Introduction:
The idea of a mystery in Scripture in never to be applied to truth as something vague or obscure, or so beyond the grasp of a Christian that it would free them from any and all obligations to embrace it, or any responsibility to receive it. A mystery denotes specifically and simply, a revealed secret!
The mysteries of God are in their own nature an ultimate fact beyond which man’s reasoning cannot go, or some discovery which our own reasoning could never attain. Yet a mystery according to the true meaning and importance of the original term, is not merely in its character incapable of explanation or discovery by our own investigation and reasoning, but in its character also as finally being understood only through God’s Holy Spirit, and only to be fully known and understood by a very privileged class of people: Christians, those who believe by faith and faith alone.
These secrets hid in God, then revealed to us by the prophets, were done so for the purpose of exalting God and to inspire us. They are to be applied to truth by supernatural communication, through and by the Holy Spirit. Secrets long hidden from man until the fulness of time when God clearly chooses to disclose them. In so doing, it stamps a revealed mystery with a special character on all who embrace it and invests in those who receive it, special insights.
Deuteronomy 29:29, “The secret things belong unto the LORD God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever,”
Paul writes, Ephesians 1:9, “Having made know unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he has purposed in himself.”
Ephesians 3:3-5, “How that by revelation he made know unto me the mystery; —- which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;”
The gospel according to its own profession, is a mystery, — “the mystery of Christ.” And for those who believe, all that is left for them to do with any and all newly revealed mysteries is embrace them with reverence as coming not from men, but from God. And we must be as were the Bereans.
Acts 17:11, “searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
Why Prophesy?
Prophesy makes up almost one third of the Bible, and the evidence of its fulfillment exalts above every creature, above every angel or mortal, the Lord Jesus. Prophesy wasn’t put into the Scriptures to entertain us, but to honor the LORD, and to prove the authority of Scripture. It gives to us the weapons we need to fight against the methods and arts of the devil; of his subordinates, and to oppose and counter the false teachings of the cults.
Without prophecy, history becomes a chronology of endless stories, dates and events, most having little meaning to us. Prophecy is meant to motivate and help reach the lost. It warns us to be watchful; to be faithful, and to trust in the Lord and his Holy Spirit. Prophesy has declared and continues to confirm with accuracy and precision what is, and what is to come.
Isaiah 42:9, “Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.”
The book of Daniel is the earliest example of end time revelation and disclosure, and stands at the head of the class of all prophetic books. From the outset, the book is the standard for all future commentators, and to all succeeding generations of prophetic writings. The eye and not the ear of Daniel was the organ by which visions and not words were revealed to him.
His exile to Babylon supplied the outward training and the inward necessity for this last form of teaching; and with the prophetic visions of Ezekiel we have the connecting link between the distinctive characteristic types of revelation.
A survey of Daniel 2 gives us a look at, and a description of empires, of kings, there conquests and defeats. Each empire has touched the people of Israel, their religion, their Temple and the great city, Jerusalem.
Part 1: Starting Point for Calculating Prophesy
After the great flood of Noah, in the year 2348 B.C., Nimrod, meaning “Rebel” the son of Cush would establish both Babylon and Assyria in the land of Shinar. Nimrod is said to have been, Genesis 10:9, “a mighty hunter before the LORD.”
The beginning of his kingdom was called Babel or Babylon. Nimrod would invade and conquer Assur, or Assyria east of the Tigris River, where he built Nineveh. The meaning of his name Nin, signifying, “a son,” the most celebrated of the sons of Cush. Here, Nimrod would establish his government, and introduce the Zabian idolatry, or worship of the heavenly host. After his death, he would be made a god by his subjects, then proclaimed to have been translated into the constellation of Orion. He may have been a mighty hunter of animals, but, a mighty persecutor in the sight of Jehovah God.
From that time forward, the two kingdoms of Assyria and Babylon would wage war against each other for control of the plains of Shinar, and the areas surrounding this territory. The Assyrians would eventually emerge victorious, taking control of the people in the region. Their rule would dominate the Chaldeans, the Medes and the people of Babylon.
From the Assyrian people, a man would arise, his name, Nabopolassar, who would become the first Babylonian king. After the death of the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal in 627 B.C., and lasting some 22 years, a new dynasty would emerge led by Nabopolassar, the father of Nebuchadnezzar His name meant, “favored or chosen of Nebu.” He ruled until 605 BC.
