LESSON XI, “THE STRUGGLE FOR JUDAH ON EARTH” (Lesson Material: Daniel 11:2–45)
A. The History Prior to the Antichrist, 11:2–20:
1. The last two chapters of Daniel are two of the most difficult in the Book, and perhaps in all the Bible. Reading these chapters we often run stuck as we try to interpret. It is not possible to do more than to indicate the main lines and principal features of that which is here revealed.
2. In his second letter to the Thessalonians Paul reminds us that the return of Christ in glory shall not take place until the “man of sin” appears. This “man of sin” is the Antichrist. It might be helpful if we summarize the Biblical characteristics of the Antichrist as follows:
a. The Antichrist is not Satan himself, but an embodiment and instrument of Satan.
b. The Antichrist is a human being in whom a satanic spiritual movement hostile to Jesus Christ finds its consummation.
c. The antichrist movement is not limited to a single appearance, but is evident in a series of appearances throughout history. These appearances serve as forerunners of the final, great manifestation of the Antichrist, “the Beast,” just prior to Christ’s second coming.
d. The Antichrist is head of a kingdom, a realm which is in part spiritual (the false church) and in part imperial (the false kingdom).
e. In an effort to mislead men the Antichrist deliberately shows a resemblance to Christ.
f. The Antichrist does signs and wonders, by which he makes propaganda for himself, II Thess. 2:9.
3. Just as Christ has his types in history (Melchizedek, Joseph, David, etc.) in whom his coming and character arc revealed, so also the Antichrist has his forerunners. In the perspective of Daniel’s prophecy this is especially the awful Antiochus Epiphanes, about whom we have spoken earlier. In Daniel 11 the portrait of this fierce opponent of God’s people is drawn in order that we might easier recognize the Antichrist whenever and wherever we see him.
4. The first twenty verses of Daniel 11 give us a representation of the time before the appearance of the Antichrist, or, in this instance, of the coming of Antiochus Epiphanes, the antichrist of the Old Testament. The main emphasis of this section is that the time prior to the final appearance of the Antichrist will be one of great confusion, of blood and tears. It is perhaps impossible to apply with complete certainty the details of these verses in terms of actual history, although certain indications and identifications have been made with some plausibility. For our purpose it is enough to see just the main emphases.
5. There are a few important ideas that we should note before passing on to the last part of the chapter. We might summarize these as follows:
a. The Bible does not furnish its readers with detailed history in advance, and therefore it does not identify the persons, peoples, cities and nations of which it speaks. Believers must “live by faith,” even though they do know with absolute certainty such facts as (1) God is the Lord of history, (2) he directs all things to serve his purposes; and (3) his people may believe that the Kingdom of God will triumph.
b. The coming of the Antichrist is not traceable to the character of the world empires, but is explainable only in terms of the existence of him who is the Savior and Lord, King Jesus. In Daniel 11 we read of two kinds of kingdoms, one which may be called a “welfare state,” and the other a “reign of brute strength.” Neither of these produces the Antichrist. Daniel is given to see that basic to and behind all else is the struggle of Genesis 3:15, out of which will arise the indestructible Kingdom of God.
B. The Appearance of the Antichrist, 11:21–45:
1. In the second part of Daniel 11 we read of the appearance of Antiochus Epiphanes, the Antichrist of the Old Testament. Every detail of this section is not applicable to the Antichrist. Daniel’s prophecy is rather one of broad strokes on a large canvas, by which we arc given to see that although the Antichrist will rule successfully, his reign will be characterized by the same features as those found in history generally.
2. The motif of his reign will be “security,” vss. 21, 24, and prosperity, vs. 36. In the interest of a happy, prosperous, safe life in this world Outside of Jesus Christ men will follow his direction and serve him. Security and prosperity are not really material or political matters, but spiritual, and so the godless world will seek solution to its gnawing problems by appeal to the Antichrist.
