the tribulation:
(Rev 12:6 NKJV) Then the woman fled into the wilderness,
where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one
thousand two hundred and sixty days.
It’s at this same time that Michael and his armies wage a war in heaven:
(Rev 12:7-11 NKJV) And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his
angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, {8} but
they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. {9}
So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and
Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels
were cast out with him.
Things in heaven are intimately entwined with the things going on down on
the earth. This protection by Michael
for the Jews is directly related to this victory occurring in heaven.
{10} Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now
salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His
Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our
God day and night, has been cast down.
Michael is fighting a war in heaven, but the victory comes from the
believers on the earth. The weapons that
bring victory are not things that angels can use, these are weapons that humans
use.
{11} "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by
the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
These are the things that give us victory over Satan:
1)
The blood of the Lamb. It’s
Jesus’ blood that cleanses us, pays for our forgiveness, and restores us to
God. These are areas that Satan is
constantly attacking.
Don’t give in to the condemnation of Satan – the blood of
Jesus has freed you.
2) The word of their testimony. This is the word of God, the Bible. Jesus fought Satan’s temptations by quoting
the Scripture and by living the Scripture.
3)
They didn’t love their lives to the death. They were willing to die for Jesus. We care too much for our own comfort. But no one can stop you if you get to the
point where you realize that death is the worst they can do to you, and death
only means you go to heaven.
Could it be that the way the believers’ on earth conduct themselves will
affect the way that the war is waged in heaven?
Could it be that the way YOU and I conduct ourselves on earth affects the
outcome of things going on in heaven or even events that are about to occur
around the world?
Last week we saw with Daniel how his personal life had been influenced by
the invisible spiritual world. Now we
see that our world affects the spiritual.
:1 And there shall be a time of
trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time.
This is that time period we call the “Great Tribulation”, which is the
final 3 ½ years of the overall period we call the “Tribulation”. You see descriptions of this time in the book
of Revelation.
:1 And at that time your people
shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book.
This is what Paul means when he writes:
(Rom 11:25-26 NKJV) For I do
not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you
should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to
Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. {26} And so all Israel
will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And
He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
Those who trust in Jesus are those who are “written in the book”.
:2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some
to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Two resurrections are described, one for the believers, one for the
unbelievers.
Currently, when a person dies, they go to one of two places – those who are
believers go to heaven in their spirit.
Those who are not believers will go to hell.
A “resurrection” is when a person gets a new physical body. There are several “resurrections” coming in
our future:
1) The Rapture could happen at any moment (1Th. 4:13-18). The
Rapture will affect those of us who are still alive on the earth as well as all
those who have trusted in Jesus throughout history. The first ones to get their new resurrection
bodies will be those who have already died:
(1 Th 4:17 NKJV)
Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them
in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the
Lord.
2) At the end of the Tribulation, after Jesus comes back, there will be
another resurrection where those who were killed for their faith during that
seven year period will be raised from the dead and get new bodies (Rev. 20:4).
3) Then, after Jesus reigns for 1,000 years, all those who have not trusted
in Jesus during the entire lifetime of this planet will be raised. We call this the “Great White Throne”
judgment. They too will be given new
bodies, but instead of bodies that are built to live in heaven, they will be
given bodies that are built to live in the Lake
of Fire. (Rev. 20:11-15)
(Rev 20:15
NKJV) And anyone not found written in the
Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
:3 Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament,
Jesus said,
(Mat 13:43
NKJV) "Then the righteous will
shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father…
This is “glory”. Our new,
resurrected bodies will have “glory”.
They will shine.
:3 And those who turn many to
righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.
When we are aware of what “forever” is all about, it ought to motivate us
to want to share Jesus with others. We
ought to want to take as many people to heaven as we can.
James wrote,
(James 5:20 NKJV) let him
know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from
death and cover a multitude of sins.
Solomon wrote,
(Prov 11:30 NKJV)
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is
wise.
