The Kings of the South and the North

  

Daniel 11: 1-9

 

April 6, 2024

 

The Kings of the South and the North

“And as for me, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to confirm and strengthen him.

“And now I will show you the truth. Behold, three more kings shall arise in Persia, and a fourth shall be far richer than all of them. And when he has become strong through his riches, he shall stir up all against the kingdom of Greece.  Then a mighty king shall arise, who shall rule with great dominion and do as he will.  And as soon as he has arisen, his kingdom shall be broken and divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not to his posterity, nor according to the authority with which he ruled, for his kingdom shall be plucked up and go to others besides these.

The three kings of Persia who followed Cyrus were Cambyses (530–522), Bardiya (522), and Darius I Hystaspes (522–486). The fourth, very rich king, was Xerxes. ( Taken from (Bible Places)

“Then the king of the south shall be strong, but one of his princes shall be stronger than he and shall rule, and his authority shall be a great authority.  After some years, they shall make an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement. But she shall not retain the strength of her arm, and he and his arm shall not endure, but she shall be given up, and her attendants, he who fathered her, and he who supported her in those times.

 “And from a branch from her roots one shall arise in his place. He shall come against the army and enter the fortress of the king of the north, and he shall deal with them and shall prevail.  He shall also carry off to Egypt their gods with their metal images and their precious vessels of silver and gold, and for some years he shall refrain from attacking the king of the north.  Then the latter shall come into the realm of the king of the south but shall return to his own land.

To be a man who can confirm and strengthen Darius, you have to be in a position of power and respect.  Daniel, my hero, was such a man.

Do you understand why the angel of the Lord told Daniel you are greatly loved on two occasions?  We were told in the 10th chapter, we do not know if it was the first day of being a captive and taken to a foreign land, but from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, you were deeply loved.  But there is so much to admire and model in Daniel’s life; he grew where he was planted.  We never see Daniel wanting to go back to Israel to be in leadership; he stayed among these pagan kings and was a great leader under four kings.

Daniel 11 starts with a mighty Greek king whose kingdom is divided after his death. All agree that this is Alexander the Great, who died in 323 BC in the prime of life and whose empire was divided among his four generals. One of these generals, Ptolemy, took an area to the south of Israel that included Egypt. Another general, Seleucis, took control of an area to the north of Israel that included Syria.  Daniel 11 covers hundreds of years, so the kings of the North and South are not single individuals; rather, they are the rulers of the Ptolemaic dynasty (headquartered in Egypt) and the Seleucid dynasty (headquartered in Syria). These two dynasties were antagonistic toward each other, and Israel was caught in the middle. The king of the North is the Greek king of Syria, of the Seleucid dynasty.

Here are some key terms to remember:
North = Syria = the Seleucid dynasty, which included several kings with the name Antiochus
South = Egypt = the Ptolemaic dynasty

Conclusion

Approximately 250 years before Alexander began his world conquest, God provided Daniel with a glimpse into the future. This was important to Daniel and his people, as God also told them that they would return to their land and He would take care of them through the coming tumultuous times. Kingdoms rise and fall, but God holds the future, and His Word stands.

 

From the Back Porch, 

 

Bob Rice

Daniel's Terrifying Vision of a Man

  

Daniel 10

 

April 5, 2024

 

Daniel's Terrifying Vision of a Man

In the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia, a word was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar. And the word was true, and it was a great conflict.  And he understood the word and had understanding of the vision.

In those days, I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks.  I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks.  On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river (that is, the Tigris), I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist.  His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.  And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision, but a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves.  So I was left alone and saw this great vision, and no strength was left in me. My radiant appearance was fearfully changed, and I retained no strength.  Then I heard the sound of his words, and as I heard the sound of his words, I fell on my face in deep sleep with my face to the ground.

 And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees.   And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now, I have been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling.  Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.  The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.”

When he had spoken to me according to these words, I turned my face toward the ground and was mute.  And behold, one in the likeness of the children of man touched my lips. Then I opened my mouth and spoke. I said to him who stood before me, “O my lord, by reason of the vision, pains have come upon me, and I retain no strength.  How can my lord's servant talk with my lord? For now, no strength remains in me, and no breath is left in me.”

Again, one having the appearance of a man touched me and strengthened me.  And he said, “O man greatly loved, fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.” And as he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”  Then he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? But now I will return to fight against the prince of Persia; and when I go out, behold, the prince of Greece will come.  But I will tell you what is inscribed in the book of truth: there is none who contends by my side against these except Michael, your prince.

 

When I came to this, “Then he said to me, 'Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.”  I am not sure how this affected you, but it sure got my attention.  Could it be that at the time we ask Christ into our lives, the old flesh, or Bob, had been getting my needs met outside of Christ, and I had to be taught how to die to my flesh desire, and that voice that sounded like me, that had two lines; You deserve, or You have no worth.  That the voice of that old serpent or Jesus calls him a thief.  Both are lies. You do not deserve anything, without faith God gave you and the grace He extended to you, hell was what you deserved.  And the question of Worth, God put great value on you, never forget Jesus died on the Cross and paid for your sins and mine.

I am not sure what the first day was for Daniel, maybe when he and his three friends were taken as teens captive under King Nebuchadnezzar.  God sent so many men to teach me the deeper truth and about my flesh.  For me, it has been an ongoing process, but these two things are required: Setting your heart to understand when God is speaking, and being humbled before God.

Psalm 51:17, The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Most likely, the prince of Persia is an evil spiritual entity that wields authority over the ancient kingdom of Persia.  Also, the prince of Greece will be Greece, replacing Persia as the world leader for a while.  You and I should understand that Michael is Israel's Prince.  I have heard the stories of how he fought for them in the Six-Day War, and I have no doubt Michael is fighting for Israel today.  You will not hear this from your local media, for they do not believe the Scriptures.  And God calls them fools.  But you as followers of Jesus Christ, should recall, Ephesians 6:12, “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” It a real battle, and Persia today is Iran and they desire to remove Israel and the God they Worship from this world.  As followers of Christ, we have been overcome by the blood of our Lord to forgive sin and take our punishment.  Yes, God took His full wrath out on His Son for you.  You do not understand that, nor does anyone, for God's ways are higher than ours. It was His great love for you.

From our Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The Seventy Weeks

  

 

Daniel 9:24-27

 

April 4, 2024

 

The Seventy Weeks

“Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place. Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed one, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time.  And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed.  And he shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate, until the decreed end is poured out on the desolator.”

I have often said I’m not an educated person, nor a theologian, so when it comes to a prophecy like in Daniel 9:24-27, I look at “Got Question”.  This was their feedback.

 

The “seventy weeks” prophecy is one of the most significant and detailed Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament. It is found in Daniel 9. The chapter begins with Daniel praying for Israel, acknowledging the nation’s sins against God and asking for God’s mercy. As Daniel prayed, the angel Gabriel appeared to him and gave him a vision of Israel’s future.

The Divisions of the 70 Weeks
In verse 24, Gabriel says, “Seventy ‘sevens are decreed for your people and your holy city.” Almost all commentators agree that the seventy “sevens” should be understood as seventy “weeks” of years, in other words, a period of 490 years. These verses provide a sort of “clock” that gives an idea of when the Messiah would come and some of the events that would accompany His appearance.

The prophecy goes on to divide the 490 years into three smaller units: one of 49 years, one of 434 years, and one of 7 years. The final “week” of 7 years is further divided in half. Verse 25 says, “From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’” Seven “sevens” is 49 years, and sixty-two “sevens” is another 434 years:

49 years + 434 years = 483 years

 

The Purpose of the 70 Weeks
The prophecy contains a statement concerning God’s six-fold purpose in bringing these events to pass. Verse 24 says this purpose is 1) “to finish transgression,” 2) “to put an end to sin,” 3) “to atone for wickedness,” 4) “to bring in everlasting righteousness,” 5) “to seal up vision and prophecy,” and 6) “to anoint the most holy.”

Notice that these results concern the total eradication of sin and the establishment of righteousness. The prophecy of the 70 weeks summarizes what happens before Jesus sets up His millennial kingdom. Of special note is the third in the list of results: “to atone for wickedness.” Jesus accomplished the atonement for sin by His death on the cross (Romans 3:25; Hebrews 2:17).

 

My prayer is that you are by faith prepared for the Lord's coming, for a time is coming like the world has never seen when the man of Lawlessness shows up to rule the kingdom of this earth.  Many will take his mark, and they will be forever condemned.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice 

Gabriel Brings an Answer

                                                                     Daniel 9:20-23

 

April 3, 2024

 

Gabriel Brings an Answer

While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my plea before the Lord my God for the holy hill of my God, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice.  He made me understand, speaking with me and saying, “O Daniel, I have now come out to give you insight and understanding.  At the beginning of your pleas for mercy, a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved. Therefore, consider the word and understand the vision.

