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Sunday, January 26, 2020

The Messiah Returns

The Coming King of Israel

Book of Zechariah Chapter 9:9 ; 10:1-12


Zechariah was the son of Berechia who, was the son of Iddo, and both of these men were priest.

Ezr 6:14 And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
Ezr 6:15 And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.

A young Zechariah was an encouragement to all those who returned to build the Temple that had been destroyed by the armies of Nebuchadnezzar.

These who had returned to Jerusalem needed to realize all these things had taken place because of sin, but the prophesies of Jehovah were sure, and the Word of God is always the truth!

To be in the family of God, we must worship Him with all our heart. We must give all of ourselves to Him!

The message Zechariah had for his people was that Jehovah loved them dearly!

Zec 1:3 Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.

It is very important to the Church that we understand the importance of the promises Jehovah made to Israel!

We must understand it is Jehovah God who rules over this entire universe or the created Cosmos!

We may feel like God is a million miles away, but in fact He is as close as a whisper.

He just wants us to obey His Word, not because it is so hard to do so, but because we will live longer, we will live happier, and our future is so full of love and the benefits of serving the Lord are just amazing!

If we pay attention to the words of Zechariah, we can identify fulfilled promises, understanding these are all an indication of the soon Second Coming of our Christ and the Jewish Messiah, they are one and the same!

We know that Daniel prophesied during the 70 years of captivity of Judah.

We also know that Zachariah prophesied after the return of Judah to Jerusalem.

Zechariah, most likely never met Daniel, but he would have heard the preaching of Haggai and would have read the writings of the other prophets.

How would we categorize the preaching of Zechariah?

Zec 1:13 And the LORD answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words.

These Jews had been in captivity in a foreign nation for 70 years and they had returned to see the destruction of their homes, their city, their nation, and their Temple.

Comforting words would go a long way.

The truth of Jehovah is comforting in this lost and evil world!

Zechariah was a prophet who taught that the Messiah would first come to save His people.

We should understand that these prophets of God were speaking to Israel, they did not know of the Church, nor the Church Age.

*****Zec 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

More than 500 years before the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ the prophet Zechariah wrote these words by the Holy Spirit.

In the time of King David, Zion was the place where King David placed the Tabernacle after he had brought the Ark back. He did not return the Ark to the Tabernacle of Moses but had another Tabernacle built to keep the Ark in Jerusalem.

It is a Holy and a Just God that had chosen Jerusalem to be His city.

2Sa 6:17 And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.

In the Scriptures this is therefore the Tabernacle of David.

Isa 16:5 And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness.

Amo 9:11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:

Act 15:16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up:

The phrase "daughter of Zion" is used 26 times in the Old Testament.

To Jehovah mount Zion is as a beautiful woman.

Jer 6:2 I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman.

When the Scriptures use the phrase "daughter of Jerusalem" it usually means that the beautiful and delicate daughter of Zion has gone out into the world and is now the sinful daughter of Jerusalem.

Lam 2:13 What thing shall I take to witness for thee? what thing shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? what shall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? for thy breach is great like the sea: who can heal thee?

In either case the prophet stated the King is Coming.
In either case King Jesus will sit on His throne on the Highest Hill of Jerusalem.

He is the King of Righteousness.
He is the King of Salvation.
He is the King of Humility.
He is the King of Creation.
He is the King of Peace.

Zechariah tells us of the First Coming of Jesus, hundreds of years before it took place.

Zechariah then tells us of the Second Coming of Jesus all in one Scripture, and we are expecting Christ Jesus to return at any moment.

There will be great changes in Jerusalem and the Promise Land when King Jesus sits upon His throne.

*****Zec 10:1 Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.
Zec 10:2 For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no shepherd.

What had happened to Israel? They had quit trusting in the Lord and had placed their faith in idols and false gods!

To those who are farmers, after they have broken up the soil and prepared it for the seed and then planted that seed, it was up to the rain for those crops to produce.

In Palestine the seasons for rain were understood by previous seasons and the planting of the seed was built around those rainy seasons.

We could say somewhat like the farmer’s almanac.

The early rain for the planting the latter rain for growth. Without either one the crops would fail.

In reality it is a whole lot like witnessing.

The truth is only Jehovah could provide those rains.

How did the Lord preach this to Israel?

Eze 34:22 Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle.
Eze 34:23 And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.
Eze 34:24 And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it.
Eze 34:25 And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.
Eze 34:26 And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing.
Eze 34:27 And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them.
Eze 34:28 And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and none shall make them afraid.
Eze 34:29 And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more.
Eze 34:30 Thus shall they know that I the LORD their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord GOD.
Eze 34:31 And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord GOD.

Israel began to trust in false gods and idols and without Jehovah God, the climate will not be as they would have it be!

The climate will be against us, when we forsake the Lord!

There you are climate people, I said it. It is the Lord Jesus Christ who controls our climate!

We must place our trust in the truth and the truth is in our Lord!

Rom_3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

It should be obvious when we reject our Creator then He may just ignore us.

*****Zec 10:3 Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the LORD of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle.

