Strength from the Lord

and the word was true and it was great conflict and he understood the word and had understanding of the vision.

Now, as we look at just the parts two to four, That's him describing where he was, what he was doing, he wasn't eating, he had been mourning. The first month, that's the month of Passover for the Jewish people, so this would have been around the time of Passover, that Passover would have happened during that time of mourning. Notice verse five picks up all the action, though.

I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold.

That kind of repetition just draws us in. And now we see this figure that has this incredible We see a figure that's very unique. This is not a priest, this is someone who's dressed very unusually in every way. We see something, his face is like an appearance of lightning. Very, very unique. We look later, we keep seeing this figure come back in. He keeps touching Daniel, lifting him up, helping him, providing strength. As we just wrap our hell hat around this, I want something very clear to kind of see the main point. When Daniel sees this figure, he loses all strength, can't even breathe, he loses his strength, he can't even breathe, he loses his strength. The angel picks him up and he's still trembling, he loses strength, he loses strength. I want you to see verse 19 is the main focus. The angel says,

O man greatly loved, fear not, peace be with you. Be strong and of good courage.

This entire episode, three different times, he sees him, then he gets picked up three different times. It's all about giving Daniel the strength just to receive whatever the understanding God has in store for him. Now, we need to ask, who is this man in clothes linen, who is this man described like this? His face like lightning, that sounds somewhat like the Mount of Tristan's transfiguration, so it could be a theophany or Christophany, an appearance of God beforehand. It even sounds a little bit like Saul's conversion to Paul in Acts. There's some imagery here used. It's not exactly like Revelation that we read earlier, but there's some similarities enough to make us ask, is this God? There are two basic reasons I don't think this is God, but I believe it's most likely an angel. One is sections 10 to 14. 10 does not seem to be introducing a new character. And what is most convincing to me as to something I might understand, but it says that Michael came to help me. My doctrine of God is that he never needs help, but he's always the one who gives help. God speaking, it would be confusing as to how an angel would help him in this battle. It could be, there's something I don't understand, but that's one of the more convincing. And then the man, Clodagh Lennon, he swears by him who lives forever in chapter 12, verse seven. God does swear by his own name in Hebrews 6 and Psalm 110, but it seems to be different there. I believe this is an angelic being, but that, it's an angelic being who's reflecting the full glory and power of God. The whole point here is that David is overwhelmed with fear because this angel has come from God with a message from God. He is overwhelmed with great fear, and God gives him power to receive it. Again, over and over again, let's just walk back through it a little slower. David, or Daniel, alone saw the vision. Those others, they sensed something, they didn't see it, but they trembled and they ran away. Verse eight, he was left alone. He saw the great vision.

No strength was left in me. My radiant appearance was fearfully changed and I retained no strength.

As the son of his words. And then 10, notice what the angel does. Behold, That seems to be a word that kind of keeps walking us through the text, but

behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees.

So he had fallen face down, but now the hand just picks him up and he's now on his hands and knees

and said to me, oh, Daniel, man greatly loved.

And skipping ahead to the end of verse 11,

and when he had spoken his words to me, I stood up trembling.

Now, he's standing up now. He's been somewhat lifted up physically, but this is kind of a newborn deer trying to find his legs. Shaky. There's still great fear. And after he speaks again, verse 15,

and when he had spoken to me according to these words, I turned my face to the ground and was mute.

So he's humbled again

and behold, one of the likeness of children of men touched my lips and I was not able to speak. And I said to him who stood before me, oh my Lord, by reason of the vision, pains have come upon me, I retain no strength. How can my Lord's servant talk with my Lord? For now no strength remains in me, no breath is left in me.

We see this angel revealing himself, Daniel falling down, he picks him up physically with a touch, with the word of affirmation. Daniel falls back down, he's not able to speak again. And finally, verse 18,

and again, one having the appearance of a man, touched me and strengthened me. And he said, oh man, greatly loved.

What an affirmation. And we discussed in our poetry class Monday that this looks like a parallelism.

