Standing Firm

  

Daniel 11:29-35

 

April 9, 2024

 

“At the time appointed, he shall return and come into the south, but it shall not be this time as it was before.  For ships of Kittim shall come against him, and he shall be afraid and withdraw, and shall turn back and be enraged and take action against the holy covenant. He shall turn back and pay attention to those who forsake the holy covenant.  Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate.  He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.  And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder. When they stumble, they shall receive a little help. And many shall join themselves to them with flattery, and some of the wise shall stumble, so that they may be refined, purified, and made white, until the time of the end, for it still awaits the appointed time.

 

Many can give you great insight into Daniel 11:29-35, but let me share how encouraging this one verse is.  He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.  It brings me back to being a child in VBS, and learning a song about one door and only one, and yet the doors are two, I’m on the inside, and with which side are you?  One door and only one, and yet the doors are two, I’m on the Lord’s side, and with side are you.  I sang that song with gusto and belief, but though I believe that Jesus was the Only Son of God, that He was born of a Virgin, and died for the sins of all people, for 26+ years I was not on the Lord’s side; I was trying to get my needs met outside of Christ.  In a motel in Victoria, Texas, about 10 p.m., as I put the key in the door, I heard a voice, it said, Bob, tonight is the last time I'm dealing with you.  For six months, I had tried to get God to receive me on my terms.  That night, I opened the hotel Bible to Romans 10:9-10, ^“because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart, one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”   That was 55 years ago, I went through the door that led me to Grace and forgiveness, and Jesus and I now understand my Identity in Christ.  Tomorrow, I turn 82, and it took years of training by men God sent to mentor me in how to stand firm.  He has promised to never leave me or forsake me. I’m a child of the King.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice 

The Highways of My Life

       The Highways of My Life

 

I enjoy the highways of life, especially the eight-lane ones. When I was
a small child, the highways led to new adventures with little risk. Mom
and Dad were always there to ensure that I was not in danger. 

When I became a teenager, the highways seemed so bright. 

I knew that my happiness had to be in flight.

As a young man, I acquired a wife, and the highways seemed so

right together. Risk? What risk? The highways seemed to call. The faster you
go, the less your conscience sees, the small pitfalls.

The world called me to the fast lane and promised many things. Things of
pleasure, hope, and fun, but it did require one little thing. I had to
get into a faster lane. One that required so much time, but it promised
power and wealth, and maybe even fame.

The highways of this world seemed to offer me real life, but the risks
were greater, and almost cost me my life. One day on my eight-lane highway to hell, I met a nonreligious man. He told me about his Father...another nonreligious Spirit. He talked about the highways of my life as if He had been with me all along. He knew all the curves, potholes, dead ends, and construction.

His love and understanding of my life drew me from the highway to His
rest stop. It was at that rest stop that I learned that He was the Master
Designer of all. At his rest stop, I was given a book; He called the
manufacturer's handbook. It was all about Him and His Father and His
promises.

I needed to stop at that rest stop. Afterward, I was not the same, and
when I re-entered the highway, it was only one lane. The Master Designer
had told me it would be a narrow road, but he did not tell me everything.
I have discovered that His narrow lane runs down the middle of my old
eight-lane highway. Yes, it goes against the traffic, and all the high-risk travelers

 kept going faster and faster to nowhere.

Have I ever gotten off the narrow lane and back onto the eight-lane highway? 

The answer is yes, and I have had a few wrecks. But the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the Master Designer, has promised to pick me up, and He is faithful, to return me to the contraflow, narrow lane.

This is what happened to me one day on the way to hell.

Bob Rice

The Kings of the South and the North

 

Daniel 11:20-28

 

April 8, 2024

 

The Kings of the South and the North

“Then shall arise in his place one who shall send an exactor of tribute for the glory of the kingdom. But within a few days, he shall be broken, neither in anger nor in battle. In his place shall arise a contemptible person to whom royal majesty has not been given. He shall come in without warning and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.  Armies shall be utterly swept away before him and broken, even the prince of the covenant.  And from the time that an alliance is made with him, he shall act deceitfully, and he shall become strong with a small people.  Without warning, he shall come into the richest parts^[e] of the province, and he shall do what neither his fathers nor his fathers' fathers have done, scattering among them plunder, spoil, and goods. He shall devise plans against strongholds, but only for a time.  And he shall stir up his power and his heart against the king of the south with a great army. And the king of the south shall wage war with an exceedingly great and mighty army, but he shall not stand, for plots shall be devised against him.  Even those who eat his food shall break him. His army shall be swept away, and many shall fall down slain.  And as for the two kings, their hearts shall be bent on doing evil. They shall speak lies at the same table, but to no avail, for the end is yet to be at the time appointed.  And he shall return to his land with great wealth, but his heart shall be set against the holy covenant. And he shall work his will and return to his own land.

As I’ve told you, when I have no insight or understanding, I go to a source that has stayed true to the Scripture.  That is Got Question.

Daniel 11:21–24: “He will be succeeded by a contemptible person who has not been given the honor of royalty. He will invade the kingdom when its people feel secure, and he will seize it through intrigue. Then an overwhelming army will be swept away before him; both it and a prince of the covenant will be destroyed. After coming to an agreement with him, he will act deceitfully, and with only a few people, he will rise to power. When the richest provinces feel secure, he will invade them and will achieve what neither his fathers nor his forefathers did. He will distribute plunder, loot and wealth among his followers. He will plot the overthrow of fortresses—but only for a time.”

