The Life of Daniel (19)

There is a spiritual warfare of which we read in these prophecies. The powers of the devil are not omnipotent, and the ultimate success of the power of the light should not be doubted; however, there can be tremendous opposition to the performance of the commandments of the Lord. The devil uses kings, earthly rulers, even presidents for his purpose which is to destroy the church, to harm and persecute those who confess the name of Christ, who is the Chief Ruler. In the history of the world, it may look like the anti-Christian powers will prevail. Do we not see how evil powers assemble together to oppress the church and, if possible, to erase it from the earth? They are powers of delusion that blind people and poison minds, also of young people. We do not have to prophesy; the Lord has told us what would happen in these last days. We read in Matthew 24:25, “Behold, I have told you before.” The last two chapters of Daniel are not easy to understand, but they speak about the struggles of the God-defying powers to have supremacy. These forces will also come against God’s kingdom; however, they will not prevail.

Wrestling between kingdoms

In the beginning of this chapter, we read of Darius, the Mede. Daniel knew and served this king. The Lord would show him the truth. God’s testimonies are very sure. Many prophecies have been expressed by man which never were fulfilled, but what God testifies in His word will certainly come to pass. The Persian kingdom, indeed, was mighty and powerful, but it would be conquered. Verses 1-3 imply several wars, blood, fire, and smoke. Another ruler would have the scepter of power. It was Alexander the Great. His reign would last but seven years and would be a time of luxury, wealth, prosperity, pleasure-seeking, and lawlessness, but how short this time was. More recently we have witnessed this limited time of glory and victory in the life of Napoleon, Hitler, and others. In those days Alexander the Great was very powerful, but he also had to go the way of all flesh.

We read in verse 4, “His kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity.” His kingdom would be divided among four rulers. After the Second World War there were also four world powers—Great Britain, France, Russia, and the USA. How soon that may change or has changed already. In verse 6 we see how those world powers are joining together, “And in the end of years they shall join themselves together.” We see that intent also in more recent history—European countries joining into a European Union. The nations of the earth have joined in the United Nations, countries joined in alliance against a common threatening enemy. However, in the last days, we see that anti-Christian powers are joining together to do away with God’s unchangeable law and to put man upon the throne as if he is the one who may decide what is good and right. Ungodly laws are made and forced upon those who want to follow in obedience what God in His Word has spoken. Sin is not sin anymore. The greatest sin seems to be discrimination, but the antidiscrimination laws begin to reach so far that those who cannot agree with the current humanistic, anti-biblical ideology are being pressured to give up their resistance and to bow before the new idol.

In verse 7-13, we read about the terrible battle of the king of the north, Syria, and the king of the south, Egypt. In Matthew 24 we read “wars and rumours of wars.” These wars have occurred throughout history, but tensions rise, and there will also be many wars in the end of times.

Other general signs of these times are:

1) False prophesyings (Matthew 24:5)—they come in the name of Christ and shall deceive many. Pride of man will be very evident in false prophecies. They will even say, “I am Christ.”

2) As already mentioned, wars and rumors of wars.

3) Iniquities shall abound.

4) The love of many shall wax cold (Matthew 24:12b). Other special signs are:

1) The preaching of the gospel over the whole world (Matthew 24:14).

2) The conversion of many of Israel.

3) The great tribulation and coming of the antichrist. There will be great apostasy and it may seem as if the Church has disappeared. “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?”

A glorious land

The war between the kings of the north and the south shall also be over dominion of the holy land. There is a special name for this land, the inheritance which the Lord has given to His people Israel. Verse 16 says, “the glorious land.” The word “glorious” points to great beauty, something that is wonderfully adorned. We may well ask what is then the beauty of the land? No, there was no external beauty for the human eye to see in Canaan. The people had been the object of God’s punishing hand, and the enemies ravaged the country; cities had been destroyed, yet it is called the glorious land. The beauty is that they are still God’s covenant people, that there are still unfulfilled promises for them. We have seen that Daniel had been shown that a mighty Deliverer would come. God’s Church, which the Lord gathers out of all countries from Jew and Gentile, is a blessed nation and the citizens are a peculiar people. The Lord has created them unto Himself that they would show forth His praises.

However, before the King comes back to publicly manifest the beauty and the glory of His own inheritance, there will be a fearful time for the church. Also, this chapter speaks of a strong ruler who will assume regal dignity although it does not belong to him. He decides to take the kingdom for himself. He is a master of intrigues. This person is Antiochus Epiphanes. By flattering, he wins over the kings of Pergamos to his cause, and the Syrians give in peaceably. In verse 21, he is called a vile person. He would indeed be a very wicked ruler. He would defile the sanctuary and terrible oppression would take place of those who wanted to serve the Lord according to His will. In him we see a picture of the antichrist who will be there before Christ comes back on the clouds.

The book of Daniel, as we saw, can be divided into two parts: the first part (chapters 1-6) begins with the circumstances of the appearance of Daniel and his three friends at the court of Nebuchadnezzar. It continues to tell of his relationship toward the king and concludes with the death of Belshazzar and also Daniel’s own deliverance from the lions’ den under Darius.

The last part (Daniel’s prophecies, which are not to be chronologically placed after Darius’ rule), comprises the visions of the four beasts, the revelation of the seventy weeks of years, and finally also the struggles of the wicked powers in the world against God and His kingdom. Both parts give an insight into the terrible events and judgments of God upon Israel but also what God’s Church, from Jew and Gentile, can expect in the latter days. This last part also shows how God the Lord is above all those disturbances, strife, and battles of the nations, and how He attains His ultimate object, the final completion of His kingdom.

These days there are so many characteristics of the end of times. How long will the pure preaching of God’s Word be tolerated from the pulpits, in biblical teaching in the classrooms, and in scriptural instruction in the homes? We know that God reigns and He has promised, “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” In the darkest times, He will not leave or forsake His bloodbought church. There is comfort and hope for those who do not see any possibility in themselves to remain standing when persecution may come upon us. They have learned to know that they are ready to halt and stumble. In them there is no might against that great company that comes against them, but may their eyes be upon Him who sits upon the throne.

The prophet Habakkuk also saw terrible times before him, but he said: “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation” (Habakkuk 3:17&18). What a wonderful word is that “yet”; it is a word of faith that He who promised to remain with His inheritance will not forsake them.

Faith will be tested, God’s own Word will be tried, and the poor worm Jacob may fear that it will not stand the test, but God cares for His own work. Therefore, the same Habakkuk could also say in verse 19a, “The LORD God is my strength.” Is He also this for you? Has your strength been broken, have your self-made hiding places been destroyed, have you learned to find refuge in this blessed Christ? He says to such people, “Fear not, I am with you, you are precious in My sight, I have loved thee with an everlasting love.” In the midst of God’s judgments upon the earth, He will give rest in His covenant faithfulness, in His unfailing love. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

(To be continued)

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