Fear not, peace be with you. Be strong and of good courage. And as he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, let my Lord speak, for you have strengthened me.

This is somewhat incredible as we think about what this vision is, what's happening, what this angel is doing, because Daniel has been pretty incredible up to this point. Let's think about this. In chapter two, we know of a man who hears that if he doesn't tell the king what this mystery is, he's gonna die. The king's actually gonna kill everybody, no matter what. And Daniel says, let me go talk to him. I'll tell him what the vision is. With Darius, there's no fear. There's no declaration of any fear of the lions. And he is an incredibly courageous man because of his faith in God. Whenever he has a warning, do not pray, he goes and does it openly. So we have to ask, what is it that's making him so terrified here? I don't believe he's in the presence of God, but he's in the presence of one of God's angels. He's in the presence of true power. He's in the presence of true glory. We see here God has presented this angel and it's overwhelming to Daniel. And notice how the angel helps Daniel receive the strength he needs to receive the revelation God has sent him to say. It's very kind of God. There's a way in which if we were to go before God and just hear his words, we would melt, we'd be undone. But here, you see how God has been so careful with his angel to help him receive this understanding. One last thing, and I, the elders have been reading a book on authority, As I wrestle with this, I believe this angel is representing what good authority is. He comes in all power, glory, might, and splendor. Daniel does not overreact to this angel. He falls on his face. He has no breath, he has no strength. But notice what good authority does in this declaration. Good authority strengthens Daniel. Good authority uses that power and authority to touch him personally, caringly. To pick him up, to lift him up and to make him ready. This is what I want us to see is a big picture of Daniel. God uses all of his perfect and complete power to reveal himself. We're not supposed to walk around wondering who God is. No, God has used his perfect power to reveal himself. and even uses power so that we can receive it and not be so overwhelmed and undone like Daniel is in this story. Secondly, God uses perfect and complete power and authority to save a people who are sinful, to redeem a people who have transgressed and broken his law over and over again. This is good authority. He's doing what Daniel needs. Daniel has responded properly. He's been humbled. He has been given the strength to receive what God would suck. Now, chapter 11, the vision and the understanding. Now, I'm not going to go through this event by event or figure by figure. We've seen this before in less detail. Nebuchadnezzar saw the vision, the golden head of the statue, the silver shoulders of the golden head was Babylon, the silver shoulders was Persia, the waist of bronze was Greece, and the iron legs were Rome. We saw the beast in chapter 7. We've seen this clear declaration of what kingdoms are going to come. And the most significant thing about that is God's kingdom is forever. There are going to be changes of kingdoms, there's going to be one king who rules forever, and God is great and powerful over all these kings. Chapter 11, verse 1, is the angel still speaking, as for me and the Darius, I stood up and confirmed him this vision, and now he shows you the truth in chapter 11, verse 2. Chapter 11, verse 2,

and now I'll 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.

So this is referring to what's gonna happen in Persia next. Verse three,

then a mighty king shall arise who shall rule with great dominion and do as he wills.

