hanks

Q3. (Isaiah 53:3) How can Jesus be the Man of Sorrows as well as the one who finds joy in His Father? How can we experience sorrow without it coming to dominate our lives? We often identify Jesus as a Man that was hated and rejected, thinking His life was often filled with sorrow and terrible suffering. People seldom treated Him with indifference; they either followed Him or plotted against Him. We know that He was misunderstood by some of His disciples and even His own human family. His earthly life was full of trouble, pain, rejection, humiliation, and even sorrow. Suggesting a state of deep remorse over the loss of someone loved. So, we might find it difficult to think of Jesus as a “Man of Sorrows” yet One who finds joy in His Father. I think this was only possible because the object of His joy was beyond this world. We must remember, it was our sorrows and our griefs that He bore; He Himself had no grief or sorrow of His own. He was supremely happy in His mission here upon earth - for the joy that was set before Him He endured the Cross (Heb. 12:2). In the same way, we will experience sorrow here on earth, and the only way we can live with it, is my focusing on our Lord Jesus. To live effectively, we must keep our eyes on Jesus. We will stumble if we look away from him to stare at ourselves or at the circumstances surrounding us. The object of our joy is beyond this world.

Q2. (Daniel 7:13-14) Since Jesus is the Son of Man in Daniel's prophecy, what implications does that have for your obedience, your worship, your estimation of Jesus' power and glory? This worldly dominion will ultimately be overthrown by the Kingdom of God, and then Jesus will have all power and glory. He will be the Divine-Human Messiah, our Saviour-King, one like the Son of Man, coming on the clouds, yet being Divine. Jesus called Himself the “Son of Man” often in an attempt to convince the Israelites that He was the one who had come to establish the Kingdom of God. But we see that His humanity was a stumbling block to many who had other ideas about who the Messiah would be. In His Kingdom, only believers who totally surrender to His will, will be tolerated. All people, nations, and languages, will serve Him, embrace his Gospel, submit to His commandments, and worship Him. Unbelievers will receive everlasting punishment. As my Lord and Saviour demands total obedience, and worship - I must be prepared for this obedience and loyalty. I must be more focused on His Second Coming, and become more heavenly-minded.

Q1. (Daniel 7:13-14) What attributes does the "one like a son of man" have in Daniel's prophecy? In what ways does this personage possess divine elements? What authority does He have? How do we know that Jesus identified Himself with this Son of Man in Daniel? In Daniel’s prophecy we read about God crowning Jesus King, and given Him all power and glory, so that all people of every nation and race would serve Him. He will rule forever, and His kingdom is eternal, never to be destroyed. Only a divine being given all that authority can possess all these attributes. In Matthew 26:63-64 we read that Jesus identified Himself with the Son of Man in Daniel, which is the way Daniel had seen the coming Redeemer. We also read in Matthew 24:30, about a sign will appear in the sky, and there will be the Son of Man. All nations on earth will weep when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Son of Man is also the name that Jesus used most often to refer to Himself. Referring to Himself as a person of exceptional authority and power. He made it clear that He was not acting on His own, but under the authority of God the Father.

Q4. (John 4:16; 1 Corinthians 1:24) How does Jesus' truth contrast with your culture's dearly held "truths"? How does Jesus' wisdom differ from the worldly wisdom that your culture teaches you? What would help you hold on to Jesus' truth and wisdom more effectively? We live in a world in which it is very often, hard to nail down the truth. Our materialistic culture tries to convince us that money and possessions are the essence of truth and the way to a good life. We even believe that learning and knowledge is the way to truth. In this world there is no such thing as absolute truth. When it comes to wisdom, we will find that only Jesus Christ has divine wisdom. Worldly wisdom is a poor substitute for the wisdom of that God promises to those that believe in Him as Saviour and Lord. As believers, our wisdom comes to us through the Holy Spirit, through the written Word. We only have to ask! “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him” (James 1:5).

