Daniel 11:36-12:13  How Long Until…?

 

Tonight we are going to finish our study in the book of Daniel.

A) We are continuing to look at the final vision that Daniel was given by the Lord

 

B) Recall Daniel Ch.10 we saw the intro to the vision

1) Ch.11:1-35 we looked at the first part of the vision which was HISTORY IN ADVANCE

 

C) God showed Daniel with incredible accuracy what rulers would be in power from the time of Cyrus to Antiochus Epiphanes – 350yr period of time

 

Tonight we are going to pick up in v.36 where the focus shifts to the end times – We move from looking at Antiochus to the Antichrist

 

Now because we recently spent two whole weeks on Sunday morning discussing the person of the Antichrist in great detail – I am not going to spend a lot of time here in the end of Ch.11

 

Let’s read the verses and make some observations before moving in Ch.12

 

V.36 : Titles for the Antichrist – The Beast – Son of perdition – Another one could be BIG MOUTH

A) He is always running his mouth speaking blasphemies against God.

B) Now we noted that is not going to be his tune at first – He is a smooth talker – Daniel 7

1) Knows how to make friends and influence pp

Knows how to play the game.

 

C) At first many in Israel will be swayed by Him!

1) Help rebuild temple – Messiah status

 

D) His rise to power will be sudden a man with good communication skills –

 

Barak Obama’s rise to the Presidency is a good example of how this could happen.

A) Most of the country had not even heard of the guy 4 yrs ago!

 

B) How many really thought – 2yrs ago he even had a chance to become president

 

C) But it happened – Rock Star status – Now He is the most powerful leader in the world!

 

D) Prelude to how the Anti-Christ will come into Power-

 

But the Anti-Christ is going to change his tune – at the 3/1/2 yr mark he will turn on Israel

A) Blaspheme God - -

 

B) V.37 is interesting RD V.37

 

He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women:

A) Based on this, some Bible scholars believe that the Antichrist will be of Jewish descent, and perhaps will also be a homosexual.

 

B) I believe that the phrase He will not regard the God of his fathers = Jewish Descent

1) Muslim? – Disregard the god of his fathers – would mean – renounce Islam

 

C) He will be like many European Jews – Not practicing –

 

I believe the nor the desire of women – means something completely different.

A) The desire of every Jewish woman was that they might have the honor of bearing the Messiah.

 

B) SO the idea would be He doesn’t regard the messiah – Doesn’t regard Jesus

 

                                 Rd V.38-39

C) He shall honor a god of fortresses: The Antichrist will take and hold power with military might and the shrewd use of great riches.

 

D) Daniel 7 takes out horns or world leaders –

1) Does in those who stand in his way.

 

E) Rev 13 Enlist worship of Satan     RD V40-45

Now it is hard to be dogmatic about what is happening here- but it seems like there is an uprising of nations – Islamic nations that come against him while he is in the Holy Land

A) This could be describing events that lead up to the battle in Ezekiel 38

 

B) If Ezekiel 38 doesn’t happen before the rapture –

1) I think it is safe to say that when the Antichrist makes his covenant with Israel

 

C) Israel’s neighbors are not going to be very happy about that-

 

D) We know that the Antichrist is going to help Israel rebuild their temple

1) Somehow finding a way for the Arab’s and the Israeli’s to coexist on the temple mount

 

E) Possible that on the Arab side it could be by force

1) Which is the cause of this insurrection

 

Ezekiel 38 would be the follow up to this – Pure speculation – but interesting to ponder

 

V.45 Tells us that Antichrist is going to take a special interest in Israel – Oil reserves Huge there now - But that will be his end

 

Valley of MegiddoBattle of Armageddon

                         Ch.12:1a

The angel Michael is often associated with spiritual battle (Daniel 10 {Came to help messenger angel

A) Jude 1:9 {Arguing with Satan over the body of Moses {The Lord rebuke you Satan

 

B) Revelation 12:7{Conflict in Heaven – Cast Satan out!

 

C) Important thing to remember: Satan is not the counterpart to Jesus –

1) Satan is really the counterpart to Michael –

Both High ranking Angels

 

Now Michael is called here the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people.

A) So it seems that Michael has a special role especially in the last days of watching over Israel

 

B) Which would make sense that Michael and Satan are counterparts – Satan is always seeking to destroy the people of Israel

 

V.1 Continued – Dan 12:1

And there shall be a time of trouble,

Such as never was since there was a nation,

Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, every one who is found written in the book.

 

There shall be a time of trouble: This refers to the time of persecution for Israel and world calamity known as the Great Tribulation.

This period is also called the time of Jacob’s trouble in Jeremiah 30:7.

 

Such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time:

A) The Jewish people have known many a time of trouble through their history.

 

B) From the horrors at the fall of Samaria and Jerusalem to the terrors wrought by Antiochus Epiphanes

 

C) To the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans

to the persecutions from the church during the Dark Ages to the 20th Century Holocaust,

 

It often seems that all Israel’s history has been a time of trouble.

 

 But this time of trouble will be different. This will be a worse time of trouble than Israel has ever seen before.

 

 Jesus quoted this passage in Matthew 24:21: For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.

