09/20/08: Daniel 12
The 1,290 days and the 1,335 days of Daniel 12:11,12 are important prophecies. They are explained in more details in these three sections of my Final Battles commentary: extensions to the 70th Week, 30 days, and 45 days.
09/20/08: Daniel 7-9
Daniel had a dream about four beasts (Daniel 7:1-28). More about this can be found in the Daniel's four beasts section of my Beasts commentary.
Daniel's next dream, about a ram and a goat, is interesting. The "goat with a prominent horn" (Daniel 8:5) represented the mighty Grecian Empire, headed by the powerful Alexander the Great. He died at the height of his power, and his empire was fragmented into four parts (8:8). The "four prominent horns" (rulers of the fragmented Grecian Empire) were Cassander, Lysimachus, Seleucus, and Ptolemy. From one of them (Seleucus) came "another horn" (8:9): Antiochus Epiphanes.
Antiochus Epiphanes was a monster of a dictator. He, in his deeds and ruthlessness, was a foreshadowing of the future Antichrist. In fact, the remainder of that chapter probably is descriptive both of what Anthiochus did and what the Antichrist will do.
Daniel 9:2 shows how Daniel understood from the Scriptures (specifically, from Jeremiah 25:11) that the Israelites would be captives in Babylon for seventy years. Daniel, an old man at this point, then proceeded to pray for the release of his people, the Israelites, from Babylon.
It was at this time that God sent the angel Gabriel--the same angel who, hundreds of years later, was sent to Mary to tell her that she would give birth to a son, Jesus (Luke 1:26-33)--to give Daniel probably the most significant prophecy in the entire Bible: the prophecy of the seventy "weeks" of years (Daniel 9:21-27).
Very briefly, from the time that the decree went out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2:1-9), in 445 B.C., there would be a total of sixty-nine "weeks" of years (that is, 483 years) before the Anointed One (Messiah = Jesus) would be cut off or crucified (Daniel 9:25). On Palm Sunday, as Jesus approached Jerusalem, He wept over the city, saying "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace--but now it is hidden from your eyes" (Luke 19:41,42). By the prophecy Daniel had recorded, Israel had been told exactly when their Messiah would come to them; yet they failed to see it. Since then, for the most part, they have continued not to understand that Jesus is their Messiah.
When Jesus was cut off, the time count of the seventy "weeks" of years stopped. There would be an indefinite span of time before the seventieth and final "week" of years would begin and transpire. It would begin with the confirmation, for seven years, of a prior covenant with many nations, including Daniel's people, Israel (Daniel 9:27a). Never before in the history of Israel has that nation engaged into any agreement for a period of seven years--that is, until the European Neighbourhood Policy came along. Furthermore, the ENP is a confirmation or strengthening of a prior covenant, the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, or Barcelona Process, established in 1995.
Many, including myself, suspect that the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) may be the prophesied seven-year agreement. Israel was the first non-European nation to sign onto the ENP. Although the ENP began officially on January 1, 2007, it was established and funded in October 2006. The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (EuroMed), which the ENP confirms or strengthens, contains most of the same nations (including Israel) that the ENP does
Both EuroMed and the ENP were promoted and advanced primarily by one man: Javier Solana. Many believe that he is the "he" referred to in Daniel 9:27.
Just as the ancient Israelites failed to see the first coming of their Messiah, Jesus, I believe it is likely that present-day Christians will fail, for the most part, to understand the timing of the second coming of Jesus. So far, I have seen nothing that refutes the idea that the ENP is the prophesied agreement and that we have entered the final seven years of this age. If so, the 70th Week will end with the return of Jesus Christ back to earth, to rule and reign, in the Fall of 2013.
Daniel's next dream, about a ram and a goat, is interesting. The "goat with a prominent horn" (Daniel 8:5) represented the mighty Grecian Empire, headed by the powerful Alexander the Great. He died at the height of his power, and his empire was fragmented into four parts (8:8). The "four prominent horns" (rulers of the fragmented Grecian Empire) were Cassander, Lysimachus, Seleucus, and Ptolemy. From one of them (Seleucus) came "another horn" (8:9): Antiochus Epiphanes.
Antiochus Epiphanes was a monster of a dictator. He, in his deeds and ruthlessness, was a foreshadowing of the future Antichrist. In fact, the remainder of that chapter probably is descriptive both of what Anthiochus did and what the Antichrist will do.