Q3. (Revelation 3:14) Why is Jesus called the "true and faithful witness"? What did He witness to? How was He faithful in His witness? As a disciple, to what degree are you a "true and faithful witness" to the Word that your Rabbi has taught and has done in your life? What would it look like if you improved as a witness? Jesus is called the “true and faithful witness” because He is THE truth and THE faithful One to God’s Word. He is also a witness to God and His truth, and He can approve of nothing which the God of truth would not approve. The word of Jesus is the last word, the final word of God to man, and as believers we cannot depart from His Word. Therefore, the Lord Jesus can speak of Himself as the Amen (firmly established, faithful, trustworthy), the Faithful and True Witness, and the One who guarantees and fulfils the promises of God. Being the only person who was ever seen God the Father, He, therefore, knows God like no one has ever known Him. The witness that Jesus was witness to, grew out of this personal experience. He came into the world to show that His Father is a just and merciful God who relates to His people in love and grace. By dying on the Cross, Jesus showed just how much God the Father and God the Son love us. As believers, we are also told to give testimony about His love to others. Jesus called us to proclaim the Gospel throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations. Evil will always be with us until our Lord comes again. Come, Lord Jesus!

Q2. (John 1:1-3, 14) In what sense is Jesus the Word of God? Why do you think He is called this? Why does John call Him the Word of Life (1 John 1:1)? What does this say to us about the importance of hearing, meditating on, and internalizing Jesus' words? Just as our thoughts and purposes are made known through our spoken words; in the same way God’s thoughts and purposes were made known through the Word (our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ). He is called this because His words are His Father’s words, not His own. He is the exact expression of the mind and the thoughts of God. He is called the Word of life because He IS our life. With Him we can live each with joy in spite of the troubles that come our way. He is the very essence of the truly good life. As a believer we should, therefore, view all things in life with Jesus in mind. When we do this we glorify God and show our love for Him. The only record of the mind of Christ, divine viewpoint, is in the Scriptures, and it is only through learning the Word of God that we make His thoughts our thoughts. Personally, I love studying and meditating on the Beatitudes and the Sermon on the Mount.

Q1. What is your relationship to Jesus as your Rabbi? How often do you come to Him to teach you? How do you receive His teaching? How teachable do you think you are? To me, He is my Saviour, Redeemer, Deliverer, Shepherd, Teacher, and much, much more. As my Teacher, I trust Him with everything, after all He is my Creator. Being retired, I’m in the fortunate position of being able to spend so much valuable and precious time with Him. So I can truly say I have a very close relationship with my Saviour. I receive His teaching from the Word; through personal reading and Bible studies, like this one, and many others. By meditating on His Word we grow spiritually and with the help of the Holy Spirit we are often given deeper insights as to the true meaning, and application in our lives. In John 10:6-10, we see Jesus as a kind and patient Teacher. He was speaking to a crowd of ignorant and prejudiced Jews, yet He dealt kindly with them. In the same way Jesus has with infinite grace and love persevered with me, since being a late starter in my Christian walk there was much catching up to do. I feel that we only have to look at how Jesus taught the disciples, most where uneducated, yet He never tired and still persisted with them. It is this same way He will teach us if only we will listen to Him. Having The Teacher of teachers, I find myself very teachable. Thank You, Lord!

Q4. How did Jesus' disciples use His name when they healed and cast out demons? Do we have this kind of authority, or was it only for the apostles themselves? In what way does speaking or acting in Jesus' name demonstrate the concept of power of attorney? Why are we sometimes afraid to speak or act in Jesus' name? How might hearing His voice about a particular matter alleviate that fear? They spoke and acted with the authority of Jesus. Yes, as believers we have this same authority. Jesus has given us the power of attorney to act on His behalf. I am afraid of being ridiculed and therefore I am most cautious to speak or act in Jesus’ name, especially when it comes to healing. It reminds me of the false preachers/healers we see on so-called Christian TV. Where all these healings have been staged – giving our faith a bad name. Hearing His voice would of course alleviate this fear.

Q3. What does it mean when you pray "in Jesus' name"? Do you use the phrase "in Jesus' name" as you pray? Why or why not? How does praying "in Jesus' name" limit what we will pray for? Theoretically, there is no limit to what can happen when we pray “in the name of Jesus” – the name above all names. His name carries with it all the authority and power needed to confront the forces of evil and to perform the wonders we witness in the Gospels. Yes, I do pray in Jesus name, but mostly I acknowledge Him in most of my daily activities – asking for His advice and praising Him for what he has done in my life. Other times I converse with my Heavenly Father; again acknowledging who He is and also praising Him. Praying in Jesus’ name limits what we may pray for, since it only applies to prayers which are in accordance to His will; not for, for instance, a selfish motive. However, if we are obedient believers who delight in the Lord, He will plant the desires in our hearts for what glorifies Him (Psalm 37:4). These desires will then control our prayers, and His answers to these prayers will glorify Him.

