Sunday
Morning Bible Study
June
1, 2013
Introduction
Do people see Jesus? Is the gospel
preached? Does it speak to the broken hearted? Does it build up the church? Milk
– Meat – Manna Preach for a decision Is the church
loved?
Calvary Chapel Logos – The Spanish Ministry is launching themselves as an
independent church starting next Sunday.
We will be having a special ordination service for Pastor Franklin and
join end with communion with the two churches next Sunday at noon.
We are in the prophetic part of the book of Daniel.
When we were back in Daniel 2, I mentioned
that the book switched languages from Hebrew to Aramaic. The middle portion of the book was written in
the language of the Gentiles. Starting
in Daniel 8, the language switches back to Hebrew.
8:1-14 The Ram and the Goat
:1 In the third year of the reign of King
Belshazzar a vision appeared to me—to me, Daniel—after the one that
appeared to me the first time.
:1 the third year
It is now 551 BC. Belshazzar won’t be conquered by the Persians
for 12 more years. Daniel is about 70
years old.
:1 a vision appeared to me
Daniel is going to have another of
his strange visions.
:2 I saw in the vision, and it so happened while I
was looking, that I was in Shushan, the
citadel, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in the vision that
I was by the River Ulai.
:2
Shushan
Play “Susa” map clip
Also known as “Susa”.
Prior to Daniel’s day, Susa had been known as the capital of the Elamites. They had
ruled the area for over a thousand years before Daniel’s day.
In Daniel’s day, Susa had become part of the Babylonian empire. In ten years (540BC), Belshazzar’s father, Nabonidus, would flee from Susa as Cyrus the Great began to
conquer bits and pieces of the Babylonian empire.
After the Persians conquered Susa, Darius the Great would build a great
palace there. It was in that palace the next
Persian king, Xerxes (Ahasuerus), would host the
great feast in the book of Esther. It
was in this palace the Nehemiah was the cupbearer to the next Persian king,
Artaxerxes.
Because Susa would be one of the capitals of the Persian Empire, it is
appropriate that Daniel finds himself here, dealing with the future of Persia.
Tradition has it that that the prophet Daniel was buried in Susa.
Susa is about 225 miles east of
Babylon.
:2 by the River Ulai
Play Ulai map clip
We think the Ulai River is known today as the
Karkheh River, about two miles west of Susa.
You will see references to the
“river” throughout the passage. It’s
talking about this river.
Some think that Daniel is actually
in Susa and having a vision about the river.
Others feel that Daniel is in Babylon having a vision about Susa and Ulai.
:3 Then I lifted my eyes and saw, and there,
standing beside the river, was a ram which had two horns, and the two horns were
high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came
up last.
:3 a ram which had two horns
We don’t have to guess about what this is.
Daniel will be told (8:20) that it is the Medo-Persian
Empire.
Historians from the fourth century tell us that the ancient symbol of the
Persian Empire was a ram. When going out to battle, the emperor would wear a
jeweled ram's head. The signs of the
zodiac have also apparently linked to various nations. The sign for Persia is
Aries, the ram.
:3 one was higher than the other
Like Daniel’s earlier vision (Dan. 7:5) of a bear raised up on one side,
this is talking about the Persian part of the Empire being the more dominant
part.
(Da 7:5 NKJV) “And suddenly
another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up
on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they
said thus to it: ‘Arise, devour much flesh!’
:4 I saw the ram pushing westward, northward, and southward, so that no
animal could withstand him; nor was there any that could deliver from
his hand, but he did according to his will and became great.
:4 I saw the ram pushing
The Medo-Persian Empire started in the east and
expanded in these same three directions – westward, northward, and southward.
It would eventually cover modern countries like Iraq, Jordan, Israel,
Egypt, Libya, Turkey, and parts of Greece.
This is all so historically
accurate that the liberal scholars think that Daniel didn’t really write
this. They think it had to have been
written after it happened.
:5 And as I was considering, suddenly a male goat came from the west,
across the surface of the whole earth, without touching the ground; and the
goat had a notable horn between his eyes.
:5 a male goat
We don’t have to guess about this as well.
This is the Greek Empire led by Alexander the Great.