 

When and only when we as a people cry out to God, first confessing our sins of a love affair with the world, or anything above Him, and the sin of our Nation, and seek God’s face and not His hand, will we see the answer to our prayers.  I have also come to the understanding that when we call things what God calls them, we experience a closer walk with our God.

 

 To my knowledge, I have never had a vision, I’ve had a few bad dreams, and I‘ve never had God send Gabriel to me.  But God has sent both men and a few of their wives to help me understand many things.  My first mentor was Jack Archer, an independent oilman, who was known as “Dry Hole Jack” in that his first 19 wells were dry holes.  But number 20 was a winner that made him a millionaire.  Jack and 11 men, all high rollers, bankers, lawyers, and successful men in Corpus Christi, were invited to Laity Lodge in the Texas Hill Country.  That weekend, all of them entered into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. 

 

It is interesting how I came to meet Jack; it was at a bar in Corpus Christi.  My friend Johnny Anderson asked if I would like to have lunch with Jack and a guy named Hayes O’Quinn, with the Billy Graham films.  I told you it was a bar with good barbecue, but it also had Playboy's best picture above the bar.  While Jack was asking God to bless the meal and our time, I was scoping out the center flows.   Yes, I had Christ living in me, but I was just a baby in Christ with a lot of the patterns I had learned in 27 years of life on Planet Earth.

 

That is how I met Jack, and Jack was not that far ahead of me in his walk with the Lord.  But Jack knew something I needed to know; it was the Key to a relationship.  He told me I was greatly loved by God, showed me that in the Bible, and introduced me to some great books like “Faith is the Victory” and many others.  Jack had a sign at the Ranch in Johnson City, Texas that said “Smile, you Rascal, God knows all about you and loves you anyway.”

 

Daniel was faithful and blessed, but I am sure that what Gabriel told Daniel was, “and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved.”  Daniel needed that, and so did you, and so did I.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

 

A great Quote: 

 

“You can’t, but God can.  You’re weak, but God is strong.  You’re tired, but God does not sleep.  You’re confused, but God is all-knowing.  You’re limited, but God is limitless.  You can’t see how, but God is how.

Daniel's Prayer for His People

 

 

Daniel 9:1-19

 

April 2, 2024

 

Daniel's Prayer for His People

In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, by descent a Mede, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans— in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.

Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.  I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession, saying, “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules.  We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.  To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of the treachery that they have committed against you.  To us, O Lord, belongs open shame, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you.  To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by walking in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.  All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice. And the curse and oath that are written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out upon us, because we have sinned against him.  He has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us and against our rulers who ruled us, by bringing upon us a great calamity. For under the whole heaven, there has not been done anything like what has been done against Jerusalem.  As it is written in the Law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us; yet we have not entreated the favor of the Lord our God, turning from our iniquities and gaining insight by your truth.  Therefore, the Lord has kept ready the calamity and has brought it upon us, for the Lord our God is righteous in all the works that he has done, and we have not obeyed his voice.  And now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and have made a name for yourself, as at this day, we have sinned, we have done wickedly.

“O Lord, according to all your righteous acts, let your anger and your wrath turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy hill, because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem, and your people have become a byword among all who are around us.  Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord, make your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate.  O my God, incline your ear and hear. Open your eyes and see our desolations and the city that is called by your name. For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy.  O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.”

 

Daniel, in the first year of Darius, gave thought to Jeremiah's prophecy of the seventy years of being in captivity.  Next, Daniel acknowledged that not only did Israel sin, but that God was Holy.  Listen and give thought to His prayer; “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments,  we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules. 

 

 We, the people of the USA, have also sinned against God, done wrong, and acted wickedly; we have rebelled and not followed His teaching or His word.  And Lord, like your chosen Israel have put self before our God, and the people who go by the title of Christian, are guilty of doing so.

 

A great prayer, maybe you would pray it for your Nation, town, your family, or neighbors.  “For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness, but because of your great mercy.  O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive. O Lord, pay attention and act. Delay not, for your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people are called by your name.”

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

What would the world look like without: Deception, Lies, Hate, and Evil?

 

What would the world look like without:

Deception, Lies, Hate, and Evil?

