Commissioned

During the great distress of God's people everyone whose name is found written in the Book will be delivered from the greatest distress the world would have ever known. This seem to conform to the "great tribulation" spoken of in the New Testament as Revelation tells that there will be some who come out of great tribulation and they will be dresses in white, there garments washed in the blood f the Lamb.

The Antichrist will do as he pleases setting himself up as the one to be honored as god. His speech will be unheard of as he blasphemes the true God. He will continue to bribe his way into the heart of men by appearing successful and allowing earthly possessions; all along he spews out disregard for any but himself but will attract those who desire to be like him. His prime motivation will be to gain as much followers as he can and be declared as god. The final battle will be fought in Israel and the King of Kings will be the victor.

This rehearsal of prophecy and historical references teach us that the eventualities of our world rulers and the geopolitics of the world can be known and the behavior and outcomes can be influenced by our continual and intercessory praying for our nations. The end of the book tells us what to expect and we are witnesses to a great detail. That's God's grace. God loves and cares for His own; when we align ourselves with the plans He has for us we will bring Him glory as we participate in the big eternal plan for the whole universe, The Kingdom of God.

My impression of Daniel's vision after reading the prophetic words as they are historically fulfilled says that God has an eternal plan that embraces eternity to eternity, The visions that God allows is His generous gift to man so that we can get a glimpse of His sovereignty. God knows the end from the beginning and superintends over our affairs. We can have the greatest of confidence in that where He leads will bring us to a rich reward. The reward of sharing in His grandiose plan. Daniel's vision is God opening a slit in Daniel's present to give him a good gift, a gift of what will be to prepare His people for what is to come. God did the same when He gave the prophetic insight of the birth of Jesus, Our Savior and the Revelation of our rapture to meet Him and live with Him for eternity. God is a holy, loving, faithful, giver of good gifts and sands ready to share His plans with all who will enter His Presence.

Daniel is old and feels that he is too old and weak to be able to do anything to help his people. Physically he is effected because he is drained after receiving the vision. In my opinion God gives visions to those who have indeed given over body, soul and mind to the Spirit of God for service. In the case of an old man the act of preparation and spending time of consecration and fasting before God pulls on every natural strength. This is what Daniel experienced and what we feel when we spent our energy on staying in the presence of God.

Daniel's visions and prophecies have been an encouragement to Christians throughout the centuries when they are undergoing severe persecution because they are comforted by the fact the God cares for His people. He knows the pain of the persecution his people endure. And that persecution will not last forever. The Redeemer will end it all with his Second Coming. We have HOPE!!! It is that blessed hope that keeps us moving forward.

There are many interpretations to the vision because there are many minds with their own understanding of the vision. We must respect each other for their opinion while giving our own. Even though the Spirit of God illumines our understanding it is still filtered through our own personal lens. It is that understanding we share with others. My interpretation of the various key parts of the vision is as follows: In verse we find the key parts to the vision, it reads "Seventy 'sevens' are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up the vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy." We can find in Jesus the fulfillment of the six tasks found in verse 24: 1) “to finish transgression,“ Jesus came to bring an end to man’s sinning. His teachings were to lead man to live a righteous life. 2) “to put an end to sin,” Jesus came to destroy the work of the devil. To cut down the devil’s influence on man. His example after baptism is for us to know that we too can live above the devil’s temptation. 3) “to atone for wickedness,” Jesus came to “atone for” the sins of man. Our forgiveness is in His atonement. 4) “to bring in everlasting righteousness,” The everlasting righteousness is in our justification, as children of God. We are justified not because of anything we did but because Jesus’ death on the cross bought our cleansing from the unrighteousness of sin. 5) “to seal up the vision and prophecy,” the law and its sacrifices were only a "shadow" of the perfect and permanent sacrifice to come. Jesus came, fulfilling prophecy, and brought the final and perfect sacrifice for man’s justification. Heb. 10:5-7 (“That is why, when Christ came into the world, he said to God, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But you have given me a body to offer. You were not pleased with burnt offerings or other offerings for sin. Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God - as is written about me in the Scriptures.’”) 6) to anoint the most holy," Jesus, the Most Holy, was anointed from birth and is indeed the Messiah; Savior of the world.