King Nebuchadnezzar is first mentioned during the destruction of Assyria that had been the arch-enemy of Babylon. At that time, he was crown-prince, meaning heir to the throne. With his allies, the ruler of the Medes and Persians, Nebuchadnezzar would lead his armies against the Assyrians and Egyptians who were led by Necho ll, who had been occupying Syria. Nebuchadnezzar defeated them at the Battle of Carchemish. Their defeat brought Syria and Phoenicia under the control of Babylon.
The LORD called Nebuchadnezzar, Jeremiah 25:9, “my servant.”
In the year 606 B.C., Daniel was taken captive to Babylon as a young man, most scholars believe he was about seventeen years old. Nebuchadnezzar rule began in 605 and ended in 562 B.C., some 42 or 43 years.
Jehoiakim the king of Judea reigned from 609 B.C. to 598 B.C. He was appointed king by Necho II of Egypt. When the Egyptians were defeated by the Babylonians at the battle of Carchemish in 605 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem, and Jehoiakim changed allegiances to avoid the destruction of Jerusalem. He paid tribute from the treasury in Jerusalem, some temple artifacts, and handed over some of the royal family and nobility as hostages.
Daniel 1:2, “And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his (Nebuchadnezzar’s) hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his (Nebuchadnezzar’s) god.”
Now we need to establish a correct timeline for the rest of the story. The prophesy of empires begins in Daniel 2, they symbolized by an image of man having a head of gold. The image is said to have been, “terrible,” meaning awesome!
The LORD gave the king this dream in the second year of his reign, 603 B.C. Daniel was sent for by the king to interpret the dream.
The first kingdom whose head was of gold.
Daniel 2:32, “The image’s head was of fine gold.” Verse 37, Daniel said, “Thou, O King are a king of kings: for the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.” Verse 38, “Thou (King Nebuchadnezzar) are this head of gold.”
Now let’s fast forward three years to the year 598 B.C., when the king with his armies comes back to Jerusalem; where he carries away the sacred vessels of the temple and brings them back to the land of Shinar, putting them in the house of his god.
Read closely the following in order to get a good insight of what happened when Nebuchadnezzar entered Jerusalem in 598 B.C.
2 Kings 24:13-14, “And he (Nebuchadnezzar) carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had said. And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valor, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths: none remained, saved the poorest sort of the people of the land.”
2 Kings 25:14, “And the pots and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they (the priests) ministered, took they away. And the firepans, and the bowls, and such things as were of gold, in gold and of silver, in silver, the captain of the guard took away.” He even took the brass pillars, verses 16-17.
From 598 B.C. until this day, we read or hear nothing more concerning the Ark of the Covenant, the Mercy Seat, the Urim and Thummim, as well as other sacred vessels of the Temple.
In 598 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar moves on Jerusalem with his armies and besieges Jerusalem, destroying the Temple, thus ending the kingdom of Judah.
How sacred were these Temple vessels to the LORD God? So much so, that when king Belshazzar used these sacred vessels to throw a party for his friends, that very night, the LORD took away his kingdom and Belshazzar had to forfeit his life. That day was September 27th of 539 B.C.
So, here’s the question, “Could the Jews, from the year 598 B.C., when everything made of brass, silver and gold were removed from the temple, some cut to pieces and others carried off: have any sacrifice whatsoever that would be pleasing to God?
Two questions need to be answered, what was the “brazen altar?” and what was the “daily sacrifice?” We will cover the “daily sacrifice” later.
Remember, the Brazen altar, the vessels, pans and shovels were all either overlaid with, or made of brass.
When a person entered the court of the tabernacle, what they would see was the brazen altar. It was there to remind the priests and the people, they were not to approach God without first offering a blood sacrifice for their sins.
How did the LORD tell Moses to build this Brazen altar?
Exodus 27:1-8, “Thou shall make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad (about 7.5 feet by 7.5 feet): the altar shall be foursquare: and height thereof shall be three cubits (about 4.5 feet). —- make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof: his horns shall be of the same: and thou shalt overlay it with brass.”
Also, Moses was to make pans to receive the ashes, shovels, basins, flesh-hooks, firepans grate, four brazen rings on the four corners, all made of brass.
The altar measured seven and a half feet on each side by four and a half feet high, made of bronze. The LORD also ordered,
Leviticus 6:13, “The fire (in the altar) shall forever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.”
The LORD said in Exodus 29:42-43 concerning the fire of the brazen altar, “This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD; where I will meet you, to speak there unto you. And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory.”
