November in Daniel, Psalms, Ezra, Haggai, Zechariah, and Esther

NOVEMBER

1. Daniel 9
2. Daniel 10
3. Daniel 11 & 12
4. Ezra 1-2
5. Ezra 3 & Psalm 126
6. Psalm 92-93
7. Psalm 94
8. Psalm 95-96
9. Psalm 97-98
10. Psalm 99-100
11. Ezra 4
12. Haggai 1 & 2
13. Zech 1 & 2
14. Zech 3 & 4
15. Zech 5 & 6
16. Zech 7 & 8
17. Zech 9
18. Zech 10 & 11
19. Zech 12 & 13
20. Zech 14
21. Ezra 5 & 6
22. Psalm 129
23. Psalm 118
24. Psalm 148-150
25. Esther 1 & 2
26. Esther 3 & 4
27. Esther 5 & 6
28. Esther 7 & 8
29. Esther 9 & 10
30. Psalm 106

October in Ezekiel and Daniel

1. Ezekiel 20
2. Ezekiel 21
3. Ezekiel 22
4. Ezekiel 23
5. Ezekiel 24
6. Ezekiel 25 & 26
7. Ezekiel 27
8. Ezekiel 28
9. Ezekiel 29
10. Ezekiel 30 & 31
11. Ezekiel 32
12. Ezekiel 33
13. Ezekiel 34 & 35
14. Ezekiel 36
15. Ezekiel 37
16. Ezekiel 38
17. Ezekiel 39
18. Ezekiel 40
19. Ezekiel 41 & 42
20. Ezekiel 43
21. Ezekiel 44
22. Ezekiel 45 & 46
23. Ezekiel 47
24. Ezekiel 48
25. Daniel 1 & 2
26. Daniel 3
27. Daniel 4
28. Daniel 5
29. Daniel 6
30. Daniel 7
31. Daniel 8

Put Daniel Back on the Prophets Shelf

Yahoo! You are done with another prophetic book. 

Daniel 11 & 12 - The Kings of the South and North

LINK: Daniel 11 & 12

BACKGROUND

The angelic messenger began to reveal Israel's future at the end of the last chapter. In this chapter, he informed Daniel that the Persian Empire would have four rulers:

1. Cambyses, Cyrus' son (530-522)
2. Pseudo-Smerdis (522-521)
3. Darius I Hystaspes (521-486)
4. Xerxes, Ahasuerus (486-465) - from the Book of Esther

Xerxes was the most powerful and fought against Greece.

The "mighty king" of Greece (11:3) is Alexander the Great (2:32, 39b; 7:6; 8:5-8). He conquered Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt, and all the land in the Medo-Persian Empire between 334 and 330 B.C. (busy guy). The map below shows his path:

(www.wikipedia.org)

(Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament, p. 1367) 

No wonder he died at the age of 32! I'm tired just looking at that map.

After Alexander's death, his kingdom was divided between four generals: Seleucus, Ptolemy, Lysimachus (over Thrace and portions of Asia Minor), and Cassander (over Macedonia and Greece). These are the four heads of the leopard mentioned in 7:6 and the four prominent horns on the goat mentioned in 8:8.

The conflict between the Ptolemies and Seleucids is the main thrust of Daniel 11:5-35 (see chart). 

Israel, the "Beautiful Land," was invaded first by one power and then the other. Antiochus IV would even desecrate the temple and stop the daily sacrifices of the Jews. He sacrificed pigs on the altar erected in honor of Zeus on December 16,167 B.C. This would have been a huge insult since pigs were considered unclean by the Jews. This set up the "abomination of desolation" (11:31).

This desecration led to the revolt of the Maccabees (perhaps these are the "people who know their God" in 11:32) and is the historical background behind the celebration of Hanukkah (from the Hebrew word "to dedicate") which marks the rededication of the temple and the "miracle of the container of oil." Jewish tradition says that there was only enough oil to keep the eternal flame in the temple burning for one day, but it burned for the eight days it takes to crush olives to make new oil.

What is so amazing about Daniel 11:1-35 is that this was all predicted, and it all came to pass!

Daniel 11:36-12:3 becomes dicier. Some scholars believe Daniel 11:36-45 describe Antiochus IV Epiphanes or Titus (the Roman general). Others believe that Antiochus IV was a foreshadowing of a king who will come (the little "horn" of 7:8 and "the ruler" of 9:26) as the final ruler of the Roman world. He will rise to power through satanic means and is described in Revelation 13:1-8 where he is called a "beast." He will gain authority by consent of the 10 kings who will submit to him and give him political and religious power (Revelation 17:12-13), and the world will be persuaded to worship him as a god by the miracles the false prophet will perform in his name (Revelation 13:11-15). 

Many believe that the "abomination" mentioned in 12:11 is not only the desecration of the temple by Antiochus IV Epiphanes but also the horrible acts of evil fulfilled by the Antichrist (Matthew 24:15). There is much speculation about the numbers in Daniel 12:11-12, but the main point is that God is in control of all events, and the time of persecution has an end and "many will be purified, made spotless and refined" and eventually the "wise will understand" (12:10). We can certainly "go our way" just as Daniel was instructed to do when he did not understand the exact meaning of the times and events (12:8-9).

There is much more from this book to come as we study the New Testament. The book of Daniel is quoted or alluded to seventy-one times in sixteen New Testament books, most of them in the book of Revelation. Let's wait until we get to the end of the book (and after Matthew 23:37-24:31) to tie this all together. It is helpful to understand the whole "Book of Truth" (10:21) first!

REFLECTION

Whew! Prophecy is tough for me. I am fine with the prophecies that have already been fulfilled because they point to the omniscient (all-knowing) God who knows the end from the beginning and has a plan much larger than we can even comprehend (2:22), but it gets tough when you do not know if they have been fulfilled or not; and we, in our puny human understanding, start filling in the blanks.

In our reading and study of Daniel, it is not so much about how settled your End Times theology is in your mind as it is about how settled God is in your heart. It is about the wisdom, understanding, and insight (5:12, 12:3) that come because of His position there. Moreover, it is more about encounter with the living God over just insight about Him. In that, we can learn so much from Daniel's life and example.

The book of Daniel is about the Kingdom of God that will endure forever (2:44; 4:34, 35) where God will receive all our worship, glory, praise, and exultation as God of all gods, Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries (2:47). It is about a remnant of God-fearing wise men of Babylon called Magi (2:48) who knew the prophecy of Daniel and followed a star to worship at the tiny feet of a baby born in Bethlehem. This is the part that had me in tears this morning: Daniel's example led Gentiles to the Messiah hundreds of years later!

And those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. (Daniel 12:3)

APPLICATION

Reflect on and journal about what you have learned from your study of Daniel.

Can you "Dare to be a Daniel"?

If you are reading according to the Bible Book Club schedule, Hanukkah is right around the corner. 

The first candle of the menorah is lit at nightfall on the first date listed above. When our "Celebrate the Feasts" group did this in the early 90s, we had different people take on the characters in the story. It was great fun and would have been perfect to do with children (I was the only one with a baby at the time). Years later, I made paper puppets for my kids to tell them the story of the "miracle of the container of oil" that brought light for so many nights! It is perfect to celebrate right before we celebrate the birth of Christ, the Light of the World, and I heartily recommend celebrating it! 

PRAYER

You are the Most High God who is sovereign over the kingdoms of men. We honor and glorify You who lives forever. Your dominion is an eternal dominion. Your kingdom endures from generation to generation. All the peoples of the earth will come and worship at Your feet. We adore You Most High God. Amen.

CHARACTERISTICS OF DANIEL 

He lived up to his name

Daniel means “God is my judge.” Daniel lived his life before the all-seeing eyes of the Lord and did the things that pleased Him. He didn’t worry about what the king thought of him or his interpretations; he simply delivered the message God gave him and left the results with the Lord. What difference did it make that the other counselors despised him and tried to have him killed? His life and reputation were in the hands of the Lord, and the will of the Lord was always best. Is it any wonder that the Lord greatly loved Daniel?

D.L. Moody often preached on Daniel, and here’s an excerpt from the message:

Daniel thought more of his principles than he did of earthly honor or the esteem of men. Right was right with him. He was going to do right today and let the morrows take care of themselves. That firmness of purpose, in the strength of God, was the secret of his success.¹

One of Mr. Moody’s associates, musician Philip P. Bliss, expressed this truth in a song that’s not used much today, but the message is certainly needed. The chorus says:

Dare to be a Daniel!
Dare to stand alone!
Dare to have a purpose firm! 

Dare to make it known!

Be resolute! (Wiersbe, W. W. Be Resolute, p.156). Colorado Springs, Colo.: Victor.

¹D.L. Moody, Bible Characters, p. 9.

Daniel 10 - Vision of a Man and Strengthening of a Prophet

LINK: Daniel 10

BACKGROUND

The Chronological Order of the Book of Daniel 

Daniel 1–4: Captivity and interpretation of dreams and visions (Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar) 

Daniel 7: Vision of the four beasts (Babylon, Belshazzar) 

Daniel 8: Vision of the ram and he-goat (Babylon, Belshazzar) 

Daniel 5: Belshazzar’s feast—conquest of Babylon (Babylon, Belshazzar) 

Daniel 9: Vision of the seventy weeks (Persia, Darius) 

Daniel 6: Daniel in the lions’ den (Persia, Darius) 

Daniel 10–12: Daniel’s prayer and visions (Persia, Cyrus) (Wiersbe, W. W. Be resolute p. 9)

Chapters 10-12 contain Daniel's final vision that took place in 536 B.C. Cyrus' edict allowing the Jews to return to the Promised Land occurred in 538 B.C., so Israel was no longer in captivity and some exiles had returned to begin rebuilding the temple. We do not know why Daniel did not return, but it may have been due to his age (around 80 years) or because of his responsibilities in Babylon.

