SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 1/7/2014 9:55 AM
My Worship Time Focus: The Time of Tribulation PT-1
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Daniel 11:36-39
Message of the verses: I have mentioned many times that I follow the outline that is in the commentaries that Dr. Warren Wiersbe writes commentaries that he has entitled his “Be” series. For the book of Daniel the name is “Be Resolute.” We begin the 12th chapter of his commentary which covers all the rest of the book of Daniel, but I believe that we will only finish the 11th chapter of Daniel along with the first verse in the 12th chapter, and then in the month of February I hope to finish up the book of Daniel.
Dr. Wiersbe begins his commentary on this section by writing “At Daniel 11:36, the prophecy shifts from Antiochus Epiphanes to the man he foreshadowed, the Antichrist, the last world dictator. We have moved to ‘the time of the end’ (v.35; see 12:4), when the following events are predicted to occur:
1. The rise of Antichrist—11:36-39.
2. The Tribulation—12:1.
3. War and invasions—11:40-43.
4. The battle of Armageddon—11:44-45a.
5. The return of Christ to defeat Antichrist—11:45b.
6. The resurrection of the dead—12:2.
7. The glorious kingdom—12:3.
Introduction to “The Time of Tribulation:” When we look at the events that we saw Daniel chapter nine we saw a prophecy of 70 weeks or actually 70 7’s which is how the Hebrew is translated and this adds up to 490 years. We studied where the prophecy began and then after 383 years where it temporarily ended, which was at the event we call “Palm Sunday.” The last seven years of this prophecy is what is called the tribulation period and it will begin with the signing of a peace treaty between the Antichrist and the nation of Israel which will give peace to them, probably, while they rebuild their temple which is called the “Tribulation Temple.” The tribulation will end with the return of Jesus Christ to planet earth to end the battle of Armageddon and to save planet earth from destruction. Christ will put the false prophet and the Antichrist along with Satan into the lake of fire where Satan will stay for 1000 years and then be let out for a short time for another battle. It will end very fast and he will then go back into the lake of fire where he will spend eternity.
The Rise of Antichrist (Daniel 11:36-39): “36 "Then the king will do as he pleases, and he will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will speak monstrous things against the God of gods; and he will prosper until the indignation is finished, for that which is decreed will be done. 37 “He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the desire of women, nor will he show regard for any other god; for he will magnify himself above them all. 38 “But instead he will honor a god of fortresses, a god whom his fathers did not know; he will honor him with gold, silver, costly stones and treasures. 39 “He will take action against the strongest of fortresses with the help of a foreign god; he will give great honor to those who acknowledge him and will cause them to rule over the many, and will parcel out land for a price.”
I want to begin with looking at the first seal judgment that is found in Revelations chapter six: “1 Then I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, "Come." 2 I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.” Notice that the person who is ridding this white horse has a bow, and a crown, but is not given any arrows, but the verse goes on to say that he went out conquering and to conquer. This is the Antichrist, and the people who are alive at that time of history will not realize who he is until he goes into the rebuilt Jewish Temple and says to the entire world that he is god and demands worship. From that point on Antichrist will be the awful man that is described in the Bible about him.
Jesus said in “Mt 16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” I have always thought of the Antichrist when reading this verse, for that is exactly what will happen to him, he will gain control of the whole world, but will give it up in exchange for his soul.
A former Pastor of mine, a man I had the greatest respect for said to me that he believes that the antichrist will be Jewish, and his reason is that the Jews would not trust him if he were not Jewish. I have to say that this is one of the few things that I disagreed with him, as I think that he will be a Gentile for the Jews have made covenants with Gentiles before. The antichrist will be an atheist, but as stated he will declare himself to be god.
Dr. Wiersbe concludes his commentary on this section by writing “Some have suggested that his rejection of ‘the desire of women’ indicates that he has a homosexual orientation. But the phrase ‘desire of women’ probably relates to Haggai 2:7, a title of the Messiah, for it was the desire of Jewish women to give birth to the promised Messiah. Not only will Antichrist reject all religion in general but he will oppose the Jewish religion in particular, especially the hope their Messiah will return and deliver them from their enemies. His god is the god of might and of military power. When the people of the world worship the man of sin, they are actually worshiping Satan, the one who empowers the Antichrist. Like Antiochus centuries before him, Antichrist will reward those who worship him and his manufactured god.”
I remember hearing a sermon by Erwin Lutizer, who is the Pastor of Moody Church in Chicago where he stated that Satan always has to have a person ready to move into the role of Antichrist because he does not know when the end times will come and Antichrist will be revealed. Some have though that Hitler was the Antichrist, and many others have supposed to be him, even our President, but when a leader from the ten nation confederacy from Europe signs a peace treaty with the nation of Israel then that will be Antichrist. My hope is the same hope of believers down through the ages and that is that Jesus Christ will return in the clouds to take me to be with Him, and everyone else who has placed their trust in Him.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: Because I don’t know when the Lord will return I want to be about His work that He has for me to do, for that is the most important thing that I can do. I am looking for the Uppertaker and not the Undertaker.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Trust that the Lord will care for my wife as she goes through a test early this afternoon. My prayer is that the test will show nothing wrong with her.
Answer to yesterday’s Bible Question: “Peter” (Mark 14:30).
Today’s Bible Question: “What was the place of Caleb’s inheritance?”
Answer our next SD.
1/7/2014 10:48 AM
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