DANIEL

The book of Daniel is the revelation of 
the Old Testament.Daniel tells us
of the coming of the Lord.
The first half of the Book of Daniel
deals with God's providence in Daniel's  
life. The last half of the Book of 
Daniel presents Daniel's visions. 
It reveals God's plans and purpose
in the unfolding of future events. 

The book of Daniel is a book of prophecy.
The prophecy of Daniel can be divided 
into fulfilled prophecies and prophecies 
to be fulfilled . 
 A study of prophecy will lead us to 
a holy life and a fear of God (1 John 3:). 
Daniel was a man of prayer.(Dan 2:17-23 ;6:10;
9:3-19; 10 )
Daniel was man of prophecy. Prophecy and history
show that God is overruling man's government.
Daniel was a man of purpose. 
And we can see this throughout the book of 
Daniel. 
Daniel 2:44 is the important key verse to the 
 book of Daniel.
And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. ( Daniel 2:44) In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god. (Daniel 1:1-2 ) In 608 B.C. Pharoah Necho placed Jehoiakim on the throne of Judah in the place of his brother Jehoabaz. Both of these wicked men were sons of the godly king Josiah. Nebuchadnezzar defeated Egypt. Then he made Judah subject to Babylon. This is the beginning of the seventy years of Judah's captivity to Babylon. (Jeremiah 25:1-1) And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes; (Daniel 1:3) Nebuchadnezzar took for himself the captives that he considered to be the best among the captives of any nations. The king wanted these boys to spend their times studying. And his way of doing this is to make them eunuchs. Daniel and his three companions were made eunuchs in fulfillment of Isaiah 39:7. And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shall begat, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon. Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. (Daniel 1:4) These were brilliant young men who were exposed to the learning of their days. And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king. (Daniel 1:5) The king appointed them a pagan diet that included unclean animals. Daniel was a Jew and was under the
Mosaic law that required the Jews to abstain from eating certain meat.
Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: (Daniel 1:6) For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy. (Lev 11:44-45) Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD. (Isa 52:11) Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question
for conscience sake: (1Cor 10:25)
But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. (1Cor 8:8) The Hebrew boys were taking a stand for the Lord. They were taking a stand for the Mosaic Law. Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego. (Daniel 1:7) Babylon wants their chosen workers to be in good physical condition with the best brains. The prince of the eunuchs changed their names. He gave Daniel the pagan name Belteshazzar. The king wanted the chosen young men to fit into the culture of Babylon. But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. (Daniel 1:8) Daniel was in the world , but not of the world. You cannot serve God and Mammon. Daniel did not conform to the world. Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defiled himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:2) Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.(Daniel 1:9) And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king (Daniel 1:10). The prince of the eunuchs is afraid to disobey the king's commandments. The meat and drink diet is appointed by the king. If Daniel's appearance is not up to good standard, he could make the the prince of the eunuchs endanger his head to the king. Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat,
and water to drink. (Daniel 1:11-12 )
Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants. (Daniel 1:13) So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days. (Daniel 1:14 ) And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat.(Daniel 1:15 ) Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine that they should drink; and gave them pulse. (Daniel 1:16 ) As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. (Daniel 1:17 ) Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.(Daniel 1:18 ) And the king communed with them; and among them all was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they before the king. (Daniel 1:19 ) And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm. (Daniel 1:20 ) And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus. (Daniel 1:21 ) And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar.

Nebuchadnezzar's Dreams

Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him. (Daniel 2:1)
Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king. ( Daniel 2:2) And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.( Daniel 2:3) From verse four of chapter two in the Book of Daniel there was a change from Hebrew to the Aramaic language. From verse 4 of chapter 2, the book of Daniel is written in Aramaic language. Aramaic was the language of the Gentiles. Aramaic or Syriack was the main language of world. The change of language is significant. Now God is speaking to the world, and not just to His chosen nation of Israel. Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation. ( Daniel 2:4) They start by giving flattery to the king. The Chaldeans tried to avoid the real issue because they had no knowledge of the king's dream. No man could give the dream. Only God can give dreams. The magicians and the worldly wise men are pleading for their lives. They are trying to show the unreasonableness of the king's demands. For man it is impossible. But for with God nothing shall be impossible. The magicians and Chaldeans have claimed to possess supernatural powers. The king is now asking them to demonstrate that. The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill ( Daniel 2:5) But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me the dream and the interpretation thereof. ( Daniel 2:6) They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it. ( Daniel 2:7) The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me. ( Daniel 2:8) But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof. ( Daniel 2:9) The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king's matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.
( Daniel 2:10)
And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh. ( Daniel 2:11) They recognized the limitation of human knowledge. Only God can show it to the king. The worldly wise men are stalling for time. They can not demonstrate the super power that they have claimed to possess. They are only deceivers. They are lying. For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. ( Daniel 2:12) And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain. ( Daniel 2:13) Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon: He answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel. ( Daniel 2:14 -15) Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation. ( Daniel 2:16) Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: ( Daniel 2:17) That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. ( Daniel 2:18) Daniel went to his house and made known to his Hebrew companions that they would desire mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret. Daniel demonstrates his God-given wisdom. Daniel asks for time .There must have been at least night before the execution of wise men. During that night Daniel receives a revelation from God. Daniel has been allowed to go forth before the king. Daniel has strong faith in the Lord for a revelation and interpretation of the dream.(v. 16) Daniel went to his house and made the thing known unto Hananiah, Mishael,and Azariah, his companion.
They join in prayer and would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. (Daniel 2:14-18) Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. ( Daniel 2:19) When they prayed . God answered and gave the dream to Daniel in a night vision. Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter. ( Daniel 2:20-23 ) Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation. ( Daniel 2:24)
Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation. ( Daniel 2:25) The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof? ( Daniel 2:26) Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; ( Daniel 2:27) But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these; ( Daniel 2:28) As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass. ( Daniel 2:29) But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart. ( Daniel 2:30) Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. ( Daniel 2:31) This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, ( Daniel 2:32) His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. ( Daniel 2:33) Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out
without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. ( Daniel 2:34)
Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.( Daniel 2:35) The dream portrays man's perspective of man's boastful achievements. God wants to show what He wishes to made known to man God uses the image of man to tell the story of the days of man and the history of human civization King Nebuchadnezzar saw the colosso and terrible image of man These kingdoms are pictured from man's standpoint The terrible image of man is man's perspective of man's achievement We are living in the days of the gentile. God wants to teach us how the human governments rule. Human governments rest on the delicate foundation . Heavy top metals rest on the foundation of mud. Gold is the most valuable, silver is less valuable, brass is less valuable than silver. Iron is less valuable than brass. And clay holds the least value God reveals the course of world empire and the its destruction by Christ. The dream concerns latter days. The dream is about the empires of the world. When Nebuchadnezzar dreamed the dream, Persia was a vassal state, Greece was marauders warring tribes in the desert, and Rome was a village. There is no way Nebuchadnezzar could foretell about the future world on his human perspective. The dream tells of future events of his life and the future of world. God gives the dream to a wicked pagan king Jerusalem will be trodden down (Matt 24:15) This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king. Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold. ( Daniel 2:38-38) And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. ( Daniel 2:39) And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as> thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. ( Daniel 2:40-43) And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. ( Daniel 2:44) Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the
brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet odours unto him. ( Daniel 2:45-46)
The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret. ( Daniel 2:47) Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon. Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king. ( Daniel 2:48-49) Nebuchadnezzar knows only to worship physical objects, Nebuchadnezzar wants to worship the God of heaven but he does not know how to worship the God of heaven The pagan king falls down on his face and tries to worship Daniel, but Daniel is only a man. Daniel is a godly man who puts always gives all the credits to the Lord. Daniel is the king's advisor. I am sure that Daniel has told the king to worship only the Lord, the God of heaven. Nebuchadnezzar does not know any better , but he has good intentions. The king wants to worship the God of heaven. This is Nebuchadnezzar's introduction to the God of heaven. Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges the God of heaven Nebuchadnezzar honors the God of heaven by honoring Daniel, a prophecy of the Lord. Nebuchadnezzar realizes the wisdom and almighty of the God of heaven. He makes Daniel the ruler of the province of Babylon and chief of governors over all the wise men of Babylon. Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel sat in the gate of the king.

