NOTES | MP3
“Rage Against the Holy Covenant” and the “Overflowing Scourge” of Israel (Isaiah 28)
June 23, 2011 By
05 – The Maskilim of Daniel 11-12: Prophetic Ministry to Israel During Jacob’s Trouble
June 23, 2011 By
NOTES | MP3
04 – The Shattering of the Jewish People in the Future Time of Trouble (Daniel 11-12)
June 23, 2011 By
Notes for Daniel 11:21-12:13 – The Vision of “the Time of the End”
April 6, 2011 By
Introduction
Daniel 11:21-12:11 is the most important prophecy in the Bible in regards to “the signs of the times.” When Jesus was asked about the signs of the end of the age and His return He quoted this prophecy as the primary reference point for those seeking to understand the subject of the end-times (Matthew 24:1-3; 15-22). This passage is the climax of a 3-chapter prophecy about the “latter days” and the “time of the end.”
“…a word was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar. And the word was true, and it was [about] a great conflict. And he understood the word and had understanding of the vision.” (Daniel 10:1)
10 And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. 11 And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you.” ….and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.” (Daniel 10:10-14)
36 “And the king shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods. He shall prosper till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done…..“At the time of the end…..Yet he shall come to his end, with none to help him. (Daniel 11:36, 40, 46)
“At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. 2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. 4 But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.” (Daniel 12:1-4)
The Primary Message
These verses revolve around a “contemptible man” (11:21) who wages a monstrous military campaign against the Land of Israel and surrounding nations. We know this man as he is commonly referred to as the Antichrist. He emerges “at the time of the end” (11:40; 12:4). He initiates a “time of trouble” (12:1-2) that results ultimately in the deliverance and salvation of Israel and even the resurrection of the righteous. (12:2-3) He is motivated by “rage against the holy covenant” (11:28-32) and seeks to “annihilate many” after setting up “the abomination that makes desolate” (11:31).
Interpretation
Many scholars and commentators that Daniel 11:1-35 is historical and Daniel 11:36-12:11 is eschatological. The problem with this view is that the man in 11:36 is the same man that was introduced in 11:21. Daniel 11:21-46 describes the political and military career of a single man; a career that takes us right up the salvation of Israel and the resurrection of the righteous dead. Jesus quoted this passage and commanded us to understand it. Matthew 24 helps us interpret it and apply it.
Three Sections:
- The Rise of the Man of Sin – 11:21-22
- The Time Between His Rise and Abomination – 11:23-31
- The Time Between The Abomination and The End – 11:32-12:11
Three Timeframes
- 11:21-31 The First Half of the 70th Week (see Daniel 9:24-27; specifically verse 27)
- 11:32-12:10 The Second Half of the 70th Week
- 12:11-13 After the 70th Week
Three Military Conflicts
- First conflict with Egypt: 11:25 – Will Succeed
- Second conflict with Egypt and Mediterranean Europeans (“Ships of Kittim”): 11:29-30 – Will Fail
- Third conflict with Israel and surrounding nations: 11:42-43 – Will Succeed Initially but Ultimately Fail
Understanding Daniel 10-12: The Content and Scope of the Prophecy
March 26, 2011 By
Daniel chapters 10-12 detail the fifth and last of a series of visions given to Daniel (the others can be found in chapters 2, 7, 8 and 9). These three chapters must be read and understood together as one unified message. It is the most detailed vision of the five containing an unusual amount of prophetic information. It’s one of the most important sections of Scripture in the Bible pertaining to the generation of the Lord’s return. It is the passage Jesus repeatedly quoted verbatim in the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24-25 answering the disciples question about the “signs” of the “end of the age” and Jesus’ “return.” In fact, in Matthew 24:15 Jesus commands us to study this vision to “understand” its message saying: “let the reader understand.” We must read, and we must understand.
THE CONTENT OF THE PROPHECY
This final vision was given to Daniel in the third year of Persian King Cyrus. Daniel frames the 3 chapter revelatory experience in 10:1 saying:
“And the word was true, and it was about a great conflict. And [I] understood the word and had understanding of the vision.” [a phrase that Jesus was echoing in Matthew 24:15 when he commanded us to understand as well]
Daniel explains that “in those days” he was fasting for “three weeks” (10:2) when one “in the likeness of a man” (an angel, as in the past visions) comes to him. The angel explains to Daniel why he has come and the content of the message he was delivering:
“….[I] came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.” (Daniel 10:14)
This phrase “the latter days” has provoked centuries of debate. There are two perspectives: those that believe “latter days” is a figure of speech that has its ultimate fulfillment in history past, and those that believe “latter days” is a straightforward expression referring to the end of this present age; the climactic hour in which the prophets called “the Day of the Lord.” There are those who see Daniel 10-12 as having been fulfilled in history and those who see Daniel 10-12 as having partial and limited fulfillment in history but a complete fulfillment at the end of the age in the generation of the return of the Lord. I embrace the latter. For a number of reasons.
