The Fifth Kingdom Ruler-Antichrist

O. T. #1999 "The Fifth Kingdom Ruler-Antichrist"

August 10, 2021

Daniel 7-Part 3

LET IT GLOW

We are continuing the vision in a dream that Daniel had.The leopard that had ten horns (Rome) and ten kings, suddenly had an eleventh horn appear horn appear and destroy three of the horns. (verse 8) It had eyes like a man and spoke great things.

This eleventh horn stands for the Antichrist of Revelation 13. He is both a kingdom and its personal leader. He will wage war with saints and overpower them until the Ancient of Days comes. Satan will be ruling the Antichrist, and will establish a worldwide kingdom crushing all others. Ten kings will be given power as a revived Roman Empire, controlling the politics, economy, and military. (verse 24)

According to verse 25, they will speak great words against the Most High God, will wear out the saints, will change times and laws. this will be for 3 1/2 years. This Tribulation period will last a total of 7 years.

Good News: I believe that Jesus will rapture out His church of believers before this happens.(Revelation 3:10) However, some  Jews and Gentiles will be saved after this. After 3 1/2 years of making a covenant with them, the Antichrist will break the covenant and set up his own image in the Jewish Temple. There, he and the devil will be worshiped. Those believers in Jesus will be killed for their faith. (14:9-13) God will allow all of this to take place.

The thing is, the antichrist will be wanted and not rejected, be appealing and not repulsive, will be extraordinary and not ordinary, will be a Gentile and not a Jew. (Swindoll)

Are we sharing with our family and friends salvation and hope in Jesus? Are they ready? Jesus will come when we least expect it, to take His saints home. It will happen in a blink of an eye. No time to prepare.

 

LET IT GROW

In verse 9, Daniel watched as thrones were cast down and the Ancient of Days, God, sat upon His throne to judge. How did Daniel describe Him?

• His clothing was as white as snow;
• His hair like purest wool;
• He sat on a fiery throne with wheels of blazing fire;
• and a river of fire was pouring out, flowing from His presence.
• Millions of angels ministered to Him;
• many millions stood to attend Him.
• Then the Judge began to have court in session, and the books were opened.

Next, the little horn boasted. The fourth beast was killed and destroyed by fire. The other three beasts had their authority taken from them, but they were allowed to live a while longer.

Friend, God will accomplish what He says He will do. the Bible bears this out. Countries cannot postpone or cancel God's divine plan. He has our future mapped out, and can handle our present. We may not understand why things happen the way they do, but we can certainly trust the One Ancient of Days.

Are you prepared for a life in God's glorious kingdom?

 

LET IT GO

Our God never fails.

Nothing can stand against the power of our God.

Jesus is trustworthy, truthful, the only way to heaven, an our way of life.

Four Beasts That Have Reigned

O. T. #1998 "Four Beasts That Have Reigned"

August 9, 2021

Daniel 7-Part 2

LET IT GLOW

Just a reminder, this chapter took place before chapter 5. Belshazzar was king of Babylon and he had not seen the handwriting on the wall yet. Daniel was probably in his sixties. the first 6 chapters, Daniel presents history, but in the last 6 chapters, he relates the visions mainly to the future.

Daniel saw a great storm of 4 winds (spirits) churning the surface of a great sea (Mediterranean Sea) in his dream and visions one night. He wrote down the dream:

New Living Translation tells it like this about Daniel's first vision:

Four huge beasts came up out of the water:

1. A lion with eagles' wings, which were pulled off, and left standing with its 2 hind feet on the ground, like a human being. It was given a human mind, also. (Winged lions guarded the gates of the royal palaces of Babylon.) The lion is king of the beasts; the winds denoted its swiftness to conquer; it was a personal being with a man's heart. God humbled Neb and made the prideful king live like a beast for 7 years.

