Bible-8, Maj Proph-2, Ezek-Dan: Part 2

LESSON 8

MAJOR PROPHETS 2

EZEKIEL – DANIEL

Part Two:

By Rev. G. Evan Newmyer

Ezekiel 33 repeats some of the same information the prophet heard as his warning, but here it’s a warning to the Watchmen yet to come. We are told to Watch and Pray, the Fifth church is told “if therefore you shall not watch, I will come on you as a thief”, a thief comes in the Night (Rev 3:3). We are told to strengthen the things remaining, then to remember how we “received and heard”. Shouldn’t it be the other way around? (Rev 3:3). No, we received the Lord, then we were able to Hear. The call to the Fifth church shows it’s right at the border between the Day and Night, if they repent they will walk with Jesus in White, if they don’t they will enter the Night, or Sleep in Jesus. However, there are a few names in Sardis who have not defiled their garments (Rev 3:4). How does one defile a garment? By retaining the flesh which also entails holding to the ways of the world (Jude 23).  How do they become clean? By the precious Blood of Jesus (Rev 7:9 & 7:14).

The sound of the Trumpet is a warning of some pending doom, or a change in Seasons (Ezek 33:3). The Trumpet tells us to Watch, Paul said we are Raptured at the Last Trump, not the Great Trump (I Cor 15:52). Jesus not only told the Fifth church to “be watchful” (Rev 3:2), but He told all of us to Watch (Mark 13:32-36). A Watchman, watches, but if the watchman is looking for the wrong signs, the destruction will come suddenly. If we fail to watch what we are suppose to watch for, the sound of the trumpet will come and go, but we wouldn’t have any idea why. If the Trumpet is sounded, yet we fail to take warning, our blood is on our heads, but if the Watchman fails to warn us, our blood is on their head (Ezek 33:4-6).

God set Ezekiel as a watchman over the house of Israel, God set us as watchmen over the Body of Christ (Ezek 33:7). When God tells us to say, “oh wicked man you will surely die”, yet we hold back the Word, their blood is on our head (Ezek 33:8). It’s hard enough to fight the good fight of faith to keep from being overcome by the wicked, but dumb not to say to them what God gives us. Nevertheless if we tell the wicked and they change not, their blood is on their head (Ezek 33:9). It’s not a matter of making their decisions for them, it’s a matter of warning them of the pending danger, then pointing them to the Path of Salvation. Merely saying “you’re wicked” isn’t the call, there must be an escape in order for the Word of the Lord to be validated. God is proving the point here, the call is for repentance before it’s too late. During the Day we do the same, we call for repentance before the Night comes when no man can work.

The Lord Lives, thus in order to have Life, one must walk with the Living Lord (Ezek 33:11). God then points out how self-righteousness will not deliver us in the day of our transgression (Ezek 33:12). The Righteousness of Jesus is found in the New Man, it’s renewed second by second, but self-righteousness must be continually obtained, not renewed (Ezek 33:13). If the wicked restores their pledge, they will stop stealing through the use of self-righteousness, thus they shall live (Ezek 33:15 & Eph 4:28

God again speaks about equalness, showing His ways are always equal. If the wicked turns, they will be accounted as righteous; if the righteous turn, they will be accounted as wicked (Ezek 33:17-19). This shows two things, the wicked can turn, but so can the righteous. Iniquity is being unequal, so should we be half righteous and half wicked? No, unequal means we did something we were anointed and appointed to do, while failing to do something else we were also anointed and appointed to do, yet we were not anointed by God to be wicked. Being equal for us is Mercy coupled with Grace.

In the twelfth year in the tenth month on the fifth day, Ezekiel received word of  Jerusalem being smitten (Ezek 33:21). Seven years from the first word of Ezekiel until the fall of the “great city”. This Seven is a type and shadow of the last Seven appointed to Daniel’s people and the city. Daniel will explain this seven as it relates to the latter days, and how the seventy years of captivity had more meanings than this limited time in Jewish history.

Running from God doesn’t work either, those in the wastes will fall by the sword, those in the field will be taken by the beasts, those in the forts and caves will fall by the pestilence (Ezek 33:27). Turning and facing God removes us from the caves of fear, but faith puts us in the cave of the prophet, don’t confuse the cave of fear, with the cave of the prophet, they are different. Elijah was a man with like passions as we, when he heard Jezebel was after him, he made prints in the sand to get as far from Jezebel as he could. When he entered the cave he expected to see the Mighty Things of God destroying Jezebel, but he found God in the still small voice giving him the responsibility of his calling. Rather than focus on the failure of the prophet, God centered on the calling. When the word found the prophets soul, the man put his mind on doing his calling.

There are some who run to the prophet and say, “tell us oh man of God, what word do you have?”; but if the word doesn’t fit their thinking they will turn and talk against the prophet by rejecting the words (Ezek 33:30-31). They hear, but allow covetousness to twist, erase or reject the words causing them to lose the prophet’s reward (Ezek 33:31-33).

Those who stand in the gate of the House are the shepherds, thus there were shepherds in both the Old or New Covenants. Ezekiel prophesies against the wicked shepherds who took care of themselves, without concern for the flock, they sheared the sheep, or used the sheep for personal gain (Ezek 34:2-3). They didn’t pray for the sick or diseased, neither did they bind those who were broken, neither did they run to those who have fallen, rather they ruled by force, manipulation and cruelty (Ezek 34:4-5). The flock was scattered, divided, lost in the confusion of sects and cults because of the shepherds, not because of the world, or the devil (Ezek 34:6). At times the ministry becomes more important than the people it’s sent to, the shepherd then uses the people to promote the ministry, rather than allowing the ministry to help the people.

The sheep became prey for the devil, but the cause was the iniquity of the shepherds (Ezek 34:6). Therefore, the shepherds are rebuked, every sheep ending in the mouth of the beast (world) will be placed on the account of the shepherds (Ezek 34:10). God will come and search out His sheep, then He will deliver them (Ezek 34:11-12). Both Seasons are accounted for, as God’s Mercy will be seen in the 144,000 as the knowledge of God is delivered by the Sixth church as the small flock of sheep belonging to the House of David; as the mountain of the Lord will sit on the mountains of the world (Ezek 34:12-13). In that day, God will feed His flock with knowledge and blessing (Ezek 34:14-15 & Isa 2:2). It will be as it was in the days of Noah, there will be no sickness, wars, or rumors of war (Ezek 34:16-19). Man will destroy his weapons of mass destruction, really man will destroy all weapons, then he will live in peace one with the other, but at the same time man will be as he was in the time of Noah, holding unrighteousness against God.

Jesus as the “Son (Root) of David” (Son of man)  will care for the remnant through the Mercies of God, as the Son of God He cares for us by the Spirit of Holiness (Ezek 34:23, Rom 1:3-4 & Eph 4:24). The Woman entered the wilderness after her leaders rejected the Gospel of Peace, yet the Time of Comfort will bring peace to her in the wilderness, showing she is still in the wilderness (Ezek 34:24-25). God will open the windows of heaven to pour out a blessing on Israel, but it doesn’t mean they can make entry through the windows (Ezek 34:26). The son of the House enters through the Door, not the window.

The prophet speaks against mount Seir, located in the land of Edom, but more important is the meaning of the word Seir. The word Seir means A he-goat, or A devil, since it’s a Mount it refers to the Woman, as the destroying mountain. This shows God no longer sees “Zion”, but Seir, as the idol worshipping mountain (Ezek 35:1-3). As they knew the blessing was from God during the time of the Sixth church, they will know the desolation is of God at the end when the Eighth places the abomination in the place it should not be (Ezek 34:27 & 35:5).

Mount Seir then changes from “mountains” to a “he”, showing by this time the Woman and the False Prophet have become one in the bed of adultery; they also allowed the Seven Mountains to enter the bed (Ezek 35:8). Then God speaks of “two countries”, and “two nations” (Ezek 35:10). What gives? The Woman is seen in two stages, one is when the Remnant provides the knowledge of God, the next is when the City is filled with idol worshipers. The Body of Christ is seen with the Good Fish and the Bad, yet whether Good or Bad, they belong to God. The same old evil weapon of the carnal mind is then exposed as the “mouth”, from the mouth comes words, by our words we are either justified or condemned (Ezek 35:12 & Matt 12:37). What did the serpent use at the tree? A movie? A book? No, words of corrupt knowledge. What did the devil use against Jesus? Words of  corrupt knowledge. What does the devil use against us? Words of corrupt knowledge. The “power of suggestion” is based on words of corrupt knowledge. However, by the devil setting the limit to the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life, he found himself in his own trap. The devil is forever limited to the flesh, his devise is to get our souls centered on the flesh, rather than on the Spirit. When the devil used the tree to twist the knowledge of man into the flesh, he also limited himself to using the things common to man (I Cor 10:13). We find he knows how common man thinks, since it’s how he now thinks. Paul told us the spirit of man knows the things of man, but is completely ignorant of the things of the Spirit of God (I Cor 2:11). The devil lost all spiritual awareness, thus if we are spiritual in nature, he has no idea what we are doing, or what we’re thinking. Spiritual matters are foolishness to the natural mind, thus if we are thinking spiritually the devil hasn’t a clue to who we are.

Ezekiel 36 is one of those areas where the word mountain means mountain, the word hills means hills, no metaphors here, just clarity. God has the prophet speak to the physical land, thus the land is suffering because of the people God put there. We know God is sending the king of Babylon, but in Ezekiel 36:3 we find, “because they have made you desolate”. If God sent the king of Babylon, how then can this be a “they”? The They are the people in the land, they became the enemies of the land by refusing to give the Land it’s appointed sabbaths (Ezek 36:17). This is an important area, the protection over a nation is not the covenant of the nation, it’s the people of God doing what the people of God should do.

God then tells the land of a time to come, first is the promise of “baptism”, as noted in the word “sprinkling”. Which seems strange since John immersed people, but the word Sprinkling means To make clean, or To pronounce clean by an action, such as the sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus (I Pet 1:2). Water baptism is our token regarding the Mercy of God, the Baptism with the Holy Ghost brings the Word in us to make us clean (Ezek 36:25, Heb 4:12, James 1:21 & Acts 15:8). Ezekiel 36:26-27 points to the Day, we are the ones who have a New Spirit by the New Birth, thus a New Heart is obtained when we accept the Spirit of Truth (I Jn 4:1-4).

Then comes Ezekiel 36:29 and following, which speaks of the Night. The corn will increase, the windows of heaven will be open, the land will enjoy the increase of the field. This begins with repentance, thus John shows the Sun clothed in sackclothe at the opening of the Sixth Seal (Ezek 36:31). Whether it’s the Day or the Night, repentance is still the call.

Jesus healed, but the land was not at Rest, Jesus spoke Wisdom, but the Pharisees were promoting their strongholds through their religious conceit. Ezekiel 36:35 explains why we saw Pharaoh as a “tree in the Garden of Eden”, Pharaoh is then a metaphor for the devil, raised for a purpose, allowed for a purpose. This also shows the earth, not man will be like the Garden, man will be as it was in the days of Noah. We can tell this since the land is first Desolate, then as the Garden of Eden, and “the heathen” shall see it, rather than Adam. God then speaks of the “flock” of Jerusalem, this is a reference to the 144,000, the Remnant, or Little Flock, but we also see “the flocks of men”, pointing to the followers of the false prophet (Ezek 36:38).

With this we find another connection to Noah and Enoch, with Enoch being the seventh from Adam pointing to the last Seven, but he was the fifth generation from Seth. In the Book of Hebrews we find Enoch, them the defining verse on faith, then the days of Noah. The three verses in Hebrews 11:5-7 point to the Day, the Rapture then the Night. Enoch being the Fifth from Seth points to the Fifth church, the defining verse on faith points to those who follow the path of the Faith of Jesus. Then Noah, whose faith was fear based (Heb 11:7). Noah was warned of God, the Law and Prophets are full of warnings. The Sun being in sackclothe shows the warning was taken, it causes the opening to the House of David, yet at the time those who are partakers in the First Resurrection will have been removed from the earth (Gen 5:18-24 & Heb 11:5-7). Before the “Days of Noah” take effect there must be the “time of faith”; Enoch is our example of the Translation, but not a Transformation or Transfiguration. A Transformation is an outward change based on God’s Mercy, a Transfiguration is an inward change effecting the outward based on being Born Again, but a Translation is a movement from one place to another. In Enoch’s case it was from the earth to Paradise, in ours it’s a movement in the twinkling of an eye through the Door to the Throne of God.

The Time of Comfort will be as it was in the days of Noah, but Jacob’s trouble will be as it was in the days of Nimrod. Ezekiel says, “The hand of the Lord was upon me and carried me out in the Spirit of the Lord” (Ezek 37:1). This is the famed “valley of dry bones”, but we have to define the metaphor or we will assume this is a Resurrection. This can’t be a Resurrection, since the bones are the same old bones with the same old flesh, rather Ezekiel 37:11 defines the metaphor as “no hope”, thus when our “bones are dry” we are without hope, as a dry tree. Without hope our faith has nothing to search for, and will soon fade, thus Jesus asked if He would find faith when He returned.

The metaphor “breath” used here in Ezekiel means an Attitude based in hope. It’s not to say we won’t find suggestions of the Resurrection here, rather this is more in line with a time of no hope, until the breath of God brings hope. For some of us we need a fresh breath of God to gain some Hope. To these people there appeared no hope, but after the seventy years hope will return.

The “four winds” are noted in the Book of Revelation, as John shows the “four winds” are stayed, but nonetheless ready to move (Rev 7:1). This shows how the “four winds” will bring destruction, since they are stayed during the Time of Comfort (Ezek 37:9 & Rev 7:1). The “four winds” also show the last resurrection is stayed, this is found in Ezekiel 37:9 and in Revelation 7:1. Part of the last resurrection is a promise “unto Life”, rather than Life itself within the person. We find the suggestion to the last resurrection unto Life, but prior to the “breath” or the Wind we find sinews, flesh and a type of life being granted (Ezek 37:3-6). This form of Life is found in the New Testament as well, but it refers to a soulish life, not a spiritual life, pertaining to a type of peace and safety. Peace On Earth and Peace in the Earth are different, when Jesus came He was the Peace On Earth, but one has to enter His nature in order to obtain it. The Time of Comfort brings a Peace in the earth, but it will be short, whereas the Peace of Jesus is continual peace with God.

When Ezekiel has this vision, he is not looking down, rather he was in the valley of bones (Ezek 37:1). When John sees the four winds stayed, he also sees the 144,000 marked On Mount Zion, thus we have the valley and the mount. The Sun is in sackclothe, the Moon covered in blood, there appears no hope, the earth is ready to fall apart, land masses moving to and fro, all appears lost, yet God brings Hope in the Time of Comfort. Ezekiel never saw the events from the perspective of John, we found this when Ezekiel saw six of the seven, whereas, John sees all seven of the angles (Rev 4:1, 17:1 & 16:17). Nonetheless Ezekiel sees the events from the perspective of the earth, we can see how Jerusalem will be the Hope of mankind. Even the wicked as the synagogue of Satan will worship at the feet of the Sixth church as the knowledge of the Lord proceeds forth.

Ezekiel is taken to the valley of bones to prophesy over the dead bones (Ezek 37:3-4). God is having the prophet speak Hope to these bones, thus a true prophet will speak the truth, but they will also show us Hope. Isaiah, Jeremiah and the other prophets of Old all had hard sayings, some of them very hard, but they also had a word showing the escape. When it’s all doom and gloom, cast it off. The dry bones were told “hear the Word of the Lord” (Ezek 37:5). This is again not the resurrection, but the Time of Comfort, we will not have the same “bones” in the resurrected body as we do now. These bones gain hope and raise up, but without breath (Ezek 37:8). Then more prophesy and the bones stood as a “great army” (Ezek 37:10).

However, then things change to the very end, a time when the graves are opened, thus God now speaks of the last resurrection. This would be the resurrection unto Life,  because we find the “spirit” (life) enters them after they are stood up, not before. Then they shall have the “land”, but this is not the land on earth, but the land in New Jerusalem (Rev 20:12-15, 21:1, 21:17, 21:22-27, Ezek 37:12-14).

There are two Resurrections, with parts in each; the First Resurrection       is of course the Resurrection of Jesus, the end of His Resurrection is the Rapture, thus we don’t have a separate Resurrection, rather the same Spirit who raised Jesus raises us. Yet, we find the First Resurrection has parts, there are the Dead in Christ as partakers, then two other parts, those who sleep in Jesus through the Night, then the drunken who go into the Night. The Just live by Faith, they are those who believe unto the saving of the soul (Heb 10:38-39), thus the completed First Resurrection is also termed the Resurrection of the Just. The prerequisite for the First Resurrection is based on a power of Life within the person by the Spirit. The last Resurrection also has parts, it’s based on a power without, thus one part is Unto life, which we find here in Ezekiel as the “spirit” or Life of God being placed in those who are resurrected unto Life. The other half is the Resurrection unto damnation, which is without life noted as the Second Death.

The word of the Lord came again to the prophet, this time it’s in reference to Sticks (Ezek 37:15-16). The word Stick is the Hebrew Ets meaning Firmness, it refers to a Tree, or the Carpenter who works with wood. One stick is for Judah and for the children of Israel, the other is for Joseph, it’s called Ephraim, for the House of Israel, thus one stick is for the Children, the other for the House. This prophecy shows the entire land will be one, it will not be two kingdoms, as it was in the division, thus this is another aspect of Hope for the dry bones.

Then God says “David My servant shall be king over them” (Ezek 37:24). What? How can it be? Perhaps this means Jesus, but wait Jesus is the Son of David, not David. Perhaps God is talking about reincarnation? Not hardly, this reference goes to the House of David, not the “Son of David” (Rev 3:7 & Zech 13:1). Jesus has the Key to David, no man can open the door, and no man can close it, thus it won’t be ushered in or out by the hand of man. The sticks shall be joined as one in the Time of Comfort, there will be no division in the land during the Night.

God will make a Covenant of Peace with them, but like the other Covenants God made with these people it can be everlasting, or broken (Ezek 37:26). God shows His Sanctuary shall be in the midst of them forever, the word Sanctuary is the Hebrew Miqdash meaning a palace, whether it’s filled with the glory of Jehovah or the scum of idols, it will be up to the people. The word Forevermore is the Hebrew Olam meaning To the vanishing point, it can mean Eternity, or to the end of some event, here it’s predicated on the next chapters, showing God’s desire is to give them the Time of Comfort until the end of all time, but God’s reality was seen in Genesis 2:1 where He rested knowing the world was created to be destroyed.

The prophet then speaks of Gog and the armies formed in the latter days (Ezek 38:1-2). All these events pertain to the position of the “son of man”, thus Jesus returns as the Son of man to judge man. Gog was neither a nation or a person in Ezekiel’s time, but nonetheless God had him prophesy against Gog (Ezek 38:1-2). This would seem strange to Ezekiel since the only Gog before this time was Gog the son of Shemarih (I Chron 5:4). The name Shemarih means Jehovah seeks, yet Gog is a derived from an unknown meaning, accordingly the name wasn’t worth giving a meaning to, thus in the mind of the Jew the term “Gog” refers to the “Goy” or Gentile.

Not only does Ezekiel prophesy against Gog, but against the land of Magog, then notes Gog as the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal; therefore Gog is a person from Magog who is the prince over Meshech and Tubal, making Meshech and Tubal one land (Ezek 38:1-2). It even seems more strange now, since Magog was a son of Japheth, but Ezekiel sees Magog as a land not a person, thus the prophet saw the toes of the beast (Gen 10:2). Also Tubal and Meshech were both sons of Japheth, thereby bringing these names to the time of Noah (Gen 10:1-2). Isaiah sees all ten nations, as well as the three who are removed, as they were known before the flood, but Ezekiel sees the Seven as they appeared after the flood. The Time of Comfort will be as it was prior to the flood, the end comes because they enter the time of Nimrod as it was after the flood. From Ham came Cush, from Cush came Nimrod whose kingdom was Babel, later to be known as Babylon, the Woman becomes as Nimrod, a mighty hunter of men (Gen 10:7-9). Sodom and Gomorrah were also products of Ham’s line (Gen 10:19-20). Ham was the one who looked upon his father’s nakedness (Gen 9:22-25), since John says the City is spiritually known as Sodom and Egypt, we find he views the City as the world (Gen 10:19 & 9:22).

Ezekiel gives us Japheth, John gives us Ham; therefore, the Ten Mountains spring from Japheth and Ham regardless of how many sub-nations are included in them. The third son of Noah was Shem, from him came the Hebrews (Eber – Gen 10:25). John’s reflection gives us the three sons of Noah, but we can’t find the Church in this order, since the Church will be with Jesus in heaven. The lands of Meshech and Tubal will make up the land of Magog, their leader will be named Gog; we have Meshech as one mountain, Tubal as the second, Persia as the third, Ethiopia as the fourth, Libya as the fifth, Gomer as the sixth, and Togarmah as the seventh, giving us the Seven Mountains upon which the Woman sits. This is really interesting since it’s the “house of Togarmah”, yet Togarmah was the son of Gomer (Gen 10:3). With all that, where is Assyria? Assyria would fall into the Magog group, John simply refers to them as Gog (the leader) and Magog (the Seven Mountains – Rev 20:8). John also shows this gathering after the 1,000 years of Peace and Safety, but we are in heaven during the events (Rev 20:5-7).