This seems to be Alexander the Great, the Greek king who comes and conquers Persia and begins that next section. Instead of going through all the different Northern Kings, Southern Kings, there's Egyptian rulers in here, I wanna back up and just see the 3,000 foot view. Israel was in Babylon because they were unfaithful. They've been returned because God is faithful to his covenant. Israel is in Babylon because they were unfaithful. Second, Israel broke the covenant promises, and the reason God sent them into Babylon is that he had promised he would do so. The end of Daniel 9, we looked at that. Daniel is praying, you're righteous because you said in the book of Moses, you said in your law that if we break your covenant, you will send us into a foreign land. Israel wasn't faithful. God sent them into Babylon because they'd broken the promises. God had even promised them this is what he would do. He was faithful. Fourth, real big picture, after the fall, God says there will be enmity between the children of Satan and the children of Eve. What we really see here in all of chapter 11 is flowing out of the declaration. There will be a constant enmity between the people of God and all the other nations and all the other kings and all the other peoples. That doesn't mean every nation is demonic, but it does mean there's going to be constant enmity. There's constant war. We're a people now of murder after Cain, apart from God's grace. The kings and the nations, they rage against God and his elect. We see this in Psalm 2. We can see it in Daniel 7. The importance of what God is giving in chapter 11 And so that the future people will not be surprised, but they'll be ready to stand firm in the midst of trouble. He's giving them these words of what's going to happen so that they're assured the God who can tell the future is a God who can be trusted. The God who has delivered before is a God who will deliver again. These kings, many of them do represent the Antichrist. Many of them are in the pattern of the Antichrist. Many of them are against the people of the covenant, as we'll see here in a moment. The key here is God is showing how good he is. He has understanding of what will happen. Again, assuming the right date. God has given them a word of what will happen so that they will trust him. One of the key figures we saw in chapter eight, chapter seven, is Antiochus IV. He's a Roman leader. He's against Judah. He was the one who outlawed the Sabbath, outlawed circumcision. He's the one who put the pig on the altar of the temple, which is just a great abomination, sacrificing it to Zeus. It's incredible how detailed this is in telling us what will happen historically and how it did happen. 20 to 28 is referring back to Antiochus, I believe, who will take Judah by force and is brutal. 29 through 35 is focused more on his actions against the religion of God. 20 to 28 is more military action. 29 to 35 is more specifically about the religious persecution. And then 36 to 39 is probably still referring to Antiochus in a second round. But I believe there we're seeing a picture and the prototype and the pattern of who will be the Antichrist, who will be against God, and his elect, and then 40 to 45 is another military campaign that shifts. I want to highlight one word that drives throughout 20 to 35. It's the word covenant. Over and over again, we see the covenant. Verse 22,

army shall be utterly swept away before him and broken, even the prince of the covenant.

This is probably referring to a governor of Israel, or Judah, or a high priest. But notice there, the significance is that, look at the end of verse 28,

and he shall return to his land with great wealth, but his heart shall be set against the holy covenant.

That's why Genesis 3.15 is so important here. Whoever this is, he hates God and his people, and that covenant is God's promise to his people. He's going to attack the very covenant people of God as a way of attacking God. He is set against the very covenant of God. And 30 shows us a whole nother side of this.

For ships of Kittim shall come against him and he shall be afraid and withdraw and shall turn back and be enraged and take action against the holy covenant. He shall turn back and pay attention to those who forsake the holy covenant. Forces From him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress. He shall take away the regular burnt offering. They shall set up the abomination that makes desolate.

That's most likely referring to the pig that is sacrificed on the altar.

He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.

He's gonna flatter those who violate the covenant. He's gonna pay attention who forsake the covenant. He's gonna try to do an inside job. That really reminds us of that little horn who's very deceptive from chapter 7. Devious. I believe here is Antiochus because of that declaration of the abomination of desolation. There's a real historical military battle against Israel, Judah. There's a real attack on religious persecution. And the whole goal is that some would stand firm. Some would be able to be wise and be refined and purified according to the verse 35. They're being warned ahead of time. When this trouble comes, God is still in control. You know God is still in control because God told you it was going to come. The whole thing heightens in the 36 to 39.

The king shall do as he wills.

Specifically, I believe this next line explains what that really means.

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. He shall pay no attention to the gods of his fathers or the one Beloved by women, he shall not pay attention to any other god, for he shall magnify himself above all. He shall honor the god of fortresses instead of these. A god whom his fathers did not know, he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. He shall deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. Those who acknowledge him, he shall load with honor. He shall make them rulers over many and shall divide the land for a price.