Chapter Three

Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. (Daniel 3:1-2) The tremendous height of the golden image was visible from great distance. Babylon was located on a flat plain surrounded by flat country. Nebuchadnezzar was rebelling against the
God of heaven when he made the golden image of himself. Instead of giving gratitude for God's gift, Nebuchadnezzar was rebelling against God.
The making of the golden image of himself was because of vaulted pride. It was self-dedication.
Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. (Daniel 3:3 ) Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. (Daniel 3:4-6 ) Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up. (Daniel 3: 7) Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. (Daniel 3:8 ) They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever.Daniel 3:10 Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image: And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. There were certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. (Daniel 3:9-12 ) Certain Chaldeans came near and accused the Jews. The three Hebrews youths were being accused of not bowing down to worship the golden image. Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded that the three Hebrew youth be brought before him.The Chaldeans were using corrupted and lying words. Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king. (Daniel 3:13 ) Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? (Daniel 3:14 ) Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? (Daniel 3:15 ) The king asked if it is true that they did not worship his gods and did not worship the golden image .The consequences for disobedience was severe. The king gave them another chance. If they worship not the golden image, they would be cast into a fiery burning furnace. It was not disloyalty to the king , when the Hebrew youths refused to worship the golden image. They were obedient to their Lord, the God of heaven. The king gave them opportunity to change their minds to bow down and worship the golden image. Nebuchadnezzar had a false idea of the power of the God of heaven. He did not think that God was able to deliver them from the fiery burning furnace. Nebuchadnezzar foolishly thought that he was more powerful than God. Nebuchadnezzar was promoting his man-made religion of golden image of himself. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. (Daniel 3:16 ) If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up. (Daniel 3:17-18 ) Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. (Daniel 3:19-20 ) Nebuchadnezzar was full of fury. His fury was so intense that the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego . He commanded that the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than the ordinary. Nebuchadnezzar commanded the mighty men that were in his army to bind the three Hebrew young men and cast them into the burning furnace. These were the mighty men in his army who help him conquer the then known world. Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. (Daniel 3:21 ) Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. (Daniel 3:22-23 ) Satan seeks to destroy God's plan for the salvation of man. God overwrites the decisions of world kings so that all things works for good according to the will of God. God can turn bad situations into victories, showing that He is the Almighty God. Many times the attempts of evil men in high places to destroy the people of God end up destroying the evil men themselves and glorifying God. This is a warning for the modern evil people that listen to the devil's lies. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. (Daniel 3:24-25 ) The mighty men were the best warriors in Nebuchadnezzar's army. And they were destroyed by God. Nebuchadnezzar was astonished . They had cast three men bounded in the midst of the fire. Now the king saw four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire . and they have no hurt. And the form of the fourth is like the son of God. They were unhurt in the fire. Satan will try to hurt and hinder the child God. Believers are not separated from difficulties. Fiery darts were thrown at them. a believer's faith in the Lord will be tested and challenged. By the grace of God, the people of God is delivered. However , deliverance is not always from the situation. Deliverance is sometimes in and through the difficult situation. You go through fiery trials and tests which are more precious than gold that perishes.(1 Peter 1:6-7) Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.(Daniel 3:26-27 )</b> They were tested by fire. The believers are thrown into the fiery fire . The believers may not always escape the fiery furnace but God is able to turn on impossible situation into a miracle of God. The onlookers can behold the presence of the Lord. They can behold the sustaining and protecting grace of the Lord in saving the believers. God will protect God's children. For the men in the fiery furnace, they have no hurt. They are unharmed. Many times the believers must stand firm in the Lord.The believers must rest completely in the grace and strength of the Lord in the face of seemingly impossible situations. Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God. Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon. (Daniel 3:28-30 ) Blessed be the Lord God , who has sent his angel , and delivered His servants that trusted in Him. God has changed the king's word. The Word of God is the truth. The Word of God is the most power and overwrites the commands of man. Therefore the king made a decree that every people , nation, and language which speak anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be cut in piece and their house shall be made a dunghill. The king is convinced that only God can deliver the Hebrew young men after this matter. Then the king promoted to a higher position in the province of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.

