Voices of the Prophets Daniel andThe End of Days

               Moving forward progressively in this seven part series interpreting the Book of Daniel we are ready to look at chapter ten and the preparation for what is to follow. It was at the time of Cyrus king of Persia in his third year. “In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. I also ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh or wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.” (Daniel 10:2-3). Daniel was deeply in fasting and prayer.

            “Then I lifted up my eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed with linen, whose loins were girded with the fine gold of Uphaz: His body was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightening, and his eyes as lamp of fire, and his arms and his feet like the color of polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.”  (Daniel 10:5-6). Daniel has seen a vision of the Person of the Lord himself in preparation for the revelations which are to follow in chapters eleven and twelve of Daniel’s recorded writings. The description of the person in the vision is a theophany. This description can be compared to two like descriptions found in the Book of Revelation as experienced and recorded by the Apostle John. (Comp. Rev. 1:13-15 and Rev. 10: 1). The presence of the Lord had an overwhelming effect of weakening Daniel in his body and physical state and caused him to fall prostrate before this awesome Person.

           The balance of the chapter is consumed with this revelation of Christ and its effect on Daniel. Reading the final verse of the chapter we see it to be a preparation for what is yet to be revealed in the final two chapters. “….when I am come forth, lo,the king of Grecia shall come. But I will show thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that standeth with me but Michael your prince.” (Daniel 10:20-21) (Compare Daniel 12:1-2 with Rev. 12:7-8 for Michael’s further role in the conflict).

            We proceed to chapter eleven and begin a historical chronology which will carry us forward to the end of days. In verse one we see Darius the Mede being established and confirmed as king and following in verse two we find that there will follow three more kings from among the Persians. This in turn is followed by the conquest of Alexander the Great (Grecia) displacing the Medio-Persian Empire. After Alexander’s rapid conquest of the region he dies prematurely at a young age but not in battle. In verse four we see the confirmation found in chapter eight that his kingdom is divided into four parts towards the four winds. These four divisions were reined over by Alexander’s four generals.

            Now there begins a chronology necessary to carry us forward to the end of days.  What we will discover is the emergence of a world ruler who obtains power and dominion through his allegiance with Satan who seeks to be worshipped universally and displace the God of heaven.  The icon he will use is the “little horn” of Daniel seven and eight. This will prove to identify the now relatively small nation state of Israel. Empowered by Lucifer he (the Antichrist) will go forth conquering and to conquer (see Revelation 6:1). The immediate objective is to recover the territory designated under the old covenant as the “Promised Land”.  (See my book The Israel Deception). The further objective is to obtain world dominion extoling and honoring the god of this world and bringing about a spiritual apostasy that will result in “all the world wondered after the beast”(Rev. 13:3). The lengthy chronology in Daniel chapter eleven leads us up to the time of the revelation of the son of perdition. Unrevealing all of those preparatory scriptures in the chapter are not necessary to capture the end of day’s scenario.  In my view those developments related to his revelation begin at verse twenty one in Daniel eleven. But in preparation for that event which is described in scripture as the abomination of desolation it would prove more profitable to bring us to focus on developments in the world at this present time. Yes, we are now approaching the end time’s events which will ultimately lead us into the great tribulation. That does not mean that they are likely to be at least a few years yet future in time.                   