It does sound like Antiochus at some level, but it doesn't fully fit who he is. I believe because it really is pointing to the great pattern of the Antichrist. The one who is so against God and against all of what God is. He's making himself God. He's against all the gods. He will use the gods for his own benefit, but he himself exalts himself above everyone. If we think about 36 to 39, we could possibly think of other rulers after Christ. Those who wanted to use religion for their own purposes. Those who wanted to use the name of God to do horrible things to those made in his image. There's a reality that there are many who will have great power in kingdoms and nations who will use that power to oppress, to destroy, to fight against God and God's elect. It's important as we look at this description how significant it is that God has made us in his image to use all that he's given us for his good. And when we get confused about who God is and who we are, we can commit these same kind of sins in our own little ways that are gross and horrible. But the significant thing is there's this antichrist, Antiochus, There's Nero who comes after him. We can think of those who are even more contemporary with us in terms of who's rebelled against God and brought great terror and horror. They fit the pattern of the Antichrist. The most significant thing we need to make sure we understand, there is one king who will rule forever. That's the message of Daniel. Babylon was great in power. Persia was great in power. Greece was great in power. Rome was great in power. There's one king who will rule forever. Here, there's a great terror. There's someone who's going to desolate the temple. There's somebody who's going to abuse the people. There's people who are, there's one who's gonna flatter and violate those who violate the covenant. He's going to exalt himself like God. And there's only one God. You can think you're God, you can pretend you're God, you can act like you're God, but there's only one God and he's good, and he's righteous. I believe this vision is meant to give Daniel and especially those who are after him, again, the details are important for those who come after him so that they know when the great evil happens, God has already said it's going to happen, so they remain faithful. For us, we know God is great because he said these things, and we even know how his reign is better. That's a big picture view. I realize that's fully unsatisfying for those who want every detail of it. To get into something maybe more complicated, I think we should talk about angels and demons in this passage. If we go back to chapter 10, it mentions Michael fighting with the prince of Persia. We can look at chapter 12 and it says,

Michael is the great prince who has the charge of your people,

that being Judah. There are these texts and many others like it, Isaiah 25, Ephesians 6, Revelation 12, that tell us there's something behind what we see that is angelic and demonic. We are a secular people, which means we are stuck in this time. And I'll add to that, it means we're just stuck in what we see. We're a very, what we see and what we feel, that's all we can really ever get our head wrapped around. Well, the Bible is very clear. There's a whole other realm of being that we ignore, and it's to our detriment, church. There is a whole other world of being out there. The angels and the demons who were created above us and greater than us. And there is a battle between the angels and demons, and that does affect us. I'm gonna give you my attempt to explain how. In the ancient Near Eastern world, their worldview was that there were local deities over local areas that were designed to be or meant to be with a local people. So you had to have the right people in the right place with the right God. What makes Israel so unique is that Yahweh is the God of heaven and earth. Yahweh is not bound in space or time. He is not bound to a particular area. The fact that he's in Babylon doing what he wants to do with Nebuchadnezzar like a puppet shows he is the great and almighty God. But there's something about these local deities. I believe these are the angels that we're seeing here, that Michael is assigned to Judah, and other angels or demons are part of other kingdoms. I believe we need to understand there is a cosmic battle we do not see taking place that is hinted at here in a pretty significant way in other passages of Scripture. Now, that doesn't mean we need to think and figure out every possible thing. Whatever God's revealed is sufficient for us. It does help us remember that our battle is against principalities, according to Ephesians 6. Do we know the military strategy in Ephesians 6? Stand firm. It isn't going and trying to figure out everything we can know about demons and angels. No, it's standing firm in the promise of Jesus Christ. It's standing firm in who Jesus Christ is. But we have to understand, if there are demons involved in cultures and civilizations, There's a layer of terror there. There's also a layer of understanding they will be defeated. God is going to bring their great victory. But I want to press an application here, and I'm sure and I appreciate any challenge or further questions. I believe the way we might see demons, especially infiltrating societies, cultures, nations, is with lies. They want to deceive. They want to destroy. I believe here there's different battles between Babylonians and the Jewish people, the Judah, and there's an angelic, demonic battle as well, but I just want to say there's a way in which we need to recognize there's demonic laws. I want to trace some lies that I am going to point out I believe are demonic laws that are part of the culture we live in. One, this is a lie. The lie is men should dominate the world and women should be second-class citizens, or worse. Key word, dominate. Or, number two, men are worthless and only destroy things. Number three, women are objects for the senses, not designed for honor. Four, you can have it all and should, family, career, social life. Number five, there are no differences between men and women and you can even change that. Number six, a baby in the womb has no right to life. It's just a biological clump of cells. Number seven, marriage is just legalized prostitution. Number eight, no-fault divorce will protect women. Marriage is just meaningless on its own terms. It's a simple sample of what I thought, all right, what are some of the demonic lies that I think are just like floating in our culture? And I point them out because I do believe there is a demonic element to it. I believe there's a way in which we need to recognize that's the water we swim in. We're consuming that regularly. And my strategy here for you is not to go find every single demon and throw them off that lie, all right? I don't think that's what we're supposed to do. Stand firm. What I want to tell you is the way to resist and fight those lies is grow closer in the streams of truth. You are in the stream that's telling you all kinds of lies. What you need is to make sure you're in the stream that's going to tell you the truth of who God is, what he designed you to be, what is true honor and dignity and goodness, what he designed as good in male and female and marriage and children. We need to make sure we recognize there's more than just countries, civilizations, kings, politics, political parties. It's demonic. The solution is Christ, our King, who tells us the truth. The last section, chapter 12. The vision goes on, but we're gonna put the word hope here. Of course, chapter 12, verse one is a change in the vision. The revelation continues. Here we see hope. There was a hint of hope already, and for 34 and 35, that the wise, they will stumble, but they will also be refined, purified, made white, but the real hope comes here in chapter one.