DANIEL CHAPTER FOUR

I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God hath wrought toward me. How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation. (Daniel 4:1-3 ) Nebuchadnezzar sends a message of peace to all people, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth. He is not speaking peace among the nations. He has already attained peace through his military might. Nebuchadnezzar is speaking about the peace of the heart that comes to a sinner when he is at peace with God. The sinner knows that God has accepted him. And this man's peace is restored to him. The Lord has shown miracles and wonders in saving Nebuchadnezzar. It is a great spiritual battle that the Lord has won against the devil. How great is the miracles of the Lord. How mighty are the wonders of the most high God. His kingdom is everlasting kingdom, and His dominion is from generation to generation. Man's plan for salvation ends in madness. For the natural man's greatest achievement the natural man gets for himself his portion with the beasts in the grass of the earth. Without Christ , the natural man's portion is with the beasts is the grass of the earth. Without Christ the natural man is given a heart of a beast. For all of natural man's achievement, the devil gives a heart of a beast to the natural man. God sees the natural man as nothing but a wild beast in the grass of the earth. The fourth chapter of Daniel relates to Nebuchadnezzar's journey into madness. When the natural man follows the devil, he becomes a lunatic. The natural man loses his mind. The natural man loses his heart. And the natural man loses his strength. Satan is the father of lies. A lunatic builds on a foundation of lies. Let his heart be changed from a man's and let a beast's heart be given unto him. God has placed hedges around man to protect man. When the hedges are removed from man, the devil is able to come to changed his heart and a beast's heart is given unto him. I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my palace: (Daniel 4:4 ) I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. (Daniel 4:5 ) Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in his house and was flourishing in his house. He saw a dream which made him afraid. His thoughts upon his bed and the visions of his head troubled him. Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream. Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not make known unto me the interpretation thereof. But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying, O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof. (Daniel 4:6-9 ) Nebuchadnezzar commanded to bring all the wise men of Banylon before him so that they might make known unto him the interpretation of the dream. then came in the magicians, the astrologers , and the soothsayers. He told them the dream, but they could not interpret the dream. But as last Daniel came before the king. He had confidence in Daniel in whom is the spirit of the holy God. The king believed that no secret troubled Daniel. Daniel knows the will of God. God's plan will be done earth according to God's will . Man makes decrees. And God will overwrite man's decrees because God rules in the affairs of man. The king knew that Daniel was able to tell him the visions of his dream and the interpretation thereof. Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great. The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth: The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it. I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven; He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches: Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth: Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him. (Daniel 4:10-16 ) In his dream Nebuchadnezzar saw a tree that grew strong in the midst of the earth. The height of the tree was great. The tree grew ,and was strong, and the height thereof reached into heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of the earth. The devil propose to give man the kingdoms of the world if man bows down to him. It is a lie. The kingdoms do not belong to the devil. It is the same proposal the devil presented Jesus in the desert. Then said Jesus unto him, Get you hence, Satan: for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve(Matt.4:10) Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Gen 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men. (Daniel 4:17 ) This was the story of the most powerful and wicked man that ever walked on earth. The king has grown and became strong , for his greatness is grown and reaches unto heaven. His dominion has reach to the end of the earth. The king saw the holy one saying... "Hew the tree down.,.,." There is a hedge around the breath of life. A living soul has life. The devil wants to squeeze the life out man. The devil wants to block man's connection with God. A person with a heart of a beast has no life. He acts like a beast. This is the same story for all the unbelievers. The unbelievers move toward self-destruction. For the natural man's greatest achievement , he is rewarded with his portion with the wild beasts in the grass fields of the earth. Man's plan for man's salvation will end in man's madness. Without Christ , the natural man's portion is with the beasts in the grass of the fields. Without Christ , the natural man is given a heart of a beast. God sees the natural man as nothing but a wild beast in the grass of the earth. This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee. (Daniel 4:18 ) Daniel was astonished for one hour. And his thoughts troubled him. Daniel was troubled not because he had difficulty understanding the dream. Daniel was troubled because he ached for the king. He was troubled because he ached for the welfare of his own people. Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar,
was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said,
Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies.(Daniel 4:19 )
Who are the king's enemies ? The devil and the demons are the enemies of the king. The devil wants to destroy the king. God wants to save the king. The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation: It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth. (Daniel 4:20-22 ) The king wants to hear the interpretation of the dream. The king saw a tree that grew strong and reached to the heavens. The leaves were fair and had an abundance of fruit, where under the tree the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon the branches the fowls had their habitation. This tree represented king Nebuchadnezzar. And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him; This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king: (Daniel 4:23-24 ) That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule. (Daniel 4:25-26 ) The order to chop down the tree and destroy it was a prophetic portrayal of what would befell king Nebuchadnezzar. Yet leave the stump of the roots therefore in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field. And let it be wet with the dew of heaven. And let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him. Daniel explained to the king. This is the interpretation. This is the decree from the most High God , which is come upon the king that they shall drive you from men , and your dwelling place shall be with the beasts of the field. And they shall make you eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet you with the dew of heaven. And seven times shall pass over you till you know that the most High God rules in the kingdoms of Human beings , and give it to whomsoever He will. And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots, your kingdom shall be sure unto you. After that you shall know that God do rule. The devil's plan of salvation is a lie. When a person fills his mind and heart with lies, he becomes a lunatic. He sees himself as a wild beast. He thinks like a beast , and he acts like a wild beast. He takes his portion with the wild beast of the field. It is the grace and mercy of God , that Nebuchadnezzar was saved from the claws of the devil. It is the story of the natural man. Some people build their empires in politics. Some people build their kingdoms in business. Some people builds their empire in writings. Some people build their kingdom in education. Some folks build their empire in technology. Whatever man accomplished under the sun, it is vanity and useless. It is like trying to catch the wind. It is temporary. It comes and it is gone like the wind. Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity. (Daniel 4:27 ) Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar to repent and get right with God. Break off your sins by righteousness. Break off your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor. It may be a lengthening of your tranquility, The king rejected the advice of Daniel. God give the king time to repent. Nebuchadnezzar had not repent from his sins. The king boasts of his abilities and human accomplishments. This is natural man's plan of salvation. The natural man thinks that he has to think and act like a wild beast in order to survive. What defiles a man ? What comes out of man's heart. Surviving is not living. Surviving is for wild beasts. Living is for the spiritual person. The natural man left God out of his useless survival plan. The natural man listens to the lies of the devil. There is no truth in the devil's lies. The king glory in this great city. It was designed for protection and security with high and thick walls, and broad moat. God has allowed Nebuchadnezzar to be king of this great kingdom. Instead of thanking God for the gift, Nebuchadnezzar claimed all the glory for himself. He had conquered the then known world, but the king could not rest securely in the greatest city of the then known world. Natural man's greatest achievement can not give him rest. He strives to be the greatest and he finds he only labours in vain. Pride goeth before destruction, and haughty spirit before a fall (Prov.16:18). His mind is filled with pride. His heart is filled with selfish pride. He had conquered all the known world of his days. He had conquered all the nations and their idols. He thinks he is the idol of the idols. He wanted everyone to worship him. He had already made a decree that all the people must bow down to him and his golden image. Prophecy concerning the king was now being fulfilled. All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws. And they drove him from men. And his dwelling place was with the beasts of the field. They made him eat grass as an oxen. And seven time passed over him, until he knows that the most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomsoever He will. (Daniel 4:21-33 ) Then Nebuchadnezzar fills his heart with praises to the most High God. It cures his insanity. The Word of God drives out evil thoughts of the devil. He no longer thinks like a wild beasts. And he no longer acts like a wild beast of the field.Now Nebuchadnezzar has a man's heart that is pleasing to God. Nebuchadnezzar has repented from his sin. From his heart, he praises the Lord. And at the end of his days, Nebuchadnezzar lifted up his eyes unto heaven. And his understanding returned unto him. What did Nebuchadnezzar understand ? He understood the truth . The Lord is the way, the truth , and the life, And Nebuchadnezzar blessed the most High God , he praised and honoured Him . He saw the truth. He repented from his sin. And he put away the idols. And he turned toward God. He understood that the most High God lives forever. The Lord is the same today, yesterday, and forever. The kingdom of God is an everlasting kingdom .And His kingdom is from generation to generation. And all the inhabitants of the earth is reputed as nothing. And the Lord does according to His will in the army of heaven. And none cam stay His hand. And none can give orders to Him. And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: (Daniel 4:34 ) And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? (Daniel 4:35 ) What defiles a person ? The evil things that comes out of his heart. The evil thoughts from in a person's heart defile him. Nebuchadnezzar filled his mind with the most High God. The Word of God drives out the devil and his billions of legions of demons and idols. At the same time my reason returned unto me;
and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and
I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me. Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase. (Daniel 4:36-37 )

DANIEL CHAPTER FIVE

Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.(Daniel 5:1) The forces of the Persians and the Medes had been outside of the Babylon for months. Babylon was cut off from the normal outside traffic. Belshazzar made a great feast to demonstrate that he had no fear of the Persians and the Medes. Belshazzar wanted to demonstrate that they have plenty enough of food for the people. A thousand of lords and leaders were invited for this great feast party. Belshazzar drank wine before them. Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein. Belshazzar was the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar. It was the custom of Nebuchadnezzar to take the gods of his defeated enemies back to Babylon. And it was his custom to place them in the temple of his god. In the Jewish temple , In the temple he found no image for him to take back. However he did find sanctified temple vessels . The sanctified vessels were only for the Jewish temple use. Other uses of the temple vessels were abomination. Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.(Daniel 5:2-3 ) They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. (Daniel 5:4 ) In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. (Daniel 5: 5 ) The same hour came forth when Belshazzar were drinking wine in the sacred and holy vessels; The same hour when God was being mocked by Belshazzar and the drunken leaders; The same hour when Belshazzar and the lords and leaders praising the idols of gold, silver, brass, iron , and stone ; in the same hour Belshazzar saw the hand that wrote upon the plaster of the wall of king`s palace. Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. (Daniel 5:6 )
Then the profane merrymaking face of the king was changed .His thoughts troubled him. His fear was so great that the joints of his loins were loosed . And his knees smoke one against another. The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom. (Daniel 5:7 ) Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof. (Daniel 5: 8 ) Belshazzar followed the pattern of the natural man in calling help from the so-called wise men of the world. The king promised to give honor and gifts to anyone who could read the writing and give interpretation. Then came in all the king's wise men ; but they could not read the writing . Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.(Daniel 5: 9 ) The king's attitude had changed from merrymaking to a mood of fear and terror. The lords were also gripped with fear. Now the queen, by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed: (Daniel 5:10 ) The queen might have been Belshazzar's mother. There is a possibly that she might even have been his grandmother. She remembered the man , Daniel. There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers; (Daniel 5:11 ) Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation. (Daniel 5:12 ) Daniel was brought in before the king. They had heard of him. He had even heard that the spirit of gods were in him and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in him. Now the wise men , the astrologers could not show the king the interpretation of thing. Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry? I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee. (Daniel 5:13-14 ) And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation of the thing: The king had heard of Daniel, that he can make interpretations, and dissolve doubts. Now if he can read the writing, and make known to the king the interpretation thereof, the king promised to clothe him with scarlet, and a gold chain about his neck. And he shall be the third ruler in the kingdom. Belshazzar was the son of Nabonidus and the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar. Nabonidus left the city to fight the Persians and Medes. He was taken captive. Belshazzar was left in the city of Babylon to rule it. Thus Belshazzar promised to make Daniel the third ruler in the kingdom (v 16, 29). Belshazzar was second in command. Belshazzar promised to make Daniel the third ruler. And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make
interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if
thou canst read the writing, and make known to
me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom. (Daniel 5:15-16 )
Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation. (Daniel 5:17 ) Daniel answered and said before the king. Let your gifts for yourself. And give Daniel's gift to someone else. Yet Daniel will read the writing unto the king. And Daniel will make known to him the interpretation. O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour: And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down. And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down. (Daniel 5: 18-19 ) But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will. And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this; But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified: Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written. (Daniel 5:20-24 ) And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. (Daniel 5:25 ) This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. (Daniel 5:26 ) TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. (Daniel 5:27 ) PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians. (Daniel 5:28 ) Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. (Daniel 5:29 ) In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. (Daniel 5:30 ) And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old. (Daniel 5:31 )

