DECEMBER 3
Daniel
11:2-35
As we enter
into all the detail of the prophecies in the last two chapters of Daniel, there
are a couple of things to take note of. First, what we're reading today will
all take place before the birth of Christ, during a very dangerous time in the
life of Israel. Tomorrow will deal with the Tribulation and the events just
before the second coming of Christ. Second, we need to understand what the
purpose of this detailed prophecy is. Rather than simply showing us that God
knows everything and coordinates everything in advance, it is meant to be a
help to the people going through these events and distresses. For example, in
our reading today, historians can look back and verify the details of what is
said here and give names to the people and identify the events. But for the
Jews who went through this, it not only gave them an idea of what would happen,
but it gave them incredible hope and courage as they saw the Scripture coming
true and the events unfolding. It was almost like having tomorrow's newspaper.
They understood that God was with them and that nothing was outside of His
control. With some of this detail, they could even plan ahead. Much of what we
read about the Tribulation in the book of Revelation seems foggy and hard to
understand for us, but for those people who will go through the Tribulation,
what God has written is going to make perfect sense. It will give them hope and
courage.
V. 2 Xerxes was
this fourth king and was the husband of Esther. He is mentioned here because of
his wars with Greece. He was hugely defeated and got the Greeks incredibly mad.
Vs. 3-4 This is
the rise and fall of Alexander the Great.
Vs. 5-20 The
four kingdoms of Greece will constantly fight with one another, and Israel will
be in the middle of a lot of that fighting. For the Jews that lived during that
time, these words in Daniel assured them that God was in control of the chaos.
Vs. 21-35 These
are the adventures of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (AE), the precursor of the coming
antichrist. If you want some good, but not overly lengthy information on him,
read the Bible Knowledge Commentary-OT, pp. 1369-1370.
V. 21
Apparently AE wasn't an obvious ruler. There was deception and intrigue that
led to his sudden rise to power. In the same way, it probably won't be apparent
who the antichrist is until he is suddenly in power.
V. 22 The prince of the covenant was apparently a priest who AE had put to death.
V. 28 Somehow
AE will already resolve to fight against Israel, probably because of their
stubborn insistence on worshiping Yahweh.
Vs. 29-30 As AE
was in Egypt, he was confronted by the growing Roman Empire and he was forced
to retreat. In fact, AE was personally humiliated by the Romans who drew a
circle in the sand around him, forcing him to make his decision then and there
to agree to their demands.
V. 30 Those who
forsake the holy covenant are
traitorous Jews.
Vs. 31-35 And
so AE vented his anger on Israel. These verses describe how he tried to stop
the worship, desecrate the temple and exterminate Judaism. This anger and
frustration, and the reasons thereof, probably foreshadow why and what the
antichrist will do in the Tribulation. During the Tribulation, in spite of
Satan's power and the supernatural authority he gives the antichrist,
unbelieving nations will still rebel against him, blind to the real drama being
played out.
V. 32 AE will
win over those who really don't like to follow Yahweh.
V. 35 Even as
the angel is explaining this to Daniel in such detail, it seems he makes a
transition to begin talking about the time of the end. In the Maccabean Revolt
that occurred because of the actions of AE, there were godly men who understood
these words of prophecy and sacrificed their lives for God. Some of what
happened during that period will mirror some of what will happen during the
Tribulation, especially the cunning working of AE and the antichrist.
We can
understand the importance of these prophecies to the people who went through
those very hard times, if we look at all of the information God has given us to
encourage us during this time. As disciples following Christ, working in the
harvest we understand more of what is happening in life, both on this planet
and in the spiritual dimension, than any other peoples in the history of
redemption. Jesus Himself told His disciples that they were seeing and hearing
what others had longed to know, but were never able to see or hear. We continue
in what Jesus said to His apostles in that we have the complete Word of God.
Not living with this book in hand as we walk through this spiritual tragedy on
earth is an awful mistake. We should be understanding our times and all the
challenges, working in the harvest, reaching the lost and making disciples. If
we don't live by this book daily, we become lost on earth and live a faith
without His strength or purpose. We have been given a great treasure and
resource, and we ignore it to our own harm.
1 John 3:7-24
As you read this
section, notice how often John mentions loving one another. That thought of a
common love in Christ flows through this entire section of the letter. The
tension in what we will read is that there were some in these churches who were
not believers. It seems that the vast majority were believers, yet they were
very immature, living according to the old nature, and not the new nature in
Christ. The importance of the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 is to show a believing
couple who were motivated by the desire for status in the church. When Peter
said to Ananias, "why
has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep
back part of the proceeds of the land," it showed that children of God can
follow the flesh and be led by Satan. We know that, right? We don't have room
here to find all the places in Paul's letters where this is shown or said, but
keep this tension in mind as you read these verses in John. John isn't always
saying people are not believers. He is saying that as believers they shouldn't
be following the impulses of the devil, but those of the Spirit of Christ. John
does say which impulses are from whom.
Vs. 7-10 Notice again that those
addressed are little children, even the
70-year-old little children. I think John's purpose in this is to say, as Paul
did, that we should walk worthy of Christ. It is clear from other letters that
Christians are capable of all sorts of sin, from idolatry to immorality. In 2
Timothy 2:26, it mentions how Christians can be captured by Satan to do his
will. In 1 Timothy 5:15 it talks about believers who have turned aside to
follow Satan. Children of God should not act like children of Satan. If people
are not unified in love, they are not being influenced by God, but by the
devil. Our salvation in Christ and our mission for Him is supposed to bind us
together. If being a believer and going to church means anything other than
salvation and mission, it degenerates to a social club.