Immediately as far as Israel was concerned, it was the priests who were leading Israel away from the truth of God!

We are fools if we do not see the same thing going on today.

The pulpits have become as corrupt as our government!

False teachers and false preachers are leading the Church astray and the message to the lost has become confusing.

There were very few true shepherds in Judah at this time, but they still retained the name and the office.

If they had taken their false beliefs and left it would have been bad enough, but they stayed in their positions and preached a false message, a message that did not come from the Word of God!

What is the truth of God's wrath to false preachers and false teachers?

Eze 34:7 Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;
Eze 34:8 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;
Eze 34:9 Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;
Eze 34:10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.
Eze 34:11 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.

What did Jesus bring with Him when He came the first time?

Jesus brought the truth!

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, "the truth", and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and "truth".
Joh 1:15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
Joh 1:16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
Joh 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but "grace and truth came by Jesus Christ".

1Jn 5:19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
1Jn 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and "hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true", even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
1Jn 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

What happens when the people of God know the truth and do the truth? We become that goodly horse!

A goodly horse is a "War Horse" prepared for battle!

Job 39:19 Hast thou given the horse strength? hast thou clothed his neck with thunder?
Job 39:20 Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? the glory of his nostrils is terrible.
Job 39:21 He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men.
Job 39:22 He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword.
Job 39:23 The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield.
Job 39:24 He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage: neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet.
Job 39:25 He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.

What is the true child of God? He or she is a soldier in the army of God and the "Gospel" is our "war horse" and we are in a battle for life, but we can be assured because we are on the winning side!

Why do we not act like it!

What is the truth of the Scriptures? The Messiah came out of the tribe of Judah.

*****Zec 10:4 Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow, out of him every oppressor together.

Out of Judah came the "Corner Stone", the foundation of Christianity!

Isa 28:16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

No matter what we think of a nail, a nail will hold things in place!

It is our Lord Jesus Christ who will hold us together and hold us in place!

Isa 22:22 And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.
Isa 22:23 And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father's house.

This is what our Savior does!

The Lord Jesus reaches down into that miry clay and pulls each one of us out, if we will only trust Him.

We are made sons and daughters by our faith and then adopted into the family of God, by Jesus Christ, the Messiah of Judah!

We will then participate in the Glory of the Millennial Kingdom with Him for He will never leave us.

In the times of Judah, the glory of a family consisted of its size.

Psa 127:3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
Psa 127:4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.
Psa 127:5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

When all things are done, and the Millennial Kingdom has ended, all the family of God will be a large one, a very large one!

Rev 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
Rev 7:10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

Out of Judah will come the "Battle Bow".

Some would say that Israel may have the skills and the arms to protect them today and this may be true in today's world, but if the entire world becomes their enemy then they cannot stand alone.

When King Jesus sits on His throne, no power on earth can overcome Him! Remember that throne will be located in Jerusalem.

As far as this oppressor which means "taskmaster", we should understand that when King Jesus rules from Jerusalem, the Church will become the taskmasters in all the nations that have survived the 7 years of tribulation.

It will be our job to make sure the task assigned by Christ Jesus will be performed.

Jesus will rule with a rod of iron, but our job will be to show His love and our love, through "mercy" and "grace".

Isa 60:17 For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness.
Isa 60:18 Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.

All the Law will come out of Jerusalem!

*****Zec 10:5 And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight, because the LORD is with them, and the riders on horses shall be confounded.

We already know that as far as the Church, the Lord is with us and He will never leave us and in fact we should act as if we are mighty men and women in faith in the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.

After the Church is in Heaven or with the Lord, in His time of wrath, those Jews who became jealous and returned to the Lord will then be mighty men.

They will certainly tread down their enemies.

Remember the blood flow will be as deep as up to the bridle of a war horse.

Rev 14:20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

Some say the Lord would never do such a thing, but we must remember it is those who reject the Lord who will cause this war, not the Lord.

We can be sure those who are there will be confounded! Confounded meaning put to shame.

Most of this destruction will come because the conditions in place by the Lord will cause all militaries to be blind and they will destroy each other.

The strength of God will be with the Jews!

*****Zec 10:6 And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the LORD their God, and will hear them.

On this day the Lord will treat the reunited tribes of Israel as if He had never left them. All it ever took was repentance!

Why?

We know the Lord is compassionate.
We know the Lord hears prayers.
We know that Jehovah is the God of Israel.

Isa 58:9 Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;
Isa 58:10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:
Isa 58:11 And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

It will be a wonderful thing to see Israel return to Jehovah God!

Some say there are lost tribes of Israel, but we see Joseph has returned and we see that they are Ephraim all the so-called lost tribes.

*****Zec 10:7 And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart shall rejoice as through wine: yea, their children shall see it, and be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the LORD.

Those of Ephraim are those ten tribes many say who are lost and the Lord says they will be like a mighty man.

The Lord said they would be so happy that people would look at them and say maybe they been hitting the wine which of course is not true because God's people will reject alcohol just as Jesus did.

They will be so happy it will pass on to their generations, one after another.

This what having the joy of the Lord is all about!