DANIEL SIX

It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage. (Daniel 6:1-2) Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. (Daniel 6:3 ) Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. (Daniel 6:4 ) Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God. (Daniel 6:5 ) Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever. All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. (Daniel 6:6-7 ) Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree. (Daniel 6:8-9 ) Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.(Daniel 6:10 ) Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. (Daniel 6:11 ) Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day. Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him. (Daniel 6:12-14 ) Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed. (Daniel 6:15 ) Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee. (Daniel 6:16 ) And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel. (Daniel 6:17 ) Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him. (Daniel 6:18 ) Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions? (Daniel 6:19-20 ) Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt. (Daniel 6:21-22 ) Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God. (Daniel 6:23 ) And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den. (Daniel 6:24 ) Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. (Daniel 6:25 ) I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. (Daniel 6:26-27 ) So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian. (Daniel 6:28 )

DANIEL SEVEN

In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters.( Daniel 7:1) Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea. ( Daniel 7:2 ) Daniel is shown the same kingdoms from God's point of views. God sees the kingdoms as ferocious wild beasts(Daniel 7 :17) The four beasts who arise out of the stormy sea of human upheaval correspond to the image of Nebuchadnezzar's dream. Daniel's vision concerns the same kingdoms as symbolized by the great image in Nebuchadnezzar's dream. But Daniel's vision includes some additional facts. The lion corresponds to the head of gold of the colossus image in Nebuchadnezzar's dream. As predicted by Jeremiah , Babylon today is a heap of ruins. Among these ruins one can find a proud stone lion standing on a pedestal. The proud lion bears the testimony to the boastful outward glory that once belonged to Babylon. Man sees the head of gold on the multi metallic image representing the outward glory of a boastful achievement of an advance civilization.This is man's boastful perspective of what man has achieved. God sees it differently. God sees these kingdoms as brutal beasts. God sees the cruel nature of the lion describing the brutal paganism of this kingdom of Babylon. And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another. ( Daniel 7:3 ) The first was like a lion, and had eagle' s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it. ( Daniel 7:4 ) The four great beasts are four different kind of beasts. The first beast was like a lion and had eagle wings. The lion represents Babylon.The lion also represents king Nebuchadnezzar. The wings denote to king Nebuchadnezzar's ability to move the army speedily . Nebuchadnezzar's ability to move his army speedily is thing that brought him to his world power. The wings were plucked refers to Nebuchadnezzar's humbling experience of insanity. Satan offers the kingdoms of the world that do not belong to him. Satan wants man to be a beast. The unbeliever is no better than the wild beasts of the wilderness. The unbeliever thinks like a beast and acts like a beast. By the grace of God, Nebuchadnezzar was lifted up from the earth, and made stand up the feet as a man. It is by the grace of God, that a man's heart was given to Nebuchadnezzar. This is Nebuchadnezzar's conversion. Nebuchadnezzar came to know the living and true God. Without God , the unbeliever is lost. The kingdoms of the world rise up and fade away. The things of the world is temporary. It appears and fades away. The lion corresponds to the head of gold of the colossal image in Nebuchadnezzar's dream. As predicted by Jeremiah , Babylon today is a heap of ruins. Among these ruins one can find a proud stone lion standing on a pedestal. The proud lion bears the testimony to the boastful outward glory that once belonged to Babylon. Man sees the head of gold on the multimetallic image representing the outward glory of of a boastful achievement of an advance civilization. This is man's boastful perspective of what man has achieved. God sees it differently. God sees these kingdoms as brutal beasts. God sees the cruel nature of the lion describing the brutal paganism of this kingdom of Babylon. And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh. ( Daniel 7:5 ) The bear represents the kingdom of the Medes and Persia. The bear corresponds to the arms of silver of the colossus image in Nebuchadnezzar's dream. The bear struck with the strong arm of the Medes, conquering Babylon. Then the beast followed through with the powerful arm of the Persia. Persia took over Egypt and the rest of the world that that had been ruled by Babylon. After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads;
and dominion was given to it. ( Daniel 7:6 )
The next beast is like a leopard with four wings of a fowl. The beast also had four heads. Dominion was given to it. The wings represent the swiftness of the conquering strengthen of Alexander the Great. the four heads represents that were divided from Alexander's empire after his early death. The bear represents the kingdom of the Medes and Persia. The bear corresponds to the arms of silver of the colossus image in Nebuchadnezzar's dream. The bear struck with the strong arm of the Medes, conquering Babylon. Then the beast followed through with the powerful arm of the Persia. Persia took over Egypt and the rest of the world that had been ruled by Babylon. Daniel does not compare this terrible beast to anything that exists on earth. The fourth beast is dreadful and terrible, and exceedingly strong. It had great strong teeth . The terrible beast devoured the other beasts and stomped upon them with its feet, indicating that it conquered all the territories of the first beasts. The terrible beast conquered Babylon, Mede and Persia, and Greece. It had different form of government. It was greater in power. It was greater in extent of domination. It was greater in length and duration. After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. ( Daniel 7:7 ) The terrible beast devoured the other beasts , and broke them into pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet. It conquered all the territories of the Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece. The ten horns symbolize ten kingdoms in the latter days. They do not represent a fifth kingdom. These ten horns grew out of the head of the fourth beast. The horns and the little horn are the revised Rome. I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. ( Daniel 7:8 ) As Daniel considered the ten horns, there came up a little horn. The little horn plucked up three of the first horns by the roots. This symbolizes the coming of the antichrist in the latter days when Roman empire is formed into ten kingdoms. The antichrist will overthrow three of the ten kingdoms. The other kingdoms will submit to him without war(vs 8, 23-24;Rev 17:11-17). In this little horn were eyes like the eyes of man and a mouth speaks blasphemies against God.(VS 8,25,11:36 ;Rev 13,15, 17:3) I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. ( Daniel 7:9 ) Daniel observed this until the thrones were cast down. The Ancient of Days is God. The Ancient of Days did sit. God is sitting on the throne. God's garment was white as snow. And the hair of His head was like pure wool. His white garment indicates purity and holiness. His throne was like fiery flame and His wheels as burning fire. The throne is aflame with justice and judgment. This is the same scene described in chapter 4 and 5 of the Book of Revelation. It is the preparation for the judgement of the Great Tribulation and the second coming of Christ to the world. white garment refers to God's attributes to holiness and righteousness. Hair of pure wool speaks of His infinite wisdom. His throne was like fiery flame speaks of judgement (Rev 4:5). His wheels as burning fire speaks of the resistless energy and restless power of god. (Ezek 1:13-21) This is the judgment of the Great Tribulation and the return of Christ to establish the millennial Kingdom here on earth (rev 5:11-14) A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood
before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. ( Daniel 7:10 )
The judgment was set. The books were opened to determine who will be allow to enter into the kingdom. This is the setting for the return of Christ to establish His millennial kingdom upon the earth. Thousand thousands ministered unto Him. (Rev 7:11-14) Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. ( Daniel 7:11 ) As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. ( Daniel 7:12 ) Daniel behold then because of the voice of the boastful words which the little horn spoke. The little horn is blaspheming and boasting the loudest.(Rev 13:5-6) The antichrist will speak great words of lies. (v8;11,20.25, 8:23-25; His judgment is fixed and his kingdom is doomed. The appearance of the little horn is shortly before the second coming of Christ who will judge the nations and individuals. This period is the Great Tribulation Period. Blessings are waiting for those who are committed to the Lord. Those who are not committed to the Lord will be judged. The judgment was set. the books were opened. Daniel beheld until the thrones were cast. Regardless of his powers and demon's strength, the anti-Christ will be slain. He will be killed and his body will be destroyed.(v 11, Matt 10:28; Luke 12:5) He will be cast into the pits of Hell (v11 rev 19:20; 20:10) As concerning the rest of the beasts, they will have their dominion taken away. They involved kingdom and rulers that reign for a season and time. They regained. Then their kingdoms are taken away. The little horn is the last kingdom before the second coming of Christ . I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. ( Daniel 7:13 ) In the night visions, Daniel was able to see more clearly the brightness and the glory of the one like Son of man. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of man. The Lord Jesus Christ came with the clouds of heaven and came to the Ancient of days. This is the picture of the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Isa 63:1-6; Zech14:1-5; Matt24:29-31; 25:31-46; 26:64; 2 Thes1:7-10; Jude14; Rev 1:7;11:15:19:11-21) since He came to the Ancient of days, then He can not be Ancient of days. Two separate persons are mention in these scripture. God the Son came to God the Father . There are three which bear record in heaven. God the Father , God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. We worship one God. Yet there are three different Persons and manifestations. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. ( Daniel 7:14 ) And there was given to the Son of man dominion, and glory, and a kingdom. His kingdom is composed of all people, nations, and languages. They should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away. His kingdom shall not be destroyed. Christ will have an everlasting kingdom at His second coming (Zech 14;Matt 24:29-31; Matt25:31-46;Jude 14 ; Rev 11:15; Rev 19:11-20:10 ) Christ's kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. (vss. 13-14,18,27;2:35, 44-45 ; Dan 4:3; 6:26 Psa 45:6; 145;13; 145:10, Isa 9:6-7; Oba 21 Mic4:7 Matt 25:31-46 Luke1:32-33 Heb 1:8 Rev 11:15 ;22:4-5 I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me. I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things. (Daniel 7: 15-16) The Scriptures clearly state that there is a distinction and difference between the spirit, soul, and body. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Heb 4:12) Daniel considered that his spirit as distinct from his body. In Thess.5:23, Paul mentions the spirit, soul, and body. Daniel was grieved in his spirit in his body. And the visions of his head troubled him. Daniel was troubled because he did not understand the meaning of the visions. Daniel has the deep burden to know and understand what these visions might mean. Daniel came near unto one of the angels that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. And the angel told Daniel, and made him know the interpretation of the things, so that there would be a clear understanding of what God was saying. The angel clearly declared that the four beasts are four kings . The four kingdoms will arise from the earth. These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. ( Daniel 7:17 ) The angel declared that the four beasts are four kings which shall arise out of the earth. The four beasts are not only kingdoms but kings. The first king was Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar , together with the kingdom of Babylon was represented by the head of gold and the lion with two wings. The second kingdom consisted of Persian and Mede Empire under Darius the Mede and Cyrus the Persian.This kingdom was like a bear. The Third kingdom is like a leopard, which had four wings of a fowl. The beast also had four heads.The third kingdom to come out of the earth was Alexander the Great and the kingdom of Greece. The four wings indicate the the speed which Alexander the great would conquer the then-known world. The third empire is represented by the sides of brass in the colossus image of Nebuchadnezzar's vision. That's man's perspective of how great man sees man's accomplishments. The fourth kingdom is the old Roman empire. After this , Daniel saw in his night visions a fourth beast. The fourth beast represents the Old Roman empire, which is fourth in succession. The Roman empire is not mention in the Old Testament . The Roman Empire is only mentioned by name in the New Testament (1John 11:48; Acts 2:10; 16;21) The Roman empire is the empire of iron. These are wild beasts of prey. Their carnivorous natures represent the characters of the kings and kingdoms. God sees them as wild beasts. But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. ( Daniel 7:18 ) Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. (Daniel 7: 19-20) Daniel wanted to know the truth about the fourth beast which was diverse from all the others, and exceeding dreadful. The dreadful beast's teeth were of iron. And his nails were of brass. The fourth beast is the Old Roman empire which devoured the first three beasts. The dreadful beasts brake the other beasts in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet. Each world empire was built on the ruins of the empires that it had defeated. The revelation of the angels jumps ahead to the end time to the last world empire. The kingdom of God will be set up in the days after the ten kingdoms and the little horn (v 18, 27, 2:44-45; Rev. 17:8-17) (Matt13:41-45; 25:31-46) Rom 8:17-18) (1 Cor 6:2) (2 Tim 2:12) (Rev 1:6; 5:10; 11:15;20:4-6; 22:4-5) The reign of Christ will be everlasting. I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; ( Daniel 7:21 ) Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.( Daniel 7:22 ) The ten horns are ten kingdoms out of the fourth kingdom, the old Roman empire. the kingdoms arise and will be the revised Roman empire in the days of the Antichrist. The ten kingdoms are yet to be formed. The antichrist made war with the saints and prevailed against them. the last half of the Great Tribulation will come against the saints, especially the 144,000 Jews, who are committed to Christ. The little horn, the Antichrist , will come up against the ten kingdoms after they are formed. he will subdue three of the ten kingdoms. He will prevail until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High. And the time that the saints possessed the kingdom. The Antichrist will prevail until the second coming of Christ to earth. It will also be the coming of God the Father (7:9, 13-14, 22) (Zech 14:5) (Tit 2:13 ) At this time God the Father comes to help Christ defeat and destroy the Antichrist. God the Father then gives the kingdom over to Christ and the saints.(18,27) And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting kingdom , which shall never pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. ( Daniel 7:23 ) The fourth beast is the Old Roman empire. It is a strong , ferocious, dreadful, terrible beast with iron teeth. It devoured the other beasts and stomped upon them with his feet. It conquered Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece. In the last days it shall devour the whole earth. It was diverse in its form of government, and in greatness and power. And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. ( Daniel 7:24 ) The Antichrist will control the ten kingdoms which will be the Revised Roman empire. And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. ( Daniel 7:25 ) The Antichrist shall speak great words against God. he will do everything he can to influence people and cause them to not believe in God. It will be war of words. The Antichrist will speak great words of lies against the Word of God. The Antichrist shall wear out the saints of the most High. He will try to change time and laws. He shall think to change times and laws. And they shall be given to his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. ( Dan 12:7 ;Rev 13:5) But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. ( Daniel 7:26 ) The judgment of the nations will end the reign of the Antichrist, the little horn. The judgment shall sit. The Antichrist will be destroyed. They will take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. ( Daniel 7:27 ) The saints of God will reign with Christ in this everlasting kingdom. We declared to the Lord, Thine is the kingdom and the power and glory forever. Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart. ( Daniel 7:28 ) Daniel was troubled by his thoughts. He pondered about the divine revelations. He was troubled because he could not fully comprehend the extent of the vision.

