Daniel 11-12

Bible study with Dr. Chuck Missler
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuSYiEDS8fc

REVIEW

The Ram and the Goat (Daniel 8)
- Occurred 2 years after the vision of Daniel 7 and 12 years before the Fall of Daniel 5
- The Ram is defeated by the Goat from the West
- The “notable horn” of the Goat divides into 4 (i.e., Alexander’s 4 Generals)
- A “Little Horn” has a key role at the end
- Daniel interprets the vision: A Leader from the West (Alexander) will subdue the Persian Empire
- Daniel 8:1-8: Alexander the Great
- Daniel 8:20-22: Daniel interprets Daniel 1-7
- Daniel 8:9-14: Antiochus Epiphanes
- Daniel 8:23-25: Draws parallels between Antiochus Epiphanes, showing how he foreshadows Antichrist

Alexander’s 4 Generals
- Cassander: Macedonia & Greece
- Lysimacus: Thrace, Bithynia, most of Asia Minor
- Ptolemy: Israel, Egypt, Cyrene, Arabia, Petraea – The Septuagint was translated under Ptolemy’s reign in 270 BC
- Seleucus: Babylon, Syria, and lands to the East all the way to India (Antiochus Epiphanes appears as the “Little Horn”)


OVERVIEW OF DANIEL 11

Daniel 11:1-2: Persian Empire
Daniel 11:3-4: Greece Empire
Daniel 11:5-35: Seleucid-Ptolemy Rivalry (The Silent Years between the Old and New Testaments)
Daniel 11:36-39: The Willful King (Satan)
Daniel 11:40-45: End Time Scenario

Persian Empire (Daniel 11:1-2)
539-530 BC: Cyrus (Daniel 5; Isaiah 45)
529-522 BC: Cambyses 
522 BC: Artaxerxes 
521-486 BC: Darius I Hystaspes
486-465 BC: Xerxes I (Esther)
465-425 BC: Artaxerxes Longimanus (Daniel 9; Nehemiah 2)
Greece Empire (Daniel 11:3-4) 
334-323 BC: Alexander the Great (Cf Daniel 8:8) -- This period also includeed the 4 Generals who divided Alexander the Great’s Empire

Seleucid-Ptolemy Rivalry (Daniel 11:5-35) 
Israel was caught in the middle of it – Their land was between the two great powers. The war was 150 years, and it trampled through Israel.


THE 400 SILENT YEARS (Daniel 11:1-35)

Daniel 1, 8-10 were written in Hebrew (language of the Jews), whereas Daniel 2-7 were written in Aramaic (language of the Gentiles). This is one of the many clues that Daniel 11-12 deals specifically with the Jews, not the Church.

Scholars call the period of time that received no message from God between the New and the Old Testaments the Silent Years. However, we see here that these years are not silent at all since the events are detailed in advance in Daniel 11. 

The Angel supported and protected Darius the Mede (Daniel 11:1) 
The "I" in the narrative is the Angel of Daniel 10. The Angel is still speaking here, continuing his explanation of the vision that has been given to Daniel. This is the same angel that spent 21 days fighting the prince of power of Persia to get to Daniel. 

Note what the Angel says: "I took my stand to support and protect him." Who is "him"? Darius! Not only did the Angel fight through the spiritual battleground to reach Daniel, he was also responsible for strengthening Darius!

God is behind every power. EVERY power -- even if that power seemed to strengthen the "enemy." God's plan is bigger than us. God's plan is not just to make my life awesome. God's plan is not just to make your life awesome. God's plan is the COMPLETE and PERFECT redemption of mankind. What is an enemy in our eyes is just another tool in the tool box for God.

The Launch against Greece in 480 BC (Daniel 11:2)
Xerxes: 486-465 BC
He accomplished many things: brought tax reforms; trained over 2 millions warriors in 4 years; built special barges; attacked Greece in 480 BC -- This laid the basis for the vendetta that Alexander the Great would capitalize on to go after Persia years later. 

Rise and fall of the Grecian Empire (Daniel 11:3-4)
These two verses summarize Daniel 8 (see review above). 

"Not to his posterity": Alexander the Great did not leave his kingdom to his heir. Instead, those who were loyal to him divided up the kingdom. 

Daniel 11:5-35 focuses on the history of Seleucus and Ptolemy.


PTOLEMIES VS. SELEUCIDS (Daniel 11:5-35)

Ptolemies (Kings of the South) 
323-285 BC: Ptolemy I Soter (Daniel 11:5) 
285-246 BC: Ptolemy II Philadelphus (Daniel 11:6) 
246-221 BC: Ptolemy III Euergetes (Daniel 11:7-8) 
221-204 BC: Ptolemy IV Philopater (Daniel 11:11-12) 
204-181 BC: Ptolemy V Epiphanes (Daniel 11:17) 
181-145 BC: Ptolemy VI Philometer (Daniel 11:25)

Seleucids (Kings of the North) 
312-281 BC: Seleucus I Nicator (Daniel 11:5) 
281-262 BC: Antiochus I Soter (Daniel 11:5) 
262-246 BC: Antiochus II Theos (Daniel 11:6) 
246-227 BC: Seleucus II Callinicus (Daniel 11:7-9) 
227-223 BC: Seleucus III Soter (Daniel 11:10) 
223-187 BC: Antiochus III the Great (Daniel 11:10-19) 
187-176 BC: Seleucus IV Philopater (Daniel 11:20) 
175-163 BC: Antiochus IV Epiphanes (Daniel 11:21-35)

Under Ptolemy II Philadelphus, the Septuagint (LXX) was translated
Most of the Jews in Ptolemy that lived in the capital city of Alexandria spoke Greek rather than Hebrew and wanted a Greek translation of the Bible (only the Old Testament existed at the time).

In 285-270 BC, the Bible was translated from Hebrew into Greek. The project took 15 years and was completed nearly 3 centuries before the Christian era. Most quotes of the Old Testament found in the New Testament were quoted from the Septuagint (Greek version of the Bible), not the original Hebrew text -- That is, the Septuagint became the Christian's bible.

Daniel 11:6
A political marriage was arranged between Antiochus II Theos (262-246 BC) and Ptolemy II Philadelphus's daughter, Bernice. 

Daniel 11:7
This is an allusion to Ptolemy III Euergetes, brother of Bernice. He invaded Syria, seized the port of Antioch and took his empire as far as Babylon.

Daniel 11:9-10
Seleucus marched south against Egypt and got clobbered. In 219 BC, a large army led by Ptolemy IV defeated Antiochus III that led to the signing of peace treaty between the two. Ptolemy celebrated his victory by a tour of eastern Mediterranean and provinces, including Jerusalem which prevented Jews from entering the Holy of Holies because of traffic paralysis. 

Daniel 11:11-12
South: Egypt 
North: Syria 
Ptolemy IV dies. His son, at the time only 4 y/o, Ptolemy V, succeeds him. 12 years after the war of Rafia, Antichus III attacks Egypt with an even bigger army. None is able to withstand against Antichus III, and hence he's also known as Antiochus the Great. 

Daniel 11:16
"Glorious Land": Israel, Judea (Daniel 8:9; Jeremiah 3:19, etc)

Daniel 11:17
197 BC: Antiochus III sets out with a fleet to attack Seleucia but is defeated by Rome. He marries his daughter, Cleopatra, off to Ptolemy, a political move to gain control of Egypt. Cleopatra, however, sided with Ptolemy and his new ally Rome, and this plan was thwarted.

Daniel 11:18-19
196 BC: Antiochus III turned toward Greece and Turkey (Asia Minor). In 190 BC, Antiochus III was defeated by Romans near Smyrna.

Daniel 11:20
Seleucus IV Philopater succeeded Antiochus III.

Daniel 11:21-28
Antiochus IV Epiphanes gained the throne through flattery and murder. Unlike his father, Antiochus IV robbed the rich (not the poor) and attacked his enemies when they least expected it.

After the death of his mother, Ptolemy IV Philopater received bad advice about Antiochus Epiphanes.

Daniel 11:29-30
In his second campaign against Egypt, Antiochus Epiphanes was less successful and failed to take Alexandria. Worse, his army also encountered the Roman Navy, which was a force to be feared. His humiliating encounter with the Roman Navy and failure led him to look for someone to blame—And he blamed the Jews. And boy did he know how to attack the Jews.

"Chittim": Defined in the Dead Sea Scrolls as the general reference to the people of the Mediterranean.