 

Can you even grasp such a place? You would not sign a contract that a lawyer had drafted to ensure that both sides honor the agreement.  You would not have to lock your doors or have an alarm system.  There would be no reason for worrying about pedophiles or someone harming your child.  There would be no one teaching your child that God made a mistake when He made them a boy or a girl. There would be no prison, nor crooked politicians.

 

It would be a place where love and truth would be all you knew, a world I would like to live in.  Maybe this will come as a shock, that was God’s design, that the world He made for the first man and woman was to live in a world void of all the things we deal with in our present age.  A world void of evil, of putting self before others, of hate, anger, and all the other things listed above.

 

I enjoy pies, and when I see a pie on the counter, I use logic to understand it did not get there without a pie maker.  So, I’ve used the same logic to a vast universe that I live in must also have a designer, and He must be God.  

 

If God is the creator, and out of the vast universe, He chose a planet He called Earth, to make it where it would support an environment with life.  He begins the account in a book called Genesis.  He introduces us to Himself. 

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.  The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.  And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.  God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

The first five verses tell about the first day of Creation. Now I'm sure you want to learn about day two, well, get a Bible and read about days 2,3,4,5.

 

But I do want to share the 6 day with you, “And God said, 'Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so.  And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

So, God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”  And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.  And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.  And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.”

Can you allow your imagination to go there, a world where you have dominion over the other life forms?  That would be a paradise, and God called it Eden.  If you're still with me and are reading chapter 2:7, you are going to experience God creating man.  Verse 7, “Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.”  I know this is redundant, but if a pie needs a pie maker, a man needs a creator.

Now, this might be a shock to many in 2025, but God made man to work.  Let's explore that, in Genesis 2:15-17, we not only see that truth, but the one thing man was not to do; ^“The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden,  but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Note: Not a physical death, but a spiritual death.  And every person since Adam has the same problem.

 

What happened to this perfect world? You and I sure did not experience such a place.  Man would not have broken the one thing God, his Creator, told him not to do, would he?  Well, that's where it gets interesting.  Picking up the account in Genesis 2:20-23, ^“The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam, there was not found a helper fit for him.  So, the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept, took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.  And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man, he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”

 

Now pay attention to verse 24-25,  ^“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.  And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.”  That was before that old serpent deceived Eve and got her to eat the fruit from the tree of good and evil.  The first act was to hide from God and make a garment to hide their nakedness.  And then lie and blame Eve and her the serpent  The book of Revelations, chapter 12:9, exposes that old serpent: “And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.”  Now that old devil and his angels were also once in heaven, and the devil was the most of the most, and he was also a creation, and full of self and pride, wanted to be like God.  He has been messing with you and me and everyone since his fall, and yet a day is coming where he will be bound up for a thousand years, and Jesus will be on the earth as Lord of Lords, and King of Kings.  You find that in Revelations 20:2, “And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years,”

Now, a God who could speak a universe into being, make man out of dust, and breathe life into his earth suit, must know that Adam and Eve are going to mess up this perfect world, so why did He create man?  I could show you many verses that explain why, but Scripture tells us that God is Love, not that He knows how to love, but that He is Love.  And you nor I would not have made a man when we knew that a day would come when He would ask His Son, His only Son, to step out of being worship, and take on the form of a baby, born of a virgin, and be rejected by God’s chosen people Israel, and die for people that despised Him.  John 3:16-20,  ^“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.  This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.  Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.”

 

I have a sign on our back porch that reminds me that God loves sinners and messes like me.  “Smile, you Rascal, God knows all about you, and He loves you anyway”.  And He knows all about you, too.

 

From our Back Porch,

Bob Rice

 

 

 

 

 

The Interpretation of the Vision

  

Daniel 8:15-27

 

April 1, 2024

 

The Interpretation of the Vision

When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it. And behold, there stood before me one having the appearance of a man.  And I heard a man's voice between the banks of the Ulai, and it called, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.”  So, he came near where I stood. And when he came, I was frightened and fell on my face. But he said to me, “Understand, O son of man, that the vision is for the time of the end.”