At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who is in 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.

So he's wrapping up, at that time there's gonna be great trouble, and I want you to see the next word as one of these words you've got to know how to look out for in Scripture. The worse the news is that goes before it, the better this word is in Scripture. There's great trouble. There's gonna be an antichrist who makes himself God. There's gonna be an antichrist who's gonna make a sacrifice in the temple. There's gonna be an antichrist who's gonna destroy thousands. The second half of verse one,

But at that time, your people shall be delivered.

But as a conjunction, that changes everything here. Now that's written in the passive voice. Who's the agent? Who's the subject? God. We put those two words together and you have the good news. There's going to be great trouble, but God. You said this time, there's gonna be great trouble. Let's do that better. There's gonna be great trouble. This is repeatedly over and over again, the pattern of God's word. There is something horrible. The trouble you've gotten yourself into, the trouble that's coming upon you, but God. And that word delivered. This is going back to the Exodus. This is the same language Daniel used in his prayer before making the plea that he would listen and see and forgive. You deliver from Egypt in the midst of this new problem, these new nations, this new horrible person that's even greater than Pharaoh. At that time, but God shall deliver your people. We have to make sure that's one of the truths that our roots are sunk deep into. The water that you're seeking to be informed by must be informed first and foremost by a but-God theology. Because without it, this is just left with hopelessness. Your people will be delivered is the good news of what God does in the midst of trouble. Notice he even goes further.

But at that time your people shall be delivered.

They will be rescued, they will be ransomed, they will be removed from and turned to another place.

Everyone whose name shall be found written in the book.

Now this is one of the first allusions that all Israel isn't Israel. that some Israelites or some of the Jewish descendants are in the book and some are not. There's the people, and there's the nation, and then there's those who are truly saved by God by faith. There are those who are truly delivered, or those whose name shall be found written in the book. Now, this is a declaration that Actually, there's something important, we see it picked up in Revelation 13, 7, 8. John will tell us something more explicit about who, whose name is written in that book and what that book is. Revelation 13 says,

all and authority was given over every tribe and people and language and nation and all who dwell on earth shall worship it. Everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world and the book of life who was slain.