The Aegean Sea (where Greece is) means the “Goat Sea”. The zodiac sign associated with Greece is
Capricorn, the goat (Caper - goat; cornu - horn).
Alexander came from the west to conquer Persia.
He would conquer all of Persia, even going as far as India
:5 without touching the ground
This is hinting at the speed of Greece’s conquest. Alexander, the notable “horn”, conquered the
world in four years.
:5 a notable horn
This was Alexander the Great.
:6 Then he came to the ram that had two horns,
which I had seen standing beside the river, and ran at him with furious power.
:7 And I saw him confronting the ram; he was moved
with rage against him, attacked the ram, and broke his two horns. There was no
power in the ram to withstand him, but he cast him down to the ground and
trampled him; and there was no one that could deliver the ram from his hand.
:7 he was moved with rage
Alexander had an intense hatred of
the Persians for their defeat of the Greeks a hundred and fifty years earlier
at the Battle of Marathon (490 BC) and the Battle of Salamis (481 BC).
:8 Therefore the male goat grew very great; but
when he became strong, the large horn was broken, and in place of it four
notable ones came up toward the four winds of heaven.
:8 four notable ones
At his death, Alexander’s empire was divided among his four generals.
As we mentioned last week (Dan. 7),
Alexander died at a young age (33 years old), and his empire was divided up
among his four generals.
(Da 7:6 NKJV) “After this I
looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings
of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it.
:9 And out of one of them came a little horn which
grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the
Glorious Land.
:9 a little horn
Eventually a ruler of one of the four Greek divisions rose up named
Antiochus IV.
One of the four divisions of the Greek
Empire was the Seleucids, which originally covered the areas of modern Iran and
Iraq. One of the Seleucid rulers was a
man named Antiochus IV Epiphanes who ruled from
175-164 BC.
He was called “Epiphanes” by his friends
(illustrious one), but the Jews called him “Epimanes”
(the Madman)
His conquered Egypt (south), Armenia (east), and Israel
(the Glorious Land).
:10 And it grew up to the host of heaven; and it
cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground,
and trampled them.
:10 the host of heaven … stars
The word “host” means “army”
Sometimes these terms refer to the angels.
They can also refer to Israel.
Israel is called the “armies of the LORD” (Ex. 12:41)
(Ex 12:41 NKJV) And it came to pass
at the end of the four hundred and thirty years—on that very same day—it came
to pass that all the armies of the Lord
went out from the land of Egypt.
God told Abraham his descendants would be as the “stars” of heaven (Gen.
15:5)
(Ge 15:5 NKJV) Then He brought him
outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able
to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”
When Antiochus Epiphanes returned from his
Egyptian campaign, he invaded Judea, captured Jerusalem, robbed the Temple, and spread his
reign of terror across the land.
:11 He even exalted himself as high as the
Prince of the host; and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away, and
the place of His sanctuary was cast down.
:12 Because of transgression, an army was given
over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast
truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered.
:11 as high as the Prince of the host
God is the “Prince of the host”.
The Bible refers to God as the “LORD of hosts” (Ps. 24:10)
(Ps 24:10 NKJV) Who is this King of
glory? The Lord of hosts, He is
the King of glory.
Antiochus put himself in the place of God.
Antiochus made laws to change the religious habits of the people in his
kingdom.
Antiochus did not destroy the temple, but he did tear down the altar, built
his own, and defiled the temple by sacrificing pigs (not very kosher) in the
temple to Jupiter. This act would be known as an “abomination of desolation”.
It was an “abominable” or “detestable” act that brought “desolation”, that
God would turn His back on the Temple.
It would be three years later that
the Maccabees threw the Greeks out and reestablished worship in the
Temple. Hanukkah is celebrated to
remember the Temple’s rededication.
:12 he cast truth down to the ground
(1 Mac 1:44–50 NRSV) —44 And the
king sent letters by messengers to Jerusalem and the towns of Judah; he
directed them to follow customs strange to the land, 45
to forbid burnt offerings and sacrifices
and drink offerings in the sanctuary, to profane sabbaths and festivals, 46
to defile the sanctuary and the priests, 47
to build altars and sacred precincts and
shrines for idols, to sacrifice swine and other unclean animals, 48
and to leave their sons uncircumcised.