The lion represented Babylon and the nation's leader. (Note that Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Habakkuk used animals to describe Nebuchadnezzar.) God told Daniel that the Babylonian Empire would fall, and it did. (verse 4)

2. A bear reared up on one of its sides; it had 3 ribs in its mouth between its teeth. A voice told the bear to get up and devour many people. The bear represented the Medo-Persian rule. In 539 BC, Darius, the Mede, ruled in Babylon, then Cyrus the Persian conquered it with greater strength. (Cyrus was the king who permitted and supplied the Jews to leave and return to Jerusalem to rebuild it after 70 years of captivity.) As they marched across the battlefields, they devoured much flesh. One commentary said the three ribs were vanishing nations of Lydia, Egypt, and Babylon. (verse 5)

Even nations are subject to the power of Almighty God. Do we put our trust in governments or God? Are we allowing our government to dictate when, how, and if we assemble to worship Jehovah?

LET IT GROW

3. The leopard had four wings and four heads, which represented Alexander the Great, establishing the kingdom of Greece. It moved at lightning speed to victory over the civilized world. (Leopards lie in wait for their prey and then pounce upon their victims with great speed and agility.) Alexander conquered most of the civilized world from Macedonia to Africa and eastward to India. After Alex's early death at 32, his empire divided into 4 parts by four generals in 323 BC:

1. Palestine and Egypt went to Ptolemy I;
2. Syria was ruled by Seleucus I;
3. Thrace and Asia Minor were assigned to Lysimachus;
4. Macedon and Greece were governed by Antipater and Cassander. (verse 6)

As I looked at a timeline, I saw that during the Greek reign, philosophies popped up-Buddhism in India, Confucianism in China, many Greek gods, such Artemis at Ephesus. Then there was Sophocles the dramatist, Herodotus, the historian, the Aramaic language replacing the Old Hebrew in Palestine.

4. A terrifying, dreadful, and very strong beast crushed its victims with huge iron teeth and trampled their remains beneath its feet. It had ten horns. (Daniel had never seen such a creature like it, so it seems that he had difficulty in labeling it, doesn't it?) Rome was this beast. (Rome fell in AD 476.)

At some time in the future, 10 nations will lock arms politically, economically, and militarily, forming a revived or realigned Roman empire. (Remember that God was silent for 400 years between the Old and New Testaments. He had spoken through His prophets, whose warnings and call to repentance of sins were ignored.)

During this Roman Empire rule, Jesus Christ was born, lived, and died. During this time the Pharisees and Sadducees gained importance in Judea. The society of the pagans worshiped many other gods, yet they allowed the Jews their religion. Caesar Augustus, nephew of Julius Caesar, was emperor of Rome when Jesus was born. Herod captured Jerusalem and was appointed king of Judea. When John the Baptist began his ministry, Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea.

Then Paul was converted and had three missionary journeys to share love and salvation through faith in Jesus as Messiah. The followers and disciples of Jesus were tortured and killed for their faith. John was exiled to Patmos, where he wrote Revelation (of the end times).

Swindoll said, "The God who has mapped out our future is certainly able to handle the present. Though it may seem at times that the Lord has abandoned us, He has promised He will never forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5-6)"

*I hope this was not too lengthy or wordy, but I felt it was needful. Next time, we will study on the Antichrist and the millennial reign of Jesus Christ.

 

LET IT GO

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, Father God.

There is no one like You, Creator, Savior, Sustainer.

My God is greater, stronger, higher than any other.

Our God is healer, awesome in power, our God.

And if our God is for us, who can ever stop us?

And if our God is with us, what can ever stand against us?

Take courage, dear one, Jesus has overcome the world!

He's Got This

O. T. #1997  "He's Got This"

August 6, 2021

Daniel 7

LET IT GLOW

Well folks, here we are, finally reaching the last six chapters of this book. They focus on the prophetic revelations Daniel received form God, not on the lives of those Hebrew captives in Babylon. Also, these unusual visions reveal some of what God has in store for believers and unbelievers.

Up front, let me say that I am no Bible scholar, just one desiring to study God's Word and share it with others. So with a half dozen commentaries spread out on my desk, let's dive into this, looking at our God's sovereignty in human history.

We read of some background in verse 1:

• Daniel's dream and vision happened one night during the first year of Belshazzar's reign as king of Babylon. He was the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar.
• The time of this chapter is a flashback to 553 BC, which was 14 years before the feast of chapter 5. So the dream occurred after chapter 4.  (Don't know why Daniel wrote this out of sequence.)
• When looking at the contents of the dream, we see similarities with chapter 2-4 successive world empires of Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome.
• Both relate to events before the second coming of Christ.

