Daniel Review Concluded

As we continue to look at lessons learned from Daniel, we next need to realize that there are those who claim to have the ability to foretell the future based on some ability other than understanding God's word.  They will often outnumber those who truly speak for God.  They will also usually want to say what will make them look the best to those in power.  As followers of Christ, we can never allow ourselves to be caught up in simply endorsing the actions of those in power, especially when what they are doing goes against God's teachings.  We may live a longer and more prosperous life by doing so, but ultimately, we will be held accountable for our actions.  Also, if we do find ourselves in positions of power, we must use those positions for God's glory and not our own.  Daniel never abused his position but worked to benefit the king that he was serving at that time, so that God would be glorified by his actions.  We are never to use our position in life, whether it be great or small, simply from a selfish point of view.  I personally believe that this applies to nations as well as to individuals.  If God has blessed a nation, it is so that those less fortunate may be helped for the glory of God.  God does not value one group of people over another.  A person's relationship to Christ is all that matters.  Also, we need to understand that kingdoms, some good and some terrible, come and go, but God's kingdom is forever.  As followers of Christ, we are already a part of that kingdom.  One day, and nobody knows when, Christ will return to claim those that are His.

Daniel Review Continued

Another lesson from the book of Daniel is that we may find ourselves in the fiery furnace because of our faith.  Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were faithful to God, but God did not keep them out of the furnace.  If we begin to proclaim a gospel that states that God wants us happy, then there is no room for a fiery furnace experience.  God wants us faithful, and we already have a promise of all the riches of heaven, but even there they will not be what is important.  I don't believe that this means that every follower of Christ will always be delivered in this life from every situation in which their faith is tried by fire, but their deliverance to everlasting life is always assured.  Many of the early New Testament Christians died horrible deaths because of their faith, but they will live forever with Christ.  We also need to remember that we are New Testament Christians, and we may have our faith tested.  If we do not have a faith that will lead us into the fire for the sake of our faith, then we may be weighed in the balance and found wanting.  Next, we need to realize the importance of prayer in the daily life of a follower of Christ.  Daniel could have prayed quietly or behind closed doors for thirty days and have avoided the lions den, but he chose to pray out where people could see, even if it meant going into the lion's den.  It is not enough to silently worship God, even in the face of adversity.  As believers in God, all four could have died, but their everlasting fate was already secured because of their faith.  They were delivered for the glory of God.  As followers of Christ, our salvation is assured, so if we live through very dangerous situations that we are in because of our faith, it will always be for God's glory.  We also need to acknowledge that if God delivers us safely from these situations it is because we still have work to do for Him.

Daniel Review

I believe that there are several things that we can learn from the book of Daniel.  The first is that just because we are a follower of Christ doesn't mean that we are always going to be successful and in power in this world.  The Jews, during Daniel's time were in captivity, and remained so for his lifetime.  We also need to understand that just because we may be offered better things by those in power does not mean that we should accept them if it means turning away from God.  Just as Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego choose to not eat the king's meat in order to remain faithful to God, we must never accept the things of this world if they cause us to turn away from our faith in Christ.  There may be those today who proclaim that if Jesus were alive today that He would travel and live in style, but the truth is He could have done that during His lifetime if He so chose to.  Jesus came as a suffering Servant, and we are called to be like Him if we are His followers.  We are called to go into the world, even if we encounter those that we feel are demon possessed.  Our call is to reach out to even the demon possessed with the word of God, and God is more powerful than any demon will ever be.  Next, just as Daniel was given the ability to interpret dreams and visions that were messages from God, we today are given the ability to understand God's message to us.  Not all dreams and visions are messages from God, but if they are, then God will make the meaning known to us.  Daniel never had nor claimed to have any mystical power to interpret these dreams and visions, but was always quick to give God the credit for the interpretation.  We must also always give God the credit for all our success in understanding His word.  The Holy Spirit works within us to help us understand.  I do not believe that we will ever understand all that God's word has to teach us in this lifetime, because God is so much more knowledgeable than we will ever be, but we must always continue to study His word.

Daniel 12:8

Daniel 12:8 says, And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?  The question so far had come from one of the angels, but now Daniel himself asked a question.  He did not understand what was being said.  If we find ourselves with questions about God's word, the best thing to do is go to the Source.  We may rely on other Christians or the writings of other Christians, but we need to look to God through the leadership of the Holy Spirit for the ultimate answer.  Verse nine adds, And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.  Daniel was not given a definite time frame for these things to happen, but was told to go his way.  Daniel was also told that the words were closed up and sealed until the time of the end, which I would interpret as the second coming of Christ.  I believe that we like Daniel must simply go our way until that time comes.  Our concern is to be living faithfully for Christ and spreading His gospel without concern about His return.  It is already an assured fact and will occur when God deems the time to be right.  It may be in our lifetime or not, but we are to live each day knowing that when the end comes we will be with God forever.  Verse ten continues, Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.  I believe that this is a reference to being purified by faith in Christ, which is the only way to be purified before God.  Those who understand this are wise, but those who wicked will not understand salvation by faith in Christ alone.  It is not that they cannot understand, but that they will not.  Verse eleven states, And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.  This seems to be a reference to the time of the rule of the antichrist immediately before the return of Christ.  It will be a terrible, but limited time.  Those who remain faithful to God may suffer terribly, but the suffering will be but temporary, whereas the deliverance will be everlasting.  Verse twelve adds, Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.  Those who remain faithful during this time will be blessed, not because of their suffering, but because of their faith.  Verse thirteen continues, But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.  Daniel was told to go his way and wait.  He would be dead long before these prophecies came to pass, but his resurrection was assured at the end of the days, the second coming of Christ.  We today need to go our way till the end, whether it be in our lifetime or years after our death.  Our victory, like that of Daniel, is assured either way.

