Rest in the Words of God (Daniel 12)

Three comforts have already been mentioned for Daniel by the angel: names recorded in God’s book, resurrection in the future, and reward for serving the Lord. A fourth means of comfort for Daniel is for him to retain in his mind what God has said. He is told to keep these words safe, not just for himself but for others. The fact that we have them now is proof that he did so. In contrast to those who accept his words, others will be running all over the place, accumulating all kinds of knowledge, but missing out on what really matters.

Here is a graphic picture of modern life, is it not? Many are engaged in an ongoing search for knowledge, but they are failing to find satisfaction. This is true of our generation above all others because no generation has known so much, yet no generation has been so confused.

In contrast, there was a way to live for Daniel the politician who scaled the heights, for Daniel the prophet who plumbed the secrets of God, for Daniel the refugee who lived away from his roots, for Daniel the believer who struggled at times with God’s providence. He could live for God and with God.

The same emphases are repeated for Daniel in 12:9-10. Verse 10 describes human history. There are two peoples in the world. One group are being sanctified and the other group live sinful lives. The sanctified live their way because they understand what life is about and the wicked live their way because they don’t understand.

In a sense, this is the message of the book of Daniel, and it tells us why he lived as he did, why he chose his priorities, and why he went where he is today – in the presence of God waiting for resurrection and reward. We can imitate him here and join him there.

God’s Reward (Daniel 12)

We have seen in previous readings that the angel who speaks in this chapter has already mention two kinds of comfort for Daniel. One was the fact that the names of God’s people are recorded in his book and the second was the fact that one day the resurrection will occur. A third source of comfort that the angel mentions is the divine reward connected to witnessing.

We can think about the reward first. It is described by illustrations drawn from the heavenly bodies. Those who live in such a way will shine like the noonday sun (the brightest time of day) and the stars. What do these illustrations tell us about our reward?

It is easy to see here a reference to the statement of Jesus in Matthew 13:43: ‘Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.’ When Jesus was on the Mount of Transfiguration his glorified body shone like the sun. While some people think his shining was connected to his deity, I think it is more likely that it was a foretaste of what his body would be like once he was glorified.

The amazing aspect of the resurrection day for his people is that Jesus will transform their lowly bodies to make them like his glorious body (Phil. 3:21). John tells his readers what will happen on that marvellous day: ‘Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is’ (1 John 3:2). So we will have us our reward a glory that is visible to others.

Yet why will they receive such a great reward? The answer is because they lived wisely, according to God’s requirements and urged others to do the same. This is not a reward of merit, but it is the consequence of Christlike behaviour. They lived their lives in the way their Master lived, speaking about the need of believing the gospel and acknowledging the Lordship of Jesus. One of the encouragements in this life is to see God using our witness, and we will be astounded at the greatness of the reward that he will provide. As Matthew Henry put it, ‘The more good any do in this world, especially to the souls of men, the greater will be their glory and reward in the other world.’

This raises the question, Are we wise? Wisdom is seen in those who call others to righteous living. Such a lifestyle is not merely an external conformity to a fixed standard. In addition, it flows out of an inner change that is so radical it affects every area of life. There is no point telling someone to live according to God’s Word unless we also tell them about the gospel offer of forgiveness.

Note also the encouragement that is given to Daniel to aim for many converts. Those who turn many to righteousness will shine like the stars. I suppose the emphasis is on spending our lives in this task. Of course, the many who will wake to everlasting life will do so because someone turned them towards Jesus and his message.

Resurrection by God (Daniel 12)

Yesterday we saw that the angel comforted Daniel by informing him that his name was written in God’s book. A second detail that was revealed by the angel to Daniel about his people as a source of comfort was the certainty of the future resurrection. Daniel was now an old man in his nineties and no doubt his physical abilities were waning, reminding him that he was coming near the end of his life, so from a personal point of view he would value the promise of his own future resurrection.

Further he also knew that many of God’s people were going to suffer martyrdom during the age-long conflict that lay ahead for God’s kingdom, and he would be comforted by knowing that they too would be resurrected in the future. Perhaps he would look back and recall his pious parents who had given him a significant name that meant ‘God is judge’ and remind himself that they too would experience resurrection. Probably his friends Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had died by this time and Daniel would want to contemplate their future resurrection.

Exactly how many details Daniel knew about the future resurrection is unclear. The fact is that we know so much more about it than he did, because of what the New Testament tells us. Yet his limited knowledge is a reminder that a little information can bring spiritual comfort. Of course, we should look at the passages in the New Testament that describe the resurrection because they detail what Jesus will do for us. And these passages should cause us to admire in an increasing manner the abilities of Jesus Christ.

Daniel is informed that two types of persons will be resurrected. Some will rise to everlasting life and others will rise to shame and everlasting death. This is a reminder that there are two destinations, and each has a very different atmosphere from the other. One is marked by endless life and the other is marked by endless despair and disgrace. We know that another biblical description of these two locations is heaven and hell.

