October 22, 2018
What does it say?
Daniel’s messenger revealed Israel’s persecution under Persian, Greek, and Roman rulers. He spoke of a king who would declare himself to be god at the end of time.
What does it mean?
The content of this chapter was future to Daniel, but much of it is history to us. The messenger from God continued to give Daniel understanding of what was ahead for Israel. History corroborates the accuracy of the message, but beginning in verse 36, events are foretold that have not yet happened. In the final seven years of history, a ruler will reject Christ and set up a one-world religion with himself as god. From Jerusalem he will seek to conquer the world, but he will fail. Daniel’s prophecy is a reminder that God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and sovereign over history. Ultimately, wickedness will not prevail.
How should I respond?
Does some difficulty have you baffled and confused? Are you wondering what God’s will is in the situation? The Lord knows your future just as surely as He knows the future of human history. Sometimes it appears the wicked are winning, but this pas- sage reminds us that God will have the last word in all earthly matters. You can have unswerving confidence in Christ, regardless of your circumstances. This doesn’t mean bad things won’t happen, but God knows what is going on and He is with you. You win when you trust God, confident of His presence and provision throughout your difficulty.