And when he had spoken to me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face to the ground. But he touched me and made me stand up.  He said, “Behold, I will make known to you what shall be at the latter end of the indignation, for it refers to the appointed time of the end.  As for the ram that you saw with the two horns, these are the kings of Media and Persia.  And the goat is the king of Greece. And the great horn between his eyes is the first king.  As for the horn that was broken, in place of which four others arose, four kingdoms shall arise from his nation, but not with his power. And at the latter end of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their limit, a king of bold face, one who understands riddles, shall arise.  His power shall be great—but not by his own power, and he shall cause fearful destruction and shall succeed in what he does, and destroy mighty men and the people who are the saints.  By his cunning, he shall make deceit prosper under his hand, and in his own mind, he shall become great. Without warning, he shall destroy many. And he shall even rise up against the Prince of princes, and he shall be broken—but by no human hand. The vision of the evenings and the mornings that has been told is true, but seal up the vision, for it refers to many days from now.”

And I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for some days. Then I rose and went about the king's business, but I was appalled by the vision and did not understand it.

I can only imagine David’s shock at hearing the voice from heaven saying, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.”  You and I would have hit the ground faster than Daniel.  I believe God is often speaking to us, but we will not slow down and sit in a quiet place and listen for His voice.  Blaise Pascal, who lived a very short life of 37 years, left this counsel: “All men's miseries derive from not being able to sit in a quiet room alone.”  It is not a new problem; he lived in the 1600s.  But Daniel knew that, and he waited on God to speak, and he did what God told him to do.

 

Gabriel explained that what Daniel had seen was something that was at the end of what is referred to as time.  The Ram with the two horns will be the Media and Persia, or as it is referred to, Irian.  The Goat that comes with one horn that is broken and four horns come out, and one grows bigger than the others, is Greece.  In verse 8, we see four kingdoms come from Greece, and they were the “four kingdoms”: Macedonia and Greece, Thrace and Asia Minor, Egypt and Palestine, and Syria and Persia.  This has taken place, and it was after the “first king” of Greece, Alexander the Great. The phrase “the vision of evenings and mornings” describes the period when this vision would be fulfilled – four centuries later, in 167-164 B.C., and in a future Antichrist.  Daniel must seal the vision because of its impact on prophecy.  Daniel sealed up the vision by recording it.  The prophecy of Daniel carries the principle of dual fulfillment.  Both Antiochus and the future Antichrist are in view.  Antiochus only foreshadows the Antichrist. 

 

This we know from the book of Revelation, we see the Man of Lawlessness.  The future Antichrist will form alliances with other nations and achieve world influence, and will attack the Jews.  The coming Antichrist will do much greater violence than Antiochus did.  The future Antichrist will gain power through a peace program.  Direct judgment from God terminates his 

rule. The verses are in green at the end or by Grant Richison.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

Daniel's Vision of the Ram and the Goat

 

Daniel 8:1-14

 

March 31, 2024

 

Daniel's Vision of the Ram and the Goat

In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar, a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after that which appeared to me at the first.  And I saw in the vision; and when I saw, I was in Susa the citadel, which is in the province of Elam. And I saw in the vision, and I was at the Ulai canal.  I raised my eyes and saw, and behold, a ram standing on the bank of the canal. It had two horns, and both horns were high, but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last.  I saw the ram charging westward and northward, and southward. No beast could stand before him, and there was no one who could rescue from his power. He did as he pleased and became great.

As I was considering, behold, a male goat came from the west across the face of the whole earth, without touching the ground. And the goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes.  He came to the ram with the two horns, which I had seen standing on the bank of the canal, and he ran at him in his powerful wrath.  I saw him come close to the ram, and he was enraged against him and struck the ram and broke his two horns. And the ram had no power to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled on him. And there was no one who could rescue the ram from his power. Then the goat became exceedingly great, but when he was strong, the great horn was broken, and instead of it there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.

Out of one of them came a little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land.  It grew great, even to the host of heaven. And some of the host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them.  It became great, even as great as the Prince of the host. And the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was overthrown.  And a host will be given over to it together with the regular burnt offering because of transgression, and it will throw truth to the ground, and it will act and prosper.  Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, “For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?”  And he said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.”

 

I asked the lady on my phone to tell me how many years 2,300 days and it is 6.3 years.  Once more, this is referring to a time yet to come.  The Ram in the vision was a warrior with little or no compassion.  Next, Daniel sees a male goat with one horn between its eyes, it comes from the west without touching the ground, and he not only dislikes the Ram, but it also destroys the Ram.

 

Daniel also saw the Goat becoming great and strong; it attacked all that was Holy, and the sanctuary was overthrown.  But the goat with the big horn was broken off, and four horns came out, and one was greater than the others.  I am beginning to feel as if I write like the talking heads on TV.  They just repeat what is already known.  But this is of great value for me to have insight into Daniels's vision.  One must keep in mind that in the future, it will happen, and yet today it has not.