A difference between Neb's dream and Daniel's is the powers' representation. Neb's statue was a glorious, awe-inspired statue, while Daniel's dream involved huge beasts coming up from the sea.

So I wonder why God gave Daniel these prophecies of the future. Maybe it was to reassure him that after half a century in a foreign land, God was still with him, still in control, and still was carrying out His plans.

Don't we need reassured when times are hard, challenging, or discouraging in our life? 

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.          (2 Peter 3:9) 

Friend, have you come to repent of your sins and asked God to forgive you? The blood that Jesus Christ shed has been provided for us to be His child. Only believe and repent, and ask.

LET IT GROW

In his study guide on Daniel, Swindoll divides this chapter into three sections:

  1.  It speaks of wind, water, and odd-looking beasts.

  2.  It tells about thrones and judgment.

  3. It relates the interpretation of the vision.

First, Daniel sees the 4 winds (spirits) of heaven that came from the sea.  Those spirits refer to angels, by which God's sovereign actions in human history are carried out. The great sea may refer to either to Mediterranean Sea or the peoples and nations of the world. Daniel may have seen a great upheaval that is being caused by angels of judgment. (verse 2)

History tells us that the Babylon empire was conquered by the Medo-Persian empire; two other great empires which later ruled the world were Greece and Rome. We read in Revelation that the Antichrist will come to rule the world in the future, but Christ will defeat him (stone).

What can we deduct from all of this?  Since those kingdom were destroyed, we can be sure that it will happen or come to pass, that Christ will establish Himself as king and reign for a thousand years on earth. The God who has mapped out our future is certainly able to handle the present for us. His divine plans will be carried out.

LET IT GO

When He does not give the answers nor intervenes, we are going to trust our God.

We will continue to believe God's Word is Truth.

Although we may not understand all things in it, we can know God has this. 

 

Prosperity Versus Punishment

O. T. #1996  "Prosperity Versus Punishment"

August 5, 2021

Daniel 6-Part 6

LET IT GLOW

...no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he (Daniel) believed in his God. (verse 23b)

No injury whatever was found on Daniel, because he had trusted in his God.

What does that tell us? God honored Daniel's loyalty to and faith in Him. The one who trusts in God and obeys His will is untouchable until God takes him or her. To trust God is to have immeasurable peace. The God who delivered Daniel can and will deliver you and me one way or another. It may not be how we expect or could be we are taken to heaven. He is never early or late.

Then what happened?  In verses 25-27, we read what King Darius wrote to all the people, nations, and languages, saying:

• Peace (safety, prosperity, welfare, health) be multiplied unto you. When Paul wrote his letters to churches, he opened with grace and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.
• The king made new decree, law. (They better take notice of what the king was saying.)
• Throughout his kingdom everyone should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel.
• He is the Living(alive, that liveth) God.
• God is stedfast (permanent, sure) forever.
• His kingdom will never be destroyed.
• His rule will never end. We know that our God is eternally sovereign. He is above all nations, kings, empires, and powers.
• God delivers and rescues His people.
• He performs signs and wonders in heaven and on earth.
• He delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. Doesn't that mean that our God is all-powerful? Yes, He is!

The miracle God performed in sparing Daniel was that men were pointed to the God of miracles. His miracles are used to turn men to Him in faith.

God could have kept Daniel out of the lions' den, but He received greater glory by rescuing him. Also, God could have rescued David from the army of Saul, but chose not to do so; He could have kept Paul out of prisons and beatings, but received more glory by not doing it. And we have encouraging Scriptures because of it, too.

Dear one, God may choose not to deliver you and me from our den of lions. If that is the case, will our faith grow stronger or will we faint, grow weary in our walk? 

Set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. (1 Timothy 4:12)  

Did you notice faith is mentioned there? Can people recognize us as a Christian by our how we talk and live, if we are loving and giving, by our faith in Jesus Christ, and our purity, actions? 

 

LET IT GROW     

Daniel's accusers were punished. They sinned against God, Darius, and Daniel. We read about it in verse 24. Those men who accused Daniel were thrown into the lions' den, as well as their children and wives. Their bones were broken before they hit the ground. This was evidence that the lions had not been drugged or overfed before Daniel was placed in their den, nor were the lions toothless or tame.