3. The character of the Antichrist will be one of general contemptibility (from the viewpoint of faith, of course). He will be a deceiver, a “flatterer,” a clever manipulator. To get along in his world requires loyalty and allegiance to him, which means great hardship for the faithful people of God.
4. The outstanding characteristic of the Antichrist will be his ungodliness. He will bring all his wrath to bear on the sanctuary and the holy covenant. In the place of the true religion he puts the adoration and worship of himself as the great world-ruler. By this description (cf. vss. 32–36) Daniel means to emphasize that the real issue in all of this is the love and service of Jesus Christ, intolerable to Satan and the world under his dominion.
5. The expression in vs. 37, “nor the desire of women,” is of special significance. This is one of the things which the Antichrist shall not “regard,” that is, hold in high and holy esteem. I understand this to be a reference to the fact that he is the Lawless One who tramples upon every ordinance of God, even the creational ordinance of marriage. The Biblical pronouncement of Gen. 3:16 with respect to the woman (“and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee”) will be resisted and rejected by the Antichrist. This is a sample of the total apostasy and degeneration of his rule.
6. From the conclusion of the chapter (vss. 40-45) two things may be seen:
a. The Antichrist will conquer the world in such a manner that the words of John will be fulfilled (“and the whole world wondered after the beast,” Rev. 13:3). The Antichrist will give the impression of great glory and unlimited power, causing all men to stand amazed!
b. At the very peak of his power the Antichrist will come to an abrupt end by the intervention of Jesus Christ, who will come upon the clouds of heaven. The appearance of the Antichrist is not due to developments within the world, for he appears suddenly and unexpectedly. He relates to the Evil One and hell and to the demonic forces rather than to men as such. And his defeat is likewise sudden and catastrophic, the result of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, whose grace is similarly unexpected and unlikely except for the sovereign goodness of God.
7. The great comfort for us is that Jesus Christ and his birth in Bethlehem was not prevented by the Antichrist of the Old Testament, Antiochus Epiphanes. So the return of our Lord will not be frustrated by the appearance of the great man of sin, the great Antichrist.
Suggested Questions for Discussion:
1. How large a place in our thinking as New Testament Christians should the Antichrist occupy? Is this not a morbid, sickly idea?
2. How do you evaluate the fact that there is a parallelism between the pattern of Old Testament and New Testament events?
3. Do you see any relationship between the modern immorality and the things said of Antichrist in Dan. 11:37? What about “situational ethics” and this prophecy?
4. There are dire predictions abroad today with respect to the future of the established church; do these predictions relate in any way to the antichristian movement?
5. Does Daniel rule out the possibility of a genuine world peace? Can a Christian be a pacifist?
LESSON XII: “THE STRUGGLE FORl JUDAH GOVERNED BY GOD’S DECREE” (Lesson Material: Daniel 12)
A. Introduction:
Daniel 12 closes the Book of Daniel. It is of the nature of an epilogue, that is, a word of explanation after the play or drama is over. We must remember that throughout the Book the point at issue is the conflict between Jerusalem and the world, the God-ordained struggle of Genesis 3:15. This is especially true in chapters 10–12. God preaches his Gospel of salvation and victory for his people through his servant Daniel. He does this in such a way as to instruct and comfort the faithful. There is no consolation for the ungodly or satisfaction for the merely curious in Daniel’s revelations. Daniel and his believing brothers and sisters in this time must continue to live by faith in the God whose kingdom is indestructible.
B. Protection and Glory: (Vss. 1–4)
1. The announcement that Michael, the great angelic prince, will defend the people of God in the great crises of history means that the Christian has heavenly resources upon which he may draw as he seeks to stand in the clay of battle. The real Protector of God’s people is Jesus Christ, hut he uses the angels in this service. For this the believer prays, if his prayer is Scriptural.