After seeing a vision of a terrible war, Daniel fasted and prayed. At the end of that time, he saw a man. Some scholars believe it was the angel Gabriel because he had visited Daniel before (8:16), and others believe it was the pre-incarnate Christ because the description of him is similar to the one in Revelation 1:13-16. Also, the "Son of Man" (7:13) and a "man" (8:16) had already been revealed to Daniel. But would Christ have been hindered by the prince (demon) of Persia and needed the help of the angel Michael (10:13)? We do not know for sure who it was, but the most important point in this chapter is that it gave Daniel an idea of the unseen, spiritual battle that has waged throughout history!

The vision frightened and exhausted Daniel, but the heavenly visitor said, "Do not be afraid" twice (10:12, 19) because Daniel was "highly esteemed" (9:23; 10:11, 19). The messenger restored his speech and strength through his touch.

The end of this chapter tells us about the heavenly warfare that was to be directed toward Persia and Greece. Each of these nations was represented by evil "princes" of these nations (10:13, 20). 

Without going into a really long explanation of angels and demons, it is believed that angels are arranged in differing ranks ("rule, authority, power, and dominion" in Ephesians 1:21). Apparently, Gabriel and Michael had authority over angels doing God's business for the nation Israel (10:21; 12:1; Jude 9). Similarly, Satan has assigned certain demons authority over particular kingdoms. There is a real battle between God's angels and Satan's demons in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12).

We will talk about the "writing of truth" tomorrow. Stay tuned!

REFLECTION

The year was 1985, and I was in over my head.

Two years before this, God had told me to move from Seattle to Corvallis because there was a group of women who were struggling, and He wanted to send me there to be His instrument to help. Within a few days, I had met each of these girls. Over the next year, they each came to me and confessed that they had been struggling to get out of a particular sin, and God told them to go to me for help.

Like I said, I was in over my head!

Well, needless to say, Satan had a strong hold on these girls, and he was not going to let go very easily. I can only say that those two years convinced me, without a doubt, that when we obey God and go forward in faith, we will be involved in the invisible war, and it is not pretty (but we know who is gonna win).

So, I am two years into this battle. I am sitting there in the Memorial Union of the Oregon State University campus in one of those nice comfy wing-backed chairs reading my Bible (I was on the third year of my five years first journey through the Bible).  I was a little "beat up" from the battle. I had just met with one of those women, and she was not doing so well.

Let's face it: I was discouraged. I was afraid (The enemy is NOT nice and very scary!). I was exhausted. I did not like the battle. On top of that, my dad was dying of pancreatic cancer. Not fun!

Lo and behold, I am in Daniel 10 in my Bible reading. Daniel was a man who was given a God-sized job and saw the battle. He was weakened, overwhelmed, and speechless after learning of the reality of the angelic-demonic conflict that delayed the answer to his prayer. He was overcome with anguish over the coming sufferings of Israel. Yet, he was not left alone. He was given strength and encouragement:

Oh man of high esteem, do not be afraid. Peace be with you; take courage and be courageous!" Now as soon as he spoke to me, I received strength and said, "May my lord speak, for you have strengthened me (10:19 - underlined in my Bible from that very day back in 1985!).

I fall quite short of the "high esteem" of Daniel, but God powerfully met me and strengthened me physically and emotionally on that day in 1985 through Daniel's story!

Even today, I am frightened by the battle sometimes (recently I burst into tears after seeing something from the other side). I get very tired, but God always strengthens and encourages me to not be afraid.

How are you doing in the battle these days?

Here is more from Warren Wiersbe regarding this chapter:

CHARACTERISTICS OF DANIEL 

He had an understanding of spiritual warfare 

Daniel 10 is a key chapter for prayer warriors, people who wrestle in prayer (Col. 4:12) and seek under God to tear down the strongholds that block God’s truth from getting into the minds of unbelievers (2 Cor. 10:1–6). When I was pastoring the Moody Church in Chicago, I met regularly with three ministerial friends, and together we devoted ourselves to warfare praying. By faith, we sought to attack Satan’s strongholds and open the way for the Word of God to change the lives of people in trouble. God gave us many wonderful victories in ways that we could never have imagined.

When by faith we put on the whole armor of God and depend on God’s power, God gives us the ability to “stand” and to “withstand” (Eph. 6:10–14). We aren’t just brave targets—we’re energized combatants! We hold the ground God has given us and we move ahead to capture new ground.