The word continual concerning the fire in the altar means perpetual, always, forever, never to be extinguished.
Also take note, the altar of incense, inside the holy place in the tabernacle, was overlaid with precious gold.
We are told in II Kings, (see above) all the vessels and whatever was made of brass or covered with brass were cut up and carried off to Babylon, the year, 598 B.C.
Conclusion; without the brazen alter and all its implements, there could be no morning or evening burnt offering made unto the LORD. And without the brazen altar, the fire would have been extinguished. So, the question in Daniel 12: 6 concerning the daily sacrifice,
“How long,” can now be answered; it’s the year 598 B.C. when,
2 Kings 25:14, “the pots and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they (the priests) ministered, took they away. And the firepans, and the bowls, and such things as were of gold, in gold and of silver, in silver, the captain of the guard took away.” He even took the brass pillars, verses 16-17.
Review: we are told, whatever was made of gold, silver and brass in the Temple was carried off to Babylon. Also, without the ark and the Mercy Seat in the Holy of Holies, both having been over-laid with gold, there was no place for the LORD to present himself to the high priest even if offerings were made.
Conclusion, without the Ark of the Covenant, without the Mercy Seat made of gold overlay, without the altar of incense, and without the brazen altar and its eternal fire, no daily sacrifices or yearly offering could be made unto the LORD; this began in the year 598 B.C.
This leads us to,
Daniel 12:11, “And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that makes desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.” Days, obviously mean years. We will cover what the daily sacrifice was and the abomination of desolation that has been set up and the numbers given in Daniel 12:11-12., in my next post.
After the year 598 B.C., what remained of the Holy of Holies was an empty stone room. So, we must conclude that this was the year when the people of Israel began their longest day of darkness, and that day of darkness continues to this day and will not end until the “Light of the world,” the “Sun of Righteousness” returns to once more shine upon his people, the Jews.
Phillip LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com
Part 2: Date Setting
Is it foolish to set dates? I say yes if one uses astrology; tails of comets; solar eclipses, Pyramidology; Y2K countdowns; or any other non-scriptural method. Yes! Makeshift date setting for the Lord’s return has been going on for over 1900 years, and especially now because most Christians believe we are living in the last days. It’s a money maker for many!
Based on Matthew 24:36 “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only,” many Christians teach that we can never know the timing of end time events.
In this article, and in subsequent articles of this series, I hope to prove to you that never being able to know the timing of end time events is not an accurate interpretation of the above verse.
My understanding is, everything spins off of the following verse. Jesus is speaking concerning the events that will occur before his return at the end of the 7 years of tribulation.
Matthew 24:34, He speaks of a future generation saying, “This generation (that witnesses all that he spoke of) shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.”
Let’s begin with Ezekiel who wrote some 2600 years ago,
Ezekiel 37:21 (the LORD is speaking) “behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen (gentile nations), whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:” This prophesy was fulfilled on May 14, 1948.
Also written some 2600 years ago, we read in Zechariah 12:2 (again the LORD is speaking) “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling (drunkenness) unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem.” Until 1948, Jerusalem was a city mostly of emptiness, slightly populated, having little to offer economically. Today, however, Jerusalem is thriving because of the Jews.
Today, Jerusalem is on the minds and lips of nearly every leader of every nation on earth, and has become as a burdensome stone, especially to those in the United Nations.
Islam held Jerusalem for 1000 years and let it turn to rubble, yet now, because the Jews have returned to the land, and because of Islam’s hatred and jealously for the Jews, the Muslims are willing to strap bombs around the waists of their family members to gain the city back.
God prophesied that the last days would be like the days of Noah before the flood, Genesis 6:5, “God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”
In recent years, men like Jim Jones, David Koresh, Louis Farrakhan and many other religious leaders have and continue to claim, “We are the Christ!” They do not claim to be Allah, or Mohamed, or Buddha; but only claim to be Christ, just as Jesus prophesied.
Matthew 24:5, Jesus said, “For many will come in my name, saying; I am Christ; and shall deceive many.”
The major industrial nations are making ready to enter into a cashless society; with it, technology is moving ahead at lighting speed. Computer science is exploding; Islam is on the rise; people are leaving their places of birth and migrating from nation to nation by the millions.
There are many denominations of Christian churches and hundreds of various Bibles on the market, all of which are dividing and weakening the Christian community. Also, it’s only in this age we live that the prophesy found in Zachariah can be fulfill,
Scriptures speak of a falling away from The Word.