Gog and his army will become the “army of God” coming against the Woman, just as the king of Babylon is noted as the “servant of God” coming against the city in Ezekiel’s time (Ezek 38:8). The flood will be like a storm, at the same time Gog will think an evil thought planted by the three frogs (Ezek 38:10 & Rev 16:13). Prior to the second leg of this war the land will be filled with famine and disease, Gog will blame the Woman for the plagues, assuming by killing the Woman he will be able to bring back the Peace and Safety; however, instead of Peace and Safety, he brings the end of time as man knows it.

The “merchants of Tarshish” are those who made gain from the Woman (Ezek 27:3-4 & Rev 18:16-19). The name Tarshish means Of a Persian prince, or From the prince of Persia, relating to Ezekiel 28. Gog only becomes a factor when Israel is dwelling safely (Ezek 38:14); therefore, looking for the restoration of Israel during our time, when Israel is anything but dwelling safely, is a waste of time (Acts 1:6-8). Having a truth, but attempting to make it come to pass in the wrong Season, makes the truth a fable, the same error the false prophets in the days of Ezekiel and Jeremiah made.

In the very latter days, God will cause Gog to come against Israel (God’s land), then God will show He spoke these words “in old time by My servants the prophets of Israel” (Ezek 38:17). This alone shows the Church is not around, since God would have used the words of His Apostles, not the Prophets of Israel. The Two Witnesses are the Law and Prophets, they still hold the Testimony of Jesus. They still call for repentance, they still have these words from the prophet to show them the error of their ways, thus instead of repenting, they kill the effectiveness of the Prophets by rejecting the Testimony. However, in the end those same Witnesses are the Books they will be judged by, then the Witnesses will spill forth Fire for those who rejected them (Rev 20:12 & 11:5).

It’s when the Woman bows to the image of jealousy, causing the second leg of the war to begin; yet God saw it all before He said, “Let there be Light”. There will be a “great shaking” in the land on “that day”, this will be the last earthquake, not like the one bringing about the Rapture. This one will turn the earth inside out, making the earth New in purpose as it becomes the lake of fire. Then we find the metaphors for the “every eye will see Him”, as the fishes of the Sea, the “fowls of heaven”, the “beasts of the field”, and the “creeping things”, defining how God will view these people in the end. God will plead with “pestilence and blood”, then comes the last rain, but instead of water, it will be “hailstones, fire and brimstones”, the three elements we find after the “four angels” who hold the “four winds” are released (Rev 9:15-17). The Mountains shall be thrown down, the phrase Mountains refers to nations (Isa 2:1 & Ezek 38:20). The plagues won’t begin until the Seventh Seal is broken marking the time when the Seventh church allows the Eighth to enter, but the Rapture happens at the Fifth Seal; therefore, when these events take place the Christ Church will be gone (Rev 8:1 & 6:9). When the Seventh Seal is broken there is silence in heaven, no one can reach God until after the plagues and judgment, but God will reach man by the plagues (Rev 8:1 & 15:8). All this in chapter 38 is the beginning of the war, looking to the end of it, then the prophet speaks more on the same subject.

Ezekiel again prophesies against Gog, but his time it’s “Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal” (Ezek 39:1), prior we had the addition of “Magog” (Ezek 38:2), thus showing us a change, yet defining the prior chapter. God will “put hooks” in the jaws of Gog and cause him to return with a “great army”, yet it’s a “sixth part” (Ezek 38:4 & 39:2). Chapter 38 shows a return, but here in chapter 39 we find the sixth part, thus they do relate, but we can also see we’re speaking of a war divided into two parts. Some of the problems we have with these verses is the identity of Magog, no one has been able to find a county by the name in history, yet we find it here, then in the Book of Revelation (Rev 20:8). Perhaps the root of the word Magog tells us more about the character than the location. The word Magog comes from the word Gog which relates to “invasion of his country”. We know the king of Babylon invaded the land in the time of Ezekiel, but Ezekiel sees a different war here, one which is world wide, yet previewed in his time. Ezekiel 39 also gives us the concept regarding Jerusalem being the highest point of the earth, as we read, “cause you to come up from the north parts” (Ezek 39:2). The phrase shows the north was not the highest, yet we know directionally it is. Jerusalem, to the Jew is considered the highest point on the earth, thus one always “goes up” to Jerusalem, here the metaphoric content shows God has placed an authority on Gog for the purpose of invading the City. This is clearer when we know God puts hooks in his jaws to bring Gog to the city with a great army. Since God is the Master Planer, it also shows the army of Gog is the “army of the Lord” in the latter days.

Then in Ezekiel 39:4 we find another interesting set of metaphors, “the ravenous birds of every sort”, and “the beasts of the field”. We know what the “Beast of the Field” represents, but what about these ravenous birds? When the Fifth Seal is opened the devil will be bound, then comes the Sixth and Seventh Seals, then the first Four Angels, but then comes the Fifth angel to release the devil from the pit (Rev 9:1). When the pit is opened all the demons are released to possess and torment the people for a period of “five months”, one month for each angel (Rev 9:5). This is like the forty years for each day of rebellion, but in this case it’s because they refused to repent. The metaphor “ravenous birds” points to demons, they have a king over them, which John calls an “angel”, but this angel is of the bottomless pit. Revelation 17:8 shows the Beast of the Earth shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, then go into perdition. What could all this mean? Bottomless means without end, or forever and ever.

Gog represents the Beast of the Sea, he will join to the Beast of the Earth to control the Woman, but when the plagues come as the world will blame the Woman, then come against her. This war will be a continuance of the war which began just before the Time of Comfort, thus we find the world will engage in a great war, but then comes a great earthquake, one moving land masses back to one unit as they were in the days of Peleg. Then Jerusalem will be the only place on earth not effected, of course we know the Rapture takes place at same time. The Sixth church will open, the people will live in Peace and Safety, but as the prophets show, they will engage in idol worship. Then comes the Lukewarm Seventh church who is caught between two places, the Mount and the City. When they allow the Eighth (Wicked, or Beast of the Earth) to enter as their prophet, then comes the abomination making desolate, then comes the plagues, then comes Gog and his army, leading to the wording “It is done” (Ezek 39:8).

The phrase “It is finished” points to a part of something being complete, not the whole, but the phrase “It is done” means the entire effort is complete. When Jesus said “It is finished” on the Cross, Salvation was in hand, but it also means Judgment was yet to come, thus when they hear “It is done” Judgment will be in hand. We find the word “done” is seen three times in the Book of Revelation. First in Revelation 16:17 when the Seventh Angel pours his vial into the air, why in the air? The earth would be melting as it becomes the lake of fire. Then in Revelation 21:6 in reference to New Jerusalem being complete, which comes after the Judgment. Then lastly in Revelation 22:6 showing the words of these prophets are True, it will “shortly be done”. All three give us the finish of time for man on the earth, but thank God, we have a better promise than the Judgment.

Ezekiel 39:9 doesn’t show anything like “it is done”, but it does go back to the beginning of the war, showing what will be after the Fifth and Sixth Seals are opened. This division is seen in the wording “it is done”, if “it is done”, yet there is more “to do”, then it isn’t “done”; therefore, we find a division and definition. After the Sixth Seal is broken there will a great cause to stop all war, man’s incentive is usually based on pending destruction. The earthquake bringing about the Time of Comfort will be great in nature causing many to die as it happens in the midst of a great war. Since so many die, those of us who are taken won’t be missed as such. Some will sleep in Jesus, some go in the Rapture, and some will die.

Then they will take their weapons of mass destruction, or any weapon, and burn them “seven years” (Ezek 39:9). If we have “it is done” showing the Judgment, then this event taking place, makes no sense whatsoever, even to the natural mind, much less the spiritual. These verses show how Gog gets his start, as the number Seven shows a point of completeness of a Season as the beginning of Rest, or Peace. We see this same teaching element in the Book of Revelation, we see the seven plagues, then we read why the Woman is being judged as a regression of explanation (Rev 15:1-17:18).

Gog then becomes a symbol, rather than a name of an actual person, thus in Ezekiel 39:11 Gog is being buried, but in the Book of Revelation we find men shall seek death and not find it (Rev 9:6). This gives us metaphors, not the actual people, if we do find some guy named “Gog” walking down the street, don’t panic. John makes it clear by saying “Gog and Magog”, yet in Ezekiel we find he is the “chief prince” of Meshech and Tubal from the land of Magog. These are prophetic metaphors, made clearer when John also tells us this “Gog” represents the “ten horns” who hate the Whore, as they make her desolate and naked as they shall “fulfill” the words of God (Rev 17:15-18). When this takes place the Woman will reign over the “kings of the earth”, showing the Mountain of the Lord on the mountains of the world (Rev 17:18). For seven years they will burn weapons, then for seven months they will bury the dead, then they shall “Sever out men” for a period of seven months for continual employment; this will open the Time of Comfort to cleanse the land (Ezek 39:14). The phrase, “they shall sever out” is the Hebrew Badal meaning to separate, it was the same word used to show how God separated Israel from the world, this could very well be the 144,000 separated from the tribes. Men will appoint them, but Jesus marks them. A “mark” is a sign of ownership, the mark of the beast is when one pledges their self to the beast as its slave.

There will be the “valley of Hamon-gog”, and the city of “Hamonah” (Ezek 39:15-16). The word “Hamon-gog” means the Multitude of Gog, but the root word means Tumult, Sounding, Riches, Abundance, pointing to the Time of Comfort. The word Hamonah means Multitude, the root word is the same as the root word for “Hamon”, showing a connection between this great burial and the opening of the Time of Comfort. If the earth is the lake of fire, then it makes little sense to search out bodies to bury them. These verses show the incentive for the Time of Comfort, thus man needs two incentives, first the possible threat of destruction, then to have all he wants (rather than needs). Both of these will be the incentives during the Time of Comfort, yet the spirit of man will still be the spirit of man, the child will live to be a hundred, but a man will die in his sins. If a man dies in his sins, surely the sin nature is still active.

Then another division as God tells the prophet to speak to the “feathered fowl” and “every beast of the field” (Ezek 39:17). This division is seen in the wording, “And, you son of man, thus says the Lord God; Speak” (Ezek 39:17). This call is for the Beast of the Earth to invade the Seventh church, the Sacrifice is ready, the time is at hand, they shall see God’s “Judgment” He has executed (Ezek 39:17-21). The prophet then comes back to his time, showing the captivity came because of the Iniquity of the people, which also relates to the End Times, since the “workers of Iniquity” will bring about the end (Ezek 39:23).

Next the prophet shows the Time of Comfort will come when God will have mercy upon the “house of Israel”, they will dwell safely in the land (Ezek 39:25-26). We look at Israel today, it’s anything but Safe, thus being in the land is only the first step to many. Would one consider the land today Safe? Hardly, thus the Safe part comes after the Rapture, not before, until then the city will trodden under foot by the Gentile.

There will be another incentive to cause Gog and Magog to come against the Woman. Since the Rapture will take the Dead in Christ, the others who loved Jesus who didn’t make the Rapture will sleep in Jesus then gain their reward at the Judgment, meaning there will be no one on the earth who will confess a Love for Jesus. This will cause the Wicked to presume it was those “nutty Christians” who caused the world to be filled with wars, rumors of wars, pestilence and famine, thus God brought judgment by destroying them; thereby producing a lie assuming the earth being in Peace, as the land like a Garden is really heaven on earth, or the “Kingdom of God” on earth. If one has the Kingdom of God within, they know it’s already here. Jesus said the Kingdom does not come with observation, yet there are those seeking to see it (Luke 17:20-21). They will believe the lie they promoted, they will assume the earth like the Garden, is heaven on earth. However, even the Garden of Eden was not heaven on earth, since the Fall took place therein.

John doesn’t go into the building of the temple, rather he takes a Reed like a Rod; a Reed is used to Measure with, but a Rod points to correction (Rev 11:1-2). When John does his measuring the Two Witnesses who are assigned to the last Two Candlesticks will be the course for the people, thus John gives us the division between the Five who are not (first five churches), the one who is (sixth church), and the one who is yet to come for a short time (seventh church – Rev 11:1-3 & 17:10). It all fits when we keep these things in their Season. It would appear if the Sixth church could continue on the earth, it would remain as the Garden, but we also see the Seventh must come and continue for a short space (Rev 17:10). John says there are seven kings, five are fallen, one is, and one is yet to come, when the last one surfaces, so does the Eighth (Rev 17:10-11). The Beast of the Earth is noted as a “was”, yet goes into perdition. There is only one element fitting the Eighth, the sons of perdition. The seven kings are the seven churches defined when John says, “hath made us kings and priests” (Rev 1:6). John also wrote First John, which he said, “they went out from us, but they were not of us” (I Jn 2:19). If they went out from us, they went out from the first five churches, but they were not of us, making them the Eighth of Perdition.

Ezekiel is now taken to the High Mountain where he sees Jesus, but doesn’t know who Jesus is (Ezek 40:1-3). This gives us two points, first is when Jesus is seen on the Mount with the 144,000, it’s a mystery, Ezekiel says it’s an angel who marks the Remnant, but John says Jesus is standing on the Mountain with them, how can this be? The angel represents Jesus, in truth where the angel is, so is Jesus, the same is true with the Blood Bought Christian, where they are, Christ reigns, thus from Pentecost to the Rapture we reign as Christ on this earth. It doesn’t mean the people of the earth bow to us, it means the world has no authority over us, unless we allow it. The Remnant won’t have the Christ nature, yet they will belong to Christ, there is a difference. This explains the dialogue between Jesus and the last two churches, as well as the groups of sheep and goats who look upon Him (Matt 25:31-46). The sheep are blessed of the Father, they gave food, cared for the sick, or did many things, yet they had no idea they were doing these works for Jesus, thus they are a those who sleep in Jesus, who did the Law of Faith by Mercy, without knowing it (Matt 25:37-40). It doesn’t give anyone an excuse to avoid the Gospel or the Call to be spiritual, it merely shows no matter who they are, they must come through Jesus at one time or another in order to see the Father. Jesus talks to the Sixth and Seventh church as if they knew Him not, they won’t until they look upon Him they have pierced (Zech 13:6).

Ezekiel then gives hope to the children in his time, as he describes the building of the temple; this vision comes some fourteen years after Jerusalem was smitten. The temple was rebuilt, then destroyed in 70 AD, but it will be rebuilt again in the latter days, proven by John measuring it in his vision. Don’t confuse the beginning of the Time of Comfort with the end, we have two churches involved in the Night. The beginning will be glorious, not as much as the glory for those who are in heaven at the time, but on the earth it will be a time of Peace and Safety. When John sees the temple the “court that is without” is for the Gentiles, thus John sees Jew and Gentile, yet we are neither Jew or Gentile (Rev 11:1-3). The temple is seen with cherubims and palm trees and every cherub had two faces, the face of man and the face of a young lion (Ezek 41:18-19). In Ezekiel’s first vision, he saw four living creatures with four faces, the face of a man, the face of a lion, the face of an ox and the face of an eagle; therefore, the Ox (sacrifice) and Eagle (spiritual) are assigned to the Church. The two faces seen here represent Jesus as The Root of David, as well as the Lion from the Tribe of Judah, pointing to Son of man and Judgment.

Ezekiel sees two separate events taking place, he sees the Glory of the Lord pointing to the time of the Sixth church, then he sees images of idols on the walls pointing to the time of the Seventh church when the Eighth invades (Ezek 43:4 & 8:12). The Jews could build the temple tomorrow, but until there is Peace and Safety in the land it is not the Night. The temple will be under the Law, but “on top of the Mountain”, meaning Zion of the earth. Jesus told the Jews, He came to fulfill, not destroy the Law and Prophets, but the Pharisees mixed Seasons and Times, missing the greatest moment of all time. Once Jesus entered the East Gate on His Triumph Entry into Jerusalem on that faithful sabbath day, the Gate was closed, but the time of Doors was opened (Ezek 44:1-2). The gate, even today is filled with stones, showing the prophecy fulfilled.

The Glory in the physical temple distinguishes the Two Seasons. In the Old temple Solomon built there were 120 people in the room when the Glory fell, and the priests were unable to minister for the Glory (II Chron 5:11-14). On the Day of Pentecost there were 120 people in the upper room, the Glory came like a rushing mighty wind and granted them a baptism reserved for the Day (Acts 1:5, 2:1-7 & 15:8). The Glory prevented the priests of Old, but motivated the New Testament saint. Paul says the Glory is within the Believer (Rom 8:18). Waiting for the Glory to fall, is telling God, He didn’t give us enough in the New Birth; waiting for the Power to fall, means God didn’t give us enough in the New Birth, not real wise.

The Glory knocked the priests of Old to the floor, yet Paul said there were other aspects of Glory, a glory for the Sun, one for the Moon, and another for the Stars (I Cor 15:41-42), don’t mix them up. The “glory” of the sun and moon are for the Night, one reflecting off the other, but the Glory of the Stars is the Greater Light of the Day. Simply, God has various glories for various purposes, we have the Greater Light unto Salvation, the Remnant have the Lesser Light unto Judgment.

The Lord uses one Gate to enter and leave, He has provided us with One Door to the sheepfold to enter and exit, there is no other door for us; therefore, John entered by One Door, when the Door closes, the Door to the House of David will open (Rev 3:7, Jn 10:1-5 & Ezek 44:3-4). Attempting to make entry through the window makes one a thief and a liar. After the temple is built in the latter days, comes the Eighth and God says, “they have broken My covenant because of all your abominations” (Ezek 44:7). The building remained the same, it was those in charge who changed the course of events, yet it was in the plan, known by God from the foundation of the world.

The prophecy looks to a “They” yet to come, showing it was “Your Abominations” causing the latter fall, thus the iniquity of the past will taint the future. The warning to us is clear, one can have the temple, have the Glory of the Sun, have the Gate, yet hold to some abomination and lose what little they have. Every time we see the Temple used, we also find Judgment, nearly every time we see the Tabernacle used we find Salvation.

Ezekiel will lay out the requirements for the priestly order, yet not one of the requirements is to “believe in the name of Jesus”, or “believe God raised Him from the dead”; the areas here in Ezekiel are for those who keep the commandments of God, the Firstfruits unto God, the remnant, the little flock, or the 144,000, whichever one prefers. We are the Firstfruits of the Spirit, not Unto the Spirit, we are subject to the Commandments of Mercy and Grace, we also have a different priestly Order.

Ezekiel sees the land divided, the manner of equalness in measurements, the keeping of the sabbath day, the giving of burnt offerings, all factors of someone who has not accepted the Cross, thus there will be no one who can Crucify Jesus in the Night, the Day is the only Season open to accept the Cross of Jesus. Later at the Judgment they will look upon Him they have pierced, but they still have to find their names in the Book of Life (Ezek 45:1-46:15). This temple was, is not, and will be, then Ezekiel sees the “1,000 years” as a “1,000 cubits” (Ezek 47:3-5). The river begins slowly, this river gets deeper and deeper as the 1,000 continues until one can’t cross it (Ezek 47:5). God promises to heal the waters and sea, upon whosoever the River overflows shall live, but we’re looking at two different Rivers, one flows from the Tree of Life, the other is the Rivers seen on the earth during the plagues. The separated group are the ones who had the opportunity, but rejected it (Rev 16:4 & 22:1). The Bride is known as a Crystal in the Book of Revelation (Rev 21:11). The river Ezekiel sees is like unto a flood, this River begins slowly and gathers more and more, until the time comes when there is no more room, then it overflows its banks invading a place it should not be.

In the latter days the border for Israel will be at the River Euphrates, there shall be Two Portions given to Joseph, we know the two portions as the Sixth and Seventh churches (Ezek 47:13). Ezekiel divides the land, the first tribe mentioned is Dan along the border with Damascus, as a symbol of the Gentile (Ezek 48:2). Although Dan and Ephraim will have land, they will not have members among the 144,000 (Ezek 48:1-5 & Rev 7:5-8). When Jesus marks the 144,000 the Church is seen “before the throne of God”, not on the earth (Rev 7:9 & 6:9). Ezekiel ends by seeing New Jerusalem, with the knowledge of the “Lord there” (Ezek 48:35).

DANIEL

Daniel is the last of the four major prophets, but hardly the least. When the Lord gave Jehoiakim, the king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, He also gave some of the “vessels of the house of God”. Among them were four men who did nothing wrong, but they were still taken and placed in the king of Babylon’s house (Dan 1:1-4). God had a purpose for Daniel and his friends, but to complete the purpose they had to go into captivity. They become an example of God taking the Good and placing them under an ungodly authority to learn just how powerful the Lord really is. They are also a sign of how God will take the Just to judge the unjust; without the Just the unjust would not know what Just means.

Not only were Daniel and his friends in captivity, they had their names changed to represent idols. The meaning of the names of the Hebrew children all pointed to God, but the counterfeiter changed their names to represent heathen gods. Daniel means God is Judge, his name was changed to Belteshazzar meaning Bel will protect. Hananiah means God is Gracious, his name was changed to Shadrach meaning Inspired of Aku. Azariah means God is my Help, his name was changed to Abed-nego meaning Servant of Nego. Mishael means Who is like God?, which is the same meaning of Michael, his name was changed to Meshach meaning Belonging to Aku. The heathen may have changed their names, but their hearts were still God centered.