Daniel 11:31-35
Antiochus Epiphanes made life extremely difficult for the Jews. Reading the Bible was against the law, for example. He deliberately slaughtered a pig on the holy altar, for another example. Antiochus Epiphanes sought to destroy anything and everything that was related to Judaism. What finally pushed the Jews over the edge, leading to the Maccabean Revolt, was when Antiochus Epiphanes erected an idol of Zeus in the Holy of Holies. This revolt lasted 3 years, and the Jews were successful in throwing off the yoke of the Seleucid Empire. The Temple was then rededicated, and the Jews celebrate this re-dedication to this day as Hanukkah.

We have just gone through 135 prophetic verses. These verses are now history to us, but they also set the stage for what is going to happen that have yet to happen to this day.


THE ANTICHRIST (Daniel 11:36-45) 

The following verses describes Antiochus Epiphanes. However, we soon catch a hint that these verses go beyond describing Antiochus Epiphanes. They hint at the final dictator to come -- The Antichrist.

Daniel 11:36
The Antichrist will always be shooting off his mouth -- a huge brag.

The Antichrist is two persons: Beast of the Sea and Beast of the Land (Daniel 11:37)
Some scholars suggest that the Antichrist may be Jewish based on the verse, "He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers." However, there are also plenty of other scripture passages that could support him being a Gentile.

Additionally, we learn from Revelation 13 that the Antichrist is two persons: Beast of the Sea and Beast of the Land.

The Antichrist will have no regard for God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit (Daniel 11:37)
"He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the one desired by women..."

Some scholars conclude that the Antichrist will be a homosexual based on the verse, "He will show no regard... for the one desired by women." That is a literal understanding of the text, and we have no other clues to disregard that.

However, in Hebrew, this verse is a messianic title. It speaks of the dream of every Jewish mother up until the day Jesus was born. That is, many rabbis believe this messianic phrase speaks of the Jewish woman's desire to bear the Messiah. Taking this into consideration, this verse is better read as, "He will show no regard... for the Messiah."

Hence, reading Daniel 11:37 in full, this verse makes more logical sense: The Antichrist will have no regard for God the Father or God the Son. (It doesn't make as much sense reading it as, "He will have no regard for God the Father or women.")

To fully understand these passages (and just the whole book of Daniel in general), it's important to realize the Jewishness of it all. Here, we are hearing a Jewish God speaking to His Jewish people through Jewish scribes and scholars. 

The Antichrist will not worship any God (Daniel 11:37)
"... nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all."

The Antichrist will not worship any God. It is probable that he will take over religious leadership of the world.

The Antichrist will honor a god that no one knows (Daniel 11:38)
"Instead of them, he will honor a god of fortresses; a god unknown to his fathers he will honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts."

Instead of honoring God, the Antichrist will honor a god not known to anyone. 


ARMAGEDDON (Daniel 11:40-45) 

King of the South: Egypt
King of the North: Traditionally, it's Syria. Some scholars believe it points to Russia

Some believe this is the same war as the war of Ezekiel 38. The tricky thing about prophecy is, we don't know it is fulfilled until it is fulfilled. That is, whether Armageddon is the war of Ezekiel 38 or not are differences in views. Be aware of them, do our own homework, reach our own conclusions, but do not let that divide us.

Edom, Moab, and Ammon escape the Antichrist (Daniel 11:41)
The area that escapes the wrath of the Antichrist is known today as Jordan, Petra. No one knows why or how this area will be able to remain a safe haven for God's people during the end times -- The Bible does not elaborate. However, today, Jordan has signed a lasting peace treaty with Israel. 


SUMMARY OF THE END (Daniel 12)
Cf. Revelation

Daniel 12 summarizes the following:
World Ruler 
World Religion 
World War 
A time of Tribulation for Israel 
Resurrection of the Dead
Judgement of the Wicked
Reward of the Righteous 

In Matthew 24:15, Jesus quoted Daniel 12:1 by calling the second half of the Tribulation, the Great Tribulation

The Great Tribulation lasts 3 1/2 years and is a Time of Jacob's Trouble
Daniel 12:5-7
Daniel 7:25
Revelation 11:2
Revelation 13
Matthew 24:21
Mark 13:19
Revelation 7:14

3 1/2 years = 42 months = 1260 days

Deuteronomy, Jeremiah, and Joel all speak of this period of time as a Time of Jacob's Trouble. This time period is parallel to Daniel 11:40-45. The effects of God's end-time judgments are worldwide, but the purpose is aimed at the sons of Jacob. 

Ezekiel 20 
Israel will be passed under the Rod -- a time for the "spoiled brats" to be punished. 

Ezekiel 22 
This period is also called a furnace of affliction. 

Hosea 5:15 
Jesus will remain at His place in Heaven UNTIL Israel admits her offense. Note that offense is singular and specific -- The failure to accept Jesus as their Messiah! 

One of the purposes of the Tribulation is to drive Israel to the wall and purge them of their sins, to have them earnestly seek God amid their affliction. Only one out of three Jews will be spared through the Tribulation (Zechariah 13:8-9). As a comparison, the Nazis murdered many, many Jews. And during that horrific era, two out of three Jews were spared. The Tribulation will be a time of horror the world has yet seen.

Israel will be judged, but she will also be delivered
God's repeated promises to Israel is found throughout the Bible: Thy people shall be delivered (Daniel 7, Zechariah 12-13, Jeremiah 30, Isaiah 14, Job 1-2, Zechariah 3, Revelation 12).

This is the great promise of hope that will the Jews through their judgment.

The dead will be resurrected (Daniel 12:2-3)
Cf. Psalm 16:10, 40:9, Isaiah

Daniel's book is sealed until the end of days (Daniel 12:4)
Contrast it to Revelation, which is a book that is unsealed (Revelation 22:10). 

The two books are similar in that they both discuss end times. However, the Book of Daniel was told to be sealed UNTIL the end times. 

There are many things that have taken place since Daniel's time, including Biblical knowledge and historical events that fulfill Daniel's prophecies. 

"Many will go here and there to increase knowledge" (Daniel 12:4)

This verse, in Hebrew, mentions not just the increase of knowledge in general but the increase of THE knowledge. That is, knowledge of God's Word will increase in the end times.

As historical and current events pave the way for us to increase knowledge of God's Word, it also makes us aware of the fact that we are getting closer and closer to the end, to welcome the return of our King, Jesus!

"Seal" means preserve until the end. In the last few decades, more and more of Daniel's writing are opening up. That in itself is a fulfillment of prophecy (Daniel 12:9). 

Daniel doesn't understand what he's been told (Daniel 12:8) 
Those who say we need to interpret Scripture the way the writer intended it to be understood have clearly not read this verse.

God's prophets do not just write what they want to write. They are guided by the Holy Spirit.

Here, we see Daniel writing faithfully as he was led. He did not understood, but he wrote down what he heard.

We understand the Scripture not because we can put ourselves in the writer's shoes or "get inside the writer's head." We understand because we are guided by God. Let the Holy Spirit guide our studying of the Word, and stop guessing what the writer is trying to say -- because, as we see in this case, sometimes, the writer may not even understand what he's trying to say!

The Return of Nimrod?

The following article was originally published in the October 2002 Personal Update News Journal. For a FREE 1-year subscription, go to Koinonia House.


The Return of Nimrod?
by Chuck Missler

With the continuing tensions over Iraq apparently coming to a head, many questions arise concerning the prophetic future of this region, which on the one hand has such deep roots as the cradle of civilization and yet also has a destiny in the final Biblical scenario. There may be far more relevance to this region than is commonly recognized in most books and articles on end-time prophecy.

All of us are subject to limitations imposed by the presumptions we bring to a topic, and it may be essential to step back from time to time and reestablish a fresh perspective. The only certain barrier to truth is the presumption that you already have it.


The Coming World Leader
One of the dominant topics among prophecy buffs is the identity of the coming leader whom we call "the Antichrist." As current events seem to be increasingly drawing us into the threshold of the climactic Biblical scenario, speculations continue.

One of the most fundamental passages concerning the end times is the famous "Seventy Weeks" prophecy contained in the last four verses of Daniel 9. The Angel Gabriel interrupts Daniel's prayer to provide him with what has to be the most astonishing passage in the entire Bible: he predicts the
precise day-five centuries in advance-the exact day that the Messiah would present Himself as king (1)!

