TODAY’S READING: DANIEL 10-12
OVERVIEW:
Daniel’s prayer answered by God’s messenger who was detained for 21 days by the Prince of Persia; prophecy of the kingdoms from the time of Daniel to the Antichrist; the Great Tribulation.
HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:
The first half of Daniel’s book centers on the prophet’s personal historic adventures. The second half focuses on his prophetic visions. God’s people, a major political and military force among the Gentiles since the days of Joshua, now find themselves under Gentile domination. But even world powers do not raise and fall without the consent of almighty God. In a remarkable collection of prophecies, Daniel sets forth both the near and distant future of God’s chosen people; a future filled with purifying judgment and blessing.
The history of the Greek Empire is detailed further for us in chapter 11. This is truly one of the most remarkable prophecies in the entire Bible! In perfect sequence, Daniel chronicled in advance the coming of Alexander the Great, the division of his empire into four parts; the conflicts between Syria and Egypt, Israel’s miseries as the pawn between these two rival powers (called the “king of the north and the king of the south”), the dark days of the tyrant Antiochus Epiphanes who most certainly is a picture of the coming Antichrist, and the struggle of the Maccabees. He even saw prophetically the intervention ofRomein the affairs ofPalestine. Then, Daniel goes onto to speak of the last days and of the coming of the actual Antichrist of who Antiochus was but a type. We are told two interesting things regarding the Antichrist in chapter 11. Verse 20 teaches us that he will be a “raiser of taxes,” and verse 37 tells us that he will not “desire women,” and is, therefore, most probably a homosexual.
The Great Tribulation is prophesied in chapter 12 and even Daniel himself does not understand what he is even writing about (12:8). He gets no explanation from God either. Verse 9 tells us that the words of this book are closed and sealed until the time of the end (which just happens to be the time in which we are now living). Regarding this time of the end, we are told in Daniel 12:4 that “many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased”. That is an amazing prophecy considering the modes of transportation (automobile, airplane, and space shuttle) and accessibility of information (internet) available to us today, as opposed what was available in Daniel’s time (horse and chariot). We are truly living in the time of the end, so let us purify ourselves as we wait for the return of our Lord (I John 3:3)!
CHRIST IS REVEALED:
As THE ONE WHO LIVES FOREVER – Dan. 12:7 (see John8:58; Rev. 1:8; 4:8)