Daniel is one of the most organized books in Scripture, displaying how God keeps things in order, it’s man who gets them confused. Daniel and his friends were from the Tribe of Judah, thus their story and lives become a type and shadow in many ways to those who are join with the Lion from the Tribe of Judah. Yet, we will find many types and shadows pointing to those who belong to the House of David as well. These four men were skillful in wisdom, thus God gave them skills to preserve them in the time of captivity (Dan 1:4). The element of Wisdom as it’s used here points to the wisdom in dealing with people and events in a manner conducive to the Mercy of God, it’s not the same Wisdom found in those who have the Spirit. One example of the type of wisdom Daniel possessed is found in how he deals with the dietary rules. Babylon always thinks it knows what is best for the child of God; the king of Babylon appointed the daily provision of the king’s meat and wine. The provision was to last three years, thus the king assumed if the children ate his food, they would be more like him (Dan 1:5). We partake of the Lord’s Table to Remember, not to be like Christ, rather it takes the Spirit of Truth to form us into the image of Christ.

Daniel purposed in his heart not to defile himself with the king’s meat; therefore, he made a request to the prince of eunuchs who had charge over him. God brought Daniel into Favor and Tender Love in the eyes of the eunuch; a sign of mercy extended by Daniel coming back shaken together. However, the eunuch was afraid the king would see a negative change, then take his head (Dan 1:8-10). Daniel didn’t want the test to last three years, but neither did he want harm to come to the eunuch, thus he suggested for the test to last ten days. Daniel and the other three Hebrew children were to eat nothing but vegetables and drink nothing but water (Dan 1:11-12). The word Prove in verse 12 is the same word used in Genesis 22:1, it means To tempt, or To test, here Daniel asks to be tested in order to show God’s Mercy and Protection was still upon them.

The eunuch proved the children ten days, at the end of the ten days the four Hebrew children faired better than all the others (Dan 1:13-15). The word Faired in verse 15 means Joyful or Fruitful, thus the testing produced a Joyful and Fruitful result for the faithful. Daniel knew if he trusted God, God would protect and save him. God will place us in certain events to show us His power of deliverance, even if the temptation was not of God, He is still able to use the temptation to defeat the intent behind it (I Cor 10:13). Even the Corinthians reigned as kings in their carnal state, how much more for those in a spiritual position (I Cor 4:8)? After the testing God gave these four Hebrew children knowledge, after our testing we receive God’s knowledge and Wisdom (Dan 1:17).

Then the king had a dream, waking him in a panic (Dan 2:1). The term “spirit” as seen in the Old Testament refers to the outward expression of man’s soul through earthly wisdom, or excitement, but it’s also a type and shadow of the inward workings of the Spirit forming our souls into the Image of God’s son. The Spirit of Christ was not given until Jesus was glorified (Jn 7:38-39), thus we find several meanings for the word “spirit”, in this case the panic of the king was evident in his appearance.

The king called all his astrologers, sorcerers and the Chaldeans to interpret the dream, but God troubled Nebuchadnezzar so much with the dream, the mind of the king  failed to retain most of the dream. The Chaldeans took great pride in their supernatural ability, but supernatural ability is always limited to natural, super or not. The Chaldeans, Astrologers, and Sorcerers are the three counterfeit pillars of God’s abilities in dealing with man. Seeking the answer in the stars, tells us nothing, using magic to drum up an answer ends in an illusion, making up fables about dreams and visions ends in hopelessness. The Spirit of Truth discerns, opens up, gives intent, separates and divides so the Truth can be found, much different.

God was putting together a plan to separate His called, thus God waited until the king’s frustration reached a point where the king would seek the correct answer from anyone, even a Hebrew. The astrologers, sorcerers and Chaldeans had to know the dream before they could explain it, yet, the best they could do was translate what they assumed was the meaning of the dream. They really couldn’t interpret it, although they made the claim (Dan 2:4-5). When the king heard his men of magic had to know the dream before they could translate it, he went into a rage, ordering the death of all the wise men in Babylon (Dan 2:6-12). The wording “Gain The Time” in verse 8 also means Buy Time, the king knew they were just stalling in order to come up with something.

The metaphor Earth points to the kingdom of heaven, not the Kingdom of God, although Daniel was in captivity, he was still under the hand of God (Dan 1:2). The king ordered the destruction of all the wise men; however, among those wise men was Daniel, but God had other plans (Dan 2:13). Daniel asked for time, then the mystery of the dream would be known unto the king (Dan 2:16-17). Wait, didn’t the Sorcerers also seek to buy time? Yes, but in Daniel’s case it was to “show the king the interpretation”, in the case of the sorcerers it was to know the dream. The Chaldeans (Sorcerers and such) just told the king it was impossible to know the interpretation without knowing the dream, yet Daniel was going to tell the king the interpretation of the dream. This unique set of circumstances came about by the hand of God to show the king of Babylon, the people he took captive were wiser than the people he had.

From Daniel 2:4 until 7:28 the text is Aramaic, a language related to Hebrew, but not the same, we don’t see the Hebrew YAHWEH or Jehovah, but we will find King of Heaven and High God, both relating to God. The manifestation of the Spirit doesn’t really point to “interpretation of dreams” as such, but the “word of knowledge” would fit in our case, since Daniel is about to give the king knowledge regarding the dream.

God gave Daniel the interpretation in a night Vision, thus the Vision interpreted the Dream, the Dream didn’t interpret the Vision (Dan 2:19). The clarity came to one man, Daniel, the only confirmation would be the king remembering the details of the dream. The Chaldeans praised the king, but Daniel gave God the Glory (Dan 2:19). The Revelation of the Secret with the Interpretation of the Dream, not merely the Revelation, thus Daniel gained the entire matter from God (Dan 2:20-21). Knowing what the figures in a dream mean are one thing, knowing why the dream came, what it entails and the secret of the dream takes God, not a formula, or ink spots.

Daniel didn’t run off to tell the king the interpretation, he thanked God first. There are times when we receive a blessing from God, but forget to thank Him before we run off to use it. After Daniel praised the Lord for the interpretation he went to Arioch, the prince of the eunuchs, Arioch then went to the king (Dan 2:25). The name Arioch means Servant of the moon god, the metaphor Moon points to Zion of the earth, thus this servant named after a heathen god became servant to a child or Zion. Not only did Daniel interpret the dream, but he told the king what the king saw. He also made sure the king knew it was God who opens mysteries (Dan 2:26-28). We would term this “bears witness”; prior the king couldn’t remember one thing about the dream, but when Daniel told him, it came to him. God can work with the heathen, in order to prove His people are Merciful. The king offered a great reward for the interpretation, but Daniel refused the gift, God was his source (Dan 2:29-30). This was another act of Mercy; Jesus said when we give Mercy it will come back, shaken together and running over. Some of us find ourselves in adverse situations, rather than render mercy we spend our time barking at the darkness or kicking holes in the walls. Daniel applied mercy, it came back shaken together and running over, a much better method in the long run.

Daniel not only went through all the proper channels, he acted respectfully, even to the king who had him in captivity. He didn’t challenge anyone’s position, nor did he challenge the law of the land. However, later we will see where Daniel faces the lion’s den by refusing to follow the decree of Darius. It would seem like a direct opposite, but it’s really not. When Darius took over the land, the Medes had a law regarding a man’s house, much like “a man’s house is his castle”, thus Daniel was obeying one law, in so doing was accused of violating another. The conflict was not between Daniel and the law, but between two laws. Darius could have held to the older law, or listen to the voices of men to invoke the newer. Of course we know Darius was fooled, yet in order to fool the man, there had to be lust in him. The same is true here, in order for the king of Babylon to take this dream, then turn right around and make an image of himself, there had to be lust within him. It will fit as we move along, but for here we want to see the “warfare” of Daniel was mercy based, while at the same time letting all know it was God and God alone.

The image in the dream had two concepts to keep in mind, first it pertained to “the latter days” (Dan 2:28), then it, “shall come to pass” (Dan 2:29). This is not a can be, or maybe, it will come to pass in the timing of God. The dream was an image, this Great Image was a history book before the times became history (Dan 2:31). The head of the image was made of fine gold, the breast and arms of silver, the belly and thighs brass, the legs iron, the feet part iron and clay (Dan 2:32-33). The metaphor Feet refers to the foundation, the other metaphors show the brass as judgment, iron as bondage, clay as flesh centered  man, silver as redemption, gold as purity or wealth. This image represented a history about to take place, but one has to wonder about the Head and Breast, especially in light of the metaphors, thus Babylon was used of God to bring His people into purity.

The breast was attached to the arms, the belly to the thighs, the legs were paired with two feet, the two feet had ten toes. The Ten Toes were attached to Two Feet (Ham and Japheth); therefore, from the feet would come the toes, but from the head would come the entire body. Daniel knew the nations came from the ten nations of Noah’s two sons, yet he saw them coming again well after the captivity. Assyria wasn’t in the Garden of Eden, but there was a river headed toward it, before it was a country (Gen 2:14). The image would be a sign of what would come in the latter days, yet it all started many years ago in the Plan of God before the foundation of world.

This image was of a “man”, it would remain until a stone not cut with hands would smote the image. The “stone” would become a Great Mountain, not a great God (Dan 2:34-35). The word Stone is Aramaic meaning the type of stone buildings and idols are made from. This Stone however is not made with hands, it is also separate from the Image. The Image is Gentile in nature, the Stone cut without hands would be Israel, since Israel came form Jacob by the design of God. This stone would break the feet of the image, not the head or back (Dan 2:34). Then the entire beast would fall, “broken in pieces”, meaning pieces all separated from each other (Dan 2:35). Then the Stone which smote the image became a Great Mountain (Dan 2:35). The word Great is the Aramaic Rab meaning Stout, Great as a figure of Power. The word Mountain is the Aramaic Tuwr meaning mountain, thus the Stone will conquer the image, then it becomes a Stout Mountain over the Image. This Stone becomes Jerusalem, the Mountain of the earth, thus the Rock will be broken, the Church will leave at the Rapture, but the Stone will break the image, and the pieces of the Image will become subject to the Mountain. This is two elements, not three, it pertains to the Stone and the Image, thus there is no Church or Body of Christ in the vision.

Now the confusion, or really the clarity. The king is the head of Gold, but if Gold means purity, how can an idol worshiper be pure? He is not, the king’s position was used of God to bring the nation of God into a pure state again; thus the head’s purpose is to purify the nation of God. The next would be the Breast, an inferior kingdom pointing to Medes and Persians (Dan 2:39). If Silver points to redemption, how can the Medes and Persians associate to Silver? They don’t but they will release the captives, allowing them to redeem the land, as the captives build the temple, thus the redemption is still in the hand of God, the Medes and Persians are only doing what God knew they would.

The fourth kingdom will be iron, which would be Greece combined with Rome leading to the toes. The toes are strange at best, they have iron from Rome, but the clay of the flesh, indicating they are old Rome in manner, but fleshly centered in the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life. The ten toes give us ten nations, yet as they end, they began. They were saved from the flood by the faith of Noah, yet from the two feet came Babylon, Sodom, Gomorrah, and Nimrod. From those ten toes came many nations including the mini-nations, or sub-nations, yet the image shows they are in bondage to the flesh. John saw the toes as ten horns on the Beast, thus the image is the  Beast of the Sea, relating to the Gentiles. When we enter Christ we are not longer Jew or Gentile. The Beast of the Sea is not all the people in the Gentile world, rather it’s the dominating element, thus John saw the Sea as peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues (Rev 17:15 & 17:1). The Sea is where we toss the Net, so the entire Sea is not the Beast, but the driving motivation behind the Sea is the Beast. The Beast is the spirit of man as seen in the image, adding the Beast of the earth gives us two sixes representing the sixth day of creation, then add the people of the Woman in the latter days becoming one six for each figure, giving us three sixes, the beast of the earth, the creeping things as the Beast of the Sea, and Adam made of the clay, but lacking the breath of God (Gen 1:25-26).

Daniel 2:44 shows us the Kingdom will never be destroyed since it’s heaven related, showing it’s not the kingdom of heaven, but the Kingdom of God. Jesus said, “My Kingdom is not of this world” (Jn 18:36), the word World is the Greek Kosmos meaning the sum total of the physical universe. The Beast controls the kingdoms of the world (Kosmos), the stone not cut with hands is the kingdom of the House of David in the Night. Jesus said the world will come and worship at the feet of the Sixth church, along with the world will be synagogue of Satan, showing the synagogue of Satan is religious in nature, like fowls they search for the tree to devour.

This separation between the Kingdom of God not of this earth, and the House of David of this earth, also explains why “every eye will see Jesus”, but we only find two groups, those who pierced Him, and those who wail because of Him, we don’t fit either (Rev 1:6-7).

It’s also interesting how this image leads to the toes, but later the horns are seen on top of the Beast. We also find how the kingdom which shall never be destroyed is before the stone cut without hands becomes the mountain, which also gives us the division between the Day and Night. The Kingdom comes first, the Mountain in the Night, thus Jesus marks the 144,000 on Zion, but they weep over the abomination in the City.

This mixed seed of clay and iron in the toes is interesting, since in Daniel 2:33 it stops at the two feet, he doesn’t talk about the toes, thus later when he sees the Beast with ten horns, he knows it connects to this image. He sees something upside down, yet he also sees the power of the beast is found in the horns (toes), since the metaphor horn points to power, thus the beast became the toes, yet the feet and the rest of the image was broken by the stone.

Man still honors the Romans and Greeks, even the so-called New Age seeks “spirit guides” from the era, but the “spirit” they get is not the Spirit of God. We then find the mystery of this image, it’s not the nations making the image, but the image depicting the nations. If we focus on the nations then we will wait for “Rome” to reappear, but if we see this image as the manifestation of the spirit lusting to envy (clay), then we can see the motivation behind the image is the Beast of the Sea. Nations are not evil, it’s people who make the nation evil or not. We can see the prince of the power of the air spreading his disobedience. If a nation desires to live in peace, other nations won’t allow it. Strife, division, pride and disobedience become the fuel keeping the Beast active.

The head of the image is the king, but the king was Babylon, thus defining the Head of the wicked house for us as Babylon a city of idol worship (Heb 3:13). One can say it’s the head of the house of wicked, or the house of the wicked, or Babylon, it’s the same idol worship. Babylonia was the nation, Babylon the city or capitol of the nation, but the nation wasn’t the head, the king was. The king was a man, made of clay, yet he was the authority of the city, the city the authority of the nation, only because God allowed it.

When Nebuchadnezzar heard the truth of the image, he fell on his face and said, “of a truth it is, your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings and a revealer of secrets, seeing you could reveal this secret” (Dan 2:44-47). What did he leave out? Oh yes, “king of kings”, because he was just told he was the king. What a perfect opportunity to bow to God by giving his kingship into the hand of the Almighty (Dan 2:37).

Nebuchadnezzar placed Daniel in “the gate of the king”, or made him a foreign minister, this explains why Daniel wasn’t around when the three Hebrew children faced the fire, which will become another type and shadow (Dan 2:49).

In all this we find a parallel, Joseph entered Egypt as a slave, Daniel entered Babylon as a slave. Both men had the ability to interpret dreams, both men interpreted a dream for the leader of the land, both men were elevated to positions of honor, both men gave God the glory.

From the interpretation the king made the statement “Of a Truth it is, your God is a God of gods” (Dan 2:47), but it was soon forgotten. Nebuchadnezzar being the head of Babylon knew the image went further than himself, but he couldn’t resist making an image of gold, representing the head of the image as the entire image; therefore, his pride couldn’t separate the head of the image from the body, thus he incorporated the head and the body as the image of himself; making the body subject to him (Dan 3:1).

Nebuchadnezzar heard the prophet Daniel say, “you, o king, are a king of kings”, his mind took it to mean he was the power of the image, so he made the image all gold to represent the head of the image being over the entire image. He failed to see the image falling, neither did he allow for his kingdom falling to the inferior kingdom yet to come (Dan 2:37 & 2:39).

This image was of Nebuchadnezzar, the image of “a man”; measuring three score cubits tall and six cubits at the breath, still giving us 66, which becomes the foundation for the abomination yet to be set up. If a cubit is about the length of a man’s arm from the inner elbow to the tip of the finger, or about eighteen inches; indicating this Image is “great”, which also means the king was attempting to make it the Mountain, only made by his hands. This Image stood nearly 90 feet tall (60 times18 divided by 12 = 90), and nearly 9 feet at the breadth (6 times 18 divided by 12 – Dan 3:1).

The image of Nebuchadnezzar is a sign of the control the king assumed he had; not only did he want to control the people of God, but he wanted to control the nations of the future as the head of the image. He just said God is the God of gods, now he wants to be god over the God of gods. This attitude is the exactness of how the Woman becomes the Whore. The Woman and False Prophet will worship the image of “a man”, not many “men”. They will use the numbering associated to man as a basis to force people to worship the abomination. This is so strange considering history warns of this very issue, yet if one destroys the history and warnings, they presume they are no longer responsible. Yet, if they know there is a history, they are more responsible. Nebuchadnezzar was the power behind the image, not the other way around. The false prophet will be the power behind the abomination.

The king  places the Image in Dura, the word Dura means a Town or City within a province, thus it becomes a type and shadow of Jerusalem. When the abomination is placed in the Temple in Jerusalem the Remnant will cry and sigh for all the abominations done therein (Ezek 9:4). The entire nation was commanded to bow to the king’s image, just as there will be the command regarding buying and selling in the latter days. Daniel 3:1-2 shows the command to bow went to all “province of Babylon” including all the “rulers of the provinces”. Wait, didn’t the king just make Daniel a “ruler over the whole province of Babylon” (Dan 2:48). Yes, it’s the point. When the king heard the interpretation he told Daniel, “Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings” (Dan 2:47). Now he makes an image of those “gods” and “kings” as himself, telling the people to bow to the image.

Nebuchadnezzar’s reasoning was “I’m all of it” it’s the same attitude the Second Beast takes, assuming in our Season they are the Head of the Body, they have the revelation the rest of the Body isn’t ready for, the prophecy none us can understand, making themselves greater than Jesus the Head of the Body. In the Night they take on the role of Prophet, as they attempt to supercede the Law and Prophets. In either Season they construct mental images of themselves sitting as God, claming they are God  (II Thess 2:4).

Since the Image was a product of the king, it becomes a type and shadow of the how the Woman and False Prophet will call all great or small, rich or poor, native to the land, or stranger, to bow to the image (Dan 3:2-5 & Rev 13:16). However, we have another type as well, a type found in the three Hebrew Children who reject the king’s command; therefore, there is a “IF” in the law, there always is; without the If there is no punishment. In the latter days it’s the same, Bow or Burn, but still an If. As we will see, the Three Hebrew Children respected the law of the land, they simply took the If clause. They didn’t attempt to change the law, they didn’t set up a picket line in front of the king, they didn’t set the palace on fire, they submitted, took the If clause, yet gained the victory.

The king became the voice behind the image, if anyone refused to bow to the image, they were tossed into the midst of the burning fiery furnace (Dan 3:6). The type shows the Voice behind the Image in the latter days is the False Prophet. We find the paradox, the king is not the nation, or the city, but he is behind them both, the false prophet is the force behind the Woman, the Woman is Babylon, thus we find the Woman is seen metaphorically as the Head of the nations, with the false prophet is pulling the strings.

Daniel 3:2 gives us Eight elements of those who bow to the image, as a type and shadow of the Eighth (the false prophet). The word Dedication in verse 2 is the Aramaic equivalent to the Hebrew Chanukkah, which we know as Hanukkah. This word was used after Antiochus Epiphanes desecrated the temple, thus the type and shadow given here in Daniel is a reference to the Abomination making Desolate. The “princes” represent the Wicked, the “captains, judges, treasures, counselors and sheriffs” represent those within the Woman who equate to rulers or judges, the “rulers of the provinces” represent those who follow the Beast of the Sea. The Eight will bow to anything to impress the king, but refuse to submit to God. They are man pleasers, whatever the king wants, they agree to.

In this we don’t find Daniel, neither is he mentioned in this Chapter, it appears no one, not even the Three Hebrew Children really care if Daniel is around or not. One would think they would say, “Wait O king, where is Daniel?”. Why? Daniel in this Chapter is a type and shadow of the Christian Church, who will be in heaven during the Time of Comfort. Although in fact we find he was appointed to the king’s gate and would be out of the country, he nonetheless becomes a type for us.

What is the force behind this king? Ego, perhaps, what else? The dream pointed to more than one kingdom, the entire thing including the kings position, yet it was clearly stated as being from God. What spirit dwells in man to cause this? The spirit lusting to envy, the same spirit of man. Paul said the spirit of the world is opposed to the Spirit which is of God (I Cor 2:12). John said the opposite of the Spirit of Truth is the he of the world (I Jn 4:14). The spirit lusting to envy as the spirit of man was elevating the king, yet the king had a lust fueling the fire, he wanted to be the most superior, to see people bow to the works of his hand.