In describing an interval between the contiguous group of years of 69 weeks (of years), and the final "70th week," we notice that the Angel Gabriel declares that the Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary (Daniel 9:26).

After the Messiah is killed ("cut off"), the "people of the Prince that shall come" shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. This, of course, was fulfilled when Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed by the Roman legions in A.D. 70.

"The Prince that shall come," thus becomes one of the 33 titles in the Old Testament of the coming world leader that will figure so prominently in end-time prophecies.

This also becomes one of several passages which indicates that this final world leader will emerge out of the Roman Empire, whose legions destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple.

A Case of Myopia?
All of us, I suspect, tend to equate the Roman Empire with Western Europe, and there have been many books suggesting conjectures involving Rome, the Vatican, and the rise of the European Union, etc.

We, too, have published numerous materials exploring these possibilities. However, all of us may have been subject to a myopia ("nearsightedness") by overlooking the fact that the Roman Empire had an eastern leg that, in fact, survived the western leg by a thousand years! (See Roman Empire Map.)

In A.D. 284 , Emperor Diocletian restored efficient government to the empire after the near anarchy of
the 3rd century (2). He divided the Empire into two legs (3) (just as Daniel had predicted when he interpreted Nebuchadnezzar's dream nine centuries earlier) (4).

His reorganization of the fiscal, administrative and military machinery of the empire temporarily shored up the decaying empire in the West and laid the foundation for the forthcoming Byzantine Empire of the East.


In A.D. 312, the Emperor Constantine relocated the capital of the empire to its eastern leg, to Byzantium, naming it Constantinople (the "New Rome").

After Constantine's death in 395, Emperor Theodosius divided the empire between his two sons and it was never again reunited (5).

(It was Theodosius who made Christianity the sole religion of the empire, and subsequently Constantinople assumed preeminence over the West.)

In the late 5th century, the western leg began to disintegrate, but the eastern leg, commonly dubbed the
"Byzantine Empire," endured until 1453 when it finally was overrun by the Muslims.

There are a number of Biblical texts that strongly suggest that the coming world leader, commonly called the Antichrist, will emerge from the region of the eastern leg of the Roman Empire, and that profoundly impacts our prophetic perspectives.

Daniel 11
Our clearest identification comes from prophecies relating to the precedent empire: the breakup of the Greek Empire after Alexander's death.

When Alexander the Great died, his four generals divided up the empire-which reached eastward even to India. Cassander took Macedonia and Greece; Lysimachus took Asia Minor and Thrace; Seleucus took over Syria, Babylon and the east; and, Ptolemy took over Egypt. (See map.)

Since Israel was caught between the territories of Seleucus and Ptolemy, it subsequently was a buffer zone between these two rivals. Daniel Chapter 11 details the struggles between the Seleucid Empire ("the king of the north") and the Ptolemies ("the king of the south").

(Many scholars refer to the 400 years between the Old Testament and the New Testament as "the silent years." In fact, much of this history was written in advance, with an accuracy that has forced skeptical critics to attempt to "late date" the book of Daniel!)

The first 35 verses of Daniel 11 are summarized in [Table 1]. 

From verses 36-40, the passage focuses on Antiochus IV ("Epiphanes") whose desecration of the Temple, and placing a pagan idol in the Holy of Holies (the "abomination of desolation"), triggered the Maccabean Revolt that threw off the yoke of the Seleucid Empire.

Three years after that infamous desecration, the Israelites rededicated the Temple, and this event is celebrated to this day on the 25th of Kislev as Hanukkah (6).

Jesus' Confidential Briefing
Two centuries later, when four disciples came to Jesus for a confidential briefing on His Second Coming (7), Jesus referred to a repeat of that historical event, the "abomination of desolation," as the key to end-time prophecy (8). A similar event will trigger the climactic three-and-a-half-year period that Jesus Himself labeled as the "Great Tribulation" (9).

In Daniel 11:40-45, the passage continues by looking forward to the final "king of the north," to the
person we commonly call the Antichrist. It is significant that this climactic leader seems to be presented as the final member of this previous detailed line of the "kings of the north."

It would seem, taking the chapter as a whole, that the final world leader will emerge from this region which comprised the Seleucid empire, rather than from the western regions as commonly assumed.

"The Assyrian"
It is provocative that the Prophet Micah refers to this final conqueror as the "Assyrian":

Micah 5:5-6
And this [one] shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven  shepherds, and eight principal men.And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders.

Isaiah and Ezekiel also employ this very term (10).

The Assyrian empire preceded the Babylonian empire by several centuries. This empire embraced the region we know today as Syria and Iraq.

The first world dictator was Nimrod (whose name means "we rebel"), who ruled from Babylon (11). It is interesting that Micah also refers to this "land of Nimrod" in his passage quoted above. Could it be that this final world dictator will be, in some sense, a return of Nimrod?

This may add an additional dimension to the mysteries surrounding the future of Babylon: is it just used as a symbol, or will Babylon literally rise to prominence on the banks of the Euphrates once again?

Isaiah and Jeremiah clearly describe a destruction of Babylon that has never happened yet (12). Zechariah seems to hold the key (13).


References
1. Daniel 9:25; Cf. Luke 19:38-44. See Koinonia House's briefing package, Daniel's 70 Weeks, for an in-depth
review of this incredible passage.
2. Enclyclopaedia Britannica, Vol 4, p. 105.
3. Alexander Roberts, The Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol. VII : Translations of the Writings of the Fathers Down to A.D. 325, ECF 1.7.1.5.0.7, Logos Research Systems, Oak Harbor WA, 1997.
4. Daniel 2:26-45.
5. Encyclopaedia Britannica, Vol. 2, p. 699.
6. This is referred to in the New Testament: John 10:22.
7. Matthew 24f; Mark 13; Luke 21.
8. Matthew 24:15.
9. Matthew 24:21, 22; quoting from Daniel 12:1.
10. Isaiah 10:5, 24; 14:25; 30:31; Ezekiel 31:3f.
11. Genesis 10:8-10.
12. Isaiah 13, 14; Jeremiah 50, 51.
13. Zechariah 5:5-11.

Daniel 10

Bible study with Dr. Chuck Missler

A GLIMPSE OF THE DARK SIDE

Daniel 10 is a prelude to Daniel 11-12. It vividly brings the spiritual warfare to the forefront.

"Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see" (2 Kings 6:8-22)
This is a great story that I recommend us to all go and read it. However, for the sake of brevity, I'll summarize it below:

There was great tension between Israel and Syria. Israel had been so successful against Syria's attacks that Syria's king (king of Aram) believed there had to be a spy. He thus called his officers together and asked them, "Tell me! Which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?" (2 Kings 6:11)

The Syrians eventually discovered that it was Elisha (prophet of Israel) who had been advising the king of Israel what to do. King of Aram thus commanded his army to capture Elisha during the night.

When Elisha's servant got up in the morning, he was freaked out by the surrounding enemies. And all Elisha said to him was, "Don't be afraid. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them" (2 Kings 6:16)

Naturally, the servant was still freaked out (as I would be as well). Hence, Elisha prayed to God to open his servant's eyes. And once God opened his eyes, the servant saw "the hills full of horses and chariots of fire" (2 Kings 6:17).

Smartly, after this event, the Syrians stopped attacking Israel.

This is exactly what Paul was talking about: "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities (fallen angels), against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:12).

And in Daniel 10, we get another glimpse of the spiritual warfare.


DANIEL PRAYS AND FASTS HARD FOR UNDERSTANDING OF THE VISION HE HAS RECEIVED (Daniel 10:1-9)

Daniel is retired (Daniel 10:1)
Daniel's career extended to the first year of Cyrus. In Daniel 10, Daniel has been out of the public life for three years. 

Why was Daniel still in Persia and had not gone back to Israel? Probably because of his age.

Daniel fasts for 3 weeks (Daniel 10:1-3)
There are several types of fasts. To gain understanding of the vision, Daniel chose a very stringent fast: no choice food (such as bread), no meat, no wine, no lotions (Daniel 10:3).

Fasting is a teaching in its own right, so I will not go into it here. However, I do want to stress that fasting is not something we just go and do without thought. The main reason to fast is to be closer to God, to leave behind cravings of the flesh so that the spirit can focus on connecting with God. The relationship with God has to be very strong, founded on deeply rooted faith. Why? Because when we fast, especially the rigorous type of fasting that Daniel did, we are completely depending on God to provide -- not just spiritually but also physically. If our faith is not strong enough to see us through, we will fail, and the fast will only cause physical damage.