DANIEL NINE

In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which
appeared unto me at the first. (Daniel 8:1)
In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a second vision appeared unto Daniel. Two years after Daniel's first vision in chapter 7, this second visions appeared unto Daniel. The part of the book beginning with Dan 2:4 and ending Dan 7:28 is recorded in Chaldean or Aramaic language. Whereas this second vision is recorded in Hebrew. This vision reveals God's perspective. And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was at Shushan in the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai. ( Daniel 8:2 ) In this vision, Daniel saw that he was at Susa in the palace, which is in the province of Elam. Daniel saw that he was by the river of Ulai. Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last.( Daniel 8:3 ) I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great.( Daniel 8:4 ) The ram represents the Mede and Persian empire. The two horns are two kings. The king of the Medes is Darius. And the king of Persia is Cyrus. Under Cyrus Persia grew stronger than the Medes. The empire of the Medes and Persia pushed westward and northward and southward, so that none could stand before them. They did according to their own will. And they became great. They conquered Babylon in the west and Egypt in the south. And as I was considering, behold, a he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes.( Daniel 8:5 ) As he was considering the ram, a he-goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth. The goat was going so fast that he touched not the ground. And the goat had a notable horn between his eyes. The ram was no match for this fast moving he-goat. The he-goat came to the ram that had two horns.The he-goat ran unto the ram in the fury of his power . The he-goat moved with bitterness. And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power. And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns:
and there was no power in the ram to
stand before him, but he cast him down
to the ground, and stamped upon him:
and there was none that could
deliver the ram out of his hand.
(Daniel 8: 6-7)