:4 "But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the
time of the end;
It has been suggested that the things Daniel was shown by the angel were
actually much clearer to Daniel than they are to us. The angel had said,
(Dan 10:14
NKJV) "Now I have come to make you
understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision
refers to many days yet to come."
The suggestion is that Daniel went back and wrote his experience down in
such a way as to make it more difficult for people to understand, at least
until the time of the end, until now.
Some people complain that many of the ideas talked about in Prophecy
Conferences were unheard of 150 years ago.
But that’s because it’s not been until the “end” that the prophecy would
be “unsealed” or understood.
:4 many shall run to and fro, and
knowledge shall increase."
Some think this might refer to man searching hard to understand these
prophecies.
But I can’t help but think that this is a reference to increased travel
abilities and an increase in knowledge.
I think there are probably no clearer prophetic words about the times we
live in than these. To think of hopping
on a plain in Los Angeles and in less than a day you are deposited 17,000 miles
away in Russia. Incredible.
And what greater increase in knowledge than what has happened in the last
ten years with the Internet? Google it.
:5 Then I, Daniel, looked; and there stood two others, one on this
riverbank and the other on that riverbank.
Besides the original angel (Dan. 10), two more angels show up. Daniel has
been at the banks of the Tigris (also known as the Hiddekel)
River.
:6 And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of
the river, "How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?"
How long since the events of Dan. 12:1, the time of the “abomination of
desolation”, until Jesus comes back?
:7 Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the
river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by
Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time;
time, times, and half a time = 3 ½ years, the last half of the
Tribulation.
:7 and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all
these things shall be finished.
When the persecution of the Jews is over.
:8 Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, "My lord, what
shall be the end of these things?"
:9 And he said, "Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and
sealed till the time of the end.
Don’t worry Daniel, you don’t have to know everything.
:10 "Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked
shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall
understand.
Lesson
Refiner’s Fire
As horrible as the Tribulation will be, it will actually be producing a
good work. God’s people, the Jews, will
be refined.
Illustration
A vacationer watched with curiosity as a lumberman occasionally jabbed his
sharp hook into a log, separating it from the others that were floating down a
mountain stream. When asked why he did
this, the worker replied, “These may all look alike to you, but a few of them
are quite different. The ones I let pass
are from trees that grew in a valley where they were always protected from the
storms. Their grain is coarse. The ones
I’ve hooked and kept apart from the rest came from high up on the
mountains. From the time they were
small, they were beaten by strong winds.
This toughens the trees and gives them a fine and beautiful grain. We save them for choice work. They’re too
good to make into plain lumber.”
We may not enjoy the difficult times we go through, but we need to remember
that God cares enough about us to make us the finest men and women He can.
(Rom 5:3-5 NKJV) And not
only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces
perseverance; {4} and perseverance, character; and character, hope. {5} Now
hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our
hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
These are the kinds of things that God is producing in us through our
trials.
:11 "And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the
abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred
and ninety days.
3 ½ years in “prophetic years” (360 days each) = 1260 days. This is an additional 30 days added on to the
3 ½ years.
What’s the extra 30 days for?
There are lots of people who have ideas about this –
Some suggest its extra time to allow for the judgment of Israel
and the nations, or perhaps it will take thirty days from when Jesus returns,
until the war with antichrist is over.
One suggestion is that there might be a thirty day warning BEFORE the
abomination of desolation, warning the world that it’s coming.
But it’s really hard to know just what it means.
:12 "Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three
hundred and thirty-five days.
There is a time period of an addition 45 days. What’s this for?
Again, this is just conjecture –
Perhaps it’s a “mopping up” period, where judgment and cleanup take
place. A world filled with billions of
people is going to be judged.
Others suggest there might be a celebration, like the “Feast of
Tabernacles”, though it’s a bit long for that.
:13 "But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will
arise to your inheritance at the end of the days."
Daniel will be back … and so will we …