Q2. In what ways does taking Jesus' name on ourselves, or identifying ourselves with Him, open us to shame and persecution? Have you seen examples of this in your own experience? What actions might show that a Christian is ashamed of Jesus? What actions might show that a Christian is unashamed of Jesus? The world hates Jesus, and of course this hatred applies to us as well, as followers of Jesus. The world loves those that live as they do. They speak the same language and indulge in the same lusts of the flesh. As Christians we expose their sinful behaviour by our righteous living. It is this that makes us open to abuse and persecution. Fortunately, I have not personally experienced any of this abuse. What I have found is just the opposite; knowing that I’m a Christian, people seem to trust me more, in certain areas of their life, rather than their worldly friends. But they will approach me discreetly, without any one knowing. Sad to say, some Christians are ashamed of Jesus. They hide this fact away from their friends – especially their work colleagues. They don’t talk openly about Jesus; perhaps being scared of being ridiculed, and not wanting to stick out from among the crowd. Boldly letting all know that we serve the risen Christ irrespective of the consequences. And, of course, willing to explain the Gospel to anyone who will listen. These are the actions needed to show that we are unashamed of Jesus. I find that this is the least we can do for our Saviour - remembering that He was humiliated, that He suffered and died on the Cross for our sins. However, we have to walk the talk; we must be living a righteous life, otherwise, our actions will label us hypocrites.

Q1. How is the meaning of Jesus' name linked to His mission? What is His mission? How did He fulfil this mission? How did He fulfil His mission in your life? Jesus’ name derives from the Hebrew “Joshua”, meaning “Yahweh saves” or “salvation is from Yahweh” (Matt 1:21). So His name is linked to His mission; His mission being to save us from sin. On our own we cannot save ourselves from sin and its consequences. No matter how hard we try or how good we are, no way can we eliminate the sinful nature present in all of us. Only Jesus can do that. He fulfilled His mission, to save us, by coming down to earth and dying on the Cross. God’s righteousness demands punishment for sin, so God in His infinite wisdom sent His Only Son to die and pay the penalty for our sin. By His sacrifice, Jesus’ own righteousness is imputed to us, and because Jesus has paid the price for our sins, they are all removed and justice is fully satisfied. We have been given heavenly citizenship, been justified and sanctified to spend eternity with our gracious Saviour. Jesus did not have to save us, but His sacrifice shows His infinite love, grace, and mercy towards us. I put my faith in Jesus as my Saviour, and He fulfilled His mission in my life by creating in me a new creation that is living in union with Him. Slowly, day by day, my old habits are chipped away and I become more and more like my Saviour. Jesus also demonstrated His divinity by His Resurrection, and because of His Resurrection, we know that He conquered death. This means that I too, will be raised from the dead to spend eternity with Him.

Q 6. (Daniel 12:10) In what way will intense persecution in the End Times lead to many being "purified, made spotless, and refined"? In what ways is the Church in our day in such need of this? How do you think we can prepare ourselves for this time? Intense persecution will lead people to seek relief and help. Perhaps turning to Scripture and ultimately turning to our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ. By reading and meditating on the Word they will be purified, made spotless, and refined. They will purify themselves by reading the cleansing word of God. They will act upon the word they have read and thus make themselves spotless. Resulting in them being refined – that is becoming better people. This is always true with the word of God, if only we could learn to act upon it. For believers, therefore, this time of persecution will be a time of refining. Our church needs to spend more time teaching us about our urgent need and purifying effect of the Cross. To lead us to being purified, made spotless, and refined. Ready for the End Times. There is an urgency in this, otherwise many will not be entering the narrow gate, and will be lost to eternity. However, those that choose not to heed this prophecy will continue in their wickedness. I think the wickedness that is referred to here is about those who see themselves as not needing God. The self-righteous and egocentric. In our day and age, unfortunately this seems to apply to the majority. We can only prepare ourselves by acknowledging Christ as our Saviour and placing ourselves at His mercy. A choice has to be made – will it be eternal life or eternal condemnation?