The he goat smoke the ram, broke his two horns.
there was no power in the ram to stand before
him. he cast the ram down and stamped upon him.
And there was none that deliver the ram at his
hand.
Therefore the he goat waxed very great:
and when he was strong, the great horn
was broken; and for it came up four notable
ones toward the four winds of heaven.( Daniel 8:8 )
Therefore the he goat waxed very great. And when he was strong , the great horn was broken. This is a remarkable prediction of the Grecian empire. The breaking of this great horn is the reference to Alexander the great in 325 B.C. After the death of Alexander the great, his empire was divided among his four generals. For the great horn came up four notable horns toward the four winds of heaven. And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land. ( Daniel 8:9 ) And out of one of them came forth a little horn This little horn is not to be confused with the little horn from Daniel 7:8 , who is the Antichrist of the end time. This little horn is Antiochus IV or Antiochus Epiphanes, who ruled from 175-163 B.C. And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them. ( Daniel 8:10 ) Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. ( Daniel 8:11 ) And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered. ( Daniel 8:12 ) Antiochus Epiphanes was boastful and cruel. He magnified himself. He demanded homage as a idol-god. In his own eyes he sees himself as great. He extended his kingdom to include the land of Persia. he tried to conquer Egypt but had to withdraw because the threat of the Romans. Antiochus returned to Palestine and persecuted the Jews.
Antiochus has the characteristics of the Antichrist but he is not the Antichrist. He is a type and picture of the Antichrist. Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? ( Daniel 8:13 ) The sanctuary will be cleansed of the abomination. The sanctuary will be cleansed after the desecration by the Antichrist. And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.( Daniel 8:14 )
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. And I heard a man's voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision. (Daniel 8: 15-16) As Daniel sought for the true meaning of the vision, Gabriel the angel was sent to give interpretation. The angel Gabriel appears as a man. Daniel head a man's voice between the banks of Ulai . Gabriel was told to make this man Daniel understand the vision.Gabriel makes the vision clear to Daniel. And Daniel writes it clearly for us to understand. So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision. ( Daniel 8:17 ) Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright. ( Daniel 8:18 )
And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end
shall be.( Daniel 8:19 )
Gabriel is one God's chief angels. Gabriel tells Daniel to understand that the time of the end shall be the vision. Wisdom comes from God. God is enabling Daniel to understand the visions. God makes Daniel to know what shall be in the last end of the indignation. For the time appointed the end shall be. The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. ( Daniel 8:20 ) The ram which Daniel saw are the two kings of Media and Persia. And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.( Daniel 8:21 ) And the rough goat is the king of Grecia . And the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king .He is Alexander the Great. Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power. ( Daniel 8:22 ) After the death of Alexander the great, his kingdom is divided into four kingdoms among his four generals. They shall stand up as four kingdoms, but not in Alexander's power. And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.( Daniel 8:23 ) The latter times of their kingdoms is reference to the coming of the Antichrist. The Antichrist comes from of these kingdoms in the latter time. His coming forth from one of these kingdoms will be sometime in the future. In the latter time ,the transgressors are come to the full. Sin and iniquity are come in full. The transgressors will be judged and put down. (Dan 8:23) (Dan 7:21-22) (Dan 9:27) (Dan 11:36-45) (Matt 24: 4-26) (2 Thess 2:3-11) (1Tim 4:1-8) (2Tim 3:1-13 ;4:1-4) (Rev 13:1-18 ; 16:1-17; 18:2-3,24) This will be after the ten kingdoms are formed. The fulfillment of these events will be just before the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to destroy the transgressors. (1Cor 15:24-35) (Eph 1:10) (Rev 19:11-21 ,20:1-10) The king of the fierce countenances , and the understanding of dark sentences are the character of the Antichrist. (Dan 8:23; 7:20-25;9:27; 11:36-45) (2Thess 2:3-12) (Rev 13:1-18; 14:9-11 ;15:2-4 ; 16:13-16; 19:20 ; 20:4-6) And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. ( Daniel 8:24 ) The Antichrist`s power shall be mighty, but not by his own power. It shall come from Satan. (Dan 8:2-25 7:25; 11:36-39) (2Thess. 2:8-12) (Rev. 13:1-5 ,12-18 ; 16:13-16 ;19:20) He shall destroy men. (Dan.7:21,25 ; 9:27,12-7) (Matt. 25:15-22) (2 Thess. 2:8-12) (Rev.13:12-18 ;Rev.14:9-12; 15:2-4; 19:19-21;20:4-6) The Antichrist shall prosper and practice evil warfare and destroy the mighty and holy people. And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. ( Daniel 8:25 ) Through his policy the Antichrist shall cause deceit to prosper in his hand. he shall magnify himself in his heart. He will exalt himself even above God. (Dan 11:36-39) (2 Thess 2:3-4) (Rev. 13) He shall destroy many by false peace. (Dan. 7:21) (Dan. 9:27) (Dan. 11:26-45) (Rev. 12:13-17) (Dan. 13:12-18) Christ is the Prince of princes (Rev.1:5) The Antichrist shall be broken without hands. (Dan. 11:25) (Joel 3) (Zech. 14) (Rev.16:13-16) (Rev. 19:11-21) Antichrist's policy is to destroy the people of God. He shall be broken by the Lord Jesus Christ. And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days.( Daniel 8:26 ) Daniel was told to shut up the vision , for it shall be for many days. The prophecy will not be fulfilled for a long time. The main part of the prophecy remains to be fulfilled in the future during the Great Tribulation. (Matt. 24:15-22) (Rev. 13) And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.( Daniel 8:27 ) On other occasions , Daniel had fasted a long time prior to receiving an answer from God. (Dan.9:3) (Dan. 10:2-9) This time Daniel has also fasted a long before he receive this answer from God. And Daniel fainted and was sick certain days. Afterward he rose up, and did the king's business. Daniel was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.

DANIEL NINE

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; ( Daniel 9:1 ) 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.( Daniel 9:2 )
Through the study of the Scriptures, Daniel came to understand more fully the purpose of God for Man . Through the study of the Scriptures, Daniel came to understand more fully God's plan for his people , Israel. From Proverbs 28:13 , Daniel came to understand that , He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. David said, I acknowledged my sin. I will confess transgressions (Psalm 32:5) If we confess our sins, the Lord is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness(1 John 1:9) And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek
by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and
sackcloth, and ashes:

THE PRAYER OF DANIEL

(Daniel 9:3-19) 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; (Daniel 9:3-4 )