There is not a third option of another place where people might go after the resurrection. This is a reminder that we must ask ourselves this question, ‘When the resurrection comes, will I go to heaven or to a lost eternity?’

God’s book (Daniel 12)

The details of Daniel 12 are a continuation of the message of the angel who has spoken in the previous chapters.  His message was given in answer to the prayers of Daniel and his friends, so we can safely assume that the details in the message were given for their spiritual benefit.

The idea of a book in which God records the names of those who trust in him is found throughout the Bible. Moses refers to his name being written in a book (Exod. 32:32); Malachi talks about a book of remembrance in which God records activities of his people that please him (Mal. 3:16); Paul writes about the book of life in which names of his friends are recorded (Phil. 4:3); and Revelation 20 refers to several books that will be opened on the Day of Judgement. We should note that the reason why the Jews mentioned in verse 1 are delivered – it is because their names are written in God’s book.

Some of us have address books, others have birthday books, yet others have diaries with important dates recorded in them and so on. We can imagine God’s book as a combination of all of them. In this book, he has recorded our names before we were born, he knows our address at every stage of our journey, and he records all the details of our lives. All those whose names are written in God’s book trust in Jesus for salvation.

Sometimes a person asks, ‘How can I know if my name is written in God’s book?’ The answer to that question is simple: ‘Have you repented of your sins and trusted in Jesus?’ With that answer, you do not need another one. So the first item of comfort given to Daniel by the angel is that God knows his name and everything about him and has recorded it all in a permanent form.

A prophetic address by an angel (Daniel 11)

Daniel 11 continues the message given by an angel to Daniel. In it, the angel outlines the future history of the world for several centuries concerning what would happen to the Persian and Greek empires. If you are interested in who is described in each reference, details about them can be found in a commentary.

I suppose one question that comes to mind is why God does not mention the names of those rulers apart from Darius in verse 1. It was not because God did not know their names. In Isaiah, he reveals the name of Cyrus who appeared a century after the prophecy containing his name. Is the reason that the Lord knew that eventually their names would be forgotten? After all, one of the predicted rulers is Alexander the Great, the man who wept because he had no more worlds to conquer. Of course, he didn’t know about the continent across the Atlantic or even about Australia. But how many of us know the details of his career?

Every ruler mentioned in this account did something notable, and those actions would have been spoken about when they happened. Their activities would have affected the lives of millions of people. But which of those millions did these rulers help take one step towards heaven? None, except for those believers that they martyred. Even when some of the rulers went through the promised land, they did not acknowledge the God of Israel but made attempts to remove his worship. Since that was the case, why should their names be remembered in God’s Word.

The obvious point of the chapter is that it reveals that God knows the future. It is all in his hands. He is the God of providence, raising up rulers and then replacing them with others. His control of events would go past the period covered in this chapter and extend until the end of human history. Although his kingdom seemed small at the time Daniel received this message, God’s kingdom has continued and today it is far bigger and has lasted much longer that those mentioned in this chapter. So we should thank God for his king and his kingdom.

Thinking about Daniel 10

Initially, we might think that Daniel 10 is interesting but does not have much to do with us because it seems to be focussed on what God did for Israel a long time ago. Yet there are lessons that we can take from it, and here are four.

First, when in trouble or confusion about providence, we should focus on the bigness of God. So often we turn to gifted humans, but they cannot do anything about the situation. The sight of God will overpower us, but it will also enlarge our vision. As Sinclair Ferguson puts it, those who see God ‘lose their taste for all that is trivial’.

Second, when things don’t seem to be going according to plan, remember the reality of spiritual warfare. Christians have superhuman enemies. For example, when we pray for a person to be converted, what happens? Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:4 that the reason why people don’t believe the gospel because ‘the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.’

Another example concerns the decisions of government leaders. This angel informs Daniel that he confirmed and strengthened Darius the Mede when, in the first year of his reign, he resolved to let the Jews return to their own land (11:1). But he also says that evil powers were influencing the decision-making process in the Persian government (10:13). This gives insight into what is going on behind the scenes. Officials make decisions, but who knows all the influences there have been on them?

Third, remember that we participate in a long conflict. There once was a war in Europe called the Hundred Years War. Whatever else may be said about the winning side, those of them who fought at the beginning were not there at the end. The original fighters had to be replaced by successors and this process kept on right until victory was achieved. In a far greater sense, we have succeeded those who have gone before us in the conflict and, if Jesus does not return, we hand the weapons on to our successors. What is important is that we use the right weapons. Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 10:4 that ‘the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.’

Fourth, remember that we have supernatural help in the form of the ongoing ministry of angels. The same ones who helped Daniel are helping all God’s people down the centuries. They don’t get tired of or disinterested in God’s people. Instead they rejoice to help them. And who can tell how much they have done for us and will yet do for us.