Daniel 3:10 gives us the list of instruments to be used, but we have to keep in mind the deception being used here is used everyday in the world. There is the image, so they play music, bow and make a big deal over the image, but what did the image represent? The king, it’s the same as bowing to the king. Will it backfire? Usually does, some of the Chaldeans who couldn’t even come up with the interpretation of the dream exalt the king by saying, “O king live forever” (Dan 3:9). Then the knife of slander, use the words of the king against others, “You, O king, have made a decree” (Dan 3:10). Now the words of the accuser through slander, “There are certain Jews whom the king has set over affairs, who will not worship the image” (Dan 3:12). My, or my, what to do? The king is too proud to tear the image down, or say, “they are excused”. He would attempt to persuade the children, but in the process he makes the mistake of mistakes; the same one Pharaoh made, “who is God who shall deliver you?” (Dan 3:15). The intent of the Chaldeans is not only to remove the Jews from positions of importance, but if these three Hebrew children were servants of the Most High God; it would also stand since their names were reflective of the gods of the land, then their bowing to the image of the king, would be the same as Most High God bowing to the image. Therefore, if they bowed to the image, they would also bow to him who made the image, which would make the king of Babylon the god of gods.

There was more here than three Jews bowing, the prophetic content has to relate. There is the mark, name and number of the beast, the mark is sign of identification when the person joins to the beast, the name is the authority of the beast, the number is association to the ways of the beast, yet it’s the name producing the real problem. Authority is a vital area, the Centurion was told he had great faith based on his knowledge of authority. Jesus made sure the disciples had authority before the Power came from on High. We don’t say, “in the power of Jesus”, but we do say, “In the Name (Authority) of Jesus”. The three Hebrew children are representative of the Remnant, they will not bow to the image (mark), they will not worship the image (name), and they will not join or associate to the sound of the instruments (number).

All laws have an “if” attached in order to provide punishment, even the mark of the beast has an If attached. In this case it was bow or burn, but the mind of man has another alternative which is rebellion. Man can force the issue, or oppose both the law and the If, yet if he does, he uses the ways of the world to defeat the world, ending none the better than what he defeated: in most cases he doesn’t defeat rather ends giving the element more power than it had.

The Children didn’t rebel against the law of the land, they simply took the If clause provided in the law (Dan 3:13). The king used his manipulation by placing the fire in front of the three children saying, “if you worship not” (Dan 3:15). The incentive for the three Hebrew children caused them to stand when he said, “who is the God who shall deliver you out of my hand” (Dan 3:15). One could almost hear the voices from heaven, “Excuse me? You’re about to find out”. Nebuchadnezzar already proclaimed God as the God of gods, he saw a sign, tasted of the gift, now he sets the challenge, not real smart for a guy considering he was a “king”. However, we as kings at times run a close second, thank God this is the Season of “instant repentance”.

The three Hebrew children didn’t have to ponder the matter, they didn’t have to call their pastor, they said, “we are not careful to answer you in this matter” (Dan 3:16). There wasn’t any question, the If in the law was the only answer for these three children of God. They had no idea the Fourth Man would be in the furnace, yet some of us want to make sure the Fourth Man is waiting before we answer Babylon: “Hello Forth Man, are you there, if it’s You bid me to jump”. Oops.

The three children returned two “if’s” to the king, one was fact, the other faith. They said, “if it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king” (Dan 3:17). This was in response to the king’s statement, but it held two parts; first it pointed to the ability of God, whether or not they were delivered didn’t matter, they were standing with God by not bowing to the image. They knew the event wasn’t their problem, but they also knew their reaction to the event could spell victory or defeat. Including their knowledge of the captivity, they knew God would deliver Israel from Babylon, it wasn’t open for debate, it would happen.

Take into consideration what they were facing, an image as big as the biggest tower in the land, furnaces as big as the image, a bunch of people yelling “burn them”, yet where was God? Was God standing there? Yes, He was represented by the three Hebrew children. This is a far cry from the Fall, here they were standing for God, rather than shaking their fist at heaven saying, “it was the king you gave us”.

The next statement by the three children is their faith statement on the matter, as they said, “but if not, be it known unto you, O king, we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up” (Dan 3:18). This statement pointed to the hand of man making the image, yet prior the king heard “not made with hands”. The children didn’t care, the heat of the furnace was nothing compared to the fires of hell.

These three children were not Born Again, they didn’t have the Cross of Jesus, tapes, or a congregation telling them to Stand, but they did trust in God. Their trust and faith was found in their words, even if the children never saw God’s deliverance from captivity, it didn’t matter, they were not going to bow to the image. Even if, God never blessed Israel again, even if God turned His back on these Hebrew Children, they were not about to turn from their backs on God. Even if they burned in the fire, or God didn’t save them, it didn’t matter, they loved not their souls unto the death, they loved God.

They could have said, “you know what? The fire is hot, God will forgive us this one time, just one little bow, God understands”. This was their test, they knew it. It’s only in the Fire one finds the Son of God, thus here in Daniel 3:25-26 we find the types. Every eye will see Jesus as He comes as the Son of man, but only those who pass the baptism of fire will know Him as the Son of God, thus the king sees one like unto the Son of God. In verse 26 we find two phrases, “come forth”, representing the last resurrection, and “come hither”, representing the call Come up hither when New Jerusalem receives the Remnant, giving us a type and shadow regarding the last resurrection.

We find the phrase Come Up Hither used in two different time slots: the first time is at the Rapture when we are taken through the Door. The last time is after the judgment when the one third have passed the fire. Therefore, we find these three Hebrew children are types and shadows of the one third who pass the fire. We also wonder what the other captives were doing at this time. They were some in the king’s palace and some at the River, who were still subject to the command. We don’t find any mention of Ezekiel or the others, thus the three Hebrew Children were the only ones accused by the Chaldeans. It doesn’t mean they were the only ones who refused to bow, it means they had positions in the land. This is a preview of the false prophet centering his focus on killing the Remnant assuming it will dispose of the Law and Prophets.

When the children made their faith statement, Nebuchadnezzar had the fit of fits, he heated the furnace seven times hotter than it had ever been heated. History shows the furnace was used to melt metals, now it’s seven times hotter, yet the heat didn’t trouble the children of the Most High God. The three Hebrew children dressed for the occasion, they put on their go to meeting garments; if they were going to meet Abraham in Paradise they wanted to look their best (Dan 3:21). They had on their “undefiled garments”, when we enter the fire with undefiled garments, we will always find the Fourth Man. The king took his best and toughest men whom he felt were able to take the heat, yet the heat consumed them (Dan 3:22). Nebuchadnezzar’s men were warriors, but they didn’t have undefiled garments, they were consumed by the fire, warrior or not.

Nebuchadnezzar’s furnaces were built into the ground, with pads of clay around the top. The positioning of the furnaces allowed one to look from a distance into the flames of the fire, when the king did, he was astonished, as he sees one like unto the Son of God. To gain in this we have to look at the word God, which is the Aramaic Elah, it occurs in the Bible some 89 times, corresponding to the Hebrew Eloah, not the Hebrew Elohiym or El. It was used in poetry for the title God, which takes us to James 1:22 and the phrase “be you doers of the Word, and not hearers only”. As we now know, the word Doers is the Greek Poietes which is translated as Poet (Acts 17:28), a Poet is one with Beautiful Thoughts, thus the Doer of the Word is one with Godly Thoughts. These Three Hebrew children didn’t enter the fire with “Oh my God, we’re going to die”, they entered looking beyond the fire by maintaining Faith thoughts based in trusting in God. Were they in captivity? Yes, but they didn’t hold the slavery mentality, they looked beyond the event seeing hope.

There is some dispute over who the Forth Man was, the preincarnate appearance of Jesus as a Theophany? A key is Nebuchadnezzar had no idea what the Son of God looked like, to him it was the same as Job’s thinking, an angel of greatness not effected by the natural. The Jews say he was an angel sent by God, but it tends to miss the purpose, the faith of the children was the issue, whether the Father sent the Word to save them, or an angel, they were saved because they refused to bow.

Some might see this experience as destruction, some as being overcome, but others with faith see it as opportunity presented by God, even in the most horrid of events there is still opportunity. These three Hebrew children lived in the shadow of Daniel, now they could stand alone for the God they serve, they had a testimony backed up by an experience. We always have opportunity, there is always the Precious. All we have to do is find it by faith, if we’re there, the Precious is there.

Prior the king saw himself as the great one, but even this king of the empire of Babylon couldn’t face the fire. When the king saw the Fourth man, he jumped up in astonishment (Dan 3:24). Not only does the king see one more beyond the number of those who entered the fire, but no one in the fire is bound. Instead of crying out in pain, they were glad, their beautiful thoughts carried them into the arms of the Fourth Man. Did the Fourth Man jump with them? No, they had no idea what the fire held; the Fourth Man was waiting in the Fire, He made a way of escape.

When Paul was still “Saul the Christian hunter” he found the Lord on the road to Damascus. Under the circumstances Saul made a wise decision by saying, “Lord, what will you have me to do” (Acts 9:4-6). Saul (Paul) knew he faced a delivering God, he also knew he was on the wrong end of the deliverance, thus he made a decision to change sides Quickly. Nebuchadnezzar found the answer to his question, “Who is the God who shall deliver you?” (Dan 3:15 & 3:26). Nebuchadnezzar didn’t say, “Oh Fourth Man, could you please come out?”: Nebuchadnezzar didn’t want to see the Fourth Man, rather he said, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, you servants of the Most High God, come forth and come hither” (Dan 3:26). Pride is a funny animal, here the king tossed these children into the fire, the Forth Man saved them, yet he gives the command for them to come out. His pride was still giving orders, yet it was obvious he was the inferior one in this.

Humbleness is fitting for a king, even a king of Babylon; therefore, it becomes standard equipment for the called of God. The three Hebrew children didn’t need first aid, second aid,  third aid, or a dry cleaner, they didn’t even have the smell of smoke on them (Dan 3:27). When Nebuchadnezzar saw the fitness of the three children he said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him”. This is the type and shadow of all knees bowing and all tongues confessing, Jesus is Lord, but the key to the Deliverance is found in the phrase “trusted in Him”. It was their trust in God breaking the destruction of the fire, the type points to the Judgment, the lake of fire cannot hold one who Trusts in God (Dan 3:28). The king didn’t trust his image, yet he found a trust in God can free the child of God from any bondage, but “IF NOT”, we will still hold to our trust in God.

Nebuchadnezzar also knew the purpose for the deliverance as he said, “they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God”, too bad he didn’t include himself in the statement (Dan 3:28). This isn’t just a “nice story” or some fable, it’s the proof of faith adding the power of trusting in God. The Wicked will tell us this event is a fable, their intent is to make us think no one can save us from the fire, but the Bible is true, the events are true, God is able to save us from any fire if we trust in Him. Trust is an important issue, it became the basis behind their God Is thinking, leading to their faith. Without Trust in God we will not believe in God.

There are some who make the truth a fable to avoid the call of faith. If the world turned inside out tomorrow, so what? If the sons of perdition say, “take the mark or die” so what? We already have the evidence of the Fourth Man: greater was He in the Fire, than the king of the land (I Jn 4:1-4).

Nebuchadnezzar made the three Hebrew children to prosper (promoted in the KJV), they continued to worship their God, they were not asked again to worship idols. Compromise seems wise at the moment, but it doesn’t stop with one little bow, next comes two little bows, then three, then four. These three Hebrew children knew compromise was the bargain of the devil, a lukewarm condition causing failure in the end, but they also knew faith brings the deliverance of God.

Nebuchadnezzar writes to all people Gentile or Jew, since he is a king of Babylon making him a Gentile, leading to the next area as a warning to all the kings in the kingdom of heaven. The phrase, “Peace be multiplied unto you”, in Daniel 4:1 is a New Testament phrase. We will see it again in Daniel 6:25 in reference to those who “dwell in all the earth”, thus showing it’s a phrase regarding the kingdom of heaven (earth not world).

The metaphors of Rest and Prosperity reflect to the kingdom of heaven, including both the Body of Christ and the Remnant in the Time of Comfort. Nebuchadnezzar was at rest and prospering when he had a dream frightening him to no end. This event is about a king in the land, not about Babylon, thus it points to those appointed as kings in the kingdom. We must keep the context in the realm, or we will miss the entire meaning. The other metaphors will be the Tree, Fowls, Earth, Beasts of the field, Branches and the Watcher. In this we must remember the Earth is a metaphor for the kingdom of heaven, but it also stands as the footstool of Jesus after the Rapture. The Throne is in heaven,  thus whenever we see the Throne of God it’s always in heaven.

This dream contained visions of trouble, the king called the wise to make known the interpretation (Dan 4:4-6). This time Nebuchadnezzar remembered the dream, yet the Chaldeans still couldn’t interpret it. Their magic was all mind games, when they ran into complexity of a God sent warning they couldn’t interpret a thing. Generally speaking we find dreams are warnings, whether they come as we are just falling asleep, or just before we wake up, or in the middle of night, doesn’t matter, it’s a dream. This allegory also shows how those outside of the kingdom won’t understand these matters, neither do they seek the interpretation from God.

Daniel waited until all the Chaldeans took their turn, then he came before the king. Nebuchadnezzar was looking at many gods, but they were stone. It would take a Living God who has all knowledge to interpret this dream. The mirror of God appears in many forms, there are times when we see someone, yet hate their attitude, but we have a like attitude. Here the king will see himself in the dream: when the king sees Daniel he calls him “master of the magicians”, but it doesn’t mean Daniel played with witches or black magic, it simply means Nebuchadnezzar used the terminology of his kingdom (Dan 4:9).

By this time Nebuchadnezzar had seen the Acts of God, but he didn’t understand one thing about the Ways of God, thus he equated the things of God to the things of Chaldeans, a big mistake. Nebuchadnezzar is a perfect example of anyone who attempts to reason God by natural means. They see the Signs of God, yet turn right around and give man the glory, thus spiritual matters to the natural mind are still foolishness.

Nebuchadnezzar’s dream started with a great Tree in the midst of the Earth. The Earth is seen in the Book of Revelation as being separate from both the Sea and Sand of the Sea. The Tree grew until it reached into heaven, but it wasn’t heaven, rather it was reaching toward heaven. The Body of Christ is seen as ten thousand times ten thousand, or multiplied. The Remnant are taken form the tribes as thousands of (from) thousands, or a subtraction. The Tree is a symbol of the Body of Christ, it’s growing and multiplying, thus this kings experience is hope if he receives it. During the Day the Wicked have time to change, even a son of perdition who uses tricks, slander, or the secular press to bring about his slander still has time to repent before the Night begins. The Fruit of this tree took care of many, yet the fowls of heaven took refuge in the branches thereof (Dan 4:10-12).  The Fowls of Heaven is a metaphor for the Wicked ones, they come to pick at the fruit, or take advantage of tree, they are not a branch, fruit, leaf, or trunk they invade for self-pleasure. They are of the heavens because they are in the Body, but it doesn’t mean they are Heavenly. The Fruit is a symbol of the produce or advancement of the Tree, yet the fowls give nothing to the Tree,  rather they take from it.

Then Nebuchadnezzar sees a Watcher or Watchman come from heaven crying, “Hew down the tree and cut off the branches” (Dan 4:14). This also shows the Tree was  reaching to heaven, since the Watchman came from heaven. This Watchman is a type of the Holy Ghost, we are the “watchers”: one could say, that Born of the Watcher are Watchers. We are told to Watch and Pray, here the Watcher comes to Break the Tree, in the Breaking we find the allegory to the Broken Body of Christ.

This Tree is on the earth, but it’s a Tree purposed to be Divided, the time of dividing comes from heaven, not the earth. Therefore, the allegory shows us a type and shadow of the Rapture, the time when the Body is Broken. This explanation and wording is the same context as the word Broken used by Paul in his description of the Body of Jesus being Broken (I Cor 11:24). The Watcher added, “nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass let it be wet with dew of heaven and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth: let his heart be changed from man’s, and let a beast’s heart be given unto him and let seven times pass over him” (Dan 4:15-16). This is a type and shadow of the Second Beast, it’s still of the Earth, still a Tree, but with the added elements of Brass for Judgment, Iron for Bondage, with a heart (spirit of man) of a Beast. Here we find the drunken going into the Night, showing them as the Beast of the Earth.

The metaphor Beasts of the field is a two part statement giving us the makeup of these Beasts. They are of the Field, thus Jesus said the kingdom of heaven was like unto a Field; within the field the devil planted Tares, yet God planted Wheat (Matt 13:36-40). The Tares are Beasts, this metaphor points directly to the sons of perdition, the children of the Wicked, who hold Two Horns as the Goat, but think they are sheep. God changes our hearts based on our decisions, He forms vessels of dishonor as well as vessels of honor (Rom 9:21). The entire tree wasn’t corrupt, just some of the branches who failed to produce fruit, the trunk was intertwined with the earth, we could see this as a great Rock, when the time comes the Rock will be broken, the left behind pieces are rocks.

The Watcher finished by saying, “to the intent the living may know the most High rules in the kingdom of men and gives to whosoever He will and sets up over it the basest of men” (Dan 4:17). Who is the warning for? The Living, those with Life. We keep in mind  the Most High who rules, not man. At times it may not seem so, but judging the event by the event never tells us a thing.

This Tree is broken in part, what remained with the Earth did Raise up out of the Earth, just as John sees the Second Beast raise up out of the Earth (Rev 13:11-13). Jude said the false have roots, they once had fruit, but their fruit withered, they are plucked up by the roots, twice dead (Jude 12). Clearly this dream is a warning, yet a type and shadow of the Broken Body of Christ. Grass is a metaphor for people, the purpose was to show how God rules from heaven, man doesn’t rule from the earth. With this we find the first dream with the Image may have seemed like the Image was great and powerful, but it is nonetheless subject to God.

At the Rapture the Body of Christ will be broken, some will find themselves in the presence of the Lord, others will know the Kingdom has departed from them. The Stump will remain, yet appear again as the False Prophet, as the Eighth from the Seven. Verse 8 has the word gods, but it’s again the word Elah, here we find “the Spirit of the holy gods”, which is a reference to the “sons of God”, as Doers of the Word. Notice in verse eight how the king says, “according to the name of my god”, but then says, “in whom is the spirit of the holy gods”. The king still has “his god”, yet he sees there are “holy gods” as well. The word Holy is Qaddish an Aramaic equivalent to the Hebrew Qadosh meaning Sacred in a Ceremonially or moral sense, it was used in the phrase “Holy One”. The first time we find the Hebrew word is in Exodus 19:6 when God said the nation would be Holy unto Him. The division is noted here, the gods of the king, and the Holy gods, this would be akin to the gods of the king as the Wicked, the Holy gods as the sons of God.

Nebuchadnezzar also had a Seven connected to his dream; the number Seven points to Rest or Completion, in this case it relates to the Seventh church who exists for a short time, but will bring about a completeness. Verses 14 and 15 show the Rapture, then we find “let his heart be changed from man’s, and let A Beast’s heart be given unto him: and let Seven Times pass over him” (Dan 4:16). The words “His” and “Him” are used three times pointing to the Three Six’s of man. During our Season even the Wicked grow and become strong, yet the escape is doing the acts of mercy (Dan 4:22-27). At the end of the experience this king will gain his senses again, but the reality of the future shows the false prophet in the lake of fire, there he will know of his folly, but we also know the lake of fire will be the place he remains forever. However, we do see there was time to repent, the king sees the future, thus as long as it’s the Day, there is time to repent, whether one does or not is up to them.

The heart of the call is found in verse 27, the terms “Break off your sins by Righteousness”, and “your iniquities by Mercy” are direct calls to change from a vessel of dishonor to one of honor. The Wicked come as ministers of righteousness, but inside Satan rules (II Cor 11:15), thus this is telling them to obtain the Righteousness of Jesus then walk in Mercy. The difference between a vessel of honor and one of dishonor is Mercy, not Grace, thus the vessels of dishonor never reach Grace. They can say “saved by Grace through Faith” all they want, but unless they walk in Mercy to secure Grace their words are fruitless (Rom 9:21-23). The word Times points to a Season, this Dream refers to One Season, leading into another, referring to the Day into the Night. Even if the Wicked or the world toss away the New Testament, the warning is still in the words of these Prophets of Old.

When the king speaks his pride into the air showing the five elements of Lucifer, then the Watcher takes the kingdom from the wicked king (Dan 3:30). We see these Five as 1) “Great Babylon”, 2) “I have built the house of my kingdom”, 3) “by the might, of my power”, 4) “for my honor” and 5) “of my majesty”; this is taking credit for the work, much like “Lord, Lord haven’t I..” (Matt 7:21-23). This is the opposite of, “not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord” (Zech 4:6).

We find other metaphors such as, the Hour, the Day, the Months, all pointing to our Season. The Hour opened Salvation, when the Hour is half done, Salvation leaves and Judgment begins, but the metaphors Day and Months point to our Season, thus the Months point to the Tree of Life with the fruit being yielded every month (Rev 22:2).

The dream ends with clarity, but in this case without repentance (Dan 3:34), the clarity shows the sons of perdition are nothing, they are the inhabitants of the Earth, we are the inhabitants of Heaven (Rev 12:12). This also connects to II Peter 2:19-20, the false promise of Liberty, but they themselves are still in bondage. The brass bands around the trunk of the tree relate to bondage unto judgment.