I recognize the fact that the whole concept of spiritual warfare has been abused by some and ridiculed by others, but that shouldn’t stop us from imitating great saints like Daniel and Paul who invaded Satan’s territory and stood their ground when they were threatened. Isaac Watts said it perfectly:

Are there no foes for me to face? 
Must I not stem the flood? 
Is this vile world a friend to grace, to help me on to God? 
Sure I must fight, if I would reign; increase my courage, Lord; 
I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain, supported by Thy word. (Wiersbe, W. W. Be Resolute, p. 153)

APPLICATION (from 2009)

It is so funny because the boys asked us about spiritual warfare at dinner last night. I cannot even remember what made them ask, but we had a very long discussion about it. They wanted to know details of our experiences, and we told them our battle stories. It led me to praise God who will win the final battle!

Maybe you are in a battle, and you do not even know it. Can I recommend that you "armor up" every day by praying through Ephesians 6:10-20?

PRAYER

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. (Ephesians 6:10-20)

Daniel 9 - Daniel's Prayer and 70 "Sevens"

LINK: Daniel 9

BACKGROUND 

The Chronological Order of the Book of Daniel 

Daniel 1–4: Captivity and interpretation of dreams and visions (Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar) 

Daniel 7: Vision of the four beasts (Babylon, Belshazzar) 

Daniel 8: Vision of the ram and he-goat (Babylon, Belshazzar) 

Daniel 5: Belshazzar’s feast—conquest of Babylon (Babylon, Belshazzar) 

Daniel 9: Vision of the seventy weeks (Persia, Darius) 

Daniel 6: Daniel in the lions’ den (Persia, Darius) 

Daniel 10–12: Daniel’s prayer and visions (Persia, Cyrus)  

(Wiersbe, W. W. (2000). Be resolute (9). Colorado Springs, Colo.: Victor.)

By studying Scripture, Daniel knew that the end of the 70-year captivity was drawing to a close. As he studied, He turned to God in confession (9:3-14) and petition (9:15-19) with fasting. He knew that God's judgment on Israel was Gentile domination and exile. The path back to Jerusalem had to be paved with confession and prayer focused on the greatness of God. 

Again, Gabriel came and gave insight and instruction to Daniel because he was "highly esteemed" (10:11,19) by God.  

Daniel 9:24-27 have been interpreted so many different ways based, again, on the different views of end times. Some interpret the 490 years literally (70x7) and others figuratively. This is applied to Israel and Jerusalem. God would "finish the transgression" and "seal up sins" making "atonement for iniquity," bringing in "everlasting righteousness." Jesus was the sacrifice that atoned for their sin (John 11:44-52). Ultimately, Israel's sins will be forgiven (Zechariah 12:10-13:1).

The "issuing of the decree" in 9:25 is believed to be the fourth of four decrees by the Persian rulers: 

1) Cyrus in 538 B.C. - 2 Chronicles 36:22-23; Ezra 1:1-4; 5:13 

2) Darius I (522-486) in 520 B.C. - Ezra 6:1, 6-12  

3) Artaxerxes Longimanus ("Longhand") (464-424) in 457 B.C. - Ezra 7:11-26  

4) Artaxerxes Longimanus on March 5, 444 B.C. - Nehemiah 2:1-8

The fourth decree is the one that walled the city making the rebuilding final (and having much opposition, as you will see when we read Nehemiah!). It was from this time that we count the 70 "sevens." 

There are many ways this can be interpreted, and here is one way:

1) Seven "sevens" (49 years) 444-395 B.C. 

2) Sixty-two "sevens" (9:26a; 434 years)

This concluded on the day of the Triumphal Entry of Jesus.  He was officially presented as the Messiah to the nation of Israel on that day, fulfilling Zechariah 9:9 (Luke 19:42). 

These first two were 69 weeks totaling 483 years. March 5, 444 B.C. - March 30, A.D. 33 according to the Jewish Calendar of 360 days per year. 

(For more details see Harold W. Hoehner, Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ and Alva J. McClain, Daniel’s Prophecy of the Seventy Weeks)

The "Anointed One" would be cut off and have nothing. "Cut off" is a word used in the executing of a criminal." This was Christ's crucifixion. Christ's death came at the end of the 69 weeks (483 years later). Then there is an interval between the 69th and 70th week called "the church age." 

Note: Amillennialists believe that Christ's First Advent was in the 70th "seven" and there is no interval between the 69th and 70th "sevens." According to this view, all of the actions described in Daniel 9:24 are being fulfilled in the church today. 

The ruler of 9:26 is the final head of the Roman Empire (7:8). This is believed to be when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the temple in A.D. 70. 