It is appropriate for us to recall who the chief Warrior is in this age-long conflict. Usually, Old Testament theophanies (appearances of God in human form) are activities of the Son of God. There is no reason why the one who appeared here to Daniel could not be him. Even before he came into the world, he knew that he would yet come and fight all the hostile powers when he was on the cross. There he defeated them all completely and that victory guarantees that all his people will get safely to the heavenly destination. With Jesus as our Commander, we will fight using spiritual weapons and will yet share the victory parade with the triumphant King of the church.

The message of the angel (Daniel 10:10-21)

It looks as if an angel now spoke to Daniel after he had been overcome by the sight he had of God. The first action of the angel was to make Daniel feel at ease. He did this in a number of ways: he touched Daniel, he told Daniel to stand up, and he encouraged Daniel with appropriate words.

Second, the angel reminded Daniel how God regarded him. In the previous chapter, when Gabriel spoke to Daniel he informed him that he was ‘greatly loved’ by God (Dan. 9:23). Now in Daniel 10 we find Daniel again referred to in this marvellous way (Dan. 10:11, 19).

Yet although there is that similarity in the two recorded experiences, there are also some significant differences. For example, in Daniel 9, he receives an immediate answer to prayer whereas in Daniel 10 the answer is delayed. Also in Daniel 9, the prophet had the encouragement of biblical promises to guide him whereas in Daniel 10 the account begins with Daniel perplexed and troubled. Yet he is still the same person whom God loves dearly. So to be told that God still loved him would be of great comfort to Daniel.

Third, the angel informed Daniel that his prayers had been heard. We have just mentioned that in the previous chapter Daniel received God’s answer immediately whereas in chapter 10 it looks as if has not been heard. Yet the angel assures Daniel that his prayer was heard at the same moment as he offered it (v. 12).

Fourth, the angel gives to Daniel an insight into unseen spiritual conflicts that occurred because of his prayer. For three weeks, a fallen angel has resisted the attempt of the good angel to come to Daniel with the answer to his request for information about the future of his people (vv. 13-14).

The angel informs Daniel that there are orders of angels engaged in a conflict with opposing forces. In the good camp, Michael has a prominent place, and he is called an archangel in the letter of Jude. The fallen angels also seem to be organised in where and how they function.

Fifth, the angel informed Daniel that his personal prayer and its answer was part of an age-long conflict between good and evil in the spiritual world. In verse  20, the angel says that he will continue his fight against the evil spirit that influences Persia, then he will fight against the evil spirit that will influence Greece (remember that the Grecian empire has not yet come into existence); he informs Daniel in chapter 11 what will happen to his people in the 400 hundred years between the end of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New; and then tells Daniel in 12:1-2 that the conflict will continue until the day of the final resurrection.

That was some message. But Daniel would not have received it if he and his friends had not arranged to spend some time at the River Tigris seeking for God.

The appearance of the Lord (Daniel 10:5-9)

There have been disagreements about who this heavenly visitor is, with some suggesting that he is only an angel. I would suggest that the response of Daniel and his friends indicates that this Visitor is more than a creature. They all trembled with dread, even although Daniel was the only one of them that saw anything. Yet his friends sensed that they were now in a place from which they had to flee. They were no longer in a comfortable place, so flight was their option. Their response is similar to that of the children of Israel when they asked that the Lord would not come too close to them.

What was it about the vision that had this effect? Daniel can tell us because he received special revelation from God about who he is. There is a parallel between the description of the Visitor and the description of Jesus in Revelation 1. God is depicted as existing in splendour (body like beryl and face like lightning), with penetrating knowledge (burning eyes), great strength (arms and legs of bronze) and powerful speech (voice like that of a large crowd). Further, his holiness is stressed (wearing fine linen).

The response of Daniel here is similar to the later response of John to the vision of Jesus in Revelation 1. Both Daniel and John crumpled, overcome by the awesomeness of the presence of the Divine. God is so great that the best and most devout of humans feel themselves to be so insignificant and weak. They cannot cope with the majesty of God because it is far beyond any earthly ruler, as Daniel himself knew.

It is good to get such a sight of God. We don’t need a vision to see it because the Spirit of God can reveal the Lord to us in his Word. It is good for us to focus on passages in the Bible that describe the greatness of God. Doing so gives us hope and also makes us realistic about ourselves. When a person thinks a lot about himself, we can be sure he is not reading such passages in the Bible.

Yet the revelation of God’s greatness, especially one that highlights his knowledge and his power, raises one big question. The question is, and it is one that we ask often, ‘What is almighty God doing about the situation we face?’ The answer to this question is found in the words of the angel who now speaks to Daniel. We can think about that tomorrow.

Why a time of fasting? (Daniel 10:1-4)

It seems clear that the reason why Daniel and his friends had gone to this location near the Tigris is because they were experiencing trouble. The retreat was not a happy one because Daniel tells us that he was in mourning (v. 2) and fasting (v. 3). Why was this sadness the case? A clue to possible reasons is given in the dates that are mentioned.