Q 5. (Daniel 12:5-7). How long will intense persecution last during the final tribulation? What will happen to God's people during this? Why do you think this difficult time is revealed to us people who don't like bad news? Intense persecution will last 31/2 years. The antichrist, who had made a covenant with Israel (Daniel 9:27), will rule for 7 years; the first 31/2 years will be a time of relative peace. As we read in Ezekiel 38:11, Israel will be “a land of unwalled villages, living without walls and without gates and bars”. However, the antichrist will break the covenant and he will set up his political and religious headquarters in Jerusalem, where he will reign as king and god. It is during this last period that Israel will experience intense persecution (Rev 13:5-7). This difficult time is to be a final warning to us all. We are to come humbly in obedience to our Lord, confessing our sins and acknowledging Him as our God and creator.

Q 4. (Daniel 12:3) What is the end of those who are wise and influential for God? What is their reward? How does God use your influence currently to advance His Kingdom? What would need to change so that you might have greater influence for Christ? The wise are those who fear the Lord (Psalm 111:10), and they are the ones who remain faithful until the end. Even throughout the persecution that will come during the End Times, they will continue to turn many to righteousness. Their sufferings of the present time will not be worth comparing with the glory which they will enjoy. Jesus has told us that faithfulness to Him on earth will lead to reward and ministry in the future kingdom; they will be more than compensated as they share in His glory (Romans 8:18). Their reward will be determined by how they lived and served the Lord, and will be given at the Judgment Seat of Christ. All will inherit the glory of God, but those who have gone the extra mile will shine like precious jewels in God’s treasury. Our Heavenly Father uses me in service at the local church as well as a prayer warrior. I have served the Lord in many capacities over the years, but I feel there is much more I could have done. I need to work harder with the Holy Spirit in bringing more to the Lord.

Q 3. (Daniel 12:2) What do we learn about resurrection? How does this compare with New Testament teaching? What is the future of the righteous who are raised? Why do you think the unjust will be raised also? With the overthrow of Antichrist our Lord will descend from heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:16). It is then when the events Daniel mentions in verse 2 will occur. The third day will be a resurrection day – all are going to rise. But, at the same time, it is also going to be a division day in which our Lord will divide us, as a shepherd divides His sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:32). All the dead will pass to one or the other destinies – some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are truly born again, and have put their faith in Christ will go to spend eternity in heaven with the Lord. They have obeyed Him, they abide in Him, and they walk in the light. Having put their trust in Jesus, their salvation is assured. All the elect that the Father gave to His Son will be raised to life in the resurrection – this is the eternal security we have. Damnation is because of the rejection of God’s Son. The New Testament passages show us that the resurrection to life will occur in stages with the church at the Rapture, and the Tribulation saints at our Lord’s Second Coming at the end of the Tribulation. Finally, those who will be condemned will be raised at the end of the Millennium (Revelation 20:11-15).

Q 2. (Daniel 12:1) What will happen during the great distress of God's people? In what ways does this time seem to conform to the "great tribulation" spoken of in the New Testament? In Revelation 12:7-10 we read that the archangel Michael fights against Satan and his demons. This happens when they are cast out of heaven and are confined to earth. It is this expulsion that produces this terrible time of great distress that Daniel mentions. Jesus states this in Matthew 24: 21: “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” Satan comes down to earth knowing that he has but a short time, and his wrath is terrible. This is all part of Satan’s strategy to try and prevent the return and reign of Christ.

Q 1. (Daniel 11:36-45) What do we learn about the character of this Antichrist figure? What seems to be his prime motivations? What does he have to do with the land of Israel? He is an enemy of God who emerges in the Tribulation period. He will proudly claim to be greater than any god, and will do as he pleases; magnifying himself and blaspheming our Lord. He will prosper and have power over the whole world, ruling with the backing of a military power. However, this power will be limited by God. His prime motivation is to rule the world in opposition to our Heavenly Father. He will be allowed to rule for a short time, for while in power, God will still be in control. His prime motivation is to rule the world in opposition to our Lord. The final battle between the forces of good and evil will take place near Megiddo, Israel. It is here where our Lord Jesus Christ will return to defeat His enemies and deliver His people.