I live for the day that my children and grandchildren will all know the Lord in a personal relationship!

And Remember during the Millennial Kingdom these Jews of all tribes, will be able to reproduce and every generation will have the joy of the Lord.

In fact it will be one long generation as in the days of Adam!

A reunited Israel will have no problems with their enemies, for God will be with them as though He had never cast them off!

Isa 58:9 Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;
Isa 58:10 And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:
Isa 58:11 And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.

God will call them as a Shepherd who will call His sheep.

*****Zec 10:8 I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased.
Zec 10:9 And I will sow them among the people: and they shall remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again.
Zec 10:10 I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them.

To hiss is like a whistle. Many of us can whistle some but each shepherd had their own whistle sound and the sheep that belonged to that shepherd knew that particular whistle.

God promised to gather all the tribes of Israel together in one place, and it cannot denied that this gathering is taking place today, though there may be a greater gathering in the near future.

It's like the Church. Today Jehovah is calling His children home, one at a time. It seems to me that the Lord is calling them at a more rapid pace, but when the time is right, all those who remain will be called at one time.

1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

On an earthly scale, this is happening the Israel today! They are returning one at a time and then one day not too far in the future, God will call all the tribes of Israel to come home as a group.

And they will increase as they have always increased because they will come home as the redeemed!

For those who are not sure, when God calls His redeemed, it will not matter what you are doing, you will hear that "Trump of God"!

During the Millennial Kingdom at least 144,000 Jewish evangelists will be dispersed among all the nations that survived the 7 years of tribulation, but that dispersing will not be for their destruction.

They will sow the Word of God, the same Word we have today, that will not be revised, nor updated, nor any new versions, and all the people in every nation will come to know the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ and all the Jews will return to the Promised Land.

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

*****Zec 10:10 I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them.

If all the Jews return home today, then the land would not be big enough for them, so as we saw in the Book of Ezekiel all the land of the Jews will be reclaimed.

All the land will be reapportioned, and every family will have a piece of the perfect land of Zion and King Jesus will sit upon the throne of the world from Jerusalem.

There were at that time of Zechariah many Jews in Egypt. Even Jeremiah had gone to Egypt, but he had bought a piece of land at the command of Jehovah because the Lord said they would return to their land.

Many of the captured 10 tribes, Ephraim, were scattered all over the empire of Assyria, that no longer existed, and they to, would return to the Promised Land.

The land of Gilead is known as the "hill of witness". It was also a place to graze cattle, a large district on the other side of Jordan.

Lebanon was the most celebrated mountain range of Syria. It was nick named the "Land toward the Sunrising".

These people would soon see the Son rising in the East as He set His feet down in the Garden of Gethsemane.

The Gentiles would be moved off the land to allow the Jews to return home. We see some of this today. We should not question it because it is biblical!

Isa 54:2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;
Isa 54:3 For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.
Isa 54:4 Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.
Isa 54:5 For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.
Isa 54:6 For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God.
Isa 54:7 For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.

We can see just a little bit of this going on today and the world does not like it.

In all the world President Trump is the only national leader who has approved of this land annexation by Israel, which the Bible has already approved.

The one thing we must remember is, that God does not need our help to cause these things to happen. They will happen according to God's timing and no one will be able to stop it from happening.

Not too long in the future there will be no complaints from the world because whatever King Jesus wants will be what will take place.

Rev 2:27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

Rev 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.

Rev 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

*****Zec 10:11 And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart away.

Over and over again in the Scriptures we have seen where Jehovah had delivered these people.

From Egypt, they walked on dry land with Moses through the Red Sea to freedom.

From the wilderness, they walked with Joshua across Jordan on dry land to the Promised Land.

During the Millennial Kingdom, they will with Jesus walk on dry land to mount Zion, and there will be no Seas to cross. All the earth will be as it was in the days of Adam!

Egypt will no longer be an ancient city but will just depart away. The iron furnace will not exist!

All the promises to the Jewish people, the "Apple of God's Eyes" will be fulfilled when King Jesus sits on the throne of this world!

*****Zec 10:12 And I will strengthen them in the LORD; and they shall walk up and down in his name, saith the LORD.

God first came to this earth to make a way for salvation, they called Him Jesus, I call Him Savior.

God will next return to this earth as King and they will call Him King Jesus. This time He will come in Strength!

Yes there will still be "Grace". Without "Grace" our Creator would have forgotten about us a long time ago like so many think today.

Jehovah God is a God of Love!

We must clearly understand that the "Second Coming" of the Messiah will be far different from His "First Coming"!

It will a day of the warhorse and not the donkey!

It will be a day of making a choice at that very moment, but for so many it will be too late for they made their choice already!

There will be only one power and that power will be King Jesus!

And just like today, God will do what He wants to do, anytime He wants to, and no one can stay His hand!

Jud 1:14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
Jud 1:15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

We can put this issue behind us if we just accept the Lord Jesus as our Savior today!

Amen

Let's Pray!