Daniel 9:2 shows how Daniel understood from the Scriptures (specifically, from Jeremiah 25:11) that the Israelites would be captives in Babylon for seventy years. Daniel, an old man at this point, then proceeded to pray for the release of his people, the Israelites, from Babylon.
It was at this time that God sent the angel Gabriel--the same angel who, hundreds of years later, was sent to Mary to tell her that she would give birth to a son, Jesus (Luke 1:26-33)--to give Daniel probably the most significant prophecy in the entire Bible: the prophecy of the seventy "weeks" of years (Daniel 9:21-27).
Very briefly, from the time that the decree went out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2:1-9), in 445 B.C., there would be a total of sixty-nine "weeks" of years (that is, 483 years) before the Anointed One (Messiah = Jesus) would be cut off or crucified (Daniel 9:25). On Palm Sunday, as Jesus approached Jerusalem, He wept over the city, saying "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace--but now it is hidden from your eyes" (Luke 19:41,42). By the prophecy Daniel had recorded, Israel had been told exactly when their Messiah would come to them; yet they failed to see it. Since then, for the most part, they have continued not to understand that Jesus is their Messiah.
When Jesus was cut off, the time count of the seventy "weeks" of years stopped. There would be an indefinite span of time before the seventieth and final "week" of years would begin and transpire. It would begin with the confirmation, for seven years, of a prior covenant with many nations, including Daniel's people, Israel (Daniel 9:27a). Never before in the history of Israel has that nation engaged into any agreement for a period of seven years--that is, until the European Neighbourhood Policy came along. Furthermore, the ENP is a confirmation or strengthening of a prior covenant, the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, or Barcelona Process, established in 1995.
Many, including myself, suspect that the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) may be the prophesied seven-year agreement. Israel was the first non-European nation to sign onto the ENP. Although the ENP began officially on January 1, 2007, it was established and funded in October 2006. The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (EuroMed), which the ENP confirms or strengthens, contains most of the same nations (including Israel) that the ENP does
Both EuroMed and the ENP were promoted and advanced primarily by one man: Javier Solana. Many believe that he is the "he" referred to in Daniel 9:27.
Just as the ancient Israelites failed to see the first coming of their Messiah, Jesus, I believe it is likely that present-day Christians will fail, for the most part, to understand the timing of the second coming of Jesus. So far, I have seen nothing that refutes the idea that the ENP is the prophesied agreement and that we have entered the final seven years of this age. If so, the 70th Week will end with the return of Jesus Christ back to earth, to rule and reign, in the Fall of 2013.
09/16/08: Daniel 1-3
When Judah was taken captivity to Babylon, Daniel was among many of those who went. He probably was a teenager at the time, and he was there at least seventy years. Therefore, he was a very old, wise man when God gave him some of the greatest and most significant prophecies that we read in the Bible.
Even as a kid, Daniel was totally devoted to God. He did not want to be "defiled" by the royal food and wine he was given (Daniel 1:8). So, instead, he and his three close friends were given vegetables and water (1:12), which made them look healthier and better nourished than all of the other young men (1:15). As such, King Nebuchadnezzar chose them to enter into his service 1:19-21. This i an example of how doing things God's way, rather than the world's way, will yield much greater rewards.
Unlike most people, Daniel revered God greatly and had an immense faith in Him, which was incorporated into Daniel's daily lifestyle. After King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, he insisted that his astrologers and wise men tell him what the dream was, as well as interpret it; but no one could, so he decreed that all of them should die (Daniel 2:1-12). However, Daniel and his friends prayed that God would reveal the dream and its interpretation to Daniel, which God did (2:16-19).
The dream concerned a large statue (Daniel 2:31-33), representing the present and future kingdoms of that part of the world--all the major kingdoms, from that point forward, who would have control over Israel (since Israel is at the center of most of human history). The statue had a head of gold (Babylonian Empire), chest and arms of silver (Medo-Persian Empire), belly and thighs of bronze (Greecian Empire), legs of iron (Roman Empire, divided into a western section and an eastern section), and feet and toes of iron and clay (revived Roman Empire, most likely represented today by the European Union and Middle Eastern nations with which the EU has alliances).
At the end of the age, a "rock" (that is, Jesus) will smash the feet of the "statue," bringing down the entire statue at once, and becoming a kingdom that will rule the entire world (Daniel 2:34,35,44). This indicates that the end-time world system will be a conglomerate of all of the previous major kingdoms of the world, all of which have worshiped gods other than the one true God. More details about the statue can be found in the Nebuchadnezzar's statue section of my Beasts commentary.