3) One "seven" (9:27; 7 years) 

The "he" in 9:27 is believed to refer back to "the prince who is to come" in 9:26. This is believed to be the Antichrist. This is the final seven years. Some interpret this as the 7-year tribulation period or "day of the Lord" in the future (Matthew 24:3-24). This will all culminate in the return of Jesus (Revelation 6-19; Matthew 24:15-35). YAY!!!! 

We will understand this better when we combine it with our study of Matthew 24 and Revelation next year. Stay tuned.

The important thing about all this is Daniel's reverence for the One who held all these events in the palm of His hand. All this should lead us to worship and devotion to Him rather than a fixation on prophecy!

REFLECTION

For most of Daniel, I have had a personal reflection AND the Warren Wiersbe review. Finally, I have nothing to say, and I will let Warren do all the talking today!

CHARACTERISTICS OF DANIEL 

He studied the Word of God and believed it

When Daniel and his friends left Jerusalem for Babylon, they carried with them some of the scrolls of the Old Testament Scriptures. We know that Daniel studied the prophecies of Jeremiah (Dan. 9:2) and we can assume that these godly young men had other portions of the Word as well.

Prayer and the Word of God go together (Acts 6:4). Someone asked an old saint, “Which is more important in my Christian life, praying or studying God’s Word?” The saint replied, “Which wing on a bird is more important for his flight, the right one or the left one?” As we read the Word of God and study it, we must pray for wisdom to understand and the power to obey. We should also turn the Word into prayer. As we pray, we must remember what we’ve learned from the Scriptures, for the Word increases our faith (Rom. 10:17) and helps us pray in God’s will (John 15:7).

Daniel didn’t study the Word to impress people; he studied it to ascertain the will of God and obey it. When God enlightened him concerning the seventy years of captivity, Daniel immediately began to pray that God would forgive His people and fulfill His promises, and He did. When you know the Word of God and walk in communion with the God of the Word, you will have a resolute heart and be able to withstand the attacks of the devil. (Wiersbe, W. W. Be Resolute, p. 152)

APPLICATION 

Warren Wiersbe and I are such soulmates. He is still alive and living in Nebraska. I want to go and knock on his door and say, "Thank you for all you have done for countless numbers of people who have learned to love God's Word through your commentaries!!!"  (I did try to call him once, but there was no answer.)  But I digress . . . 

I totally agree with what Warren just said in that reflection, and I have said similar things before in the Bible Book Club too. Here is what I wrote on March 26, 2012, in the Psalms 46-49 & 91 post:

I once had a friend ask me, “If you were going to die, what would be the most important spiritual discipline that you would want to pass on before you left this world?” I said, “Prayerful meditation through the Scriptures. Meditating and praying responsively back to God.” 

The main reason I said this was because I had seen the change this had made in my own life. Throughout the years of discipling women, I have had women come back to say that this was the one thing that they most appreciated about our time together. A couple of letters from these women illustrate this point:

Beyond Malibu seems like so long ago when you introduced me to a deeper way of seeking and knowing God. Thank you. 5/23/99 

[Carol's note: I taught her how to pray through Psalms in the Summer of 1986] 

I am so thankful for you, Carol. Just about a month ago my husband preached on "praying through scripture" and I can't tell you how many times he and I talked about the way you taught me to pray through a Psalm. He said in his sermon, "There should be less and less of a separation between your Bible reading and your prayer life. They should become increasingly melded together," or something similar. God used you to start me on this, and it has been so valuable to me over the years. It's a discipline to be taught -- thank you for teaching me. 6/19/99

Why not start praying through Scripture today!

PRAYER

In a few days, we will be going through a slew of Psalms that fit with this period in Israel's history (Psalm 126, 92-100 - amazing psalms of worship focusing on the character of God), but they are also great to apply to our lives today. Why not start praying through those Psalms today! Do this by reading a verse or two. Then pause to hear God's voice and verbalize your response. Praying Psalms is one of my favorite things to do with another person too. So, gather together with one or many others and pray Scripture each taking turns reading and responding! You can intellectually analyze them or just absent-mindedly read through them, or you can "turn the Word into prayer" as Wiersbe recommends!

You can also pray through them in a Lectio Divina way.

This handout from 24-7 Prayer is also helpful:

How to Pray the Psalms

Daniel 8 - Vision of a Ram and Goat

LINK: Daniel 8

BACKGROUND

The Chronological Order of the Book of Daniel 

Daniel 1–4: Captivity and interpretation of dreams and visions (Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar) 

Daniel 7: Vision of the four beasts (Babylon, Belshazzar) 

Daniel 8: Vision of the ram and he-goat (Babylon, Belshazzar) 

Daniel 5: Belshazzar’s feast—conquest of Babylon (Babylon, Belshazzar) 

Daniel 9: Vision of the seventy weeks (Persia, Darius) 

Daniel 6: Daniel in the lions’ den (Persia, Darius) 

Daniel 10–12: Daniel’s prayer and visions (Persia, Cyrus) (Wiersbe, W. W. Be resolute, p. 9)

Map of Elam {{GFDL}} by en:User:Dbachmann,
 based on [http://www.zoroastriankids.com/map_elam.gif], [http://home.columbus.rr.com/malyan/Resources/mesoiranmap.gif].