And Daniel prayed unto the Lord his God. He made his confession. O Lord, the great and dreadful God , keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love Him, and to them that keep His commandments. Daniel prayed earnestly. He humbled himself before the Lord. Daniel seek the Lord by prayer and supplications with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. In his prayer , Daniel identifies himself with his people, Israel. We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments: 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. (Daniel 9:5-6 ) Daniel sees the plan of God for man's salvation. Man sinned in the Garden of Eden. The wages of sin is death. Man can not save himself from death. God provided a plan to save man. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. Daniel identifies himself as a descendent of Adam and Eve. All men inherits the sinful nature from the first man , Adam . All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. Daniel identifies himself as a sinful man who needs the Lord Jesus Christ to save him. From the writings of Moses, Daniel come to understanding we need the Lord Jesus Christ to save him ,and his people, Israel and the people of the world. Daniel also identifies himself with his people , Israel. Daniel humbly comes to the Lord and asks for mercy. Daniel confesses that man can not pay for man's sin. Man can not pay for the wages of sin. Daniel comes to God in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah of Israel. Daniel confesses , we have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments: 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. They refused to listen to God's prophets. This rebellion against God resulted in their captivity. Israel moved out of the protection of the Lord , when Israel rebelled against God. O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee. ( Daniel 9:7 ) Our Father who art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name. O Lord , righteousness belongs unto you. Your will be done earth as it is in heaven. Your kingdom come. Give us our daily bread. Forgive us our debts as we forgive those who trespass against us. Leads us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Righteousness belongs to the Lord. We are sinful. We are lost . We need the Lord Jesus Christ to save us. But unto us confusion of faces, as at this day O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee. To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him; Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him. And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem. As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth. Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice. (Daniel 9:8-14 ) And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly. O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us. Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake. O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies. (Daniel 9:15-18 ) 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. ( Daniel 9:19 ) 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; ( Daniel 9:20 ) While Daniel was confessing his sin and the sins of the children of Israel, Gabriel the angel flew swiftly and touched Daniel. Daniel informed Daniel and talked with Daniel. Gabriel came to give skill and understanding to Daniel. 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. ( Daniel 9:21 ) And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding. 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. (Daniel 9:22-23 ) 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.( Daniel 9:24 ) 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. 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 en`d thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. 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. (Daniel 9:25-27 ) The meaning of Seventy weeks is 70 sevens. In Hebrew the word for week is shabua. And it means seven. It is a unit of measure. In the context of this verse , it is clear that Daniel has been studying in Jeremiah about years , seventy years. Jeremiah had preaching that the captivity would be for seventy years. 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 (2 Chron 36:21) Daniel's prayer to which this vision is the answer , involves years. The last seven is one unit. And this seven is divided into two parts. The last part is understood to be three and half years. If the last half of the 70th week is three and half years , then the first half would be three and half years. This would make the one of seven to be seven years(Daniel 9:27). The 70 sevens are divided into three parts. The first divisions involves 7 sevens or 49 years. The 49 years is for the rebuilding of Jerusalem. The 70 sevens are divided into three periods. The second period involves 62 sevens to the 434 years. From the end of the 49 years when Jerusalem is rebuilt to the time the Messiah is crucified is 434 years. The last period is one seven. It is the last seven years of this age. It ends with the second coming of Christ. The 69th week ended with the crucifixion of the Messiah. The 70th week is the part left yet to be fulfilled. These things are to be done in 70th week according to Daniel 9:24. (1) to finish the transgression (2)to make an end of sin (3)to make reconciliation for iniquity (4)to bring in everlasting righteousness (5) to seal up the vision and prophecy, (6)to annoit the most Holy The vision of Daniel relates to the immediate future of Israel . The vision also relates to Israel in the latter days. We are allowed to get a look at the unseen world. The veil of the spiritual world is partially pulled aside. The truth concerning the angels is revealed to the believer. There are righteous angels .And there are evil fallen angels. There is Satan's kingdom , that is about us today. God created the angels with a free will. Apparently some of the angels exercise their free will to follow Satan in his rebellion against God. Some of these fallen angels belong to the order of demons to which reference is made in the gospels. For by Him were all things created , that are in heaven, and that are in earth , visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities , or powers : all things were created by Him , and for Him (Col. 1:16 ). There are separations in God's creation. That of heaven are separated from that of this physical world. There is also a separation of that which is visible and that which is invisible. God created thrones which would be archangels such as Michael. There are dominions such as cherubim and seraphim. There are principalities, such as generals. There are powers such as privates. These privates are guardian angels(Hebrews 1:4). For we wrestle not against flesh and blood , but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:12). Satan also has organized his fallen angels into ranks. Satan's principalities or generals are in charge of disrupting the nations. His powers are the demon solders of his army who seek to possess human beings. The ruler of darkness of this world are the demons who are charge of Satan's worldly business. Spiritual wickedness in high places are demons who are in charge of religion. Satan is promoting religion . He is not promoting Christ . Satan is against Christ. These two group are engaged in ceaseless warfare to capture the souls of men. In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision. ( Daniel 10:1 ) A thing was revealed unto Daniel, and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long. And Daniel understood the thing. And Daniel had understanding of the revelation and understood the vision. The fulfilment is in the far future. After thousands of year it is still in the future. These things are revealed to us so that the people of God may understand the things of God. God reveals the written history before it happens. God shows us the spiritual preparation for Daniel's pre-writing of Gentile history. In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled. (Daniel 10:2-3 ) And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel; ( Daniel 10:4 ) Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. (Daniel 10:5-6 ) And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. ( Daniel 10:7 ) Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength. ( Daniel 10:8 ) Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground. ( Daniel 10:9 ) And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands. ( Daniel 10:10 ) And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling. ( Daniel 10:11 ) Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. (Daniel 10:12-13 ) Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days. ( Daniel 10:14 ) And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb. And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength. (Daniel 10:15-16 ) For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me. Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me, (Daniel 10:17-18 ) And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou haststrengthened me. Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come. (Daniel 10:19-20 ) But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince. ( Daniel 10: 21)

DANIEL ELEVEN

Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him.(DANIEL 1:1) Gabriel explains to Daniel concerning an event two years prior to this revelation. It was Michael's responsibility to overthrow the prince of Babylon. Gabriel had stood to confirm and to strengthen Michael. Now , Michael is standing by Gabriel to help him overthrow the prince of Persia so that the prince of Grecia can come. In order for the prince of Persia to come the prince of Babylon had to be overthrown. Satanic princes of certain kingdoms will always be defeated by God so that the succeeding princes of other kingdoms can come to fulfill the prophetic word of God. The Lord has already decreed the rise and fall of world empires . God's Word of truth will be fulfilled. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No man can come onto the Father except by Jesus. Jesus is the word. Jesus is the truth. Jesus is the way to life. Satanic forces are always seeking to hinder the fulfilment of the plan of God for man's salvation. God reveals the spiritual wars in high place. An invisible and powerful spirit world exists. The spirit world consists of fallen angels that opposes to God and His people. The world of lost men is influenced and controlled by fallen angels. But praise the Lord Jesus Christ, we have a Saviour who is the Lord of all thing , even in the spirit world. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armour of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not with flesh and blood, but against powers, against principalities, against rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Therefore take unto you the whole armour of God , that you may be able to withstand in the evil day , and having done all to stand (Ephesians 6 ) And Gabriel will show you the truth. Jesus said, I am the truth Jesus is the truth concerning the world kingdoms. The Lord has the last word concerning the kingdoms . The Lord Jesus Christ is the Word (John 1:1). God rules in the affairs of world kingdoms. With His Word , God overwrites the decisions of the world rulers. Satan offers the kingdoms of the world that do not belong to him. Satan wants man to be a beast. For all the natural man's greatest achievement, the devil rewards man with a heart of a beast. The unbeliever is no better than the wild beasts of the wilderness. The unbeliever thinks like a beast and acts like a beast. The devil wants turn man into a lunatic by giving him a heart of a beast.And in the end the unbeliever is devoured by Death. Nebuchadnezzar was a world conqueror . He was the most powerful man that ever walked on the earth. For all his achievement , he was given a heart of a beast. And he became a lunatic. He lost his mind. He had thought that he was the idol of idols. He had defeated all the nations and their idols. He had kept all the defeated idols in prisons in his store house. He had built a colossal gold image of himself so that everyone including the idols must bow down to him. An army of billions of demons are marching in his mind making chaos in his mind ,in his heart, in his soul , in his strength. But God save him .And by the amazing grace of God, the Lord gave a heart of a man to Nebuchadnezzar. God breathes into his nostril so that Nebuchadnezzar becomes a living soul. He was lost. And the Lord found him and brought him back to life. God moves forward in His salvation plan for man. The satanic forces that try to hinders the fulfillment of God's plan are always defeated. The Lord gives His angels the responsibility to remove the princes of darkness from hindering God's plan for man's salvation. God works through people to carry out His will. God works through righteous people and evil people. God works through evil people who are motivated by lust, ambition, pride, and selfishness toward their destruction. God works through righteous folks who are motivated by their noble motives of love. God does not interfere with the free will that He has given to man. Evil people make their decisions toward their own destruction. Righteous folks make their own decisions toward everlasting life. And we know all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the call according to His purpose.(Romans 8:28) The Lord Jesus Christ is the truth concerning all things. Lord Jesus is the way , the truth, and the life. And now will I shew thee the truth.
Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in
Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer
than they all: and by his strength through
his riches he shall stir up all against
the realm of Grecia. ( Daniel 11:2 )

All these kingdoms are inferior to the kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar. The angels are constantly fighting with princes of darkness to position the rising and falling of world kingdoms. The princes of darkness are always defeated so that God's plan for man's salvation is moving forward to fulfillment. Three Persian kings are to arise . The fourth king shall be richer than they all. By his riches and his strength Xerxes stir up all against the realm of Grecia, thus fulfilling this prophecy. And a mighty king shall stand up,
that shall rule with great dominion, and do
according to his will. ( Daniel 11:3 )