2. The description of the resurrection does not apply to the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, of course, but to the end of the New Testament Age. This is typical of Old Testament prophecy, namely, that it draws lines directly from any part of history to the End. Bible prophecy sees the end from the beginning, and all things in the light of that hoped-for, glorious consummation.
3. In the last judgment some go to glory, others to perdition. All are in the resurrection. Those who are lost bear the impress of the Antichrist, that is, shame and contempt. The saved are represented as wise soul-winners. They “turn many to righteousness,” which means that their influence is toward obedience and godliness. Their glory is spectacular, for they will shine as the stars in the sky.
4. The command that Daniel “shut up the words and seal the book” does not mean that he must keep it secret, but that it must be valued and preserved as a precious gem so that God’s people may draw comfort and instruction therefrom in the day of need. The obligation of the believer to search and study the Scriptures is expressly stated (vs. 4). This is a very serious and urgent Christian calling which we tend to forget. It seems as if many wish to own an easy-to-understand religion nowadays, and they do not care for sermons which demand close attention or for a church membership which places any difficult burdens of responsibility upon them. Those who will not heed this call to Bible study will easily fall prey to the Antichrist, the false prophet!
C. The Fulfillment of God’s Counsel: (Vss. 5–13)
1. Daniel sees one more revelation from God, this time in the form of three angels, one on each side of the river, and one in between, standing “above the waters.” The question that is raised is as to the time when the terrible things Daniel has been given to see prophetically will end. This vision is intended to be of comfort for the people of God in his and subsequent times.
2. The general features of the revelation furnished are: a. With great solemnity the messenger speaks in terms of an oath, indicating that his message is one which comes from the God of truth, whose Word is to be trusted (vs. 7).
b. The expression, “a time, and times, and a half,” occurs oftener in prophetic parts of Scripture. It means to indicate that the period to which reference is made is complete (therefore it may seem to be very long from our point of view), and yet that it comes to an abrupt end when it pleases God to bring things to conclusion. God will fulfill his counsel, his decree, and will yet guard the welfare of his chosen ones.
c. Daniel is told that throughout this period the elect will be saved, the unbelieving will continue in their foolishness (vs. 10). The gathering of the Church by our Lord Jesus Christ cannot be frustrated by the most violent efforts of Satan and the Antichrist.
d. The number, “a thousand two hundred and ninety days,” is a symbolical number. Please note that it is days, not years or even months, meaning that the time is actually short. Also: although the period is complete (so that God’s counsel is fully realized therein), it is cut off before it reaches the round number of 1300. God will interrupt in the interest of his own.
e. Thus, the number “thousand three hundred and five and thirty days” is the one 10 which the believer by faith attaches himself. This is not only a kind of complete number, but one which ends by marking success toward the realization of the perfect rest. This is (0 be seen in the fact that 1300 is reached plus thirty-five, which is one half of seventy, a number partaking of the full Sabbath rest, but not yet fully reaching that level. The number 70 will not be reached until the end when the Lord brings about the resurrection of vss. 1–4.
f. Believers are to be characterized by two things; faithful ongoing in duty and perfect confidence in the Lord’s promised mercy. Daniel is told to go his way (vss. 9, 13), which means that he should continue to walk in the ways which he has been going. One can easily understand that Daniel must often have wondered if his policies and principles were really worthwhile. He had turned his back upon the world’s pleasures (readily available to him in their every form as a great world ruler), and he had sought the realities of the Kingdom of God. These words of assurance must have been very precious to him! He is told that he will reach his reward, and in it he will stand at the end of the days.
Suggested Questions for Discussion:
1. Do you think that Daniel knew anything of what we know as the doctrine of the resurrection from the dead?
2. Why are believers called “the wise” in this chapter?
3. How do you understand vs. 11 of Daniel 12?
4. What is the concrete significance of a Christian’s “wailing” in vs. 12?
5. How do you relate the Book of Daniel and the Book of Revelation?
6. Do you think that we pay enough attention to the more prophetic books of the Bible in our time?
7. How would you summarize the message of the Book of Daniel?
A. The History Prior to the Antichrist, 11:2–20:
1. The last two chapters of Daniel are two of the most difficult in the Book, and perhaps in all the Bible. Reading these chapters we often run stuck as we try to interpret. It is not possible to do more than to indicate the main lines and principal features of that which is here revealed.