Jesus said multiple times, "Your faith has healed you." What does that mean? When our faith in God is complete, we do not doubt. We start to understand why there is no if in God's plan. We KNOW God does His Will. We KNOW He heals. We KNOW He provides. There is no if. For the rigorous fasts, unless we approach God with such a strong confidence in our faith, then that little bit of doubt will destroy the fast and break the connection between God and us.

Daniel's faithful fast helps the angelic messenger through the spiritual warfare (Daniel 10:4-9)
On the 21st day of Daniel's fast, an angelic being appears. 

Some say this angel was Gabriel. However, since Gabriel had already appeared previously, Daniel would have said so if it was him (as opposed to describing the angel). 

Others say this could be the appearance of the pre-incarnate Christ. The idioms Daniel used to describe the angel does fits. However, the angel spoke about needing help from Michael in the warfare. Christ does not need help. 

The actual identity of the angel is not critical, becuase it does not take away or add to the message of this passage. Dr. Missler doesn't think it's Gabriel or Christ. It could very well just be another angel on an errand. The key here is that the angel was sent to deliver a message to Daniel but was delayed because he got caught up in the spiritual warfare. If it wasn't for Michael's help, if it wasn't for Daniel's prayers, the angel would not have been able to make it.

Daniel is the only one who sees the vision (Daniel 10:7)
After seeing the vision, Daniel felt very unholy and inadequate thereafter.

We see a similar situation with Paul on the road to Damascus. Those with Paul heard something but could not understand--Only Paul could. With Daniel here, Daniel was the only person who could experience the message that the angel presented, whereas his companions only felt the earth quake and split (and therefore fled fearfully).

The content of this vision is detailed from Daniel 10-12, so I won't dwell on it here.

Daniel falls into a deep sleep (Daniel 10:9)
Deep sleep occurred in two other places: Genesis 2 and Genesis 15. In both instances, God gave man a great gift.

Daniel is a Beloved prophet of the Old Testament. The status of a "beloved" is greater than a "friend." God's gift to him was an apocalyptic vision detailed in Daniel 11-12.

Similarly, John, the Beloved prophet of the New Testament, was given the apocalyptic vision detailed in the entire book of Revelation.

Abraham was a "friend" of God. And to Abraham, God told him His plans (Genesis 18).

Similarly, the disciples were Jesus' "friends," and to them, Jesus said, "Henceforth, I call you not servants; for the servant knows not what his lord does; but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you" (John 15:15).


THE ANGEL FIGHTS THROUGH SATAN'S FORCES TO REACH DANIEL (Daniel 10:10-21)

The angel is dispatched since the FIRST day of Daniel's prayer (Daniel 10:12)
Since the FIRST DAY that Daniel started his fast, this angel was already dispatched to give Daniel the message--What then held the angel up for 21 days? 

"But the prince of Persian kingdom resisted me for 21 days" (Daniel 10:13)
The POWER behind the king of Persia (the supernatural prince) delayed the angel for 21 days -- Who is this power? Satan (Revelation).

Satan tried and continues to try to prevent God's messengers from reaching His people. Here, we see Satan's forces at work here to prevent this angel from delivering his message to Daniel.

Fortunately, Michael came to the angel's assistance (Daniel 10:13).

The title of Michael is also "prince." In Greek, the word can also be translated as the head/ruler of a pack. The use of the title "prince" here therefore gives us the context that we're talking about arch angels. There are only 3 arch angels revealed in the Bible: Michael, Gabriel, and Lucifer. This is the main reason why "prince of Persia" is understood as the power behind Persia, aka Lucifer.

Both in the Old and New Testament, Gabriel is always on the errand of announcement, the messianic announcer. Michael, on the other hand, always shows up as a warrior for Israel, fighting the war for Israel.

And so, the angel was delayed until Michael came to help.

Daniel is a phenomenal man of God (Daniel 10:12)
I am completely blown away at the amount of faith Daniel shows us here.

The angel said, "Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them" (Daniel 10:12).

This statement speaks loads about Daniel's faith! 

This passage has also taught me the following:

1. This reaffirms my earlier comment about the kind of heart is necessary for a fasting prayer. Daniel set his mind to gain understanding and humbled himself before God. And immediately, Daniel's prayers were heard, and the angel was dispatched to respond.

2. We don't really know why there is a delay in our prayers. Sometimes, it could just be that the timing isn't right, and we simply have to wait. Other times, it could be because the messenger was delayed due to satanic forces. But none of that mattered to Daniel. He simply set his mind to gain understanding and approached God humbly. How set was Daniel's mind? So set that he never stopped praying. So set that he was ready to fast as long as necessary to gain that understanding--Daniel had received such a grand vision, he knew God would provide and faithfully fasted for guidance. What would have happened had Daniel stopped fasting?


THE PROPHECY OF THE LATTER DAYS HAVE TO DO WITH ISRAEL

"Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future" (Genesis 10:14)

End day prophecy has to do with THE PEOPLE OF DANIEL, aka Israelites, not the Church.


SENSE OF INADEQUACY IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD (Genesis 10:16-17)

There is often an overwhelming sense of inadequacy felt by those who receive God's visions. We see this from Moses, Isaiah (Isaiah 6), and Daniel.

There is certainly an intimacy that we have with God, but somehow, many of us have allowed that intimacy to blind us from recognizing the amazing glory and sovereignty of God! 


THE ANGEL RETURNS TO THE FIGHT (Daniel 10:20-21)

Michael and this angel fight for the Israelites
So far, we understand that Daniel fasted for 21 days. On day 21, an angel showed up, explained his delay, and proceeded to give Daniel a message (which will be discussed in Daniel 11-12). Afterwards, the angel was due to return to the fight against the Prince of Persia, who will be succeeded by Prince of Greece (Daniel 10:20). This event (Greece overcoming Persia) does not take place until 200 years later!

This passage opens our eyes to the super powers that are behind each of these major empires. One of Satan's "senior officers" was in charge of Persia, and another was in control of Greece.

This angel went back to fight the power behind Persia and knew that when he's defeated that power, another power for Greece will come in its place.

We also see that this angel and Michael were placed to protect God's people, Israel (Daniel 10:21)!

Satan is the prince of this world
When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, he showed Jesus "all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor" and said to Jesus, "All this I will give you, if you will bow down and worship me" (Mathew 4:8-9).

And Jesus responded, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only" (Matthew 4:10)

Several key observations can be made from this conversation:

1. Satan's temptation wouldn't be much of a temptation if what Satan had to offer was not true. And indeed, when Satan tricked Adam and Eve to fall away from God, Satan won over the title deed to Earth. This is why Satan's claim is legitimate.

2. We further know Satan's claim is legitimate because Jesus never challenged Satan's claim!

But what is Satan offering here, really? A path around the Cross.

Satan quotes from the Bible (Matthew 4:6), so obviously he has some idea of what's going on. He knows Jesus is the king of kings and knows what Jesus has to achieve on Earth. And with this temptation, Satan is basically telling Jesus, Just worship me, and it's all over--All the kingdoms will be given to Jesus.

Clearly, we see how Satan manipulates. He stretches the Truth just enough so that things appear to be far better than they seem. But Jesus did not die on the Cross just to rule over the Earth. He died on the Cross to redeem us, to cleanse us of our sins so that we can be restored in God. Jesus knew there was no circumventing the Cross, no matter how difficult a mission that was.

If you knew you had to endure brutal suffering and shame to protect your loved ones, and someone offers you an easier way out, would you accept it? I do not think we will ever really have an answer to that question -- at least not no the same level as it was for Jesus. We would all like to think we would be brave enough, but honestly, we just don't know -- and I don't want to ever have to be in that position to know.



ANGELS

Angels are active agents, ministers, and servants of the almighty God

They are created beings, who were created by Jesus. Satan, an angel (albeit a fallen one), was also created by Jesus. That is, there is no way Satan is an equal of Jesus. Jesus is the creator. Satan is the created. They are not brothers.

They saw the world being created (Job) 

They have bodies (1 Corinthians 15; Luke 20) -- This distinguishes them from demons (who have no bodies and thus seeks embodiment). Homosexuals of Genesis 18-19 were trying to get at the angels that were under the protection of Abraham. If the angels didn't have bodies, the men of Sodom and Gomorrah wouldn't have cared.

They can materialize (Demons can't) -- They can take people by their hands. They can engage in combat.

