SERMON ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2021

SERMON 9-12-2021

Scripture, Daniel 8: 15-19, 9: 20-23

FROM GOAT TO GLORY

     We are going to continue and try to stay on track with our survey of the book of Daniel, so we will not be trying to define the specific images or breakdown genealogies this morning because we tried that last week and it became exhausting and the gospel is why we are here.  Let us see in God’s word that even back here in Daniel the Gospel of Jesus Christ can and will show itself to us in the text of scripture.  But I invite, in fact, challenge everyone to take the time and read these chapters and let the Lord speak through the prophets into our lives, and even jot down questions and get them to me so we can search the Word together and grow in our knowledge of the Lord.

     That being said today we looking at rams and goats that come to Daniel in a vision a couple of years after the first one, and as we talked about last week this vision is a refinement of the last one; specifically, this vision focuses on Alexander the Great who is the large horn on the shaggy goat in the text of chapter 8.  What is remarkable is the accuracy of the prophecy because just as the text bears out, Alexander dies at a young age and his kingdom is divided into 4 parts not of his lineage or power.  What is important in this text is the conspicuous horn, because we know this person from history, and his name is Antiochus IV, Epiphanes. ( the vision in 9-14, then the interpretation in 21-26)

     This prophecy introduces for us two concepts that make these readings a challenge, and they are the concept of a descriptive TYPE and the principle of double reference.  Antiochus was a bad dude, awful and he killed thousands of Jewish people, outlawed the Torah, and then went into the temple and began sacrificing pigs on the holy altar of God,  even erecting a statue of Jupiter WITHIN the walls of the temple.  There is a beautiful irony here because his hatred drove the faithful out into the wilderness where they could hide their bibles during this time of persecution, which is one of the reasons we have the Dead Sea Scrolls, so even this extreme evil can be used of God to edify and build up the faith of His people.  But if we remember chapter 7 introduces us to the “ANTICHRIST” the loud obnoxious blasphemer who rales against the God of Abraham.  The Angel Gabriel now uses the image of this awful ruler in a way that describes what kind of person the Antichrist will be like.  Antiochus is the TYPE used to describe this final ruler we know as the antichrist.  So for our purpose, we see this NOT as a this or that scenario, but a this AND that scenario.  This is what we mean by double reference.  Think of it this way.  Gabriel says to Daniel “Do you see this guy how awful he’s gonna be?  Just you wait till this guy at the very end comes because he’s gonna do many of the same things but he will subdue and deceive the whole earth, and be even worse.”

      What is most notable about this text is that in verse 24 we see that Antiochus does not operate in his own strength, but is aided by forces of Satan as will the Antichrist, and then in verse 25, we see that his end comes apart from any human effort.  The book of the Maccabees in the Apocrypha describes these events in some detail, but for our purpose, we note that Daniel is spot on and that the true Prophet of God gets information from the source of all knowledge.  So from chapter 8, we learn that God uses nations to fulfill His plan for the future, they will rise and fall at His command, and nations that glorify His name will prosper.  But Satan also uses nations and comes as a deceiver of nations, corrupting values inserting his counterfeit justice, his counterfeit values, his corruption of God’s design of humanity, which causes nations to stray from their true identity which is made in the image of God.  Sound familiar?  Wait until we see chapter 10!

      But I want us to focus again on the man Daniel, who remains in position and we will see how God views Daniel in the next chapter; but for now, those who remain in position and pursue excellence and His righteousness regardless of external forces will have access to truth. The Word of God in scripture will become a wellspring of hope and purpose, and that Prophecy in Scripture will be a pathway forward and not an excuse to fear or despair in times of hardship and trial when nations appear to be adrift as they “fling truth to the ground.”  Do not miss this, that today Secular humanism has a very particular purpose and that is to make each man or woman their own God, just like this Antiochus IV; how would we behave if we were given absolute power?  How do we behave when there is no concern for accountability.  We are the temple of God, and we have to be watchful because a lie can quickly lead to the erection of an idol within our temple walls and an abomination that leads to desolation strips us of what God intends for our lives.  Let’s move on.

       Chapter 9 occurs some 7-10 years later when Darius is appointed king of Babylon serving the Medo-Persian empire.  So let’s get some context.  Daniel has been serving Babylon for a long time as an EXILE of the Jewish people. And Daniel knows this is the punishment of God, but now Babylon is not in control, so what’s going on?  When uncertainty happens in our lives, where do we turn?  CNN, FOX, Epoch Times, New York Times?  Our Daniel turns to the Word of God, and it’s interesting that Daniel regards the Prophet Jeremiah’s writing as Scripture and that he has access to the letters Jeremiah has written to the people in exile, but here we are in the year sixty or so when Daniel reads the time is almost up.  So what does he do? Throw a party? Make a glorious announcement? No, once Daniel sees that Jeremiah received from God that the time of exile would be 70 years he begins seeking the presence of God by fasting in sackcloth and ashes.  What comes next is one of the great prayers of scripture.  

     We say the “Our Father” every week but here is a prayer of confession and recognition that we would be wise to look at carefully and then emulate ourselves. We are NOT worthy of any blessing or any mercy, we do not deserve salvation or redemption or to have our season of exile come to an end.  This is a prayer for the nation of Israel, but as a homework assignment, I would like us to take this prayer and pray it over our nation.  We have sinned, we have become corrupted by lies and the guile of our government has thrown truth to the ground.  We need this prayer to go up as our confession here in the USA.  but what I really want us to see is what a true prayer of confession brings.

