Questions for thought:
1. What should our response be when we do not understand God’s word?
2. When it seems evil is winning in our world, what should be our response?
3. At the end of the book of Daniel, in chapter 12 verse 10, Daniel was told the wicked shall do wickedly. Is that any different than it is today?
Last time we looked at two visions of Daniel and saw God is in control no matter how bad things may appear. This time we will complete the last three chapters of Daniel.
In chapter 10, Daniel records another vision. Historians tell us the third year of the reign of Cyrus would have been around 537 B.C. and that is when Daniel says he had this vision. The vision so much troubled Daniel he did not eat for three weeks. Then an angel Daniel described in appearance much like Christ of Revelation came to explain to Daniel what was to come to pass in the future leading up to the Messiah. In verse 12 we can see Daniel had set his heart to understand God’s vision. Daniel wanted to know what God was telling him and he was willing to seek for answers. We too must be willing to seek for answers when we do not understand what God is saying. In our case, the answers are in His word, but we must put forth an effort to understand that word. We must study and let the scriptures interpret themselves by reading all the Bible references on the topic.
In Daniel 11 beginning in verse 2 Daniel’s vision is explained. Daniel learned of the kings that would follow and how each would fall to the next one. The key verse in this chapter is verse 36 speaking of a certain king who would do according to his own will and speak against the God of gods, where it says, that which is determined shall be done. Once more we can see in this chapter, our God is still in control. When it seems evil is winning in our world, we must realize God is in control and whatever He has determined shall be done. Our job is to continue serving God no matter what the world is doing.
Finally in chapter 12, we see a mention of everlasting life and everlasting contempt indicating to us those of old had the concepts of heaven and hell. Daniel was told to shut up the words and seal the book. No more revelation was to be given than what was already given. In verse 9, Daniel was told to go his way because the words were closed and sealed until the time of the end. In verse 10, we find many would be purified and made white and tried, but the wicked shall do wickedly and not understand. The same problem continues today when we have Christians who are trying to live righteously and sinners who only wish to live in wickedness. As Christians, we must continue to warn the unrighteous, but it seems as long as there is time on earth, sin will continue.
I realize I have provided very little as far as any interpretation concerning who these leaders in the different visions were and what the numbers of days and years represents. The reader can find many interpretations for these passages and as I noted earlier, I am not comfortable in stressing any of them. What I am comfortable in stressing is the fact God is in control no matter what happens and our job is to trust in and rely on Him.
Next time we will begin to focus upon the return of Israel from captivity. We will take up with the book of Ezra in which is recorded two returns of the people from Babylon to Israel. In the middle of these two returns, we will learn about Queen Esther. In addition to Ezra’s writings, soon we will also be looking at the writings of Haggai, Zechariah, Nehemiah, and Malachi all of whom wrote after the captivity was over. Then we will go back and pick up the books of poetry, namely Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon. That will complete our Old Testament coverage. I hope you are finding useful information in the blogs.
Christian Women's Responsibility in Sharing God's Word 