Nebuchadnezzar’s dream refers to the “kingdom of man”; therefore, it’s a type and shadow of the kingdom of heaven, yet the Kingdom of God will depart at the Rapture. The kingdom of heaven is where all the potential inhabitants of the Kingdom of God dwell, it’s akin to the Courtyard of the Tabernacle, the place of Brass. The Kingdom of God is where God dwells (tabernacles), it’s akin to the tent of the Holy Place and Holy of Holies. The Holy Place contained the Golden Candlestick, the Golden Altar, with the Shewbread, it was the place of service for the priests unto the Lord. The Holy of Holies is akin to the Head of the Body, thus our goal is to make it through the Veil to the Holiest of All, Paul called it growing up into the Head (Eph 4:15).

Although the dream holds a type and shadow, it also held a reality for the king. Daniel knew the interpretation, but hesitated in giving it; finally after the king assured him, Daniel said, “the dream be to them who hate you, and the interpretation thereof to your enemies” (Dan 4:19). This is also akin to “vengeance is Mine says the Lord, I will repay” (Rom 12:19), thus the Lord sends the angels in the last day from heaven to repay, we don’t attempt vengeance. The dream contained a vision, generally dreams are warnings of pending danger, or they reveal a hidden element possessing a pending danger, but a vision reveals some future event which can, or must take place.

The Tree will be broken, but we find the call for repentance to move from the Iron and Brass, to the Gold and Silver. The vision removes fear of the event by giving the purpose, it provides us the warning to avoid the danger, or the faith to get through it. Although it may seem evil in content, the vision was also hope in the result of the event. A dream tells us to “take the child and flee”, or “stand, I am with you”, but it still relates to some pending danger. The dreams of the butler and cook in Joseph’s day held a pending danger for one, yet a release for the other, but the butler still had the dream regarding a pending danger. The pending danger for him was not to justify himself, he would be released to serve Pharaoh, thus a dream can point to a pending danger in the present, or give us courage to stand to reach the release. The dream of this king had no hope, until the interpretation came.

The tree in the dream was a symbol of Nebuchadnezzar, but Nebuchadnezzar is a symbol of a purposed king in the kingdom of heaven, as one who heard of God, made the confession, knowing God is to be worshipped above all else, but they retained their own “gods” (Dan 4:20-22). We can’t forget Nebuchadnezzar was hung by the tongue through his prior confession of God being the God of all.

The Tree was connected to the ground, yet there are similar metaphors between this dream and the prior one with the Image. In the image there was the mixture of iron and clay, since it’s a mixture of Iron and Clay it won’t be the old Roman Empire coming back. If it were the case it would be all Iron and no Clay. It will be akin to the Roman Empire in some degree, thus the Roman Empire ruled the land, yet fell in the end. After the Tree is Broken, it will be in bondage to itself facing judgment. This doesn’t mean our Fear of God is a red light, it’s a caution light. In this dream we find the green light saying walk in Mercy seek the Righteousness of Jesus.

Nebuchadnezzar will be driven from men and find himself with the beasts of the field until seven completeness’ pass over him, or until the Seven is complete, then he will know his position in the land has nothing to do with his greatness or his birth or his intellect, rather it was God who gave to whom He will (Dan 4:25). This king was able to have an experience to humble him, all of us will experience the same. Don’t fight it, don’t fear it, humbleness is a weapon to vacate pride, thus pride brought the king into the beastly position. It’s a sad note, but pride housed in the sons of perdition assumes God can’t do without them, the day will come when they will face their Maker, finding God can do it without them, thus He did it in spite of them.

As we should know by now, the metaphor Beasts of the Field is a reference to the children of the wicked. For many of us we found the Joy of our Salvation, then we found the wilderness where our love for God was being tested. In the wilderness we discovered those things we felt were treasures in our souls, were idols of the self. God exposed, we said unto those idols Be Gone, then God cleaned us with the washing of the Water by the Word. Then He washed away the unrighteousness by His Blood, wherein we could walk in His Righteousness and Holiness.

We also found the old man was a mask, a trick, a spirit saying he was our friend, and helper, but was using us to bring about his own evil agenda. We knew condemning others, or using Scripture to inflict harm wasn’t the answer, rather the real answer was found in giving Mercy to all men. The false never face their wilderness experience, they run around like chickens picking at the fruit. They use strife, envy and division to bring about conflicts, all based on their natural reasoning. The accusations, fears, or comments produce strife as products of the spirit lusting to envy. The wilderness is a Good place, the testing is a Good thing, although many things are exposed, it’s better to be clean, than dirty. Amen?

Deuteronomy 8:16-18 shows the testing of God is to bring about a condition of clarity to our minds, where we know it’s God and God alone. The purpose of the wilderness is to prove us, enabling us to do good in the latter end. The Time of Comfort will be a time of great blessing, but it will nonetheless be a time of proving. In the latter end the Woman will assume the power and might are the result of her hand, she will forget the purpose is to establish the covenant which God swore unto the fathers (Deut 8:17-18). The mindset of the Woman is just like the sons of perdition, she will assume the wealth is a sign of her holiness, the land under her control a sign of her power. Then she will make the fatal move of presuming she is God, thus between her and the False Prophet it will all end in the lake of fire. In the end we find the Wicked and the Woman produce the means to bring it all to an end at the Judgment.

The False Prophet will bring the corrupt tree by using the same means the devil used at the tree, thus the False Prophet comes with the working of Satan, yet the devil will be bound. The evil remained in the mind, the Wicked mind doesn’t need the devil to be wicked, as a Tare they were trained by pride through the spirit lusting to envy. Therefore, Jesus shows the tare remained, the planter was gone or bound.

History shows Nebuchadnezzar the II was the son of Nebuchadnezzar, and Belshazzar was the son of Nebuchadnezzar the II; however, Nebuchadnezzar the II was off either doing battle; leaving his son Belshazzar to sit as king of Babylon. Belshazzar was noted as the Third Ruler, not the Second, thus while his father Nebuchadnezzar II was gone, Babylonian law placed his son as king of the land (Dan 5:7). Chapter Five also points to a division, we find the hand writing on the Wall by the finger of God, yet Jesus said He cast out devils by the Finger of God, but He didn’t say He wrote on them, casting is one thing, the exposure of demonic things another.

Nebuchadnezzar took the vessels from the House of God, but he didn’t use them; whereas, Belshazzar used the vessels for his personal pleasure (Dan 5:1-2). We are the Vessels of the House of God, there are some who will misuse us, abuse us, or seek personal gain from us; their end is recorded in the prophets of Old. Belshazzar took two types of vessels, the Gold which represents the Purity of God, which is found in the Blood of Jesus. The Silver pointing to the Redemption of God, found in His Mercy, these vessels were not designed for the pleasure of idol worshippers. Belshazzar will deny both the Son and the Father, becoming a type of the spirit of antichrist (I Jn 2:22). The king, his princes, his wives and concubines were all involved in this folly (Dan 5:3). As they misused the Vessels of God, they also praised the gods of gold, silver, brass, iron, wood and stone (Dan 5:4). Has this ever happened to you? Where you the abused vessel, while the abuser was giving glory to their gods of corrupt theology while exalting their ego? Well Rejoice, learn of the experience, be Better, don’t be Bitter.

Paul told the Corinthians “now you are full, now you are rich, you have reigned as kings without us; and I would to God you did reign that we also might reign with you” (I Cor 4:8). This is not a praise, they were kings, but they were misusing their kingship authority. Paul also told them, “Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man’s work shall be made manifest” (I Cor 3:12-13). We also know now how the Works and the Ways are one in the same, thus there are Ways of Silver, but there are Ways of wood as well. There are ways of Gold, but there are ways of hay, just as there are ways of precious stones, but there are ways of stubble. However, if all a person has are ways of wood, hay and stubble, they’re in big trouble. Of course the point is Jesus laid the foundation by using men like Paul, we do the building, our building  better be by the Spirit.

Belshazzar and those with him held the right vessels in their hands, but praised the wrong gods. Since they held the vessels in their hands, God sent The Hand to rebuke them. This is an allegory as well, Paul warned the Corinthians about holding the cups of devils. It’s not to say, Belshazzar held the cups of devils, only the allegory shows one can’t claim the cup of the Lord, yet play with devils (I Cor 10:21). The hand came over against the Candlestick, a sign of the Seven churches (Dan 5:5 & Rev 1:20). This all happened in the “same hour”, indicating a short time for the change in the Image to take place (Dan 5:3-5). This is different from the last experience with the king, but it connects. In this case it was one palace, yet those sitting in it were misusing the Vessels, thus they began with joy and laughter, but ended with fear and weeping.

In Babylon the queen was not considered a ruler in any degree, rather it was always the king, thus God refers to the kings in the kingdom of man, whether they are male or female; however, for those in Christ, they are neither male or female. The queen of Babylon tells Belshazzar, Daniel is an interpreter of writings, thus Daniel was summoned to interpret the hand writing on the wall (Dan 5:9-16). Within her statement we find the wording “in whom is the spirit of the holy gods” (Dan 5:11); we found this in reference to the second dream as well (Dan 4:9), thus it relates metaphorically to the Season of the Firstfruits of the Spirit. They knew Daniel was used of God, but they refused to bow to his most Holy God.

The handwriting exposed the acts being done, as Daniel begins by exposing the pride of Belshazzar. He also points to the past experiences of Nebuchadnezzar, showing Belshazzar is using the same pride, thus he failed to turn against his pride by becoming humble before the Lord God (Dan 9:17-22). This then connects to the dream of the Tree in the Field, showing the aftermath of failing to repent. Therefore, we saw the warning in the last chapter, this experience shows a time when it’s too late. Humbleness has more power than pride, but the unsaved soul of man has more power than either humbleness or pride, it takes a decision to please God, plus a knowledge of who God is.

The writing on the wall said, Mene, Mene, Tekel, Uparsin; Mene means Numbered, Tekel means Weighed, Uparsin means To be Divided, thus the message was “measured, measured, weighed, to be divided”, as a future tense event. However, Daniel interpreted it as a present tense event, thus Daniel didn’t “translate” the words, he “interpreted” them. The word Divided is the Chaldee Perac meaning To break in pieces, since he interpreted the writing we find he didn’t use Uparsin (to be divided), rather he used Peres (is divided), showing it past the time of repentance, the enemy was near (Dan 5:25-28). If Daniel merely translated the message it would remain as, “measured, measured, weighed, to be divided”, in some other language, but Daniel is giving the interpretation, or what the Author means by the words.  As Daniel was speaking, the prophecy was coming to pass, from the time it was written to the time Daniel saw it was a short time, thus the warning was written, but it was coming to pass as Daniel spoke (Dan 5:22). Some cult systems use this area in their feeble attempt to explain their authority in changing Scripture to fit their doctrine, but they fail to see Daniel was interpreting the writing, they make the mistake of saying, “well see, Daniel told them what he felt”. Wrong, Daniel told them what God gave him. Daniel didn’t change the meaning, just the timing by the interpretation, a far cry from changing verses to fit a wanton theology.

This also shows the connection to the dream of Nebuchadnezzar, the mystery is also seen in the actions of Belshazzar. We have one generation being warned, then a hidden generation out of the picture, then the third generation seeing the judgment. What does this sound like? The division between the Day and Night, as a Quickly.

The same Night the kingdom changed hands, we are told work while it is yet Day, for the Night comes when no man can work. This experience shows the change from the Day to the Night as a Quickly. The actual event saw a “change in kingdoms”, as Darius the Median took the kingdom. The Medes were in conjunction with the Persians, thus the kingdom was taken from Belshazzar, then divided between two kingdoms, just as the dream of the Image foretold (Dan 2:32-39). The Medes and Persians were inferior nations, yet they joined forces to overcome Babylonia.

The king of Babylon could make a law and change it, dissolve it, or ignore it; however, the Medes had a law of laws, once a law of the Medes was written no one, not even the king, could change it. This inflexible law would soon prove to be the means the wicked ones would use to place Daniel in danger, but God took advantage of the situation to show the power and might of God over the kings of the earth.

Nebuchadnezzar made an image on his own, causing everyone to worship it or burn; however, Darius was tricked into making a law to forbid worship (Dan 6:1-9). The sons of perdition attempt to make us worship the mind of man, Pharisees attempt to stop worship, yet both are run by the same spirit lusting to envy. The Wicked are run by the spirit of world as they become the he of the world. They hate anything where they are not the center of attention, they must do the bigger, greater works, or they attack those who do.

Darius was tricked, as was Nebuchadnezzar, showing the kings of the land can be deceived by the Wicked. However, like the law of Nebuchadnezzar, the law of Darius had an If clause, if one was found in worship during the thirty day period, they would be cast into the lion’s den. The central figure of the attack was Daniel, thus the wicked didn’t care if those by the river worshipped or not, they knew Daniel would. Giving us another symbol, Daniel will make his petition for Three Days, a symbol or allegory of the three days and three nights Jesus was in the grave. Like any good Jew, Daniel was facing Jerusalem, but for us we seek New Jerusalem the mother of us all (Gal 4:26 – Dan 6:10).

God will not kill the lions, nor will He cause them to eat the king, He will send an angel to close their mouths (Dan 6:22). This gives us hope, the devil goes about as a roaring lion (I Pet 5:8), thus all he has is “roar”, but we as the messengers (angels) of God can cause the roar to cease.

Daniel knew the law was signed, he didn’t hide in the closet to pray, he didn’t change his position in any manner, neither did he grab his handy picket and march in front of the capital. Rather he continued to pray as he had for years, he put his focus on God, not the law of the land (Dan 6:10-11). The works of his faith were evident, they were found in his stand for God through his praise, prayer and worship. Daniel Prayed and Gave Supplication, as he did everyday (Dan 6:11). The false lions came as princes of the kingdom to accuse Daniel (Dan 6:13-14). The paradox was seen as the religious rulers tempted Jesus time and again, seeking to find something to accuse Him with.

The wicked lions go about to devour, but all they have as roar. The princes were driven by jealousy and envy, thus envy always causes the false ones to make laws against the people of God (Dan 6:4-7). The same old envy, strife and division drives the false, if we don’t condone, or accept their wanton naturally minded theology, they attack like evil birds, twist statements, mock and slander, but if we put our heart in prayer, seek God’s Grace we will find it’s sufficient, it always is (II Cor 12:9). The world thinks our error is praying, or trusting in a God no one can see, some will even say if your speak to God, it’s prayer, but if God speaks to you it’s paranoid thinking. However, we know in these days God speaks to us by His Son, to assure us of a conversation taking place we have the Spirit of Truth. Whereas the world trusts in the god of gold, the works of their hands, worshipping the creation over the Creator, and they think we’re in error?

This would seem an opposite approach for Daniel, prior he followed all the right procedure when he gave the king the interpretation of the dream, but here it would seem as if he is rebelling against the king. Not so, the Medes also had a law regarding a man’s house; it allowed a man to speak in his house, in essence it was a “man is king of his house”, thus Daniel didn’t run to the palace and pray on the door step, he followed one law, but in so doing violated another. The laws were in conflict, not Daniel.

Darius liked Daniel, he didn’t think before he made the law. Many times man doesn’t think before making laws, or makes laws to appease a wanton society ending in more conflict. Man attempts to change the result by bringing a law he considers a barrier against the result. However, man never considers the cause, even if he did, he couldn’t do anything about it. Making a law based on the authority of the dragon isn’t going to cure the illness, it only brings another. Why does man want to change the result, but leave the cause? In many cases man desires the cause, but hates the result, thus man’s lost soul devises plans to change the result of the cause, without changing the cause, which leads to more wars, rumors of wars, pestilence and famine. The Christian looks to the cause, by removing the cause the result changes. Taking the top off a tare isn’t going to remove it, learning to live with it isn’t freedom, suppressing it isn’t going to make it go away, trading one evil for another isn’t going to vacate the cause, facing it and allowing God to remove it, is Liberty.

When the king heard of the trick, and how he was used, he attempted to find some way around the law in order to deliver Daniel (Dan 6:14). The false ones didn’t waste a minute in invoking the law of the land for punishment, they rejected any concept of Mercy by pointing out any law of the Medes and Persians established by a king cannot be changed (Dan 6:15). The failure to apply Mercy is the key here, it’s the same error which divides the vessels of honor, from the vessels of dishonor. The king told Daniel “Your God whom you serve continually, He will deliver you” (Dan 6:16). This is a different statement from the one Nebuchadnezzar made, “who is the God who shall deliver you out of my hand?” (Dan 3:15 & 6:16). In this case Daniel didn’t make any statement, rather the statement of faith was already made by Darius. This is akin to Jesus telling Jairus “Be not afraid, only believe” (Mark 5:36). There is a time to remain silent and simply believe, for Daniel this was time to believe the words of the king were true, God would intervene.

The king put Daniel in the lion’s den, but the king didn’t stop there, he went home and stayed awake all night fasting (Dan 6:17-18). Isn’t fasting a type of worship? Yes, thus the king in his house followed one law, while violating another. The king was not a “child of God”, yet he was interceding for Daniel the best way he knew how; therefore, he sought Mercy for Daniel, the false ones sought destruction. In the morning the king came to the cave speaking a “lamentable voice”, or a regrettable voice. The king made the faith statement, but he lacked the faith to back it up; whereas Daniel believed. The king said, “Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the Living God, is your God, whom you serve continually, able to deliver you from the lions?” (Dan 6:20). Was God able? Yes, prior the king said, “He will deliver you”, now it’s “was He able?”; the king believed God was able, but lacked faith to back up his statement. There are times we make “faith confessions” hoping against hope someone might believe us, including ourselves. The Result tells the story, not the event, the event here looked anything but Good, the result proved God is able.

Faith makes the confession, the confession doesn’t make faith. We don’t say things to believe them, we believe, therefore have we spoken. Daniel knew he did no harm to the king, really the king could care less if Daniel prayed or not, Daniel’s prayers weren’t causing harm to the kingdom, nor causing harm to the king. Therefore, Daniel believed what he did was proper, thus no harm could come to him, he did no evil, his Works were centered on God (Dan 6:22). God closed the mouths of the lions, which included the lions who walked around in human bodies with accusing mouths.

The king saw Daniel delivered, then said, “because he believed in his God” (Dan 6:23). The three Hebrew children trusted in God, Daniel believed in God, our trust, belief and faith in God will always deliver us from the fire, as well as from the mouth of the roaring lion who goes about seeking whom he may devour (James 3:5 & I Pet 5:8).

The law of Darius was set for thirty days, when the thirty days was finished, he signed another law without end. This second law called for every person in every dominion to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel (Dan 6:26). For all intents and purposes, this law still stands, it cannot be changed.

The Kingdom of God shall not be destroyed, it may suffer a hit now and then, but it will not be destroyed; the gates of hell shall not prevail against It (Dan 6:26). God is a Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him, He delivers and rescues with signs and wonders (Dan 6:27). Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, as well as prospering during the reign of Darius’ counterpart Cyrus the Persian (Dan 6:28).

The rest of Daniel pertains to his visions and dreams. Each has a surface meaning, each has many meanings, but they all relate to the purpose of God for the time of man. God gives us many signs, visions and dreams, all connected to The Sign, or Purpose of God in our lives. However, we can miss the purpose because we fail to discern the intent. Discernment opens the visions, dreams, signs, and wonders. Any of us can have a vision or a word, then form an impression on how the vision or word should come to pass. We then attempt to make it come to pass by carnal means, which will birth an Ishmael. We will become frustrated, mad at people because they won’t do as we want, then end missing the vision or word. Faith in the vision means we believe God will bring it to pass.

Daniel 11 is a prime example of a complicated prophecy using one future tense event to point to another further into the future. Some of the doubters and pouters contend the event was written after the fact since it is so detailed, but it also has some areas not  related to the actual event, but related to an event yet to come. Therefore, if the prophecy was written after the fact, it would not project to the events yet to happen, it would confine itself to the details of the past event. Thereby proving it’s a prophecy before the fact pointing to a preview, so we will know it will come to pass; while giving us confidence to know what will be, will be.

DANIEL’S LOG OF VISIONS

In the first year of Belshazzar, Daniel had a dream and visions (plural) regarding the future, this is the first vision of Daniel, Chapters 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 of Daniel will be approached as the Log Of Visions. These dreams and visions came over a period of time, they were not on a day to day basis, rather we are given specific time frames. Chapter 7 begins by telling us in the first year Belshazzar was king in Babylon Daniel had a dream (singular), and visions (plural – Dan 7:1). Then in the third year when Belshazzar was king Daniel had a vision (singular – Dan 8:1). Then in the first year of Darius the Mede Daniel gained a revelation from the Scriptures (Dan 9:1-2). During the same time frame he also had a vision (Dan 9:21). Then in the third year of Cyrus the king of Persia Daniel had another revelation (Dan 10:1). Then Daniel regresses by telling us of a vision he had back in the first year of Darius the Mede (Dan 11:1). Did we notice something missing? The reign of Nebuchadnezzar, the Log of Visions doesn’t show us one vision Daniel had during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar. The first one would be when Belshazzar, the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar was sitting as king. Then when the kingdom was lost to the Medes and Persians Daniel had other visions. Prior Daniel interpreted the dreams and visions of others, now he shows how he had trouble interpreting his own causing him to seek God’s help. Therefore, the lesson for us is seeing how we can have visions and dreams, but only God can interpret them for us. God will send an angel, but the angels follow orders from On High, they are not our slaves, or servants, they are our fellow servants (Rev 22:9).