2 Thessalonians 2:3, “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.”
The internet has made pornography an industry of gigantic proportions, costing business 17 billion dollar annually in their work place environment. It is estimated every second, 28,000 users watch porn on the internet, 37 porn videos are created every day; 2.5 billion emails containing porn are sent daily; 116,000 inquires related to child porn are received daily, and 200,000 Americans are classified as “porn addicts.”
Today, visitors go to shrines around the world to worship false gods by the millions, and in the Christian community, shrines of the saints, especially Mary, are flooded with tens of thousands of visitors annually. The teachings of Jesus Christ are being tossed from every political venue, from our public education systems, from our courts, our justices and even from many so-called Christian churches.
Jeremy Myers wrote, “Be warned: There are many out there who will want to set dates and declare that they know when Jesus will return. Don’t believe them! They don’t know! Not even the angels know. People who set dates are usually trying to manipulate you into following their ministry, supporting them financially, or accepting them as some sort of authority in your life. Don’t get sucked in!”
I can buy into some of his comments. But, because men like Taze Russel, the founder of the Jehovah Witnesses; and cult leaders like Marshall Applegate have made false predictions based on pyramids and comets, there’s no need to reject honest research.
Then we have those who publish books concerning the subject, men like Jack Van Impe, Hal Lindsey, John Walvoord, Roy Zuck and hundreds of others who have produced a mountain of books expounding on the subject, some good; some not so good. But let me say this, for the most part, they have made every attempt to be scripturally correct.
Dishonest, or poorly studied date setting has, and is deterring others from studying end time prophesy. In today’s Christian environment, it appears if anyone, and I mean anyone who attempts to establish a day and hour, or even the month or year of the Lord’s return, they are called on the carpet, and accused of being a false teacher, date setters, or even a follower of false spirits.
Now, my Bible teaches that we are to search the scriptures as one who would search for any hidden treasures. Nowhere can I find limits on what is to be studied, but all that is written is to be studied. I am of the understanding that there have been things hid in scripture that will be revealed in their own time. Example, the death burial and resurrection of Jesus though written about hundreds of years before his birth, had been hidden from the understanding of the priests of his day, the Jewish people, and even his own apostles up to the day he went to the cross, and even after his resurrection. Now fast forward 1900 + years.
The day, month and year of Israel becoming a nation is known today, May 14, 1948. With this added information, we can better determine the generation that will witness all the events of Matthew 24. When I speak of the return of Jesus Christ, I’m speaking of the very day the 7 years of tribulation is over, and the 1st day He begins to establish His kingdom.
My arguments against the verse that, “No man knows, not the angels or the Son, but the Father only,” are many.
When asked the question, “When shall be — the end of the age?” Jesus was yet to go to the cross, leaving the door open for the Jews to yet receive Him as their Messiah. And if they had, he would have immediately establishing His kingdom. God left the Jews the freedom to make the right choice right up to the last minute.
Also, Jesus had not yet risen in the power of the resurrection; the Holy Spirit had not been sent; Jesus had not been gloried by the Father with the glory he had before the foundation of the earth. The Gentile Church established by Paul lay some 5 to 7 years in the future.
I believe these are only a few of the reasons why Jesus answered their questions the way he had.
Before the cross, Jesus prayed, John 17:5, “O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”
Those who say, “lay off setting any date concerning Jesus return because it is written, “not even the Son knows” these same people claim Jesus is God the Creator, who is all knowing. Hmmmm! Sounds like some sort of hypocrisy to me. Jesus is Jehovah, the Almighty, or He isn’t! No one can have it both ways.
Also, my Bible tells us this information is in the hands of the Father alone. I cannot find anywhere in scripture that tells me the Father does not have it in his power to reveal this information to his Son, the angels, or whomever he pleases and whenever he pleases.
When the Holy Spirit was sent, he was sent by both the Father, John 15:26, and by the Son, John 16:7. John also writes, when the Holy Spirit does come,
John 16:13, “He (Holy Spirit) will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.”
We must keep in mind all this took place after Jesus spoke the words of “no man knows —.”
We all have to ask ourselves, is the Holy Spirit still working with Christians? The answer is, “Yes!” And because He is, is it not possible that certain people are only now being informed of this one last hidden mystery, of WHEN? God warned Noah 120 years before the flood came, but everyone scoffed, and all but 8 died. Hmmm, sounds like the Christian community today, scoffing at anyone who brings up the subject.