    While he was still praying Gabriel enters the scene, and this time not in a vision but there he is, and he is there because a command for his presence had been issued (23).  I would like us to zero in on this idea of “Highly esteemed” for a second.  Daniels’s life is marked by hardship and trial, but also perseverance and excellence.  Daniel uses the Spiritual gifts given to him regarding the interpretation of dreams and problems By God, which is demonstrated by the historical chapters of this book  (10x better than the magicians, Etc.), but that’s not all, Daniel was successful and diligent in everything he did at work, in worship, in life, he walked in absolute integrity yielding his will to the Word of God, maintaining a posture of prayer and TRUSTING that the word of God has the answers he needs to glorify God. Even in times of trial and hardship, Daniel would not yield to the gods that were being served around him regardless of cost or threat Daniel prayed in complete expectation knowing that the God he served would hear his petition.  Decades of prayer and supplication, decades of hard work and dedication to his work and to his people who were in exile with him, decades of faithful service to his God, now he is regarded as a man “Highly Esteemed.” Stay the course and those who live lives of integrity over decades can and will be used by God in ways that just may blow our minds.

     Daniel was praying himself into exhaustion petitioning for his nation when Gabe came.  So, sackcloth ashes and fasting, praying into exhaustion?  Do we sell out just to petition the presence of God?  Do we confess our unworthiness, our sinfulness, and lay ourselves down at the mercy of the cross?  Do we understand that WORTHY IS HE, NOT ME, and the one on the throne is worthy of our effort and that our excellence in ALL that we do is a reflection of His Glory to the world?  And finally, do we see our confession, our supplication, our petition, our prayer as a spiritual weapon against the forces of darkness that are trying to blind us and pull us away from the truth of God?

Make no mistake about it, our prayer life is a clear indicator of our spiritual health because it accomplishes for us our three purposes of prophecy,  He is on the throne of my life He encourages me by showing me that He is trustworthy and the author of every minute of my life and that I am set apart for eternity in Jesus Christ.  And finally, my prayers result in His light shining on my path compelling me to ACTION moving forward toward the coming kingdom.

     Gabriel now gives Daniel a word that we need to heed as well, PAY ATTENTION! use all the gifts given to you by God to understand what I am going to show you.  This is the lead into the Messianic prophecy of Daniel. Verses 24-27, bring into focus all this other stuff from the previous chapters. God has moved through and used nations both good and bad to put His chosen people in a position to fulfill the primary purpose which is to bring the Messiah into the world.  We must never forget that God created us all and wishes to reconcile us all, but ELECTED, of His own will, Abraham and from him, He chose to bring the messiah of the world.  70 weeks have been determined FOR ISRAEL, not the world, ISRAEL, to fulfill God’s divine purpose for all humankind. I invite you to read this prophecy on your own but will summarize my understanding of these weeks and invite any discussion regarding this incredible Word.

      First off, the word weeks is confusing and many translations use the term “SEVENS” which is more accurately regarded as years. So a period of 490 years is ordained for Israel to fulfill its purpose.  The first 49 (7×7) are prophetically meted out for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple which history tells us is accurate, but the beginning of verse 25 also teaches us that the clock starts at the time when the decree is issued to rebuild the city.  King Cyrus does just that probably while Daniel is still alive (not sure), but the period ends on a very specific day as well, and that day is the day Jesus Christ rides into Jerusalem on a donkey and for the first time allows the people of Israel to see Him and worship Him as the Messiah.  We also see the crucifixion where the Messiah is “cut off” and the final destruction of Israel which occurs in AD70.

    Now, who is talking here? Gabriel, yes the same Gabriel who talks to Mary hundreds of years later so his concept of time and ours are probably very different so when he said “even to the end there will be war,” which end will have these desolations that are determined?  This is the transition to the 70th week where Israel’s final purpose comes into view.  The desolations and wars could very well be a reference to the “CHURCH AGE’ ‘ which is completely missing from this prophecy, Why? Because the Church is a mystery, is unseen by Daniel or the other prophets for the most part, because the purpose of the Church picks up where the purpose of Israel leaves off until the 70 week begins,  Let me illustrate this with our Word from Daniel 7:9, Yahweh is the only one sitting, why are the other thrones empty? Turn with me to Revelation 4:1-4.  The word Elder is not a spiritual being or Angel; these are the 24 elders of the Church and in Daniel’s day the Church does not exist so he doesn’t see who the other thrones were for.  This demonstrates the progression of ONE vision being refined and defined through time to different generations, and as knowledge increases our ability to discern will increase as the day approaches.

   I want to close with this Word from Ephesians 3: 3-6.  The gospel of Jesus Christ is the truth that God’s desire is not to redeem the people of Israel but that ALL the world has now been called and invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.  Verse 27 of Daniel 9 tells of a horrible time of lawlessness and deception, but those who have claimed the blood of the Messiah who was “cut off” will be saved.  The Church is the continuation of God’s plan and we are all called to take part in this plan.  How blessed are we that see what Daniel never saw, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the healing, the forgiveness, the mercy all flowing from heaven through the blood of the lamb?  Our call is no different than Daniel which is to live in integrity, fulfill our part in the race, pray as if it were our only weapon against the evil of this age, remain in position, SEEK His truth in the Word given to us in Scripture, understanding that the great purpose of Israel was to bring the Messiah to the world? Our purpose, however, is to share the Gospel, that the Messiah has come and our redemption rests solely in Jesus Christ, with the World, by Daring to be a Daniel?  Let’s Pray