At times we see others having visions, or getting words, yet we’re not, but it doesn’t mean we won’t. Daniel interpreted visions and dreams, yet it was a period of time before he gained visions of his own. Daniel knew his ability to interpret was dependent on God, rather than his own intellect. Paul told us prophecy is in Part, not total. We always let the other prophets judge the prophecy, we are not to attempt to interpret our own (I Cor 14:29 & 13:9). The ability to interpret comes from the Holy Ghost, not our intellect. However, there are those who attempt interpretation based on intellectual natural reasoning, which produces fables, not Truth. The prophecy can be pure, but a corrupt interpretation can turn the prophecy in many directions, but the right one. Whereas, the correct interpretation by the Holy Ghost through other prophets gives us the God’s Direction. It’s also true, some have forced prophets to interpret their own prophecy, thus we still end with a true prophecy, but a faulty interpretation. When Daniel wasn’t sure, he sought the answer from God, not a bad idea.

Daniel begins in the First year of Belshazzar (Dan 7:1), then the Third year of Belshazzar (Dan 8:1), showing a period of Three and a Half. Then Daniel moves to the First year of Darius (Dan 9:1), then the Third year of Cyrus (Dan 10:1), then makes note of the First year of Darius again (Dan 11:1), giving us another Three and one half, with the last being a Short Time. Both Darius and Cyrus represent a kingdom divided between two kings, whereas Belshazzar is king by birth, yet he wasn’t really a king at all, rather he is sitting in the place of his father, Nebuchadnezzar II. These are all metaphors, signs and allegories, although some visions pertain to events as previews of what will be, we must keep in mind some of these are yet to happen.

The first vision comes during the reign of Belshazzar, the last sitting king of Babylon. This vision of Daniel’s is by Night, not the Day, yet it pertains to the Day as well, but only as far as the Darkness of the Day is concerned. Huh? The vision is Night based, but don’t forget the Wicked are the drunken who go into the Night, thus it does relate to the Wicked in our Season. In the Night they are made the footstool of Jesus, but they begin their efforts during the Day.

Daniel begins by seeing the four winds of heaven striving upon the great sea, then four great beasts come from the sea, all different one from the other (Dan 7:2-3). The four winds of heaven are striving over the Sea, or world, centering this on the Gentile world. In Daniel 7:2 the word Strove is the Aramaic Guwach meaning To rush forth, it connects to the Hebrew Goach meaning to Break through. Four winds are the real trade winds, or jet streams. Daniel’s visions are of his head (v.1), indicating these visions pertain to Authority. The first beast was like a Lion with eagle’s wings, a symbol of Babylonia, as the famed winged lion-man. The wings are symbols of power, when the wings fall the Babylonia empire would fall. Then the figure stood as a man, with a man’s heart given to it. This would be the authority behind Babylon, it also explains how the “image” gains life, the figure behind the image is the power and authority of the image. The symbol was the image Nebuchadnezzar made of himself, the image was nothing, the authority behind it gave it life. So it is in the Night, the Abomination making desolate is an image, the false prophet is the authority of the image, the Woman the power.

The second was like a Bear, it raised up on one side, showing it had two sides, but only one at a time was active pointing to the Medes and Persians. The three ribs would be the three nations conquered by the Medes and Persians, as Babylonia, Egypt and Lydia.  The leopard with four wings on its back, is a symbol of Greece, the four wings and heads show the division in the Greek empire after the death of Alexander the Great, when the empire was divided between his four generals. The fourth Beast is strange at best, it could represent Rome, but it was diverse from the other beasts, but the “little horn” with this beast is the dividing factor. The little horn comes from the Beast, thus the little horn is the Beast of the Earth, using the authority of the Beast of the Sea, but appears as an independent power (horn). John says the antichrists came from us, but were not of us (I Jn 2:19). They are extremely independent, it doesn’t mean they have their own ministry, it means they separate themselves, they refuse correction, refuse to submit, refuse to admit they are wrong, yet think the Body of Christ sustains based on them. The little horn raises out of these beasts as a power, but the connection is the authority. Authority is the permission to do something, Power the ability to carry it out. John saw one beast raise out of the Sea, it was like a Leopard, feet of a Bear, a mouth like a Lion, the dragon gave this Beast it’s power, authority and the seat of Satan (Rev 13:1). After this Beast, John sees another Beast raise out of the Earth as a little Horn, it uses the Authority of the First Beast. The Beast of the Earth is the little horn as the Roman empire, diverse, nasty, devouring, destructive, run by the spirit of the world.

Daniel begins with the lion, the bear then the leopard, John begins with the leopard, then the bear, then the lion, a completely different order, so is John wrong? To many vacations on the island made him “prophet weird”. No, John shows the crowns, horns and heads of the beast change during time, but it’s the same beast. The point Nebuchadnezzar missed was the image was one piece, with different avenues. At times the crowns were on the horns, showing a power dominating the beast, at times the crowns were on the heads, showing authority dominating the beast. Nonetheless it was the same Beast, John’s point is the order doesn’t matter, it’s one Beast of the Sea. It started with ten toes, it ends with ten toes, it’s still motivated by the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life (self-confidence).

The Eighth or little horn causes the three nations of Moab, Edom and the children of Ammon to be removed, or absorbed giving the Woman all her land to the River Euphrates. This Eighth has eyes like a man, but speaks “great things”; the wording “great things” is the Aramaic Rabrab meaning Great (no help), but we find it’s a compound word made up from Rab meaning a captain, or stout, it was translated as Stout in Daniel 7:20. The double use shows this horn was, then was not, then is again.

In Daniel 7:10 we find a Fiery Stream, which shows the time when the plagues fall to the earth. When his happens the ten thousand times ten thousand are before the Throne, but the thousand of thousands are ministering to the Lord in the Temple on the earth. Then comes the Judgment and Books are set. John shows the same events, as the thrones are in heaven before the 1,000 years, thus the partakers of the First Resurrection are the ten thousand times ten thousand in heaven (Rev 20:4-6). No where in the Book of Revelation do we find God’s throne on the earth, we should know by now how His footstool is the earth, His throne is in heaven (Isa 66:1).

We also find the phrase “thousand thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him” in Daniel 7:10. This phrase is a promise of the Rapture, connecting to Revelation 7:1-9. Denoting two groups, the ten thousand times ten thousand is adding to, or a multiplied number, but the thousand thousands also reads thousands from thousands referring to the Remnant, as thousands (12,000 or 144,000) taken from the many thousands in the tribes, they do not multiply, or seek new members, rather they are taken from numbers. They will be ministering on the earth in the temple, but the Larger Group is before the Lord as the crystal Sea of Glass.

In reference to these Times and Time, we find the Hebrew word Alam means a remote time, an indefinite time, but with an end; the Hebrew Olam means to the vanishing point; the Hebrew Qedmah means antiquity or ancient, the Hebrew Ad means the duration or perpetually. The Hebrew shows the Kingdom of God shall not pass away, thus the addition of the phrase “shall not pass away”, giving us a division between the term Everlasting for the Time of Comfort, and the term Everlasting for the Kingdom of God. The Everlasting for the Time of Comfort means there is time for it to end, but in reference to the Kingdom the vanishing point is well beyond the time of man, rather it is without time, meaning without end, making it eternal.

Then Daniel sees ten horns, or powers, he considers them when three of the first horns were plucked, which would be the three nations. The removal of Three leaves Seven mountains, upon which the Woman sits. In the Book of Revelation John is standing on the Sand of the Sea (Israel), as he sees one Beast out of the Sea, and a Second Beast using the authority of the First coming out of the Earth. Daniel doesn’t see the Second Beast of the Earth as such, but in fact he does, but in a different form. Daniel sees the four beasts who make up the one Beast of the Sea, then he sees a little horn which is the Beast of the Earth. This little horn can’t be Israel, since Israel came from Jacob, Jacob from Isaac, and Isaac from Abraham, as the Sand of the Sea, rather than the “Sea” (Dan 7:2).

Daniel will use four different words for the English words Time and Times, each means something different, as does the wording Forever and ever. The word Ever can mean an Age until another time, thus we find the addition of “without end” to extend the Ever past the vanishing point. The wording For Ever and Ever, could also read “From One Age Into Another”, showing One Age begins and ends, before the other Age begins and ends. One word for Time means A set time, another means An appointed time, another means A short time, lastly the one drawing our interest referring to Festival Times, or Festival Jewish Dates. When we see this last word for Time used in the phrase A Time, Times and Half a Time, it refers to Two completed Festivals, and half of a Third. The only ones matching this phrase are the Passover as the day of the Cross, Pentecost as the Birth of the Church, then half of Trumpets granting us the Last Trump. The Festival of Trumpets has Three Trumps, the First, the Last, and The Great, thus when the Last is blown the Half a Time will be complete. Paul told us the Rapture, or Catching Away comes on the Last Trump, not the Great Trump. We will also see the “city” under foot for a period of “forty and two months” (Rev 11:2), thus the terms Months also points to something. The sayings, “forty and two months”, and “three and one half” mean different things, yet we can mix them up presuming they are limited to exactly “three and one half years”. Not so, prophetically they give us times and seasons, as we will see.

Today, really for the last 2,000 years the city has been trodden under foot by the Gentiles. Arabs are Gentiles, there are only two groups of this earth God recognizes, and one group on this earth, whose Kingdom is not of this earth. The last is of course the Christian, who is neither Jew or Gentile, the other two are Jew and Gentile. Abraham was separated from the Gentiles to become a Hebrew, from him came the foundation for Israel, from Israel came the Jews. If one is not a Jew, they are a Gentile, whether Arab, German, French, Russian, American, or whatever. Although the Jews have the land, the city itself is still divided, claimed by no less than three separate religious orders, thus it is trodden under foot. However the time will come when it will change with the second three an a half.

Daniel 7:13 shows this is a “night vision”, meaning it pertains to the Night, at which time the Son of man comes with the Clouds, the Clouds are the saints who return with Jesus; however, the word Ancient is the Aramaic Attiyq meaning Advanced, but keep in mind Jesus is the Word, in the Beginning was the Word, making the Word before time (Dan 7:9). The Ancient of days can’t be the Father, since Jesus would be coming from the Father. However, here in verse 9 the defined Ancient of Days has hair white as snow, whose works or wheels are burning, showing the earth turned inside out, this has to point to Jesus as the Son of man: however in verse 13 we find one like the Son of man coming to the Ancient of Days, rather than being the Ancient of Days. Then in verse 22 we find the metaphor explaining it, the Judgment is the Ancient of Days as the Lord comes for the Judgment, thus the metaphor points to Genesis one, the work is done from the Ancient of Days, meaning the first days. We know this is Judgment since the Son of man comes to the earth, rather than at the Accession when He left with one cloud.

The ten horns and seven heads have some interesting elements, the crowns show leadership positions of governments or countries, not people. In the Book of Revelation we find those crowns changing position, then not appearing at all. In Revelation 12:3 we see the dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, do you think it relates to Daniel? Yes, but in Revelation 12:3 we find the crowns are on the heads, showing the ruling order is based on Authority. This is before the Woman brings for the Man Child (Jesus – Rev 12:3-5). Soon after the Man Child goes to Cross, thus Jesus through death, destroyed (made ineffective) him who had the power of death, the devil (Heb 2:14). There was a great war in the heavens, as Michael the prince of the Jews tossed Satan to the earth. The Name of Jesus was not only being used by the twelve disciples, but the seventy as well (Luke 10:17-20). When the seventy used the Name of Jesus, Satan lost his position over man and fell to the earth as lightning (Luke 10:18).

John then sees this united beast as a leopard (Greece, intelligence), the feet of a Bear (divided nations), mouth of a lion (idol worship), then one of the heads (powers) is the same one who suffered the head wound (idol worship Hab 3:13 & Rev 13:1-3). There was given unto the Beast a “mouth speaking great things” (Rev 13:4), connecting to Daniel. The word for Speaking in Daniel is the Aramaic word Melal meaning Verbal, it only occurs in Daniel 6:21, 7:8, 7:11, 7:20 and 7:25, with the majority of uses here in Chapter Seven. The Hebrew equivalent would be Malal meaning To speak as one speaks smooth words, or cunning words. In the Book of Revelation the wording “great things” is the Greek Megas meaning Violent or Loud, it carries the thought of being manipulative or controlling. The Beast of the Earth is joined to the Beast of the Sea by the use of mutual authority (power in the KJV). This Beast causes all to worship the Horn whose deadly wound was healed, not only pointing directly to idol worship, but showing why the Woman is known as Babylon (Heb 3:13 & Rev 13:12). This Beast of the Earth has two horns (powers), one for each season, with one horn greater than the other as he speaks like the dragon. This gives us the importance of Authority, we speak based on the Authority we use, we operate by the Power granted by the Authority we use.

The last time we see the Beast in the Book of Revelation it still has seven heads and ten horns, but no crowns (Rev 17:3), yet Woman is riding it, thus she took the crowns and controls then governs the Beast as she becomes the only government (Rev 17:3-5). She then becomes Babylon, the horn who suffered the head wound, the Bear, Leopard, and Lion are subject to her. This is John’s vision, but it matches Daniel’s, showing how God confirms His word by signs and wonders.

Daniel 7:15 shows how upset this vision made the man, he was in captivity, he knew the vision related to his people in some regard entering back into idol worship. These beasts were already identified for him in part back in the dream of Nebuchadnezzar. However, standing with Daniel were others, he asked one for the interpretation (Dan 7:16). His hope is found in the interpretation, it always is. Yes, the four beasts shall raise out of “the earth” (Dan 7:17), but the Saints of the Most High shall take the Kingdom and possess the Kingdom “forever” even “forever and ever”. This points to Eternity, or a place where time is not a factor. We are human, our lives are governed by time, we age, one day passes, another comes, all elements of time, but God is timeless, so is His realm. One day is like a thousand years, which is another way of saying, time is not a factor. It will always be Now, which is the meaning of “Alpha and Omega”. Angels don’t age, the Holy Ghost doesn’t age, neither does the Spirit of Truth. Our souls don’t age either, but our flesh does, if our souls equate time to the flesh then we are bound by time. However if are Born Again, we find our souls are becoming Spirit, making us Spiritual in nature. We have to think a new way, although we are in a realm governed by time, we must look to our hope, a time when every second is one of Joy, Peace, Mercy, Grace, Light, and Delightful Rest.

However, to Daniel it was yet future, he wanted to know about this fourth beast, the one so terrible (Dan 7:19 & 7:7). Daniel gives us the areas which concerned him the most, the teeth of iron (bondage), the nails of brass (judgment), it devoured and broke to pieces, therein lays his wonderment. When he interpreted the king’s dream it was the Stone not made with hands busting the image from the feet up, but here this terrible beast is doing the devouring, was it the Stone? Or something else? Then comes the connection to Isaiah as well as to the Book of Revelation, there are ten horns (powers), with the small one, then three are removed (Dan 7:20). The little horn made war with the saints, but if the saints take and hold the Kingdom, how can this horn make war and prevail? It will prevail for a moment in time, but the price will be paid in the end.

What Daniel doesn’t see, but John did, was the division of the Day and Night, to Daniel it makes little sense to have the saints take the Kingdom forever, then be overcome by this little horn. This is explained to Daniel, but only as it relates to his people as the Remnant, not as it relates to us who have the Kingdom within. There are two kingdoms of importance to the child of God, the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God; the kingdom of heaven will extend into the Night, as Jesus points out (Matt 13:38-41). This is an area where the religious rulers during the earthly ministry of Jesus refused to extend the interpretation, when Jesus said the Kingdom does not come with observation, the Pharisees thought of, “the saints shall possess the kingdom”, if one can possess it, they can see it (Luke 17:20). Then Jesus really tossed them a curve when He said, “Neither shall they say, Lo here! Or lo there! for, behold, the Kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21). If one puts the statement with Daniel’s vision they would assume Jesus was in error; however, if we know the division between the Day and Night with the differences between the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God, it all makes sense. For us we have the opportunity to be Born Again giving us the Spirit as the Kingdom of God within, but for the Remnant it will be the resurrection “unto life”. If we speak the Rhema and Jesus said the Rhema was “Spirit and life”, then we have the Spirit of Life in us, we are not accounted to the resurrection unto life at the Judgment, we are accounted to be Partakers of the First Resurrection before the 1,000 years (Rev 20:5-6).

Daniel is told the little horn will be active until the Judgment; the fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom on the earth it shall devour the whole earth, it shall tread it down. The Beast is the Beast of the Sea, it’s around today, we call it the “spirit of man”, or
spirit of disobedience”. This Beast will do something we see today, it will break in pieces (Dan 7:23); simply it means the earth will be busted up into many nations, more than the ten, yet the ten will be there until the end of time.

The plagues are a mixture of our prayers and the fire of God, thus the judgment is when God mixes the prayers of the saints with the coals of the altar; therefore, the judgment is in the hand of the saint, really it’s in our prayers of Mercy and Grace. It’s important to pray for those who persecute us, not against them. The prayers of Mercy applied to those who hate and reject Mercy become the judgment. However, how will the saints judge during the Time of Comfort? Psalm 82 tells us the manner in which a saint judges, is to defend the poor, do justice (mercy) to afflicted and needy, to deliver the poor and needy out of the hand of the wicked (Ps 82:3-4). However, the Woman will deliver the people into the hands of the Wicked, rather then do Justice, she will make all great and small bow before the Image, or die.

In Daniel 7:25 we find “a time and times and the dividing of time” which is different from Daniel 12:7 where we read “time, times and an half”. The first phrase refers to the Little Horn out of the First Beast, this Little Horn will have two periods of time; in the midst of its total time there will be a great change. The Hebrew word for Time in Daniel 7:25 means A set time, Usually a year or a dating from annual dates. The word for Dividing means a set division. In Daniel 12:7 the word for Times means The festival times, it was used in Leviticus 23:2 concerning the Feasts of the Lord. The word for Half means Reaching to the midst of something, it was used in Exodus 24:6 in reference to the Sacrifice of blood. These words give us two aspects, the Little Horn’s actions are determined by a Set Time, no man can change it; however, the time for the Living Waters of the Rivers (of life) is determined by Festival times. These areas may not seem important now, but when we reach the Book of Revelation they will become very important (Rev 22:17). The Division is also seen in the word Consume in verse 26, which is only used here, it relates to the Hebrew Shamad meaning To destroy or To be cut off, giving a result of the division. This relates to the Broken Body of Jesus, but not when the Body itself is broken, but the result of being among those who cause the Body to be Broken.

The ten kings or nations will be seen in the Night, out of them comes the little horn as the Beast of the Earth. Then the three: the Children of Ammon, Edom and Moab will be removed, leaving seven. The little horn will speak great things against the Most High, so much so the people in the very end blaspheme God, rather than repent (Rev 13:6). However, the Judgment will come, then the Kingdom shall be complete (Dan 7:28).

Daniel moves to the third year of Belshazzar, where he had another vision. This would be two years later, however, the last one and this vision will relate to both the offspring of  Nebuchadnezzar, and the Image. This vision is a precise view of the events of Alexander the Great, his four generals and Cleopatra, who was the last of the Hellenist rulers of ancient Greece. It is also a view of the Beast yet to come, and the Woman. The acts of Alexander are a preview of events to come, simply because we see the preview in history, it doesn’t mean the event has come to pass, rather God gives us previews to show us the Event will surely come to pass.

Prior we saw how Alexander caused the destruction of Tyre, then Alexander died in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar, the phrase king of kings in reference to Nebuchadnezzar only pertained to the line from the head of the image as a progression of like attitudes, not as a matter of Nebuchadnezzar being the authority over all the kings of the earth, as he supposed when he made the image.

The ten horns are the ten kings, but it doesn’t mean they are physical kings, rather it refers to their combined kingdoms making up the Beast (Dan 7:24). There are kings of the kingdom, and kings of the earth, but Jesus is King of kings, regardless of their realm. These ten kings are also known as, Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal (with Meshech), Tiras, Cush, Mizraim, Put and Cannan, all of which came from the two feet known as Ham and Japheth. The Woman is the City in the Nation the offspring from Shem’s line, all these elements were in the Days of Noah (Gen 10:1-6). Regardless of the number of sub-nations or the physical leaders the ten horns have at any point in man’s history, they have been around since the flood. However, when the devil was cast to the earth the Ten Horns changed course as the crowns moved to the horns. At the same time the Second Beast was being formed by the iniquity of Judas, the first “son of perdition”.

Daniel begins telling us he was at Shushan in the Palace, which was located in the Province of Elam, yet in the vision he saw himself by the River Ulai (Dan 8:1-2). The word Shushan means Lily, as in Lilies of the Field, Elam means High Land, as in high places, and Ulai means Perhaps. Since Daniel was in the Palace this relates to kings, princes, royalty and kingdoms. Daniel saw a ram at the river, this ram had two horns, one higher than the other, the higher one came up last (Dan 8:3). The ram did according to his will and became great (Dan 8:4). This ram is a type and shadow of the false one, who has the larger horn in our Season, another in the next, but comes as a lamb, thus the first horn in the last vision was the beginning of the son of perdition. However, the figure does represent an actual historical figure, the type or allegory gives us the preview as the historical figure, but a type yet to come.

In Daniel’s vision a he goat came and touched not the ground, it had one notable horn between its eyes (Dan 8:5). We would call this a weird unicorn, seeing it’s a he goat. Anyway the he goat attacked the ram with two horns and won, and none could deliver the ram from the he goat’s hands (Dan 8:7). A Ram is a male sheep, a Goat is not a sheep, thus we find one with Two Horns, and one with One Horn. Prophetically in our Season the Wicked go about as a Ram but with sheep’s clothing (covering, or Unction over the Body). They assume they are the Head of the Body, thus they are preparing one horn, but in the next Season they will have one more Horn as the false prophet, again it will be Goat, who thinks it’s a lamb.

The preview of this prophecy was played out in history, like some prophecies, the preview proves the point, but some contend the preview was the prophecy. This is the same error some arrive at in reference to the Book of Revelation, the previews have come and gone, thus they think the judgment has also. The preview tells us the prophecy will come to pass. Here in Daniel we will look at a complicated story, yet we will try to keep it short. We find Alexander the Great had two young sons, who were suppose to take over the kingdom after his death. Alexander died in Babylon while in the old palace of  Nebuchadnezzar. Alexander’s generals killed his two sons, then divided the kingdom into four parts, among whom was Potolomy I Legi Soter who is termed the “king of the south”, who ruled in Egypt. Then there was Selecus I Nicator who is termed the “king of the north”. The daughter of the king of the south was Berenice, who married Antiochus, but Antiochus at the time was married to Laodice. Laodice then conspired to kill both Antiochus and Berenice, but Ptolemy III, the brother of Berenice found out, and killed Laodice. From this we have a mixture of families and peoples until 187 BC, which was really the end of this ruling order, but the beginning of the rule of the “legs of Iron”. This is the history part, the prophecy part is deeper, going with the other information we have on the End Times, but just the history would make a movie, much less the prophecy.

Historically the one horn represents Alexander, the two horns the Medo-Persian, but prophetically we see the change from the “spirit of antichrist” in our Season as the one larger horn, then the other as the Wicked false prophet in the next with two horns, one larger than the other. They are not false prophets in our season, rather Peter says they are false teachers (II Pet 2:1). In our Season the he goat grew great, when he was at his strongest, his horn broke, then four notable ones came forth, spreading to the four winds of heaven (Dan 8:7-8). Since we find the “four winds” again we also find this horn is worldly in nature, at the Time of Comfort both the Beast of the Sea and the Beast of the Earth will be “not”, but then when the Seventh church becomes lukewarm the Beast of the Earth will be an “is”,  then the Beast of the Sea will become an “is” as well.

Out of one of the four horns in the vision came forth a little horn, who also became great. It cast down some of the host and stars to the ground, then stamped on them (Dan 8:10). The metaphor Stars refers to either those who are the Stars, or those who have promised positions as Stars, thus we find a Star falling into the Sea becoming Wormwood. Wormwood means Bitterness, but here it’s “stars”, referring to overcoming the 144,000, as the saints Daniel saw.

In verse 11 we find the word Prince, which is the Hebrew Sar, the same word used to show Saul was a captain called to be a king, but failed to reach the position. This isn’t a beginner of something as we find for the word Prince as in the Prince of Peace, or the prince of the power of the air, rather this points to a specific group and location. The location is the natural realm, which is limited to the confines of the world. This word (Sar – Captain) shows they are called, they have entered the training, but tossed it away for the pride of life, yet they are Captains. We can tell this element uses the pride of life, since this Little Horn will magnify himself, causing the “prince of the host”, or the high priest, to change the purpose of the Sanctuary. This is shown in the phrase, “his Sanctuary”, rather than “The Sanctuary”, there are those of the Synagogue of Satan, who will invade the Temple in the latter days turning it into the “synagogue of Satan” (Dan 8:11).

The word Daily in verse 11 is the Hebrew Tamid which means Continually, it’s used most often in reference to personal devotion, which takes us back to the Lion’s Den. The Den became a preview for Daniel regarding the evil action of the false to remove prayer. The preview came in 168 BC when Antiochus Epiphanes placed an abomination in the temple, which caused the Maccabes rebellion led by Judas Maccabees. Judas was successful, which brought about the holiday known as Hanukkah, with the nine armed Menorah; however, the daily sacrifice was not taken away forever, rather the preview showed a Gentile placing an abomination (a pig) in the temple. There is no way Antiochus stopped the prayers of the people in any regard. The proof is Judas Maccabeus, who fought the rule of Antiochus, and won. Of course toward the end of the Maccabes period we find the self-appointed attempting to be king and priest, which brought the Beast with the iron teeth (Rome) into the land. The Romans allowed the temple rites to continue, only they appointed the high priest. Until a drunken soldier under Titus tossed a torch into the Temple in 70 AD causing a fire, which melted the gold between the stones. They torn the stones apart one from the other to get the gold. It was the last Temple in the land, even until today.

Prophecy shows the Temple will be rebuilt again as the Time of Comfort begins with the opening of the House of David. Many will come to the Temple and pray, even the Synagogue of Satan will be at their feet (Rev 2:9). Ezekiel shows there will be a time where it changes as they put images of all sorts on the Walls, as the little horn begins to speak against the Most High. Then the Daily Sacrifice is taken away by Transgression, casting it down to the Ground, making it appear as if the wicked will prosper (Dan 8:12). It begins by the iniquity, one already at work in our day, then it leads to the man of sin, the sin is the Transgression of bringing something into a place it should not be.

This refers to an It (position), not a He, thus it refers to the “Host given”, the word “Host” is the word Tsava or Tsevaah meaning Ability to make war, or An army, in this case it’s war against God. It was used to show the War between the Northern and Southern Kingdom of Israel (II Kings 21:3 & 23:4). It doesn’t mean “a spirit”, rather it shows an authority taken away, thus when the Lukewarm gives place to the Eighth, he takes it, then uses his authority as the working of Satan to invade and control the Woman. The word Practiced means To fulfill, or to complete something, when the Eighth moves in, it makes itself the footstool of Jesus, bringing about “It is done”.

Then Daniel heard one saint say to another, “How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?” (Dan 8:13). This is a three part question, first is the daily sacrifice, then the transgression, lastly when the host are trodden under foot. John shows the “holy city” will be trodden under foot for a period of forty and two months, so it must relate (Rev 11:2). Daniel is one of these saints, the answer was directed at him as well as his people. In this we must recall how the Father will make the enemies of Jesus, His footstool, it’s done when the evil ones make the people of God their footstool. The answer was, “Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed” (Dan 8:14). The time element given is “2,300 days”, the word for Days means Evening to Morning, it’s also used by the Jews as a sign of the sabbath days. All this pertains to the Remnant, and how they will finish the prophecy regarding the “seed of the woman”. It doesn’t take long to see how the city has been trodden under foot over the many years, or how the land has been claimed by many, or how much of the city is still being claimed by many: the Dome of the Rock Mosque is the evidence. What about when Jesus came? What about the Romans? Oops, forgot, the city was still trodden under foot. What does it mean anyway? When something, or someone is trodden under foot, metaphorically it means they are subject to the authority of another. The devils are under our feet, so are the works of the devil, thus we have granted authority over all the works of the enemy, therefore it would be stupid to use the works (wiles) of the devil, wouldn’t you say?

When John measures the temple it’s in response to an angel putting one foot on the Sea and another on the Earth, showing the Footstool (Rev 10:8). It’s during this time the Two Witnesses come into play, they are appointed to the last two of the seven candlesticks, not all seven (Rev 11:3-4). Now wait, if the knowledge of God goes out from the city, how is it trodden under foot? Two different times, it is trodden under foot now, but when the House of David is opened then they will send the knowledge out during the time of Peace and Safety. Then comes the Eighth with plans and purposes, although It will be a “not” during the Time of Comfort, it will nonetheless be forming a plan to take over the Woman which changes it to an “is”.

In this we also find the Wicked can’t take over Zion, they attack the City, the same is true today. The Wicked can’t attack the Church, they shall never prevail against the Church, but the Rock is Christ, they are Anti-Christ, or Anti the Rock, yet they use the protection of the Rock (Christ). Wow, hypocrites? In the greatest sense of the word, they claim Christ, yet are opposed to the purpose of Christ.

We are only given two names for the angels, one is Michael, the other is Gabriel, representing the two angels over the Mercy Seat. Michael is described to Daniel as “one of the chief princes” (Dan 10:13), “your prince” (Dan 10:21), and “the great prince” (Dan 12:1), Jude called him “the archangel” (Jude 9), he is also noted as the leader of God’s army (Rev 12:7), and the guardian of Israel (Dan 12:1); whereas Gabriel is the Special Messenger of God, the one who proclaimed the Birth of Jesus, and the birth of John the Baptist. On one side the Messenger, on the other the Protector, neither of these angels was, is or is going to be Jesus, rather they watch over the Mercy Seat, not instead of it. Angels are created beings, all things were created by and for Jesus, so how could a creation be the Creator?

We also find these two angels give us a division in Seasons, Michael is appointed to Daniel’s people, Gabriel announced the Day, thus the Day is the time for Proclamation, the Time to bring the Good News. The Night for the warring angel, yet we also find Gabriel at the very end of time with a the Great Trump.

The obvious interpretation of the vision comes from Gabriel the archangel, tells Daniel the ram with two horns represents Media and Persia; the he goat Greece, which would be Greece under Alexander the Great. The hidden aspect of this preview sees one kingdom divided between two kings, then another kingdom coming from the remains of the Earth. It also shows Two of the four empires of the Image, with the First gone, the Last yet to come. The First was Babylon, which the Woman becomes, the Last is Rome, which gave permission to the religious leaders to crucify the Lord of Glory, thus the City in the end is known spiritual as Sodom and Egypt.

Alexander the Great had two sons, the rulers of the Ptolemaic and Seleucid dynasties, but his generals who were suppose to hold the kingdom for the sons killed the sons taking over the kingdom, just as the Wicked who are suppose to hold the kingdom for Jesus, they will end killing the purpose for their lives based on their iniquity.

Gabriel projects things concerning the Church, thus this vision has much to do with our Age. Since Gabriel is the one who Proclaimed the Birth of Jesus, it has to do with the Body of Christ as well. The Goat isn’t just a Goat but a Rough Goat, the word Rough is the Hebrew Sair meaning Hairy, it also referred to a “hairy demon”, or “goat demon”, or a “goat idol” (satyr – Isa 13:21, 34:14, Lev 4:24 & 16:5-9). We know Elijah was noted as wearing a rough coat, some associate the false prophet as a counterfeit of Elijah. However, it shows the false prophet will come with a covering of devils, as the working of Satan. Elijah defeated devils (idols), the false prophet promotes them.

Jesus spoke of the Abomination; as well as making mention of Daniel’s reference to the end times (Matt 24:15), many years after Antiochus IV Epiphanes caused a pig to be sacrificed in the Temple, Antiochus was a preview, not the event. Jeroboam manufactured these goat type idols, but it was Josiah who tore them down (II Kings 23:8). The wording doesn’t point to Elijah or the Prophets, but it does show this goat will come with a false covering. He will proclaim to be a prophet, when there are none. The Remnant will be using the Law and Prophets, they won’t be prophets. The false prophet will call out, “there is Christ”, then when he sets up the abomination he will say, “here is Christ”. This deception was noted by Paul in his teaching on the false apostles, who come as ministers of Righteous, but Satan still reigns in their hearts, they are self-transformed (II Cor 11:13-15).

The duties of an Apostle is to begin new bodies in areas where there are none, and more important is to bring Commandment. A prophet gives the Body direction and delivers doctrine (they don’t make doctrine, they deliver it – Acts 15:32). A “false apostle” brings false commandments, either something God gave to a different people, or a fable to make them appear superior, or “Whacko” in nature as the special above all others in the Body. In the Night the false prophet is not a false teacher or a false apostle, he leads the Woman in the wrong direction. God warned them years prior if one comes among them, even if their words come to pass, yet they lead them in the way of idols, they are not to be listened to (Deut 13:1-3).

Once the first king is broken, then the four stand up, the word Broken points to the Broken Body, thus this Goat will be left after the Broken Body, bringing the four elements of the Mark, Name, Number and Image of the Beast to the physical realm. In our time it’s the hidden mind games of the Wicked, it’s still an Image, but the Image of Satan, who is against the people of God. The word Mark denotes ownership, they make slaves of the Babes in Christ, or abort them on the altar of natural reasoning. The word Name still means Authority, they voice the “Name of Jesus”, but use the authority of the world (Dan 8:21-22).

Daniel 8:23 goes to the Latter Time, the word Latter is the word Acharith which is also used to describe the Remnant, it was used by the Jews in reference to a man who is looking back, while walking to the future, thus this is telling us to look back to see the future. Verse 25 gives us the Policy and Craft, the word Policy is the Hebrew Sekhel meaning Intelligence; the word Craft is the word Mirmah meaning Deceit, Falsehood, or Trickery of speech. Looking back to the serpent in the tree, as he deceived the woman, then look forward to the Beast of the Earth to see how he deceives the Woman.

The word Peace can mean Things accomplished, it’s the Hebrew Shekem meaning the Neck or Shoulder, connecting to Isaiah 11:14 where they “fly on the shoulders of the Philistines” taking the three nations. The title Philistine means To wallow in the self,  defining the son of perdition. This element will stand against the Prince of princes, but shall be Broken without hand. This points to the Stone not made with hands, the false prophet will overcome the Remnant, but in so doing he will overcome himself. The reference to “prince of princes” points to Jesus is the Prince of Peace: John confirms this by telling us Jesus is the “Prince of the kings of the earth” (Dan 8:25 & Rev 1:5).

The next vision is in the First Year of Darius, we are given a series of names and titles (Dan 9:1). Darius means Governor, Ahasuerus means king, Medes means approved, the word Chaldeans is the same as Babylon, meaning confusion. Darius “was made king”, which is the compound word Malakh meaning To be made to reign, or Exercising the functions of a monarch, thus this vision is another pointing to those called to be kings, whether they make it or not, whether they become kings of the kingdom, or kings of the earth. Darius is known to us through history to be the appointed head over the land, this also shows a change in rulers, from Belshazzar to Darius, which equates to the kingdom divided.

Daniel begins this by the revelation of the time of captivity as 70 years, if God said 70 years, then it’s 70 years, thus the vision has to do with the 70. Jesus told Peter to forgive 70 times 7, thus the forgiveness issue had to do with the captivity. God forgave Israel 490 years for violating the 7 year Sabbath, meaning they owed the land 70 years. However, when the debt is paid, it’s paid, God will not charge Usury. Daniel knew the time was at hand as he began to pray for his people, yet there was a hindrance, one in the plan, but one Daniel didn’t know about.

Daniel 9:2 speaks about the Desolations which is the Hebrew Chorbah meaning Desolate, or Dry country, like a Wilderness, the connection to the seventy years goes directly the land of Israel in Daniel’s day during the captivity. Daniel saw the words of Jeremiah speaking of the length of time for the captivity, but he also saw how it would take repentance for the people to break the bondage, thus Daniel begins with Sackcloth, a sign of repentance, connecting to Two Witnesses who are dressed in sackcloth (Rev 11:3 & Job 16:15), as the Sun (Jacob) after the Rapture (Rev 6:12). God kept the Covenant, He never left them, it was the nation who left God, but it was God who put them into captivity, but He still didn’t leave them (Dan 9:4 & 9:15). Daniel’s prayer is a type and shadow of what the Two Witnesses will testify in the latter days, the Law and Prophets won’t come to life and speak, rather the Law and Prophets have spoken, they are still the witness against the rebellious.

In Daniel 9:7 we find a separation between the “men of Judah”, and the “inhabitants of Jerusalem”, but aren’t the men of Judah appointed to the Church? Partly, we entered through the House of Judah, then we became the Tents (Tabernacles) of Judah; however, others entered the House of Judah, but rejected submission to the Lion of Judah, they remain as the “men of Judah” (mere men). They transgress and do iniquity, remaining with the Earth at the Rapture, thus they retained the fall nature, by refusing to give up the he of the world for the Greater He.

Daniel begins by looking at the Prophets, then the Law giving us the Law and Prophets, the same Two Witnesses who stood with the Lord of the whole earth on the Mount of Transfiguration. In Daniel 9:14 he admits how the Lord watched upon the evil, then brought it upon the people. It wasn’t the king of Babylon, it was the Lord who put them in captivity. Then in Daniel 9:16 we find another reference showing Jerusalem is the Woman who sits as the Mountain of the Lord. Truly Daniel is interceding for his people for a period of “three weeks” or 21 days, something of importance, just as the “seventy years” will be important.

While Daniel was making this supplication by confessing the sin of the nation before God, Gabriel showed up in the “evening” (Dan 9:20-21). This information from Gabriel has to do with the supplication for the people. Prior Daniel pointed his supplication to Jerusalem and “the holy mountain” (Zion), thus this correlates to those areas. When Daniel began the supplications, the commandment came forth, now the angel will tell Daniel about the “Commandment” (Dan 9:23).

Daniel knew about the seventy years, now Gabriel talks about “seventy weeks”, thus they must correlate (Dan 9:24). We can’t assume Daniel was talking about the rebuilding, rather he was making intercession for the sin of his people (Dan 9:20). This vision speaks about Daniel and his people, so why send Gabriel? Why not Michael? This vision relates to Jesus opening the Day, showing events in a “nutshell” (Dan 9:21).

Daniel 9:24 has several areas pointing to the purpose, this is determined on the people of Daniel, not the Gentiles, and for the Holy City to finish the transgression, and make an end to sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in the everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most High. All things Jesus did: He came first for the Jews, He forgave sins, but the Cross became the place to finish transgression, the Resurrection to put an end to sins, making reconciliation for iniquity, granting us the ministry of reconciliation (II Cor 5:19), to bring everlasting Righteousness in the New Man (Eph 4:24), to make Jesus the Most High with the authority of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, as a Name above all names, so at the Name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue will confess (Rom 14:11).

Daniel hears of the 70 weeks, or 70 – 7’s, connecting to the seventy years, as the seventy years connects to the saying of Jesus regarding forgiving 70 times 7. The Weeks of Sevens refer to completeness periods (Dan 9:23-24). There are seven elements to be accomplished, each reaches a completeness in itself. The Commandment is already determined when Gabriel shows up, it’s only a matter of time for it be completed. The Commandment will begin when the order to rebuild the Temple goes forth, not the actual rebuilding itself, but the time the order is issued to rebuild the Temple.

The estimated time for the sixty-nine weeks began with the decree given to Nehemiah to rebuild the temple in 445-44 BC, ending 483 years on the exact day when Jesus rode into Jerusalem. There remained one week, which was accomplished, except for One Hour. The Week is the Week of the Cross, the Hour is the Hour of Tribulation which began on Pentecost when Peter quoted Joel. During the Week of Cross there were many things happening, including Judas’ action to open the position of the son of perdition. Therefore, we read about the “Hour of Temptation”, not the “Week of Temptation”.

The week began with Jesus being anointed (Jn 12:3), then Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a weekly sabbath, went to the cross on a preparation day for a High Sabbath of the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the Midst of the Week (7), thus He was cut off in the Midst of The Week, but His Body will be Broken in the Midst of the Hour at the Rapture, then at the Judgment they will look upon Him they have pierced.

Jesus was laid in the grave at the beginning of the High Sabbath, was raised on the weekly sabbath, but His soul fought the good fight of Faith for us during the three days and nights. All this was from sabbath to sabbath with a High Sabbath in the middle, giving us three areas to complete the Seven, except for One Hour. When the Father told the Son, “Thy throne O God is forever and ever”, the Scepter of the Kingdom is the Righteousness of Jesus, evidenced the completeness except for the last half of the hour (Dan 9:24 & Heb 1:8). These periods of completeness are all complete, the Week had three and one-half days before the cross and three and one-half days after the cross, thus we find the time before the cross is for those who will look upon Him Whom they have pierced; the time after is for those who are partakers of the First Resurrection; therefore, the first will be last and the last first.

On the way to the Cross Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for Me but weep for yourselves and for your children. For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren and the wombs who never bare and the paps which never give suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us and to the hills, Cover us” (Luke 23:28-30). Why didn’t He say “daughters of Israel”?, how did He know they were all daughters born in Jerusalem? The context goes to the Woman in the latter days, thus it’s directed to the Remnant, but to the Church He said, “Blessed are they who have not seen and yet have believed”; which is a past tense usage showing we are only blessed after we believe, not before (Jn 20:29 & Mark 16:16). We then find Jesus rode into Jerusalem as the Son of man, He left in the Ascension as the Son of God (Rom 1:3-4). He now maintains the Kingdom as God the Son. We all enter as sons of men based on the Father’s mercy, but we can’t Ascend until we reach the position as a son of God by Grace evidenced by being Born Again.

These sevens are all accounted for, it’s the remaining Hour facing mankind. The Hour is divided into two halves, the first half is appointed for our Season, the second half unto the Remnant. When it’s complete the last Seven will be complete, thus instead of looking for it to begin, we wait for it to end (Rev 8:1 & 15:8). For this reason we find there is silence in heaven for the last half hour (Rev 8:1).