On July 7, 2016, in Kentucky, there was built a very large representation of Noah’s ark. It was built to scale according to Genesis 6. It’s 510 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 51 feet high. The Lord told us about those who believe not; they always require a sign. Now think about this, after 4600 years, no-one ever attempted to begin and finish a project like the one in Kentucky. Was this project put into the heads of those who built this ark? Was the Lord sending message to every doubter and every skeptic. I don’t know, but to me it’s quite a coincidence.
In conclusion, many say that date setting is wrong, because of the misinterpretation of Matthew 24:36. This verse is used by many to say we can never know the timning of end time events. However, because the verse was given to His apostles prior to the death and resurrection and ascension of Jesus, and because God has now given His Holy Spirit to His children, we can, using prophecies and historical markers/events which have fulfilled these prophecies, know with a high degree of confidence that 2019 is an important milestone in God’s timetable.
Phillip LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com
2027 A.D., Part 3:
Let me begin with the following; I am not intending to set a specific time for the Lord’s return. By return, I mean when he comes to destroy His enemies and then establish His kingdom, i.e. Jesus’ second coming. There is nothing in scripture that points to the time of the “catching away” or rapture of the church. My purpose is to share any and all information with those who study end time prophesy. If nothing else, you may gain some insight that you may have overlooked. So, be cool, try not read into my comments what isn’t there.
Let’s begin in Daniel 8:
Daniel was written between 605 and 536 B.C. He remained in Babylonian and Medo-Persian captivity for some 70 years. And in that time the LORD had sent Daniel visions concerning the future of nations. After his final vision, Daniel was told,
- Daniel 8:26, to shut up the vision that was given him because they were yet far into the future.
- Daniel 12:4, again, Daniel is told to shut up the words and to seal the book, “Even (until) the time of the end.”
- Daniel 12:9, again, Daniel is told to go his way because the words are closed up and sealed “Until the time of the end.”
- Furthermore, we read in Ezekiel 12:27, “The vision that he sees are for many days (years), and he prophesy of the times that were still far off;” “far off,” in the future.
Now, what conclusions can we draw from the fact that he was given these visions, then told to close up, and to seal the book? There are 3 possibilities that may be considered:
- That the visions and words are to be sealed for all time, never to be revealed.
- Or they will be revealed after they have happened, making them of no value to anyone.
- Or, they will be revealed just before the tribulation begins, making them prophesies revealed, and in so doing, glorifying God.
Almost 700 years after Daniel, in the year 96 or 97 A.D., the Apostle John received the Revelation of Jesus Christ which the Father gave him.
Revelation 1:1, tells us of things to come, and verse 3, “Blessed is he that reads and they that hear the words of this prophecy,” Also in,
Revelation 22:10, John is told, “Seal NOT the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.”
What?! That seems to be contrary to what Ezekiel and Daniel were told, so, what’s the story on that?
By the time John received these revelations, many events had come to pass between Daniel’s time and John’s. The Messiah had already come, fulfilling many Old Testament prophecies concerning His coming and death. He had kept, and fulfilled the whole of the law; he had been crucified as a Lamb without a spot, or with the blemish of sin; He was buried, raised from the dead, received up into heaven, sat at the right hand of the Father. He had been glorified by His Father, crowned King of the Jews, and became the head of the body of believers, the church, both of believing Jews and Gentiles.
After Jesus ascension, the Holy Spirit was sent, and the church took root. After the Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D., both Jewish and Gentile believers were scattered throughout the then known world, to teach and to preach the gospel of Christ.
In the following, I have placed (parenthesis) around added words in some verses to clarify the who’s, what’s and where’s. Let’s begin with,
Daniel 8:19. Daniel is told by the angel Gabriel, “I will make you know what shall be in the last end (latter times) of the indignation (the wrath of God): for at the time appointed (by God) the end shall be (meaning, when the time of the end has come).”
Daniel 8:19 begins with, “I will make you know what shall be in the last end of the indignation,” this speaks of God’s wrath. Verse 19 begins with a statement that re-emphasized, more fully the angel’s first words in verse 17, that being, the vision concerning things that are to take place in “the last days.”
Gabriel is going to reveal to Daniel what was to come. It concerns empires, military leaders, kings, and historical events right up to the time of the Lord’s return to destroy his enemies: still future! And because many of the prophesies written in Daniel have come to pass, we can develop our timeline. Also, because we are speaking of prophesy, they have to be revealed before the end comes, otherwise it’s not prophesy, and God could, and would not be glorified?