Sunday, January 19, 2020

There Is Coming A Time of Trouble The Antichrist

The Coming Time of Trouble, The Antichrist

Book of Daniel Chapters 11-12


As we continue in these lessons in the Book of Daniel, we have seen that the Holy Spirit gave Daniel a realistic view of world history, before it was history.

Next, let me say up front, I am not qualified to go this deep into prophesy so we will go as far as we can.

We have seen since the time of Nebuchadnezzar the accuracy of these Scriptures.

In these two Chapters in the Book of Daniel we will meet the Antichrist.

The term Antichrist is used in two ways in the Scriptures.

1) An antichrist is anyone is anyone who denies that Jesus has come in in the form of a human. In fact 100% human and 100% Jehovah God!

1Jn 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is Antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
1Jn 2:23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
1Jn 2:24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.

2) Then we have the antichrist, the man of Sin.

2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
2Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
2Th 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
2Th 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

The Beast of the Book of Revelation:

Rev 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
Rev 13:5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

Rev 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

Rev 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

Satan, who is the true Antichrist, will arise in the end times of our history and seek to become the supreme ruler of the world.

In the Book of Daniel Chapter 11, this King of the North, this evil man, is a type of the Antichrist!

*****Dan 11:36 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.

As true Christians, we have very little doubt that the Antichrist will stick his evil head out in public soon, even though there are many Antichrist in the world today.

He is the little god of this world and he has only one purpose.

2Co 4:4 In whom "the god of this world" hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Now this does not mean he is sometime sort of god. He is just treated and worshiped like he is some sort of god when he is just a rebellious creation of Jehovah the true God, who Jehovah uses in the act of temptation!

When the Church is taken out of this world, he will get a brief opportunity to rule his supporters and all the world will see his evilness, his wickedness, and his deceitfulness, until, by the end of seven years, Jehovah will destroy all traces of those who give themselves to him and it will not be by water as in the days of Noah, but it will be by fire as in fire and brimstone similar to that which destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.

He is so deceitful he will rise to power as the person who will bring peace to this world rather than destruction.

After given power by foolish people, he will then do as he pleases! He will be focused on his own ambitions! He will fulfill his own desires! He will be totally focused on his own works as all these things will finally go to his head!

He will be the last evil ruler to ever have been elected by the people of this earth!

The people will be convinced that this man has the answers to every problem upon this earth!

They believe he will have the answers to climate change.
They believe he will have the answers to lasting peace.
They believe he will have the answers to money problems.
They believe he will have the answers to religion.
They believe he is an intellectual genius.

2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

They will believe that he can explain why the Church is no longer upon this earth and all false, manmade religion will also endorse him.

The truth is, he is the man of sin!

Remember he is also a sign to the Church that the Lord is about to return to claim His creation.

2Th 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2Th 2:2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

Remember the Church has been removed and have met Jesus Christ in the clouds!

1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

This evil man will show himself to be atheist, but he will exalt himself above all gods, even Jehovah, making himself out to be god himself!

He will curse God the Father.
He will curse and reject the Holy Spirit.
He will curse the Lord Jesus Christ.

This evil, wicked, deceitful man, who is only Satan in the flesh, will be used by Jehovah to bring judgment upon all those who have rebelled against the Lord Jesus Christ.

You see this wicked Lucifer, will be very successful, until the world sees the wrath of God upon all this wickedness!

This tyrant nor his followers will even realize that they are being used by the Lord to cleanse this earth of wickedness!

2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

The man is so in love with himself, that he hates everyone else!

*****Dan 11:37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.

Because this is Satan in the flesh, the anti-god, he does not regard any god!

The word "regard" means to esteem, to hold in respect and affection.

Satan is so swelled up about himself, he has no regard for any human being, nor any of God's creation!

He has no desire for women and certainly not a female co-ruler!

Does this mean he is a homosexual? It could, but in reality, he has no desire to please anyone but himself!

He magnifies himself above all.

He has only one desire and that is the desire for power over all human beings and all things in Heaven.

He has no soul, so he has no regard for the things of God.

He totally rejects the things of God! What do the Scriptures say about this?

Rom 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

He rejects that he is an instrument of Jehovah God, he is so full of delusion.

*****Dan 11:38 But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.

In his estate means, this evil man will only give his allegiance to his own government and his own financial platform. He trusts in no one but himself and money and the power he thinks he has over the world!

He worships the state that he has created by force and deceitfulness.

Remember those who do not follow him, during those 7 years, will be murdered.

Rev 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
Rev 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

He will rob and plunder all nations, to purchase more military and police power. Those will give their allegiance to him!

This will be a vast change from his first, 3 1/2 years, when he gave the appearance of being the Messiah.

Trying to do good, eats at him like a deadly cancer, he hates it so much. We see this in his followers today!

Everything this man does is full of deceit! He will use every method available in that evil world to gain more power.

*****Dan 11:39 Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.

What is the truth? Every place of worship where the Saints have gone home to be with the Lord, many of those same places will still be having worship services.

By deceit this Antichrist will cause worship to continue. In other words the Luciferian congregations will grow at a rapid pace and this Antichrist will cause worship to Satan.