They have the desire to learn (and are thus not like God, who knows everything) (1 Peter)

They have special assignments. They show up, usually in pairs; for example, at the birth of Christ, at Christ's temptation, at the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17), at the resurrection, at the ascension.

They have many ranks and styles.

Angels' bodies are not limited to 3 dimensions
There is a special Greek word for "body" that is used only twice in the Bible:

1. 2 Corinthians 5:2
According to Paul, the body that angels have is what we aspire to for our resurrected bodies.

2. 1 John 3:2 -- "We shall see him as he is"
We will no longer see just a representation of Jesus. We will see ALL of Him. It is difficult to imagine anything more than 3D (because we are 3D and have no real concept of a 4D+ world), so it's easier to imagine a 2D person looking at a 3D person. Simply put, there will be aspects of a 3D person that the 2D person will never see or understand.

Imagine looking at a picture of a person versus seeing the person face-to-face. Until we are in our resurrected bodies, we will never be able to enjoy the dimensions that Jesus enjoys. And so, when the disciples saw Jesus, it was like looking at a photograph of a person, a 2D presentation of a 3D person. However, once we are in our resurrected bodies, we can see Jesus in His full form, very much like a face-to-face meeting between two people.

People have entertained angels unawares
Lot did. Abraham did (Genesis 18-19).  


THE BIBLE SPEAKS ABOUT THE POWER BEHIND THE WORLDLY LEADER


EXAMPLE 1: How are thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer (Isaiah 14:12)
Isaiah 14 starts out addressing the king of Babylon. However, as the passage continues, we start to sense that it cannot just be talking about the king of Babylon -- For example, the king of Babylon did not fall from Heavn. Instead, this passage is also addressing the power behind the king of Babylon, Satan.

Listen to the 5 famous "I will's" of Satan:
"For you have said it in your heart, I WILL ascent into heaven, I WILL exalt my throne above the stars of God: I WILL sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north; I WILL ascend above the heights of the clouds; I WILL be like the most High" (Isaiah 14:13-14)

This is Satan's pride, that caused him to fall from Heaven. It is the same pride that will get him tossed into the Lake of Fire.

"Yet you shall be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit" (Isaiah 14:15).

EXAMPLE 2: You were in Eden, the garden of God (Ezekiel 28:13)
In Ezekiel 28:1-19, the passage is addressing the king of Tyre. Again, it starts out speaking specifically to the king of Tyre at the time (Ezekiel 28:1-10), but then, it shifts to discussing the power behind Tyre, Satan (Ezekiel 28:11-19). The king of Tyre was not perfect or beautiful. He certainly was never in the Garden of Eden! The Garden no longer existed during his reign!

Satan walked around in Eden, was perfectly beautiful, clothed in light, and was the epitome of wisdom. Because of his perfection, Satan was ordained as a guardian cherub. 

Cherubs are the "super angels" (for the lack of a better term). Four of them are very visible around the throne of God (Ezekiel 1:10; Isaiah 6).

A cherub was placed in charge to guard the way to the Tree of Life (Genesis 3:24). Why was Adam and Eve refused the Tree of Life? Because they would be immortals in their sinful state and be denied forever of salvation! Was a cherub necessary to prevent Adam and Eve access to the Tree of Life? No, a normal angel would have been more than enough. The cherub was necessary to guard against another cherub: Satan. Satan was found perfect UNTIL iniquity was found in him.

"You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you" (Ezekiel 28:15). 

Satan was CREATED. Never lose sight of that.

AFTERTHOUGHTS 
Could it be possible that we no longer get visions because we don't faithfully fast anymore? Would Daniel have gotten these visions if he had stopped his faithful fasting after 20 days? 

Satan is behind the power of Persia. Is there a power/prince behind the US? Of the United Nations, who is aggressively promoting pagan ideas and is extremely anti-semitic? Of the European Union? This is dancing dangerously close to conspiracy theories, and that's not where I want to go with these questions. My point is to think about the world from God's perspective. Politics is man's game. It is but a tiny, tiny part of the spiritual warfare.

What are we to do?

Put on the whole Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-20)
As Christians, we often see non-Christians who mock and defy God as our adversaries. Delve a bit deeper into Jesus' teaching, and we learn that we are to love them and show them the Way.

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities (fallen angels), against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:12).

Paul speaks about enemies in "high places," which are heavenly places. Our enemies are not humans -- God wants everyone of us saved, and Jesus sent us out to preach the Gospel to the ends of the Earth so that all have the chance to be saved. 

Our enemies are Satan and his gang. They are NOT flesh and blood--not presidents or congressmen or senators or the media or whatever. Our enemies are the powers that run behind the scenes.

Satan currently runs the world. And so, we are already on enemy territory as we speak! So, be equipped with the FULL armor of God. Check for chinks and fix it. An armor is useless if it is not maintained and kept in tip-top shape.

Armor of God:
1. Belt of Truth
2. Breastplate of Righteousness
3. Feet shod with the Gospel of Peace
4. Shield of Faith
5. Helmet of Salvation
6. Sword of the Word of God
7. Prayer

Paul told us to put on the WHOLE Armor of God. Not just one or two pieces of the armor but the ENTIRE armor.

I won't go into details about each piece of the equipment (see links below if you're interested in the details), but I highly recommend doing a detailed study of each piece of the equipment. Roman guards were one of the most formidable military past and present, and Paul used the equipment used by the Roman guards as parallel examples for the Armor of God.

Most of the equipment is defensive: Truth, Righteousness, Gospel, Faith, and Salvation. When we understand the Word of God, we will be able to defend against false teachers and Satan's deceptive tricks.

We do have two powerful offensive weapons: The Word of God (sharper than any two-edged sword -- Hebrews 4:12) and prayers. Think of the Word of God as a close-range weapon and prayers as long-range weapon (like arrows). This is why we study the Word and pray. We study the Word to keep it sharp -- so that when the enemies attack, we are ready and can distinguish from God's will versus the enemy's deceptions. We pray, not just for ourselves but also for our brothers/sisters who are also in this war. We may be far away, but God is never far away from any one of us. When we pray for others, we're sending help their way. We can pray to have God weaken the enemies for us or to strengthen ourselves in our walk before the battles hits close and personal.

In order to keep our sword and prayers sharp, our faith has to be strong. We can now begin to see how integral every piece of the armor is to keeping us strong in the Lord. 

Paul told us to never give Satan a foothold (Ephesians 4:27).

How does this translate to the Armor of God? Chinks in the armor. If any one piece of the equipment is not in shape, Satan will expose it and attack us from those weak points. And so, while we are to put on the WHOLE Armor of God, before we put it on, we must take extreme care to ensure that our armor is in great shape. Study the Word and check our heart daily. Do not ever offer Satan an ounce of opportunity.

Here are my previous posts about the Armor of God:
http://aletheia-seekers.blogspot.com/2012/01/spiritual-warfare-and-armor-of-god.html
http://aletheia-seekers.blogspot.com/2009/12/091231-armor-of-god.html

Daniel 9

Bible study with Dr. Chuck Missler
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQPqqK09lgY&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ae0eTZcnSg&feature=related


JESUS POINTED HIS DISCIPLES TO DANIEL 9 AS THE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING THE END TIMES
Matthew 24-25
Mark 13
Luke 21

The 4 disciples (Peter, James, John, and Andrew) asked Jesus 3 questions about the end times
1. When should these things be?
2. What shall be the sign of Jesus's second coming?
3. What shall be the signs of the end of the world?

Jesus opens and closes His response with the same warning: Let no man deceive you (Matthew 24:4)
How do we make sure we are not deceived? Our ultimate refuge is always the WHOLE counsel of God.

Daniel wrote the Book of Daniel (Mathew 24:15-16)
- Who wrote the Book of Daniel? Daniel. How do we know? BECAUSE JESUS SAID SO.
- Jesus also identifies Daniel as a prophet (even though Daniel was never brought up as a prophet -- He was a captive of the Babylonian Empire!)
- Skeptics claim the Book of Daniel simply cannot be written by Daniel because the details of the prophecies were so exact, the book must have been written by someone who was a contemporary of the events. (This inadvertently proves how amazing God is!) To those skeptics, take note that the Book of Daniel was a part of the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament that was completed 300 years before the birth of Jesus.