The Messiah shall be cut off, the word Messiah means Christ. The wording “be cut off” is the Hebrew Karath meaning To cut off part of a body, thus it refers to the Broken Body, showing the Rapture, or the time when The Rock is taken, and the “rocks” are left behind, then “the people of the prince” shall come (Dan 9:26). The word People is the Hebrew AM meaning Kinsmen, or Country, the word Prince is the Hebrew Nagiyd meaning Ruler,  so then What prince? The use of Nagiyd narrows it down, this Ruler will not be a King, or a Queen, but a Prince, one who is known by their principality, which will be the Earth. We know this can’t be Jesus, since the context is destruction, and polluting the Sanctuary (Dan 9:26). This would be the very end, the connection is also seen in the use of the word “flood”: connecting to Revelation 12:17 when the devil sent a flood to destroy the Woman before the Remnant of her seed could begin.

The “hour” and the “week” are related, we will find there is a difference in the meaning of “forty-two weeks”, and “three and one-half years”; one refers to the time before the Rapture, the other after. They don’t mean exact time elements, rather they divide the Hour: the Hour isn’t an exact time element as man knows it either. The Covenant will be Confirmed with many for One Week, Jesus accomplished the task, but in the midst of the Week the “sacrifice and oblation” will cease, Jesus is the last Sacrifice. The wording “Shall Confirm” is the Hebrew Gabar meaning To prevail, showing the gates of hell shall not prevail against the Church, but the Church shall prevail. The wording “To Cease” is the Hebrew Shavath meaning To come to an end, or Cease to exist. The type and method of sacrifice and oblation did cease when the New Covenant was presented. There hasn’t been a sacrifice since, since there hasn’t been a temple since 70AD.

The word Oblation is the Hebrew Minchah meaning To bestow, or a Donation, it related to the Tribute given in the Tithe or an Offering in the Temple alone under the Law of Moses. This area refers to the people giving sacrifices for the atonement of their sins in the Temple, the time ended when Jesus gave Himself.

The Remnant keep the Commandments of God, whether they keep the Law of Moses or not isn’t at issue, the Sackclothe on the Sun is (Rev 6:12). To think anyone after the Cross can again bring sacrifices under the Law of Moses to atone for sin negates the Cross. Therefore, we find the Remnant keep the Commandments of God, which we know came before the Law of Moses, not after, thus they operate in Mercy.

There is a division between “Messiah be cut off”, and “the people of the prince that shall come to destroy”, there is a division between “cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease”, and “for the overspreading of abominations”. The word Overspreading is the Hebrew Kanaph meaning A covering, like a Wing, it was used in the phase “wing of the morning”, and in the phrase “hide me under the shadow of Your wings” (Ps 36:7, 57:1, 61:4 & 91:4); however, in this case it’s a Covering of Abominations. The words Desolate and Desolations are the same Hebrew word, which is Shamem meaning To devastate, it was used to describe Tamar after she was raped by Amnon (II Sam 13:20). The word Consumption is the Hebrew Kalah meaning An utter end, thus we find Two Ends, one for each Season.

It’s not merely one abomination, but the overspreading of the Abominations causing Ruin. The Ruin brings about the Utter End when the prayers of the saints mixed with the fire of God are Poured out on the earth. The Consummation Determined shall be Poured upon the Desolate, thus this is a Pouring, referring to the vials the angels pour out in the very last days. This division tells Daniel how his prayer is effective, but there is also a set determined time. Yet, God has also provided the escape, Salvation through the Everlasting Kingdom will be established before the Judgment begins.

Daniel now goes to the third year of Cyrus, who was the king of Persia when, “a thing was revealed” to Daniel (Dan 10:1). The name Cyrus means The Sun, thus this relates to Israel (Jacob) who is known by the metaphor Sun. It will show the time after the Broken Body, when there is no Bread (Body), or Wine (Blood), nor Christ (anointing – Dan 10:3), thus there is silence in heaven during the last half of the Hour (Rev 8:1 & 15:8). The last vision was in the first year of Darius, now a vision in the time of Cyrus. Daniel was mourning for three full weeks, or three sevens, connecting to Daniel praying for the sins of his people.

Daniel did pray for twenty-one days, but on the twenty-fourth day he had his vision, thus giving us another three and one-half (Dan 10:2-5). This was the First Month, or the same month the Jews celebrate Passover on the 14th of Abib, thus the 24th day is ten days past Passover, relating back to the ten days of testing. Daniel was with others, but he was the only one who saw the vision (Dan 10:6). This is much like Paul and his experience with the Lord on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:2-7). Often there are no witnesses to a vision, really there may be no confirmation, other than our faith, usually faith is the issue, not the vision (Dan 10:6-8). There are times when we can’t find a verse to fit the Word, but we will not have a Word going against Scripture. In this we also find the prayer was heard, the answer was delayed, thus there are times when our prayer is heard, but the answer delayed, yet the answer came nonetheless.

It’s important to know what Persia represents or stands for; the Persians who came from the Elamites: in Daniel 8:2 we recall how he was in the Province of Elam. Jeremiah’s time element of seventy years was the subject of the last chapter, it’s in Jeremiah where we find Elam. The Word of the Lord came to the prophet saying “Behold I will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their might” (Jere 49:35). The word Chief is the Hebrew Reshith meaning First in order, or the First of its kind. Elam has a Bow (not for planting, but for destruction), the Bow is defined as a Prince (destroyer), God will send a Sword to Consume them (Jere 49:37). Wait, this prophecy came in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah the king of Judah, long before the Persians took Babylon. The “king of Judah”? Perhaps there is a clue here. The next in order on the prophets list would be Babylon (Jere 50:1), thus they are connected, here we find Elam is a type and shadow of those left behind after the Rapture, who loved the Self, more than God. Persia is a type of destroyer, one who takes captive those who took others captive.

Daniel is on the River Hiddekel, when he hears the Voice of a multitude like Many Waters, then there is a Quake. The men with Daniel fled and hid themselves, just as they will do when the Earthquake comes at the Rapture. Daniel lost his strength, just as the Remnant will have a little strength, but they will not have the Strength of His Christ, this type and shadow shows the Christ nature will be removed at the Rapture.

Daniel is told from the first day he began to “chasten himself” the words of his prayer were heard (Dan 10:12). Verse 13 doesn’t say the prince of Persia, but the prince of the kingdom of Persia; the kingdom of Persia was Babylon. It’s interesting the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood the exact time element as Daniel was praying. Do they relate? Yes, the prince didn’t withstand Daniel, nor the prayer, it was the return of the answer to the prayer. Then we read about Michael, as he came to help, then we read, “I remained there with the kings of Persia” (Dan 10:13). The word Remained is the Hebrew Yathar meaning To spare, To prefer, To give superiority or abundance, it also means A Remnant, or A Remainder, it would seem strange for the “prince of the kingdom of Persia” could withstand, with the “kings of Persia” being rewarded. But wait, “prince”, “kings”, two different things. Michael is one of “the chief princes”, the word Prince is the same for Michael as it is for “the prince of the kingdom of Persia”. Perhaps we need to look at this further: at the time of this vision, Cyrus was king, not the Persians, but the prince of Persia withstood the answer for twenty one days, or three sevens. Daniel could have stopped praying and said, “It is said, it is written, faith stands”, but he would have missed the vision, or the answer. Endurance is the sister to patience, patience is a sister to faith, without endurance we lack the power of faith. The person talking to Daniel is dressed in linen, loins girded with fine gold, body as beryl, face as lightning, eyes as lamps of fire and arms like polished brass. This is a description of Judgment, not Salvation. Michael one of the chief princes (not the chief prince) fought the prince of Persia, not the “kings”. It’s important to keep the kings and prince of Persia separate; the kings of the kingdom represent Persia, but wasn’t it Persia who conquered Babylon? Yes, they took it by force, yet Michael was doing the fighting against the prince so the kings would overtake Babylon. The enemy wanted to keep the Jews in captivity past the 70 years, thus making the prophecy of Jeremiah appear false, but Michael the prince for Daniel’s people defeated the prince, so the kings could prevail. All this then relates to the Seventy Weeks, and the Commandment going forth.

The devil sets his plan against any Commandment of the Lord, yet while Daniel was praying, Michael was fighting. This becomes more important for us when we find Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought with his angels, yet prevailed not; neither was there a place found any more in heaven (Rev 12:7-8). This Fight takes place after the Man Child comes, but before a Loud Voice was heard saying “Now is come Salvation, and Strength, and The Kingdom of our God, and the Power of His Christ” (Rev 12:10). The prince of the kingdom of Persia, is different from the “kings of Persia”, this prince has a power, a power of the air, a power to invade and resist, but something will happen, recorded in Luke to change all this as Jesus gives us power and authority over the devil, and all the works of the enemy. When Satan fell, the devil gave his power, authority and seat of Satan to the Beast of the Sea, the horrid Beast Daniel saw prior. The key to all this is in the phrase “what shall befall your people in the later days” (Dan 10:14). This gives us the group as Daniel’s people with the time as the latter days. Daniel sees one “like the similitude of the sons of men”, John sees Jesus as “one like unto the Son of man” (Dan 10:16 & Rev 1:13). I thought John walked with Jesus? He did. Well how come he doesn’t know this one like unto the Son of man is Jesus? This picture of Jesus as the Judgment Jesus, by the use of his wording John has connected to Daniel giving us a picture of the return of the Son of man for Judgment, thus the vision of Daniel relates to Judgment, not Salvation. The Word of Judgment (Jehovah’s Vengeance), is the forth Cup, the one Jesus took in the Garden, when it’s poured out it will be the time of the great Winepress (Dan 10:20-21 & Rev 14:10).

Chapter Eleven is a continuation of Chapter Ten, the Lord gave Michael strength to withstand the prince and save Daniel from the lions in the first year of the king Darius (Dan 11:1). Here we find the angel who saved Daniel from the mouth of the lion was Michael, the angel appointed to the Jews. We also find there shall be three kings in Persia, then a fourth who shall be far richer than the other three, his riches shall stir up the king in the realm of Greece. This goes right back to the “kings of Persia”, showing Daniel was praying in the time of man, the battle was in the time of God, although the two relate we can’t put them in the same “time bottle”.

This is again a prophecy regarding Alexander the Great, but this interpretation coupled with the other gives us the latter day events. Greece is a metaphor for natural intellectual reasoning endeavors of man, which is the source of many fables (I Cor 1:22-23), thus the king of the realm of Greece is a type and shadow of the son of perdition, who is called to be a king, but retains the ways of the prince of the power of the air.

The actual events are as if Cleopatra read Daniel, then played the part, but the truth is, God had the play in hand long before He said, Light Be. The events follow history, until we reach Daniel 11:20 then the vision remains with history, yet jumps to the latter days as well. There will be one who will seek the kingdom, but is not entitled to it, yet he shall obtain it by flatteries or magic (Dan 11:21). Clearly this is the son of perdition who thinks God can’t see the heart of man, they use the working of Satan, slanderous, attacking, hateful ways. They fail to see how ugly the unsaved soul is, rather they assume their Ways are of God. In our Season they will do Acts in the Name of Jesus, thus the Name works, regardless of the person in the Body; therefore, judge the Ways (fruit), not the Acts. After the Rapture this “he” attempts to come in another way, he missed the Door, but then sees the riches of blessing from the windows, he attempts to climb in the window by capturing the Woman.

The Flood comes from the “mouth of the dragon”, a flood is water from one area attempting to take ground not afforded to it. The prince of the covenant shall be broken, this isn’t the Covenant, but the prince of the covenant. The word broken is the Hebrew Shabar meaning to break in pieces; the only place we find the title “prince of the covenant” is here in Daniel, the word Prince means an overseer, defined in verse 23, thus this prince had a covenant, but he never made it to kingly position, rather he falls back to perdition. In verse 23 we find he shall make league, by so doing becomes a covenant breaker, then he shall work deceitfully for he “shall come up” (Dan 11:23). The wording “shall come up” is the Hebrew Alah with many meanings as  a prime root, but it means to ascend, or exalt, as in exalting oneself, or to raise up out of the earth as the Beast of the Earth, or as a little horn. This “prince” will not enter by war, but peaceably, which is the Hebrew word Shalvah meaning by peace, or in a time of peace. Deception is their method, Paul said they lie in wait to deceive, they will use the same method in the Night (Eph 4:14).

The history takes off again, the king of the south metaphorically would be Gog and his army in the very end. Much of the prophecy is going over the same material, but showing it will take place at the appointed time (Dan 11:31-40).

In Daniel 11:41 it appears as if Edom, Moab and the children of Ammon “escape” out of his hand, but the word Escape means to Deliver from one hand into another, thus they will escape from the “he”, but end in the hand of the Woman, thus it’s the Woman who takes Edom, Moab and the children of Ammon gaining all Her land.

The phrase “fathers’ fathers” gives us Jewish roots, but the phrase “fathers” gives us Church roots, thus this is a dual figure, one beginning in our time, ending in the next. This reflects to Isaiah 13:21-22 and other Scriptures showing the “wild beasts of the islands”, and the “wild beasts of the deserts” are really a joined unit. This Wild Beast was noted by John as the Second Beast out of the earth, not the Sands of the Sea, or the heavens.

Daniel 11:38 shows the precious stones and such, which is what we find all over the Woman in the Book of Revelation (Rev 17:4 & 18:10-13). The love of money is still the root of all evil, when the love of money springs forth it produces iniquity, then sin.

The False One will speak lies at the table, but he shall not prosper, rather they will lose their seat at the purposed table, because they bartered it for the seat of Satan. This gives us Two Seasons; Jude says they turn the Grace of our God into lasciviousness, they don’t have it, they attempt to cause others to misuse Grace (Jude 4), their mouths speak great swelling words, the same context as we find here in Daniel (Jude 16). They seek the “pleasure of the flesh”, when an event doesn’t please them, they complain and murmur, just as the unbelieving in the wilderness, thus Jude reminds us, though we should not forget, how the Lord having Saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them who believed not (Jude 5). The Woman joins with the Wicked, taking the kings of the Flood as her lovers, causing her light to no more shine in her (Rev 18:23). Her candle is removed, never to be seen in the Menorah again.

Instead of being invited to dinner, they will become the dinner (Dan 11:25-27). Except for the 144,000, the rest will have indignation against the holy covenant, they shall pollute the sanctuary with their abomination then take away the daily sacrifice (Dan 11:30-32).

Now we begin to find the “man” Lucifer, as we saw this man is a he who has two areas he attacks, he desires to be above the Stars, referring to the Church, and he desires to sit on the mount of the congregation (Zion), referring to the Jews, two horns, not one.  However, the Night begins with the church of Philadelphia who has a little strength (helped with a little help – Dan 11:34). They judge righteously as outlined in Psalm 82 as they operate in Mercy, yet when they are gone the Seventh takes over, then comes the Eight with his deception, causing it all to end for him in the lake of fire.

As the Time for Dividing the Body draws near the Many will grow, the Few will be attacked with a demonic vengeance; however, in our Season we shall Overcome, for Greater is He who is in us, than the he in the world (I Jn 4:1-4). In the latter days the Remnant won’t have the Greater He in them, thus they will be physically overcome and killed. The vessels of dishonor hone the vessels of honor, giving us cause to apply Mercy: mercy applied gains mercy (Dan 11:35 & Rom 9:21-23).

The king noted here in Daniel was a purposed king in the kingdom, but bartered his Gift away for the self nature, becoming a prince of the earth, thus he comes from the earth, and remains with it. He will do according to his will, rather than the will of God; therefore, when he said “not my will, but Yours Lord”, he lied and the Truth was not In him. He will magnify himself as the Most High, but the Ways (lusts, wiles or works) of his father the devil he will do, noted by Paul as the working of Satan. This he will not regard the God of his fathers, this isn’t the God of his fathers’ father, but of his fathers, showing the Body of Christ, thus this doesn’t pertain to Grace, but to Mercy. Mercy is where the workers of iniquity fail, not Grace (Dan 11:37).

The word Ungodly means Without God, but it holds one must have God in order to Un God, the same is true with Unjust, in order to Un Just one must have the capability to be Just, thus we are the Just who live by faith, we are not of them who draw back to perdition (Heb 10:38-39).

The Wicked one will be the false prophet in the Night, during the Night he will cause the Woman to rule violently over the Mountains, she will ride them as a beast (Dan 11:39). She beings by being the deliverer of the knowledge of the Lord, but ends as “Babylon”.

We have already gone over some of this prophecy, we know the king of the north and the king of the south were actual people who lived and died many years ago, but it’s  the preview of the prophecy. The prophecy points to Daniel’s People in the Latter Days, not Greece. In the latter days we can see the king of the south (bear) and the king of the north (leopard) joining as Gog and Magog, then coming against the Woman by entering the glorious land (Dan 11:41). Then this he is seen planted between the Seas in the temple mount, which makes him of the earth as the Eighth (Dan 11:43-45).

Chapter 12 of Daniel continues with the same vision, showing the end comes when Michael stands, the great prince for the children of the Jews (Dan 12:1). When Michael contends with Satan over the Body of Moses (Law of Moses), the choice for the Woman will be at hand. Michael as the archangel also shouts and announces the second coming of Jesus, thus Michael is not Jesus. Jesus returns as the Son of man to bring Judgment, and finish the Kingdom. The confusion comes when we know Jesus stands, so if Michael stands, maybe they are one in the same? No, we find Michael coming before Jesus to announce the arrival of the King of kings.

Before all this happens the Last Trump sounds, the Dead in Christ are raised to join those under the Altar of God, then we all meet Jesus in the Air where we remain with Him forever. Part of the Good News is the freedom from the last half of the hour, we are not appointed to see the wrath of God. Therefore, everyone who is written in the Book of Life shall be delivered (Dan 12:1). Including those who are Partakers in the First Resurrection and those who are resurrected unto Life on the Judgment day; however, there will be others who enter everlasting contempt, which is the resurrection of the damned (Dan 12:2).

Daniel is told to shut up the words and seal the book, this doesn’t mean to lock it away in some cave, or hide it under a tree, rather it means it’s sealed, no man can change it, it stands until the words are complete (Dan 12:4). John is told not to seal his book, thus if a son of perdition changes before the Rapture, they can still make it. Daniel’s seal is for his people in the Night, thus no man can work during the Night.

Daniel then saw two subjects, one said, “How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?” (Dan 12:6). John shows the Dead in Christ under the altar of God saying, “How long O Lord..” (Rev 6:10). The Man on the Waters held up both hands to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever saying, it shall be for a time, times and an half, and as we found this is different from the phrase used in Daniel 7, this refers to Feasts. The context is a Time of a Feast, a Time of another Feast and half of a Time for the Third Feast. There are three major feasts, Passover (Jesus is our Passover), Pentecost  (Birth of the Church, by Baptism with Holy Ghost), then Tabernacles, this last Feast is divided into Halves. When this feast prophetically opened the Tabernacle of God shall be with the Lord in the Air, the Temple will be on earth with the thousands of the thousands, then the Second Half will begin (Dan 12:5-7). In the Book of Revelation John saw a mighty angel raise one hand and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, this angel has one foot on the Sea, the other on the Earth (Rev 10:4-6). Whoa, wait, Daniel sees two hands, John sees one, could be a mystery? Yes, John only sees one hand, since it’s the Night, and the Day has passed, Daniel is yet before the Morning, he sees Two, one for the Day, and one for the Night. Daniel’s vision doesn’t have the angel standing on anything, but his Two hands are raised, showing a Division of Time

Daniel 12:11 shows a stopping of one event, then the beginning of another, but when the other begins, Salvation will cease until the Judgment. If they are wicked and refuse to repent, they will remain wicked after the Rapture as the drunk who go into the Night.

The word Purified in verse 10 is the Hebrew Barar meaning To prove, or Clean, we are cleaned from our unrighteousness by the Blood of Jesus, yet the Wicked are the Fowls. This verse gives us the Body of Christ, or Net with the Good and Wicked, the Good will make it, the Wicked will be of the Earth, the choice is up to each person who enters the kingdom of heaven.

The time of Doors will come when many are purified (justified) and made white (glorified), which is the result of the Rapture (Rev 6:10-11 & 3:5). However, the Wicked who will cause the Woman to do Wickedly, and she will reject all these warnings written by the Prophets of Old (Dan 12:10).

Daniel finishes by giving us two numbers, neither fit the three and one half, the seven, the prophetic calendar, the western calendar, or the Jewish calendar (Dan 12:11-12). The first number is 1,290, the second is 1,335, without knowing about the 144,000 we would never figure these numbers out. John tells us the Apostles established the wall, the Remnant are appointed the gates (Rev 21:12-14). The city of New Jerusalem measured 12,000 and the wall was 144 (Rev 21:16-17). With these numbers we can take the 1,290, adding the 1 with the 2 equaling 3; then the 3 with the 9 giving us 12, the zero in the thousandth place making it 12,000 (1+2+9). Next we can take the 1 and add it to the 3, then the 4 with the 3 bringing 7, putting  the 7 with the 5 giving us 12 (1+3+3+5). Daniel’s two numbers point to two groups with the last being the 12 positional pillars of the apostle positions, regardless of how many fit into those positions. The first number gives us 12,000 for each tribe of the Remnant, thus showing the thousands of the thousands as the Gates; whereas the Wall gives us the ten thousand times ten thousand; therefore, the walls are established before the Gates, we will be first, they will be last, showing the first is last, but the last will be first.

These major prophets painted a tough picture, but a better one is being painted daily in our hearts by the Spirit. The Night is real, the Day more so, we are children of the Day, we are not children of the Night. Is there more? Yes let’s move on to the Minor Prophets.

By Rev. G. E. Newmyer, s.b.i.les8 rev10/©2003