Q2. (Daniel 9:24-27) Why do you think people fight with each other over the interpretation of difficult Bible passages? According to Romans 14:1-5, what should be our attitude towards those who disagree with us on the non-essentials of the faith? Sad, but it is true, people do have intellectual wars over the interpretation of Bible passages, whether it's difficult or not. In my opinion it is because we do do not respect the fact that everyone has his own opinion and gives an interpretation based on their understanding. According to Romans 14:1-5 our attitude towards those who disagree with us on the non-essentials of the faith is to accept them without passing judgment.

Verse 24 reads as follows: "Seventy 'sevens' are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up the vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy." We can find in Jesus the fulfillment of the six tasks found in verse 24: 1) “to finish transgression,“ Jesus came to bring an end to man’s sinning. His teachings were to lead man to live a righteous life. 2) “to put an end to sin,” Jesus came to destroy the work of the devil. To cut down the devil’s influence on man. His example after baptism is for us to know that we too can live above the devil’s temptation. 3) “to atone for wickedness,” Jesus came to “atone for” the sins of man. Our forgiveness is in His atonement. 4) “to bring in everlasting righteousness,” The everlasting righteousness is in our justification, as children of God. We are justified not because of anything we did but because Jesus’ death on the cross bought our cleansing from the unrighteousness of sin. 5) “to seal up the vision and prophecy,” the law and its sacrifices were only a "shadow" of the perfect and permanent sacrifice to come. Jesus came, fulfilling prophecy, and brought the final and perfect sacrifice for man’s justification. Heb. 10:5-7 (“That is why, when Christ came into the world, he said to God, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But you have given me a body to offer. You were not pleased with burnt offerings or other offerings for sin. Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God - as is written about me in the Scriptures.’”) 6) to anoint the most holy," Jesus, the Most Holy, was anointed from birth and is indeed the Messiah; Savior of the world.

Daniel prayed reminding God of how He had protected and carried the Children of Israel out of Egypt, through the Read Sea, through the wilderness and kept them up to the present day. He told Gd that the other nations are looking and are mindful of how God takes care of, and treats His children. God heard Daniel's prayer and answered Daniel's prayer -- both by the personal messenger of the Angel Gabriel (9:20-21) and historical events that unfolded.

Q3. (Daniel 9:5) Since Daniel is such a righteous man in his generation, why does he identify himself with the sins of his people? He didn’t commit these sins. How does this compare to how Jesus sought forgiveness for his people? As a righteous man interceding for his nation, Daniel didn't commit these sins, yet he owned the sins of the nation as his own and went before God. With a repentant heart he petition God on behalf of the nation. Jesus is our example, to carry the weight of the sins of the nations when we go before God seeking forgiveness.

Daniel entered into intercession he fasted and was in sackcloth and ashes, Daniel was in a state of deep remorse and repentance as he interceded on behalf of his people. This is important because when we go before God we must go boldly, yes, but humbly with out petitions, As we prepare for intercession we too should spend some time in fasting and bringing down every lofty and unholy pride that we may have.

Daniel is encouraged to seek God for the forgiveness and restoration of Israel to its homeland because he realizes that the fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecy is nearing an end. In just a few years the the desolation of Jerusalem would come to an end and the land would be ready for restoration. The land of the Babylonians will be destroyed. Daniel sees the fulfillment of the prophecy and desires for his people to be returned to their homeland. Daniel is led to pray this way because he is always concerned for others and especially the people of God.

The truth that “the saints of the Most High” will ultimately receive the kingdom and possess it forever (Daniel 7:18, 22, and 27) is most precious to God’s people because it is our inheritance and where we will live eternally. Though there may have been partial fulfillments, I expect the ultimate fulfillment when Christ comes for His Bride, the Church.