This prophecy occurred in 551 B.C. when Daniel was about 70 years old. Susa was one of the capitals of the Babylonian Empire which is in modern-day Iran (Elam). It was the winter capital of the Persian Empire. It had a mighty fortress (citadel). The earliest known code of law, the Code of Hammurabi, was found at Susa. It was a very sophisticated city. The events in the book of Esther that occurred about 100 years later took place in Susa. 

Daniel's vision of a ram and goat (8:1-14) is interpreted by Gabriel (8:15-27). Here is a recap:

Ram with two horns (8:3-7; 20) - kings of Media and Persia with Persia having the longer horn, representing its growing dominance as a world power (8:20) by 559 B.C., centuries after Media. Persia had a mass empire and army of over 2 million soldiers.

Shaggy Goat with large horn (8:5-8; 21-22) - This was Greece and Alexander the Great (11:3). This prediction is astounding because Greece was not a world power at the time. He conquered quickly like a goat. He shattered both horns of the Medo-Persian Empire. At the height of Alexander the Great's power, he died in 323 B.C. at the age of 32 (there is much speculation about the cause of his death from assassination to typhoid fever). His kingdom was split into four parts under four generals (8:8). 

The four generals and regions they governed were:

1) Ptolemy I - Egypt and Palestine 

2) Seleucus - Babylonia and Syria 

3) Lysimachus - Asia Minor 

4) Antipater - Macedon and Greece 

Little Horn (8:9-12; 23-25) - Antiochus IV Epiphanes of the Seleucid empire (Babylonia and Syria) came to power in 175 B.C. after murdering his brother. In 170 B.C., he invaded the "power to the south" (Egypt, 8:9), and subdued the "Beautiful Land" of Israel. He replaced the worship of God with the worship of Greek gods. He was "broken without a human hand" which means that no one murdered him, but he died of insanity in 163 B.C. Many commentators believe that Antiochus is a foreshadowing of the Antichrist. He will "oppose the Prince of princes" (8:25) who is the Lord Jesus Christ. He will achieve great power and will be controlled by another (8:24) who is Satan.  

2,300 evenings and mornings (8:14; 26) - This means evening and morning sacrifices from the time of the desecration of the altar in the temple by Antiochus IV Epiphanies on December 16, 167 B.C. to full restoration of temple worship under Judas Maccabeus in late 164 and into 163 B.C.165 B.C.

This story surrounds the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah, and you will hear more about that when you read the background post for Daniel 11. Stay tuned! 

Gabriel stated that this would be the "time of wrath/period of indignation" (8:19). Many commentators believe this is also the "time of the Gentiles" from Nebuchadnezzar's reign to the second coming of Christ. This same angel also announced the birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:11) and Jesus (Luke 1:26). 

After this, Daniel was completely exhausted and so am I!

No REFLECTION or APPLICATION today because we are all exhausted!

PRAYER

Lord, it is amazing how You gave Daniel these visions that would come about much later in history. I know that You are the God of gods because of that!!!! Amen. 

Daniel 7 - Daniel's Dream of Four Beasts

LINK: Daniel 7

BACKGROUND

The Chronological Order of the Book of Daniel 

Daniel 1–4: Captivity and interpretation of dreams and visions (Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar) 

Daniel 7: Vision of the four beasts (Babylon, Belshazzar) 

Daniel 8: Vision of the ram and he-goat (Babylon, Belshazzar) 

Daniel 5: Belshazzar’s feast—conquest of Babylon (Babylon, Belshazzar) 

Daniel 9: Vision of the seventy weeks (Persia, Darius) 

Daniel 6: Daniel in the lions’ den (Persia, Darius) 

Daniel 10–12: Daniel’s prayer and visions (Persia, Cyrus) (Wiersbe, W. W. Be resolute p. 9)

In this section, we go back in time to the first year of Belshazzar's reign in 553 B.C. This is about 14 years before the lions' den. It is estimated that Daniel was about 68 years old when he had this dream since he was taken captive in 602 B.C. at the age of 16.

The four great beasts were like this:

1) Lion with wings - symbolizing power and strength. The lion and eagle were symbols of Babylon (Jeremiah 4:7, 13; Ezekiel 17:3) and statues of winged lions have been recovered in their ruins. The wrenching of the wings could refer to Nebuchadnezzar's insanity or the fall of his empire after his death.