It is now the third year of the reign of Cyrus (10:1). In his first year, one of the decrees that he gave was for the children of Israel to go back to their own land. Some of them did so under the leadership of a man called Zerubbabel and we can read about what happened to them in the early chapters of the Book of Ezra. They had commenced the rebuilding of the temple with great enthusiasm, yet the opposition of the people already living there discouraged the new arrivals from continuing, and another fifteen years would pass before the rebuilding was taken seriously again. It is very probable that news of this failure would have made its way back to Babylon, and to Daniel and his friends, and they planned to meet to pray about it.

Daniel is even more specific about the time when they met. They had been in this location for three weeks, from the third day of the month to the twenty-fourth. It was the first month of the Jewish year and during that month, in former days, the Passover and the feast of unleavened bread would have taken place.

While it may only be a coincidence, it is also possible that Daniel and his friends chose this period deliberately. In the past, their forefathers would have gathered in Jerusalem for the great Passover festival. Did Daniel and the others with him meet together and pray that the Lord, who had rescued his people from the bondage of slavery in Egypt, would show his great power and restore them again? Their current state was certainly a reason for mourning.

There is a challenge here for us too. We look around and see a declining church existing in a society that is rapidly departing from the standards of God. Is there any mourning or much sign of special calling upon God for his intervention in order to recover his cause? Are we caught in the downstream drift, and are not doing what Daniel and his friends did on this occasion? They put everything else aside and spent time focussing on the God who alone could deliver them.

Where was their God? Daniel, at least, was about to find out. We will think about that tomorrow.

Spiritual retreats (Daniel 10:1-4)

Time has moved on a couple of years from the occasion recorded in Daniel 9 when Daniel prayed about the return of his people to Jerusalem and received an answer from God. In the situation in chapter 10 Daniel is with some friends near the River Tigris on a kind of spiritual retreat. They have been fasting for three weeks and, at the end of it, Daniel experiences a divine visit (10:5-9), followed by angelic information about the current and future situation of his people (10:10-20).

This surely is a reminder to us that having a spiritual retreat of some kind is beneficial for our souls. The reasons for such an occasion will vary. No doubt, the most common form of spiritual retreat is conferences, and they can be helpful for our souls in that we receive spiritual refreshment. Our souls need times of recuperation as well as our bodies.

There are several arguments that Daniel could have used for not being there. He was a prominent politician, so he could have said that he was too busy (of course, if he did not have time to look after his soul, then he would have been too busy). I have the suspicion that the biggest barrier to a healthy spiritual life is not too much pleasure; instead, I suspect that it is too much work. But Daniel the busy politician went on this retreat.

Daniel could have also said that he already had healthy spiritual disciplines as far as his personal life was concerned. He regularly prayed every day and studied the Bible. He lived a good life, obeying God’s commandments, and had done so from his childhood. He did not need to be reminded about being remiss in his devotion. Yet disciplined Daniel went on a spiritual retreat.

A third reason that Daniel could have given was that he was too old. He was now in his eighties. But using his age would have only been an excuse because he was still capable of doing other things. A man who could run an empire could also travel thirty-five miles to meet with some friends who were concerned about the things of God. Age is not a reason for not doing so as long as one is spiritually able.

In the past in our part of the world, communion seasons once fulfilled this role. But I suspect they no longer do so for many of us because usually we are too busy. That is not a criticism, merely a recognition that circumstances have changed. Yet we still need to ensure that our souls are refreshed. This year we all will have holidays. Have we included the needs of our souls as we plan what we will do? We need to refresh our spiritual batteries, and one way to do so is by attending a conference for a few days in which we can listen to God’s Word being expounded and meet other Christians and discover what God is doing elsewhere.

A Pattern Prayer (Daniel 9)

If all we do with Daniel’s prayer is to admire it, we will not use it beneficially as far as we ourselves are concerned. Or if we look at it and deduce that we can never pray like him, then we will fail to profit from his prayer. It is imperative that we learn to pray better from his example of prayer. After all, our prayer life will always need improving and the best way to do so is to examine the prayers recorded in the Bible. There are many lessons that we can deduce from Daniel’s prayer in order to become better prayer warriors. We have mentioned several in the past couple of readings, but I would like to stress five of them again.

The first lesson is the importance of knowing the Bible. We saw earlier that one basic aspect of Daniel’s prayer was that he understood from the Book of Jeremiah that God was about to fulfil the promise of deliverance of his people from captivity. That knowledge compelled him to pray. The challenge comes to us regarding our knowledge of the Bible. In it, we find encouragements and arguments to use when we pray to God.