2. In his second letter to the Thessalonians Paul reminds us that the return of Christ in glory shall not take place until the “man of sin” appears. This “man of sin” is the Antichrist. It might be helpful if we summarize the Biblical characteristics of the Antichrist as follows:
a. The Antichrist is not Satan himself, but an embodiment and instrument of Satan.
b. The Antichrist is a human being in whom a satanic spiritual movement hostile to Jesus Christ finds its consummation.
c. The antichrist movement is not limited to a single appearance, but is evident in a series of appearances throughout history. These appearances serve as forerunners of the final, great manifestation of the Antichrist, “the Beast,” just prior to Christ’s second coming.
d. The Antichrist is head of a kingdom, a realm which is in part spiritual (the false church) and in part imperial (the false kingdom).
e. In an effort to mislead men the Antichrist deliberately shows a resemblance to Christ.
f. The Antichrist does signs and wonders, by which he makes propaganda for himself, II Thess. 2:9.
3. Just as Christ has his types in history (Melchizedek, Joseph, David, etc.) in whom his coming and character arc revealed, so also the Antichrist has his forerunners. In the perspective of Daniel’s prophecy this is especially the awful Antiochus Epiphanes, about whom we have spoken earlier. In Daniel 11 the portrait of this fierce opponent of God’s people is drawn in order that we might easier recognize the Antichrist whenever and wherever we see him.
4. The first twenty verses of Daniel 11 give us a representation of the time before the appearance of the Antichrist, or, in this instance, of the coming of Antiochus Epiphanes, the antichrist of the Old Testament. The main emphasis of this section is that the time prior to the final appearance of the Antichrist will be one of great confusion, of blood and tears. It is perhaps impossible to apply with complete certainty the details of these verses in terms of actual history, although certain indications and identifications have been made with some plausibility. For our purpose it is enough to see just the main emphases.
5. There are a few important ideas that we should note before passing on to the last part of the chapter. We might summarize these as follows:
a. The Bible does not furnish its readers with detailed history in advance, and therefore it does not identify the persons, peoples, cities and nations of which it speaks. Believers must “live by faith,” even though they do know with absolute certainty such facts as (1) God is the Lord of history, (2) he directs all things to serve his purposes; and (3) his people may believe that the Kingdom of God will triumph.
b. The coming of the Antichrist is not traceable to the character of the world empires, but is explainable only in terms of the existence of him who is the Savior and Lord, King Jesus. In Daniel 11 we read of two kinds of kingdoms, one which may be called a “welfare state,” and the other a “reign of brute strength.” Neither of these produces the Antichrist. Daniel is given to see that basic to and behind all else is the struggle of Genesis 3:15, out of which will arise the indestructible Kingdom of God.
B. The Appearance of the Antichrist, 11:21–45:
1. In the second part of Daniel 11 we read of the appearance of Antiochus Epiphanes, the Antichrist of the Old Testament. Every detail of this section is not applicable to the Antichrist. Daniel’s prophecy is rather one of broad strokes on a large canvas, by which we arc given to see that although the Antichrist will rule successfully, his reign will be characterized by the same features as those found in history generally.
2. The motif of his reign will be “security,” vss. 21, 24, and prosperity, vs. 36. In the interest of a happy, prosperous, safe life in this world Outside of Jesus Christ men will follow his direction and serve him. Security and prosperity are not really material or political matters, but spiritual, and so the godless world will seek solution to its gnawing problems by appeal to the Antichrist.