From verse 19, we can gather that the LORD was still angry with the Jews, and that more calamities were yet to befall this people. We are told there has been a “time appointed,” meaning there’s been a specified period of time set by God concerning His wrath, that length of time, 7 years.
Let’s go back to Daniel 8:3-10 and examine the context of these verses so we can establish the length of time in years these prophesies are to continue. Gabriel reveals to Daniel that two nations symbolized by a ram having two horns, meaning the Medes and Persians are going to come to power after Babylon falls.
This came to pass when the Babylonians were defeated by the Medes and Persian on October 12, 539 B.C. Belshazzar would also be the last king of Babylon. As mentioned in Daniel chapter 5, Belshazzar is the king who held a banquet for his guest using the sacred vessels of gold and silver that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the Temple in Jerusalem in the year 598 B.C. Belshazzar sees the finger of God write on the wall of the palace, words of his demise. That very night his kingdom was taken, and his life forfeited. The Babylonian empire lasted for some 260 years.
But the ram having two horns would one day be defeated by a rough goat having a great horn between his eyes; that goat represented Alexander the Great, King of Grecia (Greece). Alexander defeated the Persians is several battles, one in Anatolia in November of 333 B.C., another at Gaugamela in 331 B.C. He would enter the Imperial city of Ecbatana in Northern Iraq in June of 330 B.C., and after many more battles and conquering much more land. Alexander died in 323 B.C.
The angel Gabriel goes on to tell Daniel that the goat’s horn will be broken, meaning Alexander would die an untimely death. But following him would be, as stated in verse 22, “four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his (Alexander’s) power.”
After the death of Alexander, four of his generals would rise to power and divide Alexander’s conquests among themselves. The four generals were Seleucus: Lysimacus; Cassander and Ptolemy. Of the four, two would rise up; Seleucus who would rule the Northern part of the empire from Syria, and Ptolemy who would rule the Southern part of the kingdom from Egypt.
Caught between the powers of the Northern and Southern kingdoms was the Promised Land, and the Jewish people. And over the centuries, the vice over the Jews would tighten, slowly squeezing the life out of them. However, by God’s mercy all Israel shall be saved.
When we get to Daniel 8:23, Daniel’s writing jumps ahead many centuries to the appointed last days, when the antichrist shall be revealed; obviously this is still future. This would be the time before the 7 years of tribulation begins. These verses also speak of future events concerning the last 3 ½ years called the Great Tribulation, also called the “time of Jacob’s trouble,”
It appears this antichrist will be of Assyrian blood, the same bloodline as Nebuchadnezzar’s Father and of Nebuchadnezzar himself, who were both Assyrians. It also appears he may be a Muslim, a worshipper of Allah who will establish his place on God’s holy mountain, Mt. Moriah where the Dome of the Rock (the abomination of desolation) now sits, and where Solomon’s Temple, God’s house stood, and will again stand.
Daniel 11:38, “But in his (antichrist) estate (place) shall he honor the God of forces: and a god whom his father’s knew not–.” Many of the Arab Muslims are of the blood of Abraham their father, through Esau and Ishmael. Also, before Mohamed, many Arabs practiced the Christian faith.
Verses 23-24-25 describe this man of sin, his personality, his works, power and words. He will be deceitful, “he shall magnify himself above the Lord Jesus, and by peace, meaning prosperity cause the world to follow after him, and to worship him.
Daniel NEVER writes concerning the church or the church age, only that which concerns the four Gentile empires of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2 which concern their kings, and empires, each having touched the Jewish people and Israel.
Gabriel’s words to Daniel concern these topics: the coming antichrist, the power behind him, and the coming wrath of God upon the Jews; the Gentiles; the antichrist, and the devil. This man of sin will NOT be assassinated, nor will he be killed in battle, but will fall into the hands of the living God.
In Daniel 8:26, he is told, “the vision of the evening and the morning” “shall be for many days.” Note, evening and morning are singular, but yet it is written to indicate that they are referring to times far into the future, seeming to cover many centuries. From the time of this prophesy, some 2600 years have passed, yet they are referred to as one evening and one morning. There is an answer to this dilemma, it’s found in the word “days,” verse 14.
First note, evening is mentioned before the morning, and this is important.
Verse 26, “And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut (seal) thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days” (meaning years).”
Now, from the context of what has been written in Daniel 8, beginning with Babylon’s defeat, the Medes and Persians, Alexander, Seleucus: Lysimacus; Cassander and Ptolemy, until the end when Christ returns, days have to be reckoned as years? Here’s my reasoning.