 

But the one that grew great among the four will be empowered by the old serpent, the devil, and he will be against all that is good, all that is holy, and will do his best to kill the saints of the living God.  You must reread these verses; And the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was overthrown.  And a host will be given over to it together with the regular burnt offering because of transgression, and it will throw truth to the ground, and it will act and prosper.

Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, “For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?”  And he said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.”  Jesus shows up!

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

 

Daniel's Vision Interpreted

  

Daniel 7:15-28

 

March 30, 2024

 

 

Daniel's Vision Interpreted

“As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me was anxious, and the visions of my head alarmed me. I approached one of those who stood there and asked him the truth concerning all this.  So, he told me and made known to me the interpretation of the things.  ‘These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth. But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.’

“Then I desired to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the rest, exceedingly terrifying, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze, and which devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet, and about the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn that came up and before which three of them fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and that seemed greater than its companions.  As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.

“Thus, he said: ‘As for the fourth beast, there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be different from all the kingdoms, and it shall devour the whole earth, and trample it down, and break it to pieces.  As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom, ten kings shall arise, and another shall arise after them; he shall be different from the former ones and shall put down three kings.  He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.
But the court shall sit in judgment, and his dominion shall be taken away, to be consumed and destroyed to the end.  And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’

“Here is the end of the matter. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly alarmed me, and my color changed, but I kept the matter in my heart.”

My prayer is that pastors and teachers will call all things what God calls them.  I will never forget Ronald Reagan calling the Soviet Union an Evil empire, and it was only months before it was dismantled.  It was not Reagan who dismantled it; it was God.  When we call things what God calls them, we see Him do the impossible.  

If you are putting your trust in anything but the Righteous Right Hand of our God, your ladder is on the wrong wall.  Daniel's vision is about a time that has not yet happened, but soon, very soon, we are going to see Jesus coming in the clouds, with a mighty host.

But, before that day, we will see times like never before seen in the past, and at the end of seven years, the return of Jesus to reign for a thousand years, and the old serpent, the devil, or Satan will be bound for that time.

Saints, that is what Jesus calls His followers, it is not about what you have done, but about Him, about Grace, so call yourself what God calls you.  And remember that when it looks impossible, it probably is; But God is a God of the impossible.

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The Son of Man Is Given Dominion

                                                                    Daniel 7:13-14

 

March 29, 2024

 

The Son of Man Is Given Dominion

“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven
 there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days
 and was presented before him.  And to him was given dominion
 and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages
 should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
 which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

I am sure you have heard someone say timing is everything. Amazingly, this week we are celebrating the Rison Lord.  Yes, He is Risen indeed.  

Do you recall John’s vision in Revelation Chapter 5, where no one was able to open the Scroll with the Seven seals, no one in heaven or earth, and John began to weep, till an elder said Do not weep, the Lamb will open the seal.  And the Scroll was given to the Lamb, and this is what happened; 

“Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,  saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”  And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Many years stood between these two visions, but it was about the same happening, it has not taken place yet, but keep looking to the Eastern Sky, He coming back.  Soon very Soon.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

 

The Ancient of Days Reigns

 

Daniel 7:9-12

 

March 28, 2024

 

The Ancient of Days Reigns

 “As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire.
A stream of fire issued and came out from before him;
a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened.

“I looked then because of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking. And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire.  As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.

John's vision in Revelation talks of two beasts. The first beast is a symbolic picture of the Antichrist, and the dragon is Satan (cf. Revelation 12:9).  And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. (Note: Satan fell from Heaven, and the angels who followed him in the rebellion.)

The second Beast in Revelation is who I believe Daniel is referring to.  I believe that is the false Prophet.  Revelation 13:11-18, “Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, and it spoke like a dragon.  It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed.  It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people,  and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast, it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived.  And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain.  Also, it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead,  so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.  This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666”

Yesterday, we said it would be a hard time for those of us who would not worship the Beast, but it comes down to whom do you believe and trust, and whom do you fear?  Many fear what man can do, but how they will be confronted with the man of lawlessness, who opposes all that is holy, and puts himself out as God.

You must pray for those who will go through the Tribulations, and this is the reason found in Revelation 14:9-11. ^“And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.  And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”

 From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

 

Note: We have had many Antichrists since Jesus left Earth to sit at the right hand of the Father.  But the old Serpent will be the one referred to in Revelation.