SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 1/9/2014 11:14 AM
My Worship Time Focus: The Time of Tribulation PT-3
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Daniel 11:40-45
Message of the verses: We continue looking at chapter eleven of Daniel and hope to finish this chapter in today’s SD.
Military Invasion (Daniel 11:40-43): “40 "At the end time the king of the South will collide with him, and the king of the North will storm against him with chariots, with horsemen and with many ships; and he will enter countries, overflow them and pass through. 41 “He will also enter the Beautiful Land, and many countries will fall; but these will be rescued out of his hand: Edom, Moab and the foremost of the sons of Ammon. 42 “Then he will stretch out his hand against other countries, and the land of Egypt will not escape. 43 "But he will gain control over the hidden treasures of gold and silver and over all the precious things of Egypt; and Libyans and Ethiopians will follow at his heels.”
First of all let me clear up some things from this passage to help us understand it a bit better. Daniel uses terms king of the North and King of the South earlier in this passage to mean Egypt and Syria, but this section of Scripture is speaking of the end times and so the countries will be different that the countries were in Daniel’s day and proceeding until the first coming of Christ. He also uses names of countries like Edom, Moab, and Ammon and we can be sure that these nations are not around today and we are closer to the end times than when this passage was written, so we believe that what Daniel is talking about here is the direction to which these nations were from Israel.
Now as for the battle that is spoken of here there is a difference of opinion as to who will be involved in this battle, but we know that Antichrist will be involved. Some believe that this battle is explained in Ezekiel chapters 38-39, but I have one problem with that and that is that Ezekiel writes that after the battle he describes happens is that God will destroy the countries involved who are trying to destroy Israel, and also that Israel will burn the weapons used against them for seven years. It also takes a very long time for the children of Israel to bury the dead of those whom God destroyed. Therefore I believe that this is another battle that will happen close to the end of the tribulation.
Armageddon (Daniel 11:44-45): “44 “But rumors from the East and from the North will disturb him, and he will go forth with great wrath to destroy and annihilate many. 45 “He will pitch the tents of his royal pavilion between the seas and the beautiful Holy Mountain; yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.”
Armageddon is mentioned different times in the Bible and I believe that there will be a war called Armageddon, and then the last battle that happens on earth before the return of Jesus Christ is called the Battle of Armageddon, and this is what is described in this passage. Dr. Wiersbe points out that the word Armageddon means “mountain of Megiddo.” I have been told that the place where this battle will take place is a perfect place for a battle and there have been other battles that took place here. Napoleon is the one who said that this place would be a perfect place for a battle, and so it will be.
The Return of Christ: (Last sub-point under this first main point). Dr. Wiersbe writes As the huge army from the east gets positioned to attack the forces of Antichrist in Israel, the sign of the returning Son of Man will appear in the heavens (Matthew 24:29-30), and the opposing armies will unite to fight Jesus Christ. But the Lord will descend from heaven with His armies, defeat both armies, and take captive Satan, Antichrist, and the false prophet and cast them into the lake of fire (Rev. 19:11-21; see also Zech. 12:1-9; 14:1-3). ‘He [Antichrist] shall come to his end, and no one shall help him’ Daniel (11:45).
“Daniel doesn’t reveal this truth, but the Prophet Zechariah promises that the nation of Israel will see their Messiah as He comes from heaven, recognize Him, repent of their sins, and trust Him, and the nation will be cleansed (Zech. 12:10-13:1). Jesus will stand on the Mount of Olives (14:4; Acts 1:11-12), ‘and the Lord shall be king over all the earth’ (Zech. 14:9) and will establish His glorious kingdom for a thousand years (Rev. 20:1-7).”
Spiritual meaning for my life today: It is a wonderful privilege to be able to worship God who knows and controls all things including the end times all the way to things that I do.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Trust the Lord to guide my path.
Answer to yesterday’s Bible Question: “Hezekiah” (2 Kings 20:8-11).
Today’s Bible Question: “Which state or tribe was known as the Southern kingdom?”
Answer in our next SD.
1/9/2014 11:51 AM
No comments:
Post a Comment