If we think about what he's saying there in terms of the book of life, that book was written for the foundation of the world. That makes it secure. God has put your name in his book as to who belongs with him, and what allows you to be there is the blood of Christ, the lamb who was slain. Those who will be ultimately delivered from whatever it is, maybe death, Certainly sin, whatever the trouble is, it's those will be delivered whose names are written. God has provided your name in the book for your security so that you know, but God will deliver you. This is the hope set before the people. Because the temptation for the people of Judah at the time of Antiochus, in the time after, in the time we have now, is going to be to bow the knee to not God during persecution. And the assurance is, but God will deliver you. Everyone whose name is written in the book of life. God has secured it, he will do it. In verse two, this is one of the first allusions, the teachings of the Old Testament of the resurrection.

And many of those who sleep in the depths of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

We're all going to die, and there's only two different destinations. There's those who are in the book of life, to eternal life. And those who have rejected God, who did not remain faithful, who refused him, did not honor him or give him thanks, and they are to everlasting shame and contempt. Judgment, we call this hell. Now you might be tempted to think, how do I know if my name was written before the foundation of the world? That's not the right question. The question for you right now, do you believe in the lamb who was slain to get your name in the book? That's the only question. There's only one way to have your name in that book and that it is written in the blood of Christ. And the only assurance you have that you are in that book is that you believe in Jesus Christ, who will deliver you from every evil, who is with you in every evil, who will ultimately deliver you from death and judgment and hell. He alone can give you life because he rose from the dead. He alone can forgive your sins because he died on the cross. The main question for you as to if your name is written and are you going to go to everlasting life or everlasting contempt is, do you believe in Jesus? Those who do believe in Jesus, are you committed to be faithful to that name? Again, the warning is persecution might come. Are we prepared to stand firm? for the name that saves us. Were the Israelites, were those of Judah ready to remain faithful to Yahweh? And then three and four.

And those who are wise shall shine like brightness in the sky above, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever. 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.

Now he's ending the prophecy there, he's ending the declaration, seal it up, but those stars, they shine bright to turn me to righteous. There's something really helpful here. I wonder if there's something going on like Jude, or the opposite of Jude. Jude says that those who demand that you obey your earthly senses are like wandering stars. If you're a sailor, you want to make sure you know where the stars are because they help you get guidance, direction. Not reading your sign or anything, but just knowing where you are. A wandering star cannot be trusted. But these stars, they shine as testimonies. to be faithful in the midst of persecution, faithful in the midst of trusting God who saves. There's a follow-up to this. Daniel looks, there's another, two other people. One asks how long. I just wanna drop down here, verse eight.

I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, oh my Lord, what shall be the outcome of these things? He said, go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly, and none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.

" Notice, everybody begins wicked in this passage. It's assumed. The wise purify themselves. The wicked who remain in wickedness, they'll act wickedly and they'll never understand. This is not a message of clean yourself up. It's a message that God has spoken to bring us out of our wickedness. God has spoken so that we can see by true light what is our darkness. God has spoken and give us the grace that we can be pure, make ourselves white, refined by believing in Christ who refines us and changes us. The other option is to be wicked, to remain wicked, and to act wickedly. The hope set before us, church, is that we do not remain without hope. We do not remain in our wickedness. God has shown us how great of a king he is, how great he uses his power to make us know who he is, how great he uses his power to save us, because we need to be prepared for what we do not know is coming. We don't know how bad it's going to be, whatever's coming. but we must be built up by purifying ourselves so that we are ready to trust God. Will you pray with me? Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you that you are the king who reigns forever. We thank you for the way we can see how you strengthen Daniel to receive who you are and your word. We thank you for the declarations that we can see from the old covenant of who Christ will be and how his reign will help us and how you are the God who delivers. Lord, we hear wars and rumors of wars all around us. The amount of access we have to everything happening in this world is truly terrifying and unsettling. Lord, we thank you for your word that shows us you reign supreme, and your reign is forever, and your reign is good, and you invite us into that reign to submit to you, to rule this earth under your power and authority. Lord, pray that we would know how to trust you in the midst of fear, anxiety, and trouble, knowing you are the God who always delivers your people. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.