A second lesson is that our prayers should be connected to our current providences. These providences may be new, but they can also be old. Daniel’s situation was both old and new. It was old in the sense that his people were in captivity; it was new in the sense that they had a new emperor. Whatever else could be said about the change in emperors, it was safe to deduce that God was at work because it is he who changes rulers and their thrones. The fact that God was at work in providence encouraged Daniel to pray. We see developments in our providences all the time: new people come our way, new opportunities and activities arise, perhaps unexpected or disappointing situations appear. Whatever they are, they are a reminder that God is at work, and we should therefore pray.

A third lesson concerns how we focus on God. We noticed that Daniel stressed God’s mercy. His mercy includes all his other attributes, but all his other attributes don’t always include mercy when they are involved. For example, mercy includes his power, but his power can be exercised without mercy. There is a sense in which God can even love someone and not show him mercy. The obvious example in this regard is the rich young ruler. It may be an interesting assessment to make, but we should watch out for petitions that are connected to God’s mercy because I suspect they are more likely to be answered.

Then a fourth lesson must be the removal of possible external distractions. We saw how Daniel arranged his daily activities so that he would have uninterrupted prayer. Most external barriers to prolonged prayer are easy to deal with. What are the barriers? The telephone is one, but we can switch it off if it is a mobile or disconnect it if it is a landline. The knock on the door as we begin to pray – ignore it; if it is important the person will come back or else contact you in another way. At that time Daniel made a specific period of prayer his priority; and we too cannot pray in this manner unless we give it complete priority as well.

A fifth lesson is how to pray. We noted that Daniel turned his face towards God and sought for him. The turning of his face suggested Daniel’s expectancy that God would listen and answer the request. We also see that Daniel prayed affectionately and intelligently. His affections were seen in his willingness to identify himself with sinful Israel. When we pray for the church or the nation, do we say ‘we’ or ‘they’? And when he prayed intelligently, he brought to God’s attention his great actions in the past when he had shown his mighty power in deliverance of his people. We can do the same, and in doing so we have so much more to say than Daniel. For example, we can refer to what is recorded in the New Testament and we can also speak to God about the great things he has done in the history of the church.

Daniel’s prayer – another five lessons (Daniel 9)

Yesterday, we thought about five lessons from Daniel’s prayer. But there are at least another five that we can note.

First, we should observe the way in which Daniel in his prayer uses the attributes of God. He contrasts them with aspects of the lives of the Israelites. For example, he mentions God’s faithfulness in verse 4 and then mentions Israel’s unfaithfulness; he mentions God’s righteousness in verse 5 which led to Israel’s captivity, and says that their behaviour was shameful and treacherous; he mentions God’s mercy and forgiveness in verse 9 and then highlights the astonishing fact that the Israelites had not asked the Lord for mercy and forgiveness. These examples show us how Daniel’s prayer is based on the character of God, and his petitions flow out from what God is like and not initially from the needs of Israel.

Second, we should note how comprehensive Daniel’s prayer is, both in regard to God’s dealing with his people and in regard to how his people responded. Concerning God, Daniel refers to the covenant relationship he instituted with his people at Sinai, how he had sent prophets to warn them of their sins, and how he had kept his promise to chastise them severely. His prayer takes in the big picture of God’s dealings with his people. Then, regarding them, he mentions how all of them, from the kings downwards, had rebelled against God.

Third, we can see how Daniel identified himself with his people. In a personal sense, Daniel was not guilty of departing from God; nevertheless he was obviously aware that he has suffered in the corporate sufferings of Israel that God had allowed to happen as punishment for their sins. Daniel did not conclude that he was not part of the punished people. So he united himself with a backsliding, God-rejecting nation and asked the Lord for mercy.

Fourth, Daniel in his prayer made use of sacred history. It is clear from his petitions that he had grasped the history of God’s dealings with his people. So he could refer to the Exodus and to the giving of the law as well as to the backslidings and unfaithfulness of Israel over the centuries. This knowledge of God’s dealings with his people is one of the arguments Daniel uses in his prayer. He did not regard history as irrelevant; instead he used it in order to argue his case with God.

Fifth, it is obvious from Daniel’s prayer that his affections were fully involved. We can see how his mind was searching for arguments (the various details we have already mentioned), but he did not merely present a rational case to God. True, his arguments were not irrational, but neither were they impassive and unfeeling. His knowledge had not made him spiritually dry. His prayers were full of emotion as he pleaded with the Lord. Without affection, there will not be any pleading.

More reasons for daring to be a Daniel in prayer.

Daniel’s Prayer – five lessons (Daniel 9)

This prayer is notable because of who offered it. Daniel was a prophet of God, a patriot concerned about his people, a politician in the sense that he was involved in the government of the greatest empire in the world at that time, and a man of profound spiritual experiences during his long life of over eighty years.

There are many prayers recorded in detail in the Bible. One reason for their inclusion is to teach us how to pray. Another reason is that they provide details about various matters connected to prayer, such as why and how answers are given by God.