Q 4. (Daniel 11) What does this rehearsal of prophecy and history teach you about the world rulers and geopolitics of our own time? How does the "big picture" inform us about the events of our day? Do you believe that God knows and cares about the details of your country's struggles and future? Are you praying for your country's leaders? This passage of Scripture teaches us that the ultimate power struggle is one that is being fought out in a realm of which we know nothing. It indicates that the events of human history are inextricably intertwined with events in heavenly places. Each world crises we face, is not only being fought out here on earth, but is actually reflections of the fight between our Heavenly Father and all the angelic hosts and the kingdom of darkness. Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920), a Dutch theologian, wrote: “If once the curtain was pulled back, and the spiritual world behind it came to view, it would expose to our spiritual vision a struggle so intense, so convulsive, sweeping everything within its range, that the fiercest battle ever fought on earth would seem, by comparison, a mere game. Not here, but up there - that is where the real conflict is waged. Our earthly struggle drones in its backlash.” Of course Christians are inevitably caught up in this spiritual conflict. However, there will be protection for us, as we are promised spiritual blessings “in the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). Yes, God knows and cares about our country’s struggles and future. And it up to us to pray earnestly for our leaders. It is our leaders that are fiercely attacked and need our prayers. Remembering that it is only the prayers of a righteous person that are effective.

Q 3. (Daniel 11) What is your general impression of Daniel's vision after reading the prophetic words matched by their historical fulfilment? What other Biblical prophecies can you think of that have been fulfilled so precisely? What does this teach you about God? It is only an omniscient God that can know future events as portrayed here. The same can be said about the prophecies concerning our Lord Jesus Christ. There are numerous fulfilled Messianic prophecies in the OT. I think specifically of the prophet Isaiah and his prophecies about our Saviour Jesus Christ. In Isaiah 7:14 where we are told about Jesus’ birth: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” Also, Isaiah 9:6: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” As well as the whole chapter of Isaiah 57; especially Isaiah 53:3-7 is very clear: “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.” Another one is Isaiah 50:6 which accurately describes the beating that Jesus endured: “I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.” As believers we should have no problem accepting the Word of prophecy (2 Peter 1:19-21) - the prophetic word is the shining light - the dismal or dark place is the world. What a Mighty God we serve!

Q2. (Daniel 10:12-13) Why wasn't the angel messenger able to bring his message in a timely manner? Who resisted him? Who helped him? What does this teach us about prayer? About spiritual warfare? Although the answer to Daniel’s prayer was sent immediately, Gabriel was prevented from getting the message to Daniel for three weeks by the demonic prince of the kingdom of Persia. This passage of Scripture reveals to us that there are not only great and good angels of God ready to help us, but there are also evil angels, fallen angels, demons, that are ready to oppose what God is doing. Gabriel and Michael were to look after God’s affairs for the Israel nation, and Satan had assigned a high-ranking demon over Persia. It was this demon who attacked Gabriel, preventing him from getting to Daniel. Eventually, Michael came to help Gabriel, and with this added power they were able to get the message through to Daniel. From this we are given insight to the nature of the warfare fought in the heavenlies between God’s angels and Satan’s demons. As Paul writes in Ephesians 6:12: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” This explains a lot about the evil that is happening in our world today; especially the killing and corruption that is going on in my country. There are invisible powers at work, controlling the minds and thoughts of men.

Q 1. (Daniel 10: 3, 7-11, 15-17) Daniel is old, but why does the vision affect him so greatly? What is the physical effect on him? What is the mental and spiritual effect on him? Why is spiritual "work" so taxing on us? This tremendous vision, had so emotionally gripped and overwhelmed Daniel, that it simply drained away all his physical strength. The prayer, the mourning, the fasting, and the waiting for three weeks, had all taken its toll of him. Many people, both in the OT and NT, were in awe and even expected to die when coming face to face with a holy being. We see this with Moses, Jacob, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Paul, John, and many others. In the same way Daniel must have been severely affected by these visits, and must have experienced the absolute frailty of man in the presence of the holiness and the greatness of God. On top of this he must have been overcome with anguish when he heard about Israel’s coming suffering. We read he was totally debilitated and gasping for breath. Prayer itself can be a tremendous drain both mentally and spiritually.

Q4. Why do you think Daniel's visions and prophecies have been an encouragement to Christians throughout the centuries when they are undergoing severe persecution? God answered Daniel’s prayer as soon as he had begun to pray. This tells me that God cares for His creatures, those that are obedient to Him, and He will never leave us or forsake us. We see God tying Himself to a definite timetable of events. The fact that in the vision He had told Daniel what was going to occur, and with such accuracy, shows that He is control. He determines the destiny of all. In this passage of Scripture, we see the ability of the Word to predict events far in the distant future. It pinpoints the exact moment in history when our Lord Jesus would present Himself to the Jewish people. And this more than five hundred years before the event took place! This can only be by Divine power. Knowing all this enables us to face any type of trials, ill-treatment or persecution.

