DBG - September 18 - Daniel

In this chapter Daniel prepares for his last vision.

vs. 1-4 – The year is 536 B.C.  Daniel is in mourning, which may be because so many of the Jews were not moving back to the Promised Land now that they were able to.  Hiddekel is another name forth Tigris River.

vs. 5-9 – Daniel sees in a vision Christ in His glory.  Compare this description to Revelation 1.  He only saw the vision, not his companions like with Paul did in Acts 9:7-8.

vs. 10-14 – An angel named Michael (“who is like God?”)  comes to Daniel’s aid.  He had been sent when Daniel first prayed but was delayed in spiritual combat against the forces of darkness.  He announces that the message he had was about the Jews in the End Times.

vs. 15-19 – Daniel is overwhelmed by the vision, the messenger, and the message.

vs. 20-21 – The angel explains his mission, which is revealed in the next chapter.

In this chapter is a prophecy of empires and struggles to come. 

vs. 1 – This verse is a continuation of thought from the previous chapter.  The angel is describing his mission in aiding the Jews.

vs. 2 – The four kings that followed Cyrus were: Cambyses (529-522), Pseudo-Smerdis (522-521), Darius I Hystaspes (521-486), and Xerxes I (586-465).  Xerxes was far more powerful than the rest as indicated.

vs. 3-4 – The entrance of Alexander the Great onto the scene is described and the division of his empire into four is seen.

vs. 5-10 – Here begins a marvelous series of prophecies.  It is a running history of the struggles between the Ptolemies (“king of the south”) and the Seleucids (“king of the north”).  Israel was caught between these two powers.  It is sadly far too detailed for such a survey as this.  This first section deals with history beginning with the founding of the two empires under Ptolemy I Soter (ruled 323-283) and Seleucus I Nicator (ruled 312-281) and ends with Antiochus III the Great (ruled 223–187) campaigning against the Ptolemies in Egypt.  Here begins open warfare between the two.

vs. 11-20 – Antiochus III the Great was repulsed by the Ptolemies but regrouped and attacked again.  He defeats them and gains control of Israel.  Rome gets involved and tries to broker peace in the region.  Antiochus turns his attention to Greece, where Rome aids in defeating him.

vs. 21-35 – In vs. 21 begins an account of the reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the “little horn” of Daniel 8.  He was a master politician who used his wealth and influence as deftly as a general commands his army.  He renews war against the Ptolemies.  After being repulsed by Roman intervention, he takes out his anger on the Jews.  He outlaws the Jewish faith and desecrates the Temple.  The faithful Maccabees revolted against him and earned greater independence.

vs. 36-39 – There is a shift in vs. 36.  All that occurs before we can see fulfilled in history.  From here on we cannot.  This passage jumps from speaking about Antiochus Epiphanes to the Antichrist in the End Times.  The two are very alike in character and deed. 

vs. 40-45 – This war takes place in the Tribulation, probably around its midpoint. 

In this chapter we see the deliverance of Israel out of the Tribulation.

vs. 1-3 – The deliverance of Israel through the Tribulation and the blessings of the Millennial Kingdom.

vs. 4-13 – Two lengths of time are revealed in this passage, both pointing to the close of the Tribulation.  One is 1,290 days and the other is 1,335, so basically 3½ years and 3½ years plus a month.  There is no contradiction here.  The shorter time is the length between the Antichrist defiling the Temple and Christ’s Return.  The longer is the length between the Antichrist defiling the Temple and the establishment of Christ’s Kingdom.  That space between the two events is practical in nature, allowing for judgments and preparation.

In Daniel 10, the great vision that encompasses the final three chapters begins, not with Israel or Jerusalem, but a glimpse of the glory of Christ.  So much of the End Times events revolve around Israel and we may be tempted to think its all about them.  Really it is all about the glory of Christ.  He is glorified through redeeming and restoring Israel.  He is glorified in reigning over the greatest period in earth’s history.  It is all about Him, as all things should be.

Our hymn today is “O Thou Who Makest Souls to Shine”, written by John Armstrong in 1847.  It is a prayer that God bless His laborers in the harvest of souls

O Thou who makest souls to shine
With light from brighter worlds above,
Now send Thy glistening dew divine
On all who seek a Savior’s love!

Do Thou Thy benediction give
On all who teach, on all who learn,
That all Thy Church may holier live,
And every lamp more brightly burn.

Give those that teach pure hearts and wise,
Faith, hope, and love, all warmed by prayer;
Themselves first training for the skies,
They best will raise their people there.

Give those, who learn, the willing ear,
The spirit meek, the guileless mind;
Such gifts will make the lowliest here
Far better than a kingdom find.

O bless the shepherd, bless the sheep,
That guide and guided both be one—
One in the faithful watch they keep,
Until this hurrying life be done.

If thus, good Lord, Thy grace be giv’n,
In Thee to live, in Thee to die,
Before we upward pass to Heav’n,
We taste our immortality.