The first detail to note is that this of prayer of Daniel is connected to a seismic change allowed in God’s providence (v. 1). Darius had conquered Babylon and brought its rule to an end. Inevitably that change would have repercussions for Daniel and his people, so it is not surprising that he would pray.

Second, Daniel would have known from prophecies by Jeremiah that the desolations of Jerusalem would last for seventy years. Jerusalem had been captured in 605 BC and it was now 538 BC when Daniel prayed, so 67 years had passed. So almost seventy years had passed since the city had been captured by the Babylonians and it would not take too much contemplation by Daniel to work out that somehow or other Darius would probably be in charge when the captivity would come to an end in an official, recognisable way. So Daniel was guided in his prayer request by a specific promise of the Word of God (v. 2).

The third feature of Daniel’s prayer is that he created circumstances in which it would be easier to pray. He did this by fasting and wearing sackcloth and ashes. Normally Daniel, as a prominent figure in the establishment, would have plenty food and comfortable attire. Yet he knew that he could not pray in a serious manner if he continued living his normal life. There would be too many distractions, which is why he arranged his life so that it would be more likely that he would engage in prayer.

Fourth, Daniel’s prayer had a prominent element and that was its focus on divine mercy. He himself indicates this was the case in the way he summarises his prayer in verse 3 when he says that he sought God ‘by prayer and pleas for mercy’.

Fifth, we should note how Daniel described the process of prayer. To begin with, he turned his face towards the Lord and then he sought the Lord. Turning his face may be the posture that he adopted, that he turned and faced Jerusalem as described earlier in Daniel 6. Yet his posture indicated the direction of his heart as well as of the direction of his eyes. He looked by faith towards God.

At the same time he had to seek for God. At the very least, this indicates that he had to find God in some sense. Obviously, he was not referring to the possibility of God’s absence because he would have known that the Lord is omnipresent. Every time that Daniel prayed, the Lord was aware of it. Nor was Daniel’s prayer merely a mentioning to God of his promises. Instead it means that Daniel had to pursue God with spiritual energy.

As children, we were urged, ‘Dare to be a Daniel.’ We can adjust that to ‘Dare to be a Daniel – in prayer!’

 

Daniel 8 and Hebrews 11

In Daniel 8:24 we are told that Antiochus will destroy the saints. Regarding temple worship in Jerusalem, his policy was to get rid of the worship of God. He banned Sabbath-keeping and the practice of circumcision, and outlawed sacrifices at the temple, introducing prostitution instead. And he treated God’s people in a brutal manner. As usual, there were those who refused to give up their faith. Many of them suffered greatly.

It is generally believed that Hebrews 11:35, which says, ‘Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life,’ refers to martyrs from this time and we can read about some of them in 2 Maccabees 7. Those martyrs were seven sons of a devout mother. The sons when they came to die affirmed their hope in the resurrection.

The reaction of the mother is recounted in that book as well. She lost her seven sons in one day. Yet she encouraged them with these words: ‘I do not know how you came into being in my womb. It was not I who gave you life and breath, nor I who set in order the elements within each of you. Therefore the Creator of the world, who shaped the beginning of humankind and devised the origin of all things, will in his mercy give life and breath back to you again, since you now forget yourselves for the sake of his laws.’

Why were they so loyal to God? The reason is that they loved him and were not willing to break even one of his laws, but they were sustained by the hope of future resurrection. We face the same reality. It is only love for Jesus that will keep us loyal to him. And there is every reason to love him. After all, he died to save us and now he lives to help us. His grace is freely given to us in every situation of life. He has assured us that he will be with all those who trust in him. But we should remember those who have gone ahead of us in serving loyally the King.

Lessons from Antiochus Epiphanes (Daniel 8)

You may have to take my word for it, but Daniel 8 is a prophecy about a ruler called Antiochus Epiphanes. He was born in 215 BC and reigned from 175 to 163 BC. We can read about him in more detail in two books found in the Apocrypha called 1 and 2 Maccabees. He is known as Epiphanes because there were thirteen kings called Antiochus in that division of the Grecian Empire – he was actually Antiochus IV. The name was chosen by himself because he believed that he was a visible manifestation of God. The centre of his kingdom was in Antioch in Syria.

Daniel’s vision says that Antiochus will move south and east (v. 9). History tells us that he moved south and in two campaigns conquered much of Egypt before being stopped by a Roman consul who warned him that Rome would interfere if he did not leave Egypt immediately. Antiochus did, which is a reminder why he was a little horn despite his claims to greatness (he was also little in that he only ruled for fourteen years). He also had various attempts towards the east (Armenia and Persia) as he tried to increase his kingdom.

The focus of the prophecy is not on what Antiochus did in Egypt or towards the east; instead it is concerned with what Antiochus did in the glorious land, which is another name for Israel. Israel was part of his empire, so he was concerned about some political changes that had happened there during his campaign in Egypt.