They were to make themselves abominable by everything unclean and profane, 49
so that they would forget the law and
change all the ordinances. 50 He
added, “And whoever does not obey the command of the king shall die.”
The apocryphal book of
1Maccabees deals with the history of those days. It gives a description of all the ungodly
things that Antiochus forced the people to do and tells us the reason:
(1 Mac 1:49 NRSV) so that they would forget the law
and change all the ordinances.
Lesson
Twisting the truth
The world has convinced a lot of people that “truth” is made up of
“whatever is true to you”. WARNING: I might offend some of you …
For example, the world no longer believes that it’s wrong for two unmarried
people to have sex. The world now
believes that “if you love someone it’s okay”. The Bible says,
(1 Co 6:18 NKJV) Flee
sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who
commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.
The world believes that it’s okay to tell little white lies every once in a
while. The Bible says,
(Ex 20:16 The Message) No lies
about your neighbor.
The world now has us believing that there is nothing wrong with
homosexuality. The Bible says,
(Le 18:22 NLT) “Do not
practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman. It is a
detestable sin.
There will be a day when a world ruler will be encouraging people to dump
the truth of God’s Word. He too will
cast truth to the ground.
:13 Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another
holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, “How long will
the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the
transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to
be trampled underfoot?”
:14 And he said to me, “For two thousand three
hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.”
:14 two thousand three hundred days
days – lit. “evening-mornings”
(‘ereb boqer)
For 2300 of these “days” the sanctuary would be desecrated.
There have been a few ideas about what is meant here.
William Miller thought this meant 2300 years, and starting from 457 BC (don’t
know why) and figured that Christ would return in 1843. When it didn't happen,
he recalculated and said it would happen in 1844. When that didn't happen, a
lady named Ellen G. White came along and said that Jesus really did come in
1844 but only those on the inside knew about it. This was the start of the
Seventh Day Adventists.
Better interpretations:
If you take it as 2300 days, it’s a little over six years.
This is about the time from when Antiochus began oppressing the Jews and
replaced their high priest with his own fellow until the time that Judas
Maccabaeus cleansed the Temple.
Antiochus Epiphanes began oppressing the Jews around September 6, 171
BC with the replacing of the high priest with his own puppet priest until
December 25, 165 BC when Judas Maccabaeus cleansed the temple (Hanukkah), a
little over six years.
Some take this as 2300 morning-evening sacrifices,
it comes to only 1150 days, about 3 years.
This would seem to describe the time from when Antiochus desecrated the
Temple with his pig, until Judas Maccabaeus cleansed the Temple and sacrifices
were again begun.
This is roughly
the time it took from when Antiochus desecrated the temple by sacrificing a pig
to Jupiter, on December 16, 167 BC, until Judas Maccabaeus cleansed the temple
on December 25, 165 BC.
8:15-27 Gabriel Interprets
:15 Then it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the
vision and was seeking the meaning, that suddenly there stood before me one
having the appearance of a man.
:16 And I heard a man’s voice between the banks
of the Ulai, who called, and said, “Gabriel, make
this man understand the vision.”
:16 Gabriel – Gabriy’el – “strong man of God”
This is the same angel that shows up in the New Testament talking to John
the Baptist’s dad and Mary.
There are only three angels whose
names we have been given in Scripture. Michael (“who is like God”) is assigned
to protect the nation of Israel. The
other is … Satan (or, Lucifer).
Gabriel shows up several times, each
time as a messenger. He will show up one
more time in Daniel 9:21.
(Da 9:21 NKJV) yes, while I was
speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the
beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, reached me about the time of the
evening offering.
He was sent to John the Baptist’s
father, Zacharias, to tell him about the birth of John (Luke 1:19)
(Lk 1:19 NKJV) And the angel
answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and
was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings.
He would be sent a few months later
to a young gal named Mary (Luke 1:26-27):
(Lk 1:26–27 NKJV) —26 Now in
the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named
Nazareth, 27 to a virgin
betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s
name was Mary.
Apparently the “man” standing before Daniel in verse 15 is the angel
Gabriel.