Q3. (Daniel 9:24-27) Why do you think there are so many interpretations of Daniel's vision of the Seventy Sevens? What is your interpretation of the various key parts of the vision? This passage of Scripture is open to so many interpretations, either literal or symbolic. On top of this there is the decision about who the Anointed One is. The Anointed One is our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I find the following interpretation surprisingly accurate as far as my limited knowledge is concerned. In Nehemiah 2:4-5 we read that King Artaxerxes gave Nehemiah permission to rebuild Jerusalem. The king’s decree fulfilled the word of the Lord to Daniel (Dan 9:25). This decree was issued on the 4th March, 444 BC. Now the 69 weeks is equal to 483 (69x7) prophetic years. But Daniel’s message uses a 360-day prophetic year and not the 365 ½ -day solar year. If we now calculated the 483 x (360/365.5) we get 476 calendar years. Extending this from 5th March, 444 BC we get 30 March, 33 AD. The 69th week concluded on Monday 30th March 33 AD with the triumphant entry of our Lord into Jerusalem. Four days later on Friday 3rd April 33 AD Jesus Christ was ‘cut off’ (crucified). After the 69th week the Antichrist will come to destroy the city and the sanctuary (Dan 9:26). Finally, the antichrist will make a 7-year covenant, but will break it after 31/2 years (Dan 9:27). The time-span is the 70th week of the 70-week prophecy, which is still to come. It will all end with the fulfilment of the six listed objectives (Dan 9:24), and the destruction of the antichrist. To me the figures seem to add up.

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? Believers come from all sorts of backgrounds, cultures, ages, and with different stages of Spiritual maturity, that there will be the inevitable differences of opinion. We can, however, still have happy fellowship without agreeing on nonessentials. I feel that when it comes to fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith, there is no room for individual opinions. The Scriptures are the absolute truth and there is no room for manipulating it or trying to get it to fall in line with our thinking. There is a vast difference between God's wisdom and man's, and there is no use trying to reconcile them. Also, we must be careful in judging our fellow believers, and never do or say anything that will hinder their spiritual progress. There is a need to show humility, gentleness, and patience in dealing with a difficult Bible passages. Everything must be done in love, unfortunately pride and self-centeredness often comes in the way.

Q1. (Daniel 9:24) In what ways can we find in Jesus the fulfilment of the six tasks found in verse 24? Daniel had prayed that his people be forgiven their sins against the Lord, that the city of Jerusalem be rebuilt, and the temple restored – this vision is a direct response to Daniel’s prayer. Gabriel explained that by the end of the Seventy Sevens time period, Jesus would have accomplished six specific tasks for the Jewish people. To finish the transgression – limiting and controlling the transgression of the Jewish nation. To put an end to sin – to put an end to all Israel's sinful ways - especially the rejection of the Messiah. At the Second Coming of Jesus Christ there will be a remnant that will turn to Him in faith, and their sins will be forgiven. To atone for wickedness – Daniel knew that Israel was scattered because of her sin, and it was only by offering a sacrifice that there would be atonement for their sin. Our Saviour the Lord Jesus would provide this atonement for their sins. These three tasks all have to do with solving the problem of sin. Jesus died for every tribe and nation, but in a very special way, He died for His own people, the Jewish nation (John 11:51). The next three have to do with righteousness and the future kingdom of the Messiah. To bring in everlasting righteousness – this points to the Second Coming and the Millennium, when our Lord will reign in everlasting righteousness. To seal up vision and prophecy – with the coming of Jesus all predictions will be completed and there will be no need to predict future events. To anoint the most holy – refers to the sanctifying of the future temple in Jerusalem (Ezekiel 40-48). Ultimately, Israel's sins will be forgiven (Zechariah 12:10-13:1), the city of Jerusalem will be rebuilt, and the temple and its ministry will be restored, all because of the atoning death of Jesus Christ on the cross. When Jesus returns, He will establish His righteous kingdom (Jeremiah 23:5-6; 31:31-34) and rule in righteousness (Isaiah 4:2-6).