Therefore he besieged the city of Jerusalem and killed many of the saints (about the year 168). In his own thinking he would also elevate himself above God (v. 25) and in 167 he set up an image of himself in the temple (by this time he imagined that he was the head of the gods, which is why he is called by the name Epiphanes). This was extreme sacrilege, a direct challenge to God.

The final feature of this prophecy about Antiochus is that his end will not be caused by another human (v. 25). Following on from his campaign against Jerusalem, Antiochus moved east in 165 to put down rebellions in Armenia and Persia. His two-year campaign did not go well and while he was brooding over his failures he received news that Jews in Jerusalem had removed his statue from the temple. This seemed to drive him insane, and he took to his bed and died in the year 163.

What lessons can we take from this? The first is the accuracy of fulfilled biblical prophecy, which should give us confidence in God’s control of time. His counsel shall stand. Second, the story of Antiochus reminds us of the folly of earthly-minded rulers. He sought for prestige, pleasure and power; he discovered that those worldly things could not satisfy his inner longings, but sadly he lost his soul.

Thirdly, Antiochus speaks to us of another aspect of human life, which is the futility of fighting against God. He was a brazen opponent of God, much more than many others. Yet his strength was like an infant getting into a boxing match with a champion. With all his earthly resources, Antiochus was no match for God.

The effect of the vision on Daniel (Daniel 7:15-28)

This was an amazing vision that Daniel had. It contained both good and bad things. How did Daniel respond? The answer is that he was greatly distressed: ‘As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly alarmed me, and my colour changed, but I kept the matter in my heart.’ What he saw affected him physically as well as emotionally. Why was he so affected? I would mention three negative reasons and one positive reason.

First, he was distressed because he had seen something of the development of human evil. Things were bad enough in Babylon, but this vision told him what Paul later declared when he said that evil people will get worse in behaviour (2 Tim. 3:12-14). Sins are practised today that our forefathers, even those who were not converted, could not have imagined. But are we as distressed about the development of evil as Daniel was? Surely, the state of society calls for sorrow on our part.

Second, Daniel was distressed because of the nature of divine judgement. He had received insight into what God was going to do when he acted in punishment. The prospect that awaited those cruel powers filled Daniel with dread. And we can ask ourselves, Does the reality of eternal punishment trouble our hearts? This calls for sobriety, to realise that we are not living in a playground.

Third, Daniel is distressed because he knows that many of God’s people are going to suffer, and he is distressed even although he does not know them personally, and that he will be in heaven long before their sufferings will begin. He had fellow-feeling with them in their pain. This calls for solidarity on our part with the many believers who today are suffering at the hands of hostile opponents.

Fourth, Daniel was overwhelmed by the greatness of the blessing that God’s people were going to inherit. Daniel knew about status and promotion from his personal experience in the court of Babylon. But all the earthly glory that he had seen paled into insignificance as he contemplated what lay ahead for God’s people. What God has in store for his people is much better than anything, indeed all, that the world can give.

The Fortunes of God’s People (Daniel 7:15-18)

In yesterday’s reading we noticed two details about God’s people. The first is that they are going to experience opposition and the second is that they would, at one time, have belonged to the kingdoms that were opposed to God. Does Daniel’s vision have anything more to say about them?

Verse 27 describes their future: ‘And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; their kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey them.’ This verse states that the downtrodden and opposed people of God are going to have a kingdom that will be universal (under the whole heaven) and eternal.

This kingdom will be given to all of them, which means that the number who will belong to God’s people will be complete by then. They will also have to be in a fit condition to receive it, and the event which will bring this about is the future resurrection. When it takes place, all of God’s people will be gathered together and each of them will be glorified. So they will be complete in number and in condition.

The kingdom will be given to them. They will not have obtained it by force of arms which was how the other empires achieved their kingdoms. Instead it will be a gift from God. The sovereign Lord had given the earthly empires to subsequent rulers as well, but the bestowal had been an act of judgement on each previous ruler. But those who had suffered for his sake he will compensate with the eternal kingdom.

In this promised kingdom, the people of God are going to have the status of kings. This is an obvious difference from the earthly kingdoms in which the subjects of the rulers did not have such a high status. The people of God are going to experience great glory, glory that today is unimaginable.

The Little Horn (Daniel (7:14-28)

Daniel is horrified at the nature of the fourth empire, and at the activities of the little horn that arises within it and that speaks great things against God and tries to destroy his people. A horn was symbolic of power. Who is represented by the little horn? Your guess is as good as mine, but we can note four things that are said about him. 

First, he is connected to the fourth empire, which is the Roman Empire. Second, he will oppose God’s people and attempt to change God’s laws (v. 25). Third, eventually the heavenly court will sit and take his power away from him (v. 26). Fourth, it is stressed that he is a little horn, even if he seems powerful for a while.

