Presents

Pamphlet 5034 KC Daniel 14-1

So get ready for some exciting times because we live in that generation
spoken of by the prophets and the disciples
who all wanted to know what it would be like.

These are really exciting times in which we live, are they not?

Things are really beginning to heat up on the world scene as it looks like that old east wind is about to blow again.

That makes this book of Daniel a very timely study indeed and we are soon going to be taking a look at the events that are written in this book of Daniel that lead up to the entrance of that vile person, that little horn, the abominable one, the desolator, the one who comes and stands in the holy place claiming to be God.

Remember that Jesus Christ told us if we want understanding concerning the appearance of that abomination of desolation to go read the book of Daniel.

There's a saying that goes "Dare to be a Daniel, Dare to stand alone, Dare to have a purpose strong and Dare to make it known".

That saying certainly is fitting for this one Daniel whose name means "God is Judge" for he was a type of God's elect in these last days who would come forth with the gospel armor on and in place and "Dare to take a stand and Dare to stand alone."

Of course God's elect know that they are never alone for Jesus Christ has promised to be with them even to the end of the age.

In our last study, we began the sixth chapter which is the story of Daniel and the lion's den that has inspired many people down through the ages, young and old alike.

I suppose one could say that faith is faith no matter what generation a person lived in or lives in, for it is true that Satan's evil spirit of influence has been around for a long time.

However, it is written that there comes a time at the end of the final generation, which is the generation of the fig tree Christ told us to learn about in Matthew 24 and Mark 13, that Satan and his angelic host, his locust army, are cast out of heaven to this earth to "mingle with the seed of men (Dan. 2:24)".

It is also written that when they come they may not harm one hair on the heads of His servants who have the seal of God in their foreheads (Rev. 9:4).

The point is that this particular narrative along with the rest of Daniel was written for the time of the end, for the time of great trouble when some of God's elect will be betrayed and set up and delivered up and cast into the burning fiery (spiritual) furnace and some will be delivered up and cast into a den of the lions... not a den of real lions but the lions spoken of in Revelation chapter 9 who are Satan's angelic host who shall appear with hair like women, meaning they will appear so gentle, but have in their mouths the cheek teeth of devouring lions that spiritually rip, shred, and tear the minds of those who do not have the seal of God in their foreheads.

Even so, these mightiest men in the army of the king of Babylon shall still try and take hold of God's elect and destroy them, as ensampled by Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who were taken hold of and bound and cast into the burning fiery furnace.

But there is no need to worry if you love and serve God because again, He has promised to be with you always, even unto the end of the world (Mat. 28:20), just as He was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and just as He will be with Daniel in the lion's den.

So get ready for some exciting times because we live in that generation spoken of by the prophets and the disciples who all wanted to know what it would be like.

Of course when you think about it, how in the world would you even begin to describe the miraculous technologies of our day to someone who lived even only a mere two hundred years ago?

How would you explain the concept that you can push a button here on earth and a person's voice and live image then travels across fiber optic cables or shoots through the air 23,000 miles into space, bounces off of a metal ball called a satellite, returns back to rain over the whole land where it is received simultaneously in millions of homes, at which point the people in those homes can both see and hear that person on an illuminated glass box.

Yeah, right!

You must have been drinking new wine, pal!

Let us now return to the sixth chapter of Daniel where the presidents and princes sought to find an occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom and had launched an investigation into Daniel's personal affairs to try and find some dirt on him so that they could string him up and have him taken out of the way.

You see, Daniel was a problem because he was an honest and upright man who demanded accountability which is exposure to the light of truth.

Kenites and scorpions and other creatures of darkness do not like the light of day as was the case with some of these presidents and princes who wanted to do a little "shady" trafficking and merchandising and play let's make a deal using the treasury and resources of the king's dominion... which they could get to if it wasn't for this Daniel character.

So when the investigation of Daniel turned up empty, they rallied their cohorts and went and flattered Darius into signing a decree that made it illegal for anyone to ask a petition of any god or man other than the king for thirty days, the penalty of which would be to be thrown into a den of lions.

So in a moment of weakness brought on by big headedness, king Darius signed the decree at which point the enemies of Daniel went and found him giving prayer and making supplication to his God in violation of the statute and decree.

They then brought him before Darius, reminding the king of the conditions and penalty of the decree and that according to the law of the Medes and Persians it could not be broken, even by the king himself.

Of course at that point the king knew that he had been had and that he himself was the victim of a setup.

Therefore he became sore displeased with himself and tried everything in his earthly power to circumvent the decree that condemned his friend Daniel to certain death... the decree that he himself had signed.

Darius is the most powerful man on earth and yet his hands are tied and he can do nothing to deliver Daniel from being cast into a den of lions.

But don't worry, Almighty God is Daniel's deliverer and whether it's a burning fiery furnace, the mouths of hungry lions, or the crushing paws of a bear, He can handle it, and Daniel knew it.

It is bad enough that they are using this law to its fullest extent to come against an innocent man and have him killed, but this shows they have no conscience, meaning they are actually gleeful that Daniel might die so that they can implement their crooked policies and play let's make a deal to fatten their own pockets.

