Jan 16, 2011 Daniel 9-11

Wordlisteners met tonight and we had 4 in attendance. We read and discussed Daniel chapters 9-11. Its interesting to read about Daniel a 70+ year old man who walked with God his entire life, and was still fearful during encounters. Its also amazing of the glimpses we get in the prophetic books of how what has happened in the past will be similarly repeated in the future.

Next week - we're taking the night off, and will meet again on 1/30. After Daniel we intend to start Zechariah.

Notes from tonights discussion.

Daniel Chapter 9

Daniel prays, based on what he has read in scripture. Do we pray for the soon
return of the Lord Jesus or along the lines of His will, or are we more self
focused? Daniel counted the years Jeremiah recorded for the time of the exile
of His people and prayed accordingly. He also fasted.

His prayer fits the form Jesus outlined for us to use. He tells God of His
greatness and faithfulness, and then turns to the condition of men, including
himself (Daniel) in the poor or fallen condition we are in.

The overthrow of Jerusalem was predicted by Moses if the people rejected God,
and Daniel is admitting the people had. Even when the overthrow of Jerusalem
happened we (the people) still did not seek God or turn from our ways to His.

Daniel is asking God to turn and look at His desolate sanctuary in Jerusalem.
Its interesting that He was there but turned His back to His people and
Jerusalem fell. Daniel is asking Him only to turn back around. He isn't
asking based on the merits of the people, but on the Holiness of God's nature
and His compassion. If we wait on the merits of the people, it will never
happen, thy Kingdom come- its what we should want- God here with us. A world
submitted to His will.

Daniel prays for Jerusalem to be restored, in the proper frame of mind, and
instantly the answer is sent, and Daniel is going to get the entire what will
happen before Jerusalem is properly or fully restored. Seventy weeks is
decreed for his people (the jews) and the city of Jerusalem to finish the
transgression and put an end to sin (not doing things God's way), and bring in
everlasting righteousness (reign of the Lord on earth).

Two time periods, 62 weeks and 7 weeks. The 62 weeks is over when Messiah is
cut off (crucified- rejected by men). The city will be destroyed again by the
people of the prince that is to come (anti-christ - Roman kingdom). The end of
the santuary and city will come with flood (of people?), and periods of
desolation. He (the prince who is to come - anti-christ) will make a covenent
with the many (Jews and Christians?) for one week but in the middle desolation
and complete destruction will come.

Daniel Chapter 10

Darius (Mede) replaced by Cyrus (Persian), in the third year of Cyrus another
message. He had been mourning and fasting for three weeks, because he had seen
an initial vision from God about his people, and received another vision from
God after the three weeks. This was the explanation. Those people who claim
to "know" what is going to happen, did they fast and mourn and seek God in the
way Daniel did? Were/are they as faithful to God as Daniel was? We really
can't know the hearts of others, one way or the other.

Daniel sees another vision after 24 days- what dedication to purpose to see an
initial vision so distressing that he would mourn three weeks, would we last 24
minutes? Daniel saw a vision others near him felt a dread and ran away. He
had no strength and fell on his face upon hearing the sound of the words. After
a life of walking with God, Daniel is still weak in the knees when He hears
from God. Daniel is helped to his knees, and told not to fear.

Daniel had sought understanding of the things of God (his previous visions),
and this angel was sent but delayed 21 days. This initial vision of what will
happen to his people in the future made him so distraught and weak. Does what
we think will happen in the 70th week cause us the same distress? How was
Daniel's heart for his people different than ours? This angel came to
strengthen him, and yet is in a fight with principalities and powers of
darkness - yet he will tell Daniel what is true and inscribed.

Daniel Chapter 11

All future, but starting from a point Daniel is aware of. Sometimes called
inter-testament history, Daniel wrote it 400 years before these things happened.
Three kings in Persia, then a 4th - the richest - who will attack Greece.
Xerxes invaded and was defeated 480 BC.

A mighty king will arise and do as he pleases - Alexander the Great. His
kingdom will be broken up into 4 parts. His kingdom was divided into Greece,
Asia minor, Syria (north) and Egypt (south). King of south's son becomes king
of Syria and was the most powerful of the successors.

A daughter Berenice was given by southern king (Egypt) to northern King (Syria),
but she was killed. Her brother then invaded Syria and won in retaliation.

Later the Syrian King attacked Egypt but was defeated, 14 years later he
returned with an even greater army and conquered Palestine and Egypt. He then
gives his daughter (Cleopatra) in marriage to the king of Egypt (Ptolemy V)
hoping to get complete control of Egypt, but his daughter stands with her
husband. The king of the North Antiochus then invades Asia Minor and Greece to
be defeated by Rome. He returned to his own land and was slain.

Antiochus Epiphanes - not the rightful heir to Antiochus got the throne by
deception and treachery, then made himself master of Egypt- the richest of the
kingdoms- something Antiochus his predecessor could not do. He is friendly
towards the king of the south Ptolomey VI (Cleopatra's son), but only for gain.
Antiochus Epiphanes returning from Egypt will attack Jerusalem killing 80,000
and selling some into slavery. Later he returns to Egypt but is forced to
withdraw by the Romans. He takes his defeat out on Jerusalem, stopping
sacrifices and desecrating the temple. This happened in part or maybe as a
glimpse of the future but not fully. Godly people with insight will opposed
him and were slain. The Godly were/are slain to purge and make some pure until
the end time (which again - a glimpse was given).

From versus 36-45 partly Antiochus Epiphanes, partly those who control the
temple sight, partly the anti-christ. This is end time happenings in Jerusalem
some of which may have happened at other various times in history. There will
be a culmination at the end. After all Daniel's vision is about ending sin.