Daily reading

Today’s reading is: Dan. 10-12; Ezra 4:24-5:1; Hag. 1

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Daniel Chapter Ten

  1. Daniel receives his last recorded message in the 3rd year of Cyrus, King of Persia.  537BC when Daniel was 82 years of age.
  2. Daniel’s response to this vision was to fast and pray for three weeks (missing a Passover in the process) (Dan. 10:2-3).
  3. The Lord Jesus Christ personally appears to Daniel, speaking to him, and leaving him comatose (Dan. 10:4-9; cf. Rev. 1:13-17).
    1. Daniel had experienced this condition before (Dan. 8:17-18).
    2. On this occasion, Daniel will need to be strengthened three times (Dan. 10:10,16,18).
  4. An angel (most likely Gabriel again) touches Daniel and revives his physical strength (Dan. 10:10) and proceeds to explain his delay in arriving (Dan. 10:11-13).
    1. He had been captured and held prisoner by the Prince of Persia (Dan. 10:13,20).
    2. Another prince is mentioned as well—the Prince of Greece (Dan. 10:20).
    3. Michael is identified as the Prince of Israel (Dan. 10:13,21; 12:1).
  5. Gabriel restores Daniel’s speech (Dan. 10:16) & strength (Dan. 10:18), and provides additional strength (Dan. 10:19) for Daniel to endure the coming message.
  6. The angelic ministrations that Daniel received is similar to the ministrations that the Lord Jesus Christ received during His earthly ministry (Matt. 4:11; Lk. 22:43; Heb. 1:14).
  7. Gabriel states his need to return to the angelic warfare, but delays long enough to give Daniel a Bible class from the “Writing of Truth” (Dan. 10:20-21).

Daniel Chapter Eleven

  1. Chapter 11 details the content of the vision that left Daniel so troubled in Chapter 10.
  2. This horrifying vision is an amplification of Daniel’s previous 2 beast vision, expanding the description of the coming Greek empire.
  3. The course of Persian history is outlined to the 4th king (Ahaseurus) (Dan. 11:1-2).
  4. A mighty king will arise, and do as he pleases (Dan. 11:3-4).  The rise and fall of Alexander the great is seen here (cp. Dan. 8:8,22).
  5. The King of the South vs. the King of the North (Dan. 11:5-35).  These terms refer to the division of Alexander’s empire.
    1. King of the South: the Ptolemy ruler of Egypt.
    2. King of the North: the Seleucid ruler of Syria.

      Note: a very helpful listing of these Ptolemy and Seleucid rulers is available in the Bible Knowledge Commentary.
  6. A despicable person arises to become King of the North (Dan. 11:21).
    1. History names him Antiochus IV (Epiphanes).
    2. He is the Greek little horn previously revealed (Dan. 8:9-12,23-25).
    3. He foreshadows the Roman little horn (Dan. 7:8) who is detailed as “the King” below (Dan. 11:36-45).
    4. He hates the Jews (Dan. 11:22,30) and makes a deceptive covenant with them (Dan. 11:23-24).
    5. He desecrates the Jewish Temple and motivates the faithful remnant of believers to take action (Dan. 11:31-35).
  7. The typology of Antiochus Epiphanies gives way to the prophecy of Antichrist (Dan. 11:36-45).
    1. The boastful horn (Dan. 7:8,11,20,24-26).
    2. The Prince Who is To Come (Dan. 9:26-27).
    3. The self-exalted and magnified god-king (Dan. 11:36).
    4. The Man of Lawlessness, Son of Perdition (2nd Thess. 2:3).
    5. Antichrist (1st Jn. 2:18,22; 2nd Jn. 7).
    6. The Beast (Rev. 13:1-10).

Daniel Chapter Twelve

  1. The chapter division is unfortunate, as Chapter 12 picks up the narrative from the end of Chapter 11.  “At that time” is a reference to the time of Antichrist (Dan. 11:40-45), when the Archangel Michael arises to defend Israel (Dan. 12:1).
  2. The Great Tribulation is a unique period of time unlike anything before or after (Dan. 12:1; Jer. 30:7; Ezek. 5:9; Matt. 24:21-22).
  3. At the conclusion of the Tribulation, only believers will enter into the eschatological theocratic kingdom (Millennium).
    1. The resurrection of life and resurrection of disgrace & abhorrence are described (Dan. 12:2; Jn. 5:28-29; Rev. 20:4-5).
    2. The faithful Jewish evangelists will be rewarded (Dan. 12:3).
  4. Daniel is instructed to record his visions in Scripture, and set the stage for the fulfillment of prophecy (Dan. 12:4).
  5. Daniel observes the angelic briefing also in progress, and has more questions concerning the things to come (Dan. 12:5-8).
    1. The information Daniel wanted was not for him to know (Dan. 12:9).
    2. The Tribulational Remnant will be given the insight to understand such things (Dan. 12:10).
    3. The angels are notified of events of a 3 ½ year duration (Dan. 12:14 cf. 7:25).  Elsewhere this period of time is referred to as 42 months (Rev. 11:2; 13:5) and as 1260 days (Rev. 11:3; 12:6).
    4. Two additional events are to occur 30 days after the Tribulation (the 1290 day reference, Dan. 12:11) and 75 days after the Tribulation (the 1335 day reference, Dan. 12:12).  These events are not stated here, but logically they could refer to:
      1. The time required for the dust of the Gentile empires to blow away (Dan. 2:35).  This may be the 30 day time period.
      2. The time required to judge the Jews (Ezek. 20:33-44) and the Gentiles (Matt. 25:31-46).  This may be the 45 day time period.
      3. The time required to build “Ezekiel’s” temple.  This may be the 2,330 days mentioned for the holy place to be restored (Dan. 8:14).
  6. The Book closes with final words of encouragement for Daniel.  His life was nearly complete, and his reward is great (Dan. 12:13).

Ezra Chapter Four

(Outline continues from Day 266)

  1. Artaxerxes responded to the letter of Bishlam, Mithredath & Tabeel by ordering a total halt to all building projects in Jerusalem (Ezr. 4:7-24).
    1. The son of Xerxes I, Artaxerxes I (Longimanus) reigned from 464-423BC.
    2. Dispatched Ezra to Jerusalem in 458BC (Ezr. 7).
    3. Allowed his cupbearer Nehemiah to rebuild the city walls in 445BC (Neh. 2:1-8).

Haggai Chapter One

  1. Chapter 1 contains the first of four messages that Haggai delivered over a four month period of time.
  2. Haggai’s message is directed to Zerubbabel the governor & Jehozadak the high priest (Hag. 1:1).
    1. Zerubbabel was the grandson of King Jehoiachin, and the heir to the throne of David in the line of Christ (Matt. 1:12).  He is not a Davidic King, but a Persian governor.
    2. Joshua (Jeshua) was the son of Jehozadak & grandson of Seraiah the last high priest of Jerusalem.
  3. The Lord rebuked the returnees for their misplaced priorities (Hag. 1:2-11).  They had rebuilt their own houses but left the temple unfinished.
  4. The Lord admonishes them to consider their ways (Hag. 1:5).
  5. Zerubbabel, Joshua & all the returnees responded positively to the Lord’s rebuke (Hag. 1:12-15).