            I believe the world to be in a stage of preparation and the signs of this include “wars and rumors of wars” as prophesied by Jesus in Matthew chapter twenty-four. Also in evidence is the great apostasy spoken of by the Apostle Paul in II Thes. chapter two. If you focus on the Middle East beginning with the first gulf war against Iraq this was the beginning of conflicts in the region. Saddam Hussein was resistant to the outcome and did not submit to the international effort to destroy his kingdom and wealth. This fact led to the necessity of a further war that lasted eight years and the dictator’s death. Also paralleling this war was the invasion of Afghanistan allegedly to destroy the terrorists that were responsible for the World Trade Center attack. The ‘false flag’ event of 911 was the rationale for these invasions but there was in play another agenda. Ongoing conflicts have been continuous in the entire region including the “Arab Spring” which involved numerous Muslim nations throughout the same region. Then there was the overthrow of Gadhafi’s Libya and we witness the ongoing conflict in Syria. Now there are war drums rattling against Iran which is a hated enemy of Israel. America is the proxy military power being used in all of the above and it has not come to its conclusion but will be ongoing until the entire region has been destabilized by the Zionist cabal which is orchestrating the entire regional operation on behalf of Israel. Israel is to undergo a military expansion in the region as we will investigate further in our series on Daniel. The initial goal is to recover what they believe to be their “Promised Land”.  When that has been accomplished the grounds for the revelation of the Antichrist, the Jews false messiah will be complete. The fourth beast of Daniel’s prophesies  presented in chapters seven and eight will emerge as an expression of the satanically planned New World Order. This much lays the groundwork for the next blog which will reveal the true meaning of the abomination of desolation. Keep your eyes upon Israel as it is not what the religious world believes it to be.In fact it is the exact opposite  of what is percieved by today's apostate church.

David Lance Dean               See my blogs and books at   authordavidlancedean.com

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Voices of the Prophets: Daniel's Seventy Weeks

            Moving forward in our study of Daniel we will expound on one of the key passages in Old Testament prophesies as it is found in the ninth chapter of Daniel.It is reordered at the time of the end of the Babylonian Empire and the onset of the rule of the Meads and Persians specifically at the beginning of the reign of Darius the Median king. Daniel has awareness that the end of the captivity would correlate with the end of a seventy year period and that fact is discovered in the writings of Jeremiah and specifically at Jeremiah 25:12.

            Because of Daniel’s burden for Jerusalem and the testimony of the Lord he entered into a period of fervent prayer and fasting on behalf of his people mainly focused on a humble supplication for forgiveness and restoration. This covers the majority of chapter nine and the result was the revealing to him the  mind of the Lord for the future of Israel and it is covered concisely in the four verses at the end of chapter nine and those being verses 24-27. Our object now is to break those four verses down verse by verse and provide an accurate interpretation which is the all-important matter.

            “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon the holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end to sins, and to make reconciliation, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.” (Verse 24). The seventy weeks are understood as weeks of years, that is to say that one week equals seven years and so the seventy weeks are 70  x 7 years or 490 years.(Comp. Lev. 25:12). So in view in the first verse of the passage is the advent of Messiah and his ministry of reconciliation which seals the words of the prophesies of the Old Testament; his anointing which took place at the time of his baptism in the Jordan River including the decent of the Holy Spirit upon him and he was then carried forward in a ministry to the people of Israel being consummated with his death on the cross.

            “Know ye therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem unto  the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and three score and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.”(Verse 25). So there came a decree at a point in time after the captivity was complete that included the complete provisions for rebuilding the city, the temple and the wall. It is to be realized that work on the temple began first with many returning from the captivity to Jerusalem. The work was hindered and preceded slowly with intervals of time. To pinpoint the time of the decree to completely finish the work you may read of it in the seventh chapter of Ezra. It was given by Artaxerxes the king of the Persians. Also the book of Nehemiah will provide the details of the rebuilding of the wall in troublous times for there was much opposition. But all the work was completed and worship was reestablished through the ministry of Ezra the priest and the efforts of Nehemiah.

            “And after three score and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary and the end thereof shall be with flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined,” (Verse 26). The verse includes the cutting off of Messiah, i.e. his death on the cross after three and one-half years of ministry. The Jews demanded his death at the hand of the Roman government. It also includes the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 70 AD by the Roman legions under Titus. This event happened outside of the seventy weeks which were determined to be explained in verse twenty seven, but was nevertheless prophesied ""desolations are determined".

            “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even till the consummation, and that determined shall be poured out upon the desolate.” (Verse 27). The verse covers a seven year ministry to the Jews. The first 3 1/2 years by Jesus himself leading up to his crucifixion. Then for 3 ½ additional years his disciples were commissioned to preach the gospel of the kingdom to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel”. (Seven years equals one week). The desolations determined represent the judgment that fell upon a disobedient and gainsaying people.  The end of the last week of the seventy came at the time of Stephen preaching to the Jewish Sanhedrin—he seventy elders which represented the ruling authority spiritually of the people.  Stephen was stoned to death at the end of his sermon representing the formal determination and rejection of the nation concerning the person and work of Jesus Christ.

            The seventy weeks were all completed and fulfilled consecutively beginning with the decree of Artexerxes (Ezra chapter seven) concerning the completion of the building of the city and the wall and running through to the stoning of Stephen in Acts chapter seven. The ‘gap’ theory propagated by dispensationalists is a theological myth with no support in Scripture.

            A footnote to the interpretation is made necessary by the fact that millions of Christians primarily evangelicals believe that the seventieth week comes at the very end of the age in the form of the tribulation and a returning of God  to the Jews which they believe will be saved nationally. This heresy was propagated and spread wide with the publication of the Scofield Reference Bible in 1909 and several subsequent publications thereafter completely invading and destroying the truth of the Scriptures both doctrinally and prophetically. There is no support in the Bible for the restoration of Israel collectively whether nationally or according to their ethnicity. God’s covenant and dealings with them ended in the advent, crucifixion and subsequent rejection of their promised Messiah; but allowing  them 3 ½ more years to grasp and understand the message  and embrace  by faith the  redemption spoken to them by the disciples.

David Lance Dean              visit my website and follow my blogs:                                                                                 authordavidlancedaen.com

Voices of the Prophets: Daniel's Vision

              We are proceeding progressively through the Book of Daniel and his prophetic revelations which lead us ultimately to world developments at the very end of the age and the coming in judgment of Jesus Christ. This posting will cover the prophetic truths contained in the eighth chapter of Daniel.

            Occurring in the third year of Belshazzar king of Babylon we discover the following: This is Daniel’s vision on the occasion. “Then I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last. I saw the ram pushing westward and northward and southward, so that no beasts might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great.” (Daniel 8:5).  This again is a representation ion of the kingdom of the Meads and the Persians (two horns). The higher one which came up last are the kings of Persia, but the kingdom was a coalition of the two peoples.

            “And as I was considering, behold, as the goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes, and he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing at the river, and ran into him in the fury of his power. And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns; and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand. Therefore the he goat waxed very great and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones towards the four winds of heaven. “ (Daniel 8:6-8)  Here we see again as in chapter seven the vast kingdom of Alexander the Great. He is the notable horn on the he goat. When he died after his conquest there were four notable ones which came up towards the four winds of heaven. These were the four principle generals in Alexander’s army which prevailed with him in victory.

            We would take note here that there is a centuries long gap in the chronology of the secular history because the Roman Empire is not covered even though it was represented in the legs of iron in the image of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. The significance of this fact is to illustrate that all of the other kingdoms are Middle Eastern in origin including the final one which we will cover next.  The Roman Empire was centered in Rome and extending to the regions of Europe. Where history began it will end.

            We came now to the final beast which resulted from the dividing into four parts the great kingdom of Alexander’s Empire. “And out of one of them came forth a title horn, which waxed exceeding great towards the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land (Israel): and it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down of the host (believers) and the stars to the ground and stamped upon them. Yet he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, (Jesus Christ) and by him (Antichrist) the daily sacrifice was taken away and the place of his sanctuary (believers) was cast down. And an host was given against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practiced and prospered.” (Daniel 8:9-12) Now everything for the people of God becomes extremely difficult. The title horn which waxed exceedingly great is the nation state of Israel expanded to a "Greater Israel." It is destined to become a vast empire recovering the territory they believe to be the “Promised Land” at the very end of the age and leading into the time of the  great tribulation period (3 ½ years-not seven). Under the auspices and power of Satan the Antichrist will even exalt himself to the Prince (Jesus Christ) of the host (the people of God). It will be difficult for multiplied millions of Christians to grasp these truths because they speak of both persecution and martyrdom of the saints and they are of the belief that they will be marvelously “raptured” before the time of trouble. The fact is that there is no pretribulational rapture for the entire church prior to the onset of the tribulation. We must now move forward to the next segment of the prophecy.

            “Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” (Daniel 8:13-14).This stated period encompasses the vast purification and martyrdom of the sanctuary.( i.e. the people of the Lord). That is to say those among them who are committed and faithful. Many will not endure, but rather will fall away through the craft and deciet of the enemy as we will discover later when we reach chapter eleven. The Calvinist doctrine of ‘eternal security’ will not stand in that day as it does not stand now. Only the faithful saints who “endure unto the end will be saved.”(Jesus said it at Matt. 24:13).

            These passages do not comport to the popular theological systems of today’s churches as they would embrace Calvinism and particularly dispensationalism as popularized by the Scofield Reference Bible. These passages in Daniel’s prophesy cannot be understood from those popular paradigms and so they remain a mystery to almost all who claim to be Christians.

         We intend to continue to enlarge on these truths as we advance through the remainder of the Book of Daniel because the true paradigm of end time prophetic truth stands in stark contrast to what is general being taught today.

David Lance Dean                 website and blog access: authordavidlancedean.com

Voices of the Prophets: Daniel's Dream

                 We will continue progressively through the revelations of Daniel the prophet of God in chapter seven. Most of the early chapters of Daniel are history recording the experiences of Daniel as a captive in Babylon but also demonstrating his favor with the king allowing him to function freely. You may want to read chapters one, three, four, five and six to gather the context for the prophetic portions beginning in chapter seven and carrying forward to the end of the book in chapter twelve.

            “In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream and told the sum of the matters.” (Daniel 7:1).

            “Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of the haven strove upon the great sea and four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse from one another.” (Daniel 7:2-3).

            “The first was like a lion and had eagle’s wings: I beheld until the wings were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth and made stand upon on its feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.” (Daniel 7:4). Depicted in this verse is the Babylonian Empire and its first king Nebuchadnezzar. It was as a lion in its power and dominion and as an eagle being very lofty and lifted up. But its wings were plucked and its king who had seen himself as godlike was dealt with by the Lord as is recounted in chapter four, and he was greatly humbled and came to acknowledge the Lord God as the Almighty. His wings were plucked and he was brought down to worship the King of heaven. Take the time to read the account in chapter four.

            “And behold another beast, a second, like a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, arise, and eat much flesh.” (Daniel 7:5).  In view here is the kingdom of the Meads and the Persians which was a coalition of these peoples. It raised itself on one side is a reference to the Median kings being dominant originally and later the Persian kings became dominant.  The  bear had three ribs in its mouth signifying that it had swallowed up the residue of the three previously dominant kingdoms which were specifically the Egyptians, the Assyrians and the Babylonians. This kingdom was divided into 120 provinces and prevailed in the region for over two hundred years. Of consequence during this time a remnant of Jews were allowed to return to Jerusalem. (See the book of Esther).

            “After this beheld, and lo I saw another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a foul; the beast had four heads; and dominion was given unto it.” (Daniel 7:6).This is the kingdom of Alexander the Great who as s very young man set forth with his armies from Macedonia and Greece moving from West to East and in a short few years conquered the region overthrowing the Persian Empire. The four wings and the leopard speak metaphorically of rapid flight and very quick stealth as his conquest was carried out. The four heads represent his four capable generals. Alexander died shortly after his world conquest was completed and there was a division of power and control taken by his four generals. He brought Hellenism, that is to say, Greek culture and language to the entire region.

            We take note here that the Roman Empire has been left out in the chronology. It seems to me that the reason this was done by the prophet is that he is focusing on the empires which originated in and controlled that region  of civilization we know as the Middle East and thus the fourth beast fits that description as we shall see. The Roman Empire does not fit this categorical definition having originaataed in Europe.

            “After this I saw in the night visions a fourth beast dreadful and terrible and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and breaks in pieces, and stomped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it: and it had ten horns. (Comp.  Rev. 13:1). I considered the horns, and, behold there came up among them a little horn (this is the state of Israel), before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold in this horn were eyes of a man and a mouth speaking great things.”(Daniel 7:8-9). This is a representation of a “Greater Israel” envisioned by the world Zionists with an agenda for world government centered in Israel and empowered by Satan and the Son of Perdition, i.e. the Antichrist. This conception of the destiny of modern Israel is exactly opposite to that held by the evangelical world for they think that upon the return of Christ he will reign from Jerusalem. We will be enlarging on this concept of “Greater Israel” and Antichrist as we proceed through to the end of Daniel’s prophesies. In this regard I recommend my book The Israel Deception.

            “I beheld till the thrones were cast down and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne as the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.”  (Daniel 7:9-11)  These are the saints redeemed by the blood of the Lamb found written in the book of life..(Compare also Rev. 20:12-15).

            “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13-14) The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign forever and ever.

David Lance Dean              See my books and blogs at: authordavidlancedean.com

           

Voices of the Prophets: Daniel Nebuchadnezzer's Dream

                        We need to move on to the prophet Daniel to examine several prophetic

portions revealed in the book that he was responsible for authoring. Before we actually begin moving through the texts of the book it will be helpful to understand some things about this man greatly used by God. Daniel was subjected to the Babylonian captivity at a very young age probably in his teen years. He spent virtually his entire life in Babylon spanning the seventy years of Judah’s captivity.  A little more than half of the Book of Daniel is prophecy. The remainder is history to provide context for his prophetic dreams and visions. So we will be looking at some of the historical aspects but featuring the amazing chronological revelations of prophecy. Before we begin I would like to recommend my book These Prophets and the Revelation which brings together the Books of Daniel and Revelation and places them in context of revealing current world developments both political and economic which are bringing us ever closer to the fulfillment of Daniel’s inspired revelations.

            Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had a dream. It was a dream that greatly troubled him although he was unable to remember much of its content and its meaning completely escaped him. He called for the magicians, sorcerers, and astrologers to provide him with the content of his dream and more importantly its interpretation. The wise men in Babylon included some of the Hebrews including Daniel. The Chaldeans failed the king’s request and were not able to provide him either the content or the interpretation. In anger the king decreed a sentence of death upon the wise men of Babylon. Daniel, who was in favor with the king heard of the matter and was called upon by the king and he assured him that God was able to provide him the content of the dream as well as its interpretation. He petitioned for mercy upon the members of the king’s counselors who had failed him and they were spared at Daniels’s behest.

            “But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dreams, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these.  As for thee O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what would come to pass hereafter: and he that  revealth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass.” (Daniel 2: 28-29). What Daniel is about to reveal to the king is a summary of future world history from the standpoint of kingdoms and empires.

          “Thou, O king, sawest and beheld a great image: This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. This image’s head was of fine gold, his  breast and  his arms of silver, his belly and  his thighs of brass,  his legs of iron, and his feet part of iron and part of clay. Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and break them into pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floor: and the wind carried them away that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof to the king.”(Daniel 2:31-36).

            “Thou, O king art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And whosesoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fouls of the heaven hath he given into thy hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of Gold.”(Dan 2:37-38).

            “And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, (This we discover through scripture to be the Medio-Persian Empire) and another third kingdom of brass, (The Kingdom of Alexander the Great), which shall bear rule over all of the earth.”(Daniel 2:39).

            And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron:(The Roman Empire)for as   much   as iron breaketh in pieces and subdoeth all things and as iron breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.(Dan 2:40).

            “And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potter’s clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be  of the strength of iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. And as for the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of miry clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave to one another, even as iron is not mixed with miry clay (Dan. 2:41-43).(We will cover this fourth and final kingdom in detail as we move through the book of Daniel).

            And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall not be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.” (Dan 2:44).

            “Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it break in pieces  the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof cure.”(Dan 2:45). 

            What has been summarized for us is the projected history of the kingdoms of this world which will ultimately all experience judgment and destruction, and will become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ.

David Lance Dean                          website,book availability and blogs:

                                                            authordavidlancedean.com

P.S. Because Daniel’s prophecies carry us to this present day we will post a series of seven blogs focusing on the end of the age.