 

Say with great sadness, we must say that the Bible teaches that the worst has yet to come for Israel and the Jewish people.  Revelation12:3-7 – describes a fury of the devil directed at Israel by Antichrist

Now Revelation Ch.7 describes a group of Jews who are going to be protected at that time 144,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel.

A) They are going to be sealed with a special seal from God on their foreheads

 

B) Their names are written in the book – I believe this is speaking of the book of Life

1) After the rapture they embrace Christ as messiah

 

C) God is an incredible record keeper!

1) Malachi 3:16 Book of remembrance – deeds – PTL ours covered in the blood

 

D) Psalm 56:8 puts our tears in a bottle – Rough times we think God is not there –

1) He is there – taking note of every tear

 

D) Jesus told his disciples – Don’t rejoice – power over Demons – rejoice that your names are written in heaven

 

Reservations: Dinner / Airlines / Heaven

A) Inheritance reserved in heaven for you that can’t be stolen- doesn’t rust – decay –

 

RD V.2-3

God’s stars context = 144,000

 

Who are God’s stars?

The mother who patiently teaches her children about Jesus.

The office worker who answers questions from her friends.
The son who witnesses to his parents.
The coach who shares Christ with his players.
The friend who tells his buddies about Christ.
The Sunday School teacher who prays for her children to be saved.
The young couple who goes to another country as missionaries.

The person who visits those in jail to share gospel

They are God’s heroes, and they will one day shine like the stars.
                            
Beautiful feet! Isaiah 52:7

Daniel 12:4

"But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end;

 

Daniel’s prophecy certainly was of some value in his own day.

 

But there would come a day, the time of the end, when his prophecy would be of even more importance.

 

        Daniel will be a best seller during the tribulation

 

 

Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase: Here, Daniel is describing a characteristic of the time of the end.

A) Many take this prediction as being fulfilled in the travel (run to and fro) and information explosions (knowledge shall increase) of our modern age.

 

B) The idea is that people would run about trying to find answers to important questions, especially in reference to future events.

 

C) Knowledge of the prophecy, the knowledge of this book which was to be sealed until the last days and then knowledge would be increased.

 

D) And our knowledge of the book of Daniel would be increased as we saw the events about to transpire.

1) We see them being set up and suddenly this book of Daniel becomes alive because we see now not only the fulfillment but the potential for those things that have not yet transpired.

 

RD V5-12

 

Three dates: Times / times and half a times

Three and ½ yrs

This three and one-half year period (here described as a time, times, and half a time) is well known in other passages of Biblical prophecy.

 

·    Daniel 7:25 describes it as the period that saints are given into Antichrist’s hands

 

·   Daniel 9:27 describes it as the period between the breaking of Antichrist’s covenant with Israel, the erection of the abomination of desolation, and the establishment of Jesus’ kingdom

 

·   Daniel 12:7 describes it as the duration of "the time of trouble" for Israel

 

·  Revelation 11:2 describes it as the period that the holy city will be tread underfoot by Gentiles

 

·   Revelation 11:3 describes it as the period of ministry for the two witnesses

 

·  Revelation 12:6 and 14 describes it as the period that Israel (perhaps only its remnant) is preserved by God in the wilderness

 

·   Revelation 13:5 describes it as the duration of Antichrist’s authority to rule, persecute and blaspheme

 

i. Taking all these together, we are obviously dealing with the last half of Daniel’s seventieth week (the Great Tribulation); and we know very little about the first half.

 

e. When the power of the holy people has been shattered, all these things shall be finished: the people of Israel will seem completely crushed as these things end, but at that time, the Messiah – upon whom they will trust before He returns – will return to rescue them.

 

Now why are there 3 groups of numbers listed here?

Times, times….. ½ times – 360 day calendar would be 1260 days

 

Then 1,290days in mentioned in v.11 and then 1,335 days in v.12?

 

Possible explanation:

1,260 days marks the end of the tribulation – the 2nd 31/2 yr period – Jesus returns

 

1,290 days Jesus Government is set up and put in place.

 

1,335 days – the nations are judged

 

Turn to Matthew 25:31-46

 

When He comes – unbelievers left mixed with the believers - 

 

The least of these – Israel

 

Back to Daniel 12:13

 

Daniel 12:13 "But you, go your way till the end; for you shall rest, and will arise to your inheritance at the end of the days."

 

The Lord’s final word to Daniel contains four important messages that we can learn from
#1 Go your way.. Now stay the course. {S&P not in Church for yrs

A) You’ve been faithful; you’ve been through the lion’s den.

 

B) Keep standing strong and you’ll be all right. Be faithful until God calls you home.

#2 You will rest.

A) Not in a retirement home but in heaven!

 

B) You’re going to die. Don’t worry about it. Your body will be in the earth, your soul will be with God in heaven.

 

C) Daniel, you’ve had a long life filled with many struggles. Hang on a little longer and your day of rest will come.

#3 You will rise. This is a promise of bodily resurrection. Though Daniel will die, he will eventually rise again.

#4 You will receive your inheritance

A) Daniel would hear the Lord say Well done

 

B) Body in Babylon – heart in Jerusalem

1) Us – Body in Vista/ NSD / Heart in Heaven

 

C) Well done – Rewards crowns -