When we see the Abomination of Desolation, we will know it is the end of times (Matthew 24:15)
- Jesus used the term, "Abomination of Desolation" (Matthew 25:15), which quoted Daniel
- The erection of a pagan idol is always an abomination. What makes it a desolation is by erecting that idol in the Holy of Holies. This happened once in history: Antiochus Epiphanes erected an idol in the Holy of Holies in 167 BC.
- Jesus said when we SEE the Abomination of Desolation, we’ll know it is the end of times. The key word here is SEE. When the Jews see this happening, they should immediately run to the mountains.
- We do not know exactly how we can "see" this occurring, but we know several things: 1) Only the High Priest can enter the Holy of Holies, and this occurs only once a year; 2) There hasn’t been a temple since it was destroyed in 70 AD. Therefore, this suggests two things: One, the temple will be rebuilt; and two, this is a major political move. And with our media today, major television companies (e.g., CNN) will capture this for the world to "see."

When the Jews see the Abomination of Desolation, let those in Judea flee to the mountains (Matthew 24:16-20)
- Let those in Judea flee to the mountains. Why only those in Judea (as opposed to New York or anywhere else)? Understand Daniel 9. Recognize the Jewishness of Matthew 24. This is addressing the Jews. Daniel 9 speaks also about the future of the Jews, not Gentiles.
- When the Abomination of Desolation occurs, FLEE and FLEE NOW -- Don't even think about going home and packing. Flee to the mountains immediately.

Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) (Matthew 24:22)
How will "those days be shortened"? Those days will be shortened because we now have the technology to create weapons (e.g., WMDs) to wipe out the Earth. This phrase did not mean much back during the civil war. No one can imagine taking down the world with muskets and cannons. But today, we can easily envision WMDs destroying the world in a day.


QUICK REVIEW OF THE ORGANIZATION OF THE BOOK OF DANIEL

Historical Chapters: Daniel 1-6
1: Daniel deported as a teenager (606 BC)
2: Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream (602 BC)
3: Bow or Burn: the Furnace
4: Nebuchadnezzar’s Pride
5: The Fall of Babylon (539 BC)
6: The Lion’s Den/Plot of Magi

Vision Chapters: Daniel 7-12
7: Time of the Gentiles (556 BC)
8: The Ram and the Goat (554 BC)
9: The Seventy Weeks (538 BC)
10: A Glimpse of the Dark Side
11: The Silent Years (in advance)
12: The Consummation of All Things

Daniel 2-7 was written in Aramaic, not Hebrew, because this was written to the Gentiles. This is very unusual because the Bible generally views the world from the Jewish perspective!

Daniel 8-12 switches back to Hebrew, meaning the focus shifts back to the Jewish people.

Chronological Order of Events
1: Daniel deported as a teenager (606 BC)
2: Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream (602 BC)
3: Bow or Bum: the Fumace
4: Nebuchadnezzar’s Pride
7 (prophecy): Time of the Gentiles (556 BC)
8 (prophecy): The Ram and the Goat (554 BC)
5: The Fall of Babylon (539 BC)
6: The Lion’s Den/Plot of Magi
9 (prophecy): The Seventy Weeks (538 BC)
10 (prophecy): A Glimpse of the Dark Side
11 (prophecy): The Silent Years (in advance)
12 (prophecy): The Consummation of All Things


DANIEL 9: THE INTERRUPTED PRAYER
- Daniel 9:1-19, Daniel started his prayer
- Daniel 9:20-23, Gabriel interrupted Daniel’s prayer by visiting him
- Daniel 9:24-27, Gabriel gave Daniel the prophecy of the 70 weeks

Daniel started his prayer (Daniel 9:1-19)
"In the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the LORD given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years" (Daniel 9:2).

Jeremiah 25:11-12
This whole country will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years. "But when the seventy years are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon and his nation, the land of the Babylonians, for their guilt," declares the LORD, "and will make it desolate forever."

Jeremiah 29:10
This is what the LORD says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place."

Daniel took Jeremiah LITERALLY (not allegorically!) and was able to calculate that the 70 years of captivity were almost up. He was excited, but he didn't just sit back and relax. He was proactive in his preparations, and he prayed! He prayed not just for himself but for his people and his people’s land!

Why?

2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Gabriel interrupted Daniel’s prayer (Daniel 9:20-23)
Daniel wasn't done praying but was interrupted by Gabriel. Gabriel is one of the archangels. There are 3 named archangels in the Bible: Gabriel, Michael, and Lucifer. Gabriel, whenever he’s mentioned in the Bible, is always announcing something about the Messiah. Michael is always presented as a warrior, fighting on behalf of God. And Lucifer, well, he’s Satan. Enough said.

“Evening sacrifice” (Daniel 9:21)
During Daniel’s time, there was no Temple. There would have been no scheduled evening sacrifice. Yet, we can see that in Daniel’s mind, there is still a Temple, and he continues to worship the Lord even though there was no physical temple. There is a lot to be learned from Daniel’s reverence to God!

Gabriel gave Daniel the prophecy of the 70 weeks (Daniel 9:24-27)
- Daniel 9:24, The Scope
- Daniel 9:25, The 69 Weeks
- Daniel 9:26, The Interval
- Daniel 9:27, The 70th Week

Daniel 9:26 is the longest interval in the Bible! It’s been going on for 2000+ years, and it’ll keep on going until Jesus returns!


THE SCOPE (DANIEL 9:24)


The "seventy sevens" result in the consummation of 6 things
1. To finish the transgression
2. To make an end of sins
3. To make reconciliation for iniquity
4. To bring in everlasting righteousness
5. To conclude/seal up the vision and prophecy
6. To anoint the most holy place, the Holy of Holies

The scope of these things are completely conclusive (because at the end, when this is over, it will bring the end of sins). Yet, its fulfillment is not conclusive. That is, the 70th week has not yet been fulfilled.


"Weeks"
- Weeks of Days: Example, Sabbath is on the 7th day (Genesis 2:2; Exodus 20:11)
- Weeks of Weeks: Example, the Feast of Weeks (Leviticus 23:15-16)
- Weeks of Months: Example, Nisan to Tishri (Exodus 12:2; Leviticus 23:24)
- Weeks of Years: Example, the sabbatical years for the Land (Leviticus 25:1-22, 26:33-35; Deuteronomy 15; Exodus 23:10-11; 2 Chronicles 36:19-21)

Here, in Daniel 9:24, the “weeks” is weeks of years.

The Jews "owe" God seventy sevens (2 Chronicles 36:22)
The Jew were in Babylonian captivity for 70 years because God told them that they owe him seventy, through Jeremiah. Through studying the Book of Jeremiah, Daniel was able to calculate down to the day of when that 70 years would be up.

Hence, we see Daniel praying in Daniel 9, because he knew the 70 years of Babylonian captivity was almost up. (And we know from history, that indeed, after 70 years of Babylonian captivity, Persians came and conquered the Babylonians.)

On a bigger picture, however, the Jews have failed to keep Leviticus 25 for a total of 490 years -- The Jews failed to keep the sabbatical year for the land that occurred on every 7th year for a total of seventy weeks of seven. In the text, "week" represent weeks of years. Thus, 70 weeks of years = 70 x 7 years = 490 years.


THE 69 WEEKS (DANIEL 9:25)

From the commandment to restore Jerusalem to the arrival of the Messiah the King was prophesied to be 69 weeks of years (483 years).

Decrees to Rebuild Temple/Jerusalem
1. Cyrus, 537 BC (Ezra 1:2-4)
2. Darius (Ezra 6:1-5, 8, 12)
3. Artaxerxes, 458 BC (Ezra 7:11-26)
4. Artaxerxes, 445 BC (Nehemiah 2:5-8, 17, 18)

Those who have been following my blog posts on the minor prophets that I recently went through by following Pastor Terry Gray’s teachings would remember that the rebuilding of the Temple was very difficult during Ezra’s time. However, it set the stage for Nehemiah, who was able to set it going with more success. Why is this significant? The first 3 decrees dealt with only the rebuilding of the Temple. Only the last decree, issued during Nehemiah’s time, dealt with the rebuilding of the Temple AND Jerusalem! Furthermore, Daniel said it himself that he knew of the times by referring to Nehemiah’s documentation, so that ought to also authenticate the event.

Thus, the commandment to restore Jerusalem is the decree of Artaxerxes Longimanus, issued on March 14, 445 BC.