The mighty king is Alexander the Great. Daniel reveals that this king shall stand up to rule with great dominion.Alexander defeated the Persians . This king ruled according to his will, thus fulfilling the prophecy. And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those.( Daniel 11: 4) After the death of Alexander , his kingdom was divided between his four generals. Alexander's kingdom did not go to his posterity. Alexander's kingdom did not go to his children. It was divided divided, thus fulfilled the prophecy. These things are revealed to us so that the people of God may understand the things of God. God reveals the written history before it happens. God shows us the spiritual lessons we can learn from Daniel's pre-written accounts of Gentile history. And the king of the south shall be strong, and one of his princes; and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion;
his dominion shall be a great dominion. ( Daniel 11:5 )

Ptolemy I was the king of the south. He was one of Alexander's general. He was king of the south. Judea is the reference point . It was south of Judea . And in the end of years they shall join themselves together; for the king's daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement: but she shall not retain the power of the arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm: but she shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in these times. ( Daniel 11:6 ) After some years , they , the king of the north(Syria) and the king of the south(Egypt) joined together. Berenice is the daughter of the king of the south. She married Antiohus the king of the north. Antiohus had divorced his wife Laodice to marry Berenice. After awhile Antiohus went back to his former wife , Laodice and her children. Laodice poisoned him. And she had Berenice and Berenice's son murdered. Then she placed her own son as the king of the north. But out of a branch of her roots shall one stand up in his estate, which shall come with an army, and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail: ( Daniel 11:6 ) Berenice's brother Ptolemy III had succeeded to the Egyptian throne.He decided to avenge his sister's murder. He came with army and defeated the king of the North. And shall also carry captives into Egypt their gods, with their princes, and with their precious vessels of silver and of gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the north. So the king of the south shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land. (Daniel 11:8-9 ) But his sons shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and one shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through: then shall he return, and be stirred up, even to his fortress. ( Daniel 11:10 ) And the king of the south shall be moved with choler, and shall come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the north: and he shall set forth a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into his hand. ( Daniel 11:11 ) And when he hath taken away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up; and he shall cast down many ten thousands: but he shall not be strengthened by it. ( Daniel 11:12 ) For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches. ( Daniel 11:13 ) And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall.( Daniel 11:14 ) Many stood up against the king of the south . And the robbers of the children of Israel exalt themselves. And then they fell. Many in the nation of Israel were slain. The king of the south and the king of the north caused untold sufferings to the children of Israel. At the time of Daniel's , writing this was in the future, but now the prophesy was fulfilled. So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to withstand. But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed. (Daniel 11:15-16 ) The glorious land is Israel. The victory of Antiochus the Great over Egypt had caused Israel to suffer immeasurably. He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do: and he shall give him the daughter of women, corrupting her: but she shall not stand on his side, neither be for him. ( Daniel 11:17 ) In 198 B.C. Antiochus the Great made a treaty with Egypt. He gave his daughter Cleopatra to Ptolemy Epiphanes in marriage. After this shall he turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many: but a prince for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease; without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him. Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found. (Daniel 11:18-19: ) Antiochus the Great turn his face toward the west also . He defeated many. A prince for his own behalf refers to another kingdom , Rome . The Romans were beginning to rise in the west and move toward the east. The Romans stopped him. And he had to return to his own land. Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle. (Daniel 11:20 ) The Romans were very efficient tax collectors. The Romans built a tremendous kingdom by collecting taxes from the defeated people . And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. (Daniel 11:21 ) Antiochus Epiphanes is a vile person. He came to power in 175 B.C. Because of his blasphemies he is called a vile person. He was a deceiver and a flatterer. He was a type of antichrist. But he is not the Antichrist. And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant. And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time. (Daniel 11:22-24 ) The high priest was murdered by the deceitful Antiochus when he came to power. And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him. Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain. And both these kings' hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed. Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land. (Daniel 11:25-28 ) Antiochus did exploits. His victory over Egypt brought him much riches. At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter. For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant. (Daniel 11:29-30 ) Antiochus made a second attempt to defeat Egypt but he was not successful because the Roman ships were against him. And arms shall stand on his part, and> they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. (Daniel 11:31 ) In 170 B.C. Antiochus came against Jerusalem. Over a hundred thousand Jews were slain. He polluted the sanctuary of strength, and he took away the daily sacrifice, and he placed the abomination of idol that made desolate. And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. (Daniel 11:32 ) The people of God were strong. The people know their God and did exploits. And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days. Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. (Daniel 11:33-34 ) Many served God faithfully. And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed. (Daniel 11:35 ) We now move from history of that day of Antiochus Epiphanes into the future to the Antichrist. When Daniel gave this prophecy , all of this prophecy was in the future. Now some is history. Some is yet in the future. 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. (Daniel 11:36 ) This is the Antichrist. 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.(Daniel 11:37 ) 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. (Daniel 11:38 ) 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. (Daniel 11:39 ) 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. (Daniel 11:40 ) 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.(Daniel 11:41 ) He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. (Daniel 11:42 ) 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. (Daniel 1143: ) 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. (Daniel 11: 44) Armies from the east and from the north will trouble the Antichrist. Therefore the Antichrist shall go forth with a fury to destroy . There will be no hope for the world . Only God can save God's people. 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. (Daniel 11:45 ) The Antichrist shall come to his end. And none shall help him. He will be destroyed by the Lord Jesus Christ.

THE GREAT TRIBULATION

(DANIEL 12) Jesus used the same language in speaking of the Great Tribulation that Daniel uses here.(Matt 24:15-26) It is a time of trouble. There would never be a time like this before or afterward. And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. (Daniel 12:1 ) Michael is the great prince of God. Michael shall stand for the children of Israel. There shall be a time of trouble , such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time. This is the Great Tribulation spoken of by the Lord Jesus. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. (Daniel 12:2 ) And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. (Daniel 12:3 ) Many of then that sleep in the dust of the earth shall be awake. Some shall awake to everlasting life. These are the wise that shall shine as brightness of the firmament .They are wise that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. the foolish will awake to shame and everlasting contempt. But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. (Daniel 12:4 ) These prophecies are unsealed until the end of the time. Many shall run to and fro. And knowledge shall be increased. Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river. And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished. (Daniel 12:5-7 ) And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? (Daniel 12:8 ) And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. (Daniel 12:9 ) Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand. Many shall be purified, and made white. For God so loved the world that whosoever believes in him shall be saved. We are saved not by the works of righteousness which we have done but according to His mercy. The natural man receives not the things of the spirit of God ; for they are foolish unto him. Neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned (1 Cor 2:14). None of the wicked shall understand. The wise shall understand. How beit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come , he will guide you into all truth : for he shall not speak of himself ; but whatever he shall hear , that he speak ; and he will shew you things to come (John 16:13). And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. (Daniel 12:11 ) The Lord referred to this verse in Matthew 12:11. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel , stand in the holy place , (whoso readeth , let him understand). For 1290 days the idol of the beast remains in the temple. The idol of the beast will remain 30 days after the Antichrist has been cast into the lake of fire. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. (Daniel 12:12 ) But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.  (Daniel 12:13 ) Daniel is told that he would die. Go your way till the end be, for you shall rest. Daniel would not live to see the return of Christ. Daniel stands in his lot at the end of the days. Daniel will be raised from the dead at the beginning of the Millennium. Jesus is coming to establish His kingdom in this world. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:1-4). But this is that which was spoken by Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. And on my servants and my handmaidens I will pour out in those days my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath ; blood, and fire and vapour of smoke. The sun shall turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable day of the Lord come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved (Acts 2:16-21). Man is on the moon. And the wickedness of the man reaches the moon. Man kills man on the moon. And the moon turns into blood. And the sun turns dark before the great and notable day of the Lord come. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.(John 3:16) ........................ Title: DANIEL ISBN 13 9780921947461(html) ISBN 13 9780921947462(paperback) Publishing year 2015 Author : Anthony Ing Publisher : Good News Publishing