Later, King Nebuchadnezzar set up a gold image that was sixty cubits high and six cubits wide (Daniel 3:1). Presumably, it also was six cubits deep. Thus, the number 666 was associated with this image. All people were commanded to fall down and worship the image, upon penalty of death (3:4-6). This image was a foreshadowing of the end-time image that will be set up to honor the beast (Antichrist), which all people will be commanded to worship, or else be killed if they don't (Revelation 13:14,15). Likewise, the number 666 will be associated with the beast (13:18), after whom the image will have been erected.
Just as "all the peoples, nations and men of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up" (Daniel 3:7), the majority of the world at the end of the age will worship the beast and even will receive a mark in their right hands or foreheads, enabling them to buy and sell within the world's economic system (Revelation 13:16,17). The Jewish men, Daniel and his friends, refused to worship the image; and they were thrown into a fiery furnace (Daniel 3:6-23). Yet, one "like a son of the gods" joined the men in the furnace (3:25). This was none other than the preincarnate Son of God, Jesus, who saved Daniel and his friends from being destroyed.
Likewise, in the final 3½ years of the age, many who adhere to the word of God, and refuse to worship the beast, will be killed (Revelation 6:9, 13:15). Yet, I believe that those who know God intimately, and who revere Him as much as Daniel and his friends did, will be protected by the Son of God during this ultimate time of Great Tribulation.
Even as a kid, Daniel was totally devoted to God. He did not want to be "defiled" by the royal food and wine he was given (Daniel 1:8). So, instead, he and his three close friends were given vegetables and water (1:12), which made them look healthier and better nourished than all of the other young men (1:15). As such, King Nebuchadnezzar chose them to enter into his service 1:19-21. This i an example of how doing things God's way, rather than the world's way, will yield much greater rewards.
Unlike most people, Daniel revered God greatly and had an immense faith in Him, which was incorporated into Daniel's daily lifestyle. After King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, he insisted that his astrologers and wise men tell him what the dream was, as well as interpret it; but no one could, so he decreed that all of them should die (Daniel 2:1-12). However, Daniel and his friends prayed that God would reveal the dream and its interpretation to Daniel, which God did (2:16-19).
The dream concerned a large statue (Daniel 2:31-33), representing the present and future kingdoms of that part of the world--all the major kingdoms, from that point forward, who would have control over Israel (since Israel is at the center of most of human history). The statue had a head of gold (Babylonian Empire), chest and arms of silver (Medo-Persian Empire), belly and thighs of bronze (Greecian Empire), legs of iron (Roman Empire, divided into a western section and an eastern section), and feet and toes of iron and clay (revived Roman Empire, most likely represented today by the European Union and Middle Eastern nations with which the EU has alliances).
At the end of the age, a "rock" (that is, Jesus) will smash the feet of the "statue," bringing down the entire statue at once, and becoming a kingdom that will rule the entire world (Daniel 2:34,35,44). This indicates that the end-time world system will be a conglomerate of all of the previous major kingdoms of the world, all of which have worshiped gods other than the one true God. More details about the statue can be found in the Nebuchadnezzar's statue section of my Beasts commentary.
Later, King Nebuchadnezzar set up a gold image that was sixty cubits high and six cubits wide (Daniel 3:1). Presumably, it also was six cubits deep. Thus, the number 666 was associated with this image. All people were commanded to fall down and worship the image, upon penalty of death (3:4-6). This image was a foreshadowing of the end-time image that will be set up to honor the beast (Antichrist), which all people will be commanded to worship, or else be killed if they don't (Revelation 13:14,15). Likewise, the number 666 will be associated with the beast (13:18), after whom the image will have been erected.
Just as "all the peoples, nations and men of every language fell down and worshiped the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up" (Daniel 3:7), the majority of the world at the end of the age will worship the beast and even will receive a mark in their right hands or foreheads, enabling them to buy and sell within the world's economic system (Revelation 13:16,17). The Jewish men, Daniel and his friends, refused to worship the image; and they were thrown into a fiery furnace (Daniel 3:6-23). Yet, one "like a son of the gods" joined the men in the furnace (3:25). This was none other than the preincarnate Son of God, Jesus, who saved Daniel and his friends from being destroyed.
Likewise, in the final 3½ years of the age, many who adhere to the word of God, and refuse to worship the beast, will be killed (Revelation 6:9, 13:15). Yet, I believe that those who know God intimately, and who revere Him as much as Daniel and his friends did, will be protected by the Son of God during this ultimate time of Great Tribulation.