How many days in a year?
- The Bible used 360 days in a year (Genesis 7:24, 8:3-4; Daniel 9:27, 12:6; Revelation 11:2-3, 13:5)
- Ancient calendars were also based on 360-day years: Hebrews (obviously) Assyrians, Chaldeans, Egyptians, Persians, Greeks, Phoenicians, Chinese, Mayans, Hindus, Carthaginians, Etruscans, Teutons, etc.

The Coming of Messiah was prophesied to the EXACT DAY
Coming back to Daniel 9:25, where he prophesied that from the commandment to restore Jerusalem to the arrival of the Messiah the King was 483 years or 173,880 days (483 x 360), we could calculate when Jesus officially presented Himself as the King of Jews (Zechariah 9:9): A day where Jesus personally arranged for His presentation to take place! (Prior to this day, when the crowd would urge Him to be their King, Jesus would slip away saying His time had not yet come.)

Jesus’ Triumphal Entry occurred on April 6, 32 AD, exactly 173,880 days after the decree! Gabriel’s margin of error was ZERO! Gabriel told Daniel the PRECISE day that Jesus would present Himself as King and Messiah!

The Triumphal Entry and the Rocks that Never Cried Out (Luke 19:38-40)
- Luke 19:38 quotes Psalms 118
- The Pharisees were worked up about this, telling Jesus to rebuke His disciples (Luke 19:39). Why? The people were just singing Psalm 118. However, the Pharisees knew that when the people sang Psalm 118 under those circumstances (with Jesus riding in on a donkey), they were declaring Jesus their Messiah, the King. And since the Pharisees refused to believe that Jesus was indeed their King, they naturally thought Jesus wouldn’t want His disciples to blaspheme God’s name and thus wanted Jesus to rebuke His disciples! Never did it occur to them that perhaps the people knew what they were talking about, that perhaps Jesus IS the KING!
- Jesus therefore answered, “I tell you that if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out” (Luke 19:40).

Judgment Declared (Luke 19:41-42)
Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem as he approached it, saying, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.”

Jesus expected His people to KNOW this day would be THE day, because Gabriel had been so precise. But they didn’t. And so, they’ve had their chance. Moving forward, the Israelites would be forever blinded UNTIL the fullness of Gentiles would come in (Romans 11:25).

Jesus continued, “The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

And indeed, 38 years after Jesus said that, millions died from a siege, while others died of famine. And of course, in 70 AD, Jerusalem fell. Why did Jerusalem fall? “Because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you,” said Jesus to His people!

Jesus held His people to know prophecy! They may not know the exact day (thought that information was precisely given to them), but they should have at least recognized the circumstances. And because they didn’t, their city was destroyed!


THE INTERVAL (DANIEL 9:26)

The Messiah will be killed (karat)
Jesus will be killed, not for Himself, but for us.

"People of the prince shall come"
This phrase describes the Romans and the Antichrist (We know it’s Romans because they destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple 38 years after Jesus was crucified, in 70 AD -- See my notes on Revelation 17-18 for details)

There are two parts to the Roman Empire: Western Europe and the Byzantine Empire (Isaiah 10, Micah 5)

According to rabbinical teachings, the Messiah had to be executed prior to the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD (Yalkut, Vol. II, 32b, p. 79, Nazir edition), and the Messiah had to exit Jerusalem before 33 AD (Midrash Berishit, p. 243, Warsaw edition). For the Jews who still refuse to recognize Jesus as the Messiah, who else but Jesus Christ fulfilled all the prophecies between 33-70 AD?

This interval is also mentioned in other scriptural passages
Luke 4:18-20 (cf. Isaiah 61:1-2, take care to note where Jesus stopped reading and commented what He had fulfilled in the people’s presence that day); Revelation 12:5-6; Isaiah 54:7; Hosea 3:4-5; Amos 9:10-11; Acts 15:13-18; Micah 5:2-3; Zechariah 9:9-10; Luke 1:31-32, 21:24.

This interval has been defined
Luke 19:42 until Romans 11:25 (Israel, as a nation, will be blind to the Truth until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in)

This interval is the period of the Church, an era that was kept a secret in the Old Testament (Matthew 13:34-35; Ephesians 3:5-9)
- The Church was born at Pentecost (Colossians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Acts 1:5, 11:15-16).
- There were prerequisites for this interval to take place: 1) Atonement of sins by Jesus (Matthew 16:18-21); 2) Resurrection of Jesus from the dead (Ephesians 1:20-23); and 3) Ascension of Jesus into Heaven (Ephesians 4:7-11)


THE 70TH WEEK (DANIEL 9:27)

The Antichrist will ENFORCE a treaty
"He" = the Prince shall come = the Antichrist

The Antichrist enforce a covenant (peace treaty). This does not mean he will sign it. He may sign it or just simply enforce, say, the Palestinian covenant that is giving Israel right to the Land. The start of this treaty defines the beginning of the 70th week.

This peace treaty appears to restore Jewish sacrificial ceremonies for atonement of sins
The Antichrist would maintain that peace for a 7-year period. However, in the middle of this week of years (i.e., 3 1/2 years), he would cease these ceremonies.

"He shall cause sacrifices to cease" suggests that there will be a Temple, that the Jews would be allowed to go back to the Levitical system. 

The greatest dilemma for the Jews today is that they have no remedy for sin! The Book of Leviticus says clearly that without the shedding of blood there is no remedy. Today, Israelites do not have the Temple, and they do not have the opportunity to shed blood. They have no remedy and yet they are completely conscious of sin -- Quite the dilemma! 

This progression of event essentially resembles the time when Antiochus Epiphanes erected an Abomination of Desolation in 167 BC. Jesus, in his briefing, makes reference to this, a historical event that had occurred 2 centuries earlier. Yet, Jesus was speaking of it prophetically. Jesus is talking about a repeat of that kind of an event! There has never been a repeat of Antiochus Epiphanes' deeds to this day.

Feast of Dedication
- Solomon’s Temple (1 Kings 8:2) occurred in the Autumn
- Zerubbabel’s Temple (Ezra 6:15-16) occurred in the Spring
- The Rededication of the Temple occurred in the Winter, during the 25th of Kislev. This was the Feast of Dedication that John referred to in John 10:22. This is the Feast of Dedication that took place during the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes. This is not a feast of Moses. It's not in the Old Testament. It celebrates an event that occurred between the two Testaments. The Holy Spirit mentions it here because Jesus would allude to Epiphanes’ Abomination of Desolation to show that a similar event will take place in the future.

Antiochus IV Epiphanes
- Made Torah reading punishable by death
- Slaughtered a sow on the altar
- Erected an idol to Zeus in the Holy of Holies (The Abomination of Desolation, Matthew 24:15), which resulted in the Macabbean Revolt

The Macabbean Revolt
- Spanned 3 years
- Threw off the yoke of the Seleucid Empire
- Rededicated the Temple on the 25th of Kislev, 165 BC, which to this day is celebrated as Channukah (John 10:22)
Daniel 9:24-27 are aimed at Israel
- Israel and the Church have different origins, missions, and destinies.
- Replacement Theology denies Israel its place in God’s plan (Romans 9-11). Worse, it makes God a liar. It is also the basis for anti-Semitism.

The “70 Weeks of Daniel” deal specifically with Israel
- Gabriel made that clear up-front.
- Paul always dealt with God’s people in 3 categories: Jews, Gentiles, and the Church (1 Corinthians 10:32)


MYSTERY OF THE CHURCH

In the Bible, the concept of a "mystery" is something that was not previously revealed until God provided understanding of it through His prophets.


Jesus told His disciples that He was revealing things that were not revealed before ("mysteries"), aka things not foretold in the Old Testament (Matthew 13:11)
What were these mysteries? One of them was the about the Church, a mystery that Paul had the privilege to reveal it.

It was Paul's privilege to reveal the Mystery of the Church (Ephesians 3)
Contrary to popular misunderstanding, it was never true that the Gentiles cannot be saved, or that God only intended the Israelites as His people. God has provided salvation to the Gentiles since the Old Testament. The idea behind "Israelites as God's people" was that the Israelites were supposed to be God's representatives on Earth, exemplifying God's provision and love so that through them, everyone can be saved.

And so, the Mystery of the Church is not at all about "Gentiles are also saved" -- As noted above, there was no mystery about that. Old Testament prophets knew God saves the Gentiles.