There will be the great false church where worship will continue and the Saints that are gone will be quickly forgotten with the help of some lie.
There will be the great worldly system in place for all others and the land divided according to the power given toward the rule of the Antichrist.

Rev 16:19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

Rev 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

And all these things will fall according to the wrath of God!

Rev 18:2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

There will be great battles fought before the Kingdom of Christ Jesus becomes a reality!

What did Jesus say?

Mat 24:6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

Mar 13:7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet.

Luk 21:9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.

*****Dan 11:40 And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.

These are some things that will take place just before the return of Jesus Christ (at the time of the end). We know it is Jehovah God who appoints all time to fulfill His own plan.

The Antichrist will declare himself to be the supreme ruler of all the world but even many who are also wicked will take sides against him. Near the end, evil will turn on itself.

Rev 9:15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.
Rev 9:16 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.
Rev 9:17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.
Rev 9:18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.

Upon victory the Antichrist, he will enter into the promised land and it may be at this time he will rebuild the Temple on the temple mount that exist today, not the Temple as described by Ezekiel during the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ, the true Messiah.

*****Dan 11:41 He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.
Dan 11:42 He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.
Dan 11:43 But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.

This maybe the time that all the disputes of territory of the Middle East are solved and the Antichrist will give Israel all lands in question today and at the same time make peace with the Muslim world allowing the third Temple to be built, possibly alongside the Mosques that are already there.

Many things are written about Antiochus being this king of the North. What we realize is that Satan has had his Beast, His Antichrist in place in every generation.

He does not know when the Lord will fulfill the Words, He has given to us by His prophets.

Many thought he was Antiochus during his day. Some have said it was some of the Caesars, we know that Hitler also fit the profile of the Antichrist, so we can take these historical things with a grain of salt, and just pay attention to what "Thus sayeth the Lord".

1Jn 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

All these things will take place during the 7 year Tribulation Period and King Jesus will put a stop to these things at the end of those seven years.

What do we know for certain?

2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
2Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
2Th 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

When the third Temple is built and the Antichrist enters that temple to sit on the throne of David claiming to be God, those will be some of his last words or maybe even his last words.

He may have control of all the money in this entire world. He will have to murder many a fool who have been trying to get control of all the money before him.

All this money will not be able to save him.

He cannot by enough power to overcome the power of King Jesus.

What did Jesus say?

Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

If King Jesus has all the power of the earth and of Heaven, then the Antichrist will certainly not have enough power to defeat King Jesus and His Saints and all the Angelic Hosts of Heaven.

Satan has already offered Jesus that puny power he may have, because in reality the thing he wants the most is for Jesus to fall down upon his face and worship him and this will never happen.

Mat 4:8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
Mat 4:9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
Mat 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Just when the Antichrist has reached his peak in power and control, he will be swayed by rumors just like every other foolish man who has tried to rule the world.

This will be the beginning of his ending!

*****Dan 11:44 But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.
Dan 11:45 And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.

With all the places in the world he could try to rule this world, why in the world would he choose Jerusalem, other than his hatred for the things of Jehovah mentioned in the Scriptures?

We know Satan reads the Bible and he may know more than the greatest Bible Scholars but he cannot be filled with the Holy Spirit so he cannot understand the Spiritual things of the Bible, but he can certainly read the historical parts of the Scriptures.

We know from our lessons that this is the same place that King Jesus will rule this world!

Zec 14:8 And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.
Zec 14:9 And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.

Maybe he read the Book of Psalms.

Psa 48:1 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.
Psa 48:2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.
Psa 48:3 God is known in her palaces for a refuge.

We know that this is the reason!

Satan can no longer go into Heaven, but we know he has set his sights on Jerusalem.

Isa 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
Isa 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

Satan(dragon), the Antichrist (beast) and the (false prophet) will all come to an end when King Jesus shows up with His Saints!

Rev 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
Rev 19:12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
Rev 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
Rev 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
Rev 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
Rev 19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Rev 19:17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;
Rev 19:18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.
Rev 19:19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
Rev 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Rev 19:21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

Daniel told King Nebuchadnezzar that all these things would come to be the truth.

John the Apostle saw all these things come an end just has Heaven revealed them to him.

We can rest assured that all those who have place their faith in the truth of Jesus Christ, will be on the winning side!

Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Amen

Let's Pray!

Sunday, January 12, 2020

I Know Who Holds the Future

The Number of the Years

Book of Daniel Chapter 9

Focus Daniel 9:1-3, 19-27


Most people avoid the Book of Daniel but if you base your beliefs on facts, most of what God's Prophet Daniel has written down for us has already become the truth and those things written in our future will also come to be true.

The Book of Daniel deals with facts!

Daniel was in constant contact with our Heavenly Father all the days of his life!

We already know that Daniel always prayed 3 times each day but the truth is every time Daniel had a thought or if he learned something he did not quite understand, Daniel always went to the Lord in prayer. A great example for us all.

Paul said we are to pray without ceasing and the Prophet Daniel was one of God's children who did so.

Another thing we should remember is, that no matter that Daniel was taken away from his homeland and knew of the destruction of Jerusalem, Daniel remained faithful to Jehovah all his days.