2) Bear - symbolizing strength. The Medo-Persian army was strong and fierce. The reclining on one side could suggest that Persia soon overshadowed Media.

3) Leopard - symbolizing swiftness, cunning, and agility. Greece quickly conquered the Medo-Persians between 334 and 330 B.C. The four heads may symbolize how Alexander the Great's empire was divided into four parts after his death (at age 32).

4) Ten-horned beast with parts of a lion, bear, and leopard (Revelation 13:2) that was more terrifying and powerful than all of the above - this is the Roman Empire that extended from the Atlantic Ocean east to the Caspian Sea and from North Africa in the south to the Rhine and Danube Rivers in the north. Egypt, Palestine, and Syria were all under the Romans. Some scholars believe the ten horns were ten Roman rulers who already existed. Other scholars believe the ten horns correspond to ten rulers who will exist in the last days before Christ's return (Revelation 17:12-14). We do not know who they are in present-day terms (although there is much speculation).

The "little horn" is thought to be a future human ruler or the Antichrist (2 Thessalonians 2:3,4) who will come out of this confederation of ten nations. This is the "little horn" of 7:8, 11, 24-26. The little horn was intelligent, arrogant, and boastful. He will persecute the saints of the Most High. He will defeat Israel and will bring the nation under his authority (Revelation 12:13-17; 17:7), but he will also be judged by God (Revelation 19:19-20), and Israel will enter into a covenantal blessing in the kingdom (Daniel 7:18). Many scholars believe this will be the church rather than Israel. The most important part to remember is that God will win in the end, regardless of your theological bent.

The Ancient of Days and Son of Man

Rather than focusing on the coming beast, I like to focus on Daniel 7:9-14. God is at the center of Daniel's vision as he should be the center of everything in our lives. The sovereign God, the Ancient of Days, sits on his judgment throne and holds power over all world events (See the similar descriptions of God in Isaiah 43:13; 57:15a, Rev. 1:14; Ezekiel 1:4-28). The fourth beast will be banished from power by the divine judgment of God (Daniel 9:27; Revelation 11:15; 19:15).

The Scarlet Thread of Redemption

Then, the Son of Man (Mark 8:31; John 1:51), Jesus Christ, approached the Ancient of Days:

And to Him was given dominion, 

Glory and a kingdom, 

That all the peoples, nations and men of every language 

Might serve Him. 

His dominion is an everlasting dominion 

Which will not pass away; 

And His kingdom is one  

Which will not be destroyed. 

(Daniel 7:14)

 (See also Psalms 2:6-9, Matthew 24:30, 25:31, 1 Corinthians 15:24-28, and Revelation 11:15.) 

AMEN! Jesus is COMING!

REFLECTION 

In 2009, President Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize, and the WORLD was buzzing about whether he deserved it.

I will not enter into the political fray on that point, but I will say that Jesus WILL win the ultimate peace prize in the end, and that is all that matters! I'm thinking big picture today.

Prophecy always causes my head to hurt, but I love the part about God being in control of all world events and powers.

I will worship the Ancient of Days as I walk with my friend today. I want to marvel at the Son of Man who will reign forever and ever.

(I feel like I should break out in singing Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus" right now. Maybe I will!)

APPLICATION

Go worship God for his power and control over all world events. Worship His son, Jesus!

PRAYER

Praise God with this rendition of the "Hallelujah Chorus"!

We will go through Handel's Messiah at the end of YEAR THREE of the Bible Book Club in December! It is a great review of all that we have learned because it is about The Scarlet Thread of Redemption. Most of it is from the Old Testament! Here is a preview:

Messiah Meditations

Daniel 6 - Shutting the Lions' Mouths and the Bottom Line

LINK: Daniel 6

BACKGROUND

The Chronological Order of the Book of Daniel 

Daniel 1–4: Captivity and interpretation of dreams and visions (Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar) 

Daniel 7: Vision of the four beasts (Babylon, Belshazzar) 

Daniel 8: Vision of the ram and he-goat (Babylon, Belshazzar) 

Daniel 5: Belshazzar’s feast—Conquest of Babylon (Babylon, Belshazzar) 

Daniel 9: Vision of the seventy weeks (Persia, Darius) 

Daniel 6: Daniel in the lions’ den (Persia, Darius) 

Daniel 10–12: Daniel’s prayer and visions (Persia, Cyrus) (Wiersbe, W. W. Be resolute, p. 9)

There is much debate about King Darius because there is no historical evidence for his reign outside of the Bible. Here are three possible explanations:

1) Darius may be another word for Cyrus. Daniel 6:28 may be translated as, "So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius even the reign of Cyrus the Persian." It was common for ancient rulers to use different names in various parts of their realms (D.J. Wiseman, "Some Historical Problems in the Book of Daniel," in Notes on Some Problems in the Book of Daniel, pp. 12-14). 