:17 So he came near where I stood, and when he
came I was afraid and fell on my face; but he said to me, “Understand, son of
man, that the vision refers to the time of the end.”
:17 I was afraid and fell on my face
Be careful about thinking that
angels look like those cute little cupid characters. They are amazing, powerful, fierce
beings. Most people who have actually seen
angels (in the Bible) do exactly what Daniel did – they fall on their face in
fear.
:17 son of man
Daniel is called this because he is
human.
Ezekiel is also called a “son of
man”.
Jesus is called The “Son of man” – because
He is not only fully God, but He is also fully man.
:17 to the time of the end
We’ll get to this in a minute…
:18 Now, as he was speaking with me, I was in a
deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he touched me, and stood me upright.
:19 And he said, “Look, I am making known to you
what shall happen in the latter time of the indignation; for at the appointed
time the end shall be.
:19 making known to you what shall
happen
Lesson
Ready for trouble
There will be a time of “indignation” ahead. This vision is to prepare the
Jewish people that they aren’t finished with difficult times.
They had been through a “furnace”
when they were slaves in Egypt.
They were refined when they spent
70 years in Babylon.
Even though their time in Babylon
was almost over, there would be more difficult times ahead. They would still be
facing Antiochus Epiphanes
This isn’t exactly the most comforting lesson you’ll ever hear. But unless
the Lord takes us to heaven tonight, from time to time you and I will continue
to experience difficult times.
Illustration
Big Red Lobster
Tales
A guy was down on Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco when he saw a seafood
restaurant and a sign on the Specials Board which read, “Big Lobster Tales, $5
each.” Amazed at the great value, he said to the waitress, “$5 each for lobster
tails ... is that correct?” “Yes”, she said, “It’s our special just for today.”
“Well”, he said, “they must be little lobster tails.” “No,” she replied, “It’s
the really big lobster.” Are you sure they aren’t green lobster tails - and a
little bit tough?” “No”, she said, “it’s the really big red lobster.” “Big red
lobster tails, $5 each?” he said, amazed. “They must
be old lobster tails!” “No, they’re definitely today’s.” “Today’s big red
lobster tails - $5 each?”, he repeated, astounded.
“Yes”, she insisted. “Well, here’s my five dollars,” he said, “I’ll take one.
She took the money and led him to a table where she invited him to sit down.
She then sat down next to him, put her hand on his shoulder, leaned over close
to him and said, “Once upon a time there was a really big red lobster ...”
Sometimes we get to think that we’re heading for a nice dinner and instead all
we get is a story.
Things don’t always turn out the way we want them to. Don’t be surprised. Be ready.
(1 Th 5:8 NKJV) But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of
faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.
:19 the latter time of the indignation
Up to this point, we’ve seen this prophecy addressing the coming of
Antiochus Epiphanes.
But there have been several hints that this applies to something else as
well.
Sometimes Biblical prophecies have more than one fulfillment.
For example: The Bible speaks of
Elijah showing up before the coming of the Lord
(Mal 4:5 NKJV) Behold, I
will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of
the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
There is a sense in which John the Baptist partially fulfilled this (Luk 1:17)
(Lk 1:17 NKJV) He will
also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of
the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the
just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
But Elijah himself will also come back as well (Rev. 11:3-6)
(Re 11:3–6 NKJV) —3 And
I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one
thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4
These are the two olive trees and the two
lampstands standing before the God of the earth. 5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their
mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be
killed in this manner. 6 These
have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy;
and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth
with all plagues, as often as they desire.
Terms like “latter time” and “indignation” usually refer to the time when
Jesus will return, like …
(1 Ti 4:1 NKJV) Now the Spirit
expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving
heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,
(2 Ti 3:1 NKJV) But know this, that
in the last days perilous times will come:
(2 Pe 3:3 NKJV) knowing
this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to
their own lusts,
(Jud 18 NKJV) how they told you
that there would be mockers in the last time who would
walk according to their own ungodly lusts.
This prophecy about Antiochus will have a double fulfillment to it.
Not only will it describe Antiochus, but it will also describe an even
worse character, the antichrist.
He too will persecute Israel (Rev. 13:7)
(Re 13:7 NKJV) It was
granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority
was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.