When have studied the Word of God enough to know the Lord always does everything the right way because His Heavenly Father insisted on it, then we will know that our Heavenly Father will never do things that are wrong for His children!

Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 

Even when threatened with death, Daniel remained faithful to Jehovah, the One True God!

What did we learn from the Book of Ezekiel? God rewards faithfulness!

Daniel was always one who would give us a timeframe, so we do not have to guess.

*****Dan 9:1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans;

It is this Darius who conceived a plan to secretly enter into Babylon, while the Babylon army was unprepared, killed King Belshazzar and took over the rule of the Chaldean nations.

Some say he was a viceroy of Cyrus and this may be true, but he ruled Babylon for short period of time.

We should understand that this was prophesy being fulfilled.

Daniel had interpreted the dream of Nebuchadnezzar and this was the beginning of the fulfillment of that dream and that prophesy.

Prophesy is such a fascinating subject that most of us love to hear about our future.

I have to admit that I am not studied enough to give good lessons on this subject, there is only just so much material that can included in 30 minute lessons.

For those who do not know these are the same lessons I teach in Sunday School.

The greatest future is available to only those who have their name written down in the Lamb's Book of Life!

We should not miss the fact that Daniel was studying the Scriptures and came across the written Book of Jeremiah and the prophesy that the Jews would return to their homeland at the end of 70 years and Daniel was trying to see in his mind how these things would take place.

Daniel himself, with Jehovah's help, had interpreted the dream of Nebuchadnezzar and right before his own eyes he was seeing this thing take place.

*****Dan 9:2 In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.

What did Daniel see in the Book of Jeremiah?

Jer 25:11 And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.
Jer 25:12 And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations.
Jer 25:13 And I will bring upon that land all my words which I have pronounced against it, even all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah hath prophesied against all the nations.

Daniel realized that part of these words of Jeremiah had become the truth. We should understand that the Word of God contains only the truth!

The King of Babylon had been punished. The nation of the Chaldees were being punished by the foreign power, that that was the silver of the statue of Nebuchadnezzar's dream.

Some say the two arms of that statue represent one Darius and two Cyrus.

We can be sure that Daniel was also familiar with the Scriptures of Isaiah.

Isa 44:21 Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.

We can say that this is still true today.

And another great prophesy would be soon in the making, which again left Daniel in amazement. The omnipotence of God. The All-Knowing Jehovah God!

Isa 44:22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
Isa 44:23 Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.
Isa 44:24 Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;
Isa 44:25 That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;
Isa 44:26 That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:
Isa 44:27 That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers:
Isa 44:28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.

We can just imagine the thrill of Daniel as he heard that Cyrus had united the Medo-Persian Empire and was the supreme rule of a big part of the world. Even larger than that of Nebuchadnezzar.

There was really only one thing to do and that was to pray.

*****Dan 9:3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:
Dan 9:4 And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;
Dan 9:5 We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:
Dan 9:6 Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.

You if we would just look at what is going on in the world today as we live, we would see the Word of God being fulfilled right before our eyes, but we will never know unless we study the Scriptures and the Prophets, as did the Prophet Daniel.

How can we ever know the truth of our world if we refuse to read and study the Word of God?

There is so much in our future to look forward to when your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life!

We could leave the doom and gloom of our world behind in our thoughts of the delightful things of living with our Savior.

Rememeber Jesus said, I go to prepare "you" a mansion, in my Father's House.

When we know the truth of God, why in the world do we not claim that truth and quit worrying over the lies of this world!

Our world is not coming to an end, it is the Lord who is in control, not the so-called powerful men in our world.

We do abuse our world, but we are not the cause of climate change, it is the Lord who is in control.

We just need to make daily contact with our Heavenly Father!

Daniel saw the fulfillment of promises made to his people.

We are blind if we do not see those same promises then and now.

The world is moving along according to the plan of God! Nothing can change this!

The Church needs to quit belly aching and get busy about the work the Lord has given to us to do. This is what our world lacks the most!

We have always seen where that the Lord's rewards come according to our faithfulness! He is always faithful to fulfill His own Words!

Our faithfulness begins with our prayers!

We show our faithfulness by accepting the Word of God just as it is written!

We need to live as though the Lord could return at any time because He could.

There are no more prophecies that need be fulfilled in the Church Age except the Lord's return!

All other prophecies concern Israel and the promises made to Israel.

1) We must clearly understand that disaster comes to those who refuse to repent and turn away from their sin, and to all those who reject the Word of God!

2) Disaster comes to those because the Lord is a righteous God and to be true to those who love Him, He must execute justice upon all those who are disobedient!

The Lord knows those who Love Him!

Those who love the Lord pray!
Those who love the Lord call upon His Holy Name!
Those who love the Lord will confess that they are sinners!

How does the Lord know we love Him?

1Jn 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
1Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
1Jn 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
1Jn 5:5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

If we truly believe these things, what is wrong with us?
Why do we not claim the truth of God?
Why do we not own our faith and our faithfulness?