2) Darius may be Ugbaru, the conqueror of Babylon. He was appointed by Cyrus at the age of 62 and died a few weeks after the conquest and eight days after Cyrus' arrival on November 6 (William H. Shea, "Darius the Mede: An Update," Andrews University Seminary Studies 20, Autumn 1982, pp.229-47).

3) Darius was Cambyses, Cyrus' son. He ruled Persia from 530-522 B.C. (Charles Boutflower, In and Around the Book of Daniel, 1977, pp.142-55.).  (The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, 1:1347)

By the way, this Darius the Mede is not to be confused with Darius I mentioned in Ezra, Haggai, and Zechariah or Darius II (Persian) mentioned in Nehemiah.

The other two administrators and 120 satraps appointed by Darius were probably jealous of Daniel's equal position with them and resented him because he was a Judean. Because Daniel did nothing to warrant criticism, they had to accuse him of something. They knew Daniel would not worship Darius. So, they had Darius make a rule that those who did not worship him would be thrown in the lions' den. Of course, Daniel worshiped God alone and Darius was bound to throw him into the lions' den even though it greatly distressed him (5:6, 9). God miraculously shut the lions' mouths, and Daniel was not harmed. Darius is overjoyed and throws Daniel's accusers and their families into the den.

There are two levels to this story. The first is that God has miraculous power to protect people ("top line" blessing), but the "bottom line" of this story is that "all the peoples, nations and men of every language throughout the land" heard of the God of Daniel because of Darius' proclamation:

I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel; For He is the living God and enduring forever, And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed, And His dominion will be forever. He delivers and rescues and performs signs and wonders In heaven and on earth, Who has also delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. (Daniel 6:26-27)

God was glorified among the peoples of the earth! This is the "bottom line" of this great story!

REFLECTION

What is all this "top line - bottom line" stuff? Here is a short video that explains a bit of it:

This just gets me so excited! Please watch it!!!

Here is also more from . . . 

CHARACTERISTICS OF DANIEL

He realized that he had a work to do 

Like Joseph in Egypt, Daniel didn’t complain about his lot in life but tried with God’s help to make the best use of it. He knew that the sovereign Lord whom he trusted had a special plan for his life and he sought to fulfill it. He didn’t campaign for promotions; the Lord brought them to him. He did his work well, he was a faithful and dependable servant, and even his enemies couldn’t find anything to criticize (Dan. 6:1–5). If anybody deserved the divine approval of Jesus found in Matthew 25:21, it was Daniel. 

Daniel was both a government employee and a prophet of the Lord. God gave him his high position so he could use it to serve the Lord and the Lord’s people. The record doesn’t tell us, but there may have been many times when Daniel represented the Jewish captives before the king and helped to make life easier for them. He may have influenced the decision of Cyrus to allow the Jews to go back home. We need dedicated believers in places of authority, men and women who can be examples of godliness and instruments of righteousness. 

He had a disciplined prayer life

Jewish people were accustomed to pray at nine o’clock in the morning, noon, and three o’clock in the afternoon, the third, sixth, and ninth hours of the day, and Daniel carried that discipline with him to Babylon. Those who set aside special times of prayer are more likely to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thes. 5:17), for the special times of prayer help to sanctify all times and keep us in touch with God. 

When Daniel and his friends needed to know Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and understand it, they gave themselves to prayer, and when the Lord gave them the answer, they prayed further and thanked Him (Dan. 2:14–23).  When Daniel’s life was in danger, he went to his home and prayed, and the Lord delivered him from the lions (6:10). Frequently Daniel asked the Lord or His messengers for wisdom to understand the visions the Lord gave to him. Daniel depended on prayer. 

In the church today, it seems that many people turn to prayer only when everything else has failed. Their translation of Psalm 46:1 is, “God is our last refuge when our own strength is gone and we don’t have anywhere else to turn.” What a tragedy! A.W. Tozer used to say, “Whatever God can do, faith can do, and whatever faith can do prayer can do, when it is offered in faith.”¹ Daniel not only prayed alone but he also prayed with his friends, because he knew the value of two or three believers assembling together to cry out to God. “I’d rather be able to pray than to be a great preacher,” said evangelist D.L. Moody; “Jesus Christ never taught His disciples how to preach, but only how to pray.” (Wiersbe, W. W. Be resolute, p, 151)

¹ A.W. Tozer, The Set of the Sail (Christian Publications), 33. 

APPLICATION

Dialogue with God about His glory spreading throughout the whole earth and what part you might play in that!

PRAYER

Lord, we praise You for Your power to shut the lions' mouths, and that Your glory will spread throughout the whole earth! Amen.