What was a mystery about the Church to the Old Testament prophets but revealed in the New Testament was the following
- The Church has a body (Ephesians 3:3-9)
- The Holy Spirit indwells in every believer (Colossians 1:26-27) -- This did NOT happen until AFTER Jesus ascended into Heaven (Acts 1:9-11)
- The Church is the Bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:22-32)
- The Church will go through Harpazo (Rapture) (1 Corinthians 15:50-58)
- The Church is distinguished from the Jews and the Gentiles (1 Corinthians 10:32)

These concepts blew Paul away. He knew what the Holy Spirit was, but the perpetual indwelling of the Holy Spirit? This was not true for the Old Testament saints! The indwelling of the Holy Spirit was true only for the Church! There was no indwelling of the Holy Spirit before the Church, there there will not be any indwelling of the Holy Spirit when the Church is removed.

The Church is distinguished from the Jews and the Gentiles (1 Corinthians 10:32)
This distinction evaporates from Revelation 4 and on.

Times of the Gentiles (Luke 21)
This is the period of time from Nebuchadnezzar to the Antichrist -- An era of Gentile dominion on Earth.

The Fullness of the Gentiles
It is not the same as "the Time of the Gentiles" -- Here, there is a number in mind. Once that number is reached, the Church will be raptured, sending the Earth through the Tribulation.

Once the Church is removed, God deals with Jews and Gentiles as in the Old Testament times
This is why after Revelation 4, the Bible switches back to a Hebrew perspective. The distinction between Jews and Gentiles reemerges after Revelation 4.


Prerequisite for the Church to take place (Luke 24:45-49; Acts 1:1-11)
- The atonement of sin: Jesus died on the Cross
- The resurrection of Jesus
- The ascension of Jesus



ORDER OF EVENTS (2 Thessalonians 2)

1. The Rapture occurs (2 Thessalonians 2:3) (Some argue this is talking about the Apostasy. Missler believes this is talking about the Rapture)
2. The Restrainer is removed (2 Thessalonians 2:7)
3. The Man of Sin is revealed (2 Thessalonians 2:8)
4. The Day of the Lord comes

2 Thessalonians 2
Paul is upset because there had been false teaching that led the Thessalonians to think either they have been mis-taught, or they have missed the Rapture. Paul thus reminds them what he had taught them. "The day of the world shall not come unless there is a falling away first." -- Then, the restrainer is removed. And THEN shall the wicked one be revealed.

The Rapture precedes the Tribulation
- The 70th Week is defined by the covenant enforced by the Coming World Leader (Daniel 9:27).
- The Great Tribulation is the last ½ of the 70th Week.
- The Coming World Leader cannot be revealed until AFTER the Ratpure (2 Thessalonians 2:6-9).

Israel and the Church are dealt with separately
This is why the Rapture will take place before the Tribulation.

If not, then how do we explain the following:
1. We (the Church) are promised we will not experience God's wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9; Revelation 3, etc)
2. How can the Bride come with Jesus if Jesus is coming for them?
3. Who will populate the Millennium? If at the end of the Tribulation, everyone is either given our resurrection bodies (which will no longer experience death) or cast into Hell, who would be left to populate the Earth during the Millenium as prophesied (and will have bodies that will still experience death)?
4. Who are the sheep and goat judgments of Matthew 25
5. How do the virgins of Matthew 25 buy oil without the Mark of the Beast?

Each question above is a study on its own. This list of questions is not exhaustive. My purpose for listing these questions is to encourage us to think about what we have learned throughout the Bible. When we consider only certain verses and become quite myopic about those verses, it is very easy for us to take them out of context and misunderstand the message. However, when we evaluate verses based on the ENTIRE Bible, it becomes much easier to see which piece of the puzzle should go where. The Bible is meant to be studied as a WHOLE and analyzed as a WHOLE. ALL the pieces MUST fit perfectly together. Why? Because God's message is perfect and whole. If we find a piece and don't know where to fit it, the clue can be found within the Bible. This is why every time we go through the Bible, we can continue to find gems and nuggets of information. God's knowledge is that deep and that wide -- and He has shared it with us.


The Great Tribulation lasts time, times, and 1/2 time
Matthew 24:21-22
Daniel 12
- “Time” = 1 week of years (Daniel 7:25, 12:7; Revelation 12:14)
- This period of time is also known as 3 ½ years (Daniel 9:27; 12:7), 42 months (Revelation 11:2, 13:5), 1260 days (Revelation 11:3; Daniel 12:6)
- This is the most documented period of time in the Bible
The Tribulation is a “Time of Jacob’s Trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7). The Tribulation will affect all, but the focus is on the Israelites.
- During Jesus's briefing (Matthew 24), where He defined the last 3 1/2 years as the Great Tribulation, Jesus was quoting Daniel 12.

Hosea 5:15
"Then I will go back to my place until they admit their guilt. And they will seek my face; in their misery they will earnestly seek me."

This Scripture shows that Jesus has left His place in Heaven. Otherwise, how could Jesus "return" to His place, if He hadn't left it in the first place? Why did Jesus leave His place in Heaven? To become man so that He could die in our place and wash us of our sin! Today, Jesus has returned to His place in Heaven and will return ONLY WHEN the Israelites earnestly seek Him. There are several prerequisites for Jesus's return, and one of which is for Israel to petition for his return, to acknowledge him in a corporate sense.


TITLES OF THE ANTICHRIST

- Seed of the Serpent (Genesis 3:15)
- Idol Shepherd (Zechariah 11:16-17)
- Little Horn (Daniel 7:8-11, 21-26; 8:9-12, 23-25)
- Prince that shall come (Daniel 9:26)
- Willful King (Daniel 11:36)
- Beast (Revelation 11:7; 13)
- False Prophet (Revelation 13)
- Antichrist (1 John 2:22)
- Lawless One (2 Thessalonians 2:8)
- Man of Sin (2 Thessalonians 2:3)
- One come in his own name (John 5:43)
- Son of Perdition (2 Thessalonians 2:3)
Characteristics of the Antichrist
- Intellectual genius (Daniel 7:20; 8:23; Ezekiel 28:3)
- Persuasive orator (Daniel 7:20; Revelation 13:2)
- Shrewd politician (Daniel 11:21; Daniel 8:25)
- Financial genius (Revelation 13:17; Ezekiel 28:4-5; Psalm 52:7; Daniel 11:38, 43)
- Forceful military leader (Daniel 8:24; Revelation 6:2; Revelation 13:4; Isaiah 4:16)
- Powerful organizer (Revelation 13:1-2; 17:17)
- Unifying religious guru (2 Thessalonians 2:4; Revelation 13:3, 14, 15; Psalm 10:52, 55; Isaiah 10:11, 13-14; Jeremiah 49-51; Zechariah 5; Revelation 18)
- Zechariah 11:17 is the only Scripture describing his physical characteristic

Is the Antichrist a Jew or a Gentile?
- He will be the Son of Satan (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 27:1; Ezekiel 28:12-19; Revelation 13); Satan can give the Antichrist his powers because Satan currently runs this world. Satan used his powers to tempt Jesus (Matthew 4:1-11). The difference between Jesus and the Antichrist is, Jesus conquered Satan's temptations. It's interesting to note that Jesus did not challenge Satan's ownership of the world -- It would not be much of a temptation if Satan was bluffing about himself being the prince of the world.
- Some believe this leader will be a Jew: 1) Scriptures referred to him as “another Jewish leader of the same kind” (allos, not heteros) (Ezekiel 21:25-27; 28:2-10; Daniel 11:36-37; John 5:43); 2) He will be received by Israel (John 5:43; Psalm 55).
- Some believe this leader will be a Gentile, because he will be a Roman Prince (among other reasons).
- The Antichrist is really two players: Revelation 13 shows that he is both a political leader and a religious leader as a duet.

The Antichrist will survive a head wound
Revelation 13:6
Zechariah 11:7
Will the Antichrist really die, or will he just get wounded? Does this really matter? What matters is that he will be healed and the world will wonder.


BOOK OF DANIEL VS. BOOK OF REVELATION
- The Lampstands = The Churches (Revelation 1:20): The Lampstands are in Heaven when John arrives (Revelation 4:5).
- The 24 Elders are identified as the Redeemed (Revelation 5:9-10) and worship before the Lamb receives the Scroll.
- Once the Scroll is opened, THEN the judgments proceed, ushering in the Tribulation. That is, BEFORE the Judgments are poured out on Earth, the 24 Elders, representing the Church, are already in Heaven.
- The Tribulation begins as the Judgments are revealed. Then, the 70th Week of Daniel (Daniel 9:27) is detailed in Revelation 6-19.