If, we pray with the truth in our heart, God will answer our prayers!

Now we may not get a visit from the angel Gabriel, but even this is not impossible!

When we pray, we must know what we are asking God to do, and we must know He will only do according to the Word He has given to us!

*****Dan 9:19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.

When Daniel prayed this prayer, Jerusalem was a city of ruins and the Temple of Solomon was completely destroyed and the Jews were scattered all over the empire of Babylon, which had just been taken over by the Medes.

Daniel was not praying because these Jews had become righteous because they had not, and we will never be righteous in these bodies of flesh.

No matter, our righteousness the Lord is always righteous.

Daniel was praying for God's mercy!

We know God is love and His mercy is based upon His love. If we show mercy, then we can receive the mercy of God!

Mat 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Mercy is compassion shown to those who are miserable!

Most all these Jews were miserable in captivity. Misery is great unhappiness.

Without the Lord we will never know true happiness!

Our happiness is based upon our faithfulness to the Lord!

Mat_25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

The truth is the Lord has sworn an oath that He would never forsake Israel.

The truth is the Lord will always be merciful to those who repent from the heart!

Today we live in a world where most people and a lot of the Church, have forgotten that there is a penalty for violating God's commandments and that penalty is death!

Without repentance that penalty of death will hold true!

Should we plead with God in our prayers? In some cases we may need to be almost like a pest.

The Lord wants to know if we are serious!

We see that Daniel did and Daniel pleaded that God would do exactly like He said He would.

Luk 11:8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.
Luk 11:9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
Luk 11:10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

After 70 years these Jews had learned a valuable lesson, which was, you do not go against the Word of God and win!

Our world has not learned this lesson as of yet!

God did not have to look at Jerusalem to see the devastation left by Nebuchadnezzar.

God makes things out of nothing, so things that are destroyed in the world, including terrible damage, are nothing compared to His awesome power of life.

If God can make the Sun and the stars then a city or a Temple is nothing to Him!

But the Lord God will not do things we can build ourselves but He will help us even in these things.

After those 70 years the Lord did allow many of these Jews to return to Jerusalem and Jehovah even caused the enemy to pay for the reconstruction of the City of Jerusalem and the Temple and then the City Walls.

When the time is right, the Lord will even cause the enemies of the Jews to pay for the building of the third temple and even endorse it.

*****Dan 9:20 And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God;
Dan 9:21 Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.

We might ask, why was Daniel so much more important than we to get his prayer so quickly.

1) The Lord loved Daniel.
2) Daniel had been faithful all his days.
3) Daniel did not ask anything for himself. After the Jews returned home, Daniel stayed where he was all his remaining days.
4) Daniel prayed according to the revealed will of God.
5) God had more work for Daniel to do while he remained in Babylon.

We can see the phrase "being cause to fly swift" to mean that God answered this prayer of Daniel even while he was still praying.

God did not want Daniel to be too concerned about the war that was happening around him, and he only needed to concern himself with the answer to his prayer.

God had already given Daniel the prophecies concerning the rule of all nations. This was not going to change and there was no need of asking for these things to change.

The Babylon Empire had ended, and the Mede-Persian Empire was in place.

Soon the armies of Alexander would come and after this the Roman Empire would begin. Even this empire is gone as it was and we are now left with the resuts. The ten toes of iron mixed with miry clay.

Even though Daniel could not live long enough to see all these things come to be, he did know what the Lord said is always true.

In the end that "Rock" that "Stone" cut out by the hands of God would rule this world!

Now Jehovah would give Daniel the approximate times this would take place.

Daniel had seen that a "prayer of faith" is the most powerful tool we have as those who love God.
Daniel had seen that, he had sin in his life, and he confessed his sin.
Daniel was also asking the Lord to forgive the sin of his nation. (2 Chronicles 7:14)
Daniel was praying for the Lord to come as King of kings and Lord of lords.

Daniel did not realize that the Lord would certainly come twice and most all the Jews had missed that the Lord would first come to establish His Church and then return to rule this world.

We know that Gabriel did not just drop in to check on Daniel. Gabriel was sent by Jehovah. The angels are first and foremost God's messengers!

By the way, in this Scripture is written, Gabriel could have come in the glory of an angel when in most cases angels come as humans.

Remember Daniel is having another vision, this vision more like a dream or being in a trance, rather than a Supernatural vision.

Daniel had seen Gabriel before:

Dan 8:15 And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.
Dan 8:16 And I heard a man's voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.

This time Gabriel had a more specific mission!

*****Dan 9:22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.
Dan 9:23 At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.

Gabriel had left Heaven from the face of God, coming directly to Daniel to cause Daniel to understand a great message.

The message concerned the first and the second coming of the Messiah. (Yeshua Ha Meshia)

What had Daniel seen? The Word of God is intended to encourage our prayers! When we see with our own eyes the fulfillment of a prophesy of God, or we see it approaching, we need to be more earnest in our prayers and the confessing of our sin.

We should concentrate not only on speaking to the Lord but also on listening to what the Lord has to say.

At the very beginning of Daniel's prayer God already knew what Daniel would pray and the Lord sent Gabriel.