3. The character of the Antichrist will be one of general contemptibility (from the viewpoint of faith, of course). He will be a deceiver, a “flatterer,” a clever manipulator. To get along in his world requires loyalty and allegiance to him, which means great hardship for the faithful people of God.
4. The outstanding characteristic of the Antichrist will be his ungodliness. He will bring all his wrath to bear on the sanctuary and the holy covenant. In the place of the true religion he puts the adoration and worship of himself as the great world-ruler. By this description (cf. vss. 32–36) Daniel means to emphasize that the real issue in all of this is the love and service of Jesus Christ, intolerable to Satan and the world under his dominion.
5. The expression in vs. 37, “nor the desire of women,” is of special significance. This is one of the things which the Antichrist shall not “regard,” that is, hold in high and holy esteem. I understand this to be a reference to the fact that he is the Lawless One who tramples upon every ordinance of God, even the creational ordinance of marriage. The Biblical pronouncement of Gen. 3:16 with respect to the woman (“and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee”) will be resisted and rejected by the Antichrist. This is a sample of the total apostasy and degeneration of his rule.
6. From the conclusion of the chapter (vss. 40-45) two things may be seen:
a. The Antichrist will conquer the world in such a manner that the words of John will be fulfilled (“and the whole world wondered after the beast,” Rev. 13:3). The Antichrist will give the impression of great glory and unlimited power, causing all men to stand amazed!
b. At the very peak of his power the Antichrist will come to an abrupt end by the intervention of Jesus Christ, who will come upon the clouds of heaven. The appearance of the Antichrist is not due to developments within the world, for he appears suddenly and unexpectedly. He relates to the Evil One and hell and to the demonic forces rather than to men as such. And his defeat is likewise sudden and catastrophic, the result of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, whose grace is similarly unexpected and unlikely except for the sovereign goodness of God.
7. The great comfort for us is that Jesus Christ and his birth in Bethlehem was not prevented by the Antichrist of the Old Testament, Antiochus Epiphanes. So the return of our Lord will not be frustrated by the appearance of the great man of sin, the great Antichrist.
Suggested Questions for Discussion:
1. How large a place in our thinking as New Testament Christians should the Antichrist occupy? Is this not a morbid, sickly idea?
2. How do you evaluate the fact that there is a parallelism between the pattern of Old Testament and New Testament events?
3. Do you see any relationship between the modern immorality and the things said of Antichrist in Dan. 11:37? What about “situational ethics” and this prophecy?
4. There are dire predictions abroad today with respect to the future of the established church; do these predictions relate in any way to the antichristian movement?
5. Does Daniel rule out the possibility of a genuine world peace? Can a Christian be a pacifist?
LESSON XII: “THE STRUGGLE FORl JUDAH GOVERNED BY GOD’S DECREE” (Lesson Material: Daniel 12)
A. Introduction:
Daniel 12 closes the Book of Daniel. It is of the nature of an epilogue, that is, a word of explanation after the play or drama is over. We must remember that throughout the Book the point at issue is the conflict between Jerusalem and the world, the God-ordained struggle of Genesis 3:15. This is especially true in chapters 10–12. God preaches his Gospel of salvation and victory for his people through his servant Daniel. He does this in such a way as to instruct and comfort the faithful. There is no consolation for the ungodly or satisfaction for the merely curious in Daniel’s revelations. Daniel and his believing brothers and sisters in this time must continue to live by faith in the God whose kingdom is indestructible.
B. Protection and Glory: (Vss. 1–4)
1. The announcement that Michael, the great angelic prince, will defend the people of God in the great crises of history means that the Christian has heavenly resources upon which he may draw as he seeks to stand in the clay of battle. The real Protector of God’s people is Jesus Christ, hut he uses the angels in this service. For this the believer prays, if his prayer is Scriptural.
2. The description of the resurrection does not apply to the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, of course, but to the end of the New Testament Age. This is typical of Old Testament prophecy, namely, that it draws lines directly from any part of history to the End. Bible prophecy sees the end from the beginning, and all things in the light of that hoped-for, glorious consummation.