Well, like father, like son, and these murderous kenites are just like their father Cain who was the first murderer (Jn. 8:44).

You know there's another expression that says, "what goes around, comes around", which is simply another way of stating the consequence of the golden rule that what you do unto others shall be done unto you.

It is called getting a taste of your own medicine. It is called receiving "just recompense" and it is very Biblical.

Of course these kenites go by another version of the golden rule which is that "the guys with the gold make the rules"... and that includes the rule that if anyone gets in the way of their gold collecting he or she must be dealt with and if necessary taken out of the way.

Hey, it's just the cost of doing business they say and their seared consciences won't cause them to lose a moment's sleep over someone's death if it means they can fill their pockets and gain the things and pleasures of this world.

However, we are going to see from the ensample in today's study, and there are many others, that they are going to pass judgment upon themselves by plotting and carrying out the execution of an innocent person.

In other words, because of their unrepentance they are going to have done unto them exactly what they had done unto Daniel.

Just wait and see!

So Darius now has no choice but to execute the law faithfully and honorably according to his oath of office and according to the law of the Medes and Persians.

Consider also that because Darius saw that this upright and trustworthy one had such unshakable belief in the power of his God and feared not for his life, it increased his faith, at least his hope and desire, for he felt assured that Daniel would be delivered.

This is a great ensample of let your excellent spirit show, as in let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven (Mat. 5:16).

Then too, perhaps because of the closeness of these two, at some point Daniel and king Darius had opportunity to discuss the experiences of the prior kings Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar along with the fiery furnace episode of Daniel's friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

Nevertheless, Darius could see that Daniel wasn't hoping that his God was able to deliver him from the lions, but rather that Daniel knew God could and would deliver Him!

How about you?

Would you dare to be a Daniel?

(By the way, Hebrews 13:8 tells us that the Lord is the same yesterday, and today, and forever, and since lions haven't changed all that much, He is still able deliver His servants from their mouths.)

It is interesting that the entrance to Daniel's would-be grave was protected with a stone, a Rock, and stamped (sealed) with not only the king's official signet (ring), but with those of his lords also.

Obviously Darius does not trust his ministers and governors anymore and when the stone is rolled back and Daniel finally emerges from the den of the lions, there is going to be some top level personnel changes, some purging out of the rift-raft and corruption from the government of the kingdom.

Remember that this is a type for so shall it be when the saints emerge at the sound of the 7th Trump and take and possess the kingdom.

Then there shall likewise be a purging and the nations shall be ruled with a rod of iron, with righteousness, which is with discipline and accountability to the righteous laws and statutes of the Word of God.

First, it is written that he was sore displeased with himself for being "suckered" into a conspiracy and murder plot against a very faithful and loyal friend and servant.

He was also angry at those "you know whats" for conspiring such wickedness, and finally I'm sure he did not trust hungry lions and was therefore genuinely concerned about the survival of his friend and first president.

Nevertheless, Darius shows by his actions that he had immense love and concern for Daniel.

You can imagine the incredible feeling of relief and joy as he heard Daniel's greeting "O king, live for ever".

Daniel told Darius that God sent His angel because of the innocency that was found in him before God.

That is the reason that He sent His angel just as He did when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were cast into the burning fiery furnace.

And since Daniel is a type of God's elect in these last days he is also then a type of those who shall deal with the judgment of the nations in the Millennium.

This book of Daniel is about government, about kingship, for God is preparing His Millennial kings and priests to rule all nations with His rod of iron during which time He shall execute His judgment and His justice throughout the world.

Daniel is not a priest in that sense, which is why this book follows the book of EZEK-I-EL whose name means "God is my Strength". Ezekiel was a priest.

He was a teacher.

He was part of that great shepherding to the house of Israel and was told to go "eat the roll", to absorb the entire Word of God by taking it in his bowels and digesting it all until it became a part of him.

Then he was to go and teach his brothers and sisters of the house of Israel, not to those of a strange language, not to the "ethnos", but to the house of Israel!

He was to teach them after the manner of "Thus saith the Lord" and "It is written", i.e. teach them His Word, the words from His mouth, and not the traditions of men.

Ezekiel was therefore was more symbolic of the church of Philadelphia [Rev. 3:7-13], the church of the brothers and sisters who would understand the visions of the prophets and go teach them to their friends and relatives.

Daniel on the other hand is like unto those of the church of Smyrna [Rev. 2:8-11] who would have those "10 days" of testing to see whether they would eat the king's meat and drink his wine, and then because they could "cut it" they were delivered up before kings and rulers to give His witness and His testimony by allowing the Holy Spirit to speak through them!

Once the sixth trump has sounded, they shall be delivered up and "proclaim the gospel of the kingdom (Mat. 24:14)" which is that the King of kings and Lord of lords is coming to take over the reigns of government on this earth and execute His justice.

They will be heralding the good news that the Judge of all nations is coming to the Valley of Jehoshaphat (Yahveh Judges) as per Joel chapter three, for God IS Judge and soon ALL nations SHALL be liberated from oppression and tyranny and abide by His laws and statutes... and that's the way it is!

To study the Bible is the noblest of all pursuits; to understand it, the highest of all goals.
We pray that with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you accomplish both.

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