He will magnify himself as God
(Rev. 13:6)
(Re 13:6 NKJV) Then he
opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His
tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.
He will perform an “abomination of desolation”
(Mt 24:15–16 NKJV) —15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’
spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads,
let him understand), 16 “then
let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
(2
Th 2:4 NKJV) who
opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped,
so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
:20 The ram which you saw, having the two horns—they
are the kings of Media and Persia.
:21 And the male goat is the kingdom of
Greece. The large horn that is between its eyes is the first
king.
:22 As for the broken horn and the four
that stood up in its place, four kingdoms shall arise out of that nation, but
not with its power.
We’ve talked about these things
earlier in the chapter.
:23 “And in the latter time of their kingdom, When
the transgressors have reached their fullness, A king shall arise, Having
fierce features, Who understands sinister schemes.
:23 Having fierce features
fierce – ‘az – strong, mighty, fierce
features – paniym – face;
presence
Could be translated “a strong face”
or a “mighty presence”
:23 Who understands sinister schemes
sinister schemes – chiydah – riddle, difficult question, parable,
enigmatic saying or question, perplexing saying or question
This is the word used to describe
the “riddles” that Samson challenged the Philistines with (Judg. 14)
(Jdg 14:12 NKJV)
12 Then Samson said to them, “Let me pose a
riddle to you. If you can correctly solve and explain it to me within the seven
days of the feast, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty
changes of clothing.
:24 His power shall be mighty, but not by his own
power; He shall destroy fearfully, And shall prosper and thrive; He shall
destroy the mighty, and also the holy people.
:24 but not by his own power
Perhaps this is hinting that Antiochus was being aided by some sort of
evil, demonic power.
We know the antichrist will be empowered by Satan himself. (Rev. 13:2)
(Re 13:2b NKJV) …The dragon gave him
his power, his throne, and great authority.
:24 He shall destroy …the holy people
Anti-Semitism is on the rise today. We’re just getting ready for the
antichrist.
Zechariah prophesied that during
the Tribulation, 2/3 of the Jews will die. (Zech 13:8-9)
(Zec 13:8–9 NKJV) —8 And it
shall come to pass in all the land,” Says the Lord,
“That two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, But one-third
shall be left in it: 9 I will
bring the one-third through the fire, Will refine them as silver is
refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will
answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people’; And each one will say,
‘The Lord is my God.’ ”
There are now nearly 14 million
Jews in the world.
That means that the antichrist
might be killing 9 million Jews.
Horrible.
:25 “Through his cunning He shall cause deceit to
prosper under his rule; And he shall exalt himself in his heart. He
shall destroy many in their prosperity. He shall even rise against the
Prince of princes; But he shall be broken without human
means.
:25 against the Prince of princes
Antiochus thumbed his nose at God.
When Jesus returns, the antichrist will have gathered the armies of the
world to Megiddo (Rev. 16:16) in order to fight with … Jesus. (Rev. 19:19)
(Re 19:19 NKJV) And I saw the beast,
the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against
Him who sat on the horse and against His army.
:25 he shall be broken without human means
Judas Maccabeus led the Jewish armies in revolt against Antiochus, but God
who gave them the victory.
When Jesus returns, He will take care of the antichrist.
:26 “And the vision of the evenings and mornings Which was told is true;
Therefore seal up the vision, For it refers to many days in the
future.”
:26 seal up the vision
Daniel is supposed to preserve the
vision for the end times.
:27 And I, Daniel, fainted and was sick for days;
afterward I arose and went about the king’s business. I was astonished by the
vision, but no one understood it.
:27 fainted and was sick for days
Lesson
Prophetic motivation
Biblical prophecy isn’t just meant to amaze and astound you.
It’s meant to motivate you. It’s
meant to challenge you.
Peter writes,
(2 Pe 3:10–12 NKJV) —10 But the
day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will
pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat;
both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Therefore,
since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought
you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of
which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt
with fervent heat?
How can I respond to God’s challenge?
Live your life for God.
It starts by putting your life into His hands. It starts by believing.
(Jn 3:16 NKJV) For God so
loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in
Him should not perish but have everlasting life.