Daniel 8:23, reveals how many years, 2300 that one long day of darkness shall be; one day of darkness that will have covered the Jews and the land and has continue for many centuries, until,
Numbers 24:17, “I shall see him (Jesus), but not now: I shall behold him, but not now: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel.”
Revelation 22:16, Jesus said, “I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.” Jesus Christ is the Light of the world.”
How long is that one night of darkness? Answer “two thousand and three hundred years!”
Daniel 8:22 ends with the defeat of Alexander, followed by his four generals, and from the four, Daniel 8:9 tells us, out of the 4 horns or (4 generals of Alexander) would come from one of the four, a “little horn, which waxed exceeding great.”
This little horn has to be King Seleucus’s family line beginning with his son Antiochus I. This period of the Seleucid Empire began in September of 281 B.C. when the king was murdered. The kingdom would be given over to Antiochus I, and then to his son after; a family that grew (as the Bible would say “waxed great”) in strength and power until they were pushed back by the Romans to the original borders of Greece, about 68 A.D. This dynasty lasted for some 200 + years.
Over a hundred years after Seleucus died, Antiochus IV, would defeat the great grandson of Ptolemy. He would then move on Israel, kill thousands of Jews, overturn their religion and desecrate their temple. This man Antiochus IV is perceived as a TYPE of antichrist, which is to come.
But, let me add this little side note, it concerns the Emperor Hadrian of Rome: born 76 A.D. died 138 A.D. at the age of 62. He ruled 21 years from 117 A.D. until his death. If I were to pick a man who hated the Jews as much as if not more than Antiochus IV, except for Adolph Hitler, it would be Hadrian.
Hadrian would rename Jerusalem, Aelia Capitolina after himself, and changed the name of Judea to Palaestina in an attempt to erase the Jew’s past and any ties the Jewish people had to the city and the region. Hadrian’s actions would trigger the Jewish uprising.
In a cave in the Judean desert, around the area of the Dead Sea, scrolls, documents, sandals, jewelry, and coins left nearly 1800 years ago have recently been uncovered. In what is known as the Cave of Letters, the ruins of a Roman army camp, dozens of iron house keys that had been taken by the Romans were found. Romans in the time of Hadrian had been stationed there. These are they that were probably the ones that destroyed Jerusalem and killed all the Jews who fled into the desert.
The people of Jerusalem had locked their houses and sought refuge in the desert, hiding in the caves above the Dead Sea until it would be safe to go back home; but they never did return.
Roman soldiers, and extra legions were sent for, then spent four years suppressing the Jewish revolt. The war was devastating, their legions destroyed 50 fortresses, 985 settlements, and killed 580,000 Jewish fighters.
Uncounted are the innumerable number of people who died of starvation and illness. And with this tragedy, nearly the whole of Judea had been made desolate. This was reported by the historian Cassius Dio.
So, if I were to pick a type of antichrist concerning ancient times it would be Emperor Hadrian of Rome and not Antiochus IV, although Antiochus was a barbarian at best. But in my estimation, both are dwarfed by Adolph Hitler attempt to exterminate every Jew on the planet. It is estimated he had murdered half of the world’s Jewish population, some 6 million; and except for the hand of the LORD stopping him, he would have succeeded.
Now let’s compare Daniel 8:26 with Daniel 12:4; then we will move on to Daniel 12:8-9:
In Daniel 12:4, Daniel is told, “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.”
What does the phrase, “to run to and fro” mean? The Hebrew here in Daniel for “run” is used as a metaphor meaning to run through a book, as in to examine it thoroughly, “to search the scriptures diligently,” only then, or at that time, will the rest of verse 4 be fulfilled, “knowledge will be increased.”
The mysteries Daniel was being told were the many secrets hidden in God, secrets only to be understood in the latter days through His Holy Spirit.
Amos was written between 767 and 740 B.C., and also speak of the distant future. Compare,
Amos 8:11-12, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land (Israel), not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD.” —- “they (the Jews) shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.” And to this day, the Jews remain in that one day of darkness.
Now, today, the year is 2022 A.D., the Christian community more than any time in history is searching through the scriptures, every prophesy being put under a microscope.
Daniel 8:13, the question, “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?”
The question in verse 13 concerning “how long?” is answered, in verse 14, “2300 days” meaning 2300 years. We need to first consider the context before we attempt to answer the question.
