Prophetic Highlights From The Book Of Daniel
by Joseph Hunting
Daniel's visions and interpretation of dreams provide some of the most fascinating prophecies found in Scripture.
As a young man he was chosen especially by Nebuchadnezzar, together with "certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes ... whom they might teach the learning and tongue of the Chaldeans."
Nebuchadnezzar's action in choosing some of the seed royal for his court in Babylon was a direct fulfilment of a prophecy made by Isaiah to Hezekiah one hundred years earlier: " ... your sons which issue from you, which you shall beget, shall they take away and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon" (Isaiah 39:7)
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE CHAPTERS 11 AND 12
It is interesting to learn from the Scriptures that Daniel was chief executive, the equivalent of prime minister, in Babylon during the reign of four kings. He was a man of exceptional integrity and ability. Among the great spiritual gifts with which he was endowed was the ability to interpret dreams.
During the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia, Daniel fasted twenty-one days. At the conclusion of the fast an angel appeared unto him with a truly remarkable statement that may well shed light on why our prayers are not always answered as promptly as we would like them to be.
The angel told Daniel that from the first day he commenced his fast and made his petition to God he was heard and the prayer was granted. However, "the prince of the kingdom of Persia" (evidently a demonic power) withstood the request being answered for twenty-one days.
There must have been something of vital interest to the unseen world of angelic and demonic beings that caused the delay to Daniel's prayer. Indeed, the archangel Michael was despatched to assist the heavenly messenger get the message through. Finally, he told Daniel, "Now am I come to make you understand what shall befall your people in the latter days: for the vision is yet for many days." (Daniel 10:14)
No doubt it was the revelation of what shall befall Israel in the latter days that sparked off the demonic resistance of Daniel's petition. If it was of such interest to these malevolent powers to prevent its being known there is good reason for us to heed the angelic message which covers all of chapter 11 and most of chapter 12.
The angel outlined to Daniel that there would yet be four kings who would reign over Persia. Then "a mighty king shall stand up" who is identified as Alexander the Great.
The angel spoke of wars between Egypt and Syria following the death of Alexander that have been verified in secular history.
A point of interest is the reference made to the vile act of Antiochus Epiphanes who sacrificed a sow upon the altar, and the uprising of the Maccabees. " ... they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice and they shall place the abomination that makes desolate ... but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits." (11:31,32)
A PRECIS OF END-TIME EVENTS
There is reference to an unnamed ruler who enters the stage of history "at the time of the end" (11:40). From the description given by Daniel there is every reason to identify this one as the ant-christ who will be the embodiment of everything that is evil.
There is neither time nor space to fully assess the world-shattering impact the anti-christ will make when he takes over world government. He will demand total allegiance; indeed, one will not be able to buy or sell even the necessities of life otherwise. And he will control the world's monetary systems.
Although he will make a covenant with Israel (just what this covenant is is not stated in Scripture) he has a consuming hatred of Israel and of Jewish people everywhere. Hitler and his Nazi thugs were like coming events casting their shadows before. His final act will be to finish what Hitler had planned to do, exterminate the Jewish race. To do this he gathers all nations in an all-out assault upon Israel which culminates in the battle of Armageddon.
In the meantime the angel warned Daniel that when the anti-christ takes up residence in the "glorious holy mountain" (Jerusalem) "there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that same time." (12:1)
Israel 's Messiah issued the same warning. "When you therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth let him understand) then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains ... for then shall be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened there should no flesh be saved." (Matthew 24:15-22)
Many Bible students feel that the current world situation is like a vast jigsaw in which the pieces are coming together and the outline of the events described in Scripture are becoming more clearly defined.
Zechariah vividly describes the end-time events of which Daniel speaks. It would take less than five minutes to read chapters 12 to 14 which portray in detail the events which will culminate in the greatest blood-bath the world has ever known and the total collapse of our present world system.
And when Israel is faced with certain destruction the great Saviour-Deliverer rends the heavens and returns to the very spot where He ascended nearly two thousand years ago. "Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives." (Zechariah 14:3-4)
The angel concluded his message to Daniel by telling him that at the time of the end "many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." One has only to travel overseas to fully grasp the significance of the people continually on the move. International airports are crammed round the clock as jumbo jets discharge their human cargoes.
The explosion of knowledge in our life time leaves one gasping. There now seems nothing that man cannot achieve technologically. Yet in the midst of all the hustle and bustle, the running to and fro and the giant strides mankind is making in knowledge there is the gracious invitation, "Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else." (Isaiah 45:22).