Daniel 12:5

Daniel 12:5 says, Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river.  Daniel had seen and heard one angel, Gabriel, but he now saw two others.  One was on each side of the river.  I believe that what we need to realize is that God is not limited in the number of angels that can be at work in the world at any one time.  I believe that we also need to realize that we will never be angels.  Angels were created as angels before mankind existed.  We will always be simply people redeemed by Christ.  Verse six adds, And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?  Matthew Henry says the man clothed in linen stranding on the waters was Christ.  Since I believe Daniel was now seeing into the future to the time of the second coming, I believe this would be accurate.  There  is no king to associate what Daniel was seeing with.  The angels asked how long it would be before they saw these wonders.  Matthew Henry says their question was out of concern for the church and not just idle curiosity.  Verse seven continues, And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.  The answer came from the One clothed in linen.   Matthew Henry said there were various interpretations of how long this time would be, but one is an indefinite period of time.  He then attempts to associate the time with a particular period of time around the end of the rule of Antiochus, but states that no time in history aligns perfectly.  We do know that God's people will have been scattered, then all these things will be finished.  Whether we see this as a time in history that has already occurred or a prophecy about the second coming of Christ, we know that the church has been scattered and that at the second coming all things of this earth shall end.  We need only to remain faithful to God until He calls us home.

Daniel 12:1

Daniel 12:1 says, And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.  After all the prophesies of doom and destruction that would often come to God's people, there is now a prophecy of hope.  We know that not only was there a time of trouble for God's people in the time before Christ came and immediately thereafter,, but also that it will get worse before Christ returns again.  Matthew Henry says that those written in the book of life were written in before creation and would remain written in after the destruction of the world.  As I have stated many times, I do not believe that some people are destined to be saved and others doomed even before they are born, so I would say that a person's name is written in the book of life at the time that person accepts Christ as Savior and Lord.  In the Old Testament they entered into a relationship with God looking ahead to the coming Messiah, and since Jesus, the Messiah, came, we look back to His sacrifice on the cross.  The Bible tells us that faith in Christ is the only way to salvation, and that each person must make a decision whether to accept or reject Him.  Verse two adds, And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.  This is a definite reference to the second coming of Christ.  The dead shall rise, some to everlasting life with God through their faith in Christ, and all others to everlasting contempt.  Again, if all this was predetermined, then there would be no purpose to anything that happens in this life.  Verse three continues, And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.  I believe that this means that those who believe in Christ will shine in His presence, and especially those that reached others for Him.  Verse four concludes, But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.  Daniel was told to seal the book until the time of the end.  At the appointed time, it would be opened and understood.  The same is true of the second coming of Christ.  The time is determined, but we do not know when that will be, and no amount of studying will ever reveal that day to us.  We need to simply live as though today is the day.

Daniel 11:38

Daniel 11:38 says, But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.  Daniel said this king would honor the god of forces and a god he created, since his fathers did not know this god.  Unlike most rulers before him, he did not allow the worship of any god except the one he created.  There are countries today who worship false gods and deny people the right to worship any other.  Verse thirty-nine adds, Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.  He would be prosperous in his following of this god he created.  Verse forty continues, And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.  Matthew Henry says this was most likely a fourth battle with Egypt, when Antiochus basically just plundered their riches.  I believe it is safe to say that he was feeling indestructible.  When rulers begin to feel this way, especially those that do not acknowledge God, then they feel that they have the right to do whatever they please to do.  Verse forty-one states, He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.  He will enter that glorious land, Israel, and will overthrow many countries, but some will escape.  By claiming Israel, he will really think himself all powerful.  Verse forty-two adds, He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.  Verse forty-three continues, But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.  Once more, it seems that he is unstoppable.  He has gained not only territory, but also great resources.  Resources still lead to wars today.  The concern may not be as much for occupying the land as it is for claiming a right to the resources.  Verse forty-four says, But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.  He will receive word about some rising against him and will be troubled by this.  Verse forty-five adds, And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.  Matthew Henry states that during this time that Antiochus will really begin to punish the Jews, but when he begins to fall no one will come to his aid and his reign will end.  This should be a prophecy of hope for God's people.  Even though things would be bad for them for many years, God would still be with them.  Today, no matter how bad things may get in the world, God is still the ultimate victor, as are those who put their faith in Christ.  This should always bring us hope and comfort.