These verses describe “one like a son of man” coming on the clouds of heaven and every eye will behold Him. The “one like a son of man” appears glorious and with all power. He has received "all authority and and power", the same He has given to us. Jesus called Himself "the Son of Man" because though He is God, He came to earth through a virgin birth, and walked among man.

Q1. (Daniel 7:1-2) What is the relationship of the Ancient of Days (God) to the various beastly nations that rage against each other and against him and his people? What happens to these beast-nations? Why is it sometimes so difficult to believe that God is in charge of the world we live in? The relationship of the Ancient of Days (God) to the various beastly nations is that of a protector. God will faithfully protect us against the enemy. The beast-nation will eventually be destroyed and thrown into the lake of fire. It is sometimes hard for us to believe that God in charge of the world we live in because He has given man freedom to chose righteousness or unrighteousness; and truly time and again there is unrighteousness everywhere you turn.

Christians commonly act irreverently in ways that would offend God by deliberately sinning. I have changed my ways to conform to God’s holiness by daily, through His Holy Spirit, live in obedience to His Word.

Nebuchadnezzar’s confession tell us that God is faithful and He will pardon ll who sincerely come to Him in repentance. My testimony is that God has forgiven me of years of sinning and has accepted me as if I have never sinned. Praise the Lord!

Pride show itself in Nebuchadnezzar's life as he declared that it was by his strength that build the city. He said: ""Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?" (4:30) Pride can rear its ugly head in my life when I take credit for what God is doing through me. Pride can mask itself with humility by one saying, without sincerity, "Praise the Lord" when we are congratulated for doing something, considered to be great.

To demonstrate that he renounces and repents of his sins, Nebuchadnezzar must now acknowledge to himself and publicly that God is sovereign over all and he must also get down of his lofty throne and humble himself and become generous to the poor in his kingdom. We to must repent of our sins and publicly declare that Jesus Christ is Lord of our lives. As we live in the commandments of God we will follow His admonishment to be kind to the poor. This was indeed within Nebuchadnezzar’s ability to accomplish and with God's grace to provide for us, we too can be generous to the poor. God’s decrees be conditional when we repent of that which would otherwise bring judgment.

To “acknowledge that Heaven rules” is to submit to the sovereignty of God. This may be hard for a King to relinquish sovereign rule to another, especially One who is mightier that he. This is also hard for us, in that we sometimes like being seen to be in control of situations. So we sometimes deny, by our actions, that God is in charge of all when we fail to honor Him in all that we do.

I would not say that Daniel was afraid to interpret Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, but rather hesitant because he did not want to be brash and inconsiderate to the fate of Nebuchadnezzar. God had revealed to Daniel what lies ahead for the king and he chose to reveal the interpretation cautiously. We, sometimes, are placed in the same predicament; we know we must tell someone something that will cause them anxiety or pain so we do so with compassion.

What a great testimony! Daniel's being in a den with hungry, ferocious lions over night and to be found unharmed is an awesome testimony about the God he worships. If, in his response to the king, Daniel had focused on the injustice done to him he would have diverted the people away from the power of God to protect in the midst of any great harm to himself; putting in the minds of some that he had doubts that he would be protected against the lions. Daily God blesses me with good health, a place to call home, nourishment for my body and the freedom to worship Him. For these and others I give God praise!

Daniel's prayer practices are ones that we can adopt if we are not yet doing so. I have adopted most of Daniel's practices and I'd like to add praying toward Jerusalem and I pray for the Jews.

Verse four (4) tells us that Daniel's conduct in the affairs of government was one of integrity. The administrators and satraps had to try very hard to find something that they could use against him and still were unable to. They could find no corruption in Daniel, because he was trustworthy and an upright individual. The qualities showed that Daniel was the product of the commandments and laws of the God he served. My employer sees that I am indeed a trustworthy and upright servant of God.