Daniel 8:9 puts us at the time when one of the 4 notable horns (King Seleucid) was murdered and when his son Antiochus Ist, “the little horn that to grow in strength and power. But Antiochus 1st was a friend of Israel. took the throne of the Grecian empire 9/281 B.C. It tells us this family would, over the next two centuries become strong, spreading its authority and displaying its power South, East and toward Israel.
“How long?” Answer, Daniel 8:14, “Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” Cleansed meaning the Holy of Holies will be made ready for the Lord Jesus to take His place on His throne in Jerusalem atop Mount Moriah.
One of the keys for understanding this prophesy is to get the full impact of the word “days” in verse 14. The whole period of time concerning Nebuchadnezzar’s image in Daniel 2, cannot be measured in days, but has to be measured in years. From 603 B.C., when the king had his dream, until this very day, the year 2020, almost 2623 years have passed.
“Yam” is usually the Hebrew word used for “day or days” in the Old Testament, but not here in Daniel 8:14. Days in verse 14, consists of two words, “ereb” & “boger. Nowhere else in Scripture is used this combination of words. Daniel continues, “then” (being a word of time future) “shall the sanctuary (the place where the Holy of Holies once stood) shall be cleansed” (meaning purged, made clean).”
“Ereb” is used as a noun masculine singular. The Hebrews reckoned two evenings to a day, the first from the ninth hour or about 3 P.M. until sunset, meaning the 12th hour. The second evening from sunset onward until the sun broke over the horizon.
Compare,
Hebrew phrase “between the evenings,” when the Passover was to be killed and the evening sacrifice offered, means strictly the time of sunset,
And as it is expressly said in Deuteronomy 16:6, “At evening at the going down of the sun,” compared to Exodus 12:6, and Leviticus 23:5, “At the evening is the LORD’s Passover.”
The second word “Boger” speaks of the morning which begins when the sun begins its turn ward the East separating itself from the night.
Do you recall Daniel 8:26 where it reads, “And the vision of the evening and the morning (both singular implying one night)? However, do not forget that the rest of the verse reads, “it shall be for many days (plural).”
So, there’s either a mistake, or the answer lies in between the words evening and morning, or is symbolic of one long evening of darkness, referring to the day the nation of Israel fell into a moral and spiritual night of darkness. It began the day God abandoned the people of Israel, their religion and their land.
Jeremiah reveals this completely. He wrote between the years 627 and 586 B.C., pretty much the same time Daniel was in captivity in Babylon.
Jeremiah 2:31, The LORD is speaking to the people of Israel, “O generation, see you the word of the LORD? Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? A land of darkness? Wherefore say my people, we are lords (we have broken God’s yoke); we (the people) will come no more unto you?” Compare with,
Jeremiah 4:20, 22, 23, 27, “Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land (Israel) is spoiled (plundered):” Verse 22-23, “For my (God’s) people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish (stupid) children, and they have none (no) understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge. I beheld the earth, and lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.” Verse 27, “For thus has the LORD said, the whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.”
“Yet will I not make a full end,” meaning, God has left to them some hope of restoration, but before that day comes, the nation will have to call upon the name of their Saviour and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.
The Lord began his earthy ministry in 27 A.D., after he completed his thirtieth birthday, see Luke 3:23.
John 3:19, Jesus said, “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”
The Lord found the Jews siting in darkness and in the “shadow of death.” Days before the cross he said concerning their Temple, their land and the people,
Matthew 23: 38-39, “Behold, your house (the city, temple and people) is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, you shall not see me henceforth, until you shall say, Blessed is he that comes in the name of the LORD.”
The second word “Boger” means the morning, which eventually will peep out over the horizon, and once again separates itself from darkness. So, when 12 tribes of Israel once again call upon the name of the Lord, only then will the Life and Light of the world return to his place, and rule in His kingdom as King and High Priest over the land of Israel and over the Jews. He will be their King, their High Priest, their ark of the covenant, and their Mercy Seat. He will be all things to the Jews and to the Gentile nations.
So, let me paraphrase Daniel 8:13-14,
“From the time the little horn began to “waxed great,” even to the host of heaven, the Light of Jehovah withdrew from them (the Jews), and there would be a time of 2300 years that the nation of Israel shall remain in darkness until they call on the name of the Lord.
Malachi 4:2, only then will, “the Son of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings—.” But until then, Daniel’s people shall suffer scourging and punishment from the lashes and rods of their enemies the Gentiles as prophesied, for 2300 years.”