He first told Daniel the he was greatly loved, and this is true of every child of God and certainly true of Daniel who had remained faithful to his God all his days, even if he was a captive in a foreign land.

We must never forget, we are the adopted children of God. He chose us and He loves us!

When we are looking to see what God is telling us, the best place to look is in the message of a true pastor!

Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

So what was the message given to Gabriel for Daniel?

*****Dan 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

So how do we explain those 70 weeks.

This space of "seventy" weeks is not to be understood of weeks of days; which is too short a time for the fulfilment of so many events as are mentioned; nor were they fulfilled within such a space of time; but of weeks of years, and make up four hundred and ninety years; within which time, beginning from a date after mentioned, all the things prophesied of were accomplished; and this way of reckoning of years by days is not unusual in the sacred writings.

Gen 29:26 And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.
Gen 29:27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.
Gen 29:28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.

Jacobs week of 7 days was a period of 7 years he served to Rachel his wife he desired so much.

Seventy years according to the Bible is our prime years and any years beyond those 70 requires so much extra strength they are hard to live.

Psa 90:10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

Notice the days of our years.

Jeremiah prophesied Judah would serve 70 years in Babylon.

Jer 25:11 And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.

2 Chronicles saw the completion of those 70 years as the coming of Cyrus.

2Ch 36:21 To fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years.
2Ch 36:22 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,

Notice the "Sabbath Year".

In every seventh year it was God's commandment the land would receive one year of rest.

The prophet Zechariah saw the ending of those 70 years as the rebuilding of the Temple.

Zec 1:12 Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?

For most Bible Scholars these references to sabbath years are to be sabbatical years and to be 490 years according to the Book of Leviticus.

Lev 25:8 And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years.

Since Israel had not kept the "sabbatical year" since the time of the Judges, then God would give the Promised Land 70 consecutive sabbatical years during their exile again 490 years.

Back to Daniel 24:

1) The first part of God's plan is to stop the transgression of the Jews. This will only fully take place at the Second Coming of the Lord. The end of those 490 years.

2) The second part of God's plan is to put an end to sin in this world. This will take place during the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ.

3) The third part of God's plan is to atone for all wickedness. This took place on Mount Calvary where the Lord Jesus Christ made atonement for all our sin. ALL the Sin of All the People since Jesus died on the Cross.

4) The fourth part of God's plan is to establish righteousness upon this earth. Again during the Millennial Reign of Christ.

5) The fifth part of God's plan is to fulfill all prophesy. Takes place when we have reached the New Earth and the New Jerusalem.

6) The sixth part of God's plan is to anoint the Most Holy. This is the anointing of the Lord Jesus Christ. King of kings and Lord of lords!

So when would these things begin?

*****Dan 9:25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

The starting point of God's plan would be the decree to rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple and that completion, would not happen till the walls of the city were also complete. This would take 49 years.

The first decree was issued buy Cyrus in 538 BC but stressed the rebuilding of the Temple.

Ezr 1:1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,
Ezr 1:2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
Ezr 1:3 Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem.

The second decree went out from Artaxerxes I, and given to Ezra in 458 BC and this time it was to rebuild the city of Jerusalem.

Ezr 7:11 Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel.
Ezr 7:12 Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time.
Ezr 7:13 I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee.

Sometime later a third decree issued in 445 BC finally caused the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem.

Neh 2:3 And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?

Neh 2:5 And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it.

This was the 49 years of the rebuilding of Jerusalem.

Then began the 62 weeks or the 434 years to the first coming of the Messiah.

Zec 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

What was not revealed to Daniel was the Church Age, which began when the Messiah was cut off.

*****Dan 9:26 And after threescore 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 a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

What do we know? We know that Jesus Christ did not die for Himself. He died for me and He died for you, and He died for everyone else who have sin to their account!

To the world of that day, it seemed that Jesus died for nothing.

To the world of that day, it seemed that Jesus did not accomplish anything with His life.

What the world rejects is that Jesus, God in the flesh, came to this earth to die. He died so that we may live!

Jesus Christ is everything to all those who trust Him!

Just a few short years after Jesus died and then rose from that death to live 40 more days and had many more witnesses and then went back to Heaven, the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple but this did not end the suffering for Israel because they made one more tremendous mistake.

Mat 27:24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.
Mat 27:25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

As it stands right now the Jews will continue to be punished until the Lord returns for the second time.

Between then and now, it what is called the Church Age!

This is the gap between the 69nth and the 70th week.

This leaves one 7.

*****Dan 9:27 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 until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

This new covenant is the covenant of "Grace".

What did Jesus say of this time period?

Mat 24:1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.
Mat 24:2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
Mat 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
Mat 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
Mat 24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
Mat 24:6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
Mat 24:7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
Mat 24:8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
Mat 24:9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
Mat 24:10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
Mat 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
Mat 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
Mat 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
Mat 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

We need to pay attention to the teaching of Jesus and the Apostles, including the Apostle Paul, and we will know all these things and miss out on the wrath of god shown to all unbelievers!

Amen

Let's Pray!