Fulfillment: Antiochus Epiphanes was not a legitimate heir to the throne but was able to acquire an army and take the throne by force in 187 BC. He seemed to have a special vendetta against Jerusalem. He was behind the murder of the high priest. He was a thug and a madman. Although he took the name Epiphanes (“God manifest”), some, no doubt behind his back, called him “Epimanes” (“madman”).

Daniel 11:25–28: “With a large army, he will stir up his strength and courage against the king of the South. The king of the South will wage war with a large and very powerful army, but he will not be able to stand because of the plots devised against him. Those who eat from the king’s provisions will try to destroy him; his army will be swept away, and many will fall in battle. The two kings, with their hearts bent on evil, will sit at the same table and lie to each other, but to no avail, because an end will still come at the appointed time. The king of the North will return to his own country with great wealth, but his heart will be set against the holy covenant. He will take action against it and then return to his own country.”

Fulfillment: Antiochus invaded Egypt in 169 BC. The king of Egypt was young and inexperienced, relying on advisors who did not serve him well, and he was defeated. In negotiations, neither king was honorable. Antiochus left Egypt the victor. On his way home, he looted the temple in Jerusalem and stationed a garrison there. He also defiled the temple by sacrificing unclean animals there.

 

From our Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

The Kings of the North and the South part 2

                                                            Daniel 11:10-20

 

April 7, 2024

 

The Kings of the North and the South

 

“His sons shall wage war and assemble a multitude of great forces, which shall keep coming and overflow and pass through, and again shall carry the war as far as his fortress.  Then the king of the south moved with rage, shall come out and fight against the king of the north. And he shall raise a great multitude, but it shall be given into his hand.  And when the multitude is taken away, his heart shall be exalted, and he shall cast down tens of thousands, but he shall not prevail.  For the king of the north shall again raise a multitude, greater than the first. And after some years, he shall come on with a great army and abundant supplies.

“In those times, many shall rise against the king of the south, and the violent among your own people shall lift themselves up in order to fulfill the vision, but they shall fail. Then the king of the north shall come and throw up siegeworks and take a well-fortified city. And the forces of the south shall not stand, or even his best troops, for there shall be no strength to stand.  But he who comes against him shall do as he wills, and none shall stand before him. And he shall stand in the glorious land, with destruction in his hand.  He shall set his face to come with the strength of his whole kingdom, and he shall bring terms of an agreement and perform them. He shall give him the daughter of women to destroy the kingdom, but it shall not stand or be to his advantage.  Afterward, he shall turn his face to the coastlands and shall capture many of them, but a commander shall put an end to his insolence. Indeed, he shall turn his insolence back upon him.  Then he shall turn his face back toward the fortresses of his own land, but he shall stumble and fall, and shall not be found.

I will tell you what others have to say about the kings of the north and south, later, but this one part jumped off the page at me.  I’ve worked on a book about the Christian Army and its fitness for many years.  I want you to give thought to how important the soldier is to be equipped for that Army.

I also want you to imagine how important it was to have ample supplies to feed from 250,000 to 400,000 warriors over many miles and months on foot, and the animals they used for battle.   These are the two verses that got my thinker going: For the king of the north shall again raise a multitude, greater than the first. And after some years, he shall come on with a great army and abundant supplies.

 

This question came into my mind: How equipped is the Christian Army for battle?  Has it had good training? Does it know how to follow orders? Will it stand firm, at God’s command? Will it understand that, unlike the Army that comes against it with weapons of this world, like hate and evil desires, the Christian Army must stand on faith, prayer, and love, and watch the Lord fight in ways they may not understand.  If they are not trained, they will not stand firm and will attempt to use the world’s weapons.

 

Now, what others say about the kings of the North and South is the time these battles took place.  It is important to remember that these kingdoms are north and south of Jerusalem.   The timeline is 200 B.C.   Jerusalem had Egyptian troops stationed there, and the Syrian victory replaced them.  So, the king of Egypt came up with a plan to marry his daughter to the king of the south, to form what would seem an alliance, but his goal was for her to be his spy.  That we are told took place in 193 B.C.

 

As often the best plans of men do not work, the queen's loyalty was not to dear old Dad but to her husband.  Rome was now a power and told the king of the North to stay out of Greece.  When he did not in 191 B.C. Rome attacked and defeated him at Thermopylae in 191 BC. The king of the North was humiliated and was forced to pay tribute to Rome.  Daniel 11:20: “His successor will send out a tax collector to maintain the royal splendor. In a few years, however, he will be destroyed, yet not in anger or in battle.”

Fulfillment: The Seleucid successor was preoccupied with getting money to satisfy Rome. His attempt to loot the temple in Jerusalem to get tribute money was unsuccessful. This king had a short, inconsequential reign.

This brings us to Antiochus IV Ephiphanes, one of the most notorious and brutal kings of the North.  (Taken from Got Question)

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice 

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 that 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 for 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's desires, 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 the 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 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 prophesy 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 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 see when the man of Lawlessness show-up to rule the kingdom of this earth.  Many will take his mark, and they will be forever, condemn.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice