Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

In chapter ten, Daniel mourned and fasted for three weeks to get an answer. This is about four years after the order was given by Cyrus to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem and many years after the visions of chapters 7-9. Daniel was seeking about the times and what the people should do. A messenger appeared to him and told him that the answer had been forthcoming since Daniel started praying, but it had been delayed because demons had tried to stop it. Interestingly, the description of this messenger is VERY MUCH like Jesus in Revelation. Since this was under the Old Covenant, answers didn’t work the same way as now. They had to be delivered. Under the New Covenant, they CAN be delivered, but we have Holy Spirit living inside us and we are resting in Jesus, so we get IMMEDIATE communication – but delivery (of a message from someone OTHER than Jesus/Holy Spirit, or of the subject of the prayer) can still be hindered.

Chapter eleven is a continuation of the visitor’s speech to Daniel. It speaks of the kings of Persia coming to rise soon and a fourth one who will be very rich and through those riches stir up people to attack Greece (supposed to be Xerxes and the king who married Esther, Ahasuerus being a title and not a name – Esther 2:17). The message goes on to speak of Alexander the Great, and possibly one of his generals (Ptolemy Philadelphus – ruler of Egypt, Phoenicia, Arabia, Libya, and Ethiopia). It deals with their lives and the lives of their descendants through upheavals, sieges, and battles. Essentially, a detailed account of the history between the Seleucid Empire and the Ptolemaic Empire, and the brutal oppression of the Jews by Antiochus Epiphanes and his conflict with the Maccabees.

Chapter twelve continues the visitor’s speech to Daniel. His language shifts to speaking of far-future events. Great tribulation and also language that seems to point to the resurrection and final judgment. The visitor tells Daniel to seal up some of what he speaks of until the time that the end starts – when the knowledge will be useful and needed. Jesus removed that seal (Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14), because Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection started the end and through Holy Spirit being given to humanity (John 14:15-31), knowledge and revelatory commentary of the Word has increased significantly. The chapter closes with assurance of both a life after death, and specifically comfort to Daniel that he would live, die, and still stand in his place of destiny at the end of all things.

Summary

Key Players: God, Daniel, a Visitor.

Key Verse(s): Daniel 10:1-11; 11:1-10; 12:5-13