Vs. 11-15 If the last verses had to do
with the influence of Satan, this block of verses seems to deal with the
influence of the world. If believers are too focused on being accepted by the
world, they will not love one another.
Again, in a mature group of disciples, this wouldn't be a problem, but not all
believers are mature and living from the principle of their new life. Paul told
believers that they should put off the works of darkness and put on the Lord.
That means that as believers, it is possible to live according to darkness, in
death, and not in our new eternal life in Christ.
Vs. 16-18 You can see here that John
was aiming high, at a cross-bearing kind of discipleship modeled after Jesus'
sacrifice and love for us.
Vs. 19-24 Notice how often John
mentions commandment in this section.
It makes me think of David's passion in Psalm 119. Probably, in order to
appreciate what John is writing here, we'd need to read John's Gospel, chapters
14-17. Verse 22 is a promise given often in that section of John. The love of Christ
in the mission of Christ is what makes possible the kind of brotherly love God
talks about. If a person is living that love, following Christ, regardless of
failures, God forgives and overwhelms their guilty conscience. The Spirit
within us is given to us to keep abiding in Christ and moving forward in the
harvest. The fact that we keep moving forward, following the Spirit in the love
and mission of Christ, is visible evidence that the Spirit is within us.
Again, believers can hide from
following Christ. But then, what evidence do they have of the Spirit in them,
or that they are abiding in Christ? And then too, they miss out on all the
blessings of the gospel. I grew up in a very Catholic area and the common motto
was, "God helps those who help themselves." Actually, this is not
true. If we don't abide in Christ and follow Him in the harvest, if we are
protecting ourselves from persecution and hardship, why should He help us? We
are helping ourselves, dependent on ourselves, and not on Him.
If you want an interesting example of
this help, look at Luke 12:8-9. Now, as you read it, understand that by Christ
acknowledging us before the angels of God, He is actually saying He will send
them to help us when we are in that situation. Those people who "help"
themselves by not acknowledging Christ, and are therefore avoiding the
punishment or scorn of men, don't need His help; and therefore, He doesn't
"acknowledge" them and send spiritual aid. Remember, Jesus addressed
this passage in Luke to His disciples, not to unbelievers.
Psalm
122
Both the house of the Lord and Jerusalem
are lifted up in this psalm. We've seen in Ezekiel how the city and the temple,
though destroyed, will both be rebuilt and will become the destination for
generations in the future. Daniel's prayer in chapter 9, and the massive
prophecies he was given by Gabriel, show the restoration of Jerusalem and the
anointing of the King. Who knows, in the Millennium as people fly into
Jerusalem, maybe they will sing this psalm as they travel from the airport up
to the city to see the Lord.
Vs. 1-2 This was a passion of David's
heart, forged in long years of running from danger and having to remain distant
from the tabernacle. David worshiped God in spirit and in truth in the
wilderness, but longed for the time he could stand before the tent which housed
the ark of the covenant. That is where he knew God was present.
Vs. 3-5 It was in Jerusalem, once the
ark was there, where people came to seek the Lord for judgments and mercy.
Vs. 6-9 Because of the temple, peace
and security should rest on Jerusalem. It would have been the presence of the
Lord that would have brought that peace. It makes you think of what John was
writing above. If the Lord is present, His presence will be evidenced by peace
and love.
Proverbs 29:1
Those of us
with stiff necks are grateful for God's "gentle breaking," before we
did irreparable damage.
If you’re reading along
and don’t have a One Year Bible, click on this link http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/every-day-in-the-word/. If that doesn't work, go to http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/ and click on “Every Day in the Word.”
I'm writing these comments
to and for those who are following a One Year Bible and interested in growing
deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the
growth of a discipleship culture in the church. Groups of 3-4 disciples,
meeting weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to reach out
and make disciples who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most universal
manual we have and key to our growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us
more focused on why we are here or what we are to be doing. My comments are
only meant to provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of
God's plan of redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are
designed to keep us focused on Christ and our role in His harvest. My hope is that
the people in these groups will grow in Christ and be willing, after a year, to
find 3 others to meet with and encourage in their growth as disciples,
disciples making disciples in the harvest.
If you would like a
complete description of this model of being and making disciples you can find
it in my book: Simply Disciples*Making Disciples.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011WJIDQA?*Version*=1&*entries*=0
If you would like a more
descriptive commentary that is still readable and concise, I'd recommend the
Bible Knowledge Commentary. It's keyed to the NIV, so the result is the
commentators are constantly telling you what the Greek or Hebrew is. That never
hurts.
I am not endorsing any
particular One Year Bible; in fact, I read something you don't, die revidierte
Lutherbibel 1984.
Anyone reading along with
us is welcome to do so and is encouraged to take their own notes and make their
own observations. If the comments made do not agree with your particular
tradition or understanding, that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to
criticize any point of view, but only to express the truth of what God has
written to us, as I understand it. Send comments or feedback to dgkachikis@gmail.com.
If you would like
documents containing an entire month of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes. You can download these to use on your computer or to
print.
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