Relatives were often killed when a man committed a serious crime against the royal house in the Medo-Persian empire. This prevented possible retaliation by the criminal's family. (We see this in Esther 7.)

Evil deeds often backfire on those who plan cruelty. (Life Application Study Bible)

How did it turn out for this old prophet? He prospered in the reigns of Darius and Cyrus the Persian. (verse 28)

Daniel possessed the favor of God and men, wisdom, longevity, faithfulness, godly convictions, and steadfastness in prayer. What an example for us. What a testimony to those in power.

If you find yourself in new surroundings, take the opportunity to testify about God's power in your life. Be faithful to God so He can use you to make an impact on others. (Life Application Study Bible)

LET IT GO

Give honor and glory to the Living God who rescues and delivers and whose kingdom is forever.

Keep praying, for God hears.

Continue to be a faithful servant of Jesus no matter the consequences.

May we be careful, for our sins will find us out.

Nip It In The Bud

O. T. #1995  "Nip It In The Bud"

August 4, 2021

Daniel 6-Part 5

LET IT GLOW

If I recall correctly, Barney Fife told his boss, Andy Griffin, to "nip it in the bud" in concern for Opie to not repeat a bad action. Sometimes we need to do that for our children or grand children. So a wrong action or attitude will not continue, we must put a stop to it with discipline/correction. Today's king did so in an extraordinary way. continue reading to find out why and how of it.

King Darius was manipulated by some of his officials into making the new law so Daniel would be thrown into the lions' den to be destroyed and gotten rid of by jealous and envious men. Their prejudices were coming through loud and clear, for they did not want a foreigner to have a higher position they had in their own land.

What Daniel was guilty of was praying 3 times daily to Almighty God. They could change his name, try to change his eating food offered to idols and wine to drink, but Daniel remained faithful to the God of Israel.

Was the servant of the Living God able to deliver His continuous servant? Yes, He was. For I think it was Jesus Himself that came that night to shut the hungry lions' mouths so they would not hurt Daniel. The Lamb of God came down from heaven to rescue, deliver, and tend to His faithful servant.

What happened next?

• Darius was exceeding glad, over joyed, to hear the Good News-Jesus saves!
• The king ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den.
• No manner of hurt, not a scratch was found on Daniel, because he believed in his God.

How far are we willing to go in order to follow Jesus in His will for our life? (After all, Jesus gave His very life on a cross so we could be set free from the penalty of sin.) Such love and amazing grace!

He will command His angels concerning you to guard you.      (Ps. 91:11)

Angels exist as supernatural creatures in and about heaven, and they are frequently dispatched to earth in human form to bring encouragement and assistance. They are often invisible but never impotent. (Charles Swindoll)

I wonder if each lion had its own angel attending it while Jesus spoke to His faithful servant in a lions' den.

Do you have a story of divine deliverance to tell?

LET IT GROW

Daniel's accusers were punished and his God praised.

King Darius commanded that those maliciously accusing men of Daniel's be arrested and thrown into that very lions' den, along with their wives and children. The lions leaped on them and tore them apart before they even hit the floor of the den. (NLT)

The king was wise to "nip in the bud" any possible retaliation by the criminals' families. Also, it would deter any such drastic justice for any potential enemies. (Swindoll)

 

LET IT GO

May we be found a faithful servant of the Living God.

Keep us in Your will, Your way, Today, always, I pray.

Work on me so I will be....

Is Your God Able to Deliver You?

O. T. #1994  "Is Your God Able to Deliver You?

August 3, 2021

Daniel 6-Part 4

 

LET IT GLOW

Lions were hunted by kings for sport. the Persians captured lions and put them in parks, fed and attended. Also, lions were used to execute people.

I did not want to leave Daniel in the lions' den, but it was needful. He got there because Daniel did not yield to the new law and stop praying and kneeling to God three times a day. It disturbed king Darius that he set his heart to deliver Daniel, but to no avail. The decree could not be changed. Though he made every effort to set Daniel free, the king could not break his own law. (verses 14-15)

What did the king say to Daniel before he met the lions?

Thy God whom thou servest continually, He will deliver thee. (verse 16b)

Here was a pagan king who was never worshipped God, was suddenly giving him glory in hopes He would deliver His servant. (Tony Evans)

The next morning, very early in the morning, the king went in haste to the den of lions.