But before we consider the scope of the prophecy, let us be clear about its content: it refers to a “great conflict.” Some translations render the word “war.” The focal point of the vision is crisis. In 12:1 the angel opts for another word, “trouble.” We’ll look at this in more detail later.
THE SCOPE OF THE PROPHECY
Chapter 10 contains no prophetic (‘predictive’) information (apart from a brief reference to Greece). It details Daniel’s encounter with the angel and information pertaining to that hour of history: the recent fall of Babylon, the present rise of Persia and the future emergence of Greece. The prophetic information about the future begins in chapter 11 and continues until the end of chapter 12. The first thing the angel tells Daniel is in 11:2 saying:
“And now I will show you the truth. Behold, three more kings shall arise in Persia, and a fourth shall be far richer than all of them. And when he has become strong through his riches, he shall stir up all against the kingdom of Greece.” (Daniel 11:2)
So from the outset, with the mention of the Persian and Greek Empires we see that the prophecy is firmly established in ancient history (which to Daniel would still have been the future). But what’s astounding is that the prophecy concludes with (1) a time of unequaled trouble, (2) the long awaited deliverance of Daniel’s people, the Jews and (3) the resurrection of the righteous; all of which are to take place at “the time of the end” (a phrase found no less than 8 times in the vision; Daniel 11:36, 40, 46; 12:4, 7, 9, 11, 13). What begins with geopolitical events involving Persia and Greece in ancient history even before the first coming of Jesus climaxes with a cataclysmic “conflict” described as “the time of the end;” not of merely a dispensation or season of history, but of the end of the age which includes even the resurrection of the dead.
“At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. 2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. 4 But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end….” (Daniel 12:1-4)
These three events mentioned here constitute the foundational elements of Biblical eschatology: unequaled trouble, deliverance of the Jews and the resurrection of the righteous (the “many”). These prophetic realities emerge time and time again in the writing of the prophets and apostles – including Jesus’ teaching on “the end of the age” in Matthew 24, Luke 21 and Mark 13.
The prophecy of Daniel 10-12 takes us from Daniel’s own generation all the way to the resurrection of the dead in the generation of the return of the Lord. This is critically important to understand.
For those of us in the 21st century, it forces us to ask “Where is the break between antiquity and the future?” That is, what events in Daniel 10-12 belong to history and what events belong to eschatology? What should be studied and learned from, and what are we to anticipate and prepare for? After all, if this prophecy of Daniel 10-12 was intended to be the primary reference point (which I believe it is) for those discerning the “signs” of the “end of the age” (Matthew 24:3; 15), then it’s important we understand it. According to Jesus, our obedience to Him in the generation of His return is largely contingent upon it.
In the next installment we’ll turn out attention to “the time of the end” and seek to answer these questions.
Understanding the Future Age-Ending Time of Unequaled Tribulation and the Foolishness of Preterism
March 24, 2011 By
FOUR MONUMENTAL PROPHETIC EVENTS
In Matthew 24 Jesus explained “the signs” of both “the end of the age” and of His “return;” this came in response to His previous statement to the disciples that the Temple would be destroyed. To the Jew, the desolation of the Temple was synonymous with “the end of the age” and the coming of the Messiah (an hour of history referred to in the Hebrew Scripture as “the Day of the Lord”).
Jesus explained the precipitous trends and events that would signal the nearness of His return in 24:4-14. And then in 24:15-31 he describes a timeframe of horrendous upheaval that He called “a time of tribulation such has never been nor ever shall be.” He explained how this “time of tribulation” would commence (24:15-16) and how it would conclude (24:29-31). In this article I want to show how important the information contained in 24:29-31 is and why you should understand it – especially in light of the various perspectives on Biblical prophecy.
29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matthew 24:29-31)
Jesus describes four events that we need to understand:
- The tribulation of those days – v. 29a
- Cosmic disturbance – v. 29b
- Jesus comes on the clouds in power and great glory visible by all the earth – v. 30
- Angels gather the elect with a loud trumpet – v. 31
These four events bring this present age to a close. They unfold chronologically (which decisively destroys the theory of a pre-tribulational rapture). They are intended to be understood as literally as 24:15-28. And they occur “after the tribulation.” But not just any tribulation; the tribulation of “those days.” The phrase “those days” is critical. Jesus is connecting these great climactic events in 24:29-31 with the “time of great tribulation” explained in 25:15-28. These events explained in 24:15-31 are inextricably linked to one another in their appointed hour of fulfillment. They constitute “the end of the age.” They comprise what the prophets referred to as “the Day of the Lord” and what the apostles would call “the Day of God.” This is the very climax and consummation of history before the inauguration of the next age; the time of which Peter called “the restoration of all things” in Acts 3:21.