Various suggestions have been made regarding the identity of the little horn and you can read about those suggestions in a commentary. Personally, I think he represents all human governments that have succeeded the Roman empire down to the present day and who have attempted to oppose God in one way or another. But God will defeat them all.

The question that arises is, ‘What is God doing about this?’ One detail of the answer to that searching question is that he is exercising patience regarding those attacks on his kingdom. After all, where are the subjects of his kingdom going to come from? Every one of them previously belonged to an earthly kingdom. The subjects of his grace at one time were his enemies, and they all can say that he has not dealt with them in the way that their sins deserved.

The reality that God is patient, waiting for his enemies to repent, reminds us that Jesus reveals his power in more than one way. He could reveal his power in a great display of crushing strength in which he dismissed into oblivion the puny rulers and kingdoms of this world. God could do that, in a moment. Yet he presently chooses to reveal his power in a gracious way, offering forgiveness and pardon to those who have rebelled against him. He works in their hearts to change them from brutal behaviour to gracious behaviour.

It is our task to tell people about the gospel so that they can respond to it.

Reflecting on the vision (Daniel 7:15ff.)

The details in the vision of the exaltation of Jesus contain numerous lessons for us. Here are some to think about. 

The first detail to observe is the amazing accuracy of God’s predictions regarding the world. Throughout the Old Testament there are hundreds of prophecies. Many of them have been fulfilled already, especially those given in connection to the first coming of Jesus, and their fulfilment encourages us to believe that the others will also be fulfilled. We should ask ourselves when reading a prophecy in the Old Testament, say about the fate of countries such as Edom or Tyre, if it has been fulfilled already. A decent Bible commentary will give you the information and such details will deepen your appreciation of God’s control of historical events. 

A second lesson is the complete inability of world empires to overcome the kingdom of God. They often make war against the saints, yet cannot overcome them, even although they develop in intensity against the people of God. This is the case today as much as it was the case in the past. There is mystery here, in that the weak overcome the strong because of the King who rules for ever. 

Thirdly, we should be thankful that we live in the period in which Jesus rules from heaven’s throne. We know that he rules over two kingdoms: over his church and over the nations. Because of our circumstances caused by living in a country which does not recognise the second aspect, we are liable to forget that it is also as real as his rule over the church. Jesus is the universal Governor, and he works all things for the good of his church. Providence is in his hands. 

Fourth, Daniel was informed that his hopes for the future had to be connected to Jesus, the one who would yet have universal power. Daniel’s hopes were not to be in the return of his people to their own land from exile, even although it would be a marvellous fulfilment of prophecy for which the returnees would praise God (Psalm 126). Instead his hopes were to be set firmly and only on Christ and what he would do once he had been given the place of highest honour. Similarly our hopes should not be built on what we can call lesser activities of God, whether in providence or even in prophecy (except in the sense that they encourage our faith and are divine activities). We are to look to Jesus and to his victory over all hostile opponents. 

The crowning of Jesus ( Daniel 7:13-14)

In his vision, Daniel observes the arrival of an exalted figure – his mode of transport is the clouds. He is able to draw near to the Ancient of Days and is given from him universal and endless dominion. His empire is larger and will last longer than the previous rulers of the four empires. 

Who is this Son of man, as he is called? The New Testament gives us the answer to this question. He is Jesus; indeed we know that he often called himself by this name. When will he receive his position of power, according to the vision? It will be during the time of the fourth empire. Jesus received from God the Father the name that is above every name at his ascension from this world into the world of glory. 

Jesus himself referred to this prophecy when he answered the question of the high priest in Matthew 26:63-66: ‘And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. What is your judgement?” They answered, “He deserves death.”’ 

We should note that this kingdom was given to the Son of man. The one who gave it was the Ancient of Days. What did this kingdom involve? It involves all nations, so the kingdom that is being described here cannot be the church because many multitudes of people have never been subjects of his saving grace. The subjects of the kingdom here cannot be limited to converted people; the emphasis is that Jesus is king over all humans and their nations. At the time of his coronation, the nations under his power were completely unaware that he was in control, and although he has ruled over all the nations since then they are unaware of it as well. 

Are there other biblical passages that would support this universal rule of Jesus? There are, and one of them is the Great Commission in which Jesus claimed to have all authority in heaven and on earth, and not just in the church. Another reference is Ephesians 1:22, where Paul writes that Jesus is head over all things for the benefit of his body the church. There are also Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 15:25 that Jesus must reign until all his enemies are under his feet. Jesus himself said in John 5:26-27 that the Father had committed all judgement unto the Son because he is the Son of man. And in his prayer in John 17:2, Jesus rejoiced that the Father had given him authority over all flesh in order that he would give eternal life to his people. In Revelation 14:14, Jesus is entitled as the ‘Lord of lords and King of kings’ who fights against his rebellious subjects. 

So there are many verses that teach the universal reign of the ascended Christ.