3. In the last judgment some go to glory, others to perdition. All are in the resurrection. Those who are lost bear the impress of the Antichrist, that is, shame and contempt. The saved are represented as wise soul-winners. They “turn many to righteousness,” which means that their influence is toward obedience and godliness. Their glory is spectacular, for they will shine as the stars in the sky.
4. The command that Daniel “shut up the words and seal the book” does not mean that he must keep it secret, but that it must be valued and preserved as a precious gem so that God’s people may draw comfort and instruction therefrom in the day of need. The obligation of the believer to search and study the Scriptures is expressly stated (vs. 4). This is a very serious and urgent Christian calling which we tend to forget. It seems as if many wish to own an easy-to-understand religion nowadays, and they do not care for sermons which demand close attention or for a church membership which places any difficult burdens of responsibility upon them. Those who will not heed this call to Bible study will easily fall prey to the Antichrist, the false prophet!
C. The Fulfillment of God’s Counsel: (Vss. 5–13)
1. Daniel sees one more revelation from God, this time in the form of three angels, one on each side of the river, and one in between, standing “above the waters.” The question that is raised is as to the time when the terrible things Daniel has been given to see prophetically will end. This vision is intended to be of comfort for the people of God in his and subsequent times.
2. The general features of the revelation furnished are: a. With great solemnity the messenger speaks in terms of an oath, indicating that his message is one which comes from the God of truth, whose Word is to be trusted (vs. 7).
b. The expression, “a time, and times, and a half,” occurs oftener in prophetic parts of Scripture. It means to indicate that the period to which reference is made is complete (therefore it may seem to be very long from our point of view), and yet that it comes to an abrupt end when it pleases God to bring things to conclusion. God will fulfill his counsel, his decree, and will yet guard the welfare of his chosen ones.
c. Daniel is told that throughout this period the elect will be saved, the unbelieving will continue in their foolishness (vs. 10). The gathering of the Church by our Lord Jesus Christ cannot be frustrated by the most violent efforts of Satan and the Antichrist.
d. The number, “a thousand two hundred and ninety days,” is a symbolical number. Please note that it is days, not years or even months, meaning that the time is actually short. Also: although the period is complete (so that God’s counsel is fully realized therein), it is cut off before it reaches the round number of 1300. God will interrupt in the interest of his own.
e. Thus, the number “thousand three hundred and five and thirty days” is the one 10 which the believer by faith attaches himself. This is not only a kind of complete number, but one which ends by marking success toward the realization of the perfect rest. This is (0 be seen in the fact that 1300 is reached plus thirty-five, which is one half of seventy, a number partaking of the full Sabbath rest, but not yet fully reaching that level. The number 70 will not be reached until the end when the Lord brings about the resurrection of vss. 1–4.
f. Believers are to be characterized by two things; faithful ongoing in duty and perfect confidence in the Lord’s promised mercy. Daniel is told to go his way (vss. 9, 13), which means that he should continue to walk in the ways which he has been going. One can easily understand that Daniel must often have wondered if his policies and principles were really worthwhile. He had turned his back upon the world’s pleasures (readily available to him in their every form as a great world ruler), and he had sought the realities of the Kingdom of God. These words of assurance must have been very precious to him! He is told that he will reach his reward, and in it he will stand at the end of the days.
Suggested Questions for Discussion:
1. Do you think that Daniel knew anything of what we know as the doctrine of the resurrection from the dead?
2. Why are believers called “the wise” in this chapter?
3. How do you understand vs. 11 of Daniel 12?
4. What is the concrete significance of a Christian’s “wailing” in vs. 12?
5. How do you relate the Book of Daniel and the Book of Revelation?
6. Do you think that we pay enough attention to the more prophetic books of the Bible in our time?
7. How would you summarize the message of the Book of Daniel?