WHY IS MATTHEW 24:29-31 IMPORTANT?
Many believe that Jesus’ sermon in Matthew 24 was intended to describe the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD (they’re called “Preterists”). They say the “birth pains” of 24:4-14 (including the false prophets, earthquakes and global Gospel proclamation) and the “abomination of desolation” that ignites the “time of great tribulation” of 24:15-28 were fulfilled in the generation of the apostles. They argue that Jesus’ description of His triumphal coming on the clouds was merely metaphorical. To say it succinctly: These are metaphors for events fulfilled in the first century AD. [1]
For example, world renowned New Testament scholar N.T. Wright argues that:
“When Jewish writers spoke of the sun and moon being darkened; when they spoke of angels gathering people from the four winds of heaven; when, in particular, they spoke of a Son of Man who would come on the clouds of heaven – in each of these cases they were using language in this metaphorical way. It is flagrantly absurd to think that Jesus, in saying that sort of thing, envisaged himself of anyone else literally flying around in mid-air on an actual cloud” (Who Was Jesus? pg. 55).
“…the ‘coming of the son of man’ does not refer to the [second coming] in the modern scholarly, and popular, sense of a human figure travelling downwards towards the earth on actual clouds…The ‘coming of the son of man’ is thus good first-century metaphorical language….” (Jesus and the Victory of God; pg. 359-60).
Theologian Sam Storms writes:
“Although this entire present age intervening between the first and second comings of Christ is one of tribulation, trial and distress, the so-called Great Tribulation mentioned in [Matthew 24] v. 21 (and described in vv. 15-28; and perhaps also in vv. 29-31) has already come and gone. It is to be identified with the siege on Jerusalem during the years 66-70 a.d., which culminated in the destruction of the city and its Temple by the armies of Rome (the latter being the “abomination of desolation” referred to in v. 15). Thus “The Great Tribulation” of Mt. 24:21 (called “days of vengeance” in Lk. 21:22 and “days of affliction” in Mk. 13:19) is not a future event but an established fact of past history.” (from, Matthew 24 and the Olivet Discourse Part 1)
“This “coming” [described in Matthew 24:29-31] is not a visible, physical appearance by which Jesus returns to earth (although that will most assuredly occur at the end of history). Rather, they [Israel] will “see” him in the sense that they will “understand”, i.e., spiritually perceive that he is the vindicated and enthroned King.” (from, Matthew 24 and the Olivet Discourse Part 3)
J.S. Russell, in his monumental book “Parousia” from which this perspective spawned wrote:
“We are compelled, therefore, by all these considerations, and chiefly by regard for the authority of Him whose word cannot be broken, to conclude that the Parousia, or second coming of Christ, with its connected and concomitant events, did take place, according to the Saviour’s own prediction, at the period when Jerusalem was destroyed, and before the passing away of ‘that generation’” (The Parousia, [2nd. ed. 1887], 549).
Theologian Kenneth Gentry writes:
“This [passages in Matthew 24:29-31] actually refers to Jesus’ ascension [not his second advent]. In the destruction of the temple, the rejected Christ is vindicated as the ascended Lord and shown to possess great power and glory.”
Brian MacLaren states that:
“…[viewing Matthew 24 as a timeframe in the future is an] eschatology of abandonment….[that] has disastrous social consequences….on issues like…ecology, poverty, sexuality, etc.” (from, Preterist Planet interview)
The problems with this perspective abound. Let me point out two: [Read more...]
10 Stages of Trends and Events that Will Unfold in the Middle East in the Future
March 22, 2011 By
Over the past few months Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Bahrain have seen dramatic protests, riots, revolts and revolution. Now, as of this week, Yemen and Syria are being sucked into the vortex. Leaders of other nations like Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon are pushing back against similar uprisings. Meanwhile, this past Tuesday, the Israel Navy seized a cargo vessel in the Mediterranean Sea that was carrying advanced weaponry from Syria bound for the Gaza Strip – 50 tons of it.
This social convulsion in the Middle East is one of the most significant unfolding of events in recent history. I have no doubt that this season of unrest will significantly contribute to the dramatic changing of the sociopolitical landscape necessary to set the international stage for the age-ending “battle” for Jerusalem (Zech. 14:1-3; Joel 3:2-3; etc.) of which the prophets spoke, the apostles looked and our children will witness.
Below are 10 distinct stages of trends and events that will unfold in the Middle East in the future; all of which revolve around the nation of Israel and the city of Jerusalem. Some are general trends and some are specific events. Some are taking place now and some will take place after the Lord returns.
Stage 1: The current political landscape of the Middle East will continue to deteriorate as violence escalates – especially as it pertains to Israel. The recent protests and revolts [Read more...]
Living In Light of the Mounting Crisis in the Nations – An Exhortation for 2011
March 19, 2011 By
So far 2011 has been quite turbulent – the shaking of the Pacific Rim, the dangling global economy and the the volatility of the Middle East have profoundly disturbed us all. I expect things will only intensify as the year and this new decade unfolds. And as it does, opinions about what is and isn’t going to happen will become more and more pronounced. This mounting crisis between now and the return of the Lord over the coming years and decades will create a vacuum for both the authentic prophetic ministry and its counterfeit in all its various expressions.
Daniel 9 instructs us about how to live, love and lead as the confrontation, controversy and confusion covers the earth:
“…in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years. Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.” (Daniel 9:2-3)
First, Daniel studied the written word of God and discerned what the prophets of his day were saying. He scoured the writings of the prophets of his parents generation (“the word to Jeremiah the prophet”). And he was incredibly grounded in the writings of Moses (as demonstrated through his repeated reference to Moses in the following prayer of 9:4-19). As he was a living contemporary of Ezekiel, Jeremiah and most likely Habakkuk and Zephaniah (as well as the false prophets who opposed them) he wrestled through their prophecies as one who was on the ground in the moment of their declaration. Bear in mind, these prophecies weren’t in the Bible yet. They had just been declared. He had to weigh them up and seek the Lord concerning their legitimacy and authenticity (a daunting task considering the tension between those who were prophets and those declared themselves to be; as in Jeremiah 23).
Second, Daniel discerned “the signs of the times” (to borrow a phrase Jesus used). He read in Jeremiah’s prophecy that Israel would be driven from the land (which Daniel personally experienced as a pre-teenager) and held in exile by the sovereign hand of God for “70 years.” Daniel read the prophecy, did the simple math and realized he was living in the hour in which prophecy was to be fulfilled. He was a faithful and diligent student of the written word. And he was sober minded about extra-Biblical prophecy (at that time anyway) that was being declared in his generation. He held the word of God in highest regard. And he clung to the promise that “God does nothing without revealing it to His prophets” as declared by the prophet Amos (3:7) a century and a half earlier.
Third, Daniel “sought the Lord” through prayer, fasting and the sweet embrace of humility. This is significant for two reasons: (1) Daniel understood that though the prophecy was sure and written, the Lord wanted him to engage in the prophecy coming to pass by standing with him (like Elijah before him) in asking the Lord to accomplish that which He promised. The Lord values our “face” being “turned” to Him (9:3). And in response He turns the course of history. The sovereignty of God and the call to prayer are not at odds. Daniel’s response to the revelation of the promises of God in history compelled him to lift his voice – not disengage as a mere spectator. (2) Daniel understood that the call to prayer in the hour of prophetic fulfillment is as important if not more important than the call to proclamation. This is why Jeremiah challenged the prophets of his day saying “If you are prophets of the Lord, make intercession!” (27:18) Daniel knew that prayer is the only place from which we can be prepared to proclaim prophecy. It’s important to notice the fact that Daniel’s initial response to the revelation of the soon fulfillment of prophecy was not to proclaim it in public but to wrestle with the Lord in secret. This both preserved Daniel’s personal relationship with the Lord (see Dan. 6:10) and empowered him as a messenger when he did step into the public spotlight. Additionally, Daniel understood that fasting is essential to the cultivation of discernment. If we seek to understand the written word of God and the subjective prophecies of our generation prayer and fasting is to be embraced as the cultural norm of the church of Jesus.
As we approach the near return of the Lord we should view Daniel’s response as a model and an example to follow. We must (1) cherish prophecy contained in the written word of God, (2) cling to the hope of God’s gift of the subjective prophetic ministry in the hour of transition and (3) give ourselves to the pursuit of the face of God through prayer and fasting. This is a lifestyle. A lifestyle we’d be wise to embrace now; in the relative calm before the storm.
This lifestyle fills us with confidence in God’s wisdom and sovereignty as the end-time events unfold, protects us from offense as we face difficulty and suffering and fills us with clarity and boldness to declare the word of the Lord to a generation caught up in a whirlwind of confusion with no anchor.
This is the heart of the prophetic ministry. And this is the only safe place to be as the Day of the Lord draws near.