O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?

What a hope for Daniel's deliverance.

Is your God able to deliver you from whatever? Is your faith unwavering? Are we trusting God for deliverance? When the Lord does, will we give Him thanks and praise?

LET IT GROW

God has unique ways of delivering His people that we cannot imagine. He has parted seas, broke down walls, opened prison doors, and rolled a stone away.

In verse 22, Daniel reassured the king:

My God hath sent His angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before Him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

Whew! It was over and Daniel was rescued, delivered, and alive! Daniel was found innocent of all wrongdoing by God, by divine standards. Isn't that the only judgment that really matters?

The angel or messenger who came may have been Christ. He had showed up earlier when Daniel's three friends were thrown in the fiery furnace because they would not bow down to Nebuchadnezzar's statue.

Dear friend, this tells us that Jesus can show up and do what is needed in order to deliver us from our lions' den.

The person who trusts in God and obeys His will is untouchable until God takes him or her. To trust God is to have immeasurable peace. God, who delivered Daniel, will deliver you. Do you trust Him with your life? (Life Application Study Bible)

 

LET IT GO

Keep us in Your will Almighty God.

Protect us, use us, and raise us up to be Your witness, Jesus.

May we be innocent when accused of being guilty.

Facing a Lions' Den

O. T. #1993n  "Facing a Lions' Den"

August 2, 2021

Daniel 6-Part 3

LET IT GLOW

Many times I have faced lions in the form of parents and principals using hateful words to get their way for a child. When I knew my actions were right, I did not yield. Several times I was not rehired as a teacher there. But God always provided another place of service when I remained faithful to His Word.

They couldn't find any fault in Daniel, so the conspiracy had to attack his faith and religion. Other officials went behind his back and convinced King Darius to make a new law that people could only pray to the king for 30 days or else be thrown into the lions den immediately. (The law could not be changed either.) Can't you see them laughing and jesting that they had him now, Daniel. They knew Daniel's routine was to pray to God three times a day in his house with windows open toward Jerusalem. Yep, it wouldn't be long before he was out of there, so they thought.

Daniel would not disobey God in order to please the king, though. (Do not have any other gods before the Lord God, nor bow down to them.) Those enemies of Daniel went to the king for his conviction.

That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day. (verse 13)

When the king heard about Daniel's actions, he was deeply troubled and tried to think of a way to save Daniel. He spent the rest of the day looking for a way to get Daniel out of this predicament. However, he was unsuccessful and time came for the inevitable-throw Daniel into the lions den.

May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you, the king told Daniel. (verse 16)

Daniel knew what was ahead of him, yet he continued to show integrity by consistently walking with God. How's our walk with Him? What priority are we giving God's Word? Are we applying it? How effective is our prayer time?

LET IT GROW

Peter tells us that for the sake of conscience toward (Him) a man bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. (1Peter 2:19)

For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. (1 Peter 2:20)

Daniel was forced to face the lions' den for acting righteously before God. Also, he did no without complaining and with a clear conscience before Darius and the Lord.

C.F. Keil described what archaeologists discovered about the lions' dens in ancient Morocco, which could have been similar to that of Darius:

It was a large square cavern under the earth, having a partition-wall in the middle of it, with a door that the keeper could open and close from above. Food was thrown into the empty chamber enticing the lions to enter and eat what was there. The vacant space could then be cleaned during that time. The cavern could be opened above so as to look down into the den. This describes what the text says in verses 16-17 regarding the lions' den.

The king spake and said unto Daniel, "Thy God whom thou servest continually, He will deliver thee."

How obvious it is that the king was friends with the elderly Daniel and did not want to do that. He was hoping God would rescue Daniel. A stone covered the mouth of the den, the king sealed it with his own signet, so it could not be changed concerning Daniel. (verse 17)

Then the king went to his palace, fasting, without music, and sleep.

We know the rest of the story. But Daniel did not know how it would turn out for him. Yet he walked and lived by faith.

 

LET IT GO

Jesus, may we walk and live by faith, serving You.

When we suffer for doing right, give us strength to carry on.

Bless Your children all over the world who suffer for the cause of Christ. with peace, love, and faith.

To You be the glory.